Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2022 i Hemmings Classic Car

“…GM and Ford were more mainstream, yet Chrysler cars seemed to be the choice of the savvy buyer.” When I was a young kid, in the early ’70s, our family cars came from the Chrysler Corporation and the same was true for most members of my extended family as well. I was already fascinated with cars, and I seemed to figure out pretty quickly that Dodges and Plymouths were produced by the same company that made the cars bearing the Chrysler nameplate. Our household relied on a Dodge Dart in my earliest days, and then a Plymouth Satellite. One of my grandfathers also had a Dart, as did one of my uncles; another uncle had a Plymouth Duster. I somehow got the sense that buying cars with that neat little…

THE ANTIQUE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF AMERICA HAS released the first half of its 2022 calendar. Each show welcomes car collectors and hobbyists from all over the country to take part in car displays, car corrals, flea markets, swap meets, tours, and more. The AACA shows are a great opportunity to find your dream car, or hard-to-find parts and memorabilia. Here are the events planned so far through June: February 10-12: PhiladelphiaPennsylvania February 24-28: MelbourneFloridaCape Canaveral Region March 10-12: LasVegasNevada March 20-26: MobileAlabamaDeep South Region April 7-9: CharlotteNorthCarolinaHornets’ Nest Region April 21-23: GuaynaboPuertoRicoPuerto Rico Region May 19-21: VirginiaBeachVirginiaTidewater Region May 22-25: JohnstownPennsylvaniaFlood City Region June 16-18: BeckleyWestVirginiaWest Virginia Whitewater Region For specific details about each event, visit the designated region’s website, found at aaca.org.…

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT • 800-230-3030 SUMMITRACING.COM• STARTING AT $138.99 These new Steel Guard welding screens and curtains allow you to section off an area for welding, grinding, or plasma cutting, while protecting the rest of your shop from sparks, flash burns, debris, and spatter. Each is made from 14-mil double-polished polyvinyl chloride material that meets the necessary flame retardancy and OSHA requirements. Colors include high-visibility yellow, for low-to-medium amperage welding; orange, for medium amperage; and transparent blue, for medium-to-high amperage. For plasma cutting, a dark green curtain (shade 8) is also available. Each screen mounts to the standup frame, which is made of galvanized steel tubing. The frames also have hinged connectors if you wish to put multiple screens up for larger areas. All screens attach to the frame with…

USA FLUID PRODUCTS • 641-745-9360 USAFLUID.COM• $35/QUART Rust and corrosion will always be a threat, especially in extreme climates with high moisture or freezing temperatures, where road salt accelerates the decay of your car’s steel parts. This high-tech solution will help protect and rejuvenate some of your car’s surfaces. It’s billed to be safe on all treated surfaces, including metal, plastic, wood, vinyl, rubber, and more. For those in the Northeast and Midwest, the formula can be applied to undercoating to assist in “salt-proofing” during the harsh winter months. It’s also capable of restoring painted surfaces and eliminates lead-based paint oxidation and exposure. This formula does not have the pungent odor frequently associated with other, similar products. It’s also effective in wiping away rust and rust staining. Visit the company’s…

“The Quantum saga began with MIT-trained nuclear physicist Walter Kern…” The 1962 Quantum was an attractive sports car — a low, lithe, fiberglass-bodied two-seater that looked like it could really go. But believing American drivers would flock to a sports car powered by a 51-cu.in. two-stroke engine was a stretch, despite its Jaguar-like styling. It was probably too odd a mixture for most people to accept. The Quantum saga began with MIT-trained nuclear physicist Walter Kern, whose hobby was amateur sports car racing. In the 1950s, Kern enjoyed some success running a Fiat-powered Siata, and later a Porsche, until the cars blew their engines. Investigation revealed that both cars had suffered oil starvation on tight turns. With a scientist’s curiosity, Kern pondered the situation. How to eliminate the problem? In…

Styling has nearly always been a crucial part of an automobile’s appeal, dating back at least to when Chevrolet began to attack Ford’s Model T sales domination in the 1920s. The strategy was simple: Against the T’s stark, black appearance, Chevy offered a choice of colors and a little more style at slightly more money and ended up taking the lead away from Ford. After World War II, styling became even more important. By 1950, the postwar “seller’s market” had ended, and companies needed to become more competitive if they hoped to grow market share. People had money and they wanted more than just basic transportation. Styling was a huge sales draw. Back then, GM was considered the style leader. General Motors Styling had the largest staffs and the biggest…

RM SOTHEBY’S CONCLUDED ITS 15TH-ANNUAL HERSHEY AUCTION AT THE HERSHEY LODGE during the AACA Eastern Division Fall Meet, October 7-8. Total sales grossed more than $12.9 million with a 98 percent sell through. The lots spanned eight decades of automotive history, with more than 150 vehicles finding a new home. Included was the collection of Robert Thayer, which swept the auction’s top-three sales spots. Atop the list was a 1931 Duesenberg Model J Roadster dubbed Green Hornet, seen here. Familiar to those who have attended popular concours events, Green Hornet has won at Amelia Island and Pebble Beach, among its other accolades. After a recent hiatus, the Duesy crossed the block at Hershey and sold for $1.65 million. Following it was a well-maintained 1935 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster. The Full Classic,…

THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG AUTOMOBILE Museum has announced the arrival of a 1934 Ford stolen by famous criminal John Dillinger during his escape from a county prison. It is believed to be the first time the getaway car has been made available for public viewing. On March 3, 1934, Dillinger stole the Ford from Crown Point, Indiana, sheriff Lillian Holley after breaking out of the Crown Point jail. The Ford would eventually be found abandoned in Chicago and it’s thought that Dillinger used the car for as many as two days in the Windy City after escaping. The getaway car is now on display along with a collection of Dillinger-related artifacts. Among them are a pair of Sheriff Holley’s handcuffs, a revolver owned by Holley, a Thompson submachine gun that was…

THE BONHAMS GREENWICH CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE Online Auction took place on October 21-25. The 40 cars sold totaled $4,279,400 and delivered an impressive 93 percent sell through. The lots were available for bidding over a five-day period in conjunction with the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance weekend. Among the automobiles to sell was a 1912 Kissel Kar Model D-11 Semi-Racer, pictured at left. Its inline-four engine, fed by a single Stromberg carburetor, was mated to a four-speed manual transmission. The rare Brass Era car—under the same ownership since the early 1990s—was offered from an estate sale. The Kissel ran in the Ormond Beach race in 2006 and was shown at Amelia Island in 2008. The dual-threat automobile was ready for classic car shows and historic rallies, boasting all the right specifications and period-correct…

TWO UNUSUAL LINCOLNS WITH INTERESTING OWNERSHIP HISTORIES ARE NOW ON DISPLAY AT THE LINCOLN MOTOR CAR HERITAGE MUSEUM ON the Gilmore Car Museum campus in Hickory Corners, Michigan. A 1933 KB LeBaron convertible roadster, originally bought by actor and radio star W.C. Fields, will be on loan to the museum courtesy of David Gunther, who has owned the car for more than six decades. Fields owned the KB until his death in 1946. Joining Fields’ old car is a 1922 Lincoln Type 118 limousine, donated to the museum by Larry Smith of Bloomfield Hills. The limo was first purchased by Alfred E. Lucking, who was legal counsel for the Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford’s personal attorney from 1914-’23. He was lead counsel against the Chicago Tribune and the Dodge…

HARBOR FREIGHT • 800-444-3353 HARBORFREIGHT.COM• $49.99 If you’re looking for a light and compact battery-powered impact wrench that quickly removes nuts and bolts, the Hercules3 ⁄8-inch impact wrench can handle all kinds of fastener installation and removal. It delivers up to 1,200 in-lb of torque, with variable speeds up to 2,500 rpm, and features a built-in, delayed-off LED light, giving you a clear view in dark spaces. Designed to provide precise speed and torque control, the tool’s lightweight design reduces fatigue during extended use. All-metal-gear construction is built to withstand knocks and drops, and the impact wrench’s3 ⁄8-inch anvil carries a friction ring for secure socket retention. The battery is sold separately; look up p/n 56565 for more details and specifications.…

“What’s compelling is that, by the end of the decade, Chrysler was clearly in trouble.” Growing up in a car-crazy family, I was keenly aware — even in the early Eighties — of promotional tag lines intended to sweep people off their feet and deliver them straight into automotive dealerships. Recall that Pontiac proudly told us, “We build excitement!” Dearborn asked if you had “Driven a Ford lately?” Flint ditched its “Better cars” slogan and instead posed, “Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?” Cadillac boldly proclaimed that it was “Best of all.” But what about Chrysler? It recently occurred to me that only once was a Chrysler-badged product in our home garage: a 300M, through a lease agreement that my father lined up with his employer. Our time with…

Was it a cause of Tom Wolfe’s “‘Me’ Decade” or a byproduct? By the early 1970s, the 1969 Volkswagen ad that had cheekily suggested Americans should live below their means felt out of touch. Really, we were worthy of indulgence, and near-luxury automakers like Chrysler were happy to oblige. More of everything would prove the trend of the decade, and from the early days, the New Yorker Brougham offered consumers a unique interpretation of middle-class luxury. The Imperial line had all but been absorbed into Chrysler by 1972, those well-appointed flagship two- and four-door hardtops built alongside lesser models instead of on a dedicated assembly line and marketed in the same brochure. Their unit-bodies were long-wheelbase variants of the parent company’s standard versions and bore minimal styling differentiation. At the same…

10-12 • GPK Auctions Atlantic City, New Jersey 856-573-6969 • gpkauctions.net 25-26 • Carlisle Auctions Lakeland, Florida 717-243-7855 • carlisleevents.com 25-27 • McCormick Auction Palm Springs, California 760-320-3290 • classic-carauction.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. View and search through thousands of upcoming auction vehicles in one place at the Hemmings Auction Showroom, www.hmn.com/auctioncalendar.…

“It was a 1975 Trabant. It got a lot of laughs, and it piqued my curiosity.” For some, collector cars are simply an investment. For others, restoring them is a passion. But for many of us, one particular old car is an important part of our lives and our families, and is loved and cherished for all of the good times it brought us. In the winter of 1985, in the mountains between Austria and Hungary, Josef Czikmantory and his wife drove up to the border checkpoint in their tiny 1975 East German Trabant 601. Josef got out of the car as the guard emerged from the small shack. Snow was falling, and both were bundled against the cold. Josef shook out a cigarette for the guard, and then lit…