1920 Paco Speedster Restoration

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: 1920 Paco Speedster Restoration
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 05:46 pm:

I visited a friend in Wenatchee Wa. over the weekend and was shown his project. He has the complete history and the car, a 1920 Paco dirt track Model T conversion. It was built at a copper mine in Az. buy its owner in 1920. He got it from the second owner. It had been wrecked a couple of times and the orig. engine was missing but the body parts were 90 percent there. Here is a picture of it in the early 20's and where he is at now. The new engine he is building is a 1920 block with a skat crank and cam with full pressure oil system. The over head valve assembly
is a from a mid 20's Oldsmobile. see pictures below.
Thought this might be of interest to the Speedster Hobbyist on here.

Bob





Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Karlsson, southern Sweden on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 05:58 pm:

Wow, with about 50 extra blocks, he's got some spares should he throw a rod :-)
Looks like the cowl is new sheet metal, guess the original body was severely abused since the original picture was taken in the late 30's (1936 Ford behind?)


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dave Hjortnaes, Men Falls, WI on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 06:15 pm:

Not to mention all those carbs hanging from the ceiling.

Like Roger says, looks like he is trying to replicate the original car. Nothing wrong with that. Engine pics?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 06:29 pm:

Dave

I won't be back over there tell
some time next year.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Eric Flower on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 07:11 pm:

That's too cool, you got to have him send you pic's as he moves along and post...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Sunday, November 18, 2012 - 10:52 pm:

Nice! I always loved the Paco speedsters. I wonder how bad the original cowl is? It looks like it is sitting there. I have many times said "I would rather have a wrinkled original than a flawless copy". But sometimes there just isn't enough steel left. As far as I am concerned, a proper re-creation is as good looking and enjoyable as a true original.
Do you know if he is planning to do the forward cut on that cowl that Paco is known for? The old photo looks like it had it.
I have never really understood why so many people go nuts over the Mercury speedsters. I think both the Paco and Faultless cars are better looking.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 12:25 pm:

Wayne
The front cowl was remade and he dose have the orig.one. The body will be the same in all respects as orig. He even has the orig. dash. The frame was stock but the new frame will be z'd and will be lowered. He has a picture with the top down and is looking for one with the top up so it can be copied. There was also one in Or.that he has a picture of, but when the owner died his wife sold or gave it away and he is trying to find it, the wife didn't have any records of where it went.
If any one has any information or pictures of any type showing these cars and would send me copies I'll see that he gets them, all this would help. Thanks for your interest and Help.
Knowing what he has done in the past this will be a great car when finished and I will try to get project up dates as he goes along.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. J. "Art" Bell on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 04:56 pm:

Hi Bob

Your friend may or may not already have the following ads
and perhaps the patent drawings as well, but just in case . . .






Paco Speedster 'Design' patents.

Frank L. Mackemer, Peoria, Illinois
Eli M. Mackemer, Galesburg, Illinois
Design for an Automobile Body
Patent number: D50218
Filing date: Jun 17, 1916
Issue date: Jan 23, 1917
http://tinyurl.com/ch4uehf


Frank L. Mackemer, Peoria, Illinois
Eli M. Mackemer, Galesburg, Illinois
Design for an Automobile Body
Patent number: D50448
Filing date: Jan 19, 1917
Issue date: Mar 13, 1917
http://tinyurl.com/blgkap6

Regards
Art


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By A. J. "Art" Bell on Monday, November 19, 2012 - 05:00 pm:

Whoops - Duplicated 1 ad, missed the other <@^@>



Regards
Art


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 04:05 am:

Doesn't Larry Sigworth in Oklahoma have two Paco bodies? I know he had a nice restored Paco I have seen pictures of. There was quite an article on it in one of the magazines some years ago. If I recall correctly, he had also gotten one of the earliest known Paco bodies (1915/16) and was planning to restore it.
He had put some very informative CDs together some years ago also. Been awhile since I have viewed them, so I don't recall how much is there about the Paco.
I have seen three other original Paco bodied T speedsters years ago. Unfortunately, I don't know the whereabouts of any of them anymore. One was a long time ago. Another was near to where I live now. It has been about ten years since I have seen it, and that was a few years before I moved into this area. I don't recall the name of the then owner.
The other was restored by Vic Sala about fifteen years ago. It was a well done car and was sold shortly after he finished it. It went through a couple of owners then left the (S.F.) Bay Area. I haven't heard anything of it since.
I did a quick run through the Northwest Vintage Speedsters site a couple hours ago. I did not see any Paco bodied speedsters shown.
I look forward to updates on this car's restoration. I think they're one of the best looking after-market bodies for a T.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Walt Berdan, Bellevue, WA on Tuesday, November 20, 2012 - 11:03 pm:

Wayne,

The #2 car owned by Bill & Jan Hills is a Paco. See it at http://www.nwvs.org/CarPhotos/002A/002A.shtml

Sadly, Bill passed away but his sons have restored the car very nicely and it now carries dark blue paint (sorry, no photo).

Walt


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan McEachern on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 01:34 am:

Wayne- I believe Vic's PACO is at Bill Smith's in Lincoln, Nebraska.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Wayne Sheldon, Grass Valley, CA on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 05:03 pm:

Walt, I should have looked at the rest of the photos!
Dan, Thank you. That should be a good place for Vic's car!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Wednesday, November 21, 2012 - 06:04 pm:

The one Vic did (much more than 20 years ago) went to Illinois or Iowa and came back about 22 years ago. Ed Archer got it when the owner died. Ed sold it but I never knew where it went.
It was yellow with a wooden steering wheel & dash board.
I remember Ed having it at the Friendship Day meet a while before my 20 year old was born.
Ed was at my house today, when he comes back to get his car I'll ask him about it.
I have some pictures of that car. It even had a PACO radiator shell complete with name badge.
Some of the non T folks were calling it "pawco", as in the Mexican nick name.
I believe it should be pronounced Pay co, not Pa co.?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Sigworth on Friday, November 23, 2012 - 11:54 am:

Yes I still own two Paco speedsters. In fact I just had to yellow one out for a drive. The other speedster with the early (1915) body is about 80% restored. In case anyone is interested I just listed the above mentioned speedster body literature CD on eBay. This CD contains all the known ads and sales literature for the Paco body as well as literature from about 80 additional companies that built or sold speedster bodies during the Model T era.


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