Car Collector Chronicles 07-09

A GDYNETS PUBLICATION © 2009, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Car Collector Chronicles ®

Volume II, Issue 7

Car Collector Chronicles

July 2009

Exploring:

USEFUL ADD-ONS

• Car collecting today • Classic rides

I thought I would start off this month with a discussion of a couple of useful add-ons for your classic car. One is safety related, the other deals with preservation.

• Reports from the field • Oldsmobile

Fifty years ago, when there were fewer folks on the road, traveling at a much slower pace, rear lighting was not as critical as it is now. Today, in my opinion, every classic car should, and can, have a 3rd brake light.

Moreover, one may be installed without modifying the appearance of your ride.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Useful Add-ons

GDYNets On the Web

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A simple Google™ search will yield a plethora of license plate frames with 3rd brake lights They range in price from about $35 to $75. It is a simple 3-wire installation; brake light, license plate light and ground. A little measure of safety here could save both big bucks and major heartaches!

The second useful add-on is

Wheel Art

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Coming Next Issue

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WHERE YOU WILL FIND GDYNets (me) on the WWW: http://GDYNets.WEBNG.com Saved 62 http://www.freewebs.com/ jeandaveyaros Car Collector Chronicles -

OldsD88@gmail.com

Mine came from CounterAct. It is not cheap, I paid $279.

However, it does work! When I installed it on my truck in 2003, I had a decent-sized rock chip in the quarter panel. It was down to bare metal. 6 years later, that ding has yet to rust.

The unit consists of a power supply, 2 capacitive coupler pads and a 5-wire hook up. The power supply is only slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes, and easily mounted under the hood. It is wired to the batt +/terminals, and body ground.

The adhesive backed capacitive coupler pads are placed on the extreme front and rear body panels, diagonally across from

one another, and plugged into the power supply.

Yes, it runs off your battery, but has an automatic shutoff to prevent your battery from draining. Another nice feature is, if you want to move the unit to another vehicle, you only Continued–P. 2

GDYNets on the Web

Dave’s Den -

EMAIL:

the addition of an electrical rust inhibitor system. I do not have one on any of my classic cars. I do have one on my daily driver pickup. If you are a “strictly stock” fanatic, this device is not for you.

http://issuu.com/d.yaros

DAVE’S DEN is a website devoted to a myriad of interests. Foremost is extensive information on the “Steel City” of Gary, Indiana. There are also offerings covering the making of steel and U.S. Steel-Gary Works, the U.S. Marine Corps, the M14 assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and the tragic story of the murder of Gary, Indiana

Police Lt. George Yaros.

SAVED 62 is a website devoted to my 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site also has a lot of information on Oldsmobiles and its founder, Ransom Eli Olds.

CAR COLLECTOR CHRONICLES; you are reading it. It is a work in progress.

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USEFUL ADD-ONS—Continued have to buy new coupler pads.

The logical question is, “How does it work?”

The components operate to induce a negative electrostatic surface charge on the vehicle's body. This negative surface charge serves to interfere with the normal electrochemical corrosion process that causes metals to rust. Yeah, I know, it sounds like smoke and mirrors. But, I am here to tell you I was transformed into a believer.

“Was not one of the first things we did, in an effort to make our ride different

You do not have to take my word for it. Consider this, the military uses them on their vehicles. I was in Motor-T in the Corps, and know how I abused my 6 x 6, so that speaks well for the device. The fact that CounterAct™ has been in business for nearly 2 decades also says favorable things about the device. Lastly, the company warrants the device for 5 years. If it was smoke and mirrors, my truck would be a rust bucket by now, given it has to sit out all winter in WI. It is not.

What more can I say? Given all the bucks we have invested in our classics, is it not at least worth a look?

from every other car on the road, to change the hub caps?”

WHEEL ART Of late I have been expending psychic energy on the topic of hubcaps, or wheel covers. To that end, I hope this article brings back some memories of the good ol’ days.

Was not one of the first things we did, in an effort to make our ride different from every other car on the road, to change the hub caps? I know that my ‘60 Olds, at one time or another, wore at least 3 different sets of non-stock wheel covers.

Before we travel down memory lane, a bit of history is in order.

Originally there was a functional necessity for the hubcap. Auto wheels were made with wooden spokes, like on a buggy or wagon.

The spokes connected the outer steel rim to the center hub, containing the wheel bearing. The wheel bearing was packed with grease.

Something was needed to cover that center hub to keep the dust out, and the grease in. What was needed was a "hubcap." So the hubcap came into existence strictly for functional reasons.

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WHEEL ART – Cont’d. from p. 2 So, from where does the term "wheel covers" come? In 1938, Cadillac began using pressed steel wheels similar to those used today. They covered their wheels with luxurious full sized hubcaps, or "wheel covers." So the term wheel cover was born. Cadillac made the full sized wheel cover a symbol of luxury and class.

– End of history lesson ….

Fifty + years ago, one did not know of mag or alloy wheels. Rather, we thought hubcaps, and our choice of wheel covers was mind boggling. A lot of it depended on the look we were trying to attain. Did I want custom, hot rod, racing, or just cool was the question. The answer determined our course of action.

The first really different hubcap I recall was the “Hollywood Flipper.” They were also known as “Spinners.” What made them neat was the look created when in motion. It mattered not on what make or condition of car they were. Merely sporting a set of flippers automatically placed one in the cool category. You were part of the car cognoscenti.

“Fifty + years ago, one did not know of mag or alloy wheels.

Rather, we thought hubcaps, and

Who does not remember baby moon hupcaps?

They are still popular today. Baby moons, not being a full disk hupcap, fall into the dog dish category. They left a good portion of the wheel exposed. Utilizing our definitions from above, baby moons would not be wheel covers, as they did not cover the entire wheel. What they were, was an inexpensive mod to any ride.

If one was going for the look of speed, the wheel cover to have was the Moon™ Racing Disc. They were in vogue in the ‘50’s. However, they made their first appearance many decades earlier, and not on an automobile at all. Racing discs were functional. The function was one of aerodynamics. That explains why they were first used on WWI Jenny airplanes. They did not appear on a motor vehicle until the

our choice of wheel covers was mind boggling.”

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WHEEL ART – Cont’d. from p. 3 year 1940. Bob Rufi, once the fastest man alive, used spun aluminum racing discs to help streamline his 140 mph record breaking speed machine at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

While not technically either a hupcap or a wheel cover, I would be remiss if I did not mention the chromed, reversed rim. They spoke both cool and speed at the same time.

Of course, they were also a lot more expensive than hupcaps. Many folks wanted them, whether or not they could afford ‘em. Our 1963 Corvair Monza has them?

One of the wheel adornments on my ‘60 Olds was spyder caps. They also were quite often used with chromed, reversed wheels. Installation of spyder caps was a little more involved. There was a backing plate which went under the lug nuts. The actual cap was then screwed to the backing plate. More often than not, a trim ring was also used with the sypder cap. This pic shows a full-sized ring. One could also have utilized a small ring that went over the tabs used to hold dog dish hubcaps in place.

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WHEEL ART – Cont’d. from p. 4 Undoubtedly one of the most popular hubcaps of all time was the 1956 Olds Fiesta.

One had to watch/guard them carefully, as they had a nasty habit of disappearing! This particular wheel cover also had many imposters. Some were close in terms of replication, while others only pretended to be like the actual thing. The way to tell the real McCoy was to look for 3 globes, each surrounded by a ring. This was the Oldsmobile marque, so it was not lightly ripped off by pretenders. Also, the center area, behind the flippers, bore a silver painted background. If those hallmarks were present, you had the real thing. But for the popularity of the “Hollywood Flipper,” the Olds Fiesta may have never come into being.

Another very popular set of hupcaps back in the late 50’s and early 60’s were 1957 Plymouth Points. These also adorned my ‘60 Olds. I probably liked them the best. I recall having to have them so bad that I made a very late night visit to the Chrysler-Plymouth dealer in my hometown and lifted a set.

They do have characteristics of the Moon Racing Disk.

They are spun aluminum, but not flat. Ergo, the moniker of “Points.”

There are two more sets of hubcaps that were popular, and which I always thought displayed a bit of class. They were the 1956 Buick Spinners and the 1957 Dodge Lancers.

As I have already rambled on too much, I shall display them below, without comment.

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Ok, I have had my say for this month. Now it is your turn! I invite/encourage submission of your comments, opinions and contributions, and ask that you help spread the word about our pub. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to: OldsD88@gmail.com _______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE: • • •

Car Collector Resources Garage Exhaust Ports Oldsmobile Items-Pics