A GDYNETS® PUBLICATION © 2014, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Car Collector Chronicles ®
Volume VII, Issue IX
Exploring:
Ca
• Car Collecting Today
High RPMs
• Classic Rides • Reports From the Field • Oldsmobile (1897-2004) • Cadillac (1902- ) • Allanté (1987-1993)
• Corvair (1960-1969)
◄ = Clickable Link
It is thundering and raining as I write. The weather rules out going for my daily walk. I am waiting delivery of car parts. Until they arrive I cannot work in the car barn. So, it is a good time to start putting this month’s issue together. But first, do permit me to comment on a depressing observation made while entering the Milwaukee Masterpiece show field. I photographed it:
IN THIS ISSUE: High RPMs
1
GDY Nets On the Web
1
Classic Cars Challenge China
2
Money to Burn
2
SAVED 62 Saga
3
The Milwaukee Masterpiece
4
Can this be, falling leaves? Where has the summer
Labor Day
CCC® Forum EMail:
5
◄
OldsD88@gmail.com ◄
September 2014
s
gone? It has been an active month. So much so that I doubt I will be able cover it all in a single issue of CCC. This month we shall be discussing the repairs to SAVED 62. We shall also report on the recently held Milwaukee Masterpiece. September Automotive Milestones 9/2/1959 Ford Falcon debuts 9/2/1893 Duryea builds/drive first American automobile 9/4/1957 Edsel goes on sale 9/7/1954 Ford intros T-Bird 9/11/1911 Milwaukee Mile Speedway opens 9/11/1970 Ford Pinto goes on sale w/MSRP below $2K 9/13/1899 NYC site of first U.S. auto fatality 9/15/2011 Last American rear wheel drive auto produced (by Ford of Canada) 9/16/1908 GM formed by Wm. Durant 9/17/1854 David Buick born,
Arbroath, Scotland 9/18/1886 Powel Crosley Jr. born, Cincinnati, Ohio 9/19/1919 Buick founded 9/19/1937 Duesenberg closes 9/23/1969 Dodge Challenger debuts 9/26/1967 AMC Javelin debuts
- Time to go cruisin’!
GDYNets® on the Web Find GDYNets on the web: CCC® -THE FORUM ◄-A web site to discuss the newsletter, the hobby and our cars. Car Collector Chronicles ◄ Saved 62 ◄-Our 1962 Olds convertible, Ransom Eli Olds and things Oldsmobile related web site. The Gray Lady ◄-1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville web site.
SAVED 62: A website devoted
to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site also has a lot of information on Oldsmobile cars and the company founder, Ransom Eli Olds.
THE GRAY LADY: This website features our 1955 Cadillac Coupé de Ville, lots of Caddy information and an extensive repair library.
DAVE’S DEN: ◄-A site devoted to a myriad of interests. Foremost is extensive information on the “Steel City” of Gary, IN. There are also offerings on steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14 assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and the tragic story of the murder of Gary, IN Police Lt. George Yaros.
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Classic Cars Challenge China For those who think participating in the Mille Miglia would be a neat thing to do, I have stumbled across another event that might float your boat. In this case, do be prepared to take both your car and your bank account for a ride! I am talking about the Classic Cars Challenge China, affectionately known as the 4C.
“Do be prepared to take both your car and your bank account for a ride!”
This one runs over a period of 2 training days, 1 check-in day and 9 driving days and covers a distance of 1,118.5 miles. The cost to enter you, your car and your navigator is only $10,553.44. This amount does include meals and lodging. If you would like to have a third person ride in your car, add a mere $4,354.58 to that sum! To have that person share your room, tack another $907.76 onto your tab. Beware, your $15K does NOT include (a) Car shipping (to and fro, car shipping insurance, customs and port charges); (b) Round-trip to China for participants, (c) Fuel, (d) Toll fees, and (e) Communication costs. What you do get for your $15K is the opportunity to be a sight to over 2,000,000 spectators, as well as cockpit views of Beijing, Tianjin. Jinan, Zaozhuang, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai. While the official check-in date is 9 October, the organizers make it quite clear that your car has to be on site in China by 15 September. This, in order to provide sufficient time for the vehicle to clear customs. Pray tell, where and at what cost is the car stored once it clears customs? The nature of this event is that just because you are willing to fork over major bucks to enter does not mean you will be allowed to participate. Per the official web site, within 72 hours of submission entrant applications are accepted/rejected in accord with the following criteria: - High Value (Classic cars a part of human heritage and valued at several hundred million RMB-the Chinese Yaun). - Rareness (Chinese people do not often have the chance to see a classic car. For some of the people we will meet along the route, it may even be the first time! - Unique Shape (Different shapes to make up a travelling “Automobile Museum”). - Irreplaceable Items (Participating cars are one of a kind and have unmatched value). - Cultural Significance (The history behind each participating car makes it unique, both to experts in the field and to society as a whole. Each vehicle has witnessed many epochal changes and tells us the story of mankind through different periods of time.). If this appears to be your cup of oolong tea, begin planning now for the 2015 edition. Here is the official web site for the Classic Cars Challenge China ◄ where one may find more info.
Money to Burn
Then I saw a post on the net where a guy is looking to sell his Buick Rolex for $12K? He intends to use the sale proceeds to buy a classic Buick. Hey, you could use it to time yourself in the Classic Cars Challenge China, right? The serious may contact the seller here. ◄
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Saved 62 Saga
The adventure of resolving my classic car claim continues. My insurer (Hagerty) advised me that an adjuster from I. A. Net ◄ would be calling within two days to schedule the appraisal. He called the same day = √. A date 4 days down the road was set for him to inspect the car. He actually showed up a day early! = √ As we conferred he made a point of letting me know that he was a “damage appraiser,” and not an adjuster. He did so shortly after my telling him that in another life I was a regional claims examiner for the now defunct Reliance Insurance Co. He looked at the car, took photos and made his inspection. I drew on his expertise and inquired about reputable body repair shops in the area. We discussed two, specifically. One was a restoration shop I have used for mechanical work. The other was one he brought to my attention. In addition, I had my local Olds and Caddy clubs put a request in the newsletters for member recommendations of quality restoration shops. I did get a response from an Oldsmobile club member. No one from my local Cadillac club offered any input. The damage appraiser advised he would be preparing a written report which he would send to me, the repair shop and the insurance company. He said that would take place within four days. He sent it in two days! = √. So far so good, right? All events are taking place in accord with the timetable provided to me by my insurance company. The damage estimate, or is it an appraisal, came in at $2,776.81. That amount was, and is, a shock to me. It also presents some areas of concern to me. Let’s take a detailed look at it. The left rear fender has an Oldsmobile script. The “damage appraiser” says it needs to be removed and subsequently reinstalled by means of taping. I know for a fact that back in 1962 Oldsmobile was not taping fender script on cars! I also know for a fact that the script in question is held in place by mans of post and capture nuts. I can conceive of no reason why it should not continue to be! Obviously, the rear bumper is going to need work in the form of straightening and perhaps rechroming. I do not know the “damage appraiser’s” sources, but his report asserts that a replacement bumper can be had for $489. I would like to know from where? The most disconcerting entry in the report is the reference to applying a clear coat finish. I worked in a body shop in the mid-sixties. Because of that experience I know for a fact that Olds used lacquer based paint which needed to be applied and subsequently rubbed out (buffed). I do not know whether my current finish is lacquer or enamel paint. I suspect enamel. I do know it is not base coat/clear coat. I question how one would blend a base coat/clear coat finish to part of a panel painted in lacquer or enamel without it being visible. These are all matters to be resolved in a discussion with the shop I select to do the work. The problem is, I cannot begin to make that selection until I get the brakes fixed and the car back on the road. Doing so necessitates having the vacuum assist booster rebuilt. I did some online research for rebuilding services. I narrowed it down to two potential candidates. I found that an overwhelming majority recommend Booster Dewey ◄ out of OR for this work. I called him to discuss the job only to get a recording informing me that his shop was closed for the entire month of August for his annual vacation. Scratch him off the list = Ø. My second choice was Brake Materials & Parts ◄ out of Ft. Wayne, IN. After talking with the owner, Scott, I was confident he has his act together and would do me right. I shipped off the vacuum booster and master cylinder to him on 5 Aug. I expect it back this very week. In terms of the timetable provided to my by my Hagerty rep there is one matter that should be mentioned. I was told I would be contacted again by Hagerty within 4 days of it receiving the damage appraisal. In fact, it was nearly two weeks later that Hagerty made contact = Ø. My rep said their computer system failed to notify her of receipt of the damage appraisal report. This presented no problem for me as I can do nada until the car is again roadworthy. Even so, I do now have the Hagerty check in hand = √.
“I question how one would blend a base coat/ clear coat finish to part of a panel painted in lacquer or enamel without it being visible.”
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The Milwaukee Masterpiece
While this was not our first time for going to the Masterpiece, it was our first time going as members of the working press; viz., getting in for free. It is nice not having to sit a car on display and just being an inquisitive spectator. The Masterpiece is a 2-day affair. The first, on Saturday, is Club Day. Car club members display their rides. The only judging is of the peer variety. This year for the first time, Club Day commenced with a parade of the cars from the Harley Davidson Museum to the show grounds on the lake. It is a fun time for the car owners and onlookers. It also provides awareness of, and publicity for, the event. A wise decision to institute this feature. Another first was that a few clubs decided to hold their national meet at the Masterpiece. The Volvo folk told me they had over 70 cars at the show, and owners from as far away as NY state. Jaguar owners also held a meet at the show. Club Day presented a number of very interesting rides, and not all of them being cars. There was a 1-owner 1985 Buick Riviera sporting all of 1,784 original miles. The owner proudly pointed out the original tires still had the factory air in them! By far, one of the finest Rivis I have ever laid eyes on. I would be remiss if I did not make note of the cycles on display. Milwaukee being the home of Harley, one would expect to see some at the Masterpiece. Even so, one does not expect to see a pristine Harley 9G Forecar. That is because there were only 322 made during the 1913-15 production run. This is the only one known to currently exist. Pretty Rare! Equally interesting to me was an example of the Flying Merkel. While I have heard of them and seen them on television, I have never actually laid eyes on one, until now. Among the many Volvos on display was the 1972 Volvo P1800 ES. These wagons were produced for only two years (1972-73). They exhibit sleek lines which are still quite stylish 40 years later. The P1800 ES reminds me of what a
Chevy Vega wagon could have looked like with a bit of imagination on the part of GM designers. By far, the highlight of Club Day for me was the 1961 Mercedes Benz 300d Adenauer. It acquired the Adenauer tag from the fact that German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer had six
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The Milwaukee Masterpiece - Cont’d.
of them at his beck and call during his tenure in office. A total of 3,077 were produced during the 1957 through 1962 production run in both saloon and cabriolet styles. The saloon (sedan) featured pop-out windows which, when removed, transform it into a phaeton and give it a hardtop look. The rarest are the 1962 models. In that year only 45 were produced. Back-in-the-day the car cost a whopping $18,850. Those 1961 dollars are equal to a mere $147,468.78 2014 bucks! Today, specimens go for $159,000 and up. A single hubcap has been known to sell for $532! A number of options were available to the 300d buyer, including a VHF mobile phone, a dictation machine and air conditioning. Chancellor Adenauer had his outfitted with a writing desk, side curtains, seclusionary partition and a sun roof. I do not know that the 300d on display at the Masterpiece had any direct connection with/to Konrad Adenauer? That being said, the car on display did sport a sun roof.
These cars epitomized the “form follows function” concept in that they were used as parade cars and permitted one to cruise the boulevards in very high style.
Masterpiece Photos Even with continuing our reporting on the Milwaukee Masterpiece in the October issue next month, I will not use all the pictures I took at the event. Consequently, I have decided to make all the photos available to our readers on Photobucket®. You will find them online here. ◄
Labor Day In an era when it seems that nothing is manufactured in the good ol’ U. S. of A. anymore, on this Labor Day it is only right that we give recognition to, and express our appreciation for, those Americans who make an honest living by getting their hands dirty during the course of their daily work. Your efforts instill pride in what is good in/about America!
– Ok, I’ve had my say for the month. Now it’s your turn! I invite/encourage submission of your comments, opinions and article contributions. I also ask that you please help spread the word about our publication. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to CCC® at OldsD88@gmail.com. –– Now that you have finished reading this month’s issue of the newsletter, if so inclined, like CCC® on facebook® by going here ______________________________________
-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM! COMING NEXT ISSUE: • The Masterpiece Concours Day