Comments for The Old Motor http://theoldmotor.com Old car photos , Old Cars For sale, Classic Cars, antique cars Sat, 25 May 2013 16:22:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on An Interesting Tale: The 1919 Ballot Indianapolis 500 Team Racing Cars by An Interesting Tale of a Early Indianapolis 500 Thee-Car Team Built in Only 102 Days and Then Raced http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81706#comment-13306 An Interesting Tale of a Early Indianapolis 500 Thee-Car Team Built in Only 102 Days and Then Raced Sat, 25 May 2013 16:22:52 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81706#comment-13306 [...] race. See the detail complete post with a dozen photos, including period magazine articles on The Old Motor. The Old Motor Photo Magazine....With 1000's of great period photos for you to view and [...] [...] race. See the detail complete post with a dozen photos, including period magazine articles on The Old Motor. The Old Motor Photo Magazine….With 1000's of great period photos for you to view and [...]

]]> Comment on The Austin Comes to America – Part I of the American Austin Bantam Story by Robert D. Cunningham http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13303 Robert D. Cunningham Sat, 25 May 2013 13:31:49 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13303 Donald, I agree, I've seen a number of American Austins (and Bantams) with fenders welded to the bodies. The cars were light weight and prone to bounce about a lot on rough roads. As a result, the fenders tended to wobble and crack, particularly with the earliest cars (1930-32). For the 1933 model year, an additional brace bolted to the frame and wrapped up under the crown of the front fender. But since the fenders are roughly the same height as the seat of a chair, folks were always tempted to sit on them ... and they're just not built to support that kind of weight! Incidentally, right-hand fenders can be found more readily than left-hand fenders (although both are scarce). Donald, I agree, I’ve seen a number of American Austins (and Bantams) with fenders welded to the bodies. The cars were light weight and prone to bounce about a lot on rough roads. As a result, the fenders tended to wobble and crack, particularly with the earliest cars (1930-32). For the 1933 model year, an additional brace bolted to the frame and wrapped up under the crown of the front fender. But since the fenders are roughly the same height as the seat of a chair, folks were always tempted to sit on them … and they’re just not built to support that kind of weight! Incidentally, right-hand fenders can be found more readily than left-hand fenders (although both are scarce).

]]> Comment on The Austin Comes to America – Part I of the American Austin Bantam Story by Donald Ellis http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13293 Donald Ellis Fri, 24 May 2013 23:10:12 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13293 Robert, perhaps you're correct! I owned a 1933 American Austin for a few years and sold it on before I could restore it. One of the major stumbling blocks to restoration was the fact that someone before I got it had welded the fenders to the body. Searching for fenders I found that this was a common problem and I wonder if the bodies and fenders were more fragile than on other cars. Robert, perhaps you’re correct! I owned a 1933 American Austin for a few years and sold it on before I could restore it. One of the major stumbling blocks to restoration was the fact that someone before I got it had welded the fenders to the body. Searching for fenders I found that this was a common problem and I wonder if the bodies and fenders were more fragile than on other cars.

]]> Comment on The Austin Comes to America – Part I of the American Austin Bantam Story by Robert D. Cunningham http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13292 Robert D. Cunningham Fri, 24 May 2013 22:29:16 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13292 Donald, that's an interesting thought. However, in 1920s America, quite the opposite of xenophobia (fear of foreign things) was in play. Americans were fascinated with foreign cars, but only the wealthy could afford them. Only a few dozen Austin Sevens were in the States by 1929, and most were owned by socialites and movie stars. American Austin was launched with great enthusiasm (more than 85,000 orders taken during the 1930 New York Auto Show), but the Great Depression hit, and only 8500 were sold by year end. The car basically had three strikes against it: 1) comparatively high price (more than the lowest-priced Ford); 2) small size (Austin carried two while Ford carried four); and small horsepower (13 h.p.) in a country 3,000 miles wide. Donald, that’s an interesting thought. However, in 1920s America, quite the opposite of xenophobia (fear of foreign things) was in play. Americans were fascinated with foreign cars, but only the wealthy could afford them. Only a few dozen Austin Sevens were in the States by 1929, and most were owned by socialites and movie stars. American Austin was launched with great enthusiasm (more than 85,000 orders taken during the 1930 New York Auto Show), but the Great Depression hit, and only 8500 were sold by year end. The car basically had three strikes against it: 1) comparatively high price (more than the lowest-priced Ford); 2) small size (Austin carried two while Ford carried four); and small horsepower (13 h.p.) in a country 3,000 miles wide.

]]> Comment on The 63rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, August 18, 2013 by David Greenlees http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13290 David Greenlees Fri, 24 May 2013 17:32:17 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13290 Brian... I am assuming that your car was a Mark II test mule? Can you tell us a little more about it? Brian… I am assuming that your car was a Mark II test mule? Can you tell us a little more about it?

]]> Comment on The 63rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, August 18, 2013 by Brian http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13288 Brian Fri, 24 May 2013 16:23:38 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13288 I guess since Shelby died last year and being busy with personal and family business I didn't notice Lincoln was a marque this year. I skipped this years events and will be in Rome and Capri with my children. I think it's a little late to get the Lincoln in shape for August. It's clean and it is driven from time to time when I'm at my west coast compound. As far as I know it has never appeared at any show since my family procured it decades ago. Even though it was a test mule it gets compliments from those that know the automobile. The retractable top was mostly invented by Ben Smith and the one one of it's kind. Interesting story on how it was reported scrapped while Mr. Smith was on vacation. I guess since Shelby died last year and being busy with personal and family business I didn’t notice Lincoln was a marque this year. I skipped this years events and will be in Rome and Capri with my children. I think it’s a little late to get the Lincoln in shape for August. It’s clean and it is driven from time to time when I’m at my west coast compound. As far as I know it has never appeared at any show since my family procured it decades ago. Even though it was a test mule it gets compliments from those that know the automobile. The retractable top was mostly invented by Ben Smith and the one one of it’s kind. Interesting story on how it was reported scrapped while Mr. Smith was on vacation.

]]> Comment on The Austin Comes to America – Part I of the American Austin Bantam Story by Donald Ellis http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13283 Donald Ellis Fri, 24 May 2013 14:21:38 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81752#comment-13283 It has always been a puzzle to me that the Bantam didn't make it into the "credible transportation" category. The engine was very reliable and proven many times over in British motoring history. The little engine was the basis for some of the most successful of trials specials. In the United States, we oldsters think of the Bantam as a prop for W.C. Fields sight gags . They were also irresistible as the object of practical jokes. I also remember of the immediate post war, that if you had one of the popular MGs on the market you had to be careful to avoid vandalism. So do you suppose that the Bantam hit the rocks of innate xenophobia? It has always been a puzzle to me that the Bantam didn’t make it into the “credible transportation” category. The engine was very reliable and proven many times over in British motoring history. The little engine was the basis for some of the most successful of trials specials.

In the United States, we oldsters think of the Bantam as a prop for W.C. Fields sight gags . They were also irresistible as the object of practical jokes. I also remember of the immediate post war, that if you had one of the popular MGs on the market you had to be careful to avoid vandalism. So do you suppose that the Bantam hit the rocks of innate xenophobia?

]]> Comment on The 63rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, August 18, 2013 by David Greenlees http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13281 David Greenlees Fri, 24 May 2013 13:01:47 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13281 Barry...It appears it will be a great gathering of Lincolns Barry…It appears it will be a great gathering of Lincolns

]]> Comment on The 63rd Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, August 18, 2013 by Barry Wolk http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13278 Barry Wolk Fri, 24 May 2013 12:24:00 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=81729#comment-13278 We'll be on the show field with our Mark II convertible, too. We’ll be on the show field with our Mark II convertible, too.

]]> Comment on Patina, Provenance, Originality – Thoughtful Preservation of Collectible Automobiles by Kelly Williams http://theoldmotor.com/?p=80341#comment-13276 Kelly Williams Fri, 24 May 2013 12:11:09 +0000 http://theoldmotor.com/?p=80341#comment-13276 An interesting sidebar to this exhibit would be a review of the techniques currently in use to simulate patina and age in newly-assembled antique cars. A lot of thought, skill, and cleverness goes into this work these days. An interesting sidebar to this exhibit would be a review of the techniques currently in use to simulate patina and age in newly-assembled antique cars. A lot of thought, skill, and cleverness goes into this work these days.

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