Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2021 i Hemmings Classic Car

LIME ROCK PARK HAS BEGUN ITS 65TH season and officials have announced that, after no major spectator competitions last year, the 1.5-mile track is open with health and safety protocols to ensure worry-free events. “Lime Rock Park is the perfect venue for spectators to finally get back outside after too many months of confinement,” said Dicky Riegel, Lime Rock’s president and CEO. “Its natural amphitheater setting on 400 acres allows fans to view the action and get comfortable from a huge range of locations,” he continued. “With no grandstands on the property, race fans can spread out a blanket and lawn chairs, enjoy food and drink from our concession stands and other offerings, and take in all the great racing within the open, beautiful park grounds.” The final major event…

“…a person normally attends three auctions before feeling sufficiently comfortable to consider buying or selling at one of them.” Have you attended a collector-car auction? Admittedly, only religion and politics are likely to stimulate more spirited conversations than collector-car auctions. Hobbyists generally describe the auction/hobby relationship with one of two four-letter words: boon or bane. May I suggest other possibilities? In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve attended many collector-car auctions, but never bought or sold a car at any of them. Nonetheless, at least four good, alternate reasons for attending came to mind at the 2021 Indianapolis Mecum Spring Classic Auction. 1. An opportunity to see cars (or trucks, etc.) you’ll likely never see anywhere else due to the distance involved, like having a mini-Hershey in your backyard… or…

Sometimes, car restorers don’t realize how good they have it. Dents can be hammered out, rust can be patched, missing components can often be sourced from catalogs or specialists, and parts stores yield mechanical bits. For most of us, there are solutions. And then you get the outliers. Who among us would continue a proper looks-like-factory-fresh restoration if there were simply no parts to be had? Who would help crowdfund a venture to get vital parts made? Who would spend six years in the pursuit of perfection on a vehicle few, if anyone, in this country has heard of? Who would venture into the world of 3Dprinted parts? Who would do something so complicated as their first restoration project? Moses Thompson would. When the Tucson, Arizona, resident started driving in…

IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1966. I HAD just returned to Hagerstown, Maryland, after my freshman year at Eastern Kentucky University and found out that the Mack Trucks plant in town was hiring college students for summer employment. The very next day, I submitted my application and, a day later, I was called in for an interview, then offered a job. The Mack facility in Hagerstown, now owned by the Volvo Group, was built in 1961, on about 180 acres of land. It was and still is a manufacturer of diesel engines and transmissions for heavy-duty trucks. To this young college student, the 1.2-million-square-foot plant, with its engine and transmission production lines, was indeed very impressive. Mack had a three-shift operation and the labor force was represented by the United…

“Trucks… often wend their way into our hearts by being good companions…” We include coverage of trucks in most issues of HCC, and from what we’ve heard over the years, you approve. If you maintain an interest in vintage cars, it’s likely you have some degree of appreciation for classic trucks, too. But I find it interesting that, generally speaking, our fondness for each doesn’t necessarily come from the same place. More often than not, a love of cars from eras past is derived from desire—either a longing to own a particular car that began when that model first debuted, or just an attraction to the lines and/or features of a car made years ago. Whether it was performance or style, something about that car made you want it. Trucks,…

3-5• Springfi eld Swap Meet & Car Show Springfi eld, Ohio 937-376-0111 • ohioswapmeet.com 5• Sumter Swap Meet Bushnell, Florida 727-848-7171 • floridaswapmeets.com 9-12• Adirondack Nationals Lake George, New York 518-380-1874 • adirondacknationals.com 17-18• Corvette Funfest Effingham, Illinois 866-309-3973 • corvettefunfest.com 17-18• Annual Old Orchard Beach Car Show Old Orchard Beach, Maine 207-934-2500 • oldorchardbeachmaine.com 18-19• Dayton Concours d’Elegance Dayton, Ohio 937-866-2222 • daytonconcours.com 23-25• Petit Jean Antique Auto Swap Meet Morrilton, Arkansas 501-727-5427 • museumofautos.com 24-26• Englishtown Swap Meet Englishtown, New Jersey 732-446-7800 • etownracewaypark.com 24-26• Jefferson Swap Meet Jefferson, Wisconsin 608-244-8416 • madisonclassics.com 25-26• Midland Antique Festival Midland, Michigan 989-687-9001 • miantiquefestival.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…

“Their simplistic designs… were elegant works of early automotive art. Raw and functional, that spoke of adventure.” In my wee youth, I used to sneak into my parents’ room and borrow the toy catalog that was always on top of my dad’s nightstand. Apparently, Sears’ ultrathick Christmas catalog arrived at the mailbox not once a year, but rather a dozen times. After liberating each edition from the cavernous master suite, I would spend the day circling entries from the endless pages of toy vehicles; a less-than-subtle wish-list hint that really bolstered the odds of a bumper crop holiday take. It didn’t matter that there were a lot of numbers following the “S” with a vertical line slashed through it; I was in black-and-white toytopia. Of course, it didn’t take but…

Mike Palermo was a teenager when Ford’s original Bronco bucked and kicked its way into his imagination. “My stepdad came into my life when I was about 14 and he loved Broncos,” Mike said. “He’s had several and there was one I remember—a red one. I’ve liked them since and he kind of turned me on to them.” More than 20 years later, Mike is creating new memories with a ’73 Bronco that he restored over the course of an ambitious three-year project—with a little help from his young daughters, encouragement from his stepdad, and support from his wife Jessica. Though this Bronco looks like a show pony, Mike built it to drive and enjoy. “We were up in Big Bear for the Big Bear Bronco Bash last weekend and…

For 1969, there was big news in America’s truck market: the announcement by the International Harvester Company of a completely redesigned lineup of light-duty trucks, its first all-new pickups since 1957. The new trucks were very attractive. Called the “D” series, its styling was clean, contemporary, and ruggedly handsome. Bodywork was straight and uncluttered, completely abandoning the bulbous styling of previous models. Roofs and hoods were flatter and fenders crisper, providing a family resemblance to the smaller Scout line, and body sculpting was much more subtle. A rectangular grille with a similarly shaped “International” nameplate floating inside was clean and simple, and encompassed the single headlamps. Larger window areas lent a bright, airy feel to the cabin. Taken as a whole, the new trucks had a look of modern, clean…

The Ford Model A is one of the most endearing vehicles of all time. More sophisticated and less cantankerous than its predecessor, the 1928-’31 Model A was stylish, well built, and pleasant to drive. It retains all of those qualities to the present day and is a popular collectible among folks whose grandparents weren’t even driving yet when the A was new. Ryan Thiebault, of Milton, New Hampshire, is just 30, but he’s been a fan of Model A’s and T’s his entire life. He even does repair work on them now, under the name “Tebo Barn.” This truck, in particular, has been in and out of his orbit for most of that time. “I was about 10 or 11 when I first encountered it,” he recalls. “I used to…

GAA CLASSIC CARS AUCTION HELD ITS SECOND OF FOUR 2021 SALES on April 22-24, at its Greensboro, North Carolina, facility. The auction was added to the company calendar, in part to offer 175 cars and trucks, at no reserve, from the collection of the late Ron Jones (of Tennessee). Most of the vehicles were prewar era, though there were also several noteworthy 1960s performance Mopars. By our count, GAACC presented a catalog of 558 vintage and contemporary collectible vehicles from across the globe and, during the three-day event, 524 lots were sold, equating to an eye-opening 94-percent sell-through rate and a collective take of nearly $16.5 million (all listed sale prices include a buyer’s premium). At the conclusion of the event, a 2006 Ford GT topped the sales list after…

BONHAMS PUBLISHED RESULTS FROM ITS AMELIA ISLAND AUCTION, WHICH TOOK PLACE LAST month, and reported more than $20 million in total sales with an 89-percent sell-through. The top sale from the show was a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500/540K (Factory Upgrade) Spezial Roadster. It was fitted with a 5,400-cc, eight-cylinder OHV engine with a Rootstype supercharger, capable of making 160 horsepower. The car has a well-documented ownership history and was formerly in private ownership for more than 40 years. Having undergone a comprehensive restoration that was finished in the early 1990s, it was run and used a few times before it was placed in a private museum behind closed doors. The “waterfall” grille was refitted to the radiator and it was shown at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2006. The concours-level…

WITH THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA LIFTING MOST COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, THE AACA Museum is returning to full capacity. Three new exhibits are now open: Keep on Truckin’: Light-Duty Trucks; Hershey’s History: Before and after Chocolate, and Iconic Chevrolets. Keep on Truckin’ looks at a century-long evolution of the pickup truck, from a utilitarian vehicle to today’s performance and luxury haulers. Look for oldies such as the Chevrolet El Camino and Ford Ranchero, early Pennsylvania-made trucks, as well as popular pickups like Dodge’s Li’l Red Express. Among the historic trucks on display are this 1957 F-150, powered by a 272-cu.in. Y-block V-8, mated to a three-speed manual with a three-on-the-tree shifter. Hershey’s History: Before and after Chocolate preserves, promotes, and interprets the historical heritage of Derry Township. In this exhibit, visitors will…

THE ACD FESTIVAL RETURNS ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND TO AUBURN, INDIANA. FROM AUGUST 28 TO September 4, there will be more than 40 events promoting automotive history and heritage. Among those will be tours and cruises around the area, swap meets, auctions, a meet-and-greet with race car driver Lyn St. James, ice cream socials and dinners, and, of course, the parade and judged car show. There will be no shortage of things to do for car lovers as the festival will take place near the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, the Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum, and the National Automotive and Truck Museum. For more about the week’s activities, visit acdfestival.org.…

No Wheel, No Problem GUNIWHEEL • 888-554-6464 • GUNIWHEEL.COM $189 (EACH); $720 (SET OF FOUR) The GUNIWHEEL 45 is perfect for tire shops, collision shops, and towing companies. The temporary wheel allows a vehicle with severe wheel damage or a missing wheel to be moved safely and freely during the repair process. It comes with accessories for installation and fits most standard cars and light SUVs with four- or five-lug wheels and a max center hub of 76 mm. Each wheel is made of mild steel with an airless polyurethane rubber exterior, has a weight capacity of 2,500 pounds, and has a speed rating of 5 mph. Dent Removal SUMMIT RACING • 800-230-3030 SUMMITRACING.COM $300.99-$582.99 New Autoshot Uni-Spotter stud welder kits will help you pull a dent with precision and…

“Not a whole lot is known about the Colt—it appears to have come and gone pretty quickly…” America has always needed a really good minicar that was easy to own; a tiny little car that was both economical on gas and priced very low. Well, at least that’s what a lot of post-World War II dreamers sincerely believed. However, the combined experiences of the firms that produced the prewar American Austin, Bantam, and Crosley, as well as the postwar Playboy, Keller, Autoette, and other such cars, indicate that these beliefs were not grounded in fact. Regardless, facts did nothing to discourage the true believers. They went ahead anyway, trying and failing, and after the dust had settled, more dreamers came along—and they also tried and failed. The diminutive 1958 Colt…

I kind of did the restoration backwards. First, I fixed the suspension, the brake lines, the fuel lines, and all that stuff, because I just wanted to make it dependable and driveable. Then I started on the body. During the project, I disassembled everything and I reassembled everything, while Mike Estrada did the final bodywork and paint. Now, I know the truck inside and out. One of the best things was when my daughters would come out to the garage to see what I was doing and I’d ask them if they wanted to help. Now, my 12-year-old daughter is embarrassed when I pick her up from school with it, but I’m sure that’ll change over the years.…

THE NINE-DAY MECUM SPRING CLASSIC BECAME THE SECOND AUCTION IN MECUM’S HISTORY to eclipse total sales of $100 million. When the final car rolled across the block, the tally showed more than $107.8 million with a sell-through rate of 83 percent. Digging deeper into the numbers, American classics, pre- and postwar up to 1959, raked in more than $20.8 million of that total, including the auction’s top sale: This 1930 Duesenberg Model SJ Rollston Convertible Victoria that changed hands for an impressive $2.97 million. This car was reportedly the only early Rollston in this body style that was supercharged from the factory. It was purchased new by band leader Paul Whiteman who was famous for his arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue.” Engine and chassis number J-272/2293 had a known ownership…

2-5• RM Sotheby’s Auburn, Indiana 260-927-9797 • rmsothebys.com 3-4• Worldwide Auctioneers Auburn, Indiana 800-990-6789 • worldwideauctioneers.com 4-5• Silver Auctions Sun Valley, Idaho 800-255-4485 • silverauctions.com 8-11• Mecum Auctions Dallas, Texas 262-275-5050 • mecum.com 16-18• Barrett-Jackson Houston, Texas 480-421-6694 • barrett-jackson.com 18• VanDerBrink Auctions Scranton, North Dakota 507-673-2517 • vanderbrinkauctions.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.…

“…that garage became our home away from home.” My first garage was when I was in my teens, in the summer of 1960. I rented it with a friend named Paul, to house our 1939 Oldsmobile Series 70 four-door sedan that we bought together. Our plan was to make it into a show car for cruising the drive-ins on Saturday nights. We only paid $25 for it because it had a bad clutch. We rented a garage in an alley at a local apartment complex, mostly because we didn’t want our folks to know that we had spent our meager earnings on what they would have regarded as foolishness. Of course, ultimately they were right, because once we pulled the Olds into the garage it never ran again. However, that…