Projects 1934 LaSalle old school convertible coupe build thread

Threads like this one are why I have dropped most of my magazine subscriptions. I look forward to this one every morning with my 5am coffee.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

Well George... here is my dilemma... I am on a Traditional Customs website, and I am stuck in a bad place, as I realized this spring after I entered the "final life readjustment" of getting to the "place" that ALL of us should be in.......I started my 34 LaSalle thread on AACA. and knew it would be my "best" build thread ever, by mixing "life secrets" mixed in with the project tasks themselves.

I sure did screw that thread all up, and ended up getting grabbed by the State Police! Man, I still don't understand why that AACA moderator didn't just use the fact that I posted my name and address "hidden", but right THERE with pictures...why didn't he just run that on a 15 second websearch to get my landline number and CALL me, instead of calling the cops? If he had done that, with him thinking I was ready to take my own life, he would have known that I was instead, re-shimming Joe G's 34 LaS sedan body on the temporary frame jig! That IS what I was doing when the First Statie showed up, spooked beyond words, standing in my lot, not knowing WHERE I was and if I was armed! (I sure do know what to do, and how to get his attention in a very safe disarming way)..Common sense is in such short supply in this "modern" world!! >>> as to the Moderator's actions and how people act with Police Officers..

People have been so completely brainwashed by TV, News, Movies, web nonsence and senseless banter of speaking with other people they know.

Back on topic for a change!... Yesterday's "simple" task was supposed to have me pick up two motors, one going to Kenny's place, and the Buick engine going home with me. Also, I knew Roger was selling me the 34 Buick carb, and he was bringing a pair of unknown headlight rings to match up with a Las headlight bucket I was to bring there. So, I did not bring the normal pile of those pieces of green paper with different numbers on them

That day turned into yet another "off the F'n wall, intense shitload of insane fun" day...a very long day!

I may find a way to do a post on the "fun", and keep it under a thousand words...but here is just two pics of the load that I took right after arriving at Kenny's in the early afternoon..


^^^ THREE engines side by side, Star on the left, Model A eng/trans in the middle, the Buick on the right. Some stuff well hidden: A Industrial chop saw for Joe, a heavy duty engine stand with two different mounting heads for Kenny's sons engine shop, a complete Model a rear end with torque tube and radius rods as well as the 34 Buick trans, both are supposed to go back to Rogers HUGE warehouse with his Model A chassis on Kenny's trailer, my engine crane, an a LOT of small stuff in there, tools, supplies, and a big pile of more delicate stuff on the front seat and floors!.

Daisy did come right out to visit for the 2nd day in a row from being so house bound for two weeks with her Shingles attack. I told her she looked SO much better today compared to yesterday when her right side of her face looked very paralyzed....she asked "Really?" I said absolutely yes, and she thanked me for telling her as it must have helped her "mindset". Damn, at some point I said I was pretty sure she came into Kenny's life after Kenny's son was born....she filled me in to say she was not his birth mother, BUT then said she had two kids with Kenny after he started a new family, a girl who is now quite ill, and a son ......named Kenny Jr... who died very young. I sure don't think too many people know that

The buick motor turned out NOT to be "rebuilt/repainted" kinda like when Kenny thought Charlies straight 8 Olds went from being an 8 to a 6! Not surprised or upset at all, because it was "free", and Roger started telling/showing all of the parts to it, found so far to that moment. It IS a 34 Series 40. Roger knows that for sure as he knew the owner and his 34 model 40 streetrodded coupe.

Ok, here is how the "parts flippers" normally work: They don't like to deal in big iron like engines, rear ends, front ends or chassis....nor vey bulky things like big doors, quarters and things too difficult/bulky to take to swaps or to ship.

Roger gave the Buick "engine"to Kenny, then Kenny told him the Frank was getting it. Roger kept most smaller parts of it for resale...I knew that before getting there, but I was told only the carb was off, and I could buy that cheap. The motor was stripped! we found stuff all morning, all in different areas and rooms.

I ended up buying:
-carb
-complete untouched gasket set
-modern replacement fuel pump that the "lower can" looks like a modern SBC pump!
-spark plug cover plate
-bellhousing that Joe G found at the LAST moment, under an heating oil tank wedged into a dark corner! I would be in deep crap without that, as it is unique to Buick, but looks like the same trans face pattern as my LaSalles! I still ned to run some measures of input shaft lengths, as I bet the LaS is different, So, I must call Kenny today to tell Roger I changed my mind and want to by "his" trans. I passed as it is closed drive, not thinking about the strong possibility that the input shaft can be used in the LaS case! I need to check before I buy it back. It would be cheap $ as Roger saw how Joe and I sure do know how to load stuff of HIS, quick and safely! , ......but I hate storing unwanted stuff that other people might need.

_I must have forgotten more parts we found , but here are two pics of the Buick from when I decided I must unload the engine right next to my matching number 34 LaS engine to do the comparing/test fitting:



Ok, this estate cleanout was at it's end, Stuff was "picked" by liars and AHs before Roger steeped up and told the Professional Estate handler, that he was "bidding on ALL the car stuff" to get rid of those guys who messed everything up. Roger included for free, a milk crake that had an oil pump, 4 used pistons, NOS timing chain,4 pushrods, some odd valve related things that turned out to be keepers for the ROLLER lifters that Buick used! He also included the flywheel and pressure plate hanging on a wall, and the intake manifold tucked inside the handmade roller cart under the motor. But also said , after I showed him a piston, he said he brought home 8 new pistons like that yesterday! He also has the distributor too. It will be priced very fair, as we work together so dang well over the past decades. I treat him with respect, and I get it in return!

It just stopped pouring now, so I need to pack and send out those Olds trans parts for Walt in Vermont this morning.... before noon closing at Post Office. Walt, I was tied up all day, and never got it done as promised on Friday... LOL.


P/S, this showed up overnight at Kenny's to be brokered. $3500. not running, but it has a 57 235 six engine. Ex NJ town truck that had an air-compressor mounted for their jackhammer. Some cool brass dash tags one about the town, and one for the compressor info..

BTW, I am keeping the Model A huckster! WTF! Maybe do a post next week after I get it out for pics. I already did some investigating... where it was, and what it was used for when brand new.... despite so little free time......I f'n now know! I am good at this shit...Kenny was surprised what it was used for, and I am sure he has called Charlie, too LMAO

 

Frank, you should be a writer. Good stuff here!!!

 

Hi Jim, I am glad you guys are "stepping up to back me up". I said I am tormented by the fact that this is a car fix it up site, but I simply cannot go back to the way I was viewing AND commenting on hamb and AACA. I need to stay the hell off their "main Boards". There is just so much BS on both, people dissing what Tradition is with their crybaby posts about "boo hoo, I just putted 4 wheel disk breaks from a Camero, and they can't get a pedal, or is does not stop for shit....or putting goofy ass big headlights on because it is so trending.. I should have been banned from hamb at least 2 dozen times for the drama I got suckered into. Tradition, history and preserving cars has always been my lust... and when I keep reading the BS on AACA about hating rodders, but these chumps won't ever step up to save so many unrestored prewars because??? Oh, they tell a newbie who asks if some local car is a decent deal?? These AHs say the same spiel each time "Oh no, don't buy it at any price, you will be "upside down" in values to resale price. WTF? They say let em go, then bash a rodder for stepping up? How much do they spend per year watching cable sitting on their butt not working on saving one, or joining the local Country Club? Why is everything in this upside down world always about money?

Sorry for the rant, so let's talk writers and one of the MANY GOOD parts of AACA forums!! LOTS of great people there! and a great webmaster too. I used to see a very rare post now and then from sonme guy who must be into the very early cars. He contacted me right after my LaSalle thread got going so far off topic. he said he thought he'd like to do a resto thread but thought nobody would care about his obsession of making new parts in his machine shop with ancient, unwanted machines...then something about not wanting a random person to make some rude commnent... I gave my best effort with just words...he started one! Then he sent me HIS book that HE wrote and had published! Man, read it...It starts as teens, he and a few local kids drove ONLY prewar stockers to school!... you can contact Joe through his thread on "Our Cars and Restorations" area, look for the title that includes 1910 Mitchell. Dang, I flipped through when I first received it and spotted a 32 Chrysler roadster still owned by a friend. I started reading on that car in that chapter, where the car was up for sale 40/ years ago, how his friend ended up with it after maybe some prodding by Joe or friends? Anyways, I SAW that car at a Taunton RI swap way back then...the guy who was the owner of the estate I worked for, he was standing next to it trying to buy (steal) it! (meaning he was very rude when trying to buy cars)



"I don't hold nothing back", I call them out, And I even posted that the AACA had their heads up their azz for over 50 years promoting the "ruining" beautiful old survivors, because the club insisted on 1000 point show cars by tempting them with that silly ass grille plaque saying "Senior Winner". Sure we need to see a few as they were, but ah-ha, they are so sickingly over restored! They FINALLY set up a class for HPOC, but they still made it a competition! It has to have a certain percentage of originality to be recognized!

Oh man, they had a junior person who was training to be an AACA judge...she bragged one day that her little secret was to knock points off for highway sand-pitting on the antenna, and wax residue hidden in the rain gutters. She is gone from what I see over there now...good riddance..!

Guys, I don't give a shit about money...I have so little in reserves, and I freaking love riding on the edge.. Money is just a tool. We need tools but how many 3/8" drive short ratchets do we really need? I ended up with some pretty cool cars, and now have a "big boy $" car! Just in kit form, that's all! LMFAO . Look at the rot on my daily driver VW mild custom, look at the patch I glued on with filler, Man this car gets more comments from all ages, especially the younger women..... look at that black stuff growing near the gas door. That did not happen years ago...what's up? or should I say, what is up in the skies?

Hey, I take pics! I was riding home that day with blown brakeline, torrential rain so bad I wanted to pull off in a safe spot but could not see! It cleared up near home, but I need to take a detour because RT 31 in Coventry is nearly impassable due to some idiotic curve "re-adjustment". Pics below, when trying to rush to Kenny's to go look at "his" huckster on the first trip to Charlies!

anyways, I missed a side road and ended up at the old Eagleville dam. I saw a younger woman way out on a sand bar in the middle of that lake, standing up, fishing alongside her kayak...it's thundering like crazy not too far off! She didn't give a shit...hey, I want to marry her!

^^ She is right above the 2nd orange buoy from the right ^^

So I get going, passing under the RR train trestle, and that the line passes behind out home... that train horn sounds so nice in the valley!. ....Anyways... I spot this message, so I parked again, and took the pic. Has meaning to me, you figure out what it means to you. Please note the old faded hippy flowers painted on the ends of the wooden ties! Too busy to notice "life"? Maybe people need a re-adjustment!


See you later, If the rain holds off I am trying to see if the LaSalle trans will fit up to the buick bell, and reach the pilot bearing on it's crankshaft! If not, I will have Kenny save the Buick trans to maybe swap the inputs! and rest up for a change...the 37 Cord is coming 5 days from now! where will my son put other cars to make room?? LOL

here is the road work

 

Frank, you're killing me, sure do miss the rural roads of Upstate N.Y.!

 

If it means anything .... I'll bet the guy that runs this joint, loves your posts. Teaching and sharing, the relevance of what traditional and custom was .... to forecast what it should still be.

The keyboard arguing, and drama ... scurrying back and forth, between said keyboard warrior queens, ruins all of the best teachers and sharers threads. The best solution ? Keep moving your thread.

No answer is the best answer. Their nonsense falls into the gutter of your story ..... the next storm of goodness, washes that sh#t into the bowels of your blog .... gone, and soon forgotten.

Nickel rod welding, re-purposing trashes' junk piles forgotten, floating crap over on hippo boats, firing up a bullet holed riddled 5 window deuce .... freshly brazed together from its former holler' domicile, racing the beach, hiding purchases from the wife, finding red wheels on 32's, chunking them off the near year green 'Chebbies, and crushing beer cans with stitched together frame rails .... is why I enjoy you Vermonters, Hampshas', Mainers, Conn'etikins, Massers, New Juzzians', and even them dang' New Yowkers.

You guys build treasure from sh#tpiles. Adams, Petes, Bobs, Franks, Teds, Toms, Dicks, and Harrys. Lots of etcs, but we like your sh#t. The drama is the daily grind and dreams of getting there. Don't sweat keyboard nonsense. Post whatever the fock' you feel like. I'm in your rear view always.

The guys that like builds and no-front HAMB revelrie know how to find the cool shit here. Skip, skip, skip ..... pow ( !! ), FOUND IT ! Another badazz' build thread. Hopes and dreams. Best part of the show. The HAMB rules.

 

He, He I will add a few pics near Kennys home...the LAST holdouts as far as active farms. AND, you will chit when I show how yesterday morning started at Kenny "place". He said tome "hop in, I will show you the spare motor for your Whippet". Hop in what? You will see. Let me do a post on how that LaS trans to Buick engine paned out:

I had to wait till my son got dropped off from their overtime "situation" where they both work. My son is without a car now, except his 32 and it was pouring today!

I needed strong boys to install the trans or actually, hold it as close as possible to the bell. I was pretty sure from the get-go that Buick ALWAYs used a shorter input shaft all the way up to 1960 when they quit offering the standard transmissions then.

Now, because I have so much hands on experience with the slightly bigger 6 bolt top shift 36-38 Buick big series Roadmaster trans, as well as the Olds guts I use, I knew that even Nailheads need a short input, and lucky me, and lucky "hotrod mickey" from Germany, I actually had a 1950s short input for Mickeys Roadmaster-to-Flathead conversion that I sold to him! I found a silly rare Offy bell made to do just that! I got it from the master of old speed parts, Billy Belmont of Belmont Speed and Custom. He had it out for sale at the Fitchburg Mass airport drags held there some few years back. Ha, ha, I said to him at another swap later that season, "I got that 32 3w body from you back in the late1970s/early 80s at the CSRA swap for $200, and you know what...it took me 2 years just to get the 200 back". He said "so,,,and now you are complainin? " Part a joke, part not LMAO

^^^ crappy pic, sorry, but there is a 34 LaS trans to try on the Buick bell. It measured like the LaS shaft was too long and with help from the boys, it sure was. So, I will call Kenny tonight or today to save the 34 Buick trans for me. I am willing to bet that input WILL fit into the LaS trans! I may need to swap it as a "trio", meaning the syncro ass'y, as well as 2nd gear, but I am aware of that possible mismatch.....just likeusing a later input on the fabled one-year 37 LaSalle top shift.


And the rear motor mounts on the bell are WAY different on this bell compared to the 1935 bell mount holes show in the next pic. AND, the 34 LaS mounts are different that both the 34 Buick AND the 35 LaSalle! good grief...but I know it will work out if that input will fit....which is very, very likely.


Ok, rain, then sun and back, but Kyle and my son just left in Kyles old beater cummins Doge, to meet up with Tim. Tim gets only Saturdays off at the farm, and all 3 want to go in Tims 4 door crewcab to the Milltown old school event held up near Sturbridge Mass. I told them Milltown is always Friday and Saturdays only, despite Me seeing rods gassing up Thursday morning real close to the place the promoter "Lance", runs a tattoo parlor north of Palmer Mass. We saw maybe 5 rods, one with a camper, so I guess they can start on Thursdays as far as camping over! Both boys said the website says Sunday too, so maybe they won't miss some cars afterall. Mer thinks we got a group of young-uns to carry our torch.

My son drove the 32 to Tims last night, both working on Tims old 64 International 4wd mason body dump, trying to get it to run ok. They gave up and my son told Tim that Frank can fix it in no time, as well as the 75 Jeep CJ that his dad bought new won't idle right. Tim likes/prefers to figure out stuff alone, but my son said he is getting nowhere...AND Tim said he STILL wants to buy my 29 Chevy roadster that was converted into a tractor back in the depression with a Montgomery Ward Chevy-install kit! ....but Only depending on how much monety in parts are needed to fix those two issues. (I don't need no stinking parts) Man, I thought he had bailed out on that deal for $600, and I need it gone!

ok, a couple rural pics near Kennys:


^^^ the last pic is very close to him. Those ARE new structures. They lost it all to a fire last year and had to rebuild...lost only 8 animals, I think Tim or Kyle said. It is pretty far from us in Mansfield but both boys know the farm family very well. Good kids, I tell ya..
Rock On!

 

Dammit Jamie...why did you wait till now to say it is OK to post bullet ridden 32s??? I dang near took a close pic showing the GENUINE holes through the firewall on the only other old school 32 I have seen at the two Ashford shows I got to attend! This guy rocks, (another Matt, lets call him 32 Matt) I said to him on Thursday "How the heck did we live so close together with me on top of Willington Hill for 27 freaking years, and you just a 5 minute ride away...we NEVER knew of each other??? WTH?? he said that is just how it goes sometimes. He has a graffiti 32 , as well as "some 34s" ?? He only can justify $ keeping plates and insurance on one per year, so he picked the roadster for 2017. My son bugged the hell out of me to go ask 32-Matt about the 39-48 rear leaf he is missing in his spring pack for the rear. Shit, he buys me pizza there, gets "Cowboy-Matt " to carry it to me, buys me water, then I can't even finish eating??



Pics taken right before we left...I wonder what 32-Matt thinks of my son Joe's old heap now...after hearing/seeing what it can do out on the road...LOL

32-Matt tells me his stock original V8 radiator is not leaking at all,for some years, so I will try Joe Gs 32 original 4cyl radiator he just offered a few days before! (Early Olds needs a 4 cyl version for inlet/outlets)Hell, he can;'t charge me anything, as he has not paid me a dime for the rest of the massive amount of 34 LaS parts he will need. Like I said, I just don't care about money...till I run out He, He

 

I'm supposed to be resting?? Well I called Kenny to see if the trans went to Middletown when he delivered that A chassis to Roger. Nope, Kenny left it out near the engine pile to rot. LOL. He said Roger can't find where the heck he put the NOS pushrods that came from the estate! He has LOTS of stuff says Kenny.

Ok, Kenny said "pull the head" as there were 4 new grade 8 bolts holding it down, and the head was painted, not the block. Dang I forgot to do that when I called Kevin about where is the Model A serial number that someone said is on the bell??

Anyways here we go rip that Buick apart before O'Dark 30! (a local phrase)

^^^ Look Ma, only TWO pistons? But wait...why at same height? I slid my skinny hand down number 6 bore to feel it up Oh, two pistons stacked in 7 and 8?? Ok, I go to the milk crate, yes 4 more one brolken ring land but I don't care as the pistons in the block rattled, so it is a REBORED block!

note the clear plastic down there on the crank....what do you think? Ha ha, you bet..


Ok, what size over? Should be 30 right? Nope..

^^^ 20 over seems not so "modern" of a rebore size?


^^^ I was bummed to feel 'er up in the side covers to know there is NO CAM! But, look at a piece of cardboard to keep the crank from hitting? Look at the date, 1986...

Ok, Roger never mention "connecting rods" when he found the new pistons... so I bang under the oil pan...maybe layin there? Well there sure as ashit IS something in there, but the motor is on the stand, the engine crane is apart in the shop...getting later.. Motor needs to be on it's bell...Ok Frank, tired?.. F no, Too skinny, and a weakling? well..maybe, but I sure ain't "old"

^^^ geez Kenny likes wrapping presents for Charlie... what are those "presents" in there?
Yes, new cam bearings!

^ I need to see if I have all the main caps, but I must...still no rods, and the pan was too short to hide a cam....so why has Kenny not called me back yet?? I need Rogers number! He must have seen rods and is the cam still at the estate? or maybe the rods and cam are hidden in the rafters? Last day is Tomorrow! Roger will be there, and Kenny is going to pick up a pair of early Mustang SBF heads... why? I don't know. Man, I hope they can find them!



Yes, you are correct, machined crank, no sense in measuring right this moment, but now we need the new Main Bearing set... They must have been bought by this guy. Slight rust but we can fix.

Head has been worked as far as valve job, not shaved. Block has been cleaned in the oil passages as it has modern allen socket plugs.

^ valves look all used, not NOS. Has complete set of Thompson Buick script intakes.

Book specs..... I only go back to 1935 with mine, but should be same or darn close.


Ok, calling Kenny again right now... I need those parts...He fell asleep watching TV? Naw...


Strange how Kenny assumed it was rebuilt from a "disinterested glance" the first day he went to "pick".....and it kinda is?

 

Frank, how far to Walmart?! That's how I can tell how far out in the "boonies" you are. Not saying it's a bad thing, just saying. Where did I miss the pics of the bullet riddled deuce? Be Well, Carp

 

Ha, Ha, not in the boonies at all. I have every store I need including W-Mart, Tractor Supply, 4 auto parts stores, groceries, scrapyard-recycled metal supplies, a "new-only" steel supply place, geez what else....all within 10 minutes or so...Oh, and a walkin clinic and the big hospital where I went first...and...the Mental Health hospital the same minutes. The only things missing is the long gone weld supplies place, and the best generator/starter rebuilder....he threw the towel in when forced to compete with China He had TONS of NOS delco etc parts going way the heck back. I f'n love it here, busy Rt 32, I zone the noise out, great neighbors, hot rods/old cars go by, lots of backyard businesses, nobody gives a dam what you do..

Good at google earth, Carp? Look up Mansfield Self Storage, RT 32 or actually "Stafford Rd" in Mansfield CT. Find their ever extending group of buildings heading to due South. Now look due East from the last bit of tar lot after the southern most storage unit....You might see my 90 foot long shop if pic was taken in Autumn? IDK. There are rods and a 50s Ford F100 in there...I hear them, then I go look over the bank...I have the time, you know? LOL

 

Morning updates. I had to dump some camera memory so I'd think you would like to hear that Kenny just called. He met up with Roger at a show/swap early today....ha! Roger HAS the rods, pistons AND the main bearing set! Kenny thinks the rods must be rebabbited. I think he may be right....because the 34 LaSalle that everyone says is a cheap car made with a "Olds motor"...well, the LaS designers only used/bought the "design-concept" of that 32-32 Olds engine that was babbit, but LaS remade it as insert rods! One 34 LaS partly disassembled motor we have here, has several LaS insert rods, but one or two babbit rods. I knew those babbit ones were an old patch job using what they could find.

Roger says he will scour the place for any automotive part left as he kinda paid too much for the entire place! He might find that or the exhaust manifold. At any rate this call from Kenny makes this motor a gem! Won't cost more that $300-$400 including that trans, going by the low cost prices that Roger charged me so far,....not too shabby, eh?

The Boys had a great time at Milltown show last night...then leaving here to meet up with another co-worker who borrowed his Dads blown T bucket...going to a HUGE show in Manchester CT, where the mile? long Main street is closed off and over a thousand cars ?? IDK.

Dipshit son asks if it is OK with me to run the header caps off! I said "it's YOUR freaking car!" But I did explain he will cook the door paint if you run it too long. I told him about the first time I ever drove to the old former Milltown event; RevKev (on hamb) , his uncle has a 371 Olds in a highboy 32 roadster with the same exact header tubes made from the mid 30s Ford inner driveshaft inside the torque tubes. That roadster was just pulling out from a dirt pull-off about 1/8 mile from Milltown entrance. He had stopped to pull his caps off, I even asked him when I saw him later. Ok, Son gets some tools to undo the acorn nuts when they get near main street...I said "don't you f'n dare lose another GD 1/4" drive ratchet,,I JUST bought that one at a flea market1".. He said I am using a wrench, then hands me a smaller one he also took...trying to show the fact that he will only lose ONE!

Ok, Cops? open headers? who cares..he and Kyle work for that town...they both have free get out of jail cards... L-M-F-A-OFF !!


Kyle laid into his hard when leaving , and my son took off kinda Ok, but the tires still started to turn 50 yards out...dam kids!!! Hoodlums I tell ya.. I said "be careful for the texters out there" Son says "I'M the one texting! He is a piece of work..

My 66 truck is out of the top building, so I can put my 32 Nash in the emergency storage bay behind that trucks parking place. Then the Cord goes right in where the Nash has been...in bay number two, not the best, but if the motor work goes good, then it will be OK to work there.



EDIT... I had written that the motor design for the LaSalle was BUICK...it was not...it was copied from the 32 Olds 8... I changed the description above. Duh, too much to think about I guess.

 

Late day update. Moving cars to make room for the Cord on the 10th. I had to move so much crap around the 32 Nash to get a battery and gas can on it, but it started right up. That one went into the spare bay in other long building.. Then the 66 K20 went back in. My Nash has always been my all time favorite prewar, always will be... I asked Kyle if he can install the new 3.80 gears in the 65 Mustang 8" rear that I installed in the Nash to be able to do better gears than the 4.73...he jumped at it...for free...just because These are all great kids. Period.



I forgot to say that my son called from the crusin Mainstreet show this morning... he was approached by one of the guys that run the Fallout old time show in Glastonbury, CT.. Likely the most pure of the traditional shows around. The guy said my sons 32 will get "the best spot". I told my kid that he needs to know what that may mean... I think it will go in the very exclusive small area right at the building? If so, that really will be a big deal to my son and his friends that will be there. We shall see, as I honestly think it may end up there.

I did drive the Model A out as Kevin was going to come over sometime today...never showed up....maybe he "got a promise"

While the A was out I could stack blocks in that bay. One is a 34 LaS, the other is the 34 Buick... Wow, look at the difference.


Kyle said his truck and my sons 32 were on the front page of the local paper! Some show? Must be the Ashford one a few days ago.. He said he'd send the pic his mom took of the page, from his phone to my email right that moment, but I don't have it...and my son sent a blurry one to me just now, and still not here.. more crappy service from by shitty PAID ISP email service! Yahoo sucks...now has a rapidly changing ad banner on one side, I cannot even type a sentence without it jamming as a new ad loads every minute. Greed ruins everything, F' them, I DON'T Ever buy from their companies that show up, Screw you.

Back to fun stuff, The old 1951 Ford 8N had to come out of it's spot to go into the garden building. Not run in 4 years as the carb was flooding. My Son got this from his maternal Grandmother before she passed, as she knew he was so into old tractors. It was bought new by my sons Grandfather. I painted it for him about 45 years ago.
Kyle and Joe did most of the work but I had to kinda give some info on things. They got it running by using a big truck 12 volt battery on the running board, to get past the 20 year old stone dead 8 Volt that is still in it. Ran sweet.

So I said go take a ride around out front...well, you know a hotrodder...he whacks the throttle lever as he came back around to us,,,, and that big 12v battery ended up on the ground up on the front lawn , he never knew it. Kyle is not trying to "show off" here, but he is no match for Little Timmy's brute strength. LOL , Timmy tossed a huge, wide oak beam that was in the way when we loaded up his 34 here a couple months back. I asked if he could move it over to my pile of long used boards next to the shop. He was just showing off...tossed it like a javelin, way, way past the pile into the wooded area. I swear it is 200 pounds!



These kids are all into old time rods lately. Tim is either going all stock except hyd drum brakes on his 29 Model a pickup, or he said, if I go rod, it will be 50s style!!! Cool.

My son said Kyle has been hunting hard for any old time roadster since he first saw 32 Matts car very early this season. He cannot afford a 32 Ford roadster right now. Kyle made an offer on a different one today, and we may know by tomorrow if he can afford it, if it goes higher.. He is stoked so far. It needs a lot of work so it might be affordable I am pretty sure. I kinda know the seller, and I know he has said that he has "too many car projects", but he really wants the car to get back on the road by someone young enough to finish it, and drive it a lot.

That's it for now I think..

 

Yea..... that seller.... it's me. The car is the Boston built, hardcore 30 Chevy roadster pickup! It never was "my" car anyways.. I knew that, very early on back then. I merely "saved it" off Ebay as I was the ONLY viewer who knew it was once early Olds powered... and some Q&A to owner during the 7 day bidding... I knew WAY more! I HAD to save it.

Kyle sent me the newspaper article at 5:45 AM this morning..... again?? His 77 C10 in the middle, Joe's 32 to the left


Ok, next pic taken by me at 6:15AM today...half hour later! That is Kyle picking up my son to go to work. Dad let him use the rollback all day??? to grab my sons Jetta that has been sitting at work for 4 days at least with a lost key issue.


Gene Langan VW of Talcotville really sucks for all those people doing a websearch on them! They couldn't care less about a VW owner in that situation. So here is some web bait: Poor service from Gene Langan VW. Complaints on Gene Langan VW Talcottville. There, that should help in a web search .. That mans name was once highly respected back in the day!


Anyways, pic taken just 20 seconds after I yelled to my son coming out of his end of the house: "Tell him it's his....he can have the 4 speed hydramatic too, but not the "big motor"...yet.." Son yells back over the trucks noise: "how much?" I said "I need to run the numbers, but it will be cheap"

Kyle & I went over a lot of stuff about the car as it sat next to the tractor they were fiddling with in the top barn.... this all happened quick...somehow him expressing interest in a strong way....me at some point saying I will have an answer in the morning as "it's my 'quiet place' on the porch each morning, that makes things clearer". Kyle said what his Dad Terry has for a spot but I forget where


Have a Great day!



.

 

Good for you Frank, they will breath life back into that 'ol roadster.......and keep traditional rodding alive a bit more!

 

I love that little roadster!

 

Holy cow what a busy day...Kevin and Johnnie showed up in Kevins 30 tudor A sedan, to check out the Huckster. They spotted more cool stuff I had missed and pointed out differences I did not know. I had Kevin start it and move it out. I gave both of them an Item each...still giving gifts like Kenny and Charlie do.

Kenny calls all excited; Roger brought up a BUNCH of the Buick engine parts and another pair of headlight rings to try on 34 LaS buckets..they fit and look 98% identical to the very rare 34 rings..$30!

Kenny showed up here as he was picking stuff up near here from ANOTHER estate sale he bought from a couple weeks ago...he was picking up a new, very yuppie wood stove for his parlor. I told Perry who is a temp worker from Jamaica that Kenny's son sponsors each summer...I said "You wait, Kenny will be sitting next to that stove with fancy clothes and a wine goblet!". Odd to me that Roger also has a hired hand for summer, but as his helper never said even one word at the other estate, I don't know if he is from Jamaica.

In his truck: New pistons with new rings, already installed on rebabbited rods! the mint used distributor, the trans, two sets NORS pushrods, one set is correct, a set of Main bearings, and....the freaking missing cam! in a McMaster round cardboard tube...it is either repro new, or likely rebuilt as it has blackened coated lobes and machined journals! I am calling Roger now to ask for that last two parts, a new 10" clutch disc, and the perhaps Repro or NORS Dorman water jacket cover. It must be there as we never found the rotted original. If the guy could not find a NORS or Repro, he would have kept the old one!

Man, I am at only $300 even so far! This is crazy!...for a "new motor" with all new parts! For todays parts, I had to repay what Kenny gave to Roger this morning. It was $30 for the headlight rings, and $180 for the engine parts and the trans. I had what I thought was the correct amount in the shop, but as I counted it out on Kenneys truckbed tool box cover, I had $20 too much, so I said "can I give you this 20'? He of course said no....but I have no clue at all when I looked at Perry and said the exact words! He replied in one or two forgotten words,,,,but it was shockingly apparent that he REALLY needed it! Like a person not having a meal for a week. I feel so bad for the "Vacation Islands" locals...they have such a very hard life, despite the breathtaking beauty of it all. And many of us are so damn spoiled here!

the more I give... it comes back twenty fold.. and gaining more friends each day.

Then LaSalle Jim showed up, so Kenny did stay longer to visit. He brought tools to try to get that stuck head off, he had it moving in less than 5 minutes! Still not off as his wife had supper waiting, but it is pushed back down and soaking more. He will get it next time! When? IDK, I don't care, that is how I like it!

 

Transmission differences: Black one is 34 LaS, dusty one is 34 Buick small series. This is not promising, as the LaS one is kinda like the 36-38 Roadmasters I work with so many times, and the 34 Buick looks related to the Buick Specials,(small series). That input might not swap. But, not to worry quite yet as I still have the 40s Olds small series transmission that was tossed into the front floor area of the rotted 34 sedan parts car. Bad news is that trans looks rusty, so is the rear shaft (mainshaft) any good? if it is, I might be able to use that shaft and that tailhousing, to make the 34 Buick trans an "open drive:" for the 35 LaSalle custom.


^^^ I tried a NOS Olds pilot bushing which is same as common Chevy. it does fit there, but too small of an OD to press into the Buick crank. I am positive there was a bearing on the Buicks, and I'd bet Roger has a new one mixed in with his hauls from there.

here is the 1940s Olds trans below. it is outside and raining YET AGAIN, so I won't bother trying to get it in for a look.

 

Well now I know who owns that 32 Nash I have saved pictures of. I also love that body style and saved pictures off this site and car nut maybe. I have thought about how my 30 Buick 5 passenger coupe might look with that style body. I have a set of 58 Lincoln top irons stashed just in case I get brave.
Something I found on my shelf today.
34-36 series 40 Buick
George
I also have a group of pilot bushings brass and bearing. Let me know the size if you need one.

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Wow, George, that carb is a Multi-fit bolt pattern! Fits all sorts of 3 and 4 bolts, never saw one with slotted outboard holes! Heck, I did get the 34 Buick carb in the first haul at the estate,,,,I assumed it is a two barrel? It must be. Yours kinda looked single for a moment LOL, but I was distracted by your WORKBENCH!! dayam,...that is sweet!!

If my Friend Joe G gets one of my 34 LaSalle engines fixed up for his sedan, he really needs your carb! I will see what he says this week when he is bound to show up!

Today will be busy, but I hope I can remember to measure the OD of the pilot bearing size to post it later, that would be better than bugging Roger to sort through all the stuff he brought home..... and misplaced some of it!

Got rained out tying to finish the bed patch job on the C50 yesterday, so if I get two hours of dryness I need to finish it before the Cord comes in tomorrow at noon.

When I emailed back to Ron the owner, I said a lot of local people are waiting to see it. His short reply was : "It's not much to look at, but I'm excited to hear it run" (he never had it running, ever). Well, I know Ron "speak" and the various conditions of his entire fleet, as I have worked on EACH one...from 06 Ford, 07 Maxwell, 12 Buick all the way up to a 36 Chevy coupe. His > "not much to look at" might mean it is pretty rough! Well, I still never sat in, or drove a later Cord, and have always wanted to!

 

I bought a house on plum island and the work bench was in the basement, rebuilt the house sold it a couple years later and the bench has made every move sense.


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My parents finally bought a home in Tolland Ct around 1961... We were in apartments since my Dad lost our childhood home and his repair garage from over-mortgaging both when my Mom was dying of cancer around 53-54. That place in Tolland was what was left of a typical low income farm and had lots of outbuildings. In one addition off the tractor garage was a super heavy bench made from an old organ or piano...a huge one cut down. I grabbed it when my "other Mom" sold the place in the later 70s after divorving my Dad to live in another apartment with here two younger kids still in school.

I still have it today. One end has a once brand new huge Starret Machinists vice I got in trade for my Dads old worn out 38 snubnose police special! The other end has a late 1800s, top of the line, multipurpose "Master Workworkers Vice", that my late Boss at the CT State Highway repair garage bought for $5 at the weekly Tuesday? auction in Foster, RI ! He knew I would like to have it, as we were hardcore "old iron" guys!

That repair garage was really something compared to the other 5? repair garages scattered across Connecticut. We were the "outlaw-renegades", we had the oldest, crappiest buildings of all of them. Our shop was an H shaped assembly of WW1 surplus bolt-together Army Barracks, donated I think after that monster 1938 Hurricane that decimated most of New England. Some of our shop equipment dated from 1939 coming from Federal Disaster/Rebuilding Aid.

Our shop was where some crazy mods were done to ancient road equipment, like the 1939 Adams huge roadgrader. The "heads" from the "Glass Palace" that was a new fancy DOT HQ on the Berlin Pike, is where these guys came up with bizarre ideas.. Our Grader had an oddball inline gas engine the DOT machine shop in Portland Ct could not get rebuild parts for. One "head" was reading a surplus tractor/equipment" swapper paper and saw some surplus NOS International Inline, normally aspirated Diesel engines made for Harvesters!! LOL. Those 3 or 4 big wheels came to our shop to see the grader there with no engine. The mechanic that pulled the motor was brown nosing these guys something fierce, running off on how easy the Diesel would be to fit the oddball Adams transmission. I kept within earshot as I knew this would be fuckin' epic. He said "just make a steel plate with both bell patterns". I sat there holding back laughter. These AH's never considered the input shaft differences at all, but me being a rodder..well..you know..

So the engine and crude plate shows up and mister bigpants quickly got his ass handed to him when he tried to fit it up. LMAO. My boss was in a BIG mess not wanting to call HQ to admit his boys screwed up. He comes out to me begging... I said "that dumbass does not know about SAE bell patterns like I do". I told my boss to have AH bring the grader into my bay. I told him I'd pull a Spicer 60 series 5 speed out of a wrecked Ford gas-powered plow truck to do a gear ratio comparison on all 6 speeds including reverse. He had no choice, so he had to let me do that.

I ran the ratios on both boxes and they were SO close! He just did not dare believe it, and I had to show him the fractional numbers I wrote down, but I said we have one issue in that the output splines for the huge double row drive chain down to the T-case/power drive box were so close, but a tick too tight to go together. He got right at it, hands-on, and showed me how to make a broaching tool from a spare trans mainshaft I saved from a Spicer 60 trans rebuild I did. He broached it right out on our huge 1939 press! It all went together like cake. The foreman from the Putnam repair shop stopped by as it went together, and said "we cobble stuff together". Ha, his shop later on, got the task of a "prototype" I.H. DT466 Intercooled engine swap into one of the late 70s Ford L-8000/9000 475 Cu In gas fleet trucks! Whos the cobbler now, eh?

Hot rodding is everywhere! Rock the fuck on!

 

The whole bench


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3 stools...means friends are there all the time.....that shop looks EXACTLY like Kenny's place...he has stools too, not as many old friends left to sit, but the young-uns I bring there will take over!!

 

Today's the day...the Cord will be here around noon, a LOT of people want to see it including "one-eyed Dan" the C50 owner that picked that truck up late in the day, He wants to bring his 15 year old daughter who is into the Art-Deco era...artwork, buildings, cars etc. We use nicknames for people who have common names that we know "multiples' of. ...like Cowboy Matt who was also here then as he was helping my so with the orange motorcycle...Dan lost his eye...wait for it.... when he was 14, he "shot his eye out with a BB gun" a term just like in the old movie called Christmas Story!

My son is just leaving for work; asked if the Cord was coming today because they did not finish the bike which is in the Cord bay. I said no worry as I decided to have Ron drop it where I park my VW wagon near the garden hose. I thought of that early this morning, as Ron is really most concerned about getting all the aluminum corrosion trash out of the block....so the bike is not an issue today.

I was looking for parts that will go with the 30 Chevy hotrod, and found this framed lithograph. I wanted to give this to Ron, as he has a 1906 Ford like this one. There were 4 different prints given away by Ford Dealers in 1953 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Ford Motor Company. All 4 were Norman Rockwell pieces, commissioned by Ford. I forget where I got a huge pile of the prints 30 years ago. We had a picture framing side business back then, and this is the only one not sold as the glass broke at a show.


I honestly forgot that print this time, I found it while searching for the 30 Chevy pickup/only radiator shell that Kenny gave me when I got the Chevy. As soon as I stood on something to reach the framed print, I spotted the hiding Shell!

See, that bike is good for something! LOL. Also the black thing is a 40 year old NOS T-bucket rectangular gas tank from Total Performance. I got it for $30. And the mate to the three 56 Olds wheel covers I had from a parted out 56.. That 4th mate came from Bob on this thread; 37Kid.

then the 1954 4 speed Olds Hydramatic I was wanting gone; I got that for free from the guy with the 37 Plymouth coupe that I set up his Olds motor in. He is also the guy who supplied(on trade for labor) the wicked cool 303 headers for the Chevy rod. He had them built 45 years ago by Tubular Automotive in Mass, for his chop/channeled 32 5w that never got finished back then, with the same Olds former Drag motor. Terry and Son Kyle are more into Automatics than 4 speeds, and Terry DOES run a transmission shop, so the Hydro will be going in the 30 Chevy rod, just like when it was built back then!

1953 303 Olds motor, I got for $300 plus tax in Southern New Jersey..."Cord Ron" picked it up at the recycle yard I bought it from, and hauled it up to me when he was bringing one of his cars up for work! He will be getting a 4 barrel set up, or I do have several J2 tri-power setups he can buy at my cost. This 303 was in my 40 Ford coupe motor-install thread on hamb



I've been "running the numbers" on how much "money" I have into the total car so far to give a price to Kyle. Geez, he is getting one heck of a deal on a cool piece of history! LaSalle Jim seemed kinda upset when I talked about the low price while he worked on MY motor FOR FREE! Man, money F's up so many peoples heads LMAO.

Other friends might have thought that they had "first dibs" on that Chevy, but they simply are not "the right guy". Kyle does not jump around on projects.... nor be forced to sell things in hard times..he has had his 77 C10 since he was 12, and this is the second and final finished resto on it. So, he has been "looking" for a old rod that he can afford, just like the older guy knew I was looking for an affordable 50's rod when I was even younger than Kyle. That guy drove his roadster to my folks place for a $200 down payment, then gave me two weeks to come up with the final $600 to get the title!

So, KYLE gets the chevy! $2500...maybe less if he does not want certain things in the pile of stuff I am including.

Cord pics as soon as I can...I HOPE it is not all surface rusted,but we shall see

 

For an 8 page thread, it's as long as some 20 page threads I have read. So no, I did not read it all. What the heck happened to the LaSalle?

 

you may well be missing some great stories of a disappearing part of American culture. The LaSalle, while deserving of rapt attention, is only a side bar to the writings contained in this thread.

Ray

 

For those that pay close attention back on July 17 I offered Frank an 8x10 of a 1934 LaSalle I found at a local Sunday swap meet. Well I just addressed the envelope and will mail it tomorrow. Layed back or lazy? It wasn't misplaced, just had stuff on top of it for protection. Bob

 

Well George, here is some more... well I had to skip the hectic balls out morning, right up to around 2pm...

LaSalle Jim just called this moment, said he saw a cord on a trailer heading due East... I said "what was hauling it?" He said some sort of pickup truck.... er, no, Jim, that is NOT what showed up here! I knew Ron broke down or creamed a trailer tire, as he was super late! So I described what showed up here. First pic was less than 5 minutes after Bob Jr showed up and said he can only stay 20 minutes...he spotted the cord in the first view in Pic One.... he said "your cord is here". Ok, I am thinking... Ron got the "issue" fixed and finally got here! . I could only see what you see here, as Bob went to move his 62 Valiant... Oh, shit,.. it looks totally surface rusted in the shading!! (look way up the left driveway near RT 32)


But as I got closer walking up the driveway...I see this :

^^^ That is Ron in the yellow shirt after asking where I want "Curtis" to put the Cord, Bob has his hands in his pockets for the last time in the next 2.5 HOURS...so much for a 20 minute stay! Cord still looks all rusted to me!


Curtis does not give a chit about tying up traffic:

^^^ WoW, the cord is NOT rusted, it is maroon/burgundy! well what there is left that did not peel off!

Curtis asked where I want it, so I said near the wheelbarrow, (near the water hose) That would be some sharp maneuvers...No problem he said..


Those pics are in opposite order above...I am beat! I am too beat to fix them.


^^^ very close to jack knifed here. Curtis admitted he forgot to extend the stinger! Cab of the rollback is tangled in vines in front of my light pole...he said no problem.

Then he showed a Indy race car he just hauled in this pic, then a 400k special Ferrari race car I did not get a pic of..


Then unhooked the trailer to get the Chevy off! It has a blown rotted brakeline...Curtis showed me where when it was still on the deck...damn, right midway on chassis behind the saddle tank...right where all the modern POS trucks always blow a line. Modern stuff is a joke in the salt belt, stuff is designed so half assed, from a repair standpoint, that is why I run nothing newer that my 70 VW. Curtis said to drop the skid plate under the tank to "maybe see" the line that is blown. F' that, said Ron, plug off the rears, but Ron claims there are FOUR lines going to the rears??? I have no clue about that, as I don't work on modern CRAP. :
My son tried to register the POS 4 door diesel when he was left with no car when the VW dealer screwed him up with the lost key issue. DMV want $1700 in fees and taxes!!! My son did not bring THAT much,...the tax on book value, not sales price! Piss on new crap.. It will now be flipped I bet..my son is no dummy. All my sons fishing buddies HAVE 4 door diesels so he does not NEED one! Lol Pic taken a couple days ago by ME. I saw Kenny give this "gesture" to a guy who pulled out in front of him with my Huckster in tow! The old Texas 1983 K10 will finally go on the road in spring if not sooner now!


Every one of my sons friends got their 4 door diesels as "feel good" purchases, except Tim, as he Always hauls all of that tribe of young-uns in his, as well as works it hard on the farm!



Ok, Curtis has cool stuff carried on his rollback, like this little skid shoe that is made for receiver hitches, so it won't dig into the driveways:


Curtis also has a wireless towing light bar that is stuck with magnetic base on the roof of the Cord in the earlier pic! Very cool, he showed us the transmitter on the tail end of the rollback.

I'm really beat from a month or more of car stuff..... I will finish the story later tonight.. How we teamed up to get Ron out of here for the 5.5 hour ride home. Maybe get into this mornings stuff where I got so much further with the two engines...the one for my 34 LaS and the Buick engine for the 35 custom! I knew dam well "something was going to be happening" when I woke up very early at 4am... Now that I am in my "new mindset", I wake up VERY early when a busy day is somehow looming?/ I never need an alarm clock anymore! I am serious!

 

Frank, when i get a "down and dirty" brake line job in [site plow truck, cold snowy type repair] i just cut either end of the line going behind the tank and leave it in place. tape off the new brake line [so shit doesn't get in], slide it behind the tank, make the connections and zip tie it wherever i can get. i know it is wrong but on rusty new crap it is easier then pulling the bed or dropping the tank.