Hemmings Classic Car August 2020

"There were no bloodstains on this particular Spitfire, but its low seating position cemented in me a life-long lust for sports cars." Perhaps because of their endearing designs, or the simple fact that they were rarely seen on the streets of New York City where I grew up, I’ve always had a special fascination for European cars, especially British ones. Although I still recall with great clarity the first time I saw a 1963 Sting Ray, a ’68 AMX, a Cheetah, and a Jaguar XKSS —which has always been my number one dream car of all time —seeing the long curvy shape of an E-type for the first time simply blew me away. It was a warm autumn night, on Kings Highway in Brooklyn, parked at the curb in front…

Eastern Divisional Tour THE AACA HAS MOVED BACK ITS MAY EASTERN DIVISIONAL TOUR, HOSTED BY THE Maryland Eastern Shore Chapter, to August 12-15. This tour is centered around Cambridge, Maryland, and is a great chance to see the state’s marshes, shores, and woodlands while touring in your classic. Stops include visits to the Richardson Maritime Museum, the Harriet Tubman Museum, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and the Classic Motor Museum. Spots are still available; visit www.aaca.org for more information. De Soto Dreaming THE NATIONAL DESOTO CLUB CONVENTION IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE JULY 29 to August 2 in Brookfield, Wisconsin, with a judged car show marking the culmination of the event. Driving tours and bus tours, revolving around the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel, are still being put together. Check the club’s…

Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Please verify the status of these events before making plans to attend. 7/31-8/2 • Carlisle Ford Nationals Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 717-243-7855 www.carlisleevents.com 1-2 • Summer Elkhorn Auto Swap Meet & Car Show • Elkhorn, Wisconsin 608-244-8416 • www.madisonclassics.com 4-9 • Hot August Nights Reno, Nevada • 775-356-1956 www.hotaugustnights.net 7-9 • Mopar Nationals Columbus, Ohio • 313-278-2240 www.moparnats.org 12-15 • AACA Eastern Divisional Tour Cambridge, Maryland • 443-877-7750 www.aaca.org 13 • Hemmings Cruise-In Bennington, Vermont • 800-227-4373 www.hemmings.com 14-16 • Carlisle Import Nationals Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 717-243-7855 www.carlisleevents.com 27-30 • Corvettes at Carlisle Carlisle, Pennsylvania • 717-243-7855 www.carlisleevents.com 29-9/5 • Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival Auburn, Indiana • 260-925-3600 www.acdfestival.org…

Moore or Less a Ford OUT OF A ONE-CAR GARAGE IN NELSON, ILLINOIS, EMERGED THIS LITTLE LOTUS-LIKE homebuilt special that Shay Moore completed in 1958. According to Shay’s younger brother, Terry, Shay built it on a shortened Ford frame with a souped-up Ford flathead V-8. “Used a lot of thin wall tubing and aluminum to shape the body,” Terry wrote. “He gave me a ride to grade school in it. It was quite fast being light weight.” However, as Terry reports, Shay sold the special in 1960 and they subsequently lost track of it. Now they’re hoping that somebody out there knows what happened to it and, if it’s still around, where it is now. One Big Buick WE HAVE TO ASSUME AT LEAST SOME of our readers drove or…

Amelia Island WITH AN APRIL THAT WAS COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, WE’LL GO BACK and take a look at some of the sales at Amelia Island last March. Bonhams saw a 63-percent sell-through in American classic cars with total sales eclipsing $590,000. Two of the more successful sales were a pair of Thomas automobiles that were part of the Harold Coker Estate. A 1903 one-cylinder Model 18 sold at $89,000, while a 1910 M6-40 Flyabout, finished in a two-tone green paint scheme and assembled from parts collected over more than 40 years, including an original 640 engine, found a new home at $112,000. At Gooding & Company, there were few American choices, but a nice 1941 Cadillac Series 62 convertible sedan did sell among the lots, and was believed to be…

CAR 1955 Packard Caribbean Convertible AUCTIONEER RM Sotheby’s LOCATION Amelia Island, Florida DATE March 6, 2020 LOT NUMBER 136 AVERAGE SELLING PRICE $67,000 SELLING PRICE $56,000 THE CARIBBEAN WAS GIVEN AN OHV V-8 engine for 1955 and featured Senior-line styling, tri-color paint schemes, and a dual-scooped hood among the many redesigns. Production saw a limited run of 500 units, making the Caribbean one of the rarer and more collectible Packards of the 1950s. This example bucked the flash of the tri-colored Caribbeans with its triple onyx scheme and white convertible top and boot cover. It remained under the same ownership from new and showed only 19,513 miles on the odometer. Equipment included power seats, windows, convertible top, steering, and brakes. The interior had its original leather and working instruments like…