Hemmings Classic Car August 2017

“While the bucket list of cars that I must drive has gotten smaller as the years have passed, there are still several truly significant automobiles that I’m just itching to experience.” Recently I had a conversation with our contributor Walt Gosden regarding his newly purchased 1930 Packard that is being readied for the road. He told me: “I can’t wait to drive it; everyone I talk to says that the 134.5-inch wheelbase Standard Eight Packards are the nicest cars to drive.” When I admitted to Walt that I’ve never driven a prewar Packard before, or even a postwar Packard, he was shocked. And rightly so, as many people believe that editors of collector car magazines have driven most, if not all, of the great automobiles, but that simply isn’t so.…

Tacoma Drop-Tops LEMAY—AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM, LOCATED IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON, BRINGS you a summer exhibit featuring American convertibles. It kicked off April 21 and will run through the summer season in the museum’s Route 66 Gallery. In keeping with celebrating the illustrious Route 66 that helped shape transportation across America, the cars on display will range from 1955 to 1968 models and will feature many iconic classics like Bel Airs and Thunderbirds, as well as other rarities such as the 1955 Packard Caribbean. This is a part of LeMay’s Summer Drive Series, which will feature other themed exhibits in the museum’s 165,000 square-foot facility. For information on all exhibits and activities, visit www.americascarmuseum.org. Cadillac Clamoring THE VALLEY FORGE AND Potomac Region of the Cadillac LaSalle Club will be hosting this year’s…

3 • Hemmings Cruise-In • Bennington, Vermont 800-227-4373 • www.hemmings.com 5-6 • Summer Elkhorn Swap Meet Elkhorn, Wisconsin • 608-244-8416 www.madisonclassics.com 8-13 • Hot August Nights • Reno, Nevada 775-356-1956 • hotaugustnights.net 9-13 • LCOC Grand National Meet • Hickory Corners, Michigan • 651-257-1715 • www.lcoc.org 17 • Hemmings Cruise-In • Bennington, Vermont 800-227-4373 • www.hemmings.com 17-19 • AACA Central Fall Meet Bettendorf, Iowa • 717-534-1910 • www.aaca.org 17-19 • VCCA Eastern National Meet Gettysburg, Pennsylvania • 484-818-1487 • vcca.org 17-20 • Monterey Historic Races Salinas, California • 831-242-8200 www.mazdaraceway.com 20 • Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Carmel, California • 831-622-1700 www.pebblebeachconcours.net 22-26 • Hudson International Meet San Diego, California • 909-877-3677 • hetclub.org 27-September 4 • Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival • Auburn, Indiana • 260-925-3600 www.acdfestival.org…

Stretched Packards DOWN IN TULSA, CARL HIBBERD HAS BEEN KEEPING AN EYE ON A COLLECTION OF about three dozen Fifties-era Packards in varying states of decay. While an impressive assemblage, the sight of not just one, but two limo-length Packards parked amid the group, caused us to pause. Now, Packard didn’t build limousines from the factory in the mid-Fifties, and we hit the books to confirm as much. But we do see that Henney, a coach-builder long associated with building Packard professional cars, did stretch a few Packards in 1953 and 1954. Specifically, Henney built 150 executive sedans and corporate limousines in 1953, and 100 executive sedans and corporate limousines in 1954. Hard to tell exactly what year these two are without a closer look. Given the low production numbers,…

Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach WRAPPING UP ITS 15TH ANNUAL PALM BEACH AUCTION, BARRETT-JACKSON BROUGHT IN AN impressive $20.5 million in sales, with a 99.4-percent sell-through rate. As always, there was a large variety of cars at this year’s event, including this very affordable 1953 Plymouth Cambridge. Owned by two families, it had resided in Southern California its entire existence. After 60-plus years, this well-maintained Plymouth saw a final sale of $9,900, making it one of the best buys of the entire auction. All sales results are available at www.barrett-jackson.com. Houston Highlights MECUM FINISHED UP A SUCCESSFUL auction in Houston this past April, with sales reaching over $21.7 million and a 70-percent sell-through rate. Among those cars to find a new home was this 1938 Cadillac Series 90 Fleetwood Convertible. Apart from…

2 • Rich Penn Auctions Des Moines, Iowa • 319-291-6688 www.richpennauctions.com 3-5 • Mecum Auctions Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 262-275-5050 • www.mecum.com 16-19 • Mecum Auctions Monterey, California • 262-275-5050 www.mecum.com 17-19 • Russo & Steele Monterey, California • 602-252-2697 www.russoandsteele.com 18 • Bonhams Carmel, California • 415-391-4000 www.bonhams.com 18-19 • Gooding & Company Pebble Beach, California • 310-899-1960 www.goodingco.com 18-19 • New England Auto Auction Owls Head, Maine • 207-594-4418 www.owlshead.org 18-19 • RM Sotheby’s Monterey, California • 519-352-4575 www.rmsothebys.com…