FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => Non-FE Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Hemi Joel on April 12, 2017, 10:50:29 PM
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OK, this it a little OT, but I am so astonished and amazed, that I have to share the story. I've had more than my share of luck, and some crazy unlikely occurrences of serendipity, but this one takes the cake.
Last Thursday, I made a deal to buy a rust free 68 Dodge crew cab project truck from a guy out in northwestern Montana. Not wanting to lose out on it, I hooked up my trailer right after work and hit the road. I got there Saturday morning, and he met me at a cafe in town for breakfast before he led me out to his very remote boneyard. While we were eating, he asked "what's the oldest car you have?" I told him about my 1910 Maytag, kind of expecting him to have never heard of it like most folks.
Maytag:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/10000_zpsmhiozhb0.jpg)
He says he thinks he has some 1910 Maytag parts in the yard. What??!!! Who has 1910 Maytag parts, they don't exist anymore, there's only about 10 Maytags left on the planet! So now, I'm way more exited about what he might have for the Maytag than the old Dodge. When we get out to his spread, it looks like he has about 10 acres of cars, trucks and parts. I checked out the Dodge and agreed that it was as advertised. Then we walked out into the yard and walked right to the front half of a Maytag frame, with the headlight brackets and some other little castings and brackets still on it! He said he had the axles too, and we wandered around for about 45 minutes looking for the stuff, but he couldn't find them. I didn't want to give up but we headed back towards his building and viola, there they were, laying in the weeds, complete front and rear axle assemblies!
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/maytag%20back%20axle%20as%20found_zps1fxf24ma.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/Maytag%20front%20axle_zps6xkzfmcv.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/frame_zps7n5hvrvv.jpg)
I ended up giving him his asking price for everything after a half-hearted and fruitless attempt at negotiating.
Here's the crazy thing about this: I was fortunate enuff to have acquired this car several years ago from a gentleman who purchased it from the Harrah collection. It was professionally restored, but was missing one part: The fill plug in the differential, a unique part. It is a very flat plug with an oddball thread.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/plug%20in%20diff_zpspc99pqiq.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d137/HemiJoel/Maytag/diff_zpsrvbolilx.jpg)
I was thinking I would have to disassemble the rear end to reverse engineer and make a new plug. Now I don't have to. Now I'm back home, but I'm still marveling at this coincidence. I may be one of only a couple people on earth who would have a need for 1910 maytag parts. He may be the only person on earth who had any. And somehow we came together because of an old Dodge truck. Truth is stranger than fiction!
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Very cool find..I have some friends with some Diana's (circa 1928) I believe only 11 are known to excist.They have some parts cars as well...I love the old stuff..I think the parts just find their way to you....
Now that you have extra parts....more will find you..
I grew up with a 1910 Cadillac in my dads garage...
The Maytag is beautiful...
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I can relate to the parts will find you..We have some Packards, not that rare as a Maytag though
But not many sold in Sweden and the 633 roadster we have, I think there was 6 Roadsters sold
in Scandinavia of 626-633-640-645 total. The roadster have a higher geared rear end.
One time We was looking for a Ford 33 Tudor in a "village".. just 5-6 houses around a lake after miles and miles of gravel road.
We found the Tudor but no one was home. Then we saw the black line ending under the car in a black puddle :(
We had hit something and put a hole in the oilpan. We walked to the next house we found.
And asked if he had a welder.No but his brother had he said...hole in the oilpan....Your lucky you
don't drive a Packard then! They had aluminium oilpan.. i know because i scraped mine -38 no one could weld the
oil pan on that ... Okay...got any thing left from that? ...No its all gone now perhaps some small parts left
Only Packard parts i have is a rear end under under a wagon but that's much older ....It was a high gear Roadster rear end :o
Thats just one of the strange happenings that lead us to Packard parts
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Joel, you may be the only person on earth who wanted a Maytag! LOL
Nice find indeed! 8)
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Nice!
Normally the only people that get brought together over a Dodge truck are the owner and a tow truck driver.
Good deal!
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You've now become a Maytag hoarder ;D So, was there any speculation on what happened to the other half of the frame or the body? Any story of how he wound up with it or how he knew what it was?
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Great find. You must be a lonely guy being a Maytag restorer.
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Joel, love the story and pictures! I believe I first saw or heard of a Maytag car at the Harrahs collection. Then there are the two-stroke Maytag engines that powered some of their early washing machines. Makes sense when you think of people back then who wanted a washing machine but had no electricity!
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Two stroke washing machine ???......Lets hope the exhaust
is not under the water like on a outboard engine ;D
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You guys are funny: tow truck, washing machine, Maytag hoarder. ;D When I first brought the maytag home, my bride asked "where do I put the clothes in?"
Kevin, this guy picks a very large area, he is always on the lookout for cool old stuff. The Maytag engine and the back half of the frame was used as a powerplant on a farm. He tried really hard to track down the engine, but to no avail.
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Normally the only people that get brought together over a Dodge truck are the owner and a tow truck driver.
I must rush to my former trunk monkey's defense! His Dodge crewcab with the turbo six hauled my Galaxie, Mustang, and Shelby clone to several Drag Week events, with only a minor fuel filter issue ever causing a problem. Got good mileage to boot; I know, because I had to pay the gas bill LOL! I will confess to be impressed with his truck. Not that I would ever buy one...
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I'm just disappointed I didn't get a phone call, asking if I wanted to go to Montana to pick up a truck... I have plenty of vacation from work since I didn't go to Florida this year...
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Hemi Joel - Where are you located? I'm from Newton, Iowa, and I'm pretty sure there are folks where who would be fascinated to know more about your cars. Being the home of Maytag and all that. Though the automobile was originally a Waterloo product.
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Jerico, I thought about calling you, but it was last minute and I figured you were working. 120mm, Mason cars were built in Mason City, but in mid 1909 Fred Maytag bought a controling interest in the company, and moved it to Waterloo. I'm in MN, not too far from Jay.
Prof Brown, It's hard to not like the towing power, economy, reliability and ease of service that a first gen Cummins delivers. Even if they are noisey, rattely and stinky.
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Soak the parts in a vat of vinegar, it will take off the rust. Distilled white vinegar should do.