A GDYNETS® PUBLICATION © 2014, G. DAVID YAROS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Car Collector Chronicles ®
Volume VII, Issue XI1
Exploring:
Ca
• Car Collecting Today
High RPMs
• Classic Rides
SAVED 62. made it home
• Reports From the Field • Oldsmobile (1897-2004) • Cadillac (1902- )
on 10 Nov! She is now tucked away for the winter, anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring.
While out on one of my daily walks this bumper sticker recently caught my eye:
• Allanté (1987-1993)
• Corvair (1960-1969)
WATCH OUT FOR THE IDIOT BEHIND ME!
◄ = Clickable Link
IN THIS ISSUE: High RPMs
1
GDY Nets On the Web
1
SAVED 62 Saga
2
Whitewall Tyres
3
For those so inclined, there are a couple of very important collector car related events taking place in Milwaukee that you might want to mark on your 2015 calendar. Milwaukee shall be the host this summer for both the Cadillac-LaSalle Club and Oldsmobile Club of America national meets. The Cadillac folk will gather June 24—27. The following month the Olds people converge July 22 through 26. Both meets shall be held on the grounds of the Sheraton Milwaukee in Brookfield.
Food For Thought
CCC® Forum EMail:
◄
OldsD88@gmail.com ◄
4
5
More to come as these events draw near. In the meantime, block off your calendars and book a room at the host hotel. I hope to see, and shall be looking for, you and your rides at these meets! December Automotive Milestones 2nd-1927: First Model A sold 7th-1931: Last Model A made -1950: Buick builds its sixmillionth car 8th-1861: William Durant born, Boston, MA 9th-1963: Studebaker ceases production 13th-1939: First Lincoln Continental produced 15th-1861: Chas Duryea born, Canton, IL 17th-1791: NYC creates first one-way street 20th-1868: Harvey Firestone born, Columbia County, OH -1892: Pneumatic tire patented -1951: Sears, Roebuck &
Co. debuts Kaiser-built Allstate 22nd-1900: First "Mercedes" delivered to Emil Jellinek 29th-1800: Charles Goodyear born, New Haven, CT 30th-1936: UAW strikes at Fisher Body
- A very Merry Xmas to all!
GDYNets® on the Web Find GDYNets on the web:
‘Tis The Season
December 2014
s
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.
Car Collector Chronicles
Page 2
Saved 62 Saga
“The power feed on the third brake light began smoking heavily as the insulation melted while the brake pedal was depressed. Surprisingly, I did not panic or go berserk at this turn of events. I knew the shop would make things right … .”
48 days and $3,252.32 later, SAVED 62 is home! On Thursday, the 6th of November, the shop called and said my car was ready. I hightailed it down to pick her up. There she sat looking clean and pristine! However, on closer inspection I spotted a couple of things I did not like. There was a paint defect, in the form of two fish-eyes on the top of the rear fender by the tail light. Fish-eye results from the metal surface bearing a contaminant which does not allow the paint to flow/ adhere evenly. Also, the body area behind the rear bumper wrap around on left side looked gray or whitish. I explained the fish-eye simply was not acceptable. A statement that the paint defect would be corrected issued Immediately. As for the whitish area behind the bumper, it was explained that it was polish/compound that had not been thoroughly removed. I said it needed to be removed. I was assured it would be. SAVED 62 has a third brake light, which is mounted on the rear license plate frame. I purchased and installed the device myself, for added safety. When I took the car in I explained that it would be necessary to be careful with the license plate frame, as it was hard-wired to the brake light switch under the dash. In other words, merely taking the license plate frame off the back bumper would not result in it being removed from the car. I go through this explanation for a reason. My final question at the initial inspection was, “Does the third brake light work?” The answer I received was, “There is no reason why it shouldn’t.” An employee was directed to step on the brakes. Lo and behold not only did the third brake light not work, neither did the right tail light. A bit of scurrying around checking bulbs and fuses proved ineffectual. My third brake light wiring began to be examined. A connection was bared to check continuity. The now bared wire lay on the metal trunk pan. While so situated someone again stepped on the brake pedal. The power feed on the third brake light began smoking heavily as the insulation melted while the brake pedal was depressed! Surprisingly, I did not panic or go berserk at this turn of events. I knew the shop would make things right, eventually, no matter what it took. Instead, I said, do what you have to do to get everything corrected and give me a call when the car is ready. Another day of work righted things. The second “come and get it” call came the following Monday. On the drive home I did notice a lot of rattles. Maybe they were so noticeable because it had been a long time since I had been behind the wheel? Whatever reason, I definitely need to get underneath the car, inspect and tighten anything/everything I can. As I was pulling SAVED 62 into her stall in the car barn I stalled the engine. Sure enough, there was not enough juice left in the battery to restart the car. I had to have the Mrs. bring her car along side and jump start the car to get it into the lift bay. For now, SAVED 62 sits in the garage, with all four wheels on the ground. I need to put her on the lift and cover her for the winter. To do that, I have to wait until the snow clears! Yes, we have had our first snow here in SE Wisconsin, It is not a lot, but the streets are covered.
Page 3
Car Collector Chronicles
Whitewall Tyres Shortly after putting the November issue of CCC® to bed I was out on my daily walk and noticed a recent vintage Cadillac ATS sporting whitewall tires. On closer inspection it was revealed that the tires in question were from Vogue®. I have to admit the whitewalls looked pretty good on this car. The reason they did is that the car was solid black, but for a pin stripe running the length of the car. Also, the white wall itself could not have been over 3/4’s of an inch wide and was offset with the Vogue patented gold stripe. Since the CCC® November whitewall article was still fresh in my mind I decided to do a little internet research on Vogue Tyre (that is the spelling used by the company). My online research reveals that Vogue Tyre & Rubber Co. ◄ was the brain child of a Chicago chauffeur named Harry Hower. Harry must have been a smooth talker, as he was able to convince the Chicago Woodburys to finance his endeavor. In fact, Harry must have been a really, and I do mean really, smooth talker. The evidence of this is that in addition to tapping into the Woodbury family funds, he was able to convince Margaret Woodbury to accept his hand in marriage! In announcing his business creation in 1922, Harry stated that the tire he was manufacturing “would be a cord, hand-built and considerably over-size designed so as to occupy a place in the tire business reserved for custom-built motor cars.” It took five years for Harry’s tire business to take off. In 1927, one Warren Dodson was visiting Chicago from California. While in the “Windy City” he observed a set of Vogue tires cruising down Michigan Av. The sight was so impressive to him that he took the time and trouble to track down the manufacturer; Harry Hower. At the conclusion of this meeting Dodson left as the exclusive distributor of Vogue tires for 11 western states. More importantly, as a result of this westward expansion Vogue tires became associated with the cars owned by the Hollywood elite. One could not pay for this kind of publicity. Ever since that time, Vogue Tyre clientele have been folk of wealth and stature who want to parade their status, make a statement and present an unique appearance. The combination worked then, and it is still working 100 years after the first whitewall appeared on the motoring scene. Initially, Harry Hower’s whitewalls were made by his own company, the Falls Rubber Co. As business boomed, in 1935 he contracted with Kelly-Springfield to make his tires. Kelly-Springfield was acquired by Goodyear Tire and Rubber, who continued to be Hower’s supplier through 2012. When Goodyear closed its Tennessee plant, Vogue had to seek out a new manufacturer. Like all things these days, Vogue tires are not now American made. Today, the tires come from a Sailun Tire plant in Qingdao, China.
Hower bailed from the company in 1942, after enduring the economic hardship of the Great Depression and government takeover of all natural rubber for the war effort. The same gent who acquired the exclusive western state distribution rights in 1927, Warren Dodson, bought the company outright from Hower for a mere $50K. Warren Dodson stayed active with the company until his death in 2011. His family’s involvement with company continues on the board of directors. Today, in addition to tires the company sells wheels, aftermarket grilles and trim kits.
“Vogue tires became associated with the cars owned by the Hollywood elite.”
Car Collector Chronicles
’Tis The Season
Page 4;;
From all of us here at CCC® to all of you, the best this Christmas and do have a safe and Happy New Year!
Car Collector Chronicles
Page 5;;
Food For Thought
I do not know about you, but here in SE Wisconsin we have already experienced 10 straight days of below freezing temperatures. Of course, our inconvenience is nothing in comparison to what the poor folk of Western New York have been forced to endure. 8 foot of snow is difficult to comprehend, let alone to have to actually experience. I remember full well our winter of 2013-14. I know not what the winter of 2014-15 will bring, but am expecting the worse. If it does not materialize I win by being wrong! That is fine with me. At any rate, let me leave you this month with this thought:
– 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: • TBD