Hemmings Classic Car March 2022

“All these years later, I recall being astonished at just how quiet the interior of that Coupe de Ville was” A recent conversation turned to luxury cars, and what made for the best ones. The group I was chatting with included some guys in their early 30s, and there was plenty of talk about European sedans, like the S-Class Mercedes, BMW 7-Series, Audi A8, and so on. It struck me that no one mentioned Cadillac, the marque that was long synonymous with plush motoring in this country. The omission made clear to me that the qualities considered essential for a properly posh vehicle have shifted over the years. Back when I was a kid, still too young to drive, it seemed like Cadillacs were fairly common on the roads, though…

THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM HAS ANNOUNCED THE addition of a 1934 Auburn 652X brougham to its collection. This car is one of only two 652X broughams known to exist. The donation was made by Tali and Lynn Petersons of Baltimore, Maryland. “This is the first 1934 Auburn in our collection and it fills an important slot in our museum’s story,” Sam Grate, museum curator, says. “Stylistically, it was a departure from any Auburn before it. Being the rare brougham body style with only one other known to exist, we are honored to be the stewards and representatives of this exceedingly rare automobile.” The streamlined Auburn 652X was one of four models made for the 1934 model year, along with the 652Y, 850X and 850Y. Only 1,295 652Xs were…

IN OTHER EXPANDING COLLECTION NEWS, THE AACA MUSEUM INC. HAS RECENTLY added a 1940 Ford De Luxe convertible. The car was donated by Roberta Sliker, in loving memory of her husband Roger Sliker. Roger paid just $400 for the Ford in 1969, after it had been off the road for 12 years. When he acquired it, it had no front fenders, engine, seats, or bumpers, but it did have plenty of rust. Though he owned it for several decades, he didn’t begin restoration until 2010. Unfortunately, Roger was not able to finish the restoration, bringing it to the primer phase before dying from cancer. Roberta and friends took the baton and installed the parts that had been ordered, including trim, door handles, window mechanisms, and wiring. Slowly the De Luxe…

3-6 • Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Amelia Island, Florida 904-636-0027 • ameliaconcours.org 6 • Sumter Swap Meet • Bushnell, Florida 727-848-7171 • floridaswapmeets.com 10-12 • AACA Western Spring Nationals Henderson, Nevada • 717-534-1910 • aaca.org 12-13 • Kyana Auto Swap Meet Louisville, Kentucky 502-619-2917 • kyanaswapmeet.com 18-19 • Corvette Expo Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 865-687-3976 • corvetteexpo.com 20-26 • AACA Founders Tour • Mobile, Alabama/Biloxi, Mississippi • 717-534-1910 • aaca.org 25-27 • Turkey Run • Daytona Beach, Florida 386-767-9070 • turkeyrun.com 27 • Minuteman Model A Ford Club Swap Meet Maynard, Massachusetts • 508-561-3977 • oilleak.org 31-4/2 • The Texas Packard Association Meet Salado, Texas • 832-905-3904 • texaspackardmeet.org Please note that these events are active as of press time despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We recommend you verify the status…

THE GRADY COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IN CHICKASHA, Oklahoma, marks the location of the 32nd Annual Chickasha International Pre-War Swap Meet, where hobbyists from the East and West come together to share their love of old cars. The meet is well known for its impressive selection of Brass-Era parts and automobiles, and all items sold must range from 1895-1945. Located near Oklahoma City, this event provides a great opportunity to locate hard-to-find items if you’re unable to make Hershey or the other antique and classic car swap meets around the coasts. The fairgrounds have more than 500 indoor spaces available with plenty more spots outdoors, so rain or shine, this is a great opportunity find old parts. The Sooner State swap meet takes place March 18-19; visit pwsm.com for more information.…

Re: Volkswagen or Not? ALMOST AS SOON AS WE ASKED ABOUT A HOMEBUILT VAN WITH VW BADGES (SEE HCC #209, FEBRUARY 2022), READER GERD KLIOBA CAME through with an answer. Gerd, who had already come across the vehicle in his research on Eigenbaus, identified it as a VW-based vehicle built in the summer of 1951 in Zwickau, then in East Germany. He even provided some in-progress photos. Though the term Eigenbau, German for self-built, is largely used in reference to homebuilt sports and racing cars these days, it was somewhat common practice in Cold War-era East Germany to rebody Volkswagen chassis into all sorts of vehicles—sedans, coupes, convertibles, pickups, and vans—as Gerd pointed out. Typically, they mimicked western vehicles unavailable in East Germany, but occasionally they displayed more creative design.…