Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

[Christopher Scoggins]

Thanks for the advise, fellas! Good notes. I think I'll hold off buying a car until I take care of a few major expenses coming this year, but I definitely feel more educated on the risks involved with buying old cars. Many thanks.

 

[Stearmen]

It only took one time hearing a Deputy tell me, "If I ever catch you doing something like that again, I will tell your Father." I would have rather been taken to jail and put in solitary confinement for 30 years than have to answer to my Dad for doing something stupid.

That was the first thing that flashed through my mind, what will my parents say when I get home? Luckily, they didn't find out, so a good life lesson, I have never done that since!

 

[Stearmen]

Thanks for the advise, fellas! Good notes. I think I'll hold off buying a car until I take care of a few major expenses coming this year, but I definitely feel more educated on the risks involved with buying old cars. Many thanks.

You will probably be happier if you save up and buy a nice car.

 

[1mach1]

You will probably be happier if you save up and buy a nice car.

I agree.

 

[LizzieMaine]

There are no cheap cars. Only expensive mistakes.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I was NEVER afraid of my Dad. Growing up, he never raised his hand against me or even raised his voice to me. I would have rather died than to disappoint him by having him find out I did something I shouldn't have done.

He's been gone over six years now, and I still would rather die than do something that would reflect bad on him.

I'm with you on this. I was fairly young when I realized how much respect my father commanded from his friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc, and not because they were afraid of him or because he was a "drill sergeant" (though he was a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne). It was because he had honor and integrity and sincerity, not to mention ten times more common sense than most of us. My biggest fear was doing something stupid and having him have to shake his head and say "yeah, that's my boy alright."

 

[Stanley Doble]

Buy a cheap car and find out how hard it is to drive a bargain ha ha ha.

 

[Stearmen]

Buy a cheap car and find out how hard it is to drive a bargain ha ha ha.

Most of the time you wont have to worry about driving it!

 

[jamespowers]

Most of the time you wont have to worry about driving it!

And if you can it likely won't be safe to do.

 

[Big Man]

Here's an old photo of my grandfather and grandmother Dobson (driver's side of car), along with my mother (standing beside lady with hat), my great grandmother Sparks (lady with hat), and my mother's brothers and sisters. On the back of the photo is listed who everyone is and also the notation that the photo was taken in 1938 "... with our little Austin."

My question: How popular was the Austin around this time? How many were around (especially in western NC around this time)?

 

[Stanley Doble]

That is a very interesting picture. The English Austin was built in Butler Pennsylvania starting in 1930. About 5 years later the company was failing in spite of the efforts of a live wire dealer in Florida who sold them like hot cakes. This dealer ended up buying the company out of bankruptcy, redesigning the car and reintroducing it as the "American Bantam". The new name allowed them to stop paying royalties to Austin, besides they redesigned the car so thoroughly it was practically a new car anyway.

The car in the photo is one of the "Bantam" models of the late 30s. I was going to say 1938 then saw the date on the picture. They built about 6000 Bantams between 1937 and 1941. I'm surprised there were any in NC. I suppose there was a dealer in the area. You could get a Bantam dealership for very little money. An ambitious used car dealer or garage proprietor could set up as a new car dealer for the cost of one or 2 cars, a small stock of parts, and some advertising signs. It could be there was a dealer in your area. Or maybe someone drove it up from Florida where they were popular.

To finish the story of the Bantam, the well known WW2 Jeep was invented by the Bantam company. The Army put out a contract for a light 4 wheel drive car and the Bantam design was the best. But, they did not give the contract to Bantam because they did not believe they could build enough of them. Instead the contract went to Ford and Willys. Bantam got a contract to build trailers to pull behind the Jeeps, as a kind of consolation prize.

So, your family's Austin was the father of the Jeep.

 

[Fading Fast]

That is fantastic information on the Austin / Bantam story. Thank you

 

[Big Man]

Yes, that is very interesting information on the Austin. Thank you.

I have an aunt who is old enough to remember that car. I'll ask her if she knows anything specific about when and where they got the car.

 

[Big Man]

... I have an aunt who is old enough to remember that car ...

I just got through talking with my aunt, who is 87 years old, said she remembered the little Austin. She said it was really a small truck, not a car, and that it was painted red. She said her Dad got the Austin to drive back and forth to work. My granddad was a lumber buyer for Drexel Furniture Company. The family was living in Greenlee, NC at the time, and the Drexel plant where he worked was in Marion, NC which was about six or seven miles away. My aunt said she didn’t remember where her Dad got the Austin, or what ever happened to it. She said she learn to drive with the Austin, and that her brother, Charles (who is now 90 years old), drove it to school one time and the students picked it up and put it on the stage in the auditorium. She said the Austin was “more like a toy to us kids.”


It sure would be nice to have that little Austin today. Hard to say how much it would be worth.

 

[hatsRme]

I remember a limerick about a man from Boston, who used to drive an Austin...

Any recommendations or suggestions about the best place to advertise for sale a 1903(+-) Gabriel Horn exhaust whistle for a LOCOMOBILE? I have a 33 inch long, three note model which is in need of a caring new owner.

 

[Stanley Doble]

For such a small company Bantam made an impressive variety of models including a coupe or 2 seater sedan, a roadster, a convertible, a station wagon, and a tiny pickup truck like your great uncle's. They even made a town car style delivery vehicle, with an open driver's compartment and closed in package compartment for classy stores.

A good place to ask about the Gabriel exhaust whistle would be the AACA forums. I am sure there is someone on there who can tell you everything about it down to the finest detail and possibly find a buyer too.

http://forums.aaca.org/

 

[Stanley Doble]

There are a few of the old Austins around in collectors' hands. Big man I am afraid you would need to buy two, one for each foot.

From the information you give, I would think your great uncle bought the car new and ordered it special from the dealer. The date, the rarity of the car, and the even more rare pickup body point to this.

 

[Big Man]

There are a few of the old Austins around in collectors' hands. Big man I am afraid you would need to buy two, one for each foot.

From the information you give, I would think your great uncle bought the car new and ordered it special from the dealer. The date, the rarity of the car, and the even more rare pickup body point to this.

You are right, I would have to wear a car like that, not ride in one.

The Austin was my grandfather's, not my great uncle's, and it would make sense he special ordered it. As a lumber buyer for Drexel, my grandfather Dobson had contacts all across the country. Possibly one of those contacts put him on to the Austin. I doubt I'll ever know where he got the car, but the story is interesting.

 

[Fading Fast]

... Big man I am afraid you would need to buy two, one for each foot...

Big Man, if you keep digging - maybe some old family files or an older relative or friend you haven't asked yet who might know / or maybe the company has a webiste (I know it is out of business, but maybe a fan site or relative of a former owner has built a site) that has information. My writer's instinct tells me there might be a real interesting story associated with how your grandfather acquired the car.

 

[Big Man]

Big Man, if you keep digging - maybe some old family files or an older relative or friend you haven't asked yet who might know / or maybe the company has a webiste (I know it is out of business, but maybe a fan site or relative of a former owner has built a site) that has information. My writer's instinct tells me there might be a real interesting story associated with how your grandfather acquired the car.

Those are some good ideas. Thanks for the suggestions as to where to start looking.

My Mother was the oldest of seven children. All her brothers and sisters are still living and in good health and mind. My uncle Charlie (the one who drove the Austin to school when the boys in his class picked it up and put it on the stage in the auditorium) is just under my Mother in age (he's 90 years old). I need to give him a call and ask if he remembers anything. The aunt who gave me what information I have is the third in line in age, and probably knows more about the family than the others. All the rest of the aunts and uncles would not have been old enough to remember anything about the possible origins of the Austin.