Classic American April 2017

1955 PATRICIAN

PACKARD'S PERFECT PAST HOLMAN AND MOODY THE GT40 YEARS

BOSS

FORD'S BETTER IDEA

WIN THREE DVDs

1970 BOSS 302

ARIZONA CONCOURS

CHRYSLER'S MAGIC NUMBER 1966 300

Ben Klemenzson

Viewpoint

Image: Jonathan Fleetwood

Get what you pay for...

I was recently contacted by a producer/director working for a TV production company about being a presenter on a TV series about iconic American cars. It piqued my interest, as I can talk about American cars until the cows come home, but what really took me aback was when I asked about the fee, he replied: Nothing. Nada. Zilch….

“Maybe some expenses…”

What about a plug for the magazine? “Sure,” he said, “We can mention it…” Well, I thought, at least Classic American can get a bit of publicity out of it. After hanging up I felt a pang of regret, as if I had been ‘suckered’ into doing something without realising it. He had assured me I wouldn’t need to do any research, or write any scripts and that I would be sent transcripts before filming and it was on that basis I agreed to do it for free. “Who knows?”

I thought, “It might lead to other things…”

Of course the scripts turned up two days before filming and were astonishingly badly researched and written.

There was simply no way that I could repeat any of the inaccuracies, clichés and downright nonsense that was

in the documents; but equally there wasn’t enough time to do all the research required to put something decent together – and apart from which, there was no fee. You’ve probably seen bad TV shows and wondered exactly how they got made? Well, now you know! As a result neither I nor Classic American had our reputations ruined, but it’s a salutary lesson – the old adage “you get what you pay for” has never seemed more apt. In the meantime, we’ve been busy here at Class Am Towers putting together a real mix of cars and features for you to enjoy in this month’s magazine. Everything from pre-war American exotica at the Arizona Concours, to the fabulous Fifties Packard Patrician on page 24 and of course, our Car of the Year heat-winning 1970 Boss 302 Mustang on page e 32. Enjoy!

Ben Klemenzson, editor bklemenzson@mortons.cco.u uk

100 24 41

32

Contents April 2017

Regulars

Features

06 12 14 16 18 20 22 64 74 84 90

24 32 41 49

92 105 110

News Letters Across the Pond Muscle Car Files Here to Obscurity Subscription Offer CA Shop Scale Autos Discoveries Reviews Great Western Classic Events Services Directory Private Classifieds

1955 Packard 1970 Boss Mustang 1966 Chrysler The Holman & Moody Story Part 2 61 Tech 67 Vista Cruiser 79 Readers’ Rides Special Events 56 Arizona Concours 99 American Modified News 100 1951 Pontiac Delivery

67 56

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Classic American

News

CHECKERED FUTURE Yes, the Checker company, builders of the classic New York yellow taxi, will be back in 2018 in two versions – a brand new pickup and a revamped limousine.

Checker is taking advantage of the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturer’s Act of 2015 that exempts replica vehicle builders from expensive crash testing provided their vehicles are powered by current EPA-certified engines.

Such cars need to be a replica of a

previous model and produced in quantities fewer than 500 cars per year. Checker is perhaps pushing the rules with the Marathon-based Pickup but its six-door limo was a previous production vehicle.

The Checker Cab Manufacturing Co was founded in 1923 and initially exclusively built taxicabs.

Its rugged model A8/Marathon taxi was introduced in 1956 and first offered to the public late in 1959.

A station wagon version followed,

Classic American has only just heard of the sad passing of Stuart Broatch on October 15, 2016 after a very brave battle with cancer in his final years. Back in the Nineties, Stuart was the first club secretary of the Packard Automobile Club of Great Britain (PAC-GB) – the renamed Packards England – and it was Stuart who suggested this new name, in order to more accurately describe the Chapter of The Packard Club in Great Britain.

Stuart and John Bath organised the first of many all-Packard meets in England and no less than 18 Packards attended the first of these previously untried events at Brooklands Museum in Surrey back in 1996.

Stuart’s interests in road and railway transport were very broad, including cars and commercial vehicles and also both British and American trains in both model form as well as ‘full size’.

Stuart was a noted author of marque history books where the vehicles concerned especially interested him, including Vauxhall. He also wrote jointly, with noted British transport writers, on Bedford (like Vauxhall, a GM subsidiary in

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as did a six- or eight-door stretched version known as the Aerobus.

Checker’s basic body design changed very little between 1960 and 1982 when the last Checker rolled off the Kalamazoo, Michigan production line.

The Haverhill, Massachusettsbased Checker Motor Cars already restores Kalamazoo-built Checkers and says production of its new models will begin next year – it’ll also manufacture kits to update existing Checkers. The new Checkers have a full-steel frame, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel disc brakes, with all-wheel drive and right-hand-drive specifications as potential options. These new Checkers will be built from entirely new parts, but the updated chassis still allows original bodies to bolt straight on, and at least 40% of the newly designed parts should fit vintage Marathons as well. The new

the UK) and also Guy Commercial Vehicles.

Among the many cars and commercial vehicles he owned were the following: Packard 8 1949 (RHD) in two-tone colours and believed to have been a London Motor Show exhibit, plus two AMC Pacers (also RHD), Daimler, Vauxhall and very rarely seen in the UK, a Brockway breakdown truck. He also saved an early (1932) Leyland single-deck bus which had survived partly thanks to its conversion to a mobile library.

Born in Amersham, Bucks, Stuart was educated at The Beacon School. Applying his knowledge and enthusiasm to his working life, his career involved working in the motor industry as technical assistant to the chief engineer of Saab UK in Slough back in the 1970s, and then later for Chrysler/Talbot and Dacia Cars on the PR side of the business. He is survived by his wife, Pauline, a retired school teacher, and lived near Salisbury near Stonehenge. Friends who want to make a donation in his memory are invited to make a gift to Dementia UK – details below: www.dementiauk.org/

The iconic Checker will be back in 2018 with V8 models and maybe even right-hand drive…

cars will employ GM’s LS-series V8s with a diesel option available.

Steve Contarino, head of Checker Motor Cars, says the company plans to build between 300 and 500 of the 12-passenger Custom Touring limousine and a few less of the Sport Pickup. Prices are around $40,000 to $50,000. “Our challenge is taking a recognised shape and using offthe-shelf components to assemble a finished automobile,” said Contarino.

“The (Checker) DNA we are building on here will form a very strong future. We’re confident about how we’re going to do it, we’re familiar with the process, we know what parts we’ll need and what features will be built in.” With the success of other retro-styled cars like the Mustang and Challenger the new Checkers could be a big success, especially in the image-conscious limousine fleet market. We’ll take a pick-up in yellow please. MR

Stuart also wrote on Vauxhalls.

IT’S BACK!

Many readers will be familiar with the saga of getting married, having kids and having to shelve projects… and that’s precisely what happened with our very own Jonny Smith and his Project Beauty ’Pala! The good news is he’s now in a position to get the project going again, so we headed to the wilds of Lincolnshire to pick it up and take it to Arrow Cars, where new life is being breathed into the stalled project.

On the road again... Project Beauty ’Pala!

FOOTMAN JAMES SPONSORS CAR OF THE YEAR 2017 Classic car insurer Footman James has confirmed it will once again be sponsoring the Classic American Car of the Year series for 2017, the first heat of which kicks off with the Surrey Street Rodders Wheels Day event at Rushmoor Arena on Good Friday (April 14). Full details of the forthcoming season’s competition will be in the May issue of Classic American.

ULTIMATE CORVETTE TOOL BOX

We think we might have found the ultimate tool box for any Corvette owner in the form of this stunning Snap On limited edition Corvette 22-drawer, 72-inch KRL roll cab hydraulic top riser. The item is currently on eBay with a ‘buy it now’ price of £8995, or for more information please contact Steff at steffwoodhouse@outlook.com

Corvette fans apply here!

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Classicc Americcan

New ws .

Stanley Baker with the ‘Kew’ Dodge trucks

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Those nice folks at Blue Dolphin films have given us three DVDs of this classic British film to give away. To be in with a chance of having your name picked out

from the hat, simply pop your details on the form below and send it in, or enter online at the Classic American website: www. classic-american.com

A newly restored version of the British 1957 film classic Hell Drivers has just been released on DVD and Blu Ray and is available to buy now.

It’s a hard-boiled action thriller from Zulu director Cy Endfield, and features memorable performances from both Stanley Baker (Zulu) and Patrick McGoohan (The Prisoner) as rival drivers for a ruthless roadhaulage company.

An outstanding cast includes Herbert Lom (Spartacus), Peggy Cummins (Gun Crazy), William Hartnell (Doctor Who), Sid James (Carry On, Bless This House), Gordon Jackson (The Professionals) and Wilfrid Lawson (Pygmalion), with earlyy appearances pp from Sean Conneryy

Hell Drivers now on DVD & Blu Ray! (James Bond) and David McCallum (The Man from U.N.C.L.E, NCIS). And of course those fantastic Dodge 100 ‘Kew’ Trucks!

When ex-con Tom Yately (Baker) signs up as a driver for Hawlett’s, he uncovers shady dealings between the manager and the viciously ambitious head driver – the drivers are paid per trip, with a bonus system encouraging them to drive at reckless speeds and take dangerous risks.

The stakes are raised when a fatal accident claims the life of Tom’s only workplace ally, and he vows to take revenge. It’s a great piece of British classic cinema and makes for a great evening g in front of the TV!

Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms (please circle) First name Surname Address Postcode Email On occasion Mortons Media Group Ltd may decide to contact you by post/phone/email regarding information relating to current offers of products or services (including discounted subscription offers) which we believe may be of interest to our readers. If you do not wish to receive such offers please tick this box ❏ On occasion Mortons Media Group Ltd may permit third parties, that we deem to be reputable, to contact you by

post/phone/fax/email regarding information relating to current offers of products or services which we believe may be of interest to our readers. If you wish to receive such offers please tick this box ❏ Offer expires 20/04/2017. Terms and conditions apply. Please see www.classic-american.com for full terms and conditions. There are no cash alternatives available. The winners will be the first five entries drawn at random.

Expect to see performances from a young Sean Connery and even Sid James!

FORD RANGER AND BRONCO RETURNING TO NORTH AMERICA At this year’s North American International Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced that the Ranger and Bronco will be returning to the stateside marketplace. Although executive vice-president Joe Hinrichs didn’t have any concepts of the North American market Ranger or Bronco to accompany the announcement, just video footage of the current rest-of-the-world Ranger, he did confirm that the Ranger will debut as a 2019 model and the Bronco will follow a year later.

Both will be based on the

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Ranger and the Everest bodyon-frame 4x4 sold in overseas markets, meaning that for Bronco fans, the concept of a two-door utility will seem unlikely at this point. The new Bronco will be pitched as a direct competitor to the likes of specialised off-roaders like the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and Toyota 4Runner. Nothing has yet been mentioned about powertrains, but bet on a multi-speed automatic transmission and the availability of four-cylinder EcoBoost engines.

Both vehicles will be built at Ford’s

Wayne, Michigan assembly plant that currently produces North

Joe Hinrichs announces the news.

American market Focus and C-MAX Hybrid models. HE

DRIVE HOME II: A DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE CLASSIC CAR ROAD TRIP Would you drive your beloved classic on an extended road trip in the middle of winter? Well if you’re the LeMay America’s Car Museum, the answer is undoubtedly yes. In late 2015, a trio of classics – a 1957 Chevy Nomad, 1961 Chrysler 300G and a 1966 Ford Mustang – set out on a 3100-mile road trip from the museum’s home base in Tacoma, Washington, to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Along the way, they stopped in towns and cities across the US with local car enthusiasts invited to come out and meet the museum’s road crew and encouraged to bring their own cherished classics.

The event, known as The Drive Home, proved to be a huge hit, attracting people from all walks of life and reinforcing America’s continued love affair with the motorcar. Upon reaching their destination, the three classics were treated to a hero’s welcome at Cadillac Square in downtown Detroit, before being displayed at NAIAS.

The cars, which had been thoroughly winterised for their journey (including a clear vinyl wrap of their coachwork and modern winter tyres), were given a proper curatorial wash and returned to their museum condition ready for display at NAIAS. The initial Drive Home was such a success that a second event was run again in 2016/2017 beginning on December 27 in Boston, Mass., with stops in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Lancaster, Allentown and Harrisburg in Pennsylvania, along with Pittsburgh, Indianapolis plus Grand Rapids, Traverse City and Lansing in Michigan, before reaching Detroit and a homecoming reception on January 7.

Braving the snow and ice of the North American winter is not for the faint hearted, especially in 50-plus-year-old cars, but there’s no question that the ACM is on to something with this annual pilgrimage which could inspire other similar events in the coming years. To learn more, visit: americascarmuseum.org HE

Photo: courtesy of LeMay America’s Car Museum

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MUSTANG SAFETY News UPGRADE PLANS Classic American

Mustang scores two out of five stars in NCAP crash testing, but improvements are on their way…

The latest Ford Mustang, the first sold officially in Europe, has been given a Euro NCAP crash test rating of two stars out of five. The rating applies to V8 and four-cylinder variants of the 2015 and later coupe in left- and right-hand drive. The convertible model wasn’t tested.

Euro NCAP uses a five-star safety rating determined from a series of vehicle tests that represent, in a simplified way, real life accident scenarios. The number of stars are also influenced by what safety equipment the vehicle manufacturer is offering to European consumers. Although the Mustang is considered good or adequate in most areas of safety, points were knocked off for the lack of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and other driving assists.

Front seat occupants were considered protected but Mustang was penalised when the dummy’s heads contacted the steering wheel and dashboard through the deflated airbag, owing to what NCAP described as: ‘insufficient inflation of the airbag and inadequate restraint for larger statures by the front passenger seatbelt load-limiter.’

In the full-width rigid barrier test, driver protection was considered good, however the rear seatbelt (which lacks pre-tensioners and load-limiters) was rated poor overall. Readings also indicated weak head protection for rear passengers. In the side barrier test Mustang scored full points with good protection of all critical body areas. Even in the more severe side pole test, protection of the chest was adequate and that of other body regions was good.

Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated marginal protection against whiplash injury – the AEB system would have provided greater whiplash protection.

For the impact tests, children protection overall was initially rated good or adequate, but the head of the 10-year-old-child dummy made contact with the C-pillar through the deflated airbag, meaning all points were lost for this test.

The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow use of a rearward-facing restraint, however: ‘information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag did not meet Euro NCAP’s requirements and the system did not score any points.’

Ford responded: “Safety is the biggest priority in the design of our vehicles. The overall Euro NCAP rating has a very strong focus on family car safety characteristics and specific safety assist features, which are usually not part of the standard equipment of cars in the Mustang category. An important element of Euro NCAP child safety rating includes elements such as ease of ingress/ egress of the child seat – an area where two-door coupes traditionally have a disadvantage. Mustang delivered a good four-star result for the front occupants, a three star for the child occupant and a five-star result for pedestrian safety. Mustang delivered strong safety results in other regions including five stars in the US NHTSA NCAP tests, as well as a good US IIHS safety rating.”

Although at the time of writing Ford has not stated any intention to alter its airbag deflation rates, any Ford customers in Europe ordering a Mustang after May – for production from September 2017 – will receive an updated Mustang equipped with AEB, Pre Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Lane Keeping Aid, meaning those Mustangs should fare better in future NCAP tests. MR

NCAP testing is probably the most stringent in the world...

Mustang scored two out of five stars.

FORD F-150 GETTING DIESEL ENGINE With the introduction of Ram’s EcoDiesel in 1500 half-ton pick-up trucks for 2013, many pundits predicted it was only a matter of time before Ford’s bestselling F-150 also got an oilburning powerplant. Announced at this year’s North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, the diesel will make its debut in a facelifted 2018 F-150 and will be likely teamed with a 10-speed automatic transmission to maximise fuel economy. Again, Ford was light on specifics about the engine, except to say that it was

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developed and tested ‘in-house’.

Other features of the 2018 F-150 will include a new 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine as the base powerplant (replacing the old 3.5-litre unit). The 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 and the 5.0-litre V8 will continue with improvements, though power outputs have not yet been released. Expect also revised grilles and tail-lights, as well as new interior trim, and an updated adaptive cruise control function and premium Bang & Olufsen sound system among the many creature comforts. HE

Oil-burning Ram coming soon!

Classic American

Mail GOGGLEBOX

Dear Classic American, Just in case you don’t know, but you probably do... The original 1974 version of Gone in 60 Seconds is playing on movies4men TV channel. If you’ve missed it once it doesn’t matter as the film is shown fairly regularly. I’ve just watched it for 10 minutes – it’s brilliant! Lots of great scenes of LA and early-Seventies American cars!

Jeremy Bennewith Via email Thanks for the steer – now is certainly the time for curling up on the sofa with some good American automotive TV!

Email us at: email@classic-american.com or write to: Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ

STAR

Letter

AMERICAN INSURANCE WOES Dear Classic American, After reading several articles on travelling to the States and buying a vehicle, I thought I must have a go, so I’ve bought a vehicle on eBay in Albuquerque and hope to drive it across America before shipping it home. I seem to have hit a problem in finding an insurance company here, or over there, that will cover me for a two-week trip. Can any of your readers steer me in the right direction, as time is running out?

Colin Hoyle Bridgwater Somerset

option is to get a US driving licence (easier than it sounds – many states’ tests simply involve a multiple choice questionnaire if you have a UK licence) then getting a year or six months policy which you cancel for a refund

after a month (they won’t cancel for less than a month).

Another option is to get the vendor to put you on their insurance, but understandably few are willing to do so.

Readers may have some alternative suggestions.

The great American road trip awaits you...

Ah, the perennial car insurance while driving in America problem. This is an issue that comes up frequently. One

WHEN IS A CLASSIC NOT A CLASSIC?

Gone in 60 Seconds

– horror show!

FEEDBACK NEW ESSEX MEET

Dear Classic American, Thought I’d drop you a line about a little-known meeting that sprung up over a year ago in Essex. It welcomes rods, customs, modified, stock, pro street, anything interesting.

It’s held on the second-from-last Sunday of every month, between 10am and 11.30am even through winter, at Leigh golf driving range and cafe, Two Tree Island, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS92SN. We have full permission to use their car park for the Sunday meeting. There is an active Facebook page with more information on, just search for Two Tree Island Classic Car Breakfast Meeting. Any questions call Karl 07851 071234.

Karl Via Facebook

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Dear Classic American, I am wondering if you or your readers can help me with a dilemma. I have been an owner of American cars ever since I could drive and when I was younger, I started out with older cars, as that was all that I could afford! However, as I have got older, I have been in a position to buy newer, current model cars.

And herein lies the problem…

It is easy to insure a 25-yearold car as an agreed value classic – however, I have struggled to find anybody who offers insurance for the newer cars on the same basis. Try as I might, a modern classic will not be considered by the majority of advertisers in this magazine.

They will insure it at market value and as an ‘ordinary’ car on a comprehensive basis. But anybody who has bought one of the new crop of vehicles knows that it is a classic. It isn’t every day that you see an F150, a Mustang or Camaro on the road but the insurers won’t consider it on a classic car policy, even as a modern classic. Surely I can’t be the only person who has experienced this? If there are

any insurers who would insure a 2010 Ford Police Interceptor as a classic car on an agreed value policy, please let me know! I would also love to read about other people who may have found solutions, as I have spent hours on the phone to all of the major insurers and some not so major. I would have thought that I was a good risk to insure, considering it is only used for weekend transport but for insurance purposes, the car appears to be classed the same as my everyday transport due to its age. Any positive suggestions would be appreciated. pp

Police Crown Vic – not a classic?

Philip Nolan Sutton Coldfield West Midlands Unfortunately, Philip, most insurers are fairly rigid in their definition of ‘classic’, with no room for concepts such as ‘modern classics’ or the like and as such it’s a definition strictly defined by age and nothing else. You should be able to include factors such as mileage, usage and where you keep the vehicle within a normal policy however. In the meantime, let’s hear what the readers have to say… y