Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

I heard somewhere they started naming them in alphabetical order to help keep track of them.... i never put stock in this because i ask whats wrong with a date, location and a number.

 

You are thinking of hurricanes. Winter storm naming was what some jag off pulled out of his ass to sell more add space.

 

Past Tech with Rusty, road trip edition.

Well fellers, it was a good day for a road trip, of course to me any day qualifies.

Ginger is safely closeted away in the garage until spring so it was me, Chris Ledoux and the old daily van.

Took a rip north to central NY which is noted for lakes (The Finger Lakes), wine & Watkins Glen races.

Naturally I was more interested in what lurks behind garages...

Like this clean early 60's Ford, bigger than a one ton, probably an F600. The medium duty trucks had the wider fenders.



Next along the way is this little group of cabins/trailers. These have been here over 50 years.




What is interesting is this round one.
This is a Spartan Manor built by Spartan Aircraft Company ran by oil tycoon J Paul Getty.



After WW2 Spartan needed fill production capacity and decided to move in to the expanding travel coach market. Many coaches of the day were made of wood, canvas and Masonite.

Spartan ignored other manufacturers and built their coaches the same way their aircraft were built - and ended up building some of the highest quality coaches ever manufactured.



Notice the front windows, the side ones have been covered over on the coach in the photos. Spartan called the 3 window front living room the "observation lounge".



The Manor was built between 1946-51 and cost around $3700 - this would be a $45,000 coach in 2023 dollars. A brand new 1951 Ford Deluxe V8 Tudor sedan cost about $1500 for comparison.

 

Wow, i did not know this...sounds like a waste of time and potentially tax payer money? Who was the thinker that thought this up?

 

I don't know, but I'd love to fupa punch the prick .

 

Rusty, im obsessed with the past and appreciate this post(and every post including pics of the old). The spartans ARE choice and imo still are. Id love to have one or similar aluminum trailer to post up on the property and used as a cabin.
I dont know the maker but there is a spectacular one at a lake "resort" in Oregon called pine hollow. The cabinetry in most of these was comparable to that of a fine sail boat.

 

Ahh, i needed that. Havnt smiled or laughed much all day.

 

PTwR - mile number 2

@tirediron
@Kilo Charlie

Further along was this American LaFrance truck, these were built in Elmira, NY. They were a fire truck builder, this surely started life as one.



This is massive in person.



This is the temperature gauge, a Boyce MotoMeter.



Check out the massive axle beam and air brake actuator.




@StayinStock
@Hunterdc1
Have any plates like this?



Wood was common in vehicles before WW2.



Photo-bombed by the daily van.





This is a giant truck, the hood is about 4 feet long.



Neighbor (50's Dodge) across the street keeps watch.

 

Thats cool!

 

Goodnight everyone

 

PTwR - mile number 3

Stopped at a little roadside lay-by and found....

A rocket @Hunterdc1 are you missing any?



And had a Sasquatch sighting too!



Just as I was about to run screaming in terror I spy with my little eye...

An old Ford, 1951 Custom Deluxe V8 Tudor sedan to be more specific. These Fords from 49 - 51 are commonly called "shoeboxes". Cost was around $1500 or $17,100 today.



Originally there was the famous 239 cubic inch Ford Flathead under the hood. 100 horsepower was a big deal back then, remember this was a low price car for the working man, the competition like Chev and Plymouth were 6 cylinder only.



She shows some of her hooligan past, for those who might not know "Hooker" was a popular brand of exhaust headers.



Ford hit a home run with the shoebox beating Chev to market with a new postwar design by six months.

Notice the 4 door proportions on the 2 door car, practicality over style in the low price field back then.






Apparently someone really wanted the deck lid, they cut the hinges out.

 

61! Good band too.

I like that boat idea, but I'd prefer tropical scenery. I could totally be Captain Ron.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmW-xipCWqs

 

The plan wouldnt limit us to up here...although im sure id claim Alaska as my home port. Wed island hop...probly stay in the pacific. The boat i found can handle a lot of what the ocean would deal it. Ive got a few mexican connections too lol so i might end up being the first American Mexican in my family lol

 

Past Tech with Rusty -- the last mile

The point of the road trip naturally was to start off my one (old) man 2023 Save the Iron campaign.

Yep, long time readers can guess...
Another 2 cylinder Wisconsin.

Never underestimate what you can load in a Dodge van using a skid loader with forks.



Or what you can unload with a forklift built in 1946 -- mind that window....
Pucker factor without a spotter.



Another Harbor Freight wheelie base, safe & sound on the ground.

This one dates to 1970 and came out of a Melroe/Bobcat skid steer.
Unusual for me it is alleged to actually run.

Desirable items here (for me) are the special out the back vehicle application exhaust manifold, fuel pump, charging system and the battery ignition - uses a distributor instead of a magneto.



Lose a clip - good old electric tape will do, wonder if it is 3M brand?



Even nicer is this heavy duty solenoid shift starter, only found in applications like forklifts & skid steers. It is missing the bracket for the rear, just bent metal really.
Starter looks like a recent re-man too.

The two little black boxes on the blower housing are the rectifier and regulator for the charging system, this one has a stator under the flywheel.



The bracket looks like this.



To mangle a line from Johnny Cash "we put in the bolts and all the holes was gone" - this manifold is usually threaded.
Notice the beefy size of the output shaft, 1-3/8", remember this is only an 18 hp engine.



Side by side with a brother, same engine but configured differently, carburetor, air cleaner, distributor and starter.



The fellow was nice, the price was low, I got a new toy with "rare" (not to be confused with valuable) goodies, had the Sam's Club $2.82 pizza special for lunch, it was a great road trip.



...and Mrs Green didn't ask what I did today...

 

I agree. I was using my phone the first time but with the iPad the pic is a bit bigger and clearer. Tufted titmouse it is!

 

Rusty, do u have any heirs? We dont yet. It worries me that collections of historical "things" of guys like us will be divided up and auctioned off and get burried somewhere..
If i find a young wood woorker worthy of my hoard....theyre gonna be set. Same goes for my mechanics tools.

 

Can u pilot a 60 ft boat and live on seafood? I cant offer much for pay....

 

I think we’re related in regards to this.

yeah hopefully I can find someone for my tools and stuff. Like to see it get a good home.

 

Was time for a good cleaning. I think I was right around 100 hours of machine time with Carbon fiber since the last cleaning.


Got delivery confirmation from my riggers. My new machine is scheduled to be delivered this upcoming Monday!