Around the Table with Joanna Cooper

Have you a Fun Meter? Well, our board has been wearing them lately and the fun is being pegged to the max.  I can guarantee you I am having FUN!  We had another wonderful roundtable in Charlotte.  A member brought up a concern and it was fixed by our headquarters staff before the meeting was over!  We do listen! Please make sure you attend a roundtable if you are attending a national meet and make sure you let us know what is on your mind either good or bad!

2012 Reliability Tour 

Reflections in Glass 

1928 International  

By Member John Damann

In 1986, I was working for the U.S. Forest Service, and my duties were fire prevention and fire patrol.  While we were mopping up after a brush fire that covered about 45 acres on private land near my station, I noticed something under a large oak tree.  It turned out to be an old truck with several trees growing up around the frame.  The ornament on the radiator indicated that it was some kind of International.

 

I contacted the owner and offered him $250.  The next day, I pulled the truck out from under the oak tree, loaded it on a trailer and hauled it home.  A wash job revealed that restoring the truck was going to be a long task.  During the weeks--no, months--I spent taking it apart, I could see a growing resemblance to some type of fire-fighting vehicle.  That's when I decided to restore this as a fire truck.  I already worked in the fire department, which gave me access to pertinent parts, and I started saving anything fire related from yard sales and antique stores.  

 

I stripped the truck and had it sandblasted from the frame up.  Then I started to rebuild the C-cab, using the old deteriorated one as a pattern.  Vintage Truck magazine gave me lots of information on how old trucks looked in 1928.  

 

While Lee Rogers was working on the engine, we found a brass tag on the side of the block stating that it had been rebuild in East Los Angeles in 1935.  The only thing wrong was a broken pin that held the stick shift to the transmission.  A new pin fixed that.  With Rob Pomroy's help, we were able to get this old truck to start.  It had not been used for more than 30 years, yet it started and ran like a new rig.

 

Years went by, and I just kept working on the International, doing what I thought best.  In 1994, I retired from the Forest Services and moved to Gardnerville, Nevada.  The old truck went with me and I had more time to work on it.  I joined the Valley Cruiser car club and that gave me more interest to complete the project.   

 

In early 2004, the 18 year long truck project was nearly complete.  My friend, Dean Hacker, did most of the welding for the new bed.  Another friend in the club, Billy Tucker, helped me with the painting.  That summer, I took my 1928 International Six Speed Special fire truck to its first automotive show and picked up first place and a trophy for "People's Choice Award."  I am looking forward to entering it in other truck shows as they come up.

Automobiles in Children's Books

Here at the Library, you never know what you might find.  On top of our large collection of automotive reference books and sales literature, surprises await visitors around every corner.  One of our best kept secrets is a small collection of antique children's books, most of which are over 100 years old and themed around the automobile.  Since children were just as fascinated by this new technology as their parents, it seemed natural to publish books catering to both their newfound interest and imagination.  At the time, few things were considered as adventurous as driving by car, and these books opened children up to a world of excitement.

Golliwogg's Auto-Go-Cart (Not in our collection):

Around the World in an Automobile:

While the Golliwogg story capitalized on the novelty of the automobile at the time, other books like the 1907 Around the World in an Automobile emphasized its growing role as a practical form of transportation.  Published by McLoughlin Bros., the book followed the Arnold family as they traveled the four corners of the world in their car.  While the family's trip began near their home in Cambridge Massachusetts, they drove to other famous American sights such as Niagara Falls.  Eventually, they even took their car overseas to England and continental Europe. 

After reading through the book and viewing its breathtaking illustrations one thing became clear; vacationing with an automobile in 1907 was considered a grand adventure!  Upon their mother asking if they were tired of traveling by car, the children "...laughed heartily at such a question.  Who ever heard of such a thing as being tired of riding in a big touring car through the beautiful changing country?"  Contrast this attitude to today's children in which you're more likely to hear a whiny, "are we there yet?"

The Traveling Roosevelt Bears in the East and West:

Travel as a form of adventure was also a theme of Seymour Eaton's nursery rhyme-like Roosevelt Bears series of books published between 1905 and 1908.  The books' protagonists were two anthropomorphic bears, complete with their own attire.  In fact, the character of Teddy G. wore glasses reminiscent of President Theodore Roosevelt.  This of course was no accident, as these books cashed in on the growing popularity of the Teddy bear.  Such success was driven by an infamous 1902 political cartoon, in which President Roosevelt refused to shoot a tied up bear.

That the stories focused on travel and adventure was fitting, since Roosevelt himself has often been associated with both.  Before becoming President, "Teddy" led his Rough Riders into battle during the Spanish-American War.  Following his Presidency, he even traveled to Africa on a safari, hunting down specimens for American museums.  

Like Roosevelt, bears Teddy B. and Teddy G. traveled throughout the world and via all modes of transportation.  Of particular interest was the 1906 short story, "The Traveling Bears Take an Automobile Ride," in which they journeyed through historic New England.  While the bears had traveled by train and even a hot air balloon they felt, "this ride to Concord was best by far."  

While it may have been the best, the trip was not without setbacks.  At the time this was written, most American roads were little more than dirt paths.  Consequently, a little rain could mean the difference between reaching your final destination and struggling to free your car from the mud.  Unfortunately, the Roosevelt Bears found themselves in the latter situation.

Soon after, Teddy G. and Teddy B. attempted to fix the problem with disastrous results:

But down they got and looked below,

And back and front and high and low,

And twisted bolt and unfastened screen,

And got their hands all gasoline.

Fortunately for these unfotunate motorists, help arrived in the form of a young student who "...knew autos like a book."  After receiving some solid advice, the Bears fixed their ride and were on the road again.

Driving incredibly fast behind the wheel was Teddy B., who quickly realized he was unable to slow down the car.  Upon hitting a bump, the two bears flew out of their ride and landed at the feet of a terribly upset police officer.  Busted for speeding, things sure looked grim for the Roosevelt Bears.

Still, they comically attempted to justify their actions.  "They told the officer face to face that this ride of theirs was a record run, and they didn't like to be pinched for fun."  Not amused in the slightest, the officer arrested Teddy B. and Teddy G., locking them up in a Boston jail overnight.  What an unfortunate ending to an otherwise great adventure.   

Conclusion - Choose Your Own Adventure:

While an adventure along the lines of the Roosevelt Bears' may be a bit too harrowing for most, sometimes the greatest journey begins in a library.  Why not embark on your own adventure and trek on over to the AACA Library?  It's the best way to see the children's books mentioned here, and we also have a nice selection of reference books about collecting these and other forms of automobilia.  In addition, we are always on the lookout for books and sales literature to add to our collection, including children's books.  If interested in donating such items please feel free to contact us by email or phone.

Our eBay and AbeBooks Stores:

We are continually adding factory photographs to our eBay store.  eBay store link here.  Only a small sampling of photographs are in our eBay store, so be sure to check out the complete list of photographs we have online. Master list of photos here.  In addition to eBay, all of our photographs can be purchased by email or phone.

We also have a small assortment of books and fantastic AACA memorabilia in our eBay Store, including an AACA Library Winross truck!  We also have several books for sale on abeBooks, including a number of rare pieces. If you're looking for the perfect gift for an antique auto enthusiast, we just might have something for you.

As a member newsletter we need to hear from YOU!

Send us your stories and photos from the past year so we may showcase your articles here on SPEEDSTER!

Email us at speedster@aaca.org

1.  Buick first introduced the storage battery as standard equipment in 1906, and this item would become ever more important with several development in electrical technology. Yet the battery stayed under the car for some time. When was the battery placed under hood for better accessibility?

a) 1917

b) 1927

c) 1937

d) 1947

2.  This convenience came, went and has appeared again; automatic control so that headlights would d be turned on a dust. In what year was it first introduced?

a) 1941

b) 1948

c) 1954

d) 1959

3. In what year did power brakes appear?

4. In what year did power steering appear?

Dusty Jewels: Off-road Motorcycles of the 1970s

April 3 - October 25, 2012 

1.  Buick first introduced the storage battery as standard equipment in 1906, and this item would become ever more important with several development in electrical technology. Yet the battery stayed under the car for some time. When was the battery placed under hood for better accessibility?

c) 1937

2.  This convenience came, went and has appeared again; automatic control so that headlights would d be turned on a dust. In what year was it first introduced?

d) 1959

3.  In what year did power brakes appear? 1903. The Columbia Electric Motor Truck came equipped with a separate electric motor to assist steering. Even earlier, the Sweemy Steam Carriage came equipped with a device that diverted steam for steering assistance. Power steering began to become prominent after it appeared in its modern form in 1951 on Chryslers and Buicks.

4. In what year did power steering appear? 1930. Cadillac came out with a power brake operated by a manifold vacuum (a similar principle to that used by windshield wipers then). Power brakes became generally available by 1933. The 1903 Pincher also had a special power brake, operated by an independent air compressor.