One thing that distinguishes early 20th Century reenacting from other time periods in a dramatic way is the use of the automobile. I attended a large WWII event over the summer, and I was amazed at the quantity of jeeps, deuce-and-a-half trucks, tanks, motorcycles, and other equipment. This kind of vintage equipment is extremely pricey and if your time period is pre-1940, finding original cars becomes more difficult the earlier you go. The automobile will undoubtedly be the biggest ticket item that any 1920's reenactor will purchase, and many will be unable to make that level of commitment. This is fine, because anyone who does have a period automobile usually has a spare seat and will be happy to have an historically accurate passenger.
If you can't afford an automobile, hitch a ride with someone who already has one!
If you're lucky enough to have a healthy savings account and a very understanding spouse, you can get a nice automobile with all the hard work done, for about $10,000-$15,000. A "factory-fresh" restoration car may run upwards of $20,000 or more, but I don't recommend getting anything too nice. The owner of a show-quality car will be disinclined to drive it in tall grass or on gravel roads for fear of damaging the paint or getting it dirty. This will put a damper on getting the full historical experience. On the plus side, any historical automobile will be an investment, and unlike a modern car, will actually increase in value over time.
A fine 1929 Buick Model 50 for sale near my house. Nearly perfect condition, asking price of $17,000.
If you don't need as much room for passengers or gear, consider the old American stand-by... Drive a Ford! The Model T and Model A touring cars and sedans were very affordable then and are still so today.They are available in a variety of conditions, and can be had in functional condition for as little as $5,000, but may need extensive interior and body restoration. The problem with the Ford, as was the problem in the 1920's as well, is that they are small and underpowered. Though designed for 4-5 passengers, they have far less leg-room than their more luxury counterparts. Likewise, the 4-cylinder engine doesn't have as much horsepower as a 6-cylinder and therefore they have a hard time keeping up, particularly on hills. Expect to pay about $7,500 for a decent, drive-able Ford needing a minimum amount of restoration work.
A great deal on a usable Model A can usually be had, such as this 1931, running and in usable shape is only $7,500.
The most important thing to consider in picking an original car is what you intend to do with it. A decent mid-range auto will allow plenty of room for gear and guests and with the larger 6-cylinder motor, it will have plenty of power and be capable of cruising around 55 mph, which is important, because the average speed limit is about 25 mph faster than the average in the mid 1920's. Modern drivers on their way to work or church get quite miffed when you hold up traffic because you car will only cruise at 30 mph. Here's the average specs on most 1920's era cars: 1908-1926 Ford Model T - Top speed of about 33 mph, cruising speed of about 20-25 mph. 1927-1933 Model A - Top speed of about 45 mph, cruising speed around 35 mph. 1925-1933 "Six" automobile - (This includes most 6-cylinder automobiles, such as Buicks, Plymouths, REOs, Hudsons, etc) Top speed around 70 mph, cruising speed of about 55-60 mph. Note that running a car at top speed for an extended period of time is extremely hard on the engine. The nature of historical motors means that running at a high RPM tends to "froth" the oils and quickly locks it up. Not something you want to do with your car!
If you don't mind getting creative, and you really prefer dependability over authenticity, you can get the best deal by looking for a cheap replicar. In the 1970's and 1980's, various automobiles were built our of fiberglass and set on modern drivetrains for people who wanted something that looked historical, but was dependable and capable of modern speeds. This became my option, mainly by accident. My grandfather owned one such car, and after he passed, I had the opportunity to purchase his car from the estate. The drawback to these "kit cars" is that they are often very small. They're usually 3/4 scale, so they'll be smaller inside than a Model A. The advantage is that they're usually very easy to find parts for at any auto parts store, because they're usually built on a Ford or Volkswagen frame, motor and transmission. If you're adverse to driving a stick, these cars are frequently available in automatic transmissions as well. There's a wide array of styles and they come in all kinds of conditions. Prices can range from $2,000-$15,000. Unfortunately, most of them are replicas of expensive roadsters, such as a Mercedes, Jaguar, or Bentley. The purist reenator may scoff at these fiberglass fakes, however, I have found that most quality reenactors are willing to overlook the flaws in the authenticity simply to have a car that has the "look" hanging around in camp. Since it's such an expensive investment, there's a lot of understanding on the part of fellow living historians.
My automobile: A fiberglass replica of a 1929 Mercedes-Benz SSK, made in the 1970's by Classic Motor Carriages, known as a "Gazelle".
The trick with these "fake autos" is to perform some simple alterations that will make it more practical and functional, while improving the "look" overall. This can be done fairly simply and easily if you have the time and skills. I recently changed the entire look and functionality of my car by building a hard-top, completely from scratch. This made it possible for me to carry more gear, plus a passenger, whereas before I have to cram gear in every seat but mine. The drawback is this fantasizes the car even more. However, there were many automobile makers that went out of business during the Great Depression, that were small-production, custom builders, and many of them made one-off automobiles for their clients. I decided that mine will become a "fictional" car, built with that idea in mind. This way, it will be as true to the period as I can make it, without it being an actual copy of anything that actually existed. I find this to be a reasonable compromise. I purchased the car for a little under $4,000, and once finished and accessorized, I'll have about $5,000 invested total in a car that looks great, runs well, is affordable to fix, and can cruise at 65 mph in a pinch if necessary.
My car after building a custom hard top from scratch. Addition of a running board luggage rack from a Model T, and an old Unity spotlight makes the car much more practical for camping. The roofline is modeled on a 1929/1930 Model A.
I'll do a separate post all about the process of building this top and "authentizing" the kit car at a later time. This post is about acquiring your car. The most tempting option, provided that you're willing and capable to do a lot of work and don't intend to drive the car anytime soon, is to look for a rough project. An original "six" sedan with all the best options, but in rusty shape and not running, often with a shot roof and crumbling interior and a few broken windows can usually be had for about $2,500. This is an original car for a very reasonable price! However, take into consideration the cost of restoration. Assuming you're not having to pay anyone for the work, because you're doing it yourself, you're still going to spend a fortune in parts. You'll certainly need tires, so that's $1,000 or more. Most likely, you'll have at least one wheel that's bent or rusty and will need replacing. Add in rare engine parts, reproducing historical upholstery, paint, and the possibility of a damaged fender or two, and you can run into some real expense. If your shiny parts need re-plating (most 1920's cars had nickel-plated grilles and headlights, not chrome), that project alone can run thousands. These are important considerations, as a restoration project can cost $20,000, depending on the work needed. You might be better off just buying a $12,000 driver-quality automobile.
A "project" like this may be dirt-cheap, but will cost you tens of thousands to restore and may not be worth the trouble, not to mention the time it will take before you can be on the road with your gear!
In closing, I'll say "Don't be afraid to dream big" and "Be creative" and you'll find that a proper historical automobile may be more within your grasp than you think. Surf Craigslist and eBay as often as possible. There are ways to filter these sites by year and price, which makes it very easy to make a quick glance. I recommend using Onecraigs or some other service that searches all of Craigslist across the nation. While someone living in Indiana (like myself) may not care to drive to California to pick up a car, it's good to see what all is out there, and a trip to Michigan or Tennessee is certainly not out of the question for a good deal on the right car. One thing to keep in mind is that the later the car, the better the quality. However, the later the car, the more you limit your impression, as you can't very well portray 1921 with a 1929 automobile. Find a happy balance that you like and go with it!
Happy motoring! Watch the road!
Happy motoring! Watch the road!
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