A GDYNETS PUBLICATION 2013, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Car Collector Chronicles

Volume VI, Issue 6 Ca s June 2013

Exploring:
Car Collecting Today Classic Rides Reports From the Field Oldsmobile (1897-2004) Cadillac (1902- ) Allant (1987-1993)

High RPMs
We are back from Spring Carlisle. You will find my report in this issue. Our June car activity shall be to attend the CEMA (Chrysler Employee Motorsports Assoc.) Car Show in Auburn Hills, MI on 8 June. Why the CEMA show? Well, for starters it is held on the grounds of the Chrysler Museum. More importantly, the museum shall be open to show attendees. You may not be aware, but after an unsuccessful attempt to find a buyer to take over the museum, Chrysler made the decision in January to close the doors of the money losing facility. Consequently, the CEMA Car Show could very well be the last opportunity, at least during my lifetime, to view the Chrysler Museum holdings. If the opportunity comes your way to visit the Chrysler museum, I highly recommend you take advantage of it. By the time you read this, Joy Rainey will have completed her cross-country trip from Oceanside, CA to Daytona Beach, FL in her tiller-steered 1904 Curved Dash Oldsmobile. Coverage of this feat is found on the following pages of CCC. My hydraulic lift (pictured at right) is scheduled to get a tune up by a certified Mohawk Lift technician. I sometimes have trouble getting the safety lock on one of columns to release. I fear that someday I just may end up with a car in the air and not be able to get it down on the ground. The tune up does not come cheap. Not unlike a plumber or electrician, there is a charge just to show up. It is $150. The show up charge does include a half-hour of labor. If the needed repair cannot be completed in 30 minutes, the clock starts ticking at $85/ Hr.! June To Do List: Oil/filter changes, cooling system flush & fill (Use the green anti-freeze!).

Corvair (1960-1969)

= Clickable Link

IN THIS ISSUE: High RPMs 1

GDYNets On the Web Spring Carlisle

June Automotive Milestones 1864 - Olds born in Geneva, OH 1928 - First Plymouth built 1903 - Ford Motor Co. formed 1953 - Corvette debuts 1969 - Last Rambler built - Stay cool & enjoy your ride(s)!

Cross-country in a Curved Dash Olds Music to My Ears

GDYNets on the Web

Find GDYNets on the web:
SAVED 62: A website devoted
CCC -THE FORUM -A web site to discuss the newsletter, the hobby and our cars. Car Collector Chronicles Saved 62 -Our 1962 Olds convertible, Ransom Eli Olds and things Oldsmobile related web site. The Gray Lady -1955 Cadillac Coup de Ville web site. to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site also has a lot of information on Oldsmobile cars and the company founder, Ransom Eli Olds. DAVES DEN: -A site devoted to a myriad of interests. Foremost is extensive information on the Steel City of Gary, IN. There are also offerings on steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14 assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and the tragic story of the murder of Gary, IN Police Lt. George Yaros.

CCC Forum EMail:

THE GRAY LADY: This website features our 1955 Cadillac Coup de Ville, lots of Caddy information and an extensive repair library.

OldsD88@gmail.com

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 2

Spring Carlisle
We have been to Spring Carlisle. It was an interesting experience, to say the least. I did not know what to expect. Nor do I know that my expectations were met? If that sounds confounding, it is because Carlisle is confounding. Lets start at the beginning. Once we had paid our way through Chicago, we hit the 2lane heading east to PA. In this case that 2-lane was U.S. 30. The drive was an easy one that landed us in Pittsburgh for the night. The next morning we drove the final 200 mile stretch to Carlisle. We had no problem finding the show grounds and a $10 parking space directly across the street from the entrance. This was because Wednesday is set-up day. Consequently, the place is not teeming with hoards of buyers all fighting for the same patch of terra firma as you. In fact, now having done it once, I would highly recommend the serious part seeker to do his/her looking/buying on set-up day. The pace is less hectic. You have time to investigate your prospective purchases, talk with the sellers and make reasonably informed buys. Day 1 serves to give you the lay of the land. It goes without saying that you want to know where the restrooms are to be found on the grounds. This is especially critical where, as here, the fair/show grounds in question consume a mere 150 acres of land! Where are the bathrooms? Where are the food vendors? Where is the car corral? Where is the auction? All these things are items you want to know ahead of time. My next bit of advice is to come to Carlisle with a list of parts wanted in hand. List, in this instance does not mean generic descriptions like ball joint, points, etc. It means the name of the part, the part # and all relevant info you can collect. This is critical for a number of reasons. You want to know what it is you are buying, and more importantly, that what you are buying will work for you. Here is a prime example: You could say I want a set of points for a 1962 Olds. Plenty of sellers will say, Sure I have that! and sell you something that may, or may not, work. Whereas, if you specify that you are looking for uni-set contact points bearing Part #D1007 your odds of getting what you really need have increased by at least 3-fold. Also, at a swap meet this large you will find multiple vendors selling fill-in-the blank (in my case ignition) parts. The problem is most will not have a clue to what car the parts fit. Nor will they have a parts book to look it up. The truth of this assertion was evidenced by an encounter I had with one vendor. He noted the Oldsmobile logo on the tshirt I was wearing. He asked me to look at an Olds rear bumper he had set out for sale, and to tell him what year/model it fit! So, it is best to be forearmed with the info/ data you need to assure that your purchases do not end up as an exercise in futility. As you will be walking and covering a lot of ground, it goes without saying to dress comfortably. Make a point to wear shoes that will get you through long days. Do make a hat or cap part of your attire. Another worthwhile tip is to have some sort of tote bag with you to carry your purchases. The most preferable would be a tote bag that has a shoulder strap. Such a bag keeps your hands free. The one I had was purchased on site from the folks manning the Hemmings space. It was large, like the paper bag I used to deliver newspapers in my youth, made of heavy cotton/canvas and had the preferred shoulder strap. It was a life saver. When headed to Carlisle, dont leave home without it!

[H]aving done it once, I would highly recommend the serious part seeker to do his/her looking/ buying on set-up day.

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 3

Spring CarlisleContd.
If you know a vendor will be selling at Carlisle, ask for their space number. Most vendor space numbers are readily visible while walking the grounds. The combination of a space number and fairgrounds map will help you zero-in on a specific swap space/vendor. The map of the fairgrounds is part of the information contained in a booklet handed out to all attendees at the ticket booth. Get one and make use of it. Put it in the tote bag you should be carrying with you daily. So what did I see? What did I buy? I saw lots. Far more than I can adequately describe in a few words. My list of wants included Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Allant items. I saw few-to-none of items for either a full-sized Cadillac or an Allant. However, I must acknowledge that Oldsmobile was fairly well represented at Spring Carlisle. Here are some examples:

I saw few-tonone of items for either a full-sized Cadillac or an Allant. However,

My purchases were minor, few and not necessarily classic car related. At the Yaros household we proudly fly the U.S. and U.S.M.C. flags. I got some really good deals on flags and came home with 4 (2 U.S. + 2 U.S.M.C.) Hey, one takes advantage of bargains wherever they happen to find them. I picked up a set of 3/8 drive ratchet extensions and some tubes of grease. Again, not hard to find items, but items not found at the prices I paid at Carlisle. There were also a few small sized metric combination wrenches; 4, 5 and 6 mm. My biggest score was a Drill Doctor. My step-son has one. He graciously let me use it, once. I was more than impressed with its ease of operation, as well as its performance. Here was the chance to own one myself. I

Oldsmobile was fairly well represented at Spring Carlisle.

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 4;;

managed to bag this prize at a total cost of $15! My neatest purchase was an ANCO (Anderson Co.) Tel-Tale wiper arm pressure gauge. I have seen them offered online, but never held one in my hand. To use it, you remove the wiper blade and place the gauge between the windshield and the tip of the arm. The gauge will give a reading of how many ounces of pressure the arm applies to the wiper blade. Esoteric? Yes. Practical? No. But, it is of particular interest to me because ANCO had their manufacturing facilities in my hometown of Gary, IN when I was a kid. I had an aunt and a cousin who worked there.

Then, there was the item I spent the most money on. It necessitated my having to shell out one hundred forty big ones. It was not spent at Carlisle, and all I got to show for it was a piece of paper. For those who may be mathematically challenged, take note that in the Buckeye State of Ohio the cost to speed is $8.24 per mile for every mile over the limit! A big part of Carlisle is the car corral and the auction. We partook of both. I have to say, the

car corral is quite impressive. There are a lot of good rides at reasonable prices. We tried to turn a deal on a Toyota Solara. We made an offer of an even trade for our 92 Allant, but the Solara owner (a car dealer) was not biting. The car auction was interesting, relaxing and entertaining. It provided an opportunity to get out of the sun and to sit for a while; both very welcome indeed. It was interesting because the prices were not out in the nether world, as at most televised auction events. And yes, Olds was represented here too. This 63 sold for $16,060. The cars crossing the block were not pristine trailer queens. They were vehicles which were driven and appreciated by their owners. The prices reflected this fact. So there you have my perspective on Carlisle.

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 5;;

Cross-country in a Curved Dash Olds

Well, she did it. Traveling from Great Britain to the U.S, then starting out on April 13 in Oceanside, CA, and ending up on May 13 in Daytona Beach, Fl; a total of 31 days and give-or-take 3,000 miles of travel. In Oceanside, Joy Rainey dipped the rear wheels of the 1904 Curved Dash Olds into the Pacific. On reaching the Atlantic, the front wheels got to taste the salt water. Enroute Joy blogged about her experience. Here are a select few comments: - Its not a particularly easy ride driving a 109 year old vehicle all day. I have to concentrate so much with the tiller steering. When the camber changes (and that happens a lot) the concentration levels go up as well as the pressure on my arm. - Mark, my passenger today went very quiet today for some time. I didnt know why as he is usually fairly vociferous. Then suddenly he started talking again. I couldnt believe it later on when I was told that he had gone to sleep. Imagine going to sleep seated high up in the Olds, in the freezing cold!! - The GPS was not working as it was trying to get us to turn around and the miles to our destination seemed to be increasing, not decreasing. Stupid GPS!! (Where do you plug it in?) YES, we were on the wrong road. Fifty minutes later we arrived back to where we had started from and the rest of the team had just set off on the right road. - There was a car with flashing lights right behind us. It was the local policeman. He walked up to the back of the car and Mark hopped out and was asked for his licence. Im not driving, said Mark. I gave him my International Drivers Licence and my British one then he took them back to the police car to check up. He told us as he was following us he noticed that the driver (he thought Mark was the pilot) spent a lot of the time looking behind, so how could anyone who wasnt looking ahead, drive properly! He let us continue and wished us luck. - Today is certainly a record, I have managed not to run even one red light! The record was set a few days ago when it sort of got to ten! - WE MADE IT! YES, YES, YES, WHOOPEE. It hasnt sunk in yet. After 31 days on the road, and I think about 200 hours perched on the Olds holding the tiller steering from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, we have arrived. Remarkably, the Cuved Dash Olds never broke down. The biggest problem was fender brackets breaking for being repeatedly jarred on the sometimes rough terrain. The Olds persistenly climbed mountains in 1st gear at 8 m.p.h., at times for an hour or more! On flat, level ground, the top speed of the Curved Dash Olds was all of 25 m.p.h. Who knows how fast it went down hill?

Why did Ms. Rainey undertake this trip? She is a motor sport enthusiast by avocation. This trip was to honor her late husband and raise cancer research funds. You may contribute to her cause, here Joy Rainey Cancer Research Drive Congrats to her and her crew for completing the undertaking, and to R. E. Olds for designing such a durable motoring machine!

Music to My Ears

What we have here is an aftermarket Craig Radio/8-track Tape Player with a cassette adapter. The iPod plugs in where? Ok, Ive had my say for the month. Now its your turn! I invite/encourage submission of your comments, opinions and article contributions. I also ask that you please help spread the word about our publication. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to CCC at OldsD88@gmail.com. Now that you have finished reading this months issue of the newsletter, come start/join an ongoing dialog with other CCC readers and like-minded car collector folk on the CCC Forum. Stop by, check us out and share your views . ______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE: Chrysler Museum Visit Report