Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2020 i Hemmings Classic Car

SPECIFICATIONS PRICE BASE PRICE $3,476 PRICE (AS PROFILED) N/A OPTIONS (AS PROFILED) 303-hp 389; Super Hydra-Matic transmission; Super De Luxe radio; Separa-Phonic rear speaker; Custom foam front seat cushion; heavy-duty air cleaner; outside rearview mirror; back-up lamps; Wonder-Touch power steering; front and rear floormats; Circ-L-Aire heater and defroster; whitewall tires; Safe-T-Track; Custom wheel discs ENGINE TYPE OHV V-8; cast-iron block and cylinder heads DISPLACEMENT 389-cu.in. (currently 394.43) BORE X STROKE 4.06 x 3.75 inches (currently 4.09 bore) COMPRESSION RATIO 10.25:1 HORSEPOWER @ RPM 303 @ 4,600 TORQUE @ RPM 425 lb-ft @ 2,800 VALVETRAIN Hydraulic-lifter camshaft, stamped-steel rocker arms MAIN BEARINGS Five FUEL SYSTEM Carter AFB carburetor, AC Delco mechanical pump LUBRICATION SYSTEM Gear-type pump, stock oil pan ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12-volt, generator, breaker-point ignition (currently Pertronix electronic) EXHAUST SYSTEM Custom…

Believe it or not, Mercury really did continue to build Cougars after the 1970 model year, but finding information on post-’70 models would have you believe otherwise. These later versions are often treated like that crazy set of cousins we all have; they’re related to you, but you just don’t want to acknowledge it. While the sportier first-generation Cougar models of 1967-’70 grab most of the attention wherever these cars are shown, oddly enough, the larger models produced from 1971 to 1979 were the bigger sellers. Americans have preferred larger cars bordering on the luxurious, and when a dose of sportiness is added to the mix, they become highly desirable. Mercury capitalized on that winning formula and took it to the extreme. In the end, the 1971-’79 models became the…

Both Chevrolet and Ford are considered by loyal followers to be the quintessential brand of America’s automotive heritage —and each camp is correct. Yet, little did Swiss-born racing driver Louis Chevrolet realize that the small car company he founded with William Durant in 1911 would go on to become one of the world’s most recognized automakers. Today, Chevrolet’s bowtie is as distinguishable as the logos and badges belonging to Coca-Cola, Marlboro, and Ferrari. Through its 109 years as a manufacturer of cars and trucks, Chevrolet has produced some of America’s most significant and desirable vehicles, many of which will forever pull the heartstrings of their owners like few other cars could. There’s the Corvette, Camaro, Chevelle, Corvair, and the ever-iconic Tri-Five models, with the ’57 Chevy perhaps taking top honors…

The trailblazing Power Wagon is a pillar in the pantheon of off-roading greats. Forged in the fires of World War II, Dodge’s rugged four-wheel-drive emerged in civvies for 1946 to fill the peacetime need for an all-purpose, all-terrain one-ton truck. When armed with front and rear power take-offs, a winch, or any of an array of implements, the Power Wagon could serve as a mobile power unit, snowplow rig, tow truck, farmhand, and more. Its surefootedness and versatility combined with anvil-like reliability and simplicity made it the go-to machine for severe duty. Even when Dodge introduced a Power Wagon with a more civilized cockpit in 1957, the flat-fender rigs remained a favorite among hardcore off-roaders. The iconic truck soldiered on domestically until 1968, when decreased demand, and a flathead engine…

IN THE FALL OF 1961, I WAS AN engineering student at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University). The school offered a cooperative education program that had me alternating between classes in Flint, Michigan, and work assignments at the Chevrolet Engineering Center in Warren, Michigan. At Chevrolet, I worked on the drawing boards as a junior detailer. Detailing is the final step in the process of creating engineering blueprints for the manufacture of parts and components for new vehicles. Vehicle design starts in the design studios and, in those days, when a concept was finalized, the entire vehicle was drawn on large metal plates called layouts. This contained all vehicle information including all parts and sub-assemblies. Detailers took information from layouts to create individual parts drawings. As a junior detailer, I…

CADILLAC INTRODUCES NEW SERIES 62 AND 72 TO THE MARKETPLACE, AS WELL AS the new La Salle Series 40-52, as the upscale automaker continues to expand its options. Beautifully styled and sleek in design, the 1940 Cadillacs are available with countless options and body styles. Standard equipment now includes sealed-beam headlamps and turn indicators. Cadillacs start at $1,685 and La Salles at $1,240. DE SOTO HAS BEEN REDESIGNED AND IS more streamlined, with increased horsepower and new comforts. The expanded wheelbase gives you more room in both the front and back seat, with a smoother ride. The standard 100-hp inline-six gives the De Soto some kick with maximum fuel economy, and the new all-weather air control system distributes a refreshing breeze equally throughout the cabin. The new De Sotos are…

Plymouths Invade Illinois THE NATIONAL MEET OF THE PLYMOUTH OWNERS CLUB (POC) WILL TAKE PLACE June 17-21 in Springfield, Illinois. Hosted by the Lincoln Land POC, the show will focus on all things related to the discontinued Chrysler division. The event is open to all stock and modified Plymouth cars and trucks. Centered around the Hilton Garden Inn host hotel, the meet will include a two-hour tour on Route 66, a timed stage drive to historic sites including the Dana Thomas House and Lincoln Museum, and a judged car show and swap meet. Registration and club membership forms are now available at www.plymouthbulletin.com/events.html. Nash Bash THE NASH CAR CLUB OF AMERICA (NCCOA) announced its 2020 Grand NASHional will take place in Frankenmuth, Michigan, July 14-19. Open to all Nash vehicles,…

Bonhams Results THE BONHAMS SCOTTSDALE AUCTION SAW OVER 100 CARS CROSS THE BLOCK DURING THE January extravaganza. The auction pulled in $8.6 million total, while American classics accounted for roughly $1.4 million, with greater than two dozen lots changing hands. Independents were well represented and included this 1948 Nash Ambassador Custom convertible, finished in the correct Newfoundland Grey. Restored in the 1980s using correct NOS parts and powered by an inline-six with a three-speed manual transmission, it sold for a reasonable $25,760. Also among the Independents were a pair of Packard woodies, as two 1948 series 22 station sedans sold. Both carried older restorations with the wood still in good shape; one sold for $41,440, while the other went for $49,280. Ford had some nice representation with a pair of…

Cadillac Tanks ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP INCORPORATED • 800 - 243 - 8355 • WWW.OPGI.COM  • $299.99 New gas tanks are available for various 1963-’68 Cadillac models. The steel, non-vented and non-drain tanks have a capacity of 26 gallons, and are easy to install with no modifications required. Sturdy and spacious, the tanks feature dimensions of 33.4 x 30.1 x 8.25 inches. Each will fit the 1963-’64 Calais, Series 62 and Series 65, the 1963-’66 Eldorado, and the 1963-’68 De Ville and Fleetwood. Black Beauty BAF INDUSTRIES • 800 - 854 - 0213 WWW.PROWAX.COM  • $9.20/PINT;$36.44/GALLON If you are looking for a darker and more reflective finish on your car, Black Beauty one-step color brightener and sealer is specially formulated for black and other dark-color paints. The micro abrasives in the formula remove swirl…

In the late 1950s, contemporary styling; progressive engineering; a multitude of performance, appearance, and convenience options; and a strong motorsports program fortified Pontiac’s competitive youthful image, with General Manager Semon “Bunkie” Knudsen steering the division toward prosperity. The celebrated Wide-Track and split grille debuted for 1959, and in 1961 Pontiac captured third place in industry sales. Knudsen was promoted to general manager at Chevrolet, with Chief Engineer E.M. “Pete” Estes taking the helm at Pontiac. Bonneville was the division’s flagship, featuring more luxurious trim than the Star Chiefs, Venturas, and Catalinas. Within that top line were the sports coupe, convertible, Vista four-door, and Custom Safari station wagon. Leading-edge styling continued for 1961 with a thoroughly revised body. The fender tops and hood jutted forward over the quad headlamps and rolled-back…

Pontiac’s standing with the buying public rose in the late 1950s and early 1960s for several reasons, and its motorsports program was also a significant contributing factor in crafting its performance image. When “Bunkie” Knudsen became the General Manager in the summer of 1956, Pontiac was in sixth place in sales and GM was looking for a rapid recovery. Along with making personnel changes, including the hiring of engineers Pete Estes and John DeLorean, and infusing more youthful exuberance into the product line, Knudsen also believed in the “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday” axiom. He had Engineering develop parts and packages for racing, which would grow into the division’s Super Duty program. Knudsen also hired car builder and mechanic Ray Nichels to manage Pontiac’s racing activities and prepare vehicles.…

AChevrolet convertible would seem to be at odds with itself. Chevrolet, that stalwart all-American brand, coveting efficiency and overall value above all else. And convertibles, let’s face it, are not particularly good value. At the dealer, you paid more money for less car — less safety in a rollover, less steel for parking security, less rigidity and more weight in a chassis that can be coaxed into flexing and creaking over bumps far more easily. Lots of additional moving parts that can tear, break, get tweaked, or spring a leak. They don’t seem to be the sort of properties that Chevrolet would be willing to engineer into a car. And yet putting the top down reflects the sunny optimism that Chevrolet strives to put forth as its image. A Chevrolet…

Of all the tremendous losses among America’s Independent automakers, the famed “Three P’s of Luxury,” Pierce, Peerless, and Packard, are perhaps the most grievous. Each had its own distinct style and advantages, and — although for a while they operated in roughly the same period of time — each had its own era in which it outshone the others. Consider Pierce-Arrow, for instance, a marque renowned for meticulous craftsmanship and refinement. Pierce-Arrow was the brainchild of Percy Pierce, son of the owner of the Buffalo, New York-based George N. Pierce Company, aided by company executive Colonel Charles Clifton. In 1900, the firm —a manufacturer of diverse products including ice boxes and bicycles — began experimenting with car designs, both gas and steam. In the end, the Pierce company decided gasoline…

To simply refer to Ford’s 1938 truck line as “redesigned” almost does the effort no justice. Engineering went all out, completely revamping the exterior and adapting newly minted Society of Automotive Engineers standards implemented to benefit the truck industry. Ford’s result was arguably a resounding success. The most obvious change was visual. A new cab design provided a larger greenhouse and more space for a modern instrument panel. Its cowl then permitted Ford to incorporate the truck industry’s first front-opening hood, which in turn led to smoother front fenders. The styling update was complemented by a striking oval grille. Below was a re-engineered chassis with a longer wheelbase, 134 inches on the 1½-ton trucks (versus 131.5 inches), that added more cabin space, plus new wheel and tire sizes, brake system,…

CAR 1914 Chalmers Model 24 touring AUCTIONEER RM Sotheby’s LOCATION Phoenix, Arizona DATE January 16, 2020 LOT NUMBER 131 AVERAGE SELLING PRICE N/A SELLING PRICE $61,600 HUGH CHALMERS AMASSED A FORTUNE as a vice president of the National Cash Register Company and bought his way into the Thomas-Detroit company that would eventually become Chalmers. By 1914, the company was well-known for its racing team, “The Chalmers Bluebirds,” which won prestigious events including the 1910 Glidden Tour. The company’s Model 24 was an expensive car at that time, with a factory price of $2,175. This 1914 Chalmers touring car was powered by an L-head inline six-cylinder that was capable of producing 60 horsepower. Mostly original and unrestored, the solidly built touring car still had its original paint, upholstery, and equipment, including…

I’ve owned 60 collector cars over the years, and this one was the best. Though the midsize 1964 GTO is usually credited with being the first muscle car, to me this full-size Pontiac is the perfect muscle car, and it was ahead of its time. I’m impressed by its style, ride, and performance. For me, it set a standard at the time that would last for years to come. When collecting cars, it’s the thrill of the hunt that excites me, so I tend to sell them after a while. I’ve sold this Bonneville and bought it back a few times already because I missed it right after I got rid of it. Currently it’s with a new owner…at least for now.…

The first Mercury cars were introduced to the public in October 1938, where they offered an interim step between the Ford De Luxe models and the Lincoln-Zephyr. The Depression was beginning to wind down and Americans were at long last starting to do more than simply survive. The middle-priced Mercury was the right car for that time. When the upsized 1974 Mercury Cougar debuted 35 years later, the upheaval in the world made it the right car for its time. Imagine it’s the late fall of 1973. You walk into the Mercury dealer, perhaps drawn in by “The Sign of the Cat.” The feline slogan advertising Mercury was inspired by the Cougar’s popularity and, in turn, resulted in naming Mercury’s then-upcoming Pinto twin the Bobcat; it had already played into…

Alfred P. Sloan’s sales concept for General Motors was genius. This executive’s creation of an automotive brand hierarchy tapped into the very human craving for upward mobility and personal prestige. By 1931, he’d ensured that even the cheapest Chevrolet bore a resemblance to GM’s more expensive models. One decade later, the series AH Special DeLuxe was a particularly polished version of Chevrolet’s workaday Business Coupe. That low-production body style, soon to fall out of favor, offered a finely trimmed appearance that impressed far above its station, both when new, and nearly 80 years on. As the 1940s dawned, Chevrolet greeted the decade with a line of all-new Fisher-built bodies. That model year included three series — the base Master, mid-line Master DeLuxe, and premium Special DeLuxe —and all shared more…

Chevrolet has painted itself as the all-American brand for decades. What’s more all-American than having a family, going out and buying stuff, and excelling at your work/life balance? And what better car to do that in than the station wagon —a barely known form prewar, but an indispensable part of the American landscape as we spread out to the suburbs and raised families after World War II. And if Chevrolet’s building ’em, it means that Chevrolet is advertising them, too. Generally, the messages were an earnest blend of what the copywriters believed were Chevrolet’s core values — economy, value, style, comfort, and a wide range of options and available features to satisfy every need and budget — with some added “it’s so big!” copy for the space behind the driver’s…

It’s not often someone hits a grand slam the first time at bat in a major league baseball game. The same could be said of a trophy presentation at a major show within the collector-car community, but that’s what happened in August 1987 when Dale Sotzing and Dave Meyers presented their client’s 1937 Bentley — one bodied by Erdmann & Rossi — to the judges at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. After scrutiny, it was announced that the Bentley won its class, leaving the duo — and the owner — elated, while instantly putting D&D Classic auto restorations on the car collector map. Founded in June 1985 by Dale and Dave, the Bentley was their company’s first project, completed in time for the famed West Coast concours. The icon…

MY UNCLE, GEORGE ADAMS, WAS A Camel man. He was also a Pontiac man. Camel cigarettes used to have a catchy advertising slogan that said, “I’d walk a mile for a Camel.” I’m not sure if Uncle George ever actually walked a mile for a pack of his favorite smokes, but I know he traveled more than 3,800 miles in 1953 to buy his favorite car: a Pontiac. Uncle George proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II, and continued on (with the renamed Air Force) as a flight instructor through the 1950s. I was told that he truly loved flying planes, especially P-51 Mustangs, and bled Air Force blue. George, along with his wife, my Aunt El, hopped around various bases in Texas and California…