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Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 04, 2019 6:25 pm
by Mopar_man
Well let me start out by saying I grew up in Waltham. I always loved the buckboards and have always wanted one. The problem is so few come up for sale. Well Now I have a chance. The Hershey auction has 4 up for sale. The last one I saw sell at RC Auctions sold for 7500 but that was a few years ago. I know auctions are a crap shoot. I plan on attending and see what I can do. Do any of you have an Orient? Any experience with the pricing of these cars? One of them is an HPOF car.

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 9:48 am
by BHarper
Hello Robert,

First, I do not own an Orient Buckboard, although I do have a Metz Model 22 and a Waltham made pocket watch.

I have thought that the Orient buckboards look like they would be fun cars for a one and two cylinder car tour, possibly a good parade car, and grand fun for the local ice cream run. They would draw a huge crowd at the local cruise night.

I have looked at the Hershey auction web site and viewed all of the pictures of the four buckboards. They all look good. The HPOF car is most appealing to me as the other three appear too "pretty", but that's just me.

My first bit of advice is to do as much research about buckboards as you can in order to know what is correct and what is not, if that is of any importance to you. Thinking that you bought a correct car only to find out later that is an incorrect collection bits and pieces might be, um, er, well, disappointing. Or not.

Ask Mr. Google about auction prices for Orients over the last five or ten years to get some idea of pricing. I have no clue. I suspect that the market for these cars is Very Small. I would not expect too many people to really, really be hot for one of these cars. Those that are, well, they may have the deep pockets to accompany their deep desire.

Lastly, be HONEST with yourself about how much you want one of these cars and, moreover, how much you can afford.
Good luck in your quest for that just right car, Bill


The Waltham Museum is holding its annual Metz Day this Saturday July 13. The have a Buckboard, and other Metz cars, in their collection. In past years someone brought their Buckboard for display outside, along with Metz cars from other owners.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of the 2009 Waltham Museum show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBMo6iy_MAI

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 12:39 pm
by Rich Bingham
Off topic within the off topic . . . silly trivia, perhaps. Does anyone know if the "gas buggy" Richard Boone's character drove in the 1976 John Wayne movie "The Shootist" was an Orient Buckboard ?

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 3:02 pm
by Rich Eagle
Hi Rich. The car was most certainly a Curved Dash Oldsmobile.
ShootistCDO.jpg

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 6:21 pm
by Rich Bingham
Thanks Rich. If I could have found that image it would have answered my question. :roll:
It's been many years since I saw the film - somewhere along the way I thought I recalled reading something that associated an Orient with the movie. ?!? Obviously not ! :lol:

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Thu Jul 11, 2019 6:56 pm
by Rich Eagle
It was a delightful movie in many ways. "Paladin", "Opie" and "The Duke" as I knew them.
The car did bring the 1900s into play and was fetching.
ShootistPic.jpg

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 11:07 am
by 25 roadster john
Something about Richard Boone driving an automobile in a western doesn't sit right. But the period dictated change and was appropriate. It was an enjoyable film.

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Wed Jul 17, 2019 2:39 pm
by Rich Bingham
John, he was too stove up to throw a leg over. I can relate !! :cry:

Not enough movies have dealt with that "changing times" ethos in my opinion. Another western that poked at it was the re-make of "Monte Walsh" with Tom Selleck in the lead part. Of course that one wasn't kind to the motorist nor a positive view of the coming motor age . . .

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 6:58 pm
by Mopar_man
BHarper. Thanks for the info. I have loved these cars since I was a boy. I understand what you are saying about a pile of parts. Usually I see these cars as a pile of parts. I'm ok with that. Kind of like having a T that has many years all together. I have my budget and I will make sure I don't bust it. They don't come up often but I'm not going to get caught up in the Auction Hype. We will see what the future brings.

I've been to the Waltham museum many times. I also love the Metz cars. They can get a bit pricy for me.

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:04 pm
by Mopar_man
Well I went and registered to bid at RM Auctions. All 4 Orients went up for bid on Thursday. The first three went over 20,000. I didn't stay for the third but I bet it went for about the same. The last time one of these sold at this same auction it went for 7500. I guess I missed the boat. Oh well I'd me kicking myself if I didn't go try.

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 1:55 am
by Duey_C
Keep watching Rob. I'm glad you're not kicking yourself and I do hope you run across the Waltham that's meant to be yours. You'll know.
Almost like the elusive, used N Ford. I missed the last one. The poor little beauty is prob'ly being restored.

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 3:26 am
by Burger in Spokane
There are a lot of cars I'd love to own. It can be for many reasons .... their beauty draws me,
it could be more about their charm, or some nostalgic connection I have. But what I don't have
is cubic fuktonnes of green rectangles, the space to keep them nice, and most of all, the time
to actually enjoy them. This latter concept came hard for me, as it does for many. We all know
the term "car poor" for a reason ! :roll:

Coming to terms with one's personal limitations can be a challenge, but also something of an
enlightenment, or "release" from the burning desire to have all these different things. Not sure
how a Waltham Orient plays into your overall life plans and ongoing circumstances, but two things
I do know for all of us:

1. None of us are getting any younger, and thusly prioritizing is a good plan for any serious bucket
list items, and

2. Money is just a tool, and taking an honest "inventory" of how much something like this means
to you, weighed against other costs (money, but also space and time, etc.) can bring peace, either
in doing what it takes to acquire the desired item, or letting go of the notion as basically, being
more taxing than the pleasure it will bring can justify.

Ten years ago I had nine "collector" vehicles. Today I have four, and through doing an honest inventory
of my cost-to-pleasure on each, plan to whittle it down to one or two. My life just does not allow
the time to enjoy so many. Sure, they are beautiful, and I love them. But honestly, some give way
more jollies than others, and frankly, the freed up shop space and other resources to keep one or
two nice would be way more satisfying than owning a stable of cars that just sit.

Just a thought ....

Re: Waltham Orient

Posted: Sun Oct 13, 2019 8:54 pm
by Mopar_man
Great info. I agree you have to have a limit. I look at it as how much do I want or need it. In this case I could have bought the car but I set my limit and stuck to it. True time is a big factor for me. I'm only 52 but I have 4 old cars and they are never done. Someday I may end up with one just not this time. I'm ok with that.