Time to put the car away

[RC Drown]

Pat,

We have had no snow to speak of as of yet, my niece in Indiana posted a photo this morning of her dooryard covered in snow, here we are having some flurries, along with temps in the middle 20's.  We could get accumulating snow tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Let the snowblower do all the work,
Bob

[36 Ply]

Hey, Bob,

6 1/2 inches in the drivway this morning. My poor little sigle stage snowblower can barely keep up....

Pat O'Connor

[RC Drown]

The grasshopper in me took over today, fired up the Plymouth to take advantage of a cold, crisp, but sunny day to enjoy the "WayBack Machine" before the snow arrives on Sunday that is forcasted.  With the outing today, I surpassed the 2100 miles driven for this year and it has been driven every month for this year.  Alot of miles for a car that never got more than 25 miles from home all year :)

I hope everyone is having as good a day as I am,
Bob

[Go Fleiter]

Sunday, I drove the Ply to my mother in law?s garage in Essen, 35 km in beautiful, cold weather.
My mechanic is 2 blocks away and will take it do the routine service.
Later, the roof has to be taken off again.  It resukted a bit too tight and has to be made a bit longer.

I will take it back in springtime.

Ben, my best whishes are with You,! We too had a deep crisis here, but now the economy has a lot of
business - to the point to make investment bankers unprudent again...!
Now  hireing peoplebegins again! Don?t loose confidence and good luck!

Greetings from D?sseldorf! Go

[RC Drown]

Ben,

I hope it all comes together for you and yours soon.

[Captain Neon]

I drove my '46 more door to my brother's for winter storage today.  It is always sad when I put her up for the winter, but today was especially sad.  I don't know when I will see her again as it is very likely that I will have to move again.  I became unemployed on the 15th.  I have been talking to headhunters on a daily basis since, and even have a phone interview with a company in Minnesota this Wednesday.  Right now, my biggest concern is keeping up w/ the bills, my next concern is, once I find a job, interim housing while my house is on the market.  Makes for a happy holiday season around here.   :(  I will be breaking the news to my extended family on Thursday when they come for Thanksgiving dinner.

[CHS]

Here's some advise to all of you that have to park your cars for the winter. Make sure your gas tank is full and add Stabil to the gas. A full gas tank helps to keep rust from forming in the tank. The Stabil helps keep the gas fresh so starting in the spring should be easier.

[RC Drown]

Thanks Brian, I appreciate it

[captbrian41]

Hi Bob, haven't driven my '41 as much as I would have liked this year but I'm back at the car now and the weather is still nice her in Eastern NC so I'm  not done yet. Took her to a Vet's Parade in Bayboro yesterday and some Christmas Parades coming up in the next few weeks so I have a chance to get some more miles on her for 2010. I'm not a picture guy but will try to remember the camera phone for the next ride and snap a few.
Brian

[RC Drown]

growing up 50 miles south of Montreal in NY state, the first Prime Minister I remember is John Diefenbaker,  I honestly don't know if I spelled his last name correct or not.

yes, I plan on reading about Harry and Bess's trip east in the '54 Chrysler

The main radio station we listened to around that time was CFOX out of Montreal on am

[David Pollock]

Now that you all have time for reading, I recommend two books about Truman

   Miller     Plain Speaking.......... an absolute MUST  you have to hear what he said about NIXON

   Algeo    Harry Truman's Excellent Adventure

                                                               HST liked Chrysler's products

  Bet you cannot tell me who was the Prime Minister of Canada during the Truman era.     (If his name was mentioned, my mother would spit and the grass still does not grow there, yet he was Canada's longest serving PM.) dp

[36 Ply]

Bob-

I vote for photo #3, just because I like the styling of the '40-early '49 Plymouths, especially the coupes.

Dave-funny you should mention the 216 Chevy; I learned to drive on a '50 Chevy (10 years old at the time; the Chevy, not me) with 3 on the tree. I would never have believed that a car could turn over so slow, but eventually start, in winter. Let's hear it for hand chokes.

When I was a senior in high school, I bought a '47 Plymouth Special Deluxe 4 door (15 years old; the car,not me) for 15 bucks. It ran great for about 5000 miles, until I threw a rod (I should mention that I also threw a rod later on in a '48 Chevy; the Plymouth got me home, but the Chevy coasted for 200 yards, and that was all she wrote).

Pat O'Connor

[RC Drown]

Dave,

Here are some photos that I took this fall while out and about in the old Plymouth.  The trees this year weren't as vibrant as in years past.

Speaking of Harry Truman, I just finished reading "Truman" by David McCullough.  Very good book. I have always liked him, both as a man and President since I was born in Aug of '48, plus I have always figured that because he ok'd the "Bomb" he saved my Father's life in 1945 since at the time he was in training to be a pilot with the Army-Air Force

Just my thoughts,,
Bob

[David Pollock]

 Pat,

Your granddad probably also heard that a Plymouth would not start if a kid with an ice cream cone walked in front of it.   Of course if the compression is low, anything would be hard to start.  That being said, the 216 Chev would start pretty well under any circumstances but the oiling system didn't work so well until the engine warmed up.

I spent a couple of weeks in Southern Illinois and attended the State Fair in Springfield back around 1992.   Temperatures were close to 100 degrees some days.  It made the tour of Mark Twain's cave along the Mississippi  where the underground temperature was a steady 55  seem pretty nice.  You could not have dragged me into that cave in the days when people went in with candles.

An interesting part of the world, and I got to ride around in a 50 Plymouth while I was there.  Not many people around here can say they have been in Hannibal Mo.  Next time I get back that way I want to see the Truman Library in Independence.  I know a "young lady" here in Victoria BC who actually asked and was allowed to accompany HST on his walk.   dp     

[36 Ply]

David-

LOL, I like your preparations for winter. Temperatures in north central Illinois can range from minus 20 to plus 100 (Fahrenheit). It is unlikely that I would start my '36 in below freezing temperatures, but if I did, I have discovered how to do it.
My grandfather always said that if you spit alongside a Dodge, it wouldn't start (he died in 1971). My '36 is in an unheated, sometimes damp garage. I have two garage sale hair dryers. If I need to start the '36 in cold, damp weather, I turn them both on the "high heat" setting. I aim one at the distributor cap and stick the snout of the other down the oil filler tube for 3-5 minutes. So far, the '36 always starts.

Pat O'Connor

[David Pollock]

My American friends always think I'm kidding when I tell them that I have lived in Canada all my 62 years and never experienced temperatures below 5 F. In fact, most years where I live it is not necessary to drain the garden taps.  When I was a kid, I used to pray for days when frost would make the ground solid and I could race around the fields in my 35 Plymouth which I never put antifreeze in, as it would leak out.    Vancouver Island is right on the Pacific and the moderating effect of the Japanese current keeps us temperate.(but wet, just like Seattle)  Now that I have tempted fate and rolled out a brag, you can bet that this winter will be colder than a well digger's butt.   I'm ready.  Antifreeze in the cars, full woodshed, Diesel for the backup generator and rum in the cupboard.  Even the cows' waterline is insulated, unless they have eaten it off again.   
I did spend a few weeks in Quebec, trying to learn French and while it was nearly spring, It was so cold the politicians had their hands in their own pockets.
One year before I get too set in my ways I would like to see the red maples of an Eastern autumn.  Cheers everyone and Stay Warm.  dp

[RC Drown]

This morning I went over to visit with my Father.  He will be 84 next month.  I asked him if he ever had to have a small fire under the cars he had during the late '40's and early '50's.  He said no, he always used a electric dip stick to keep the oil warm.  During this period of time he always had new Fords, ie, '49, '51, and '54.  Prior to the new '49 Ford Dad had a '41 Dodge.

He said he remembers his Father taking hot coals out of the wood cookstove and placing them under the oil pan of the '37 Plymouth so that it would start easier.

Growing up in the northeast corner of NY, about two miles south of the NY-Quebec border, temps in the minus 20's to minus 40's weren't uncommom in the winter time.

[36 Ply]

I generally don't try to start my '36 in below freezing weather, mainly because it is 74 years old, and I imagine that the old metal gets pretty brittle when It's that cold. I drove a '47 Plymouth and a '50 Chevy in high school (1962); they would turn over pretty slow, but would usually start. But they were less than 20 years old back then.

Pat O'Connor

[MRR41 COUPE]

I guess I should find out someday if the old 41 would start in below zero weather. I guess the people in the 40's had to start their cars in 20 below temperatures. I've heard of people starting small fires under their engine blocks. I should call up Hagerly insurance to see if I would be covered if I tried that and something went wrong. I bet that would be called arson in today's world.
Mike
Bradley, Illinois

[RC Drown]

CHS, thanks for the heads up on pumping the brakes a few times a month, I use to do that, but as I am getting older, and the Plymouth isn't a show car, but a "Driveable Dream" in my eyes, I get my winter fix of old car driving fever taken care of by putting a few miles on the old girl when the roads are dry and by doing that, Spring doesn't seem so far away :)

[CHS]

My heart goes out to you guys up north. I remember winters well and do not miss them. I actually drive my old car more since moving to Florida.
To RC Drown, I used to have a problem with the brake cylinders all the time up there. When the snow was on the ground and I would not drive my car in the winter, I found just sitting in the car and pumping the brakes every week helped to keep them from sticking. Give it a try, I hope it works for you.

[RC Drown]

Haven't made any real winter adjustments just yet, here in the Catskills of New York, once the snow flies I try to add some miles atleast once a month if the roads are dry. my thinking is that I keep the wheel cylinders from sticking and such.  Plus when doing so, I am able to get my "old car fix" then I feel better.  Otherwise the car is in the garage resting

[36 Ply]

I put about 10 miles yesterday on the '36, with the top down, but the side windows up and wearing a mid-season jacket. That might be the last trip for this year, although I will start it up and run it up & down the driveway twice a month until Spring.

Pat O'Connor
Magnolia, IL

[Captain Neon]

Next time I get the car out, I will have to fill'er up and park her tailpipe out because I don't know when I will get her out a gain.

[bigaadams]

yes sir..first weekend without having to run air conditioning..time to get the car out of the garage...

[MRR41 COUPE]

Sad Time of the year in the midwest, time to put the 41 in storage. Its time to hit the winter indoor swap meets, Kind of wish I lived in a warm weather area. Anyone else make there winter adjustments yet ?