Hemmings Classic Car December 2016

“ The simple fact is this: When they were new, nearly all old cars were nothing more than mass-produced cars built for the masses. ” In preparation for the onslaught of mail from readers who will soon voice their opinion that the Mercury Bobcat that’s featured in this issue shouldn’t be featured in this issue, or in this magazine at all for that matter, I thought I would give you our reasoning as to why we chose to profile it. The simple fact is this: When they were new, nearly all old cars were nothing more than mass-produced cars built for the masses. They weren’t special, just newly built automobiles created as transportation for the regular people. Be it a Sixties-era Fury or Fairlane, a LeSabre or Lark, each of…

Winter Rally AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM and the North American International Auto Show will celebrate America’s automotive heritage during an 11-day, 2,150-mile winter journey from Beantown to the Motor City. “The Drive Home II: The Heritage Run” will take place starting in Boston December 28 and make way to Detroit on January 7 for the opening of the International Auto Show. America’s Car Museum will feature its 1957 Chevrolet Nomad, ’61 Chrysler 300G and ’66 Ford Mustang, all of which participated in last year’s “Drive Home” from Tacoma to Detroit. The rally features many stops along the way: coffee events, happy hours and get-togethers in many cities including Boston, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, then four stops in Michigan culminating with a cruise down Woodward Avenue and a final…

Done By Local Man THOUGHT THERE COULD ONLY BE SO MANY double-ender cars out there? Thought it might have been a silly thing for a handful of people to build over the years? Apparently not, given the volume of two-faced car submissions we’ve recently received. We’ll try to get to them all in due time, but let’s start with this photo submitted by Fred Wilcox of Berwyn, Illinois. “I remembered seeing this one in a museum quite a few years ago,” Fred wrote, though he has since forgotten which museum he saw it in. That alone should help us resolve who the “local man” was that built it, so if anybody does remember which museum housed this which-way Model A, please let us know. Great Sectioning YOU’RE ON A ROAD…

Mecum Monterey THIS YEAR’S MECUM DAYTIME AUCTION held August 18-20 during the Pebble Beach weekend saw a total of over $50 million in sales, eclipsing last year’s mark by more than $5 million. The bulk of Mecum’s sales was carried by several high-performance and exotic cars, but the top-selling American Classic was this 1932 Duesenberg Model J Phaeton. Upgraded to SJ specification, this Duesy had the original chassis and engine and was formerly part of the Al Wiseman Collection; the final bid rang home at $600,000. Of the affordable deals were a 1949 Ford Deluxe selling for $8,500 and a Chrysler 300 Pacesetter convertible from the 1963 Indy 500 selling at $25,000. There were scores of great Detroit classics that crossed the block that weekend, and the results are all…

Roaring Oil 800-423-5525 • WWW.CALCARCOVER.COM  • $144.99 Motor oil was a huge and widely varied business in the first few decades of the automobile, and gasoline and oil companies created beautiful artwork for advertising. One example of this is the stately mascot for Lion Petroleum Products, producer of Lion Motor Oil. This sturdy and attractive reproduction of original 1930s artwork (item LP26) is genuine porcelain that has been fired onto a 26 inch-diameter steel sign. It features pre-drilled mounting holes with brass eyelets to ease hanging, and is proudly made in the USA. Only 100 pieces are being produced, so devoted Petroliana collectors will need to act fast. 1957 Chrysler 300C 888-910-2889 • WWW.AUTOWORLDSTORE.COM  • $89.99 Incredible, lifelike detail is a hallmark of the Ertl Collectibles American Muscle series of 1:18-scale die-cast…

Beehive Backups These new ’50s-style backup lamps with beehive lenses have a machined billet base with a brushed finish, and easily mount to a flat surface using the provided hardware. The lamps’ overall dimensions are 2¼-inches in diameter at the base and 2- 1/8-inches tall to the tip of the lens. Installation is simple and requires only three holes; full instructions are included. Also available in red and amber; sold in pairs. Cost: $84. WATSON’S STREETWORKS 866-859-0513 WWW.WATSONS-STREETWORKS.COM El Camino Fuel Sending Units Owners of the 4.3-liter El Camino finally have the option of purchasing a new fuel sending unit that is a direct replacement of the OE unit. Constructed of CNC-bent stainless steel tubing, it comes with a fuel strainer, lock ring and seal. The part fits…