Uncle-Pekka

Tjänare Daniel, dear neighbour... Welcome to our crowd! Where in Sweden you are located? I'm born in Karleby, Österbotten, now living in Jyväskylä. Still hang around in west coast of Finland in summers. We have car club meetings in Jakobstad and Karleby area, where folks also from Sweden do attend. /Pekka P.S. Congratulation for your DeSoto. S11 is a good looking ride.

Our community may not be what is commonly considered as a car club. However, it would be cool to show colors when attending cruisings and shows. Would there be any interest to hang a P15-D24 plaQue on your rear bumper? Imagine the below pattern in aluminium cast...

This is a true driveable dream - Teriffic, but waaay out budget. However, have to watch until end of auction, just out of couriosity.

The flames in the one with painted bumpers are also outlined with blue - if that's the key... Further, those flames are dull in finish - are they adhesive?

I like the one @ eBay, also the flames. It is done in style and appears clean & tidy. The one in Don C's picture with painted bumpers and tit-like hub caps is hideous - just goes to show how thin the line between tasty and nasty really is.

Kyle, I agree Annie looks good with blackwalls and original hubcaps. No rings needed. Just to illustrate body color wheels with pinstripes, ill post a couple pics of mine. I use heavy fat chrome rings, which show no painted rim between the chrome and rubber when looked from axial direction.

On the Imperial club info page linked in my previous post above, there is a text link to the Thundebolt concept car page. Amazing car for 1940 design. It has most probably been discussed here before, but I cannot resist to link the pic in this context:

Kyle, as Don said; you pick the one you like better. However, you asked our opinion - here's mine: I vote for your Option#1, blue body color wheels with red pinstripe. I would run on radials with thin white wall (1,5"). Looks cool and you won't grow bored with it. As far as I am concerned option #2 looks good also, but is commonly used "custom trick"; every other ford runs on red wheels with stainless ring on.

Here is the link, part # P202 price $22.50, call them and ask to confirm it fits: http://www.robertsmotorparts.com/car_parts.asp?Action=search&c=Cars+-+Tail+Lights+%26+Related+Parts

Please find some more pictures of the Nash at the following link: http://nash1951.pic.fi/kuvat/

For my part, it was a decision based on evaluation of cost vs. characteristics I was looking for. I've been hanging around the car hobby most of my life. In high school age I helped my father when he restored a 1960 Rover 100, an english sedan with extraordinary "f-head" six (=inlet OH-valves, exhaust valves in block). I got "hangaround" membership in local classic car club and was there to arrange gatherings and cruisings ever since. My first car, bought in 1979, was a 1964 Peugeot, which I re-conditioned and drove for eight years. I admired american cars all that time, but had no money to buy me one no sooner but 2005 at age of 43. Having followed the scene and scanned Hemmings & other market places, I realized from the start that my favorite, 1946 Cadillac, was out of reach due to price tag. (Also same era Chevrolets, Buicks, Old's and even Pontiacs were surprisingly dear compared to condition. Ford was of no interest.) Actually, the 1941-48 Chrysler has been almost equal to Cadillac in my books. I was looking for a Chrysler, when I came across this driver D24 in LaGrange, Illinois, most reasonable priced compared to condition. The seller was a trustworthy fellow, a car nut with 1950 Hudson and 1940 Chev', who needed to sell the Dodge to finance the restoration of the Chevy. I found a forwarder who took the Dodge to Finland loaded with spares you fellows and the seller helped me to purchase before the shipping. When it arrived the brakes leaked and tank was full of rust gunk, but I managed to drive it home 180 miles from the Port of Kotka to my home town. I've been driving and working on it ever since. I am very satisfied with it. The 230cid L-head is a reliable power plant, handling is much better than fords or chevys of the 50's I've driven. Fluid drive is fun too, even if I sometimes would prefer a hydramatic of my original dream. After the purchase of the D24 the USD was devalued vs. Euro and as I knew the practise & people to import thus I went for more. Some of you noticed my poor luck Cadillac story, a rotten 1961 flattop, which I finally was able to trade for a nice fine condition 1977 New Yorker Brougham. Last summer I imported my 3rd american, a 1951 Nash Statesman. NY is huge with all options, Nash has small 184cid L-head and 3-in-tree manual - For a summer cruiser I prefer my Dodge over these two later acquisitions. To summarize: I belive I am a D24 guy and will stay that way - You have to bear with me

Well, the disadvantage of writing in drunk... Obviously the advantage was, that at the time I felt smart.

Thanks Andrew, A nice story - and once more: It is really a handsome car. I love these late 20's early 30's big sedans with three windows on each side of the body. This Dodge is especially well proportioned. Also fun to learn they cruised at 70mph. I bet also other parties but police force found use for such a speed wagon... In Finland there also was the prohibition act between 1919...31. The smugglers used big fast american sixes likes to this Victory 6 to loose chasing polices. My father's friend has a 1928 Nash that was used by local smugglers. While restoring it in the 70's he found a bullet hole in the back of the body. I an glad to read your above lines regarding to originality. I agree 100% on every word. It takes only money to have a nice shiny paint sprayed over an old car, however, no money can get back the original factory paint or the patina of the years lived once it is ground off. I bought a 1951 Nash from Phoenix AZ last spring. It is all original exept the tires and consumables in the power train. The paint is faded and worn as I many time see in the pictures from south west. As I drove it in Finland it certainly draw attention: Some admired the unusual patina and some asked: "when you're going to restore it?" - I replied I'm going to PRESERVE it. I love it as it is.

Genuine barn find! Congratulations! It is really a fine car, lots of period accessories too. A rare adventure to find and take home such time capsuled gem. Thanks for all the pictures that tells us the story. However, I am most impressed by your '28 Victory Six. Please let us know that story some day. All the best, Pekka

Andrew, Fred, Merle, Thank you for through explanation. For obvious reasons we do not grow corn in Finland and as I learned the detasseling I also realized that is a job you only need to do for corn. (OT!) Amazing things you can learn in the car hobby! ...so do I. Just think of all the aspects in this hobby: - seeking & finding a car you desire - sometimes a detective job - buying and getting it home (especially from over seas!) - getting to know the origins, maker and also previous owners - learning the yesterday's mechanics - searching the parts - another hunt - restoring or repairing, body work & painting - building it to be yours: accessories, modifications, improvements - DRIVING, DRIVING & DRIVING (me likes this part) - events, cruise nights, pick-nick gatherings, rallies... - all the good folks you get to know within this hobby... the list goes on. (at this point Unkka realizes he's gone far out off topic... but continues...) Andrew, Where did you find the '28 Dodge of yours? - I'd like to learn the story, but let's continue in your other thread. (...in the end Unkka decides to discuss the topic:) Myself, I am well over the hill, 48, but not yet old, though.

Thank you Frank... uumm... what the h*ck is a tassel, then?

I've never heard of such "newport phaeton", but the web is amazing source of all kind of information: http://www.imperialclub.com/Yr/1941/phaetons/index.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Newport http://www.rmauctions.com/CarDetails.cfm?SaleCode=am09&CarID=r119 It seems to have the production New Yorker eight and drive train, but the body is by LeBaron, special assingment by K.T. Keller. Lana Turner had one of these. Also Walter P. C. himself. Only six altogehter were made.

Hi Y'all! Uncle woke up... I nice thread, I am positively surprised we have this much "young" folks abroad. The old farts are making most of the noise. I am VERY impressed learning about Beatle65 backgrounds! Congratulations for your fine collection (so far) - With that kind of dedication and determination I am sure you will open the collection for public some day. I just hope I could visit there and then... It's cool, that you earn the money for collecting vintage tractors by working on the field. I could not find "detasseling" in my online dictionary - I assume by context, that it is for gathering and packing hay on the fields? I did that occasionally in early 70's with an old man nearby my fathers house. We did it in "ol' style", shoveling hay with a pitchfork up to a flat bed lorry and from there to barn. On a sunny day (as it usually is in late July) - it's hard work. All the best to you, Beatle65! /Unkka

Good for You, Captain! - Roll on... You may consider my odd comment as a prediction;

Thanks Fireball! Actually I also considered polishing the originals by extra fine abrasive paper and then by chrome polish, but the lacquer you proposed will probably also protect the lens better. Nice job on that Buick emblem. I am encouraged to do the same. Thanks, Pekka

Drive home or die dialing...

Charming "accessories" indeed - congratulations!

Fred, Thanks for the hint of custom maker source. I will study all the links I got today and let you know the result later. /Pekka

Mackster, Fred, Speaking about period accessories - Check out this site: http://www.wirthscustomauto.com/exterior.html Reg Evans posted this link at my other thread and the more I surf there the more I get inspired. Would we have a chevy or ford, there are nice metal skirts at very reasonable prices. Actually all the items are priced customer friendly...

Reg, Thanks for your help and extra mile with the picture posted. However, the hole in the housing is closer to 7/8" by my second measure, thus 1 3/8" dots would need major re-sizing. I think I go for the first eBay link you posted today: It will be $12 total with postage to Finland for set of four. The diameter seems pretty close, probably can be fitted with little effort. /Pekka