Uncle-Pekka

Hear Brothers! I was dazed & amazed yesterday at my local mall parking lot to spot almost immaculate P12 convertible there among a heard of Toyotas and opels... It is registered in Finland and obviously recently well restored, see the below pictorial testimonial: The spots on the nose are dead bugs & flies... The newly installed badge reads "the flying horse" in finnish!!! Unfortunately I have no idea of the owner or home town of this beauty.

Hello Fellows, A discount code for Rockauto store, 5% off the sub-total, 1140012992478 Please use for your benefit! Br., Pekka

Very cool promo model you have there! Out of general interest: Does any one know, when were the first promo models made/given in the States? I suppose that in the fifties there were promos for each & every make & model presented by the dealers? Do they do that still today in the States? (Not in Europe any more, at least not in my price class...)

Sorry to hear the news, Shel. Especially, when I have also benefit from the very place through your helpful friendly service. The things are different here in Finland, but it will not hurt anyone if I think out loud: Is there any local vintage car club that would be willing to help the old man of the yard? What I mean, it could be organized from voluntary basis, that a part of the area is cleaned, maintained and the oldest and best wrecks moved there for some extra years and "controlled shutdown", maybe even a low profile "museum automotive graveyard park" ??? Just a thought, or maybe my daydream. In nay case: What ever happens, you can tell the old man, that his yard has helped many of us in past years. Kind regards, pekka

I just read that they can get a gallon for $6.68 in New Zealand! That is a steal in modern world! In Finland we pay today USD 9.67 for 95oct. (1.60 EUR/liter) and that is less than what our neighbours in Norway, (the folks who have oil fiels of their own at Nordic sea), do pay. I just bought me a 1961 Cadillac.

I suppose this is the moment to make sure that an OD from '53 Ply' can be mounted in a '48 D24 fluid drive transmission car? Gurus of the phorum, please advise, can it be done and what will it take? Yours, Pekka

The black coupe roof line looks good, creative custom, indeed. Othervise nicely done modification, but the frenched big head lights make it look goofy - IMHO. Alltogether I still think the red P15 looks better as it is...

I have to ask this to make sure: Will you use the OD or would it be for sale? I would be very interested in buying one (for the D24). /Pekka

Hi Eric, So this new one is more like the good old Ry Cooder albums: Guitar rock/blues South-Cal./Mexican style? I definetely will get it for me. Thanks for the hint! /Pekka

Thanks Shel! You actually crawled under Edgar J to check the bolt size for me! - Thanks! I suppose I found the u-bolt - at RockAuto: DORMAN Part # 35619, 1/2" bolt thread, ID 3", inner lenght 8 3/8", $6.10 apiece.

Norm, I bought a set of three (2 front, 1 rear) for my D24 an year ago from this fellow and installed them also last summer. They were OK, right to the spec. The set was cheap and I had to mail order anyway - so why not from S-AM. /Pekka

Handsome coupe, congratulations! Great shade of green color, what code/color is that?

I am curious to listen the new Ry Cooder album as well. I've got me a dozen or more Cooder's albums and I like every single (!?) of them. Especially the classics like Borderline or Chicken Skin Music. Also the one but latest, Chavez Ravine, is fine record - Even if, compared to 70's R.C. albums, Mr. Cooder is more like a producer and guitarist in a band on this one. Top notch title on the newest, I agree.

I found me a pair of 1 3/4" wide by 1 1/2" high lowering blocks. What size u-bolts do I need (lenght?) and where to get them? P.S. As for the size - I know, I could crawl under and measure... ...but it is raining here and rain forecast for tomorrow also... Just thought you wizards probably have the answer right away.

Why leave it half way? - If he'd paint the bumpers the same gray as hub caps, he could sell it as "rare war time black out model". 19 990,- instead of 9900,- !!! ...or "a pewter phantom plymouth":D

Bud, I agree - Everyone does the car for himself as per own preferences, that's what the hobby is all about. Further, I belive the truck will be a COOL RIDE when you will complete it. Actually, I am not the purist I used to be once. I do not mind chopped cars, as long as the job is well done and with style. Somehow still, I prefer (for my rides) to keep the original engine, because I feel that it is an essential part of the car. The spirit. The feel. It may be more a philosophical issue. What I mean is if you take Beyonce's body and plant Margaret Thatcher's brain to it, what do you got? (Even if the both parts are sound in their own league...) Sorry - I am doing it again. 1st time I think I was testing if you are sure of the idea of modernization. Now it seems I try to turn your head - No, I appreciate what you prefer, I just tried to explain my own preferrences. Well, some times "I am too sexy for my body..." /P

Congrats for a great find, Bud. Just a question: Why do you want to plant her on a '94 chevy frame? Please excuse me poking me nose in your business, but what I mean is: If you want to have a cool '94 chevy, you do it as a chevy. If you want A COOL RIDE, which puts smile on your face every time you drive it, you need to have a flathead on original bomb proof frame & transmission. Well, at least it works that way for me... Kind regards, Pekka

Thanks Bob, The narrow ww is raised on the tire and there is raised black lettering on the outer diameter as well, thus I am uneasy to try widening the white... I kind of like the narrow white - After all, this is a Dodge, not a Packard. I did the stripes with a striping paint roller tool, not the exact same as in below link, but similar with one wheel. The tool was old and crappy, thus the job was kind of difficult. To be true to original, there should have been three stripes, each ca. 3/32" wide - but making two equispaced was such a job, that I quit at that point. I will buy a better tool and maybe do it better in the winter coming... /Pekka the striping tool link: http://www.dickblick.com/zz289/08/

Hi Y'all, I promised to share my experience on cheap Dean Alpha 215/75R15 tires I bought from Vulcan Tire net shop. Well, I mounted them on my original but sandblasted & acrylic painted rims on Sunday past. Here's how they look: - without beauty rim: [/url] ...and with the chrome rim (from Capital Wheels at $20/set of four): And they DID IMPROVE the driving BIG TIME! Now I do not need to STEER on a straight road as I used to had to running my old bias ply tires(*. Still I have to admit, the bias ply tires looked much better... *)...before anyone will ask: YES, of course, also cornering and driving on curved roads is much more precise & feels safer. Alltogether, (after driving a 200miles trip and a couple of days in town), I feel definete to buy this brand at that price ($50/apiece) for my other rides as well when the time comes to replace the tires.

Hello Robin, Are you planning to bring some souveniers?... ...for your Plymouth (,of course). Or maybe a companion? - There are lots of vintage cars currently for sale in Florida, by looking from the Graigslist & eBay. All the best for your travel! Cheers, Pekka

Big Jim of Texas is selling fiber glass replicas. I bought fender skirts from him, but I have to say they do not fit too good, different curvature to the fender, even if they were supposed to be especially for 1946-48 Dodge... Agape Auto is making and selling high quality steel/aluminium products. I've heard lots of recommendations for them. In case you look for genuine Fulton, you need to check e(vil)Bay: Be careful with the condition, check pictures and description closely. I got a good one for $150, but my buddy here got an useless piece full of bad dents and twisted for $100. Unfortunate thing what happened with Norm. However, I've had mine on for a year now and have been driving on highways 55mph. Trucks do the same speed and there has been no problems. Pay attention on the mounting. The visor needs to be in correct position and angle. On a Fulton there are two stainless center supports to the windshield divider. They will grab the divider chrome bar real tight. Do not mount the supports on the divider rubber weatherstripping! - In that case they may tear open at thrust. Good luck in hunting, Pekka

Several German car/motorcycle factories made these minicars in the 50's: BMW, Messerschmitt, Heinkel, NSU, Goggomobil, Trojan... The Messerschmitt was the wildest looking of them all: rear view: They even had a beefed up sports model; the Tiger!

I did not knew that they imported these to the States as well ??? Actually in Finland and all over Europe these were quite popular in mid-fifties when the continent was still poor after the wars... Lets have a quiz - Please tell the make and model. (hint: the brand is very strong today, but not in minicars anymore)