back in 1952 I watched my dad trying to crank a Commer truck (about 1928 vintage) He grasped the handle and pulled. His thumb was broken when the crank handle kicked back and trapped his hand..Being a proud Australian, he demonstrated his knowledge of profane terminology which, to this day has enriched my own vocabulary. Cheers from Downunder

Please please please give that old girl the love and respect she deserves. 93 years of patiently waiting to live again. So excited to see where this one goes, its basically my dream car!

Don't give up. It will run. If it has compression, fuel, and spark at the correct time. It's probably like you said at the end, check the cam and make sure none of the valves are sticking or broken. But it will run. These engines are so simple, there isn't much can go wrong with them.

Hello from the uk. Your efforts to revive these old vehicles is bravery indeed. It goes to show that those early motors reflected the care which was put into them by those dedicated motor engineers. Keep on keepin' on!!!!

That car has sat longer than most people live! Wow...hard to imagine it. Hopefully she will live again👍

Sadly this old car wouldn’t run turns out the camshaft system was broken off on the driver side

Watching you kick that crank reminds me of my 1974 HD Sportster. My right leg was stronger than the other thanks to all the exercise. You're wrenching on some interesting iron and I enjoy the videos.

With all of the politics, insults, war, shootings, arson, and general nonsense on KZfaq these days, your channel is a wholesome breath of fresh air. Just a guy trying to start grandma's old abandoned jalopy, nothing else. Thank you for the refuge!

"It's not easy to find parts for, probably 'cause it's 104 years old."

It would definitely have been great to see you get this old engine running but this was still a pleasure to watch and pretty amazing how you freed up the engine and got it turning over after all that time.

I'm an automotive machinist. I love boring old model t blocks, Packard straight 8s. Got a 1935 Pontiac straight 8 we're working on. It's interesting to see the repairs and machine work of the past.

Its amazing how you find this stuff. A local restoration shop just finished one of these cars. It took almost 6 years to do the engine alone. They had to locate another engine and then make the remaining missing parts for it, and combine the two to make a running drivetrain. I'd love to see you get this running and do something with it. These are exceptionally unusual and definitely worth saving. Good work!

Whoever owned that car 100 or some odd years ago was on top of the world. And you found it... rotting. Great find. I love your videos. I hope to see that engine revived and restored past its former glory.

Glad to see there is people like this guy around,to keep things running the way they should, thanks again ✌️

That needs saving and restoring , that's history right there. Amazing that it still exits . Sounds to have plenty of compression

I admire your patience. I'm restoring a 1910 Cadillac with a rebuilt engine and I can't wait to start it the first time.

I just cannot help to ba intrigued by early 1900’s technology, every time again. Even a crude frame and a rusty engine like this, just fantastic. The frame and front end of the car mostly intact, it would be such a shame to cannibalise it’s engine, tough. Restoring the car to its former glory would be nice.

It's nice to see love being shown to a old car. Sad to see anything sit that long all alone.

Now you realize how valuable an invention the electric STARTER is!!! Sometimes those old engines would “hit” real hard and cause the crank to fly back!!! That very thing broke my great grandfather’s ARM!!! Real quickly, auto makers understood that there has GOT to be a better way to start an engine!!!

So cool you're bringing these old rigs back to life, thanks.

You're gonna lose a thumb using a starting handle like that - always have your thumb on the same side of the handle as your fingers. That way, if it backfires (and dodgy old engines often do), it won't rip your thumb off.

Nice find. People say these old cars were “built to last” - they really weren’t. Just that engineers were given free rein to do their thing without bean counters breathing down their neck trying to nickel & dime every single component.

Love your videos. Please keep the great content coming. Amazing to watch you get these old engines running again. Plus your commentary is entertaining. “She’s got the floor delete package.” “She’s running on 2 cylinders . . . that improves your fuel mileage.” “We’re gonna try and not set the world on fire!” Ha ha ha!

Let’s get this old beauty queen going again! Love your videos and know-how. Thumbs up from California.

I found your channel about a week ago and I am amazed how you can get some of these old cars running! I also like how you show us the cars that you can't get running. You are a master mechanic that's for sure. Love the content man.

It's crazy these old cars even though they're left rotting. Still have some life and potential left in them. It's cool to see when they actually made stuff to last. I work at a dealership I'll tell you what these people who buy these 40,000 and 62,000 trucks or vehicles are back in the shop not even a month later.

I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos. I am most impressed by your patience and persistence.

What's great about this channel's videos is that not every vehicle gets running - as such, it's clearly genuine/authentic, and there's some mystery/tension as to what will happen at the end. Moreover, by having these kind of videos, the 'journey' is what becomes/is made important, not the 'destination'.

Never thought I'd be watching something like this. I'm not a car guy at all but I find something satisfying while watching you repair those cars. Waiting for more

So glad I stumbled upon this channel. Love watching you revive these old beauties!

What an amazing piece of history. I bet she was a beauty back in her day. Would be an awesome rat rod.

As a Wisconsinite, the way southerners say “Wisconsin” gets me every time lol. Awesome video and awesome find!

Man I appreciate your work on these old engines, makes my day when you post!

Those stop cocks next to the spark plugs are called "priming cocks" and are there to use in starting, typically in cold weather. They're also great for filling the cylinders with your favorite elixer to break a stuck engine loose.

All the Power to You. Keep trying cuz we love watching. Also your appreciation of old cars is Awesome!!

Dang man thanks for sharing. I love old machines. Love your content.

Aw dang it, was hoping you'd get this one running! I look forward to the rebuild. Love your videos.

Good to see more of the younger crowd (I'm 29 myself) getting into the old timers. You're the kinda guy I wish was my neighbour. Keep up the good work! Greets from Norway

Great work keep it up,old classics never die!!

I love your accent. I'm from Wisconsin, I had an uncle that lived in North Carolina and said Wes - con - son the same way. Good memories

Tough break. Nice find.

I'm wondering what the engine looks like from inside. The whole machinery looks surprisingly modern for such an old thing. And it is well crafted back in 1917. Nice vid

Thanks for showing us that was very interesting too!!

No a car guy at all, but when I stumbled across a 2003 pontiac aztek, I couldn't let the girl rot! I actually restored it. I'm currently looking for another one. I absolutely love those cars!!!

Love seeing your new videos pop up every few weeks, keep up the great work man!

Just been on a tour here in New Zealand with no less than 3 of these. Amazing vehicles, and really reliable. That would be valuable here, and would be fully restored. I hope it stays together, or contributes to another getting back on the road.

Man Cadillac sure made some great looking cars in the old day's!❤️

You're the legend I've been looking for! Great Videos. Great Motivation! Never give up, buddy! :D

Awesomeness...... That's an OLD Cadillac!! Good job anyways, you'll get it running, it's pretty amazing that you get damn near everything running. Love the channel, keep up the good work!!

Love this stuff man

I remember as a boy my granddad would take bearing greases and mix it with Kerosene Coal Oil and he would use that for Motor oil and many times he would use Coal Oil to run the old Hudson and his old Dodge Brothers Pickup on. We were a large poor farm family in North West Missouri. I am 83 years old.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the next part of this video. It looks like a very interesting engine, and one that's worth saving.

Cool to watch someone else do this! I have worked on a few of these old Cadillacs. I was waiting to see if you tried the electric starter. That starter/generator unit is pretty interesting how they work. I have had to service these units and most of them I find at swap meets will works after some minor servicing. Thanks for sharing!

I swear this man goes out into the woods and finds the worst possible cars he can find (condition wise) and just goes *slaps hood* "This baby has been sitting 106 years in the back woods of who knows fucks and today, we are gonna try getting er' running". Fucking love it lmao

Save old cars! Rolling pieces of American history. Closest thing to traveling back in time.

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

You can't win them all right away. You sure gave it one hell of a try though. Love to see you any updates. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

You missed the removable cylinder head version by one year but the '17 type 55 was the first year that they used cast aluminum in the construction of the car. It had 77 HP but once they came up with the new head design they were able to get close to 90 HP out of it by the early 20's. You may think there's not much worth in what's left of the body but the cowl and fenders could make you some decent money to the right person.

"Where are you buddy" ? "We all miss you"!! 💙 and 🙏's!

My Grandpa had a 1919 Cadillac. Coolest car imaginable. Please save her and get her running!

Good work.I love seeing your videos, even when it doesn’t always start (like this one)

Cool old motor, it can be repaired. There are resources to make a new camshaft, they do it in competition cars all the time. Out on the open farmland of the upper plains the guys would convert those old big cars into tractors, many builders offered conversion kits at prices the depression era farmers could manage, as a way to get an affordable tractor. There are a few of these builds that have survived and have been collected as a vintage show piece.

You will give them a new live! Don’t give up it will run.Cause its a good quality car! 👍👍😎😊

Good luck! Treat her with kindness ! Who knows she is robust and one of a kind! Wish I could see her nicely polished!

So it hasn't run since the great depression? Would kinda make sense... Anyways, this car is a piece of history mate! Sell it or restore it, but don't let it rot anymore...

Dude you're awesome!! Have you ever tried restoring any of these oldies?? This one would be freaking cool!! Thanks for your killer vids!! I love your show

Unbelievable! This is like re-launching Titanic engines, I mean pretty much the same era. Fantastic work!

I am 92 and thank God in slightly better nick. Good luck with getting it going

The first owner was a rich man. This was a status symbol in 1917. The only way someone such as a doctor could buy this is if he came from money. He still didn't earn enough in a year from his practice to buy this.

A rebuild on this engine would be awesome. Hope to see it.

I was so curious to see it running and sat there with my cold beer to watch. But in the end I was so disappointed. So I need another beer to cool off.

If that’s a Type 55 Opera Coupe, that was an incredibly beautiful car when it rolled off of the assembly line.

I'd love to see an update on this one. Seeing that old motor run again would be amazing. If it's a lost cause, I guarantee you can make alot of money parting that motor out. I'm sure there's a few people looking for engine parts for that.

I like that you show the one's you can not get running.. Can't win them all, and they are just as fun to watch.

You sure gave it the best try imaginable. You're not beat yet, just challenged. 😊

Sometimes I wonder how long it will take a car to turn completely to rust. Maybe people will still be making videos like this in a hundred years.

That's sad it wouldn't run but at least you aren't going to quit on it. To be honest when you say how rare that motor is, if thats the original car somebody would still save and restore the whole thing. I work with and restore old tractors here, There are guys that will basically find 4 wheels and 3 oil stains on a barn floor or in the woods and rebuild a rare tractor. You have way more than they start with to be honest. Have you ever thought about making something like a race engine starter for these old engine starts, after you get them properly freed. It would make life way easier and it less likely that if one kicks back on the handle with your thumb over it, it won't cause a broken thumb or wrist. My Grandads been gone over 20 years and I still remember him giving me crap 33 years ago when I was 14 for starting my first crank engine with my thumb over the handle. Thanks for the video's take care.

You get nearly all of your projects to run, good effort 👍

As a kid I was fascinated with those giant sparkplugs. My father had boxes of those old components.

Hey man, I'd love to see some updates to your project vehicles sometime, if you're down for it of course. They were pretty cool

Even with the rust, that motor is a work of art - very impressive even today. It would certainly be a candidate for a vintage engine swap.

I wish such a beauty could be restored to its first glory by some classic car lover!!

Happy New Year to my fav mechanic! Can’t wait for your next crank up video! Miracle Mystery Oil forever!! 🧤

No it doesn't run. I saved you 14 minutes.

Great work Sir thank you

U guys are grate I love watching ur video restoration of old cars are pretty amazing thanks for doing this.

Thanks for the great content! Keep it up!

Hell... My grandpa was 2 in 1917. I absolutely love this kinda Americana history. It's very humbling

"...came from West Consin." Love listening to this video. And I haven't even got to the part where he gloriously starts the engine. Or not. We'll see.

Well I have officially watch every single one of your will it run series. I have really enjoyed it, I hope you keep it up!

You have the best first start videos on KZfaq you always have the most unique stuff

You are definitely lucky, I would kill for a car like that, in any shape! Can’t wait to hear it run. Awesome car!

I'm throwing my opinion into the mix here. I SWEAR by Free All. I used to be a PB guy and before that a WD40 guy. Each is excellent but they have three distinct uses. WD40 is good for light lubrication and surface protection PB Blaster is good for soaking up something nasty in the junkyard before you start taking heat and hammers to it. Free All is for getting into the guts of something you want to take apart, press in or out and not have destroyed in the process. I found out about Free All when I had trouble getting a buddy's wifes heat welded wheel bearing out of a knuckle assembly on a Toyota Venza. I put so much force on the thing in the press I snapped the steering stop bolts right off where they were resting on the press. I eventually gave up and went to a local muffler shop because they had a 25 ton press (mine was only a 12 ton). I showed the guy what I was trying to do and how hard it is to support such an oddly shaped knuckle. He brought me a can of free all and had me spray everything with it. You can actually watch it creep into tiny cracks where PB just sits on top and makes everything stink and get slippery. A few sprays of Free All and that bearing damn near fell out of the knuckle. The new one got pressed in with Free All and it went like butter. The guy gave me the can on the house and I have sworn by it ever since. You can get it at any Oreilly right on the shelf. Slowly convincing my coworkers its as good as I say and I'd say that poor new can I buy every month gets borrowed off my toolbox more than I actually use it. Free All hurts like hell if you get it in your eyes. Therefore it must be the best.

Great video. Would love to see a video of you guys rebuilding that engine and bring it back to the glory it once had

allot of work there love every minute of it. time for Mrs. Frankenstein to live Agin

It looks so cool. It would make a cool yard truck. Just leave her as she sits bolt up a floor panel and bench seat. Add a wood flatbed and use her to move things around the yard.

What an amazing find!!!

Thanks for trying to get that caddy runnin. I have seen 2 caddy trucks with V8s but no better than what you got. They still had head lights that had turned purple.

I just came across this scrolling thru KZfaq and I'm glad I clicked on this video. That is very cool my man very cool

My Father found a 1922 V8 Cadillac engine in an open field, it had weeds growing through the block. He got in running in 3 months.... Never saw him grin so much...