GlennCraven

Very nice. Love the color!

Good questions. I'm not sure whether I'll keep the main project. There's a truck shop among my account list and one I'm familiar with through a friend's store who both might be interested in restoring the original frame/period engine/cab. The lack of front clip is where they may balk a bit. If I keep it I'll for sure join the ATHS -- American Truck Historical Society -- for the contacts I need to get it back on the road probably in period correct condition. The gnarly red and yellow cab with all the lettering I will keep for sure. It will go on a later-model one-ton or larger donor frame (maybe even a rollback) and be capable of hauling away all the cars and my possessions when the wife kicks me out. (Actually, the wife likes the gnarly cab.) I just need to decide if I'm going 4x4 and high (2006 Ram chassis below, with some serious fab work I can't replicate) or more likely 4x2 and staying low. I won't be chopping the roof or anything too serious, because I need the headroom.

This link probably explains it best. But in the earlier days of telephones, the first two digits of many numbers were expressed as the corresponding letters on the dial, often with complete words used as mnemonics to remember the number by.For instance, "EMpire3-2298" would be the same as saying "363-2298." There was actually a standard set by the phone company (linked at the Mental Floss page) to help reduce confusion. Before the 1950s some communities had so few phones that only two letters and three numbers were used, like "MIdway-921." (64-921) http://m.mentalfloss.com/article.php?id=61116 P.S. As a kid in my western Kansas town of 3,500 in the 1970s, I can recall not needing to use all seven digits to dial a local number as one would today. Our phone number was 543-5448, but local callers could skip the "54" part and still reach us at 3-5448.

Yes, if I understand correctly from the educated, during this period Diamond T bought cabs from International and Autocar, depending on the application. Eventually both Diamond T and REO were bought by White, and ultimately merged in the 1960s to form Diamond REO, not the band.

Saw this project on eBay within about an hour from my home in southern Wisconsin, after doing a random search for "rolling chassis." It's a 1951 Diamond T Model 660 with REO Gold Comet OH185 straight six replacement engine. Once part of the highly regarded Adams Transit collection -- which was auctioned off in 2013 -- the seller said he'd reached the conclusion he would never get around to working on it. I might not, either, and it needs some substantial bits that could come at a substantial price, like a radiator and front clip. Adams Transit has confirmed the Gold Comet was completely rebuilt (the new plugs and new Goodyear belts suggested such) before the restoration was stalled, and the rolling chassis was completely sandblasted and painted. It's an air-brake truck, which I've never worked on, and presently is sitting on 11x22.5s instead of the stock 10x20s. The Clark transmission could/should be a six-speed, with a two-speed dually rear end for 12 forward gears. My wife's patience is being tested. Some of you who are familiar with me from this forum will understand. But it was too cheap to pass. Now, like Brody in "Jaws" on the boat, "I'm gonna need a bigger trailer."

If this place is still open (the PDF catalog is dated 2012) it looks like they'd be a source for just about anything '42-'49 regarding Plymouth sheet metal. Body mounts are pictured toward the end of the catalog. Not sure of the prices. http://www.theplymouthdoctor.com Oops. You'd been alerted to them already. Sorry.

Congrats on the pending nuptials!

I need to meet up with you sometime, Merle! … I've been to Waukesha a couple of times, including to pick up three cheap Edelbrock carburetors off Craigslist a few months ago. I made it to Jefferson for the swap meet one day this fall, too. The wife and baby came, too.

Thanks, guys. I've missed you all. Had our first district-wide manager's meeting today with me as a participant, though we're six weeks out from store opening. One of the other managers is an old-car guy and when he saw the photos of the Windsor over lunch he jumped on the phone immediately. I ended up getting the number of a friend of his who has a Dodge Wayfarer street rod and at least one parts car of the same vintage. I don't know that there will be much I can use on a Wayfarer, but the guy sounds like a good friend to have, with an interest in Mopars of this generation.

It's been more than two years since I've added to this thread. So much has happened in the interim, and yet so little on this project car. I've moved to Wisconsin. I've gotten married to that gal who has embraced some of my old-car dreams. After eight months unemployed in 2014 -- including 16 fruitless interviews for great state jobs a hefty commute away in Madison -- I took a job part-time at an O'Reilly Auto Parts store here in Janesville. I worked a ton of hours that left no time and (at entry level wages) not enough money to do anything at all about the Windsor. The job did leave enough time and opportunity for this to happen: That's Lillie Maynean Craven, both Aug. 23, 2015, here in Janesville, Wisc.; named for three grandmothers, my mother Lillie Magada (Alexander) Craven, her mother Lillie Mae (Robbins) Alexander, and my wife's great-grandmother Mary Cornelia "Maynean" Veghte. She's not quite four months old yet, but she already has her priorities in order. Provided she isn't screamingly hungry she'll quietly watch "This Old House" with her mother, but she "Oohs" and "Aahs" at the car shows she watches with Daddy, displaying a particular fondness for the hijinks, burnouts, and in this case the Pike's Peak Hill Climb episode of "Fast N' Loud." Meanwhile, working hard and paying attention has paid off at the job. I've moved up through all the available positions at my first O'Reilly store, and on Jan. 16 I'll be handed the keys to "my own" store to manage, now under construction in Stoughton, Wisc., between here and Madison. And finally, last weekend, with my second-owner, 300,000-mile 7.3 Ford and a co-worker who manages another O'Reilly store in town, I finally made the 1,460-mile round-trip back to Kansas for the Windsor. She might remain untouched until spring, but she now resides in the garage 60 feet from my back door, not a resting spot a day's drive away. And my job with O'Reilly's not only affords me a good discount on parts, but has introduced me to a number of potential assets in the immediate area, including a good acquaintance who formerly worked for a CART team and was a restoration shop manager for nearby Mecum Auctions, and a new hot rod shop owner striking out on his own for the first time who works wonders with metal. With their guidance and help this weak-frame dilemma will finally be resolved, and that 360 will be able to flex its muscle without twisting the car into bits. There might not be much else to post for the next few weeks, but I decided it was worth offering an update now that something finally has changed. With the car, that is. Obviously LOTS of other things changed along the way. I hope you're all well, and your various automotive adventures have been rewarding. -- Glenn

I agree. An Airflow is a bucket-list car for me.

Welcome to the forum, congrats on your marriage, and what an awesome old ride! Thanks for sharing!

Probably that car, at least, if it was a Hemi. Apparently that is 1 of 2 made in 1971 (Hemi 'Cuda convertible) and the only one known to have survived. Pretty good ROI if that was the same guy who bought it for $450K. I've been thinking and most of us would probably agree if we had $3.5 million in the bank, that isn't how we'd spend it. If I had $35 million in the bank, that probably still isn't how I'd spend it. If I had $350 million in the bank, I'd find it hard to pass up. If I had $3.5 billion in the bank … I'll take two please.

I'm keeping an eye open for jobs with Mecum. They are headquartered about 30 minutes from my house in the small town of Walworth, Wisc. They had a graphic artist position recently that I didn't notice until too late. (Didn't realize Mecum was a commutable distance until that point.) It would be interesting working for them.

It's interesting to see what can be done by people with the will and the means. But yeah, I generally agree with Robert. Just because you CAN do something doesn't mean you should. Rather than marveling at the car, I'm left not knowing what to make of it. BUT, in this case the vehicle has moved from practical to pure art form, and art appreciation is definitely subjective.

Awesome array of old iron. Thanks for sharing!

Yep, DeSoto, 1960.

What a fantastic buy! Good luck with the car, and definitely heed the advice you get here. There are more Mopar flathead experts here per capita than anywhere else on the Web. (I am not one of them.)

Congratulations! Yep, healthy and happy are all that matter. Have a great time with your new grandchild.

Good news, Don. Enjoy the summer!

I think here's a second box! Bidding on this one is at $22,000. Must be a different box as it is described as having some of the tape lifting off and not "near-mint" and unopened.

Like 'em both. Love the ragtop!

The blue Streamliner Torpedo is definitely earlier than 1950s. By 1948 most of that chrome was gone, the three strips on the front fender particularly. In 1948 the Streamliner was down to one strip on the front fender. The taillights also became rounded in 1948. It could be a '46 or '47 because those, like most American cars, were essentially holdovers from the pre-war offerings of 1941. But the paint looks worn enough to me that it could be a '41. The Chieftain in the middle is definitely a '56 -- the only year with the three-piece hood (with seams covered by wide chrome strips) AND the big chrome bumper "nipples" or torpedoes or whatever you'd call 'em. Ford chrome strips seem to vary by model and trim level, but the '55-'56 range on the wagon seems about right.

Works for me this time. Thanks!