Category: Wheel Tracks
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The Planetary Gearset
In my last article, I wrote up the basics of the automatic transmission. One of the key components that I talked about was the planetary (or epicyclic) gearset, and in this article I will get into a little more detail of their history and versatility. First off, why are they called “planetary” gearsets? According to…
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Barns
A little while ago I was talking to an old-timer who grew up in Underhill. We were reminiscing about the old days here in town. He went back further in time than I do. He was asking about the barns on our property. Well, the house is gone and the big barn is gone. I…
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The “Automagic” Transmission
One of my coworkers, when I was in the auto industry, jokingly called automatic transmissions “automagic” transmissions. At the time when they first came out, I imagine they did seem a little like magic — no clutch, no gearshift, and the car just did it all itself. There was no actual magic involved, just some impressive…
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1929 Buick Roadster 54CF
This is Eric & Silver Annie. Are we ready on the left? Are we ready on the right? Eric Osgood prepares for the August 2024 Waterbury parade with his beloved 1929 Buick Roadster, Model 54CF… Silver Annie for short.
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Ralph Shepard’s Steamboat
Ralph Shepard lives in Ferrisburgh, VT not far from Otter Creek where his steam boat resides most summer days. Ralph is pictured at left. Ralph and Pat’s home is one of those special places where you want to stay for a while because there is a lot going on. Adventures can be felt all around! Thank you…
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Vermont’s Local Racers
While researching background on Dave Dion , the famous local race car driver, for the following story, I got to thinking about something that happened way back in the 1970s when my youngest brother, David, and our cousins, John and Billy, were around 8-10 years old. They were nuts about Vermont’s local racers… Bobby Dragon,…
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1910 Metz Runabout
From Tammy….. During my travels to England this summer, I participated in the Ellis Journey, a tour retracing the first British motorcar trip in 1895. The Honorable Evelyn Ellis traveled the original journey in a four-horsepower Panhard car. He traveled at 10 m.p.h. flagrantly disregarding the 4 m.p.h. speed limit. Today, only automobiles from before…
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Getting Ready for Winter
The other day I was thinking about what had to be done before the first snow started to come down and realized that the jobs had changed over the years. Having grown up on a farm, it seemed we were always “getting ready for winter.” I will not go into all the farm chores but…
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1978 Land Rover Series 3
Workhorse or a Royal 4WD? We do not know her past, but today, this is Terry Hook’s workhorse and go-to-town vehicle. When you get a new horse, you wonder what they’ve done and where they’ve been, but they’re not talking. It’s much the same with a “new” car. It’s got a history, but you just…
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Rain Barrel Songs
The other day, during yet another rainy spell, I was watching the rain gutter downspouts spill water into a flower bed and thought about rain barrels. I went on Amazon and, sure enough, they had rain barrels. I ordered one and it came two days later. It is now installed and works great. The mention…
