Hemmings Classic Car July 2018

“In New York City … there are literally hundreds of significant old buildings that have links to Detroit’s long-lost yesteryear.” Remnants of America’s automotive industrial past surround us all. Regardless of where you live, there’s some kind of connection, big or small, to the early ages of the automobile. Be it a factory showroom or a dealership, a well-known service garage, parts manufacturing plant, or coachbuilding shop, there are thousands of automotive-related buildings and structures littered throughout the country. The bigger the city, the more abundant the links to Detroit; however, just about every small town has a building or two that’s also connected in some shape or form to our automotive heritage. In New York City, where I was born and raised, there are literally hundreds of significant…

Plymouths Rock THIS YEAR’S PLYMOUTH OWNERS CLUB GRAND NATIONAL MEET WILL TAKE PLACE IN the Northville, Michigan, area on July 24-28. The week-long itinerary includes cruises to the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum, Jefferson Assembly Plant, and Detroit Historical Museum, as well as trips to The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. The Plymouth car show will take place on the final day in downtown Northville, with the Concours d’Elegance at St. John’s Inn taking place the following day. Registration is now available, with discounts if you sign up before July 8. Visit www.plymouthclub.com for more information. Packard Nationals THE PACKARD NATIONAL Meet will be held in Columbus, Ohio, this July 1-7. The activities for the week will include cruises, banquets, tours, swap meet, and, of course, a judged car show.…

Jeep XLI NOT A NEW FANCY TRIM LEVEL,“XLI” REFERRED TO THE EXPORT LOW INVESTMENT program that Jeep launched in the early 1960s and that resulted in the stone-age Jeep seen here. While these photos came from the Retro-A-Go-Go! tumblog, we found more information on the Jeep and the XLI program on www.CJ3B.info. Apparently, Jeep was finding itself falling behind or unable to compete in a number of world markets that Land Rover, Toyota, Nissan, and other four-wheel-drive manufacturers dominated. To rectify that, Jeep executives ordered a program to investigate how cheap and easy-to-manufacture bodies could be built via CKD kits on various Jeep chassis. A number of designs resulted, with this one, based on the CJ-5, looking like it could have gone into production (and looking like it stole the…

Fort Lauderdale Sales RM SOTHEBY’S FINISHED ANOTHER AUCTION IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, THIS APRIL WITH sales reaching $19.1 million and a robust sell-through rate of 76 percent. Fewer cars were at this year’s show, but selling prices were higher as some high-quality automobiles crossed the block. There were a lot of options for fans of older American iron, as more than 40 non-muscle cars were on the docket. One that jumped out at us was this 1954 Kaiser-Darrin roadster. The car has had the same family ownership the last 61 years, and was rarely driven over the last 10 years. The convertible top has been replaced, and the body was repainted in its correct original color. Of course, the rarity of the Kaiser-Darrin has always been a large part of…

Start ’Em Young 800 - 227 - 4373 X79550 WWW.HEMMINGS.COM/ STORE • $12 With the warmer months comes car-show season, and this can represent a great way to spend time with friends and family. It’s especially important to bring children to these shows so they can develop an appreciation for our favorite hobby: old cars! You can make your children or grandchildren feel like they’re part of the Hemmings Nation family by outfitting them in one of these easy-to-spot, bright-yellow Hemmings T-shirts. Made from soft, sturdy 100-percent cotton, they have a green Hemmings Motor News wordmark silkscreened on the left front chest, plus a delightful old-style Hemmings logo on the back that includes drawings of a GTO convertible, Classic-era Lincoln, and a Mustang fastback. This T (item…

Bowtie Foot Scrapers CHEVS OF THE 40’S • 877-735-0587 • WWW.CHEVSOFTHE40S.COM Chevs of the 40’s introduces a new accessory that reproduces one that was available during the prewar era. These new foot scrapers will fit 1941 Chevrolet cars, and are made from aluminum. Each part attaches to the rocker panel and the rocker moldings attach to the outer edge. Each comes with attaching hardware and brackets, and will fit Special De Luxe, Master De Luxe, and Fleetline body styles. Some exceptions may apply, so be sure to contact Chevs of the 40’s for your application before ordering. Cost: $1,799/pair. Versatile Vacuum METROVAC • 800-822-1602 WWW.METROVAC.COM The Vac N Blo Automotive is a vacuum and dryer that provides power and flexibility in the comfort of your garage. Using a twin-fan, it has…