Old cars (essex)

[kuby]

I have an old car in the bush that i was thinking about pulling out to restore or ?? It's a late 20's early 30's Essex) it still has the wooden spoke wheels on it and a big strait 6. Does anyone know anything about these old cars? i would like to find some info, I guess it was made by Hudson but thats about all I know.

 

[Junkman]

Restoring old cars is a act of love. If you have the ambition, it can be rewarding, but it does take a lot of effort and time. The Essex has a steel body that also has a lot of wood in it. You have to be a woodworker, metal worker, mechanic, craftsman, etc. if you plan on doing it all yourself. I suggest that you pull it out and start to assess what it will take to bring back to life. If all the parts are still there, you have a better chance of completion than if you have to start looking for missing parts. I have restored a few cars in the past and while it is rewarding in the end, sometimes there seems like there is no end to the project. There are some other car collectors/restorers on the forum, so if you post some pictures, we can give you a better idea of what you are up against.

 

[kuby]

Thanks junkman I will take some pic's tonight.
Bob

 

[kuby]

picture

 

[Junkman]

If you are a young man and have lots of money, then go for it. I can see this will definitely be a challenge and in the end, it might be less expensive to purchase a car that isn't so far gone. I can tell from that one picture that this will take a lot of work and in the end, you will have more that 4 or 5 times its finished value invested in it. I suggest that you drag it out of the woods and clean it up. Then you can do a in depth analysis of what it is going to need. If nothing else, someone else might be interested in it for parts. From the picture, it doesn't look like there is any wood left to use as patterns......

 

[kuby]

Your right there is no wood left. It was parked up againsed a tree in 1948 and the tree has sort of grown around the grill so it will take a bit of work to get it out. I don't know what young is but I am 39 and don't have the love for bodywork like i did 15 years ago so I may pull the wheels off and use them as decorations or ???

 

[Junkman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Takes a pretty big chicken to drag home a coyote. )</font>

Takes a big tractor to drag a Essex out of the woods! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[RobS]

A house near us has an old car similar to that as a yard ornament out front. It looks tasteful, not tacky. It sits in a nice bed of flowers edged by field stones. In the winter, they outline the whole thing with lights.

Based on the condition of your relic, I'd recommend something similar. It would be a lot cheaper (near nothing) and you'll still get enjoyment out of it. If you want a project I'd take Junkman's advice and get something not so far gone to work with /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Junkman]

That was my wifes suggestion about one of my convertibles. Fill it with soil and plant flowers in it on the front lawn. One day, I drove it onto the front lawn and then got the tractor out. That stopped that idea real quick. She nearly sat in the drivers seat to stop me. Actually, now that is starting to look like a very good alternative, since I haven't done anything with that car for over 10 years now, and probably won't. It will be one of the many things offered for sale at my estate auction. I only hope that gasoline is still available when it comes up for sale. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Oh..... her stopping me wasn't for a love of the car, but the thought that I would actually do it and she would have to look at that car for a long time to come before it would be removed. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Von]

I few years ago a guy in town did that with a Rolls Royce! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Car looked good from the outside, but would have cost way too much to repair. So he made a flower garden around it with a butler made from flower pots serving Champaign! The town made him remove it! The town said it was against the law to have any unregistered cars on the property! He spent thousands of $$ on this thing and had to take it all down /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif