# Common sense



## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

I'm well aware that it's not nearly as popular as it used to be, but I do try my best to think that some use it whenever possible, or when conditions permit.

But this time, I'm stymied.  Maybe this guy owns both bikes? You know, one for summer and one for winter.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

II'm not a fan of sitting directly behind a bare engine, especially that thing, looks like it would keep you warm though


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

denner12 said:


> II'm not a fan of sitting directly behind a bare engine, especially that thing, looks like it would keep you warm though


Yeah, if you had a bad spark plug wire, it could lead to some interesting reactions.


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## denner12 (Oct 14, 2017)

paratrooper said:


> Yeah, if you had a bad spark plug wire, it could lead to some interesting reactions.


Yea, back in the day, NHRA cars had engines in front of the driver " the ole slingshot" which proved to be disastrous for the some drivers.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Many will say that common sense isn’t so common lately. Just take a look at Washington for proof.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

The democrats are trying to outlaw common sense


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## Philco (Apr 17, 2012)

I'm seeing no evidence of common sense in either photo. Please explain.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

I gotta ask the same question that I always do:
If I'm riding one of those things, where upon it does Jean sit?


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

Jean will tell you no way I getting on that and neither are you


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## JamesCC (Mar 21, 2019)

Is it me or does this look like Batman’s Bike in the new movies? Just me?


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## Schooner (Dec 28, 2019)

paratrooper said:


> I'm well aware that it's not nearly as popular as it used to be, but I do try my best to think that some use it whenever possible, or when conditions permit.
> 
> But this time, I'm stymied.  Maybe this guy owns both bikes? You know, one for summer and one for winter.
> 
> ...


Is that thing street legal 
Man, some are sicker, and some are quicker


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

My friend's got one of these. It's a little more practical. It's got a 350 small block Chevy engine. But he's gotta' clear the junk away before he can ride it.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Okay, so I have to ask. What's up with the arm?


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

paratrooper said:


> Okay, so I have to ask. What's up with the arm?


That's a good question. He's got just about everything else, so why not have an arm? He was once approached by the producers of the "The American Pickers" TV show and he politely told them to "go to hell". What amazes me is how one individual can accumulate so much "stuff".


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

denner12 said:


> Yea, back in the day, NHRA cars had engines in front of the driver " the ole slingshot" which proved to be disastrous for the some drivers.


Yeah, I remember those days at Lions Drag Strip even before they started putting full length fiberglass bodies on the rail jobs. 
If I recall, they used a heavy duty bell housing because if the flywheel came loose it could cut the driver's leg off.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

desertman said:


> That's a good question. He's got just about everything else, so why not have an arm? He was once approached by the producers of the "The American Pickers" TV show and he politely told them to "go to hell". What amazes me is how one individual can accumulate so much "stuff".


Well.....I could understand a leg with a foot on it, or a head with an upper torso attached, or even a whole body sans any extremities.

But......an arm?


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> That's a good question. He's got just about everything else, so why not have an arm? He was once approached by the producers of the "The American Pickers" TV show and he politely told them to "go to hell". What amazes me is how one individual can accumulate so much "stuff".


That does look like the kind of place that Mike and Frank would love to go through. Especially Mike since he's into motorcycles.


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

paratrooper said:


> Okay, so I have to ask. What's up with the arm?


What is left of his last passenger


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> That does look like the kind of place that Mike and Frank would love to go through. Especially Mike since he's into motorcycles.


Here's more of his stuff. It's just mind boggling how one individual can accumulate so much. This is only a portion of it. He's got stuff outside all over his property as well.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Uh yeah.....I now understand what you are saying.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> Here's more of his stuff. It's just mind boggling how one individual can accumulate so much. This is only a portion of it. He's got stuff outside all over his property as well.
> 
> View attachment 17861
> View attachment 17862
> ...


Oh yeah, I can see why the producers were interested in this place. Mike's a big collector of vintage Indians and Harleys as well as vintage bicycles not to mention the awesome cars I see. Too bad your friend didn't go on the show. Some of the best episodes I've seen were about collectors who absolutely did not want to sell anything.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> Oh yeah, I can see why the producers were interested in this place. Mike's a big collector of vintage Indians and Harleys as well as vintage bicycles not to mention the awesome cars I see. *Too bad your friend didn't go on the show.* Some of the best episodes I've seen were about collectors who absolutely did not want to sell anything.


As he explains it, his stuff means a lot to him. He's not interested in the monetary aspect of it. In that respect I'm the same way. To this day I regret selling my old '40 Chevy street rod. But I've still got two antique cars left, one that I bought in '77 and the other in '89. I've gotten many offers for them over the years but I've put too much time and effort into them to ever want to sell them. Besides when you add that all up including parts I'd never get back what I put into them. Not that that matters, I love the body styles of the American cars of the 1930's. That's the only reason why I bought and restored them.

Yeah it would have been pretty cool seeing him and his wife on the show. They're both great people, every year they open up their property and throw a big party for their friends. We all bring our cars and it's like one giant family barbecue. Only one year we couldn't barbecue because of the fire restrictions. But it really didn't matter people had fun regardless.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Hmmm...

If he's gonna get rid of stuff, I'll give the four-banger Indian a good home.
.


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

I would love to have that light blue Buick convertible (1953 or 1954?).

Edit: I just looked at a close-up of the front plates and there's a '54 sticker on California plates.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> I would love to have that light blue Buick convertible (1953 or 1954?).
> 
> Edit: I just looked at a close-up of the front plates and there's a '54 sticker on California plates.


It's indeed a '54 Buick. The '53 had an oval emblem right above the grille, the bumper is a little different too. All of those cars have been sitting and stored inside for years. It would take a lot of effort just to get them out of there let alone drive them. All of the mechanical and electrical systems would need a complete going over and replacing or rebuilding whatever is necessary.

Even if they have low miles on them. It's not good to just let them sit even if they're stored inside. Seals dry out, the fuel turns to varnish, wheel cylinders, master cylinders get surface rust on the inside. You've got to pull the plugs, squirt Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders and let it sit before attempting to turn the engine over, replace all of the ignition components and rebuild the carburetor and fuel pump. Drain the gas tank and change all of the fluids. Mice get into the electrical system, chew on the wires and the tires have dry rot. I think you get the idea.

My friend? He just likes to collect them, although a few are on the road and drivable. He doesn't ride anymore because of a bad motorcycle accident years ago.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Hmmm...
> 
> If he's gonna get rid of stuff, I'll give the four-banger Indian a good home.
> .


That Indian four-banger is all original along with that Harley "45" along side it. The '29 Harley on the back of that old Autocar had been restored at one time. The Autocar has a later model "350" Cummins diesel and drivetrain and is fully capable of pulling a 40 foot trailer with a 40,000 lb. payload. Just like a modern semi, pretty f'n cool if you ask me. How'd you like to see that goin' down the highway? I don't know if I'd want to take it across country though especially when the weather turns bad? The truck would make it, I'm not so sure about the driver?


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## PhuBai70 (Sep 26, 2019)

desertman said:


> It's indeed a '54 Buick. The '53 had an oval emblem right above the grille, the bumper is a little different too. All of those cars have been sitting and stored inside for years. It would take a lot of effort just to get them out of there let alone drive them. All of the mechanical and electrical systems would need a complete going over and replacing or rebuilding whatever is necessary.
> 
> Even if they have low miles on them. It's not good to just let them sit even if they're stored inside. Seals dry out, the fuel turns to varnish, wheel cylinders, master cylinders get surface rust on the inside. You've got to pull the plugs, squirt Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders and let it sit before attempting to turn the engine over, replace all of the ignition components and rebuild the carburetor and fuel pump. Drain the gas tank and change all of the fluids. Mice get into the electrical system, chew on the wires and the tires have dry rot. I think you get the idea.
> 
> My friend? He just likes to collect them, although a few are on the road and drivable. He doesn't ride anymore because of a bad motorcycle accident years ago.


You're right, getting a barn find into running condition is a major project from the ground up. Getting one into auction quality is a rich man's hobby. One thing you didn't mention is location. Cars from the southwest for example were never exposed to salt on the roads like cars from severe winter areas.
The '54 Buick caught my eye because as I mentioned before in 1957 my Dad bought a '55 Buick in like new condition and that was a great car. In 1963 he bought my Mom a new Le Sabre station wagon that was fully loaded with air conditioning, power windows, naugahyde upholstery and a 400 plus Wildcat engine. We went back to Missouri that summer and on the open highway that car cruised like nobody's business. My Mom kept that car for years because she just refused to part with it.


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## desertman (Aug 29, 2013)

PhuBai70 said:


> You're right, getting a barn find into running condition is a major project from the ground up. Getting one into auction quality is a rich man's hobby. *One thing you didn't mention is location.* Cars from the southwest for example were never exposed to salt on the roads like cars from severe winter areas.
> The '54 Buick caught my eye because as I mentioned before in 1957 my Dad bought a '55 Buick in like new condition and that was a great car. In 1963 he bought my Mom a new Le Sabre station wagon that was fully loaded with air conditioning, power windows, naugahyde upholstery and a 400 plus Wildcat engine. We went back to Missouri that summer and on the open highway that car cruised like nobody's business. My Mom kept that car for years because she just refused to part with it.


Yeah, like they say in real estate, *location, location, location.* Probably the most difficult and time consuming part of a restoration is the body work depending on how much has to be done. Cars exposed to harsh conditions require a lot of panel fabrication. Although a lot of panels for the most popular cars are being reproduced. Especially muscle cars who's body's were mass produced. When it comes to the body there's no difference between a six cylinder Mustang and the K-Code high performance version. Given the number of these cars that are still out there it's cost effective to reproduce a lot of their parts. In fact you can buy complete bodies for a lot of these cars. It got to the point where they were already making so many replacement panels that for all intents and purposes they already had 75% of it done. You can now buy brand new complete all steel body's for early Mustangs, Tri-Five Chevy's and pre-war early Ford V-8's.

In Arizona you can always tell which cars were left outside for a prolonged period of time. The paint is all oxidized and in some cases literally peeling off. But you won't find too much if any rust. A lot of the early cars from the mid 30's on back had a lot of wood in them with sheet metal over it. Some even had wooden floors. If any of the wood is rotted that's even more work.

The cars I have were rust free and exhibited no heavy damage. Just some dings and minor dents that had been repaired at one time. All I had to do was take the cars apart, strip everything down to bare metal and re-do the body work, prime and paint. Of course all of the weather stripping and glass had to be replaced too. Still a lot of work, but at least I didn't have to do any welding or replace any panels or wood. But then again I knew what to look for before I bought them. They all were running driving cars when I bought them. I used them that way for a few years before I restored them. When I decided to restore them and since I was taking the cars apart it just made sense to replace or rebuild all of the mechanical and electrical systems. You certainly do not want to do that after the body and paint were done for obvious reasons.

It can be a rich man's hobby especially if you have to pay someone to do all of the labor. It's not so bad when you can do it yourself and pay as you go. It took me about 3 years of weekends, after work, vacations and holidays to do each one of my cars. Just about every second of my spare time. One I was actually using as I was working on it and would only lay it up for a few weeks at a time, doing it section by section.

The problem with 100 point show cars is that you don't want to ever use them. I got pretty close to that level, but hell I WANT TO USE THEM. Once you start driving them they're no longer 100 point show cars. That's not for me, driving them out on the open highway is what it's all about. Yeah, mine are starting to show signs of use. If you drive them you can't avoid stone chips, grease and oil stains in the engine compartment and the undercarriage getting dirty, things like that. Even after you clean it thoroughly, after awhile they never look as good as day after you finished it. Unless you want to keep it in an air tight bubble.

Auctions are nothing more than a crap shoot at best. What you get for any given car is what two people battling each other over it are willing to pay for it. A lot of people have lost a lot of money putting their cars up at no reserve at an auction. When you understand how much labor goes into some of these cars I can't help but think that these people have to be out of their minds selling them. For the most part they'll never get their money back.

Man, I really went on. Sorry about that. Cars and guns are my life.


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