Vintage Cars

[BobHufford]

A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, my dream car. I know these don't exactly go for beans these days, but say I stumble upon a fantastic fortune; does anyone have any information on this car? Perks, values? Or is it just a pretty-looking junker that loses its novelty quickly? I've heard good things about this era of Cadillacs and Lincolns.

Go for it! I had a chance to buy a pristine '60 convertible for $10K twenty years ago and regret that I didn't do it. I drove a '57 Sedan de Ville daily for a few years. Worked like a champ except for the vacuum operated windshield wipers. Oh ... and the four months of down time waiting for body parts after I was t-boned (plus they had to send the bumper to Kansas City for rechroming ... wouldn't fit in any tank around here). Barely felt the bump and the other guy's car was in pieces all over the road.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Worked like a champ except for the vacuum operated windshield wipers. Oh ... and the four months of down time waiting for body parts after I was t-boned (plus they had to send the bumper to Kansas City for rechroming ... wouldn't fit in any tank around here). Barely felt the bump and the other guy's car was in pieces all over the road.

Gotta convert the vacuum wipers to electric.

I had a similar situation when I was rear ended driving a 1962 Chevy SS. Thankfully the only damage was to the tooled aluminum panel across the trunk lid behind the tail lights, & the aluminum valance panel behind the license plate. At the time the valance panel was being reproduced but the trunk panel was not.

The Chevette that hit me didn't fair so well.

 

[GHT]

A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado convertible, my dream car. I know these don't exactly go for beans these days, but say I stumble upon a fantastic fortune; does anyone have any information on this car? Perks, values? Or is it just a pretty-looking junker that loses its novelty quickly? I've heard good things about this era of Cadillacs and Lincolns.

The 1959 Cadillac is known the world over, famous for those amazing tail fins. Part of the reason for their dearth is the novelty of those fins. I have seen them turned into a three seater settee, auto scupltures and fin follies. Those wild fins and bullet pods have been turned into just about everything you can think of. That said, there is a big following on this side of the pond, of North American auto metal. One of our classic car clubs call themselves CanAm, and pride of place at their meetings is inevitably, a beautifully restored 1959 Eldorado.
Come to think of it, there was a posting on here some time ago of that car, from an Aussie member. I remember it because I was so surprised to see that it had been converted to right hand drive.

Out and about yesterday. The MG looking resplendent in the sunshine.

 

[GHT]

This 1904 De Deon Bouton was the oldest car by far at a classic meet this morning:

 

[vitanola]

This 1904 De Deon Bouton was the oldest car by far at a classic meet this morning:
View attachment 124073

I ran into some trippers
In my swift de Dion Bouton
Squashed them flat as kippers
Left them ”aussi mort que mouton”.
What a nuisance trippers are
For I must now repaint my car...

 

[GHT]

I ran into some trippers
In my swift de Dion Bouton
Squashed them flat as kippers
Left them ”aussi mort que mouton”.
What a nuisance trippers are
For I must now repaint my car...

What a wit you are, in your repainted car. Is that all your own?
This is the tale of an old MG:

There was a time when motor cars
were serious fun to drive,
back then they didn't have seat belts,
which help you stay alive.
They had quirky things like
running boards and trafficators too,
those were little semaphore arms
that gave the direction true.

Jessica is just like that
in two tone fancy colour,
an MG of classic vintage,
a real beauty to discover.
There's nothing more that she prefers
than to show off in the shining sun,
and be photographed by one and all:
she smiles for everyone.

This classic car has survived the years
and not been torn asunder,
not for her, the breaker's yard,
her body parts to plunder.
Despite her years she's greatly loved,
her lines to be admired,
and she can still put on a turn of speed
to get the adrenaline fired.

Out on the highway she likes to go
and keep up with the traffic.
But serious problems can arise,
when all the cars are static.
The water in her engine boils
and out the steam comes hissing,
she doesn't have a temperature fan
but it's not exactly missing.

It simply wasn't ever there
like modern cars today,
there's so much missing with vintage cars, it's the price you have to pay.
But for all her lack of equipment
and of technology,
there's something intangible this car has, this lovely old MG.

It's that distinct smell of old car,
of walnut and of leather,
a fragrance that's so captivating,
it doesn't get much better.
Then there's her style & grace & beauty
and class in overload,
but her greatest asset is the fun you can have, that comes by the bucketload.

 

[vitanola]

What a wit you are, in your repainted car. Is that all your own?
This is the tale of an old MG:

There was a time when motor cars
were serious fun to drive,
back then they didn't have seat belts,
which help you stay alive.
They had quirky things like
running boards and trafficators too,
those were little semaphore arms
that gave the direction true.

Jessica is just like that
in two tone fancy colour,
an MG of classic vintage,
a real beauty to discover.
There's nothing more that she prefers
than to show off in the shining sun,
and be photographed by one and all:
she smiles for everyone.

This classic car has survived the years
and not been torn asunder,
not for her, the breaker's yard,
her body parts to plunder.
Despite her years she's greatly loved,
her lines to be admired,
and she can still put on a turn of speed
to get the adrenaline fired.

Out on the highway she likes to go
and keep up with the traffic.
But serious problems can arise,
when all the cars are static.
The water in her engine boils
and out the steam comes hissing,
she doesn't have a temperature fan
but it's not exactly missing.

It simply wasn't ever there
like modern cars today,
there's so much missing with vintage cars, it's the price you have to pay.
But for all her lack of equipment
and of technology,
there's something intangible this car has, this lovely old MG.

It's that distinct smell of old car,
of walnut and of leather,
a fragrance that's so captivating,
it doesn't get much better.
Then there's her style & grace & beauty
and class in overload,
but her greatest asset is the fun you can have, that comes by the bucketload.

No, alas, I cannot take credit for that amusing bit of doggerel. I recall reading it in a 1903 or 1904 issue of MoToR.

I rather prefer your original rhyme.

 

[Taz-man]

Finding parts is going to be an expensive nightmare. My father got rid of his 1940 Oldsmobile in the mid 50s because trying to find parts was hard. I have a 1970 chevy pickup and it is hard trying to find parts for it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

It's easier for some makes than others. I remember Model A parts being available in the Sears catalog into the 1970s, and Ford cars in general are very well supported even today on the secondary market.

There are a couple of suppliers who carry just about any engine, brake, transmission, electrical, or rubber part you'll ever need for any Mopar flathead car -- not just new old stock, but current production. Most of these parts are of pretty good quality, and as long as you know the correct specs for your car you won't have any problems. Body parts and trim are more of an issue, although you can usually find what you need thru eBay if you're willing to spend the money for it.

Before I bought the Plodge I was seriously looking at a 1938 Nash, but what tipped it for me was the easy access to parts. Any "orphan" make is going to be harder to deal with than the products of the Big Three.

 

[EngProf]

Finding parts is going to be an expensive nightmare. My father got rid of his 1940 Oldsmobile in the mid 50s because trying to find parts was hard. I have a 1970 chevy pickup and it is hard trying to find parts for it.

You need to check "LMC Truck". They have EVERY part you could want/need for Chevy pickups. I have bought all sorts of parts for my '66 C-10 over the years.

 

[Taz-man]

You need to check "LMC Truck". They have EVERY part you could want/need for Chevy pickups. I have bought all sorts of parts for my '66 C-10 over the years.

Thank you. I have ordered from them. My father had a 1966 chevy long bed, a 1968 gmc flatbed. Among many classic cars.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

1961 Chrysler Windsor. Has to be a rare one today.

 

[vitanola]

Finding parts is going to be an expensive nightmare. My father got rid of his 1940 Oldsmobile in the mid 50s because trying to find parts was hard. I have a 1970 chevy pickup and it is hard trying to find parts for it.

Parts availability for the T Model Ford cars and for the New Ford (Model A) cars is greater than that for a five year old used car of any brand. One can go to Lang's or Snyder's and build a car out of their parts bins. For other marques, parts availability can be problematic, though wear and mechanical parts are easily sourced for the six cylinder Mopar machines which I mentioned in earlier posts.

Your father's experience was common enough in his day, but with the improved communication (and hence marketing ability) which came with the advent of the internet it is far easier to source parts. That transmission cluster gear assembly which your father scoured the countryside to find in 1958 was then sitting in the dead stock of some nearly defunct dealership in Mahtomedi MN, and so was unavailable to him. It might as well not have existed. That gear is now in the hands of a specialist parts dealer and is available to the current owner of the car at the mere click of a mouse (and, of course, a credit card charge.)

As far as a modern machine like the '70 Chevrolet is concerned, LMC stocks most chassis, suspension, body, and brake components, and the small block V8 of the period has a plethora of original and accessory components made for it.

 

[GHT]

One of the most annoying problems of classic car ownership is that of petty thieves. MG cars have the famous MG octagon on badges on various places of all their models. The badges on the hub caps of my car seem prone to the kleptomaniacs that can't resist a small trophy from their day at a classic car show. There's a company that I use for replacement spares, the lady on the phone told me that MG badge pilfering was very common, adding, nice world we live in.

 

[Babydoll]

I saw this at the grocery store a couple days ago. No visible logos or branding. Vintage collector plates on it
Any clue what it might be?

 

[3fingers]

^^^ GHT can probably give you an answer, but my guess would be mid/late 50's Jaguar.

 

[GHT]

^^^ GHT can probably give you an answer, but my guess would be mid/late 50's Jaguar.

You wouldn't be wrong. First glance I thought that it might be the XK120, but that model has a cowl covering the rear wheel. The roofline is the giveaway, too pronounced for the XK150 so it has to be the XK140.
This little pre-war Morris was getting a great deal of attention in the supermarket car park.

 

[cm289]

1935 Plymouth PJ currently for sale on eBay. If only I had a spare $12K laying around....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

I saw this at the grocery store a couple days ago. No visible logos or branding. Vintage collector plates on it
Any clue what it might be? View attachment 129011

I gotta go with GHT on this one. Rare bird!
I know if it was mine there would be an armed guard on each corner!!
B

 

[EngProf]

1935 Plymouth PJ currently for sale on eBay. If only I had a spare $12K laying around....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That makes me sad and envious!
I had a 1934 2-door Plymouth sedan when I was a teenager that I bought for $60 - in excellent condition, right out of the proverbial old barn.
I had a policy at the time that if I could double my money, I'd sell whatever car I had picked up. I got an offer for $120 so away it went.
*#$@^& !!