Classic American February 2018

STREAMLINED SURVIVOR

1950 Nash Airflyte

S SIN CITY MOTOR ★ ★ Steve Darnell

MEET

OUR CAR

OF THE

YEAR 1967 MUSTANG GT

SEMA SHOW 1977 CHEVY CAPRICE

RHYTHM RIOT

80s MUSCLE

1987 Chevy Monte Carlo

Ben Klemenzson

Viewpoint

William Clay Ford Sr. inspects the fitting of a convertible top to a 1953 Lincoln.

Image: The Ford Motor Company

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to the first Classic American of the new year, 2018. It’s a very special year for Classic American, as we’ll be celebrating our 30th anniversary in the summer. I can’t be more specific than that, as the first issue of Classic American wasn’t dated, so that it could stay on the shelves for more than one month as a ‘sampler’… the rest as they say is history! In this month’s issue you’ll find features on the car that won the Footman James Car of the Year award, as well as a couple of the other finalists, along with a show report from this year’s SEMA show and an interview with TV hot rod celebrity Steve Darnell of Sin City Motors TV show, which is popular on the Dave TV channel.

On a more serious note I was a bit disturbed to receive a press release about a new fully automated factory in Italy staffed by robots which produces number plates and which will produce six million number plates a year.

“There will hardly be any people in the new factory.

Instead you will encounter a tactical combination of machines, logistics and software…” gushed the press release… Sounds more like a dystopian nightmare vision of the future to me and it seems strange that the lack of human beings is almost portrayed as a positive thing. But

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised in light of the current obsession with driverless cars (and by extension, driverless lorries, buses and delivery vans). What seems odd though is there doesn’t really seem to be any larger discussion about what will happen to all the lorry/bus/delivery drivers… or the people that used to work/would have worked in the Italian number plate factory?

Interestingly though, with the rise of automation and robots, the value placed on ‘bespoke’ or handmade or artisan-crafted articles or services is growing. Have you tried getting someone to reupholster your car or fit a new convertible top lately? You’re lucky if you can find one and even if you do, the wait can be literally months!

I hope you enjoy our first offerings for 2018 and Classic American wishes a happy, profitable and peaceful new year to all readers, subscribers and advertisers!

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Contents February 2018

Regulars

Features

06 12 14 16 18 20 88 94 96 98 101 104 108 110

22 1967 Mustang Car of the Year 30 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo 37 1977 Chevy Caprice 46 1945 Chevy pick-up 51 1950 Nash Ambassador 77 Project Beauty Pala

News Letters Across the Pond Muscle Car Files Here to Obscurity Subscription Offer Events Discoveries Reviews Scale Autos A&M News Service Directory Drive Buy Private Classifieds

Events 59 Rhythm Riot 65 SEMA 71 Steve Darnell Sin City Motors

71 46 classic-american.com 5

Classic American

News 2018 JEEP WRANGLER Undoubtedly one of the biggest stars of the 2017 LA Auto Show was the newest Jeep Wrangler, which goes on sale as a 2018 model.

Offered in Sport, Sahara and Rubicon versions, the new Wrangler will be built in Toledo, Ohio, the ancestral home of the original Jeep and while looking familiar, features a number of concessions to lighter weight and better fuel economy.

These include the availability of a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 270bhp and 295ft-lb of torque, teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission; a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 with 285bhp and 260ft-lb of torque that features engine stop-start technology and is teamed with either a six-speed manual gearbox or the eight-speed automatic; plus in 2019, the option of a 3.0-litre EcoDiesel V6 rated at 260bhp and 442ft-lb. Like the four-banger, the EcoDiesel will come exclusively with the eight-speed automatic and also employs stop-start technology.

The new Wrangler also features lightweight, high-strength aluminium used for the doors, hinges, hood, wings and windscreen surround as well as a magnesium swing gate.

Icons and luxury were the big themes this time around, reports our man in America, Huw Evans…

Since it moved to a November/December timeslot in 2011, the Los Angeles Auto Show now serves as the kickstart to the North

American auto show season. LA can always bring a few big debuts and the latest show, which ran from December 1-10, certainly had a few tantalising vehicle unveilings. Here, Classic American brings you some of the highlights:

Wrangler, now with added diesel.

Also, contrary to some reports it DOES feature the traditional fold-down windscreen as well as a new SkyOne power-operated top, along with two available hard tops and a premium soft top.

The Wrangler’s 4x4 capability has also been further enhanced via a Command-Trac

4WD system with a two-speed transfer case with full-time four-wheel drive, and a Rock-Trac system available on the Rubicon that includes next-generation solid front and rear Dana axles, as well as greater suspension travel.

2019 LINCOLN NAUTILUS A new name on a somewhat familiar vehicle, the Nautilus is essentially a re-freshened version of the MKX crossover, with similar front grille treatment to the new Continental sedan.

Inside, the Nautilus features a dominant and free-flowing centre console, signature push-button transmission controls and optional Ultra Comfort seats with up to 22 individual adjustments. Other features include a hidden wireless charging pad for smartphones, as well as a digital instrument cluster, 13- and 19-speaker Revel sound systems, plus a central touch screen that houses a SYNC 3 voice-activated infotainment system with ApplePlay and

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Android Auto compatibility.

The Nautilus offers three distinct interior trim packages, labelled Chalet, Thoroughbred and Gala, all grouped under the Lincoln Black Label envelope and designed to convey a feeling of craftsmanship and exclusivity. Under the hood, the Nautilus features a strictly turbocharged engine line-up, either a 2.0-litre four-cylinder rated at an estimated 245bhp or a 2.7-litre V6 cranking out an estimated 335bhp and 380ft-lb of torque. Both engines feature direct injection, plus stopstart technology and are teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Joining the muchacclaimed Continental sedan, as well as new, revamped Navigator

SUV, the Nautilus represents a decent attempt to help push Ford’s luxury brand back into the limelight

and hopefully regain its position as a top-tier marque in the US as well as other key markets.

Squint and you’d swear that was an Audi Q7.

2019 CHEVROLET CORVETTE ZR-1 CONVERTIBLE General Motors had already announced that the hallowed ZR-1 coupe would return for 2019, but at the LA Auto Show GM pulled the wraps off a ZR-1 convertible! Marking the first time the hallowed ZR-1 moniker has been applied to a Corvette ragtop since 1970, this latest, ultra-high performance roadster features the same 755bhp supercharged 6.2-litre LT5 V8 as its coupe counterpart.

Reportedly weighing just 60lb (27kg) more than the ZR-1 coupe, the convertible will dash from 0-60mph in three seconds and reach a top speed of 208mph.

According to Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter, the chassis and suspension setup of both the ZR-1 coupe and convertible are identical, which made the idea of a topless ZR-1 a realistic proposition. With base price of $123,995 when it goes on sale in spring 2018, the ZR-1 convertible is somewhat expensive, but still a relative bargain when compared with its erstwhile European competition such as the Ferrari F12 and Lamborghini Aventador S, which cost twice to three times as much.

Topless ZR-1 makes its debut.

310bhp V6 powers the LaCrosse.

2018 BUICK LACROSSE AVENIR Reminiscent of the old Park Avenue Ultra offered back in the 1990s, the new Buick LaCrosse Avenir aims to crank up the luxury factor in the brand’s full-size sedan. The LaCrosse Avenir comes loaded with standard equipment, including a standard surround sound system, panoramic sunroof as well as an exclusive Chestnut themed interior colour and special first row embroidered headrest, plus Avenir scripted sill plates.

Power comes from a 310bhp 3.6-litre V6, driving

the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic transaxle. Options on this new high-zoot Buick sedan include a twin-clutch AWD system and a Dynamic Drive Package with continuous, real-time damping. Outwardly, aside from the Avenir scripting, the new top-level Buick sedan features a special chrome cross-hatch grille designed to add a subtle yet distinctive appearance that sets the Avenir apart from its more ‘pedestrian’ siblings.

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Classic American

News GOOD NEWS!

Continental Mark II beauty...

Sometimes it can be a bit depressing hearing about UKbased American cars that are leaving our shores and heading over to Europe (predominantly Germany and Sweden) or even back to America. The drop in the value of Sterling means the British American cars are a bit of a bargain for our European

cousins (up to 20% cheaper than two years ago in some cases) so it’s not uncommon to hear of them flying in with bags of money, jumping in said cars, putting them on the ferry and driving them home. How heartening then to discover that the traffic is not just one way.

One Classic American reader got

in touch with us to share the news of his recent acquisition, this beautiful Continental Mark II. We look forward to sharing this beauty with readers in an upcoming issue – and if you’ve recently imported something rare, beautiful and your dream car, why not get in touch? We’d love to see it!

TRIED & TESTED: HALFORDS BULBS It’s always interesting to get products landing on your desk that offer to enhance your driving safety or abilities.

The long, dark nights and windy, unlit and sometimes treacherous back roads of Lincolnshire are not a great mixture, so when these bulbs from Halfords arrived, offering 150% more light, we were keen to have a look.

According to Halfords they’re the brightest halogen bulb on

the market, and they made an undisputed improvement to visibility, being not only brighter but seeming to light up the road further (Halfords claim a beam pattern 80 metres longer than a standard model). Apparently this improved performance is achieved through 100% Xenon gas and micro filament technology and means drivers can see further, react faster and drive more

safely. The light is also ‘whiter’ than a standard bulb.

Obviously this bulb is only suitable for modern vehicles and probably only those sold in the European/UK markets, such as new Jeeps, Cadillacs or Fords. The Halfords 477 H7 +150% Brighter Headlight Bulb is available at all Halfords stores (they’ll even fit it for you for £8!) or online at www.

Halfords.com and is priced at £39.

TORQUEFLITE TOUGH GUYS Due to their ongoing commitment to classic American vehicles and diminishing spares availability for certain transmissions, Alders Automotive have just had these torque converter pump drives manufactured for the cast iron torqueflite transmission. It’s common for these to wear at the bore where the sealing ring runs and Alders say: “The American-built converters that we have come across weld a new sleeve on to the hub and this can cause the weld to come in contact with the seal and cut the front of the seal off, causing fluid to leak from the front of the transmission. Our new hub welds in on the original welds and is made from EN36 high strength steel and CNC machined for precision.”

The cast iron torqueflite (A488) transmission was used from 1956 until the early Sixties on a range of Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and DeSoto vehicles.

Having this new hub available will allow Alders to offer a superior product during transmission rebuilds so you can rest assured your pride and joy receives the best parts and care possible. Now that’s a commitment to keeping American classics on the road!

Alders Automotive, Units 4 & 5 Northfield Business Park, Lower Dicker, East Sussex, BN27 4BZ. Tel. (44) (0)1323 848448 or see: www.aldersautomotive.co.uk email: alders.automotive@googlemail.com

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Cast iron...

... means extra strength.

MOPAR ACTION IS BACK! Graham at American Auto Mags tells us that after a break of nearly 18 months, the American title, Mopar Action magazine, is back on his stock list again. Although the magazine has a new publisher, it has stayed with its focus on classic Mopars, drag racing and show news, plus a healthy dose of hands-on tech.

You can order the current issue for £6.75 including p&p or a subscription for this six-times-a-year magazine for just £36.50.

Order direct from the website at www.americanautomags.com or phone 01606 888324.

NEW YEAR, NEW RESOLUTION If one of your new year resolutions was to thin down your fleet of American cars, trucks or motorcycles or even dispose of some of those American spare parts that are cluttering up your garage, shed or loft, then Classic American can help! You see, we offer a free classifieds section in the back of the magazine where you can list all your American vehicles and parts for free. That’s right – absolutely free!

Not only that, we guarantee to get your vehicles and parts in the biggest American marketplace in the UK made up exclusively of American vehicle enthusiasts. Unlike certain online auction sites, there are no exorbitant fees, no dodgy foreign scammers and no buyers who win your items online and then just disappear.

It couldn’t be easier; just go to www.classicamerican.com, click on the ‘Services’ tab and select ‘Sell your Car’. Simply fill in the form, upload a digital image and your ad will appear in the next issue

absolutely free. You can also submit ads for Cars Wanted, Parts for sale, Parts wanted and Americana.

And don’t worry, if you’re not keen on the internet, we still have the good old-fashioned paper coupon option, which is on page 110 of this month’s issue. Simply fill it in, pop it in the post and we’ll run the ad for three months for you.

Renewing the ad couldn’t be easier either – just telephone 01507 529 529 or email us, and we’ll run the ad for another three months for you.

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Classic American

1953 Meteor Customline.

News

Chevrolet pick-up.

RIOTOUS CRUISING CR Zack Stiling reports on this year’s Rhythm Riot Cruise…

I

t’s always great to see a good turnout of classic American vehicles at any event, but some lend themselves more to attracting classic American metal than others and some even make a feature of it. Take for example Rhythm Riot – not only is this a fabulous long weekender of Forties and Fifties music, it also hosts a great variety of traders dealing in clothing, accessories and various other items.

And of course, there’s the cruise.

The promise of a Sunday afternoon cruise through the countryside from Camber to Rye is enough to guarantee a turnout of cool cars to go with the non-stop rock ’n’ roll at Rhythm Riot, and if you add clear skies and a cool autumn sun to the mix then that turnout might just break records.

Organiser Robin Weathersbee was inclined to think so, after he counted 123 cars at the end of the cruise and acknowledged that there were probably several that he’d missed.

As a first-time attendee of the event, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the scale of it, with cars not just parked at the Pontins venue, but seemingly dominating the whole of Camber, so that the 45 minutes I had to look around pre-cruise was inadequate to say the least. After the cruise had wound its way around Rye’s beautiful streets, the cruisers congregated in the station car park and there I thought I might be able to get a good, close-up look at everything, but the scale of it all still proved too much, and even at four o’clock, as the last cars were driving out, I was still seeing some outstanding cars for the first time!

Since Rhythm Riot is predominantly a Fifties music event, it was natural enough for the main component of the cruise to be mid-century Americana, though various British cruisers and later Yanks fitted in seamlessly. Just about all of them were brilliantly presented, but some of the most interesting were a ’37 Olds Sedan, a Canadian 1953 Meteor Customline and a pair of Hawks: one a Packard, one a Studebaker.

1958 Cadillac.

While the bulk of the vehicles were more or less stock, a brace of hot rods and customs delivered a splash of vibrant colours and individuality. The work that went into some of these had to be seen to be appreciated, but some exceptional examples of period customising included a ’41 Ford gasser and a ’48 Pontiac with fantastic fadeaway fenders, one of a few very traditional kustoms.

The bespoke ceramic trophies were awarded while it was still just about light, then the cars dissipated as the sun left the sky, with some going back for one more night of good rockin’ music, while the rest headed for an enjoyable drive home through the lanes of Sussex. ★

1967 Pontiac.

Goldrush gasser.

1957 Pontiac Star Chief.

AWARD WINNERS

Packard Hawk.

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Best American post-1965 – 1967 Pontiac Best American pre-1965 – 1953 Meteor Customline Best Truck – 1949 Chevrolet 3100 Best Hot Rod or Custom – 1950 Ford Best British – 1964 Ford Zodiac Mk. III Mayor’s Favourite – 1939 Rover 12

Classic American

Mail 1959 Cadillac.

MID-CENTURY MAGIC Dear Classic American, I am a non-owner of a Yank Tank – and with no chance of that changing, the closest I got to V8 heaven was a ‘new’ 1998 V6 Merc E320, which eventually became a rust bucket, but was a joy to drive with that wonderful burble. So I do envy owners of the models of the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies with their continuous aim to design ‘something different’. Contrast that with today where, as Huw Evans recently observed, most cars from all over the world – including the US – look so, so similar and boring.

Likewise the interiors in those models of past decades were all so bright and cheerful, reflecting the positivity of a vibrant and successful US society. And what colour worldwide seems to echo all the lookalike models? Black. Miserable.

Negative. Is this a reflection of the world in general?

Alan Elkan Downend Gloucestershire We can’t help but agree with you – there was something pretty amazing about the interiors and the styling in general of American cars of yore…

Phil’s Mack.

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

STAR

Letter

BRUCIE BONUS Dear Classic American, What better way to promote the UK premiere of The Legend of Bruce Lee TV series currently being broadcast on Sky TV than to use an early Seventies Mustang Mach 1? My chum Kevin, who runs the China Hour programming slot on Sky’s Showcase channel, which is broadcasting the series, was in search of an appropriate vehicle to help promote it. Bruce Lee’s US links during this era,

along with Bruce Lee’s iconic yellow and black jumpsuit later immortalised in Tarantino’s Kill Bill, make this Mach 1 a perfect match and ideal canvas for flagging up the programme.

I hope your readers agree it’s definitely a wrap!

Sanjay Shabi London That’s definitely a wrap!

Mustang Mach 1.

Low volume lovelies Dear Classic American, Following the passing of the Low Volume Motor Vehicles Manufacturing Act 2015 in America, I was wondering if information and details of cars already or proposed to be built, could be included in future editions of Classic American magazine. A modern ‘repro’ is not for the purist who can buy the best and/or has unlimited time to rebuild a classic to ‘as built’, however, but there comes an age in life when time spent under the car becomes time

1959 Chevrolet.

that could be better spent behind the steering wheel.

A replica ’59 Chevy would suit this 74-year-old ‘fins and chrome’ buff for sure!

Roger Faiers,

MOT CONUNDRUMS Dear Classic American, Further to the recent article and letters regarding the 40-year MoT exemption, may I throw this into the mix? Clearly there are pros and cons to this subject, but perhaps readers might be interested to know of the issues with MoTs on older HGV vehicles aand the odd system in place. I’ve a 1970 Mack truck. It is too M ‘‘new’ for the current 1960 exemption 1 ccut-off date.

However, if it had been built after, I think, 1983, then I would NOT have been able to MoT the truck as it could not have been through some form of ‘single type approval’. Yet it could still have been

registered, insured and used on the UK roads (as are many of the more ‘modern’ American HGV trucks).

So too ‘old’ for this exemption.

Bit caught in a twilight zone, and as such I have to take the Mack truck to a VOSA HGV testing station for the same test as a modern-day Scania or Volvo truck including the rolling brake test with a loaded trailer. Oh, and by the way, for all those ‘know-it-alls’ who kept on telling me to get it exempt as a ‘tractor’ or ‘showmans’ – the days of circumnavigating the rules have long gone...

I’ve spent a fortune in money and time getting the Mack to a position now where it will comfortably pass the test – and at around £220 a time too in fees.

Most of this was on the air braking system, which, incidentally, is a very clever and sophisticated system for stopping HGVs – even when ignoring any modern-day

Felixstowe Suffolk The details haven’t been finalised yet, but when they have, we’ll be sure to run something on it in the magazine.

electronic ABS systems which the Mack does not have. (Bit like its V8 diesel engine – the only ‘electric’ part of the engine is the starter, so it’s a joy to work on with no electronics whatsoever…)

However, on the plus side, I can say that by passing the VOSA HGV MoT test the Mack is kinda ‘street legal’ for haulage should you wish (but in today’s modern world you’d not want to use a nearly 50-yearold truck for daily use). I’ll probably continue to take the Mack for its annual VOSA HGV test as it seems the right thing to do for such a large vehicle and it still seems to impress those who are familiar with the rigours of said test.

Phil Bennett Manchester In many ways, Phil, the changes to the MoT rules have thrown up more problems and issues than many could have imagined…