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AMERICA’S DEFINITIVE COLLECTOR-CAR MAGAZINE

JUNE 2022

RESTORATION

SPRING DRIVE

1929 MODEL A STANDARD COUPE

1957 BUICK SPECIAL MODEL 48

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CONTENTS HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR

•

JUNE 2022

• VOLUME 18, ISSUE 9

48 PERSPECTIVE 6

Terry McGean

10

Lost & Found

14

Recaps Letters

16

Matthew Litwin

18

Pat Foster

20

Bob Palma

72

Jim Richardson

42

FEATURES 8

News Reports

22

1957 International Golden Jubilee

34

28

1968 Imperial Crown

MARKETPLACE

34

driveReport: 1957 Buick Special Model 48

42

1987 VW Scirocco 16V

60

Automotive Design: America’s Independent Sports Cars of the 1950s

spotlight nifty ‘50s 2

48

Buyer’s Guide: 1956-’58 Studebaker Golden Hawk

68

Auction News & Highlights

70

HemmingsAuctions.com

TECH 12

Products & Parts

54

Restoration Profile: 1929 Ford Model A

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

60

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PUBLISHER Jonathan Shaw, President EDITORIAL Terry McGean, Editor-in-Chief Mike McNessor, Editor, Hemmings Motor News Mike Austin, Director of Digital Content, Hemmings Daily Kurt Ernst, Managing Editor Matthew Litwin, Senior Editor Mark J. McCourt, Senior Editor David Conwill, Associate Editor Jeff Koch, West Coast Associate Editor Daniel Strohl, Web Editor Roberta Conroy, Graphic Designer Joshua Skibbee, Graphic Designer Tom Comerro, Editorial Assistant Editorial Contributors: Patrick Foster, Bob Palma, Jim Richardson, Bill Rothermel VIDEO PRODUCTION Mike Musto, New Media Director ADVERTISING Jaclyn Sunseri, VP, Media Revenue Sales Multimedia Sales: Melanie Barsness, Tammy Bredbenner, Rowland George, Heather Naslund, Tim Redden, Nathan Sutton Robin Burdge, Ad Trafficker HEMMINGS DIGITAL Nate Wardwell, Director of Digital Product Mark Nordyke, Director of Engineering Robert Hayman, Web Developer Jeremy Meerwarth, Web Developer David Richied, Web Developer Clara Poston, UX Designer Wayne Archer, Quality Assurance MARKETING Dan Stoner, Creative Director OPERATIONS Jennifer Sandquist, Director of Operations Classified Sales: Leslie Benjamin, Lauren Bredbenner, Mary Brott, Erica Harmon, Missy Telford Graphic Services: Samantha Corey, Graphic Services Director Christopher Brown, Carrie Houlihan, Todd Koch, Stephanie Rawling, Mathew Sargent Information Services: Gregory Hunter, IS Director Facilities: Joe Masia, Facilities Manager Brad Babson, Paul Bissonette, Matt Williams CIRCULATION Scott Smith, Circulation Director David Argentieri, Claudia Birkland, DeLena Boutin, Glory Daignault, Alaina Krawczyk, Eddi Lynn Loveland, Darcy Lyle, Merri Mattison, Nathanial Stanley HEMMINGS AUCTIONS Terry Shea, Director of Auction Operations Catherine Gee Graney, Managing Editor Auctions Specialists: Allen Boulet, Karissa Crandall, Nicole Deuel, Chris Drayton, Raina Kosich, Chad Thompson ADMINISTRATION Brandy Smith, Administrative Assistant HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR ISSN# 1550-8730 • www.hemmings.com Published monthly by Hemmings • 222 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201 TO SUBSCRIBE: Online: www.hemmings.com/subscribe Mail: 222 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201 Mail: PO Box 2000, Bennington, VT 05201 E-mail: hmnsubs@hemmings.com Subscription rates in the US and Possessions; 12 issues for $18.95. Canada $30.95; (CDN price includes surface mail and GST tax). All other countries $32.95 in US funds.

Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 76, Bennington, VT 05201, or call 800-227-4373.

TO ADVERTISE: Online: www.hmn.com/sell E-mail: adsales@hemmings.com Periodicals Postage Paid at Bennington, Vermont and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Hemmings Classic Car, PO Box 196, Bennington, VT 05201 Hemmings Classic Car is a publication of American City Business Journals, Inc., 120 West Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28202 Ray Shaw, Chairman (1989-2009) Whitney Shaw, CEO

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Windsor Locks, CT

Chippewa Falls, WI Fargo, ND

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OVERNIGHT

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Wellsville, NY

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Montgomery, NY

Medina, OH South Bend, IN

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OVERNIGHT: Court Street, downtown Binghamton, NY – 5 p.m.

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OVERNIGHT: Perry Square Park, downtown Erie, PA – 5 p.m.

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LUNCH: Uptown Park, downtown Medina, OH – noon OVERNIGHT: Louisiana Avenue, downtown Perrysburg, OH – 5 p.m.

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LUNCH: Studebaker National Museum, South Bend, IN – noon OVERNIGHT: Lockport Street, downtown Plainfield, IL – 5 p.m.

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LUNCH: Angell Park Speedway, Sun Prairie, WI – 11:45 a.m.

OVERNIGHT: Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI – 2:30 p.m.

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LUNCH: North Bridge Street, downtown Chippewa Falls, WI – noon OVERNIGHT: Bayfront Festival Park, Duluth, MN – 5 p.m.

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terrymcgean The Dawn of Modern Motoring

W

… the 1950s

was the

decade that

gave us the

‘modern’

passenger

car.

6

hile pondering topics as we prepared this year’s “Nifty Fifties” themed issue, I had the opportunity to take a closer look at the progression of models that emerged during those years. This is an era I had not experienced firsthand, so viewing the period from start to finish, rather than just considering various models individually, made it very clear that grouping all cars of the ’50s together under the usual umbrella of wild tailfins and jet-age styling wasn’t an entirely accurate view of the decade.

When the 1950s kicked off and the postwar boom was just beginning to build steam, styling was still more of the bulbous, rounded trends that carried over from the ’40s, and technologies like OHV V-8 engines and automatic transmissions were just coming to market in high-end machines like Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles. For mid-market offerings, things were still a bit more sedate.

I had a chance to experience this some years ago, when I spontaneously purchased a 1951 Chevy Fleetline Deluxe with a friend and coworker while covering a big car show for the magazine we then served. The two-door Fleetline looked like something that might have turned up on a used car lot in the late ’50s — a little dulled, dinged, and worn, but mostly intact and functional. We were so moved by finding a Fleetline in true “driver” condition, with a very reasonable price tag, that we sprang for it on the spot.

For the next few days, our rental car sat in the hotel parking lot while we drove the Chevy.

Doing so provided a different experience than the typical old-car purchase normally would. I’d go out to the parking lot in the brisk morning air, pull out the choke, and hit the ignition. The Stovebolt’s starter would whir with that lazy 6-volt sound that always left me wondering if the six would light up before we were out of juice.

Of course, it always did — that’s just the way these cars were. I’d start the process of gradually pushing the choke back in, while manipulating the column shifter into gear and easing out the clutch. Between the manual steering, brakes, transmission, and that choke, there was a lot more to tend to than in any contemporary car of the early 2000s, but it was novel and kind of fun.

Driving through the Midwestern town we were in seemed wholly appropriate. This had been the native environment of cars like the Chevy years before, and in that setting, the Fleetline just felt right. But as soon as we left Main Street USA, the warm fuzzy feeling began to dissipate.

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

The first wake-up call came when we tried to tail another coworker back to the fairgrounds to return to the show. She was driving her rental car — a Dodge Intrepid or something equally unremarkable from that time — and we could barely keep up with her. She wasn’t doing anything unusual, just motoring through city streets and up onto the interstate. But even in a very average contemporary car, she’d just leave us. The Dodge’s V-6 had about 250 hp, and paired with its overdrive automatic, power steering, power disc brakes, lower-profile radial tires, and fully independent suspension, it could jump away from stoplights, snake through traffic and around corners, and then run up the onramp to 75 mph with zero drama.

Our ’51, by comparison, was like driving an old farm truck. It did nothing quickly, was not particularly nimble, and it seemed to be telling me that 75 mph was out of the question around the time we hit 55. I didn’t have the heart to push such a nice old car too hard — it felt like the Stovebolt was about to demonstrate why one of its nicknames was “Babbitt Beater.”

The real point is that the ’50s was the decade when car mannerisms evolved quite a bit.

A ’59 Chevy with even the lowest-output 283 V-8, a Powerglide, and power steering and brakes, would have provided a very different experience than our ’51 offered. In the ’59, you could cruise around with one arm out the window, one foot resting on the toeboard, and the other hand twirling the steering wheel with minimal effort.

Merging onto a highway wouldn’t require much more than pressing harder on the accelerator, nor would maintaining speeds north of 60 mph — the age of the superslab had arrived. And if you found yourself in a higher-line model, say an Oldsmobile, Mercury, or the ’57 Buick we drove for this issue, the experience would be even more relaxed.

In a sense, you could say the 1950s was the decade that gave us the “modern” passenger car.

While styling has certainly evolved dramatically since that time, and today’s automotive technology would have seemed like science fiction then, the path from 1959 to today has involved more evolution than revolution. And yet, in spite of all that, I still wouldn’t mind having that ’51 back again, just as it was.

Write to our editor-in-chief at tmcgean@hemmings.com and follow him on Instagram @tmcgean.

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NEWSREPORTS Klingberg’s 30th Vintage Motorcar Show

BY TOM COMERRO

JUNE

3-5 • Carlisle Ford Nationals Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 717-243-7855 • carlisleevents.com

THE KLINGBERG FAMILY CENTERS HAS

announced its “Pearl Anniversary” will take place June 18-19, with an eye to the past and a tribute to Connecticut vehicles. Taking place in New Britain, Connecticut, the celebration will honor the past 30 years, with popular family activities such as the “Fatherhood Drive,” historic displays, and its annual Pre-War Concours d’Elegance.

In addition, look for a special gathering of Connecticut-made cars and motorcycles. Though many of the cars originating from the Constitution State have been highlighted one make at a time throughout the event’s history, this year all Connecticutbased cars will be featured in this special class. Among the brands to hail from Connecticut are Corbin, Pope-Hartford, Locomobile, Frisbie, Armstrong, Trumbull, and more.

Wayne Carini will be the show’s grand marshal and proceeds will go to the Klingberg Family Centers’ programs that help families deal with trauma. Money raised also supports its Auto Restoration program, which teaches high school students from the Raymond Hill School about car restoration and repair. Visit klingbergmotorcarseries.org for more information.

Buicks and Cadillacs Coming to Illinois THE BUICK CLUB OF AMERICA AND THE

Cadillac LaSalle Club will host national meets near Chicago, Illinois, this June. The Buick National Meet takes place June 22-25 in and around Lisle, with a judged car show, car corral, indoor and outdoor swap meet, and several tours of the area. This is a great chance to celebrate all things about the Tri-Shield while taking your Buick on scenic tours and to points of interest including the Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium. The Buick Caravan Parade will work its way through downtown Lisle on Thursday, with the Buick car show and awards banquet wrapping up the event on Saturday. Visit buickclub.org for more details.

Taking place just a 15-minute drive to the northeast, the Cadillac LaSalle Club’s Grand National Event welcomes all Cadillac-built cars for a five-day gathering, June 21-25, centered around Lombard. The festivities open with a tour down Old Route 66 to Pontiac, Illinois. From there, attendees can enjoy daily swap meets, car corrals, tech seminars, and more, culminating with the Cadillac car show. Tours of the area include trips to the Frank Lloyd Wright home and studio, Chicago gangster bus tour, and Millennium Park, plus local car collections including the Klairmont Kollection and Chicago Vintage Motor Carriage. Visit cadillaclasalleclub.org for the full itinerary.

8

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

5 • Sumter Swap Meet Bushnell, Florida • 727-848-7171 • floridaswapmeets.com 5 • The Experience Full Classic Car Show Hickory Corners, Michigan • 269-671-5089 • gilmorecarmuseum.org 15-19 • National DeSoto Club Convention Altoona, Pennsylvania • 724-433-2645 • desoto.org 16-18 • AACA Eastern Spring Nationals Beckley, West Virginia • 717-534-1910 • aaca.org 12-17 • Model A Ford Club of America National Convention Kerrville, Texas • 830-660-8094 • mafca.com 18 • Oldsmobile Homecoming Lansing, Michigan • 517-256-2336 • oldsmobileclub.org 19-24 • Model T Ford Club of America National Tour: Wonderful Wisconsin Fon du Loc, Wisconsin • 765-373-3106 • mtfca.com 24-25 • Carlisle GM Nationals Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 717-243-7855 • carlisleevents.com 27-7/2 • Professional Car Society International Meet Sturbridge, Massachusetts • 860-928-6226 theprofessionalcarsociety.org Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend you verify the status before making plans to attend.

AACA Museum, Inc. Announcement THE AACA MUSEUM, INC. HAS UNVEILED ITS NEWLY RECONFIGURED

main gallery to improve the experience for visitors and exhibitors. The changes were done to accommodate the museum’s growth and resurgence of guests.

“We are proud to present a new look that is engaging and visitor-centric,” said Stan Sipko, museum curator. The Main Gallery reflects a fresh new look, debuting its first major alteration since 2007.

In recent years, guest admissions and Museum memberships have skyrocketed. Sipko continued, “To accommodate our unprecedented growth, we studied traffic flow, exhibit interactivity, and the overall visitor experience. We believe the changes enhance the museum’s world-class appeal.”

The 70,000-square-foot facility, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, will have a better flow pattern and more space for visitors as they peruse the many exhibits. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; for more information, visit aacamuseum.org.

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LOST&FOUND

BY DANIEL STROHL

RE: Cord Comet

WHEN LAST WE DISCUSSED THE STANLEY KRAMER-BUILT CORD COMET (SEE HCC LOST & FOUND, MARCH 2022), WE HADN’T THE FOGGIEST WHAT

had happened to it after Kramer sold it in the early Fifties. Since then, we’ve learned that it does still exist, and we’ve had the opportunity to speak with a few of its more recent owners.

California-based lawyer David Paynter, while taking a year-long sabbatical in northern Vermont, bought the Comet in 1978 from a dealer in far Upstate New York and took a few years to fix it up, taking it with him out to the West Coast. During the 1980s and 1990s, it passed through at least a couple owners in the Pacific Northwest, deteriorating along the way, before Washington-based Cord aficionado Ralph McCarty bought it. McCarty, however, was “up to my armpits in Cords,” and never made the time to re-restore it, so he ended up selling it to Ken Keivit Sr. in New Jersey.

Keivit spent some time researching the car with Cord historians and the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club, then sent it to a restoration shop about a decade ago. Unfortunately, fire struck the shop, and Keivit died at about the same time, leaving his son, Ken Keivit Jr., with the burned remains of the Comet. Keivit Jr. currently has no plans to re-re-restore it.

Weird Willys IN THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY AFTER WORLD WAR II, A HANDFUL OF

coachbuilders across Europe decided to take advantage of the supply of wartime Jeeps abandoned there or sold to their countries as part of the postwar rebuilding efforts.

While many of the coachbuilders specialized in converting the Jeeps into firefighting rigs, pickups, and even buses, others took a cue from Wally Cohn and the many GIs stationed in Europe who customized their Jeeps into more refined sedans and station wagons. “Canadienne” seemed to be a popular designation for these Jeep-based passenger vehicles.

We recently cataloged several of those conversions

by Duriez, Carrosserie Arnault, Metamet, John Burleigh Automobiles, Willenhall, and others, prompting reader Mark Allen to send in some pictures of his own mystery Jeep.

“It made its way back to the States decades ago,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, a ‘bubba’ got it, messed it up some, then abandoned it. I got it and am putting it right again.

Mine has twin windshields, suicide doors, and all steel frame construction. And it’s on a slat-grille MB.” The wraparound enclosures on the front fenders were commonly seen on those GI-modified Jeeps (particularly the ones assigned to top brass during the war), but hardtops — especially permanent hardtops like this one, integrated into the MB’s cowl — were more characteristic of those postwar coachbuilders. The question, then, is which shop did the work on this MB and are there others like it still out there?

10

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

Recently discovered a unique or noteworthy classic car? Let us know. Photographs, commentary, questions, and answers should be submitted to Lost & Found, c/o Hemmings Classic Car, P.O. Box 196, Bennington, Vermont 05201, or emailed to dstrohl@hemmings.com.

For more Lost & Found, visit blog.hemmings.com/index.php/category/ lost-and-found.

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MG MGA Roadster TRIPLE 9 • 877-343-2276 • DIECASM.COM • $119.99

It’s shocking that the MGA was initially snubbed by MG purists because its modern appearance owed nothing to the famous “square-rigger” T-series Midgets that defined the British marque for decades. Meanwhile, seemingly everyone else loved this new sports car, and it would ultimately be the first MG to sell more than 100,000 copies.

Triple 9 has now modeled the open two-seater in 1:18 scale, creating two limitededition (1,002 each) variants. Shown here is the left-hand-drive 1961 1600 Mk II (p/n PXMGA61W); it sports that variant’s distinctive recessed grille and horizontal taillamps. Our sample featured glossy white paint, crisp graphics, and doors opening into a burgundy interior. The right-hand-drive 1957 1500 (p/n PXMGA57R), rendered in red over burgundy, wears delicate wire wheels. MG fans will enjoy these fine collectibles.

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New gauge designs are now available for 1954-’55 Chevrolet and GMC trucks.

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Tooling Around MILWAUKEE TOOL • 800-729-3878 • MILWAUKEETOOL.COM • $139

The Packout product line now features a rolling toolbox to haul your gear with ease. The 9-inch diameter wheels are built to handle rough terrain and bumps, and the boxes measure 22 inches long by 18.6 inches wide by 25.6 inches tall, providing ample space to fit a variety of items. The extension handles are industrial grade, and each box is capable of hauling up to 250 pounds of tools and parts. These are compatible with other Packout toolboxes, as they feature the necessary mounting points. The internal weather seal defends against rain and jobsite debris. Inquire about p/n 48-22-8426.

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Prices shown are presumed accurate at the time of printing. Please confirm with seller prior to purchase.

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On a recent trip to Tucson, we spoke with fourth generation turquoise traders who explained that less than five percent of turquoise mined worldwide can be set into jewelry and only about twenty mines in the Southwest supply gem-quality turquoise. Once a thriving industry, many Southwest mines have run dry and are now closed.

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RECAPSLETTERS

EMAIL YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS TO: tmcgean@hemmings.com

Olds 98 was a very quiet and comfortable road car. I also owned a ’78 Toronado.

I cannot get excited about any new cars. I was hoping Cadillac would bring out a new gasoline-fired luxury car, but they are hell-bent on electric, and electric is not for everyone. It may just backfire on manufacturers. So, the answer to your question is probably, “No.” I don’t think that the classic American luxury motoring experience can still be attained in a newer car.

I love your Classic Car magazine — keep up the good work!

Dennis Bohan Arvada, Colorado

I ENJOYED PAT FOSTER’S COLUMN and his take on Bob Hovorke’s Packard Balboa rendering in the March issue, HCC #210. Like him, I believe StudebakerPackard, and other independents, could have stayed in business longer had they made better business decisions. Take Packard as an example: When there was no money to develop a new 1957 line, it chose to rebadge the Studebaker President sedan as a Clipper. Sales were dismal and the poorly disguised “Packardbakers” fooled no one.

The enclosed photos are of a prototype Packard that I built using the same vehicle as a starting point but featuring the traditional ox-yoke grille, cathedral taillamps, and other Packard styling cues. I believe this design would have been much more successful than the 1957 Clipper was. Bob Hovorka’s Balboa concept might have worked if it had been introduced six years earlier.

John Bridges Nashville, Tennessee

I READ ALL MY HEMMINGS publications from stem to stern every month. I was born and raised 19 miles upstream of Jim Richardson and I get

14

IN REFERENCE TO TERRY MCGEAN’S column, “A Ride Gone By,” in my opinion we have not had a true luxury car since 1956, the last time Packard had a true Packard-built auto. The 1957 and ’58 models were, at best, hybrids that were good but lacked the standards that Packard had for all of its existence until then. Back in the day, if you wanted the very best, you chose Packard, or before that, possibly a Pierce-Arrow. A Cadillac was popular with those who were up and coming. The Packard was for those who’d arrived; there was a difference. a nice, warm feeling when I read his I’m not in any way trying to diminish columns and remember my younger days.

Cadillac’s place in the auto industry. It I do have to give kudos to all the great has, over the years, had some tremendous people who work for Hemmings.

It so happens that the Cadillac Buyer’s cars, but the brand did not, in my opinion, ever ooze luxury and plushness that was Guide article (HCC #210, March 2022) in other cars available at the time. arrived just in time, as the wife and I are Since the demise of Packard, we have looking to buy a full-size 1975 or older seen some cars that tried to fill the hole.

Caddy, Olds, or Mercury land cruiser.

Lincoln came close in the 1990s. A few We had a ’57 Cadillac and the wife liked other specialty autos tried but none ever driving that big cruiser. My uncle owns got the gold ring. We just don’t have a a ’57 or ’58 Cadillac with the brushed luxury car anymore. If you don’t believe stainless-steel roof; that car is beautiful.

Hemmings: Wonderful cars and great it, just look at what the president uses today: a modified truck. What happened info, great stories and writers! to the limousines that were used since the John Sanchez early 1900s?

Hanford, California Over the decades, I saw many of the cars that are shown today as antiques, I JUST READ TERRY MCGEAN’S back when they were showroom fresh. As column in the March issue about the a kid, I saw the effects of World War II on old Cadillacs (“A Ride Gone By,” HCC our cars: the blackout cars, gas ration#210). I grew up in the Fifties, and back ing, and then after the war, the new cars then, every fall, dealers would cover that were just revamped 1942 models. the showroom windows with paper. On Friday night, people would line up outside The splash that Studebaker made with its ’47— being all-new in terms of its body, as dealerships. Finally, the paper would be removed and the new car showing would was the Kaiser and Frazer — as the rest of the industry made do with warmed-over begin. I for sure remember the first showcars until 1949. The great year of 1955, ing of the 1955 Chevrolet. I’ve owned Cadillacs, Pontiacs, and Oldsmobiles. The which, in my opinion, was the ultimate

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

model year. All cars were new and modern. Most manufacturers had V-8 engines to chose from, most had switched to 12-volt systems, and we still had a luxury car for those who wanted one: Packard. Yes, Cadillac did make limos, but the best came from Packard. They cost more, but they represented the best that money could buy.

I do look forward to HCC each month, having been a subscriber since the Special Interest Autos days. Keep up the good work!

Jack Foster Middletown, New York

I JUST RECEIVED AND READ THE March issue, and the picture in the upper right corner of Recaps on page 15 (about National Defense restrictions) got my attention. My uncle, who lived with us, ordered a new Hudson in the summer of 1945. When the dealer called to say the car was in, he said my uncle had two choices: Take the car with thick oak bumpers that he would install, or wait until the bumper line caught up with the

rest of the production line and then they would install them. My uncle took the first choice, and he drove the Hudson for over seven weeks with heavy, thick bumpers (better by far were the nice chrome units he got later).

The same summer, my oldest brother was discharged from the Navy. At Great Lakes, Illinois, he took a bus to Chicago, bought a well-used Ford Model A, and drove home to the family farm in northeastern Ohio. He was home for about a week before he went to Sanzenbacher Chrysler-Plymouth and ordered a new, two-door Plymouth sedan in blue. In a few weeks the dealer called and said the car was in, and he had two choices.

The assembly line for new Plymouths was making only one model until supply caught up with demand and that model was the black four-door sedan, which he had in stock, or my brother could wait an undetermined period for a blue two-door.

My brother took the four-door.

Since I was just about 16 years old, I bought the Model A from him for $150 (I made payments for a year). After I

graduated high school, I got a good job on a survey crew and traveled by truck in Ohio and Indiana, so I sold the Model A to two brothers for $100. About 10 days later they ran it into an oak tree but fortunately didn’t get hurt.

Thanks for stirring up fond memories.

Lloyd Revis Warren, Ohio

To have your letter considered for Recaps, you must include your full name and the town/city and state you live in. Thank you.

Hemmings.com I JUNE 2022 HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR

15

matthewlitwin Enthusiastic Ownership

A The common

theme here

was the

excitement of

sharing stories

with fellow

enthusiasts…

16

s I write this, Associate Editor David Conwill and I have just returned from The Amelia, the famed and recently renamed north Florida concours d’elegance that boasts 26 prior years of showcasing historic passenger cars and racing machines from multiple eras. Although the 235-plus vehicle count is not unique to this event, the combined Concours d’Elegance and Concours d’Sport, spread across the 10th and 18th fairways of The Gold Club of Amelia Island, certainly make The Amelia one of the more compelling automotive events to be held each year.

That was never truer than this year, as the 27th-annual concours neared its March 4-6 dates.

Waning pandemic conditions meant the atmosphere building before the gathering was charged with excitement and anticipation, the extent of which was visible early Friday morning.

A sizable crowd gathered to observe the concours entrants’ cars assembled for the Eight Flags Amelia Island Road Tour, the traditional start of the weekend’s festivities. Attendees witnessed a pair of three-wheeled Davis automobiles, a 1931 Cadillac phaeton, a 1967 Iso Grifo, and a 1937 Peugeot Darl’mat, among many others, almost all of which have long been considered rare specimens.

Partaking in the scenic, police-escorted driving tour were Scott and Susy Spiro — who only recently became involved with the old car hobby — with their equally rare 1929 Hudson Super Six dual-cowl phaeton. According to records, only 17 were built, of which just seven are known to remain. Such low survivor numbers didn’t seem to quell Scott and Suzy’s enthusiasm for the drive ahead, even with a last-minute passenger in tow.

Having expressed an interest in covering the Tour from a participant’s view during the driver’s meeting, David was thrilled when the New Jersey couple offered him the opportunity to ride along from the cozy confines of their rear seat.

Along the way, the couple described the details of their beloved Super Six, which Scott explained was purchased at a time when he was chasing a different Hudson altogether: one of the 12 boattail speedsters built in 1931, the only year Hudson offered that body style. It’s believed only five remain. Eventually, Scott’s persistence paid off,

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

and today the two rarities serve as the foundation of a collection they enjoy driving and displaying.

On Saturday morning, we met Gary Harrison, a local resident who arrived early in the morning to stake a spot at the multifaceted Cars & Community event with his 1973 Pontiac Trans Am, one of only 252 built that year with the Super Duty 455 engine. Although an apropos topic for greater discussion in our Hemmings Muscle Machines magazine, Gary’s ownership story seems equally fitting here. He purchased the Trans Am in 1979, from its original owner. Gary then drove it extensively until he sold it in 1984, triggering near-immediate seller’s remorse. As fate would have it, a phone call 14 years later reunited Gary with his potent pony car, making him the second and fifth owner.

This trend of DAVID CONWILL enthusiastic ownership continued during Sunday’s concours, when — just after the sun rose over the coastline — David and I met Maryland’s Dan and Ann Russell, who were busily preparing their 1903 Franklin Model A for judges and spectators. Noting our interest, the couple stopped to convey how the air-cooled two-seater was purchased by Ann’s father in 1977 as an unrestored car from the Crawford Collection in Ohio. In time, the car ended up in Ann’s care, together with 10 other vehicles predating 1935.

With the support of husband Dan, the couple embarked on an eight-year restoration, designed to return the Franklin to its as-built glory. The Amelia was its effective debut (a previous concours had been rained out, so the car was judged in the trailer), and what a fine debut it was: Dressed in period attire, the Russell family and the Franklin (both seen above) earned a “specialty” award.

The common theme here was the excitement of sharing stories with fellow enthusiasts, a group as diverse as the gathering of vehicles that assembled each day. Hearing owners’ stories reminded us again that, at its core, a car is just a car — a machine, usually built like thousands of others. But, years after leaving their respective assembly lines, what sets one apart from another are the people, their tales, and the passion that radiates from their experiences, much like the array of features within this Nifty Fifties issue. As we look forward to the next stop on our 2022 travel calendar, we’re eager to hear other compelling stories. Then again, why wait? Write or email your story — we’re all ears!

Now the “1959 Mercury Park Lane” die cast captures the beauty of this top-of-the-line cruiser with a finely engineered model tooled with over 200 parts and featuring all the distinguishing features of this Ford that was long on luxury. Boasting factory-matched Canton Red & White paint, this die cast replicates this car’s iconic grille-in-bumper; a front-

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patfoster Project Europa

O

The vehicle

was a revision

of an AMC

concept

called the

Cavalier…

18

ne part of the automobile business that American Motors focused a lot of attention on was the export and overseas market. Export business is when you ship a car, either assembled or CKD (completely knocked down, i.e., a kit of parts) to markets outside the U.S. CKD units are assembled in what are known as “screwdriver plants”— factories where cars are screwed together from CKD kits. Overseas business can be described as when a company or one of its foreign affiliates manufactures the car overseas, producing most parts itself and buying the rest from local suppliers or the U.S. parent.

Prior to World War II, Nash had an excellent overseas business, mainly of U.S.-built cars that were shipped to a large dealer network in Europe, Latin America, Australia, and the Far East. After the war, the company couldn’t produce enough cars to satisfy U.S. buyers, limiting what could be exported.

Meanwhile, European countries, to protect their markets, enacted tariffs and restrictions on U.S. autos, cutting export sales to a minimal amount.

In 1961, AMC vice president Roy Chapin Jr. was put in charge of overseas operations, tasked with growing the business. Chapin offered foreign businessmen majority ownership in jointproduction ventures in which AMC supplied parts and expertise, while the businessmen put up most of the cash. In Mexico, AMC owned 20 percent of Vehiculos Automores Mexicanos, (VAM), which manufactured versions of AMC cars for years, usually taking 20 percent or more of the market. A plant in Iran manufactured Rambler Americans, with AMC earning royalties and a share of the profits. Industrias Kaiser Argentina built Ramblers and Jeeps. AMC also had affiliates in the Philippines, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and elsewhere.

By 1981, more than 100,000 vehicles carrying the AMC or Jeep trademark were sold outside the U.S. and Canada.

It could have been better. A problem the company faced was that its cars were often not entirely suitable for foreign markets, although in that regard they were better than the Big Three. To address this, in 1967 AMC Styling VP Dick Teague came up with a proposal to expand overseas business by introducing a new car designed to

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

be less expensive to tool up and to assemble.

Called “Project Europa,” it envisioned a unique automobile specifically for foreign markets.

The plan (I have a copy) noted that AMC’s then-current offering, the 1967 Rambler Rebel produced in Belgium by Renault, was too large for European roads, too fuel-thirsty, and too expensive.

The answer, said Teague, was “the manufacturing (in Europe) of a small, tasteful, desirable vehicle [with] the appearance, size, power, road tax advantage, price, and fuel economy to compete in the burgeoning European (and world) market.”

The vehicle was a revision of an AMC concept called the Cavalier, a four-door sedan designed for low-cost tooling via maximum interchangeability of parts. Cavalier’s doors and fenders were cross interchangeable; the left front door swapped with the right rear, the right front with the left rear and so on with the fenders. The hood and decklid were similar stampings, and one bumper was used both front and rear.

Drivetrains were to be purchased locally; Teague suggested Lancia Flavia, Renault 16, Triumph, and even Ford Taunus as possibilities.

He wanted front-wheel drive to eliminate the center tunnel, making Europa a true six-passenger vehicle. A four-cylinder engine of 75-120 cu.in. was recommended.

For assembly, Teague recommended using one of Europe’s contract manufacturers, like Vignale, Farina, or O.S.I. (Officine Stampaggi Industriali), which gave him an unofficial quote of $3.5 million for tooling, fixtures, and other costs. That was for a conventional car; tooling for Teague’s Cavalier was designed to cost 35 percent less. O.S.I. could produce 25,000 to 100,000 units annually, depending on demand.

Teague believed AMC badly needed a world car. His idea was economical and likely to be very profitable. The Cavalier could even be imported to the U.S. for additional sales.

Alas, it never came to be, although it was under consideration for a time. Too bad — a small front-drive car would have put AMC in a great position when the gas crises hit in the ’70s. Who knows? Maybe the automaker wouldn’t have been taken over by Renault.

Yep –we’re actually asking your opinion Everyone’s got one and now yours has a home: “Ask The Experts” is a new feature in each themed issue of every Hemmings title that allows you and your business to talk directly to our readers — who also happen to be your customers. We’ll give your expert opinion the megaphone it deserves: • Section title page featuring your logo • Half-page of content reserved for you and your brand • Share answers to common questions about your products/services • Half-page display ad space • Companion digital “Ask The Experts” section is 100% searchable online

To find out more call: 704-973-1813 www.hemmings.com

bobpalma James J. Nance

H Nance

reviewed

Packard’s

history and

concluded

the company

was adrift.

20

ow would you like to have been appointed captain of the Titanic 10 minutes before its fate was sealed by hitting the iceberg? That may seem ridiculous, but it’s not unlike the feeling James Nance, a successful marketing executive, might have had when he was elected Packard Motor Car Company’s President in 1952.

I had the privilege of witnessing Packard’s mid-1950s drama as the young son (ages 7-10) of a Packard dealer. On June 15, 1953, my father Lumir (right, above) and his brother Milton (left, above) acquired the Paris, Illinois, Packard franchise, naming it Palma Motors. The photo was taken a month later, when the Packard zone man loaned them a new Caribbean to serve as the pace car for the horse races at Paris’ Edgar County Fair that week.

Packard had good years following World War II; as late as 1950, it still outsold Cadillac.

Most 1950 Packards, however, competed with Buicks and Chryslers, not Cadillacs. Packard had all but ceded the high-price class to Cadillac by confusing customers; the former’s cars had such similar styling that it was difficult to identify high-price Packards as Cadillac alternatives.

That is the situation Nance found himself facing when he arrived at Packard.

I’ve just finished reading an excellent biography of Nance, copyright 2021 by Packard authority Stuart Blond. Blond’s research began in 2012. It is a thorough investigation into the life of Nance, a gentleman who was simply unable to arrest automotive sales trajectories that had been established by his predecessors.

Much of the criticism of Nance stemmed from the fact that he did not come up through the ranks of the automobile industry. His successes before arriving at Packard had been in appliance marketing, not automobiles. It’s easy to forget that marketing is marketing, regardless of the product being sold.

Nance reviewed Packard’s history and concluded the company was adrift. The lines between the markets Packard served had become blurred and needed redefining, in Nance’s opinion. Few people would disagree with him.

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

Redefining the company’s offerings for their appropriate markets proved to be easier said than done. Nonetheless, Nance began correcting that by resurrecting the Clipper name for Packard’s mid-price line, beginning in 1953.

Purchasing the Studebaker Corporation in 1954 to create the StudebakerPackard Corporation seemed like a good idea, as it allowed the company to offer a full line of cars across all price ranges. However, it presented its own problems, exacerbated by the famous 1953’54 GM versus Ford production wars that helped sink Packard’s 1954 sales to their lowest level since 1934, even lower than the truncated 1942 model year.

Packard’s much-needed V-8 engine finally arrived for the 1955 models, fitted into such dramatically redesigned cars that many people don’t realize 1955 Packards were heavily facelifted 1951 models. Moving that 1955 production to the company’s cramped Conner Avenue factory, however, created quality issues from which Packard never recovered.

Nance’s inability to secure financing for allnew 1957 models was the final nail in Packard’s coffin. He had to seek alignment with another company, Curtiss-Wright, to save StudebakerPackard. Sadly, it came at the expense of Packard, but it was not Nance’s fault.

Nance voluntarily left S-P after finalizing the C-W agreement, whereupon Ford hired him as VP of marketing in late 1956. In September 1957, he was tasked with combining the Lincoln and Mercury divisions. By January 1958, when 1958 Edsel sales were tanking, he was charged with saving Edsel by folding it into the L-M division, even though evidence suggests Ford bean counter Robert McNamara planned to discontinue Edsel all along. Edsel proved to be another insurmountable marketing challenge not of Nance’s creation.

Nance left the automobile industry after that and became active in banking and other enterprises in his native Cleveland.

Blond’s well-annotated biography is highly recommended for anyone interested in James Nance’s many underappreciated contributions to the 1950s domestic automobile industry.

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spotlight nifty ‘50s

classictruck

Golden Jubilee International used high style to celebrate its 50th in 1957

BY BILL ROTHERMEL • PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOMMY LEE BYRD

I

grew up in Small Town, USA — Millersburg, Pennsylvania, to be exact. My best friend’s mom called it Brigadoon. She said it hadn’t changed in 100 years. A lot about it was very Mayberry-esque, including the town square, which had statues and monuments, a bandstand, and lots of benches and trees, as I recall.

Located on the square was our International Harvester dealer, Weaver’s Garage. I remember its lot specifically.

It was big enough to hold a handful of vehicles, with four or five in inventory at any one time, usually a couple of Scout II’s and an occasional Travelall. Oddly, I never remember seeing pickup trucks.

There was a string of lightbulbs from one end to the other across the front of the lot — no fancy overhead lights like today.

I suspect the business counted how many

vehicles it sold annually, not monthly.

Times have changed, for sure.

Like many other small towns, there were parades on Memorial Day and Halloween. And a really big one for the United States Bicentennial in 1976.

Parades always brought out vintage cars from local dealers; typically convertibles, to be used in the festivities. That was great for a car nut like me. The IH dealer didn’t have a convertible to offer, but I remember it used to trot out a highwheeler and a pickup truck. I don’t remember much about the highwheeler, other than as a kid, it seemed really old to me. And the pickup was really cool, especially for an International. It was like none I had ever seen before or since. I forgot about the pickup truck.

Fast-forward to July 2014, when memories of that cool pickup truck came

rushing back to me — in the form of the real thing! There it was, sitting on the show field at the Concours of America at St. Johns in Plymouth, Michigan. George Brown of Hillsboro, Tennessee, is the owner of that 1957 International Harvester Golden Jubilee A-100 pickup.

The 53rd built, as a matter of fact. More about that later.

Once more, the truck faded from my memory. However, two and one-half months at home during the COVID-19 crisis can do strange things to a person. I organized and reorganized everything in my house, library included. There, I found the 1807-1957 Millersburg Sesquicentennial book (printed before I was born) to commemorate the 150th birthday of the town in which I grew up. The book was full of patron ads, including those from local car dealers: Chevy, Olds,

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Buick, Dodge, Plymouth, De Soto, Ford, even Willys. There was also an ad from the local IH dealer, with a photo of the aforementioned highwheeler and that “cool” pickup I remembered as a kid. In black and white. Literally. The dots were connected, and visions of that pickup were once again in my head. Time to tell the story.

IH celebrated its 50th anniversary as a truck maker in 1957. To commemorate the special occasion, this unique pickup came to be. IH was a player — number three in truck sales behind Chevrolet and Ford — and a company with worldwide reach in the marketplace. In total, IH sold more than 2.6 million trucks in its first 50 years. Heretofore, the IH truck line followed the alphabet, most recently with R

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and S models. Rather than referring to the new series as “T,” International went back to the letter A for its latest products, likely highlighting the “A,” as in anniversary.

The new line of trucks didn’t escape one of the biggest styling crazes of the Fifties: the wraparound panoramic windshield. Chevrolet was first with the novelty on its trucks in 1955. Ford and Dodge followed one year later, leaving International and Studebaker to suffer with outdated designs. So, it was logical that the new truck included this feature.

And, if you were late to the party, why not make yours the biggest? IH did.

What else was important in the Fifties? Chrome. Lots of it, including bright metal on the bumpers and grille, headlight bezels, windshield molding,

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and side trim. Bold two-tone paint combinations in atypical truck colors were offered, Coral Pink and Driftwood Gray among them. And, of course, there was the Chevrolet Cameo — a bold experiment with its slab-sided fiberglass fenders — making the truck more car-like in appearance and amenities.

The new IH A-Series adopted the same look for its custom-trim model.

Styling maintained several links to the previous R- and S-models so there was no mistaking just whose truck this was.

Referred to as “Action Styling,” the new look was more straight-edged compared to the rounded lines of the S models.

Running boards were eliminated, allowing for a wider cab with true threeabreast seating, and IH proudly claimed

Below the hood of this Golden Jubilee is International’s 141-hp, 240-cu.in. Black Diamond six-cylinder. ABOVE: A firewallmounted master cylinder was among the improvements introduced on the new A-series cab. OPPOSITE: One-handle tailgate utilized a spring-loaded cable for support, versus chains found on other makes.

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Early Golden Jubilee trucks received bench seats with Chevy upholstery, and while the owner replicated that appearance during the restoration, a second seat (shown here) was adorned with model-specific material used on most of the anniversary trucks.

its models had “the widest inside dimensions of any comparable pickup.” Larger side windows and full-width rear glass offered a near 360-degree view. The cab was mounted to the frame in such a way that it almost did away with the transmission tunnel, providing still more room for passengers. Clutch and brake pedals were

suspended from above, eliminating the drafty holes in the floor while enabling the master cylinder to be moved to the cab cowl for better access. The interiors were upgraded with better upholstery, too, and a fresh-air ventilation system ducted outside air through the heater as well as to the driver’s feet.

The suspension was modified, and 12-volt electrics became standard. All three available six-cylinder engines — the Silver Diamond 112 hp, 220-cu.in. and the Black Diamond 141 hp, 240-cu.in. and 153 hp, 264-cu.in. — got redesigned cylinder heads, improving valve life and combustion efficiency. Of note: Both

gasoline-powered and LPG-powered units were available across all lines. IH touted “the most powerful ‘six’ available in its field.”

The A-100 Golden Jubilee model was announced in early spring of 1957. This new custom pickup included Anniversary Gold (407) and Whitecap White (902) two-tone paint with special side trim, a slab-side cargo bed with single-handle tailgate, dual horns, cowl-mounted mirrors (as compared to door-mounts), electric windshield wipers with washer, and splash guards under the engine.

Chrome grille, hubcaps, and front and rear bumpers; tinted glass; crème-colored floor mats; and a special gold and ivory cab interior were also included. The cargo box was similar in concept to the Cameo’s — a stepside box with smooth fenders — and either offered the same cargo area. (Unlike the Cameo’s fiberglass fenders, IH used steel.) Each Golden Jubilee truck came with a gold medallion commemorating IH’s 50 years as a truck manufacturer. The special truck retailed for $2,212.00, a $307.00 premium over the conventional stepside model.

International’s inside bed width was 54½ inches, making it a true “wide box.”

The new wide box that was introduced on the A-100 Golden Jubilee benefited from the truck’s 114-inch wheelbase. IH also became the first manufacturer to offer a one-hand tailgate, which featured a

spring-loaded cable for support when the panel was down.

George Brown found his truck in Minnesota in the early 1990s. Actually, he found three: The first Golden Jubilee was in rough shape, and he needed two more donor trucks to complete one vehicle.

“These trucks were terribly rusty, so few survived,” George says. The second truck, which supplied the cab, came from North Dakota, while the third, supplying many needed parts, came from Pennsylvania.

Most significant, George’s first truck was number 53 off the line. “It was made the first day of production,” he explains.

“It actually had Chevrolet seat material because IH’s supplier didn’t have the new material ready in time for production.”

Today, George has two seats for the truck: one upholstered as it came from the assembly line and the other nylon and vinyl two-tone that is specific to laterproduction Golden Jubilee pickups.

His truck is equipped with the 240-cu.in. Black Diamond engine option and standard three-speed manual transmission. In completing the details of the restoration, George says, “The bottle for the windshield washer was the hardest thing to find.” And, to confirm the provenance of his vehicle, he made a trip to the University of Wisconsin in Madison. There, IH has some five-million pieces archived. “I spent four days there researching my truck, proving it’s the real deal. They have everything and it’s so interesting,” George says. He now lays claim to the original build sheet.

He adds, “There is no record of just how many Golden Jubilee pickups were

I spent four days there researching my truck, proving it’s the real deal.

They have everything and it’s so interesting… built,” but he estimates up to 3,000 — concurrent with the number of dealers IH had at the time. Every dealer was given the option to buy one, to be used as a rolling advertisement for the business and to announce to the world that International was also making fashionable pickup trucks like the Chevy Cameo, GMC Suburban, and the Dodge D100 Sweptside. George adds that many period advertisements for the truck featured women drivers, “To show how fashionable they were and how easy to drive.” He estimates that only a handful of them have been restored, as so few survived due to rust.

George has displayed the truck at several events, including the aforementioned Concours of America in 2014, where it was shown with other “Jet Age” pickups. It never fails to attract attention, most often prompting the question, “What is that?” One of the most memorable things with George’s truck happened that day. He tells of a man who came running towards his pickup, avoiding all the other cars on the showfield. A stranger then said to George, “Did you see that? Some guy just blew past a million-dollar Duesenberg to take a picture of your truck!”

Hmm? I wonder if that was me….

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Imperial Exemplar This 1968 Imperial Crown is a perfect time capsule from when Mopar aspired to prestige WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID CONWILL

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W

hatever you do, don’t call it a Chrysler. The Imperial name started as a Chrysler model in 1926, but come the mid-1950s, the top-of-the-line Mopar became its own marque. Much like the Lincoln/ Continental separation of 1956-’57, the idea was to permit Chrysler to continue positioning itself against the likes of Buick and the junior-series Packard cars, while creating something more exclusive that would justify a price point closer to Cadillac and the senior Packards.

The greater differentiation from Chrysler seemed to work.

For example, 1957 was the best-selling year (37,593 built) for the whole of the Imperial marque — likely a function of the distinctive styling applied to finally set the brand apart from less-expensive (but also Forward Look) Mopars. Chrysler Corporation even retained body-on-frame construction for the Imperial many years after the introduction of unitized bodies in the rest of its offerings. That, plus other touches, kept the Imperial exclusive and its image on par with Cadillac, even if its production numbers never rivaled that of its competitor from General Motors.

By the 1968 model year, both Packard and the Continental Mark II were distant memories, but Imperial continued as its own brand through 1975. The Imperial marque was later resurrected for a rear-drive, two-door personal-luxury car from 1981-’83.

Later still, the Imperial nameplate returned as a premium Chrysler-branded model for 1990-’93 on a stretched K-car base called the Y-platform — a somewhat ignominious end to what had been the pride of Walter Chrysler’s early empire. Though Daimler-Chrysler teased a revival based on the 2006 Chrysler 300, it never came to fruition and it’s logical to suppose that the era of the big, rear-drive American luxury car is over for good.

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The 350-hp 440 was the largest-displacement V-8 ever installed in a Chrysler product — though it was still smaller than Lincoln’s 462 and Cadillac’s 472. Optional dual exhausts added 10 horsepower.

Not so for old-car hobbyists, of course, who have at their disposal the whole range of Imperial production and can pick and choose the year and version that best suits their lifestyle and pocketbook. This original, immaculately preserved 1968 Imperial Crown, from the collection of the AACA Museum, Inc. in Hershey, Pennsylvania, presents a strong argument for the two years in the late ’60s when Chrysler finally began applying its much-admired unit-body construction to its prestige marque while still retaining its iconic Elwood Engel-penned bodywork.

Engel’s work for Chrysler originated with his time at Ford Motor Company. While in Dearborn, he helped create the 1961 Lincoln Continental, the closest thing to a Full Classic that America has produced since the 1950s. At Chrysler, he crossed the ’61 Continental with the four-seat Thunderbird to create the undeniably handsome Turbine Cars of 1963, an experimental effort that helped cement Chrysler in the public mind as a technological innovator as well as a producer of stylish automobiles.

Engel made his first major mark on Imperials for the 1964 model year (Imperial’s second-best from a production standpoint, with 23,295 units sold), where he replaced Virgil Exner’s neo-classic styling (including free-standing quad headlamps) with his signature crisp-edge look. The slab-sided Imperial persisted with only minor changes through the 1966 model year, but the technical revisions of 1967 warranted a complementary fresher look.

While “bigger is better” was the traditional mantra of U.S. automakers in the mid-20th century, the facelifted Imperial was actually slightly smaller than the car it replaced, including a two-inch reduction in wheelbase, to 127 inches, which was still three inches longer than the Chrysler Newport, 300, and New Yorker. From the firewall back, however, the new-for-’67 Imperial chassis was essentially the same as those smaller cars, helping offset production costs on the limited-run Imperial line.

Compared with the 129.5-inch wheelbase under Cadillac’s competing Calais and de Ville models (or the whopping 133-inch wheelbase of the Fleetwood Sixty Special), the Imperial seems short, but it was only 0.2-inch shorter overall than the de Ville and boasted essentially the same interior room plus a larger, fully carpeted trunk. On the FoMoCo side, it’s noteworthy that the Imperial’s wheelbase was still an inch

longer than that of the Lincoln Continental that helped inspire its styling, and the Imperial was 3.5 inches longer overall.

A bigger advantage over either the Cadillac or Lincoln offerings was Imperial’s determination that it be for drivers who “want more than luxury in [their] luxury car” and the company’s boast that the ’68 Imperial was “the one luxury car that hasn’t forgotten it is to be driven.” In fact, Chrysler was equally as apt to refer to the Imperial as a “prestige” car to differentiate it from “the grey-haired luxury cars.”

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Green leather and headrests were extra-cost options on this ’68 Imperial. The standard interior in the Crown series was upholstered in leather and “Iliad cloth.” Each of the four doors included its own lighter, ashtray, and glove compartment.

The change to unit-body construction, shared with the well-respected 300 series, brought with it the rattle-free stiffness that made torsion-bar-era Chrysler Corp. cars such beloved road machines. Like competing luxury cars, Imperials also had a longstanding tradition of power assists. Power steering and brakes, for example, had been standard equipment on all Imperials since 1955. A front-disc/rear-drum braking system, along with a dual-circuit master cylinder, became standard for 1967 and was retained into 1968. The front discs used parts sourced from Budd, including an unusual split caliper.

While Cadillac and Lincoln each had their own distinct V-8 with largely non-sporting connotations, Imperials used the same RB-series big-block as Plymouth and Dodge muscle cars.

The 350-hp (at 4,400 rpm, plus 480 lb-ft @ 2,800 rpm), 440-cu.in. powerplant was, advertising materials boasted, “the largest automobile engine ever offered by Chrysler Corporation” and it was backed with the immensely well-respected TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission.

Of course, all of this would just be more or less an extralong New Yorker if not for the luxurious features included to pamper both driver and passengers. Chrysler made much of the Imperial Crown four-door hardtop’s front seat, for example, which it touted as “a sectional sofa for three which adjusts into twin armchairs, or an armchair plus recliner.” That’s because

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what appears at a glance to be an ordinary bench seat has both a fold-down armrest in the center, plus a reclining portion for the passenger.

Going further yet, in Imperial convertibles, the seat upholstery was touted as being inspired by private jets. On a two-door hardtop, meanwhile, the optional front buckets could even be set up with a pricey option called the “Mobile Director,” which permitted the passenger seat to turn completely around in order to take advantage of the rear-compartment lighting (focused, so as not to distract the driver) and a special fold-away desk.

The original owner of this vehicle (one of 15,361 Imperials built for 1968 — a figure which includes 8,492 of the bestselling four-door Crown hardtop) apparently didn’t use it for business purposes. In fact, he used it very sparingly, which accounts for its excellent preservation. The one and only time it has been in inclement weather was for his daughter’s wedding — and supposedly that only at the insistence of his wife.

That likely is the reason, then, why the original Silhouettegrain (“rolled to an exceptionally fine grain”) green-leather upholstery is still in such amazing shape — just as good, if not better, than the original Meadow Green Metallic acrylic enamel that coats the exterior. The leather was an extra-cost option at the time, as an Imperial Crown like this (the most affordable Imperial since the demise of the 1967 unnamed entry-level series, which came only as a four-door sedan or a convertible) came standard with cloth and leather. Not just any cloth, however, as the Crown boasted “Iliad cloth…a jacquard weave with a rich sheen and smooth feel.”

Likewise, the green nylon carpeting, woodgrain, and the motherlode of “antique bronze” inside show hardly any indications of use. That’s particularly surprising when you realize that Chrysler decided to hide many of the controls, including those of the standard AM or optional AM/FM radio, behind “cabinet doors” in the dash. Others, however, are out in the open, like the “Auto Pilot” cruise control, made by Perfect Circle and attached to the dash just to the right of the (standard) powerwindow controls on the driver’s door.

All four of the doors in an Imperial are pretty busy places.

Each one of them holds not only a window control and door lock, but also an individual glovebox, plus an ashtray and lighter. If the availability of the Mobile Director didn’t already suggest it, that should confirm that Chrysler did not view the Imperial as a family car, but rather one for the discerning and adventurous 1960s businessman.

For today’s collector, the Imperial is an even more exciting option than it was in 1968. There’s nothing like it anymore, as its style and materials have a soul that no modern Mercedes or Lexus can match. Better yet, Imperials are a steal, relatively speaking. This car that cost $6,115 new (equivalent to over $49,000 today — and seemingly a bargain at that) is valued at only $41,500 in top condition.

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spotlight nifty ‘50s

Spring Special A compelling Buick 1957 Model 48 still offered affordable luxury during a turbulent year WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW LITWIN

driveReport

O

n paper, the Fifties was a golden era in everything from entertainment to urban development, job opportunities to automobile production. Among the latter was the cornerstone of General Motors: Buick, which seemed to do

everything right beginning in 1949, when Flint unleashed the revolutionary “Riviera”— or hardtop — styling on a mass-produced scale. Buick set new divisional production records in successive years (1949–’50) in addition to leading, at one time or another, both hardtop and convertible output, all of which helped keep Buick firmly entrenched in fourth place in the domestic industry through the early part of the decade.

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Buick’s big mechanical improvement for 1957 was the introduction of the division’s 364-cu.in. “nailhead” V-8. Basically a bored and stroked 322, with larger intake and exhaust valves, it was rated for 250 hp when installed in the Special series.

Not one to rest on its laurels, Buick released the 1954 line with great fanfare.

A new greenhouse with a “Panoramic” windshield, completely restyled wider bodies with sleeker trim outside plus improved shoulder room inside, and a flight-deck-like instrument panel all ushered in a new era of modern design.

Add to that the reintroduction of the Century, which continued the division’s philosophy of stuffing a big engine into a lighter car for a reasonable price, and the Flint automaker was catapulted back into the budding performance limelight.

With the entry-level Special, uppermid-priced Super, and top-of-the-line Roadmaster, suddenly Buick was on the quick path to price segment coverage virtually unmatched by any other make.

Collectively, it enabled Buick to do the once unthinkable: disrupt the longestablished manufacturing status quo and leapfrog Plymouth to take over third place in the industry.

A year later, Buick further cemented its production prowess and ranking authority when the refined models were unveiled. Model hierarchy remained unchanged; however, a new four-door hardtop was added to the well-rounded mix of body styles. Though creating more power than ever, the number of 322-cu.in engines were trimmed to two, yet engineers had been busy developing the variable-pitch Dynaflow transmission. Boasting movable stator blades that changed pitch with rapid

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accelerator pressure, the revised automatic — also known as the Twin Turbine Dynaflow — produced noticeably faster acceleration and improved passing range.

That meant the Century now topped out at an official 110 mph, while the other Buick models could hit and maintain 105 mph.

As a result, Buick’s numbers were beyond impressive, beginning with a new division record of 781,286 calendar-year cars, a staggering 9.84 percent of domestic production (model-year production was 738,814 units). Almost as a footnote, on April 5, Flint built both the 8-millionth Buick and its 3.5-millionth since the end of World War II, while its millionth convertible rolled off the assembly line on August 3. As one unnamed executive was quoted as stating in The Buick: A Complete History, by noted authors Terry Dunham and Lawrence Gustin, “You or I could have held the [general manager] job at that time. Buick was moving up, and [Ivan L.] Wiles didn’t work too hard.

He once told me, ‘This is the easiest job I ever had.’”

It’s simple to understand, then, how Buick management had an optimistic view of the second half of the decade, Wiles going so far as to forecast a calendar year production run of 900,000 units.

That rosy outlook was probably hindered before ’55 production ceased, for in the wake of record numbers, quality-control issues plagued axle and engine durability.

The increased girth of Flint’s cars also forged

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an idea — one backed by numbers — that Buicks had become gas guzzlers. And although first-quarter sales of the 1956 models were respectable, the anticipated spring sales surge failed to materialize, in part due to the start of a recession.

Regardless, Buick aimed its ship forward on the same course that had provided so much of its success in the past.

The division didn’t have a choice in the matter. Prior to Ed Ragsdale’s promotion as Buick’s general manager in 1956, Wiles had already approved 1957-’58 model designs. That included this 1957 Special two-door sedan — also known as a Model 48 in division vernacular— currently under the care of Salem, New York, resident Buddy Fraioli.

At first blush, the 1957 lineup, and specifically the Special series, offered a lot for a Buick enthusiast to be proud of.

The entry-level line, the most affordable of which was the Model 48 that started at $2,596, still utilized the basic 122-inch wheelbase chassis developed for ’54, though it had received a few modest improvements. Chief among them was what Buick called a “nested” design for the “drop center” torque tube assembly, which played a key role in helping lower the car’s profile. This feature was not unique to the Special, nor was the new ball-joint front suspension system, which was intended to enhance handling while keeping the chassis level during quick stops under heavy braking.

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But perhaps more compelling was Buick’s all-new 364-cu.in. “nailhead” V-8. The basic architecture of the engine was the same as the outgoing 322, but the cylinder bores were enlarged from 4.00 to 4.125 inches, while the stroke was increased from 3.20 to 3.40 inches.

Additionally, the block’s deck height was increased slightly, and while the cylinder heads were also carried over from the 322, the valve diameters were increased.

Naturally, the high-output (300-hp) version was reserved for the Century, Super, and Roadmaster lines, but installed in the Special series, the engine touted 250 hp, a 30-horse increase over the previous year.

“Newness For the Sake of Greatness,” was boldly emblazoned across factory literature, below the completely new, sleek body of a Century hardtop coupe.

Much of what was seen on the cover art manifested itself on all Buicks, which were noticeably lower and longer than previous

incarnations, the latter being a 3-inch increase in length in the Special series.

Accentuating the car’s 208.5-inch profile was a revised, shallow-dip version of the “sweepspear” flank trim, whose central valley contained a tangerine baked-enamel stripe. The Special’s three “ventiports” per fender also remained, but like the sweepspear, the faux heat vents were redesigned in dramatic fashion. A revised grille and taillamp design bookended the body.

Each Buick, no matter the series, could have been ordered with an array of solid or two-tone combinations at the onset of the model year. As had become habit, whether to drive spring sales or attract the growing number of female owners/drivers, a handful of special “Spring Colors” were added to the order sheet. Often bright and airy, the ’57 color selection included Artic Blue, Gulf Green Metallic, Hunter Green, Mariner Blue, Dusk Rose, and in the case of Buddy’s Model 48, Sylvan Gray Metallic, complemented by Dover White for an incredible bicolor livery.

Buick’s new three-piece rear windows, on most fixed roof cars, were met with mixed reactions. Specials were still identified by three ventiports per fender, while a single emblem adorned the decklid. AM radio and electric clock (below) were options.

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Striking as it was, perhaps the most notable design element was the divided three-piece rear window, which was standard on nearly every Buick coupe and sedan. However, the visual effect was met with some skepticism, prompting Plymouth to quip, “Suddenly, it’s 1949.”

Motor Trend reported, “Bodies throughout the line, though entirely redesigned, keep Buick’s traditional substantial look,” adding that the reader, “would have no trouble recognizing a ’57 of any series as a relative of earlier models. This is great news for those who want to keep their older versions, even if it means less excitement for this year’s buyer.”

It was just the start of harsh criticism that besieged Flint in the months ahead.

That said, Buick’s elongated styling cues evoked smooth elegance that still appealed to the discerning buyer, particularly when paired with an equally sophisticated and restyled interior that offered more sideto-side comfort with greater head- and legroom. And while it may have seemed as though the Model 48 — also the lightest Buick in the fleet at 3,955 pounds — would

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owner’s view

I

love the styling of the 1957 Buicks; this one was very appealing to me, even though when I found it, the Special needed to be restored. At the time I didn’t realize just how compelling the car was until we looked at the paint code on the firewall data plate. The ‘XC’ code just didn’t match anything on the original paint chart I had. The ‘C’ was fine, which specified Dover White below the sweepspear trim, but the ‘X’ was a mystery until it was brought to my attention that I didn’t have a complete color chart; the ‘X’ was the special spring color of Sylvan Gray Metallic. Since its completion, we have enjoyed many outings. The car offers an incredibly comfortable ride that delivers us to a different mindset of travel: carefree and enjoyable. —Buddy Fraioli

have been forgiven for receiving a more utilitarian cabin, the appointments it received arguably rivaled those found in more expensive automobiles from other manufacturers.

It was something we were keenly aware of as soon as we opened the driver’s door of Buddy’s nicely restored Model 48.

Although the door panel itself was rather plain, the two-tone cloth/vinyl “tilt-away” front bench seat exuded chic, welcoming comfort, a characteristic Buick had long been known for. Another trait was the delicate-yet-sturdy three-spoke steering wheel, which relayed road

40

conditions without harshness. For the driver, controls fell within easy reach, including the Sonomatic radio.

Buicks were known for the smooth operation of their eight-cylinder engines, and the 364 V-8 below the hood of Buddy’s Special is no different. He reports that it starts easily and quickly settles into a smooth idle, and once the optional Twin Turbine Dynaflow is shifted into “drive,” the big Buick is eager to move briskly. And while some period critics lamented the lack of a more sporting and taut suspension system, something that was coming into vogue as domestic-car

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performance increased during this time, the “pillow soft” ride is welcomed by Buddy as an escape from the toils of everyday commuting in contemporary vehicles.

That perspective is often overlooked when critiquing Buick’s 1957 effort. It’s easy to call out the division’s disastrous 29.2 percent drop in production, or the fact that Plymouth dislodged Buick from third place in the industry. In spite of the division’s decline in sales that year, 405,806 customers still recognized these models for offering good value, solidly in keeping with the Buick tradition: comfort, power, and elegance, at an affordable price.

1957 BUICK SPECIAL MODEL 48 TWO-DOOR SEDAN ILLUSTRATION BY ROBERTA CONROY

SPECIFICATIONS WHAT TO PAY LOW AVERAGE HIGH

CHASSIS & BODY $6,000 - $10,000 $11,000 - $16,000 $17,000 - $24,000

SPECIFICATIONS BASE PRICE OPTIONS

DISPLACEMENT BORE X STROKE COMPRESSION RATIO HORSEPOWER @ RPM TORQUE @ RPM VALVETRAIN FUEL SYSTEM EXHAUST SYSTEM

Buick “nailhead” V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads 364 cubic inches 4.125 x 3.40 inches 9.5:1 250 @ 4,400 380-lb-ft @ 2,400 Hydraulic lifters Single Carter two-barrel carburetor; mechanical pump Dual manifolds; single muffler and outlet

TRANSMISSION TYPE RATIOS* “DRIVE” “LOW”

Variable-pitch Dynaflow automatic with two turbines 1 x converter ratio 1.82 x converter ratio

*Maximum converter ratio at stall: 3.5 @ 2,800 rpm

GEAR RATIO

Torque-tube drive, semi-floating rear axle with hypoid gears 3.07:1

STEERING TYPE TURNING CIRCLE

Worm and nut; unassisted 43.2 feet

BRAKES TYPE FRONT REAR

FRONT

Independent; ball joints, coil springs, tubular shock absorbers, anti-roll bar Solid axle; coil springs, tubular shock absorbers, radius rod

REAR

WHEELS & TIRES WHEELS FRONT/REAR TIRES FRONT/REAR

Stamped steel 15 x 5.5-inch Bias-ply (Currently: Coker Classic whitewall radial) 7.10 x 15 (Currently: P215/75R15)

WEIGHTS & MEASURES WHEELBASE OVERALL LENGTH OVERALL WIDTH OVERALL HEIGHT FRONT TRACK REAR TRACK CURB WEIGHT

122 inches 208.4 inches 74.8 inches 58.7 inches 59.5 inches 59.5 inches 3,955 pounds

CALCULATED DATA BHP PER CU.IN. WEIGHT PER BHP WEIGHT PER CU.IN.

0.69 15.82 10.87

PRODUCTION

DIFFERENTIAL TYPE

Body-on-frame, all-steel construction Two-door, six-passenger sedan Front engine, rear-wheel drive

SUSPENSION $2,596 Spring color (Sylvan Gray Metallic); variablepitch Dynaflow transmission; Sonomatic radio; perimeter heater and defroster; Accessory Group M (electric clock, full wheel covers, automatic trunk compartment lamp, and rear license plate frame).

ENGINE TYPE

CONSTRUCTION BODY STYLE LAYOUT

Hydraulic four-wheel, unassisted 12 x 2.25-inch cast-iron drum 12 x 2.25-inch cast-iron drum

During the 1957 model year, Buick built 220,062 Specials in total (excluding stripped chassis), of which 23,180 were Model 48 two-door sedans.

PERFORMANCE* 0-60 MPH 1⁄4-MILE

10.1 seconds 17.6 @ 81 mph

* Listed results are from a road test of a 1957 Buick Century four-door equipped with a 300-hp 364-cu.in. engine, Dynaflow transmission, power steering and brakes, and a 3.07:1 final drive ratio, published in Motor Trend’s February 1957 issue.

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Ride Like The Wind A 16-valve engine made Volkswagen’s 1987 Scirocco 16V a true sports car

BY MARK J. McCOURT • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID LaCHANCE

O

nce the air-cooled era ended, the People’s Car began a metamorphosis that picked up speed, both figuratively and literally. Volkswagen had long offered a low volume, hand-finished model with sporty looks in its lineup, and from its introduction, the front-wheel-drive Scirocco was both popular and competitive. The final version of that sleek 2+2, the 16V sold here between mid-1986 and 1988, was then the most powerful and athletic VW to date.

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It’s been 35 years since the Tornado Red Scirocco 16V on these pages left the Karmann factory in Osnabrück, Germany. That respected coachbuilder, active between its 1901 founding and 2009 bankruptcy, had been building specialty models — including convertible variants of the Bug and Golf/Rabbit, plus the eponymous Type 14 and Type 34 Karmann Ghias — for primary client Volkswagen since 1949. Karmann was responsible for producing two generations of Sciroccos that spanned between 1974 and

1992, with nearly 796,000 units built. The Mk 2 Scirocco represented just shy of 291,500 of that total, with this example being one of 6,971 sold in the U.S. in the 1987 calendar year.

The second iteration of the Scirocco, introduced here for 1982, was an in-house redesign of the original “A1”-platform (shared with the original Golf/Rabbit and Jetta) model, famously attributed to the Italdesign pen of Giorgetto Giugiaro. The sleeker Eighties version retained the 94.5-inch wheelbase of its

predecessor but cloaked it in a 10-inch-longer body whose new lines made less fuss in the wind that inspired the model’s name: the drag coefficient dropped from 0.42 to 0.38, and a standard hatch spoiler was said to notably reduce rear lift. This four-seat car also had a heavily revised interior with a sportier dashboard and more shoulder and rear-seat head room. Ample luggage space (14 cu.ft.) was available under the hatch, a volume more than doubled with the small rear seat folded.

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The 1.8-liter block was upgraded with piston oil squirters, while the compact alloy head contained two camshafts and 16 valves, the exhausts being sodium-filled. Bosch fuel injection fed VW’s most powerful engine to that date.

While this model’s Rabbit GTI spec fuel-injected SOHC 90-hp engine offered spry performance, it was soon a bit outclassed by newer players from Japan and America. Fashionable mid-1980s power-adders like turbochargers and multivalve heads meant some competition didn’t have to work as hard to build and maintain speed as did the autobahn-bred Volkswagen. Thankfully, the powertrain engineers in Wolfsburg were developing their own answer to this problem, and it would be announced by three characters appended to the Scirocco’s name.

“16V” was short for 16-valve, the engine that would debut under the low hood of this model in 1986. The base four-cylinder, whose 1,780-cc (109 cu-in) displacement came from an 81 x 86.4-mm (3.19 x 3.40-in) bore and stroke, received a new, narrow-design crossflow alloy head with two camshafts actuating hydraulic lifters and sodium-filled exhaust valves. The iron block’s piston bores received jets fed with cooled oil, and the pistons happily revved to 7,200 rpm. With Bosch KE-Jetronic multipoint fuel injection and a 10:1 compression ratio, it made a stout 33 horsepower more than the 8-valve Scirocco in U.S. trim, its 123 hp at 5,800 rpm paired with 120 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. This output — incidentally more than that of the upmarket Audi Coupe GT’s 2.2-liter inline-five — went to the front wheels exclusively through an upgraded, close-ratio five-speed manual transaxle with a shorter overdrive fifth gear and 3.67:1 final drive ratio.

Volkswagen didn’t just drop its highest-performing engine in the Scirocco and call it a day. While the independent controlarm front and trailing-arm/stabilizer-axle rear suspension designs

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remained, the nimble chassis received a new front brace; lower, stiffer coil springs; uprated front MacPherson struts and rear shocks; and anti-roll bars measuring 16.5-mm front and 24-mm rear. A quick-ratio rack for the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering system was fitted. Behind upsized 14 x 6-inch “teardrop” machine-face alloy wheels mounting 185/60-HR14 tires hid power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes — 8-valve Sciroccos used rear drums — with ventilated front rotors and larger pistons in the calipers.

The envelope all those components came in spoke to the car’s newfound potential. A well-integrated body kit included color-keyed wheelhouse flares that mated smoothly with side sills, deep front and rear aprons, and painted bumpers and side-mirror housings. A larger, more effective deck spoiler wrapped around the rear glass. Comparably subtle red-and-black 16V badges were fitted to the grille and hatch. And it was on this car that

VW introduced the sporty “stinger” roof-mounted antenna that it would subsequently use on other premium models and was soon copied by other automakers.

The Scirocco’s no-nonsense sporting theme continued inside, where 16V drivers were greeted with a leather-wrapped four-spoke steering wheel, hide-bound shift boot and knob, and a pair of VW’s firmly supportive multi-adjustable front bucket seats. In standard form, it was light on luxuries, with items like air conditioning, power windows and door locks, a sunroof, leather upholstery, and cruise control relegated to the options list.

All the 16V’s specific mechanical and visual components came together to enhance the tactile feedback this high-strung sports coupe offered its driver, not to mention onlookers.

While the Scirocco was a familiar sight, especially by the time Volkswagen of America stopped importing it at the end of 1988, the 16V drew admiring glances in the showroom and on the street. The latter is where it brought the fight to fresher frontwheel-drive, naturally aspirated DOHC sports coupes like the Acura Integra, Honda Prelude, and Toyota Celica GT-S, not to mention turbocharged front-drivers like Dodge’s Daytona Shelby Z. Challenging monetary exchange rates took away some of its price advantage, but the featherweight 2,287-pound hatchback still thrilled with its 8.0-second 0-60 mph run and 124-mph top speed, then the fastest ever clocked by a Wolfsburg product.

Gordon Fricke took advantage of his Volkswagen dealer-staff employee discount when he purchased our feature Scirocco in September 1987, getting a healthy slice off the $14,815 ($35,945 in today’s dollars) MSRP. The young technician had VW in his blood, having grown up visiting his parents’ small Volkswagen dealership in the 1960s and 1970s. “We’d had Volkswagens in the family since day one, and I wanted to have the company’s sports car,” he explains. “That was part of the reason I went for this car. The other was that VW had an end-of-the-year promotion, a

It’s nothing like an isolating modern car: you feel the speed, you know you’re going fast!

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The Mk 2 Scirocco was 10 inches longer than the Mk 1, but the A1-platform wheelbase stayed 94.5 inches, so interior packaging was similar. This 2+2 sported a close-ratio five-speed, firm seats, and clear white-on-black dials, including oil temp in the console.

sale where I got $1,000 off, plus a $1,000 employee discount at the Massachusetts dealership where I was working at that time.

Volkswagens were pretty expensive in those days, and that was a huge discount to me.”

The 16V would be Gordon’s year-round daily driver for a few years, being practical with its front-wheel drive and hatchback flexibility, as well as comfortable with the optional air conditioning. “It could do everything. It has very high performance yet gets great gas mileage. I wasn’t afraid to go anywhere in it. It is pretty small, but I’m not a big guy, so I fit great in it. I traveled all over in it, took it to Canada,” he explains. Around 1991 he stopped using it in the winter months, so the Scirocco became his warm-weather toy. It was easy to keep because it was paid off, wasn’t demanding in terms of maintenance upkeep, and he had a garage in which to store it.

But there was a moment, 10 years later, that this VW nearly left the Fricke family. “I was saving for college tuition for two young kids. I had other cars and didn’t drive this one often. I told myself the Scirocco wasn’t worth much — I was going to sell it,” Gordon remembers. “I posted an ad. We went away for the

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weekend, and when we got back, there were five calls waiting, all wanting to see the car. I realized it was becoming really desirable, but the value was still low.

“When the first guy checked it out, he immediately wanted to put money down, and promised to come back a couple days later with a certified check,” he continues. “My wife and kids, of all people, said, ‘Why are you selling that car? Don’t do it!’ I had seller’s remorse. When he came to pay and pick it up, I told him, ‘I’m sorry to do this to you, but my family is begging me not to sell the car and I didn’t realize how emotionally attached I am to it. I just can’t sell it to you.’ He said, ‘I totally understand, and I don’t know how you were going to sell it to begin with!’ I offered him $100 for his wasted time, which he wouldn’t accept. That was the only time I considered selling it.”

That experience gave Gordon a new appreciation for his Scirocco 16V, and he would treat its fading single-stage factory enamel to a basecoat/clearcoat refresh in 2004. After all these years, the Volkswagen remains pristine, having been driven around 75,000 miles. It’s still a warm-weather friend, and still brings him joy behind the wheel. “Because of the 16-valve

engine and the power-to-weight ratio, it’s a very formidable car.

It’s fast and handles extremely well, being small and low to the ground. The five-speed is a beautiful transmission, with nice, very close gearing. It is a high-revving engine, though, with the tach showing over four grand at 80 mph. It feels like you need another gear, but it will do that all day. I always loved it — to me, that was music — although listening to it for hours on end would

tire me out today. It’s nothing like an isolating modern car: you feel the speed, you know you’re going fast!” he says with a smile.

This Scirocco’s sole owner knows his unmodified 16V is virtually irreplaceable, and it’s not going anywhere. “When I drive it nowadays, people don’t know what it is,” Gordon admits.

“They ask lots of questions, and can’t believe I bought it new and kept it, since that so rarely happens. It’s still a lot of fun.”

RESTORATIONS

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spotlight nifty ‘50s

1956

1956-’58 Studebaker

Golden Hawk

Low production and high performance from the stolid South Bend sires

BY JEFF KOCH • PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THE HEMMINGS ARCHIVES

P

ostwar, Studebaker had a habit of being a year ahead of the Big Three; despite the company’s small-fry independent status, it was consistently able to create cars that beat the Detroit makes to the punch. Consider:

Studebaker was the first to offer an all-new postwar car, starting in 1947. Its ’59 Lark beat Corvair, Valiant, Falcon, et al. to the compact-car onslaught by an entire model year, and Studebaker offered V-8 power in compacts years before the other guys.

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buyer’sguide

1957 And so, while the ’58 Ford Thunderbird and its four-seat format are generally credited with starting the personal luxury car movement, we suggest that Studebaker got there first, with the Golden Hawk. After the success of the 1955 Speedster (a high-zoot coupe featuring ample standard equipment, specific trim, multi-color paint schemes, and more), the South Bend builder needed a range-topper for its facelifted, newly named ’56 Hawk line. Golden Hawk was the result. For Studebaker, builder of automobiles that could be considered solid and stolid in equal measure, breaking out with a flashy GT was an eye-opening move. Pulling it off on Studebaker’s skinflint budget was perhaps the biggest surprise of all.

Golden Hawk used the same hardtop shell and windowframeless doors as the previous Starliner. The styling shifted dramatically from 1956 to 1957; only minor evolutionary changes came to the 878 examples of the ’58 Golden Hawk built. Packard also marketed a more luxurious Hawk for 1958

only. While 9,305 examples were built across the Golden Hawk’s lifetime (4,071 in ’56, 4,356 in ’57, and 878 in ’58, not including the 588 Packard Hawks in ’58), and the last of them rolled off the line nearly 65 years ago, there’s still strong regard for Studebaker in general (with the Studebaker Drivers Club one of America’s biggest car clubs) and for Golden Hawks specifically. If you’re serious about finding a Golden Hawk to call your own, we suggest you join the SDC and immerse yourself immediately. In the meantime, here are some things to look out for.

BODY Is it a real Golden Hawk? Check the body number tag on the passenger’s-side firewall. The first two digits should be the model year (e.g., 56). The third character is the engine code; J is the ’56-only 352-cu.in. Packard engine while H is the 1957’58 supercharged 289. K7 is a code used on all five-passenger Hawk hardtops, and the four-digit number on the bottom is

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1958

1956 Rare solid-color ’56 Golden Hawk shows off its fiberglass fins and standard blackwall tires; whitewall tires were common but optional. “Checkmark” side trim, tough to source today, delineates where two-tone colors would begin and end.

the sequential body number, which does not correspond to the engine number or the VIN. Some accessories were called out with an attached “streamer ribbon” tag. Also, a hand-written factory-order number may be visible on the passenger’s side of the firewall; this number should match one written in orange and hidden under the instrument panel, visible by opening the glove box and using a mirror.

All Golden Hawks share the ’53 Starliner coupe’s 120.5-inch wheelbase, as well as the bulk of the underbody structure, but the ’56 Golden Hawk was the only Hawk that year to sport fins. A ’56 Golden Hawk’s fin tops are made of fiberglass and are not interchangeable side to side. The scooped 1956 hood and decklid are Hawk-specific for that year only and were revised for 1957. Taillamp housings are among the hardest-to-find ’56 trim pieces, as they are specific to that year’s Golden Hawk, and also were among the first pieces to break in a rear-end collision. Clean side trim, including the “checkmarks” beneath the rear quarter windows, can also be challenging to locate. For 1956 only, Hawks had no beltline moldings, so don’t freak out if they appear to be “missing.” They returned for ’57.

Check for rust, even if you live in a dry climate. According to an owner who restored one, “The hardtops from those years, especially, were not very solid structurally, and the bodies tended

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to flex and, in time, admit water. Most of the Golden Hawks seem to rust in the trunk area, especially the trunk floorpan, at the rear of the front fenders, to the front of the rear wheel openings, and of course, in the rocker panels.” A variety of reproduction sheetmetal is available, and of course parts cars that share structural elements can be helpful.

Trim and color changes could fill a book. Early ’56 Golden Hawks did without a Studebaker script on the front fenders; late cars had not only a script but a V-8 emblem as well. Three paint schemes were available on ’56 Golden Hawks. A solid color was available throughout the run. Early two-tone cars had a body-colored rear quarter molding and limited the contrasting hue to the roof, hood, and upper doors and fenders ahead of the check mark trim beneath the B-pillar. Two-tone Golden Hawks built after mid-November ’55 saw a bright molding in place of a body-colored one, with the upper color continuing above the molding, onto the fins and decklid. Note that Studebaker’s body numbers weren’t assigned in order, so a later body number could have an earlier paint scheme, and vice-versa.

Two-tone cars will differ under the hood, depending on whether they were built in Los Angeles or South Bend. Wheelwell aprons should match the upper part of the fenders; while Indiana-built models will have a firewall painted to match the

lower body, California-built models will see the firewall painted to match the aprons and upper fenders. Also, for those few 1957 “400”-equipped models with high-zoot interiors, the lower grilles were painted the alternate two-tone body color.

While Hawks shared a rear bumper from 1956-’64, making that part easily enough replaced, check all bumper bolts to ensure they have an oblong (not round) head; the oblong-head bolts are correct. The rare ’58-only Packard Hawk featured a unique front-end treatment (commonly, and perhaps unkindly, referred to as resembling a catfish), a bespoke fiberglass hood, and a decklid borrowed from the 1953-‘55 coupes but given a faux-spare-tire cover.

While the ’56 Golden Hawks received a Packard-built 352-cu.in.

V-8, the 1957-’58 models received a 289-cu.in. Studebaker “Sweepstakes” engine with a McCullouch supercharger attached.

Both engines were advertised at 275 horsepower.

ENGINE The ’56 Golden Hawk featured Packard’s new-for-1955 352-cubic-inch OHV V-8; along with other Packards, this engine also showed up briefly in the mid-’50s Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet. The ’57 and ’58 models featured a McCullough/ Paxton-supercharged Studebaker-built 289 and also showed up in the ’57 Packard line as well as the ’58 Packard Hawk. Each engine was rated at 275 horsepower.

Packard’s new V-8 breathed through a standard Carter WCFB four-barrel carburetor beneath an oil-bath air cleaner. The ’56 Golden Hawk’s engine number is stamped next to the oil filler tube at the front of the block. A number starting with S was paired with Packard’s Ultramatic transmission, while a number starting with K fronted the Borg-Warner three-speed manual with overdrive. Some will claim that Studebaker installed Packard’s 374-cu.in. V-8 from the factory. They are wrong. Also, while Caribbean models offered a dual-four-barrel intake, none were installed on a Golden Hawk at the factory.

Packard legendarily overbuilt its cars, and the engines that powered them were no exception. Other than parts availability (which is scattered, considering this engine appeared in Packard, Studebaker, Nash, and Hudson models), the only consistent issue we have heard of is lifter clatter, caused by oil aeration via a worn oil-pump shaft. A pump rebuild should eliminate the issue, and the noise.

Packard engine production ceased at the end of the 1956 model year, shortly after Curtiss-Wright took over the combined (and ailing) Studebaker-Packard, but the successful Golden Hawk was bound to continue. Studebaker’s biggest engine at the time was 289 cubic inches; company engineers fitted an internally lubricated McCulloch VS-57S centrifugal supercharger that

blew through a two-barrel Stromberg carb. The variable-ratio crank-driven blower impeller spun at nearly 30,000 rpm and produced 5 psi from as little as 2,300 engine revs per minute.

Advertised power was exactly the same as the outgoing Packard V-8, 275 horsepower, although torque was down thanks to fewer cubic inches.

Stude’s solid-lifter engine is stout, but the superchargers have been known to go missing, or else were removed and dispatched to a box in the trunk. Whether they disappeared in the ’70s as a hedge against fuel economy, whether oiling issues (dirty lubricant and the like) helped the bearings seize, leaving owners out-of-pocket for an expensive rebuild, or whether it was (as Andy Granatelli asserted in his autobiography) that quality control issues prevented uniform sizing of the unit’s planetary balls, is up for debate. The good news is, McCulloch superchargers are still made under the Paxton name; what’s more, improved lubrication post-rebuild can keep things slick for years to come, with less maintenance.

WHAT TO PAY 1956 1957 1958 1958 Packard Hawk

Low $12,000 $13,000 $13,000 $8,300

Average $18,000 $20,000 $19,000 $21,000

High $23,000 $25,000 $23,000 $34,000

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This red ’56 interior was a custom order from new and, while correct for the car in our photos, doesn’t reflect the standard all-vinyl or cloth-and-vinyl treatments available through the Studebaker catalog.

Bench seat meant seating for five — six in ’58, when the rear seat opened up. Engine-turned instrument panel is standard.

Engine numbers for the supercharged ’57, regardless of transmission or factory, started with PS-1001, while the ’58 Golden Hawk engine numbers began with PS-5501. They are stamped in, not raised from the casting. For a Packard Hawk, the engine number will start with LS-5201. Engine numbers should be easily visible on the front of the block near the top.

DRIVELINE For 1956, the Packard engine powered either a Borg-Warner T-85 three-speed manual with overdrive or Packard’s Ultramatic transmission. The ’56 Ultramatic transmissions were better built than some earlier examples, a consequence of issues suffered behind the new Packard V-8’s torque. Beyond a “mooing” sound that comes with time and use, there’s little issue other than maintenance — and finding someone who knows how to work on an Ultramatic. While Ultramatic-equipped ’56s used a 3.07:1 final drive ratio as standard, the manual/overdrive units had a 3.92 rear that really got off the line. The T-85-equipped Golden Hawks also received Hill Holder, which prevented you from rolling backwards — even in neutral — as you waited on a hill for your turn to go.

When Packard power went away at the end of 1956, so did Ultramatic; in its place came the three-speed Flightomatic, built by Borg-Warner. You could order No-Creep on your Flightomatic, which prevented automatic-equipped cars from rolling forward from a stop if you took your foot off the brake; it was innovative but doesn’t always work today, so try it out if inspecting a car so equipped. The manual transmission carried over from ’56. New, optional Spicer-Thornton “Twin-Traction” capability, a limited-slip option getting power down to both rear wheels (or either wheel individually, in case of variable traction in poor weather) became an available option. Automaticequipped ’57 and ’58s were given a 3.31:1 final drive, while the manual transmissions had a standard 4.27 final drive.

The Packard Hawk was mostly built with Flightomatic (manual transmission examples exist but are quite uncommon),

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PARTS PRICES A/C condenser ........................................................$225 Antenna kit....................................................$190-$235 Bracket, supercharger to water manifold .....................$125 Brake drum rebuild kit (each) ...................................$500 Crossmember ..........................................................$320 Decklid seal ............................................................ $65 Distributor .............................................................$125 Engine belt ............................................................. $30 Engine belt (supercharger) ........................................ $50 Engine head rebuild kit (valves, seats, guides, springs) ..$700 Front fender aprons (each) .......................................$200 Fuel pump (supercharger) .......................................... $80 Headliner...............................................................$250 Hood emblem .......................................................... $25 Oil gauge ...............................................................$100 Rear gravel deflector ................................................ $75 Roof assembly ....................................................... $500 Sill plate ...............................................................$100 Speedometer cable core ............................................ $40 Sun visors (pair) .....................................................$150 Taillamp housing (pair) ............................................$390 Water pump (rebuilt with core exchange, 1956 only) ....$115 Windshield seal ....................................................... $80 Wiring harness (front, dashboard and forward) ............$325

1957

INTERIOR

with a 3.31:1 final drive and standard Twin-Traction. The ’58 models featured minor suspension revisions, a one-piece driveshaft, and a smaller driveshaft tunnel to accommodate a three-across rear seat.

SUSPENSION/BRAKES/WHEELS/TIRES Suspension on the Golden Hawks was largely the same as it had been on previous Starliners, Presidents, and such: fully independent with coil springs and oil shocks in front, with leaf springs and oil shocks in back. Starting in 1957, the rear leaves were individually plastic-lined, to resist corrosion and for a quieter ride. Also starting in 1957: finned drum brakes all around, although they maintained their 195 square inches of lining as V-8 models had for some time.

For ’56 and ’57, tires were six-ply 7.10 x 15, with optional whitewalls that measured 2½ inches wide. For 1958, Studebaker mandated 14-inch wheels and 8.00 x 14 tires, which lowered ride height slightly; 15-inch rubber was optional. Wheels were painted lower-body color on two-tone models.

The ’56 and ’57 models were five-place cars, three in front and two in back, with an armrest dividing rear passengers; a revised rear seat for ’58 made the last Golden Hawks six-passenger models. The instrument panel featured a padded dash, engineturned fascia, tach, and a Stewart-Warner vacuum gauge among the standard goodies. The ’56-only vacuum gauge is a hard piece to source, so make sure that it’s at least there (even if it’s not working). For 1957-’58, this gauge was replaced with one that measured both vacuum and manifold pressure, thanks to the supercharger on the 289. Late in the ’57 model year, Studebaker introduced a more luxurious 400 model, sporting a top-grain leather interior in a choice of white or tan, an upholstered trunk, and exclusive trim — nearly a $500 option. Records indicate that only 51 Golden Hawks were built in 400 trim, with few extant today. The Packard Hawk replaced the 400 for the 1958 model year and used almost the same interior — though it was available only in tan. The ’58 saw a revised suspension and driveshaft that allowed a lower driveshaft hump and a three-across rear seat.

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An A for Effort It took a no-holds-barred restoration to turn a patched-up 1929 Model A Standard Coupe into a prize winner

BY MIKE McNESSOR • PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHEW LITWIN • RESTORATION PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY BRUCE LeFEBVRE

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restorationprofile

Here’s our feature car, circa-2016, as found on eBay by owner Bruce LeFebvre. The exterior looked solid, but the green paint was concealing a lot of makeshift body repair work.

T

he Ford Model A’s good looks and low price of admission attracted millions of buyers before and after World War II. In later postwar years, those same qualities made the A one of the world’s most popular collector cars.

As a restoration project, you can’t beat a Model A: They’re simple, they’re supported by a vast network of specialists, and parts are widely available. That’s why hobbyists fixed ’em up decades ago and why many of those same Model A’s are being restored a second or third time by hobbyists today.

Bruce LeFebvre, the owner/restorer of this month’s stunning Bonnie Gray and Chelsea Blue 1929 Model A Standard Coupe,

is a history buff and had always admired the Model A’s styling.

“They look cool,” he says. “And Henry Ford was a fascinating character who really put America on wheels.”

Bruce wasn’t what you would call a Model A expert when he started shopping for one of his own about a decade ago, but over the course of this project, he gained a lot of knowledge.

“I didn’t know my ass from my elbow about Model A’s, but I knew I wanted one,” he says. “I saw one online located in a town called Peculiar, Missouri — so I bought it for $6,500, then my friend Roger Parrott and I spent almost 10 days going out and back to get it.”

Bruce’s reasonably priced, online auction find was a nicelooking car, though maybe a little worn and in need of attention.

It had already been converted to hydraulic brakes — a selling point and something which would’ve been on Bruce’s to-do list anyway. Outside, the car wore aged green paint and inside there was what looked like water stains on the upholstery. Some fresh interior pieces, some paint, and some general sprucing should have brought it back to like-new condition — or so Bruce thought. But once back at his shop in Connecticut, a teardown revealed a lot of hidden rust, wood rot, and some hasty body repairs, too.

“When I first saw the car, it didn’t look bad at all,” Bruce says. “But once we started taking it apart—we took the headliner out, the seats out, and the side panels — you could see it was packed with body filler and there was haphazard fiberglass work that looked like bandages holding it together.”

The rear inner fenders, stamped into the Model A coupe’s quarter panels, were rotten along their bases as well as around the arched portions and the rust holes were covered with strips of fiberglass. The rear corners of the quarter panels were also rusted and there was rust under the package tray, the rear windows, etc. — all of which had been plugged with body filler or covered up. The car’s rear fenders and running boards also needed to be replaced.

“I had a body guy take a look at it and he said, ‘This car needs some serious work,’” Bruce says. “I had it media blasted and the guy who blasted it told me I needed to come see it, because he didn’t know if I would want him to keep going. There was so much body filler and fiberglass — but I was into it then.”

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The car’s interior was badly in need of an update and the upholstery was water stained throughout.

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At Auto Network in Ellington, Connecticut, the Model A’s body had been media blasted and coated in epoxy primer. Areas of primer were ground off the quarter panel in order to weld in metal repair panels. The rear fender was mounted to the car temporarily to check the fit against the new metal work.

A teardown revealed some quick patchwork in commonly rusted areas. Here a strip of mesh fabric or fiberglass was stuck over rust in the lower portion of the rear inner fender and painted black.

With the body off the chassis and on a cart, filler was applied over the repaired areas, then carefully block sanded until it was straight and smooth enough to prime with a surfacer.

From the inside, rust holes were covered over and smoothed up with body filler. At some point, someone brazed the steel upright to the inner fender for added support.

While the body was being repaired, the engine was sent to Connecticut Antique Engine Restoration in North Franklin for a complete overhaul to stock specs. The one deviation from factory was a breakerless ignition.

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The chassis was media blasted and painted before the rebuilt engine and transmission were installed at Bruce’s shop.

The wooden side members, headers, and roof ribs are fastened together with carriage bolts and metal brackets that are screwed in place, forming the foundation for the Model A’s top.

A Wilwood master cylinder mounted under the floor and operated by the stock brake pedal applies pressure to the Model A’s upgraded hydraulic drum brakes.

After the body’s spray-booth appointment at Auto Network, the finished Bonnie Gray and Chelsea Blue body was perched atop the chassis.

After the bodywork was complete but before the body was painted, the coupe’s shell was returned to Bruce’s shop so that the wood pieces, which were handmade by Bruce’s friend, the late Bob Schneider, could be installed.

Once the car was on the road, Bruce found that he didn’t like the way it drove because the front axle had been retrofitted with later parts to accept hydraulic drum brakes. He tracked down a complete used front axle and spring, then assembled a more original-style package that also incorporated a hydraulic-brake conversion.

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The coupe’s four-cylinder was treated to a rebuild and pressed back into service. A breakerless ignition stands in for the points and condenser, inside the stock distributor. Period accessory touches include a mount for the oil can and an Auto Lite heater.

After the body was stripped bare, it was sprayed with epoxy primer, then the crew at Auto Network in Ellington, Connecticut, set about cutting out the rusted areas and stitching in new sheetmetal. Reinforced body filler was spread over welded joints, sanded out, then coated with an easier-feathering filler. The reconditioned body panels then were treated to multiple coats of surfacer and block sanded to get them perfectly smooth. Before the paint was laid down, the body was returned to Bruce so that he and his friend, the late Bob Schneider, could custom

manufacture, and custom fit, all of the A’s inner wood parts.

“Bob Schneider was a master woodworker,” Bruce says. “He could reproduce anything out of wood. He passed away in September [2021].” Bruce and Bob also installed the car’s vinyl roof material over the fabricated wood frame.

While the body was taking shape, Bruce sent the Model A’s four-cylinder engine to Connecticut Antique Engine Restoration in North Franklin, Connecticut, for an overhaul.

“The engine wasn’t in terrible shape, but they milled the head and put new

pistons in it. Not many people pour Babbitt bearings, so we found a specialist for that,” Bruce says. The 40-horse Ford L-head is mostly stock now, but the ignition was upgraded to a breakerless type for greater reliability. Bruce rebuilt the A’s three-speed transmission himself before pressing it back into service behind a new clutch.

The crew at Auto Network handled the Model A’s final finish — a match for original Ford colors — in a modern urethane formula, then color sanded and buffed it to a show-winning shine. The interior was restored with material from

The car’s owner performed the interior makeover with help from his late friend, Bob Schneider, and a local upholstery shop. Gray upholstery on the bench coordinates with the Bonnie Gray painted dash.

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owner’s view

A

couple of people were encouraging me to just junk this car because it was going to take too much to restore. Well of course that’s all I had to hear. It lit my fire and I thought, there’s no way I’m giving up on this! I wanted the car to be all authentic and use only original parts, so we repaired and fixed all of the metal, cleaned and reused most of the hardware, and used the same kind of wood as the factory in the roof and doors. I have way more invested now than I could ever sell it for, but it’s a fun car to drive. —Bruce LeFebvre LeBaron Bonney installed by Bob, Bruce, and Reardon Upholstery.

The car’s chassis had been media blasted and refinished in black early on in the project, but after it was reinstalled and Bruce drove the car, something seemed off.

“The car didn’t track straight, so I called Snyder’s (Antique Auto Parts) in Ohio, and they asked me to send some pictures

of the front end,” Bruce says. “They told me the setup wasn’t stock Model A but used parts from a newer Ford.”

Swapping in front-end parts from later Fords is a common way to convert an earlier car, like a Model A, from mechanical to hydraulic brakes. Bruce’s car had been upgraded that way at some point in its life, employing mixed and matched parts.

“The car had been piecemealed,” Bruce says. “I didn’t realize I was buying a jigsaw puzzle with pieces from other puzzles in it.”

An online search turned up a complete Model A front end in New Jersey, which Bruce picked up and refurbished himself. Then, the chassis was retrofitted with a hydraulic drum-brake kit from Cling’s Aftermarket Products. The car’s spoke wheels looked good, so they were shod with new tires and put back on the car.

The entire project took about four years, wrapping up in 2016. Bruce said he’s happy with the result and enjoys spending time behind the wheel of his nicely restored Model A. “I’m pleased with the way it came out and I enjoy driving it around town. I thought it was going to be like driving a stagecoach, but it rides pretty nice,” he says. “Every intersection I get thumbs up, people honking the horn and waving. I’ve driven it in parades, won many local car show awards, and it was on the cover of the 2021 Hemmings Model A Calendar — it’s a neat car to show off.”

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spotlight nifty ‘50s

America’s Independent Sports Cars of the 1950s

BY PATRICK FOSTER • IMAGES COURTESY OF THE PAT FOSTER COLLECTION, EXCEPT AS NOTED

T

o compete against the Big Three, America’s independent automakers often had to seek special niches in the marketplace, especially during the 1950s. Their bread-and-butter cars tended to be large medium- to upper-medium-price vehicles, meant to compete in the Buick, Olds, Dodge, and Mercury segments or, in Packard’s case, against Cadillac. For a slice of the lowprice market, the independents resorted to compact cars, some very successfully (Nash Rambler, Studebaker Lark) and some unsuccessfully (Henry J, Hudson Jet, Willys Aero). Intending to tap into a new segment

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while adding a prestige “halo” car to their regular offerings, most of the independent automakers chose to introduce sports cars.

The results were mixed.

Crosley Motors was the first of the better-known independents to field a sports car. Hoping to sell American-made autos to GIs who had caught the sports car bug while serving in Europe during World War II, the company introduced a pair of snappy little roadsters for 1950: the new Crosley Super Sports and Hot Shot.

The doorless Hot Shot was priced at $872 (about $10,265 today) — cheap money, even back then. The Super Sports included

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

doors and was tagged at $925 (about $10,890 today), still an amazing bargain.

Tiny and stark, the new Crosley sports cars managed to include the elements typically found in a British roadster: bucket seats and floor shifter, plus low, racy styling that looked somewhat like the later “Bugeye” Austin-Healey Sprite.

Riding an 85-inch wheelbase, the Crosleys included front disc brakes as standard equipment — a rather advanced feature for that era. Motive power was supplied by a tiny cast-iron four-cylinder engine of just 44 cubic inches. It produced a mere 26.5 horsepower, which sounds pretty low

automotivedesign

LEFT: Little Crosley Motors offered two sports cars during the early 1950s: the Crosley Hot Shot, a stark roadster lacking even doors, and the Super Sports. TOP: Like the Hot Shot, the Crosley Super Sports boasted clean “Bugeye” roadster styling, a rear-mounted spare tire, and bucket seats. Unlike the Hot Shot, the Super Sports included doors. ABOVE: The 1951 Nash-Healey combined an excellent Healey-designed chassis and body with the powerful Nash Ambassador OHV six-cylinder engine.

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LEFT: From 1952, the Nash-Healey boasted exquisite styling by Pinin Farina, featuring modern lines with headlamps set into the grille.

RIGHT: The one-year-only Nash-Healey “Le Mans” was a coupe on a longer wheelbase. The styling is classic and timeless.

today, but the whole car weighed only 1,175 pounds and hop-up equipment could almost double the engine output.

Resource guides say that only 742 Hot Shot/Super Sports were produced that first year. For 1951, drum brakes replaced the trouble-prone discs.

The little Crosleys were actually pretty competitive when juiced up a bit. They could do 90 mph and handling was particularly good. A Hot Shot won the Index of Performance at Sebring in 1951. Despite that, production drifted down to 646 cars that year.

By that point Crosley Motors — founded in 1939 — was in its death throes. A reputation for engine problems connected to its discontinued sheetmetal four-banger, plus problems with its hurried-to-production disc brakes, hurt it badly, although both had been replaced by more reliable components by 1951.

But the biggest problem was simply that

Americans were not particularly interested in cars as small as what Crosley was building and wouldn’t be for another six or seven years. After producing just 358 Hot Shot/Super Sports cars for 1952, Crosley Motors shut down automobile production for good.

Plucky Nash Motors entered the sports car market in 1951 with its new Nash-Healey. Combining a twin-carb version of the Nash Ambassador 234.8-cu.in. six-cylinder engine (125 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque) with a body and chassis designed by England’s Donald Healey Company made it an international effort. A three-speed plus overdrive was the only transmission offered, and with this American-produced drivetrain, the big Nash engine turned only 3,140 rpm at 100 mph. With its very British aluminum roadster body, the sporty NashHealey weighed just 2,600 pounds, so performance was quite good.

However, being essentially a handbuilt car, pricing was a big problem. At $4,063 (about $44,340 today), the NashHealey was pricier than Cadillac’s Series 62 convertible. However, the N-H was aimed at sports car lovers, and if it was pricey, it was probably worth it. Just 104 copies of the 1951 models were produced.

But Nash management was unhappy with the old-fashion styling of the first Nash-Healeys, so for 1952-1954 the Nash-Healey sported steel bodies with completely new styling by Italian firm Carrozzeria Pinin Farina, which was under contract with Nash. By that point the drivetrains, produced in America, were being shipped to the U.K. for installation in Donald Healey’s chassis. These were in turn shipped to Italy for installation of the Pinin Farina-designed and -built bodies, before being shipped to the U.S. Initially offered only as a roadster, in 1953 Nash added a sharp “Le Mans”

In 1951, Nash stylist Bill Reddig proposed this racy-looking roadster as a future Nash-Healey replacement, but Nash wanted to use Pininfarina, whom the company had under contract.

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Inventory Updated Daily at hmn.com/auctions

1936 Chrysler Airflow Coupe Sold for $112,875

1964 Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Coupe Sold for $72,450

1958 Edsel Villager Station Wagon Sold for $40,425

1954 Austin-Healey 100-4 Sold for $54,600

1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SE 3.5 Coupe Sold for $105,000

1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Convertible Sold for $25,830

ru th FER d F l So E O K MA

1966 Ford Mustang Convertible Sold for $52,500

Bill Reddig later created this more-modern looking design as a Nash or Rambler sports car.

Ed Anderson, head of American Motors Styling during the 1950s, proposed this “Rambler Glen” sports car to replace the discontinued Nash-Healey. The Glen utilized styling elements seen on the production 1956 Ramblers, including a wraparound windshield and the “basket handle” roll bar.

Hudson’s Director of Styling, Frank Spring, was able to get his ideas for a new car produced as the Hudson Italia sport coupe, unveiled in 1954. Only 26 were produced.

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hardtop, followed in late ’53 with different roof styling featuring Nash’s trademark reverse-slope pillars. Along the way engine displacement was increased to 252.6 cu.in., and power climbed to 140 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque. But prices soared, rising to $5,868 (about $62,825 today) for 1952, and $6,399 (about $68,510 today) for the Le Mans. For that kind of money, you could buy a new Corvette roadster and a Buick Riviera hardtop.

But the Nash-Healey was never intended to be a volume seller; its role was as a halo car, and to give Nash a bit of a performance image. An experimental Nash-Healey did well at Le Mans in 1950, but the big news was the 1952 running of the race, when Nash-Healey came in first in its class (3,001-5,000 cc), and, amazingly, third overall — behind a Ferrari and a Talbot — with an average speed of 91.5 mph. An American car would not do better until Ford made its historic assault on Le Mans in the 1960s.

The Nash-Healey was dropped after 1954 (though a few leftovers were sold as ’55 models). In all, just 506 Nash-Healeys were produced in four years. Nash stylists loved the little sportster and continued offering proposals for a new model. As the Nash brand faded away, they switched to calling for a Rambler sports car. In 1957, Styling Director Ed Anderson proposed a neat sports model called the Rambler Glen, while his assistant Bill Reddig produced both a traditional roadster and a more modern sports car. But AMC was too broke at the time to consider offering sports cars — that would have to wait until 1968.

The Hudson Motor Car Company also got into the sporty two-seater market, but with an elegant offering for 1954. It was called the Italia, and Hudson’s freethinking director of styling, Frank Spring, designed it to be more like a two-seat Grand Touring car than a conventional sports car. Like Nash, the Hudson Italia was built in Europe, in this case by Carrozzeria Touring. Utilizing its trademark lightweight “Superleggera” tube and alloy body panel construction, the Italian firm produced the beautiful two-passenger touring car using a Hudson Jet front stub frame and suspension, floorpan, and drivetrain, including the 202-cu.in. engine.

Utilizing a 105-inch wheelbase — the same as the Jet’s — the Italia’s low, sleek body featured air scoops atop the front fenders that channeled air to the brakes, a wire mesh grille fronted by the Hudson triangle, semi-enclosed wheels, and a wraparound windshield. Out back were six chrome tubes designed to look like exhaust pipes. These held taillamps, brake

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lamps and backup lamps; yes, the look was a bit overdone, but that was what the 1950s was all about, after all.

With ample luggage room, the Hudson Italia was probably more practical as a travel car than most of the others.

Powered by the Jet’s 202-cu.in. twin-carb six with 114 hp, it might have proved more popular if only it had the potent 160-hp Hornet mill. Each bearing a price tag of $4,800 (about $50,625 today), only 26 Italias were produced. Even that small number proved difficult to sell in 1954, what with its high cost and with the Chevy-Ford sales war going on.

Beginning around 1952, little Woodill Motor Company of Downey, California, produced a number of fiberglass-bodied sports cars. Starting as a kit-car builder, it soon began offering turnkey cars, though production quantity was small. Powered by a 90-hp Willys F-head six-cylinder engine, the Woodill Wildfire roadster was fun to drive. The attractive little sport car was featured prominently in the 1954 Tony Curtis movie Johnny Dark.

In 1953, Willys-Overland, still hoping to be a success in the passengercar market, unveiled a barely disguised Willys version of the Woodill Wildfire.

Dubbed the Willys Wildfire, it was a good-looking roadster with a fiberglass body boasting the Woodill’s nice lines and a 90-hp Willys six-cylinder engine hooked up to a three-speed with overdrive transmission. However, a proposed deal to offer the exciting sports car through Willys dealers ended up being cancelled when Kaiser Motors acquired the working assets of Willys-Overland that same year. It so

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TOP: Glaspar built the bodies for Woody Woodill’s Wildfire sports cars, offered in both kit and turnkey versions. MIDDLE: For a time, Willys-Overland had plans to sell a version of the Woodill sports car as the Willys Wildfire, as seen here. The deal fell through once W-O’s operating assets were acquired by Kaiser. ABOVE: The stunning Kaiser Darrin roadster for 1954. With a fiberglass body, sliding doors, and a Willys six-cylinder engine under the hood, it was an ideal light sports car, and fairly priced at $3,668.

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

RICHARD LENTINELLO

happened that Henry J. Kaiser already had an eponymous sports car being readied for production and felt he did not need a second roadster for his dealers.

Henry Kaiser’s exciting new sports car debuted for 1954. The smartly styled Kaiser-Darrin (aka KDF-161) was a low, sleek roadster with looks created by designer Howard “Dutch” Darrin. Its fiberglass body featured unique doors that slid into the fenders — possibly the only car ever to do so — and it was a very appealing automobile with modern styling that made it stand out.

Although powered by the ubiquitous Willys 161-cu.in., 90-hp F-head six, the Kaiser-Darrin’s had performance that was surprisingly good, with 0-60 times of about 13 seconds and a 100-mph top speed.

But this model did not sell well, despite a price of $3,668 (about $38,690 today).

Kaiser Motors was in financial trouble, and anyone could see car production was probably going to end. Total Kaiser-Darrin production was a disappointing 435 cars.

Dutch Darrin bought up a bunch of leftovers and fitted them with Cadillac V-8s.

The engine upgrade yielded Allard-like performance, and the hot little roadsters were snapped up by people looking for outrageous performance in an American sports car.

Studebaker also investigated building a two-seater, a sharp little coupe made from a cut-down hardtop. This was an exceptionally nice-looking car, but in the end, Studebaker’s management decided against it, which in view of how the other companies made out, was probably a wise move. Instead, for 1955 the company introduced the new President Speedster, a five-passenger hardtop coupe created from the gorgeous Starliner hardtop introduced for 1953. The Speedster was a beautiful sport coupe, with a quilted leather interior, full instrumentation in an engine-turned dashboard, bumper-mounted fog lamps, and an exceptionally long list of standard equipment that more than justified its $3,253 (about $34,440 today) price tag, which was $800 higher than a standard President hardtop.

The proud old Packard Motor Car Company was always viewed as a gentlemen’s firm, but during the 1950s it tried to shed the somewhat dowdy image it had acquired. Looking to add some glamor to its persona, for 1952 the company introduced a new show car called the Packard Pan American. Designed by Richard Arbib, the Pan American was a much-modified Packard convertible, with its body height lowered via a 4-inch strip sliced from the midsection. Moving the trunk forward

TOP: Studebaker’s 1955 Speedster was a five-passenger coupe derived from the 1953 Starliner hardtop. MIDDLE: The gorgeous 1953 Packard Pan American was a large two/three passenger sports touring car. Designed by Richard Arbib and built by the Henney Motor Company, it created a sensation at auto shows where it appeared. ABOVE: The last sports car from Packard was the 1954 Panther-Daytona. Its fiberglass body and supercharged eightcylinder engine ensured quick acceleration.

shortened the interior to a two or three passenger sportster riding on beautiful wire wheels that were skirted in the rear and fully exposed up front. Atop the hood was a broad, functional hood scoop. To reduce the amount of exterior chrome, the headlamp rings were partially painted the body color, leaving just the front portion as bright metal. The Pan American proved so popular on the auto show circuit that Packard introduced a similar car as a production model, though with much less modification to the body shell. That car was dubbed the Packard Caribbean.

Pleased with the Pan American’s success, Packard followed it up in 1954

with a two-seat show car called the Panther (aka Panther-Daytona). Its fiberglass body was mounted on a Packard Cavalier chassis. Built to run at Daytona during Speed Week, the Panther was powered by a supercharged straight-eight Packard engine, 1954 being a year prior to the introduction of the new Packard V-8.

Several were built as show cars, though the car never entered regular production.

Taken all together, the efforts by America’s automakers — both the Big Three and the Independents — during the 1950s constitutes a “Golden Age” of American sports cars, a period whose glory is unlikely to ever be exceeded.

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AUCTION NEWS&HIGHLIGHTS

BY MATTHEW LITWIN AND TOM COMERRO PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF MATTHEW LITWIN AND AS CREDITED

Gooding Geared Online Results THE JANUARY EDITION OF GOODING & COMPANY’S GEARED ONLINE AUCTIONS REALIZED

RM SOTHEBY’S

Prewar Classics Thrive at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Auction

RM SOTHEBY’S RELEASED ITS FINAL SALES

figures from its annual Amelia Island auction, reporting a total of more than $46.6 million and a sell-through of 89 percent. Delving deeper into the numbers, American classics accounted for $11.5 million in sales, with the bulk coming from a 1934 Packard Twelve Individual Custom Convertible Victoria.

It was thought to be one of three remaining and it spent the last four decades in prominent collections, while appearing in several books. The car had been completely disassembled and restored or rebuilt down to the nuts and bolts.

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It won First in Class, the Classic Car Club of America Trophy, and a Best of Show nomination at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Since that time, it was in storage before it crossed the block at Amelia Island. When the bidding ended, it raked up a show-high sale of $4.13 million.

One of the oldest cars to sell was a 1913 Stutz Series B Bearcat. Found on a ranch in the 1970s, it was reduced to a partial frame, engine, and gas tank. After decades of parts collecting, the car was still unrestored by the early 2000s. A father-and-son duo took possession of the Bearcat and began the painstaking and meticulous restoration journey, which was documented in the Stutz Club’s publication, Stutz News. The current owner purchased it in 2015 and it was finished in dark green with red accents.

Its wheels were painted Frayer knock-off wires with Goodrich Silvertown tires.

The 390-cu.in. Wisconsin T-head fourcylinder engine was fed via a Stromberg carburetor. Inside, the Stutz had the full options of its day, including walnut wood dash, wood-rimmed steering wheel, a Phinney-Walker Co. eight-day clock, and a Tuto Type A horn. The Stutz changed hands for $250,000.

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GOODING & COMPANY

JUNE 9-11 • Mecum Auction Tulsa, Oklahoma 262-275-5050 • mecum.com 15 • The Vault Jackson, Mississippi 601-665-4027 • thevaultms.com 16 • Big Iron Auctions St. Edward, Nebraska 800-937-3558 • bigiron.com 30-7/2 • Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas, Nevada 480-421-6694 • barrett-jackson.com Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend you verify the status before making plans to attend.

RM SOTHEBY’S

total sales of more than $6.9 million with an 88 percent sell-through rate. This was the second straight year the auction house held the bulk of its Scottsdale auction online, but with the addition of special viewings for the press and registered bidders, Gooding has been slowly bringing back a physical presence to the event. Among the sales was this 1964 Ford Thunderbird hardtop that showed less than 36,000 miles on its odometer. The preserved T-Bird was purchased in New Jersey and saw limited weekend use in the Garden State. The current owner acquired it in 2017 and kept it in original condition, including the paint and interior. Mechanical attention included a tune up on the 390-cu.in. V-8, a new exhaust, and replacement shock absorbers. The hardtop Thunderbird rode on radial whitewalls, which were added within the past year, and it found a new owner for $25,000.

Also selling was a 1962 Imperial Crown convertible, part of the collection of late film director Richard Donner. Finished in red and complemented by a white leather interior and white soft top, the Crown was powered by Chrysler’s 413-cu.in. V-8, mated to a pushbutton TorqueFlite automatic transmission. Options included air conditioning, power-assisted brakes and steering, power-operated windows and convertible top, and an AM radio. It still had its factory steel wheels, which were wrapped in wide-whitewall radial tires. This was a fairly rare car, thought to be one of just 554 built during the 1962 model year. When the bidding ended, the Imperial Crown sold at $41,800.

Visit goodingco.com for all results from the Geared Online auction.

View and search through thousands of upcoming auction vehicles in one place at the Hemmings Auction Showroom, www.hmn.com/auctioncalendar.

Bonhams Auctions’ Scottsdale Sale Annual Arizona auction achieves an $11.4 million result

IT WAS A BRISK 45-DEGREE MORNING, COLD FOR ARIZONA IN JANUARY, WHEN BIDDERS AND SPECTATORS ARRIVED AT THE WESTIN KIERLAND

Resort & Spa, home of the 11th-annual Bonhams’ Scottsdale auction. Unlike last year’s event — relegated to an uncharacteristically small 32-car docket with a last-minute change to online bidding only — this year’s sale, held on January 27, was brimming with promise and an 89-vehicle catalog dominated by Aston Martins, Ferraris, and Porsches, accompanied by a handful of Bentleys, Jaguars, and a smattering of high-performance domestic muscle cars.

Besting them all was an immaculate 1958 AC Ace roadster — one of 266 built — that surged past its presale estimate of $375,000 and realized $516,500 (all sale prices listed include a buyer’s premium). It was followed by a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S roadster — one of 141 built and a bona fide “barn find”— that brought $472,500. There were a few more lots, presented here, that dated to the Fifties; these contributed to Bonhams $11.4 million tally, and a respectable 95 percent sell-through rate. For complete results, and a comprehensive list of upcoming sales, visit bonhams.com/auctions/27328/.

1957 CADILLAC ELDORADO BIARRITZ Reserve: Undisclosed Selling Price: $145,000

Avg. Market Range: $135,000 - $235,000

Of the trio of domestic Fifties lots, the star was this 1957 Eldorado Biarritz convertible. Largely all-new from the frame up, the top-tier model was fitted with virtually every piece of power equipment of the era, all for the standard — and shocking — price of $7,286, or $73,600 in today’s currency. Just 1,800 were built for ’57, and they enjoy a strong following among collectors today; thus, the presale estimate of $135,000-$175,000 for this nicely restored, Dakota Red/black top example was no surprise. There was a lot to like beyond the power accessories, including the dual four-barrel 365-cu.in.

V-8. Power and styling won the day.

LEGEND

1953 FORD F-100

1951 HUDSON HORNET

Reserve: None Selling Price: $43,680

Reserve: None Selling Price: $31,360

Offered without reserve was this Ford F-100, a revised F-Series designation for 1953. According to the catalog, this one was originally a solid-running, rust-free half-ton that was subjected to a thorough nut-and-bolt restoration. The work went a step or two further when its owner (and consignor) requested mild performance upgrades, the most notable of which was the installation of Edelbrock aluminum cylinder heads. Additionally, the iconic half-ton also received a three-speed manual with overdrive, which one could argue increased its driveability beyond secondary roads. It sold within estimate and value range.

Reserve: Minimum price owner will accept Selling Price: What the vehicle sold for (including the buyer’s premium)

1958-1966 Thunderbirds

Avg. Market Range: $30,000 - $72,500

Avg. Market Range: $17,000 - $30,000

Thanks to the Pixar movie Cars, new generations have discovered Hudson’s once-dominant stock car prowess. Has that translated to higher sales? Before answering, let’s look at this 1951 Hornet club coupe, estimated to bring $40,000$60,000 at the sale. It touted a “beautiful” restoration that was bordering on 20 years old when it crossed the block. The work included a 308-cu.in. “Twin-H” sixcylinder, believed to be from the ’54 model year, as well as a custom fabric top and wire wheels for touches of distinction.

The estimate was optimistic, even with the power upgrade, as the Hudson was more driver than concours candidate.

Average Market Range: Values coincide with current market trends for vehicles rated from condition #2- to #1, respectively

smsautofabrics.com

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ALL AMERICAN CARS 1930-2000 • ALL ITEMS PROUDLY MADE IN THE U.S.A.

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BY MARK J. McCOURT IMAGES COURTESY OF HEMMINGSAUCTIONS.COM HEMMINGS AUCTIONS IS OUR LIVE, ONLINE AUCTION SITE STAFFED BY

customer service professionals ready to help bidders and sellers with any questions. A wide variety of classic and specialty vehicles from all eras are up for bid. Auctions run for two weeks, and qualified bidders place their bids electronically. Once a vehicle is accepted into the auction,

the seller pays only a $99.95 listing fee. The winning bidder is responsible for a 5-percent fee on all completed auctions. The following are examples of auctions that transpired during the month leading up to press time. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, email Director of Auction Operations Terry Shea: terryshea@hemmings.com.

1957 CHRYSLER 300C Reserve: $60,000 Selling Price: $63,000*

Recent Market Range: N/A

While its true mileage was unknown, a mere 684 showed on the odometer of this handsomely refurbished Chrysler. That, its extensive options, and its strong presentation led to a succinct three post-auction Make Offer bids, the last of which moved it into the Sold category. Factoring into its winning ways were an attractive, correct-for-’57 color-change repaint, an excellent tanover-black leather upholstered interior with an intact headliner and padded dash, good brightwork, and a clean undercarriage with only minor surface corrosion. The 375-hp, 392-cubic-inch V-8 and TorqueFlite transmission were said to operate as nicely as they looked. Positive comments indicated this sale was one to watch.

1974 PORSCHE 914 Reserve: $27,000 Selling Price: $33,075

Recent Market Range: $26,400-$38,750

Seventies sports cars stand out today not only for their distinctive shapes, but for their awesome period paint colors. This ’74 914 2.0 turned heads in its notably orange Phoenix Red, that fiveyear-old finish replacing the factory silver paint and said to harbor only minor scratches. A bit of rust was disclosed in the rear trunk, but the undercarriage was solid, and the brakes and suspension enjoyed recent updates. The vinyl-upholstered interior looked good, and the removable top panel’s seals were promised healthy.

The 45,000-mile mid-mounted flat-four and five-speed were original to the car, said to never require major service. This entrylevel Porsche sold in the heart of its value range.

1963 STUDEBAKER AVANTI R2 Reserve: $50,000 Selling Price: $52,500

Recent Market Range: N/A

Said to be one of fewer than 500 Studebaker Avantis built with a factory supercharged V-8 engine and four-speed, this ’63 R2 had the desirable stuff to tick the boxes. The car was restored by a previous owner using NOS and refurbished original parts, and it appeared in great shape with no reported issues with the body, paint, and trim; the bold red interior had many coveted options and was likewise in fine, fully functional condition. The 289-cu.in./289-hp V-8, manual gearbox, and limited-slip differential were promised to function properly. Underneath, minor surface corrosion and tires of indeterminate age were the only noted demerits. Nearly 14,000 views proved this Avanti was worth investing in.

LEGEND

Reserve: Minimum price owner will accept Selling Price*: What the vehicle sold for, inclusive of buyer’s 5-percent fee (*sold as a Make Offer listing following the live auction)

Recent Market Range: The low-to-high value range for the vehicle based on published results of similar vehicles sold at auction over the previous 18 months

Advertisers in this issue ALUMA TRAILERS ......................................25 ATHENA INSTITUTE ....................................65 BARRETT-JACKSON .....................................3 BIRD NEST..................................................69 BOB’S SPEEDOMETER ...............................47 CLASS-TECH ..............................................53 COKER TIRE..................................................1 CUSTOM AUTOSOUND MFG.......................37 THE GREAT RACE .........................................5

1958 CADILLAC SERIES 62 Reserve: $75,000 Selling Price: $89,880

THE HAMILTON COLLECTION ....................17

Recent Market Range: $94,110-$132,450

HILL’S CLASSIC CARS ................................47

Hearkening back to the height of General Motors’ styling opulence, this restored 1958 Cadillac Series 62 convertible was desirably accessorized with Eldorado-spec triple Rochester two-barrel carburetors atop the good-running, leak-free 365-cubic-inch V-8/ Hydra-Matic drivetrain. Its attractive white top/red leather trimmings complemented the white paint, claimed “free of swirls and blemishes.” Fresh chrome accented the bumpers and wheel covers, and the upholstery and dash looked new. A power-steering leak was noted under the car, but the original intake and carb were included in the sale. Eight videos and more than 100 photos reassured bidders, and this Cadillac ended up a bit of a bargain.

HYDRO-E-LECTRIC.....................................39 J.C. TAYLOR AUTO INSURANCE .................15 JOURNEY HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE ...........21 KLINGBERG FAMILY CENTER .....................33 LUCAS CLASSIC TIRES ..............................11 MBZ PARTS ................................................37 NATIONAL PARTS DEPOT......... BACK COVER ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP ...........................59 ROBERTS MOTOR PARTS...........................53 ROCKAUTO, LLC .........................................31 RPM FOUNDATION ....... INSIDE BACK COVER SMS AUTO FABRICS...................................69 STAUER.................................................... 9,13 STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS .....................37

1950 STUDEBAKER CHAMPION

1962 FORD THUNDERBIRD

Reserve: $24,500 Selling Price: $25,725 Recent Market Range: $22,120-$35,540

Reserve: $50,000 Selling Price: $53,550 Recent Market Range: N/A

It’s believed this “bullet-nose” Studebaker Champion had a full restoration before it went on display at the AACA Museum, presale; having won both AACA First Senior and Grand National awards certainly underlined the quality of its cosmetic presentation. The paint, applied circa 2000, was promised free of chips or blemishes, and its glass and chrome showed as new, too. The interior appeared showroom-fresh in photos, and the trunk and undercarriage looked period perfect, helped by bias-ply tires of indeterminate age but full tread.

The 85-hp L-head straight-six engine and surrounding bay were spotless. The selling price represented a good buy considering the apparent quality of this Stude.

The Rangoon Red Sports Roadster is the quintessential “Bullet Bird,” and that’s what this 1962 Thunderbird represented.

The quasi-two-seater Sports Roadster was claimed as one of 1,427 built that year.

It was refurbished and upgraded with black leather upholstery that remained in fine condition, like the rest of the space-age-styled interior. The paint, body chrome, and Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels all presented well, and the complex folding convertible top was recently installed.

The undercarriage looked clean, and fresh Coker whitewall tires were said to give it a comfortable ride. Documentation included original dealer materials. Nearly 22,000 views proved this Ford was a hot ticket.

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jimrichardson

Driving Home the Point

I …most cars,

properly

cared for, will

last almost

forever.

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n the afternoons, as my neighborhood pals and I played “three flies up” in the street, an elderly gentleman named Mr. Levine (I only learned years later that his first name was Sam) rolled around the corner at a sedate pace and meandered past. We stepped out of the way to stand in awe of his 1929 Chevrolet threewindow coupe.

It was painted gray, striped in yellow, and sported 20-inch disc wheels. It looked almost new, though it was 30 years old. It was tall and narrow, and looked as if it had been designed with a T-square and triangle. Only the fenders were curved. Such an old Chevy was a rare sight back in 1960.

That is partly because Chevrolet bodies from the ’20s were braced with wood, and when these cars were left out in damp climates, their wood rotted over the years. As a result, you would see the remains of old Chevys laying out on the ground like exploded technical drawings.

Also, during World War II many old cars were scrapped, so very few of them from the 1920s were still on the road. Ford Model A’s were still fairly common because they were almost all steel, but most other cars from the era had long since been relegated to the salvage yards.

We saw Mr. Levine as an ancient man with an ancient car, though from my perspective today, I realize that he probably wasn’t that old. After all, he was still working full time.

But I loved old cars almost from birth and was curious to know Mr. Levine’s story, so one day I walked down to his house while he was putting the car away and said hello. He had the hood open and was wiping down the old stovebolt six. It turns out 1929 was the first year for that famous long-lived engine.

Mr. Levine was a bookkeeper at a local business and had owned the car almost from new. He was an immigrant from Eastern Europe and when he came to the United States, he got a good job, saved his money, and bought the Chevrolet. To him it was a dream come true: He had made it to America and had his own car.

For much of his life on the East Coast, he and his wife only used the car for Sunday drives and special occasions, because he walked to work, and they took the train if they went away on

HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR JUNE 2022 I Hemmings.com

vacation. It was only when he moved west that he started driving to work every day.

I found his old Chevrolet fascinating because it was simple, and Mr. Levine told me a lot about automotive technology from the early days. On occasion, he would let me come down to his place, sit on his garage floor, and sketch the old Chevy’s suspension and running gear.

The sketches were a way of remembering in detail what I had seen. And Mr. Levine filled me in on what did what, and why. He did all of his own maintenance and repairs and taught me a little about how it was done.

I still do sketches when I do restorations, so I don’t forget how things go together. But the most important thing I learned from Sam Levine is that most cars, properly cared for, will last almost forever. As a result, I have only bought two new cars in my life. One was a ’67 VW Beetle in my college days, and the other was a ’77 Toyota pickup to use on camping trips to Mexico.

We have a modern car for my wife, but when I am at home in the States I usually drive my 1955 Chevrolet, or when parts chasing, I have a 1958 Apache pickup. And when I am in New Zealand, I drive a 1966 Morris Minor convertible. I refuse to be taken in by the “designed-in obsolescence” strategy the automakers began years ago to make you feel deprived if you drive last year’s model, even though it is the same car under the hood, except they have figured out how to cut more costs and sell it to customers as “new and improved.”

Too often we neglect our cars to death, and feel deprived if we don’t have the latest and greatest. But think about it. Even if you are driving a new Lamborghini to work, after a week or two, it’s just another car, except that you may have to sell your first-born to pay for it.

And these days, cars are so complex that even the dealers have trouble maintaining them.

I learned some important lessons from Mr. Levine, and they have saved me a lot of money and vexation over the years. I can more than keep up with the Joneses in my 1955 Chevy with its V-8 and Borg-Warner overdrive, and I don’t have car payments to worry about. Indeed, I have become a modern-day Sam Levine.

WE ARE RPM.

DRIVE THE FUTURE WITH US

www.rpm.foundation l 855-537-4579 A Public Service of Hemmings Classic Car