Some time back my wife Judy saw and admired the new BMW resurrected Mini Cooper. She likes small cars and really liked this one. “It shouldn’t be that expensive”… she thought… but it was. Admittedly they were kind of neat I thought… but quite beyond budget. “How about one of the originals?”, I suggested. They can’t be that much. Driver John Buffam brought a brand new one, in the 60’s, to our VW dealership to be “set up” for rallying purposes. VAE Friend and rally master Bill Moreau was a mechanic there at the time and it was his interest that got the car delivered to our shop. Bill did great work on the car… except for the “Hydrolastic” suspension. Wow. He did something and the car collapsed on the shop floor never to rise again. Several days later we quietly rented a trailer and took the darn thing to a shop in Montreal where they quickly fixed the problem. We spiffed the then-ready car up and delivered it to John who did quite well with it on the rally circuit. I think that Bill went along as navigator, not as a suspension mechanic, and the team became Canadian champions. Should I look for one of these “originals” for Judy? I checked Hemmings. They are kind of neat, I thought… but they too seem now, to be “quite beyond the budget”. And then there is the “Hydrolastic” thing. With Bill living in nearby Waterbury there might be a risk.
Wheel Tracks Articles Archives
More on Trucks
After covering the introduction of trucks to the transportation scene in the early 1900’s, in a previous issue of Wheel Tracks, it becomes obvious that we are not talking about trucking as we know it today. They were not the recreational vehicles that are enjoyed today in our fancy pick-ups. No mag wheels, chromed exhaust stacks or hood scoops; strictly business was the standard of the day in the earliest years of the revolution of rolling commerce. The first years were serious business devoted to the work at hand.
It did not take long for many segments of work a day businesses to realize that there were many benefits in these mechanical marvels. In addition to industry and commerce, someone else was looking over their shoulders at the new mode of mobilization of materials and personnel, the United States military. Captain Alexander E Williams, a tall West Pointer from North Carolina became a dedicated proponent of the motor truck for military purposes. The year… 1911.
Captain Williams noted a small advertisement in a periodical of the day, promoting a new vehicle, which the builders in the military town of Clintonville Wisconsin, made, remarkable claims pertaining to its usefulness. Permission was granted to the good Captain to visit this company – “ The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company”, where company driver, 24-year-old Frank Dorn gave the visitor much to look at.
The Captain was amazed at the performance of his vehicles, really nothing more than a stripped down “Scout Car”. Returning to his superiors, the Captain extolled the virtues of the 4-wheel drive marvel. FWD offered to give the government vehicles to test drive, but the U.S. Military decided to buy the conveyance and have it shipped to Fort Myer, VA. where it was fitted with a wagon box.
In 1912, an extensive Army road test that encompassed a 1,500-mile trek from Washington, DC to Atlanta, GA and then to Fort Benjamin Harrison near Indianapolis proved the torture that these vehicles could endure. While every truck did not finish the trip – a White, an Autocar and a FWD did complete the entire route and set the stage for a giant revolution in military logistics.
The horse was on the way out, but they were still used through the Mexican Campaign and WW1. The First World War was the most mechanically mobile in history and when the Armistice was signed thousands of military vehicles became surplus commodities which were gobbled up by commerce and private individuals. The United States, in particular was on its way in the trucking industry.
The 4 Mile Car
Back in April of 1988 I bought a 1922 Dodge Touring that had not been run in 12 years and had been owned by a little old lady who — wait! — No, it had been owned by Ed Rotax who had had at one time or other about every old Dodge Brothers car in the state of Vermont.
Ed sold me the Dodge that was stored in one the many little outbuildings on the farm. This one had a ceiling so low that the car had to be stored with the top down. Ed drove it to NH for a car meet in 1976, and then parked it. Ed said there would be no problem starting it. He poured in a little gas, found a very tired old 12v tractor battery (he hated to let it go with the car, but I insisted), and sure enough, it started. Silently, as Dodges with starter-generators did in those days.
It had only one flat tire (after 12 years!) We pumped it up, put the top up, found the back bumper for it, and I was good to go to drive it the almost 4 miles home. I did eventually put new tires on it, the others seemed pretty original with Non-Skid tread and red rubber tubes. Ed asked for them back when I got the new ones. (I saved one for a spare.)
The main part of this story is coming up, though. Number 698132 is in mostly original condition. It was “repainted” (brush) some time in the late ‘40s when the top was put on, but the rest is pretty original. It was sold (I have the order form) for $995 (cash) by Bishop, McCormick and Bishop’s Dodge agency in Queens, NY, a stone’s throw from Broadway in NY City. They were still in the Dodge business as late as the 1960s. How that car remained pretty much untouched until Ed bought it off a truck in Albany, NY, in 1954 I don’t know. Untouched, but not unused. It’s now an 84-year old car. There are fender wrinkles here and there, a dent or 8 or 10, worn linoleum, tired leather upholstery in places, but mechanically it looks as if it has never been apart in the two or three times-around-the-earth mileage I think it has on it. It’s going to stay that way. You just can’t restore them to that condition. It’s a strong runner, and thereby hangs the tale.
This Dodge Brothers car would run beautifully for 3.9 miles, then stutter and quit during that last tenth and roll to a stop. (I lived in North Ferrisburgh then so all this took place on dirt roads—not Route 7 or 89.) The first 10 or 12 times this happened, I figured it is an electrical/gasoline problem. You know it takes only electrics, gas and air to make a motor run. I figured the air was okay.
A car that has problems sure helps to get you rapidly acquainted with its components. Over a six-week period I checked spark plugs, wiring, terminals, (new) coil, rebuilt the starter switch (it did poop out), cleaned the fuel system, and made new gaskets for the vacuum tank. (I wore out the old ones taking it apart often to see if it was the culprit.) Still a 4-Mile Car.
I consulted Ed Rotax. Ed is stumped. (First time in 70 years, he said.) I took the carb apart lots of times. Actually once a float had given up. That’s part of the problem—once in a while a real problem would show up. But not THE problem.
“There! By Jeezum, I bet that’s fixed it!” I would holler, and my wife would hop in and away we’d go— for about 4 miles. She would walk home and get a tow vehicle; the neighbors would snicker (again) as we rolled into the yard joined by our nylon umbilical cord. It runs so well! The best vacuum tank in New England, and cleanest carburetor. A perfectly timed hot-spark, smooth idling, 65 lb compression 4-cylinder engine. We can go anywhere in it. But not over four miles. Things hit a new low when I got towed home (backwards) by a neighbor with his little John Deere garden tractor. Even the dog was ashamed.
It took a while to figure out that it was a modern problem in an old car. Then one time it stopped and I was quick enough to raise the hood and hear the gurgle. HEAT SOAK! FUEL BUBBLE! What the hang was it called? VAPOR LOCK!! EUREKA!!!
Today’s gas has many lighter ends than the gas of even the 1950s. It is much more volatile, so vapor lock can be a real problem in old cars. A piece of aluminum flashing to shield the carb and gas line from engine heat was all it took to solve the Dodge’s problem. Now that smooth tucka-tucka-tucka from under the hood will take us anywhere past the 4 Mile Limit we want to go–as long as it is under 40 mph and on a back road.
30s Fashion
With the Wall Street Crash, the Depression Era began and with it a complete change in how people dressed. No more reckless shopping for clothing; turning instead to the sewing machine to make what clothes were needed. Clothes were mended and patched until they had to be replaced.
The boyish look of the twenties was completely changed to a more feminine look. Hemlines were dropped to the ankle and waistlines were again at the natural waist. Necklines were lowered with wide scalloped edges or ruffled collars. Buttons were so expensive that zippers were now the preferred closure. Silk and rayon stockings replaced the woolen ones.
Paris styles were too expensive for all but the very wealthy and eveningwear was following the movie stars’ lead. Floating evening gowns, with empire-waist and ties at the back and large puffy sleeves. The most popular materials and patterns were cotton, wool, silk, acetate, rayon, velvet, georgett, crepe, organdy, satin, jacquards, tapestries, chamois, chiffon, and flecked tweed.
The most popular colors were powder blue, maize, gray, navy, and rose for teenage and young girls. Black was only used for evening gowns that were accented with white. Fur was much in demand for capes, stoles, wraps and accessories and trimmings for women and girls’ clothing.
The basic sportswear consists of sport suits, leather jackets, and middy slacks. Hats were worn at an angle, with the basic shoe styles,
slip-ons, pumps and flats.
Even a change in jewelry, with broaches becoming bigger, dress clips are fancier, rhinestones and glass stones were being put into many pieces.
Of all the fashion eras, this is my most favorite one. With the styles more genuinely feminine and softer. Thirties fashions are hard to come by, but if your handy with the sewing machine there are many patterns available for you to make a complete outfit.
The Dawn of Motor Trucking
I have always thought of trucks being an offshoot of passenger vehicles. I guess that comes from seeing turn of the century spindly looking conveyances that have no space on them for anything, but a couple of suicidal minded persons. Actually, in pursuing information for this short article, I primarily used a 1966-copyrighted book “That Was Trucking” by Robert R Karolevitz, a 192 page hardcover book covering commercial vehicles from the first quarter of the 20th century. The first crude wheezing gasoline powered trucks to those of the early twenties.
What is surprising is the fact that the appearance and the models of these early trucks changed little during these first years of the 20th century. While the earliest trucks exposed the operator and any passengers to the elements, this was thought to be inconsequential because of the short distances that these first movers of commerce and industry were capable of traveling, many on nothing more than steel rimmed large wagon wheels. What did become very apparent after only a few years of using these machines in place of horses, was the undeniable fact that much bigger loads could be hauled for smaller investments in equipment, and for less time spent tending to the machines over the horses.
Huge trucks dominated the trucking industry from the start. In pursuing the article on types of trucks and sizes, it was truly amazing to see the height obtained by stacking the products being moved. It certainly is obvious that many of the ancient trucks were overloaded even by today’s standards. This has to be a testament to the durability of the wagon makers, turned truck body manufacturers. The mechanical components of these earliest trucks appeared to be forged into solid steel components making an extremely heavy machine. Those early large commercial conveyances were probably susceptible to sinking from sight in the highways turned to mud troughs during spring thaws.
I have tried to cover the truck in its infancy in this article, and I would like to do a couple of other articles on commercial vehicles, around the home, the farm, commercial and industrial plants during the early days of transportation by truck. After all, the railroads who had a monopoly on long distance freight would soon see in the coming years a big change. To be continued…
Food for Cars – Motoring Moment
This “moment” may be food for thought… but more exactly it’s food for the car. Food for most cars is gasoline and today we are going to give this wondrous stuff some thought. Well, not really the gas so much as the way the vehicles gets its “food”. Most of the early cars with their “up-draft” carbs got gas the Newtonian way… gravity. The gas tank was located in a higher plane than the carb and the gas ran downhill to the vaporizer. Fords kept this primitive practice probably longer than any other major brand with the Model A gas tank located in the top of the cowl right in front of the front seat passengers.
A plus was the fuel gauge… it was a float gauge right in the tank sticking through the dash and visible right there above the other instruments. Although simple there were other problems with the gravity system: Steep inclines often defied gravity… or actually they didn’t and the climbing car would have to turn around and back up the hill as the tank was usually behind the engine. Higher quality cars… read that as more expensive… solved the problem another way: They pressurized the fuel system. The tank was sealed and from a small hand pump in the dash, the operator “pumped up” fuel pressure, usually 2 or 3 pounds.
The only way out for the gas was up (or down) the fuel line to the carb. After the engine was running, a small mechanical pump driven by the camshaft would take over for the dash hand pump and the car would generate its own fuel pressure. This system, like Rod Rice’s Cadillac and many other cars of the teens and twenties, required 3 fuel lines, pumps, tight seals, etc. Stewart Warner discovered the vacuum tank. This marvel was loved or hated by the majority of car owners lasting slightly longer than the pressurized style.
The vacuum tank was a clever tank within a tank that mounted on the firewall of your car. Most cars were still “up-draft” so the vacuum tank was well above the carb. Running off vacuum from the intake manifold, the vacuum tank sucked gas from the cars main rear tank and stored it in the bottom of the vacuum tank. Then it was Newton again as gravity fed the lower carb, controlled by the carb float and needle and seat. Using our esteemed mentor, Rod Rice, again, he threw the vacuum tank from his quality Stevens into the bushes and put on an electric fuel pump. Others too have had “vacuum tank problems”. A certain Willys Knight in the club for years doesn’t have enough manifold vacuum to assure not running out of gas… and it often does.
Recognizing that all these systems could be improved on, most manufacturers by the end of the twenties were installing mechanical diaphragm fuel pumps. These units would suck gas from the tank and push it up hill to the newer top-of-the engine mounted downdraft carbs. They were pretty trouble free and you have one on almost any US made new car today. (Proof reader notes that current model vehicles use electronic fuel injection instead of a carb.)
I did mention that some cheats have installed electronic fuel pumps on their older cars. Largely a European idea… Jaguar even mounted two of these electrical wonders in the gas tanks of some of their cars… and doesn’t Saab continue to do so? JC Whitney will sell you a 6-volt electric fuel pump and you can hide it under the backseat of your old car… but the clicking sound as it builds up pressure will give you away. How do cars eat? Pretty much as we’ve mentioned… the way they were brought up… just like peopl
2005 Restoration of the Year Award
1952 Studebaker Commander Starlight Coupe
One snowy day in January of 2005 school was cancelled in Morrisville. Janet, a first grade teacher in Morrisville, decided to “play” with her Studebaker. It was too cold in the unheated garage to work on the car, so she decided to do a little sleuthing for missing parts for the car and missing parts in its history. Having recently received the build sheet from the Studebaker museum that showed the car was shipped to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota on October 21, 1952, she decided to begin by calling information and getting a number for the Town Clerk’s office in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Several very kind people, some interesting twists and turns, and many lucky breaks later she was able to close the circle, learning all of the Studebaker’s owners and everywhere the car has lived in its 53 year old life!
Janet and her car will be featured in the upcoming Spring issue of Hemmings Classic Cars, with more about how she was able to crack the “mystery of its history” and a complete restoration article with photographs.
A TIMELINE:
October 9, 1952: Factory order # 54536-4 written for model 3H-C5, color: Maui Blue, wheels: Cuban Red, VIN#8277068
October 21, 1952: Final assembly date, South Bend, IN
October 27, 1952: Car purchased at Lakes Garage, Detroit Lakes, MN, by Immanuel Nielson of Detroit Lakes, MN. for $2548.98.
September 10, 1954: Car traded in by Immanuel Nielson. He received $1462.18 against a new two-tone, model 5-H 1954 Studebaker priced at $2812.18.
September 10, 1954: Car purchased by Harvey Bakken of Lengby, MN. for $1290.00, less the $900.00 he received for the 1948 green Commander he traded in.
1975: Car sold to Bob Harmon’s junkyard in Lengby, MN. for $50.00.
1977: Car removed from junkyard by Mrs. Harmon’s Uncle Louis Trisler of Des Moines, IA.
February 3, 1986: Car purchased by Lawrence Stewart of Indianola, IA from Louis Trisler.
October 8, 1989: Car purchased by Brian Tellstone, Richmond, VT, from Lawrence Stewart, for $2900.00, plus $650.00 delivery charge.
October 1995: My late husband, Bob, and I went to Richmond, VT to look at Brian Tellstone’s 1951 Black Cherry Studebaker Commander 4-door. I noticed another car in the garage and asked to see it. It was covered and filled with bagged garbage, both inside and out. I asked if that car might be for sale also, he replied he was going through a divorce and everything was for sale. Bob and I went home and discussed the cars. He liked the ’51, I liked the ’52 (being a ’52 model myself). Bob and I decided to make him an offer on both cars.
October 14, 1995: Date on the bill of sale; cars were delivered the next day, October 15, 1995.
June 1996: Went to Munchy’s car show in the car with Glenn and Joanie Yankee in the back seat. Glenn noticed the arm rest compartments and asked if he could look inside. He discovered myriad letters of correspondence, extra parts and previous invoices.
September 21, 1996: Car went to Chelsea, VT to be filmed in the Stranger in the Kingdom movie.
October 20, 1996: Car is returned from Chelsea, scratched and missing one hubcap. Car was parked in cattle loafing shed in my hayfield.
October 15, 2003: The building the car was housed in blew down in a windstorm, never damaging the car. The car was sent to Dan Spencer’s in Orange, VT to be painted. Paint job was never completed.
April 2004: Chrome was taken to ReChrome in PA.
June 2004: Chrome was sent from ReChrome in PA, (unfinished) to NuChrome in MA.
July 2004: The car was taken from Orange, VT to Superior Interiors in Hooksett, NH.
August 2004: Called Gary Sassi, introduced myself, and asked for advice about my car.
September 2004: Had a new garage built to house my cars.
September 2004: Completed chrome was picked up by Gary Sassi and me at the Bennington Car Show in the torrential rain.
October 2004: Car was brought back from Superior Interiors as Gary Sassi had recommended I have Rene Hargood of Phantom Auto in Knoxville, TN, make a kit for the car’s interior.
January 2005: Upon Gary Sassi’s recommendation, I called Gary Scott to ask for advice about what to do with my partially painted car. Gary Scott came to look at it. After getting under the car, he said I had more problems than I was aware of and showed me how the car was rusted out underneath and was about to fall off the frame. To my surprise he said he would be willing to help me fix up the unfinished paint and the structural issues.
May 30, 2005: Car was delivered to Gary Scott’s garage in East Barre. He was to have the car three weeks to repair the exterior paint, make patches and repair the structural problems under the car, pull the motor and paint everything under the hood.
August 30, 2005: Car was returned to Plainfield. Paint was completed, structural faults repaired and engine and compartment cleaned and painted. In addition, the trunk was sanded and painted, chrome was installed, upholstery was installed, clutch replaced, manifold gaskets replaced, under car greased, and countless other unanticipated items repaired or replaced.
September 24, 2005: Car went to Bristol Car Show and won third place in its class, despite the hood release cable coming unhooked and being unable open the hood to show off the newly painted motor!
October 15, 2005: Car received the Outstanding Automobile Restoration Award 2005, Stowe, VT.
I am thankful for and grateful to the following people, as without the generous gift of their talents and time, this project would never have been possible:
Gary Scott
Gary Sassi
Dan Peterson
Ray Shatney
and
Robert Steward, my late husband
CONGRATS AGAIN TO JANET FOR HER 2005 RESTORATION OF THE YEAR AWARD!
Edith Head
One of my most favorite designers was Edith Head. Her fashions and clothing styles exudes class and distinction. According to the Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05…
1907-81, American costume designer, b. Los Angeles, Calif. She began to design costumes for the motion pictures in the early 1930s, working at Paramount for most of her career and moving to Universal in 1967. She won eight Academy Awards for a variety of films, including “The Heiress (1949), “All about Eve” (1950), “Samson and Delilah” (1951), “A Place in the Sun” (1952), “Roman Holiday” (1954), and “The Sting” (1973). She was responsible for such classic bits of costumery as Mae West’s ostrich feathers, Dorothy Lamour’s sarongs, and Audrey Hepburn’s Sabrina necklines.
She also is known for promoting “the little black dress”. Her styling was sleek and seductive in a very conservative ladylike manor. She was an expert in draping fabric to showcase any body shape that was presented. Every woman knows that the one perfect dress to have in her closet is a simple black dress, that can be “dressed up” into many stylish ways with a jacket, scarf, or a nice piece of jewelry. Many fashion trends have come and gone, but this one seems to be lasting forever.
I remember seeing Edith on the Arthur Goddrey television show, where he would bring her on stage to help some poor unsuspecting lady with her fashion goofs. The lady would have all of her fashion mistakes pointed out by Edith, and then sent on her way to do some shopping. Edith’s approach was simple and direct, and the returning lady was always correctly dressed from head to toe after her shopping trip. Of course, Edith herself was correctly dressed in one of her wonderful suits, that even as a kid I fell in love with. I miss those simple graceful lines in today’s clothing, that seems to be too tight, too short and not enough material. What a disservice the young woman today is doing to her over all picture.
Our two fashion shows have come and gone, and it’s time to start thinking once again about next year’s shows. They are lots of fun, and we need you out there giving us a hand and making these shows bigger and better. Won’t you consider participating to help us out? Just think – some of us may only have to look as far as our closets since 1980 is the cut off year.
My Experience at the 55th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Pebble Beach
I had never had the pleasure or situation where I could go to Pebble Beach or any part of the Monterey Festival which lasts over a week in August. Pebble Beach is considered the world’s premier gathering of classic motor cars which are “invited” to be on display during the one day culmination of a week of fantastic automobile pleasures! (Racing of vintage sports cars, tours thru a special parts of Southern California, fine automobile art exhibits, several high end auctions, corrals for the major enthusiast clubs, honoring of present and past automobile greats, etc.)
Andrea and I had arranged to get to Pebble for the Concours as part of our trip to California for a Rogers family reunion in Santa Rosa. Getting to Pebble Beach on Sunday meant getting up very early and driving straight for about four hours until we could park our rental car and walk several miles or take a bus to the site of the concours which is held on the area immediately between the Lodge at Pebble and the ocean next to the 18th hole. We eventually were “on site” after showing our tickets several times at about 12 noon!
Scott Sargent and Mike Lemire
We almost immediately ran into Mike Lemire and his friend, Olga. They were there because Mike and Scott Sargent, both friends, had just finished months of work on a gorgeous Bugatti cabriolet owned by Peter Mullin of Los Angeles.
In 2003 the car they had prepared won “Best of Show” at Pebble and this car was every bit as good, in my opinion. This time their efforts resulted in a 1st in class, a very significant award given the competition. In any case, for us it was a thrill to see my friends’ work so highly celebrated!
The featured marque was Delage but in addition twenty three classes of very special, rarely seen automobiles most of which were beautifully restored or maintained greeted our eyes, including a wonderful selection of rarely seen antiques such as a 1904 National or a 1904 Pope Toledo. Also some amazing vintage open wheel racecars such as a pair of 1916 Packard Twin Six and 1902 Napier Model D50 Gordon Bennett.
32 Alfa Romeo Spyder
What we will most remember was the variety of Alfa Romeos, mostly prewar, unbelievable in their variety of style and beauty but all stunning. It was also a special year for Alfa Romeo, a marque which has had a large presence at Pebble for many years. This year there were about sixty of the most famous Alfas in attendance, ranging from 1910 to 1956. All together there were about 200 plus cars, an ideal number for viewing in the time available.
1916 Packard Twin Six race car
A listing of the different makes of automobiles on display would be a who’s who of the great automobile manufacturers of the world. I was able to take about 40 photos a few of which are included, which indicate the variety and expressiveness of the assembled cars.
Finally it is important to mention that this one-day event is run with the utmost of professionalism. In spite of its exclusiveness, a pleasant and friendly atmosphere exists. I saw several people I happen to know from years of involvement in the hobby, among them David Steinman, a director of the VAE. It was a privilege to be on the grounds of Pebble and to share so many incredible cars with friends.
Feed Sack Fashions
In the 1920’s feed sacks for grain were made from an ecru colored muslin material. The name of the company was either stamped on the material or was attached at the time the sack was sown with a paper banner. Once the bag was emptied they were returned back to the miller for refilling. Some of the sacks didn’t make it back, due to the fact that the farmer’s wife could wash and use the muslin for kitchen towels, pillowcases and quilt backings, etc. The muslin bag made especially nice tea towels, as the material was of good substantial quality and the edges could be embroidered or crossed stitched. Nothing was wasted, and I remember seeing pillows with the imprinted manufactures name on the backs of many beautifully satin and fringed creations.
The 100 pound bags could yield a good size piece of material, that would make many towels, and if bleached would make many under garments. My grandmother once told me that when her church was having a baptism in the local pond, that her cousin was the talk of town after being dunked and her beautiful white dress once wet, showed through to her slip which had the local seed store’s name on it! Her aunt had not wanted to waste any material, and thinking that it wouldn’t show, had put the last piece of material on the back of the slip.
Somewhere along the way a particular miller got the idea that if he started using a printed cloth for his sacks, that just maybe the farmers would use more of his seed or grain. The printed bags were a big hit with the wives who quickly snatched up all that they could. As the prints became more desirable the more grain was being sold. (Who said women didn’t have power back then.) I can imagine the husband that came home with two bags of the same print was the highlight of the day.
The printed material consisted of many brightly colored patterns, stripes, fruit, and animal prints. I was the lucky kid that had many summer outfits and pajamas made from the many prints. Aprons and day dresses and quilt squares were consistently made from the saved pieces of material and are much sought after by collectors.
If you are a vintage apron collector, it’s quite possible that the material actually started its life as a flour, seed or grain bag. The use of the burlap bag brought a stop to the printed cotton bags around the mid 50’s. My husband, who once worked for Wirthmore Feeds in St Albans, states that he only handled printed bags on special orders and they were very limited at the time.