Hemmings Classic Car February 2020

''Even with all their faults, cars of the ’80s make ideal ‘collector’ cars…'' Contrary to popular belief, there were many interesting and well-designed automobiles built during the 1980s. While they may not have been the best built cars, nor the most reliable at times, in many respects they were far superior to those cars that came before them. No, seriously, they were. Like the post-1972 cars of the ’70s, the cars of the ’80s era were in transition; a continuation of regulations kept throwing monkey wrenches at engineers, forcing them to make overnight changes with technology that hadn’t yet been perfected. It was this practice of in-process developments, which centered on lowering engine emissions, that was the cause of many mechanical issues, thus giving car owners recurring nightmares whenever cars…

Studebaker’s Extended Family A NEW EXHIBIT,“REACHING THE MASSES: STUDEBAKER COMPANION MODELS,” AT the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend, Indiana, highlights two of Studebaker’s cousins. Erskine and Rockne were Studebaker’s attempt to cash in on the wildly popular companion-make market that saw expansion in the 1920s and ’30s. Erskine debuted in 1927 to great anticipation, but proved to be lacking in power for its price. The Rockne, named after Notre Dame football coach (and Studebaker employee) Knute Rockne, only lasted two years. Though unsuccessful in sales, the historical marques would assist in paving the way for Studebaker’s development, helping to make it one of the most successful independent marques in the automotive industry. The exhibit will run through February. For more details, visit www.studebakermuseum.org. Texoma Regional Tour THE VINTAGE MOTOR…

6-8 • AACA Annual Meeting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • 717-534-1910 www.aaca.org 7-8 • Moultrie Swapmeet Moultrie, Georgia • 229-896-2150 www.moultrieswapmeet.com 7-9 • Sumter Swap Meets Winter Extravaganza Bushnell, Florida • 727-848-7171 www.floridaswapmeets.com 13-16 • Zephyrhills Auto Festival Zephyrhills, Florida • 813-312-4009 www.zephyrhillsautoevents.com 16 • Buick-Olds-Pontiac-Cadillac Swap Meet St. Charles, Illinois • 630-865-4349 www.bopcswap.com 21-22 • Big 3 Swap Meet San Diego, California • 661-374-6754 www.big3partsexchange.com 21-23 • Winter AutoFest Lakeland, Florida • 717-243-7855 www.carlisleevents.com 22 • Winter Classic Motorsports Expo Columbus, Ohio • 614-268-1181 www.jeffjohnsonmotorsports.com 27-29 • AACA National Winter Meet Miami, Florida • 717-534-1910 www.aacasouthflorida.club…

Stolen (From Henry) Ford WE HAVE SENIOR EDITOR Mark McCourt’s sister, Kate, to thank for this tip. In a Great Falls Tribune newspaper clipping from April 28, 1922, Kate discovered auto theft can happen to anybody, including Henry Ford himself. According to the report, Ford had parked the Ford he was driving in downtown Detroit one Wednesday night, and when he then discovered it missing he reported the theft. “As the police had been unable to find the stolen machine, there was nothing left for the manufacturer to do but to go to one of his factories and take a new car from the store room,” the story noted. Interesting tidbit of history, of course, but we’ve got to wonder whether the thief knew whose car he stole and what…

Sweet Sales in Hershey RM SOTHEBY’S AUCTION IN HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA, CONTINUED TO FIND SUCCESS WITH A sell-through rate of 97 percent and total sales above $15.5 million. Among the more than 200 cars that crossed the block, more than half were part of the Merrick Auto Museum Collection, which included an impressive array of Brass Era and prewar cars. The top seller from the Merrick Collection was a 1925 Duesenberg Model A Sport Phaeton by Millspaugh & Irish. Equipped with a race-bred, overhead-cam eight-cylinder, the Model A sold for $236,500, exceeding all pre-show estimates. A 1930 Cord L-29 Brougham sold for $103,400, and a rare 1900 Rockwell Hansom Cab went for $132,000. Results from the two-night auction are available at www.rmsothebys.com. Texas Tally WORLDWIDE AUCTIONEERS HELD ITS Corpus Christi, Texas,…

CAR 1903 Ford Model A AUCTIONEER Bonhams LOCATION Philadelphia, Pennsylvania DATE October 7, 2019 LOT NUMBER 339 RESERVE None AVERAGE SELLING PRICE N/A SELLING PRICE $137,760 ONE OF FORD’S EARLIEST CREATIONS was the 1903 Model A, which was powered by a twin-cylinder engine positioned under the passenger’s seat, with a chain drive to the rear axle. The two-seater runabout could reach a top speed of around 30 mph, and was available for $850, or $950 with a detachable tonneau for additional passengers. This Model A was retained by the Ford Motor Company and used to defend patent disputes. Following its time with Ford, the car was sold to the Stevens Institute in Newark, New Jersey, where it remained until 1964, when the current owners purchased the Model A in unrestored…