I like old cars, but don’t know too much about specific models, years, etc.
I'm a fairly serious car guy, but not too much into oldies, though. But here's a fun little story you might enjoy. My dad used to know an older guy with a lot, and I mean a lot of old cars. They met in a community college night class on foundry work. (The tuition was dirt cheap for seniors; the guy wanted to make castings to repair old cars, my pop was a hobbyist machinist wanting to learn how.) So I had met the guy before, and for some reason he seemed to trust me.
Anyway he used to bring old cars to various car shows, parades, etc. I stopped by his local town "homecoming" (it's a US thing, basically a town festival in the fall) one evening to see the car show. My dad's friend was there, so I said hi. Right away he asks, adjusting his hearing aide, are you busy after the show? Nah, I'm free. (I've been here before, this means that he doesn't have enough people to get the cars home, so maybe I'll be driving his truck pulling a car trailer.)
This time, though, it seems like they just drove all the cars, maybe four of em. His storage buildings are only about a mile or two away. When it's time to wrap up he asks me, can you drive a model A? I say, you'd have to give me a quick lesson. I guess it's harder than meets the eye, cuz he turns toward one of his friends and yells, "He can't drive a model A, he'll have to drive the Stutz!" So we go to the Stutz, it's a big sedan with the top off. It was either a 1918 or 1928; I don't recall. So I climb up in, everybody's heads come up to about my shoulder, and he starts to explain. Not real clear, mumbling a bit. Great big thick wood steering wheel with two big brass levers in brass sectors. "This is the spark advance; when you start the car move it back and forth til it starts, then put it up to about here. That pedal is the brake and that's the clutch." (They're not where we expect in a modern car.) Here's where the gears are, first, second, etc. Don't worry about the other lever, just use the gas pedals.ok? I started to ask about the spark advance positioning, so he just reached up over the door, moving the lever while pressing the starter button. The engine chugs to life and he says just leave it (the advance lever) right about there. Then he says, just follow so and so, right there.
Now, a funny thing happens when people see you getting ready to go. There's been a sea of heads milling around, watching the old car start up. But then, like the parting of the red sea, the crowd magically spreads apart in front of me. So I put it in gear and gently start it rolling towards the road. All the traffic that had been there just comes to a stop while the antiques pull onto the road. You're getting more respect than a guy who owns a Rolleiflex factory.
The steering is HEAVY. I'm pulling on the big thick wood wheel awfully hard and still almost run off the road on the other side. Then we turn into the main road. Time to shift into second gear. I push the clutch in to shift, but I'm getting some gear grinding. I didn't think this far ahead; do I double clutch and just push it in? If it was my own car I probably would, but... Well, now I'm in neutral and can't get back into first gear either - same situation. So I pulled over to stop, so I can get into first without any grinding. I figure that other traffic can go on by, but they don't; there's just too much respect for the big ole antique; all the traffic stops to wait for me. So I put it back into first gear and started on again. This time I decided to just stay in first, and only drive about 15 or 20 mph. It's about a half mile, maybe a mile of road with a 45 mph speed limit. But nobody passes or honks, or anything. It's just amazing to me how cooperative and tolerant they all are. It sorta restores your faith in the ability of people to get along.
When I get to the building I told the guy why I was so slow. He says, oh you just have to double-clutch and shift. He's just so casual cuz he's had these cars so long, and USES them. He always has a couple undergoing "restoration," nothing is a big deal to him. But to me it's like a museum piece and I don't wanna be the guy that breaks it. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and an experience I'll probably never have again. Sorry to get so wordy, it's a bad habit, I guess.
Ps, here a snapshot of a print I made for my pop years ago. Looking into one of his friend's buildings - this is called a boat tail Auburn, maybe 1928 or 1932 from my fuzzy recollection. One of the more glamorous cars... (a little moire in the front from a website resizing where the image lives)
