Hemmings Classic Car April 2021

A few years before the muscle car era officially kicked off, the Big Three auto manufacturers in Detroit were already competing in the horsepower wars. The full-size cars of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s brought along large-displacement engines that rocked the automotive world with stout compression ratios, solid-lift camshafts and multiple carburetors. The example shown here is a 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air, which is actually one of Chevy’s lower trim models, compared to the highly-optioned Impala. These stripped-down cars were often equipped with six-cylinder engines, but a select few left the factory with Chevrolet’s top-performing engine, the illustrious 409. This beautifully restored 1962 Bel Air bubbletop features a set of 14-inch OE steel wheels, which are painted body color and equipped with original dog dish caps. The tires come…

“The plush upholstery, finely trimmed door panels, and soft lighting from the pillar-mounted lamps really did create an atmosphere.” A good friend of mine used to say that the interiors of some cars had a certain “ambiance,” though he had a hard time conveying exactly what that was. In spite of his somewhat nebulous statement, I knew just what he meant, though I couldn’t define it any more distinctly myself. It was simply a vibe —a subtle satisfactory sense that would be realized shortly after stepping inside and getting comfortable. It only happened with select vehicles, and the feeling wasn’t necessarily the same from one to another. But there was definitely something there. My friend had first been moved to opine on the subject way back when we were both…

Boca Raton Concours Rescheduled THE ORGANIZERS OF THE BOCA RATON CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE HAVE CANCELED the 2021 show due to COVID-19 concerns and have announced that the next show will take place February 25-27, 2022. “We look forward to our continued support of a spectacular three-day Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance weekend in 2022,” says Rita Case, CEO of The Rick Case Automotive Group. The event was founded and directed by the Rick Case Family and The Rick Case Automotive Group in 2007 to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County and the more than 12,000 at-risk young people it serves. To date, the event has raised more than $11 million for the charity. The 2022 show’s Marque of the Year will highlight prewar Chrysler and Imperial coachbuilt cars.…

8-11 • AACA Charlotte AutoFair Concord, North Carolina • 704-841-1990 charlotte-autofair.com 15-17 • AACA Annual Convention Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 717-534-1910 • aaca.org 16-18 • La Jolla Concours d’Elegance La Jolla, California • 619-233-5008 lajollaconcours.com 19-22 • AACA Southeastern Divisional Tour Central Florida • 717-534-1910 • aaca.org 21-25 • Spring Carlisle • Carlisle, Pennsylvania 717-243-7855 • carlisleevents.com 22-24 • Pate Swap Meet • Fort Worth, Texas 817-608-7293 • pateswapmeet.com 23-25 • Spring Jefferson Auto Swap Meet & Car Show • Jefferson, Wisconsin 608-244-8416 • madisonclassics.com Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend you verify the status before making plans to attend.…

The Blackberry Chrysler OUT IN THE SECTION OF SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THEY call the State of Jefferson, the blackberry bushes grow easy, fast, and thick with fruit of a size and taste unequaled anywhere else in the country. And yet, landowners hate the bushes with a passion for how difficult they are to remove and how they swallow everything in their vicinity. Custom cars, for example, and the history that goes along with them. Carl Judy took in this particular custom on trade many years ago, after a previous owner had freed it from a thicket of blackberries. “It appears to be more than an amateur build,” is all Carl can tell us about it. Indeed, it’s difficult to find many of the seams one would expect on…

Skylark Stuff YEAR ONE MUSCLE CAR PARTS • 800-932-7663 • YEARONE.COM  • $109.93 Old-car owners know that age and heat can affect the plastic parts in the engine bay, and the radiator hold-down plates used in 1970-’72 Buick Skylarks were no exception. GM’s plastic plates would tend to warp and crack after years of use, but reproductions are now available for three- and four-core radiators. The plates incorporate fan shroud attachment points, and the pieces are said to be more durable overall than the factory parts from five decades ago. Each plate requires reuse of the metal and rubber insulators on the sides, or you must order new ones if they require replacement. The hold-down plate is listed under p/n 93126NR. Lincoln Seals STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS 800-447-0849 • STEELERUBBER.COM $215.99/PAIR Front door vent…