Roy "Multi" Aldrich roadster found?

Look at that photo................that is the reason you get to flea markets EARLY Bob

 

This photo according to Don Lang is a new one they have never seen before. It is from the Henry Austin Clark collection that he donated to The Henry Ford. More photos, and a link to many interesting photos at The Henry Ford are here.

 

The above photo with the 18"??? wire wheels would be nice to see in detail. Are the front hubs 26-27 Ford wire wheel hubs? If so the wheels are not Ford, even if they do have Ford hub caps. The 26-27 Ford hub had a smaller bolt pattern, it has taken me 25+ years to find four of these wheels for a future project. Bob

 

Notice the guy using his body weight to crank the motor over... Killer stuff here!

 

This was discussed earlier in the thread. Consensus was they're probably '32 Plymouth or Pontiac.

 

We believe that the man kick starting the car is ol' "Multi" himself.

Yeah....but they sure look like Ford wheels though. He would have had to switch out hubs anyway to run these, the original 20" Buffalo's he had (and went back to later) are knock-offs so he couldn't have re-used those hubs ...maybe they made a set to take the later Ford Wires, but use T spindles/axles?


Love his induction setup.... looks familiar

 

32 Studebaker. The37Kid posted about it here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=633721

 

Ah bugger. And since he's the one that ID'd them, he didn't need me to tell him about it.

 

Damn....why don't I remember seeing that?

 

Take note how Multy spelled his nickname. S.C.T.A used to print the years schedule of events on the back of a business card. I had one from '68 or so and Multy had scribbled his name and phone number on the front. Been a while since Highland was in the 714 area code.

Mike.

 

I have always seen it written mostly as "Multi", in proper reference to the name of his nickname-sake....the "Multi-Lift" adjustable lifter which he favored. I have seen it spelled "Multy" only a few times....I did not know that is the spelling he preferred.

Also could have been a typo ......

 

Thanks for posting! That saved me the time searching for the thread. The wheels are in the basement under the staircase. Bob

 

Thanks again for finding and posting this T-Head. It amazes me that a picture like this may go unknown for 70+ years until now....especially one like this of one of the most important (and still surviving) cars of the Pre-War "Gowjob" era.

 

Wait....are you saying you have the wheels off "Multy's" T? ..or did I just miss something?

 

"Multy" is not a typo. Dad used to get Christmas cards from Multy and Vera, and he signed them Multy Aldrich.

 

Sorry...the "Typo" remark was intended as a joke ....albeit a bad one I guess lol!

I have seen it both ways "Multi" and "Multy"....just seen "Multi" more commonly.

 

IIRC, he found them in the $5 pile o'wheels at a swap meet.

 

These are the photos of the rear wheels that came off the Aldrich car when I picked it up at Bakersfield. The tire size is 525-550x17. I think they are the same same tires that are in the above photo. Notice that the Model T wood wheel hubs have been welded and redrilled to fit these wire wheels.

 

NO! I have four STUDEBAKER wire wheels that bolt right on to 26-27 T wire wheel hubs. I've never seen a clear photo of the "Multi" T to proove he used Studebaker wheels, just seams like an easy swap. The last one I found cost me $5.00, one of my best ever Hershey deals. Bob

 

There may be a pair of those on Ebay right now (they should be going off within the next 24 hours)- I use "wire wheel" to search

 

This discussion about wheels got me to thinking....

I currently have a 32 Plymouth PB in my shop with an original set of wire wheels, so I pulled one off yesterday and checked it with a Model T wire wheel hub. It's the same bolt pattern and would work perfectly, so maybe that opens up a new option for the swap meet scroungers. Knowing what I do about early Chrysler products, I wouldn't at all be surprised to learn that there are other MoPar products from that era that share this bolt pattern too.

I'll post pics tonight when I get home....

 

that's the coolest thing i have seen in a LONG time.

 

How about an update on the car. Is it up and running? What's taking so long?

 

X2.....I'm dying to see some progress pics on Multi's car.

Sent from Mr. ModelT's DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

I talked with Don Lang last month, he has one of the RAJO heads that Multi used, I think he had as many as 5 over the years. I need to take a road trip up North and see the car myself. Bob

 

Glad they are making progress! ....really want some pictures of the old girl going back together.

Multi's roadster is probably one of the most important early Gowjob/Model T of all time.

Sent from Mr. ModelT's DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

George Riley made special dual ignition T flatheads for his Multi Lifts.

 

Just read this thing, and I was wondering if you noticed the balanced volume changes in the head.

I think it was done for that purpose, as no one going to sink the valve seats, install the big valves, and then mill so many different combustion chambers.

I think it must have been to equalize compression ratios in the cylinders.

 

Did anyone ever mention what size tires he ran on the Buffalo wires?

Also, if either Mr. Lang would like to give us an update, I'd really love that.