Hemmings Classic Car November 2022

“I’ve been conditioned through the years to make the best of whatever tools, equipment, and space that are already on hand.” There was some sort of fortuitous alignment of the planets as we were putting together this, our next Ultimate Home Garage themed issue, while also working to set up the shop here at Hemmings HQ to be more functional. Our intent with the shop project is to make that space fully equipped to support project vehicle efforts, much of which will be captured on video. The video aspect of this work is what really turns up the wick—once a camera crew is on hand, time becomes critical. Whatever obstacles present themselves during a shoot will need to be overcome right then and there—having camera crews reschedule and return multiple…

Autos & Ales THE AACA MUSEUM HAS ANNOUNCED THAT ITS ANNUAL fundraiser “Autos & Ales” Craft Beer Festival will return this November at the grounds of the museum. Expect live music, food, and samplings from more than 50_brewers and breweries surrounded by the attractions of the Hershey, Pennsylvania, transportation museum. Local participants will be joined by the area’s newer breweries, as well as some more distant brewers representing their parts of Pennsylvania. Tickets for Autos and Ales are now on sale; VIP tickets allow early access and designated drivers will receive a discount. The fundraiser will take place November 4 from 6-10 p.m., visit aacamuseum.org for more information. Palmetto State Party THE HILTON HEAD CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE RETURNS TO THE PORT ROYAL GOLF Club for a three-day event from November 4-6 that…

Lotta Polka IT SEEMS CHICAGO-BASED EDDIE BLAZONCZYK AND his Versatones had as much to do with the creation of the modern-day Polish-American polka sound as anybody else out there, but Brian Alexander of Evanston, Illinois, didn’t share the cover of the Versatones’s 1965 album “Polka Tour” with us to discuss music. Instead, he wanted to know what was up with the eight-door 1960 Chevrolet on the cover of the album. Gregg Merksamer from the Professional Car Society notes that at least one other coachbuilder, National Coaches in Knightstown, Indiana, offered an eight-door 1960 Chevrolet sedan, but he concurs that the Versatones’s Chevrolet came from Stageway, based, in part, on the lack of door handles on the center two doors. Whether the polka coach still exists, however, is anybody’s guess. The…

Period-Correct Primered Wheels SUMMIT RACING • 800-230-3030 SUMMITRACING.COM • $128.99/STARTING Wheel Vintiques 62-Series Ford/Chevy-Style primered wheels are now available for your restoration project. These are a great alternative to searching for original wheels and they maintain a period-correct look. The wheels are two-piece steel, and strong enough to last even if you swap new brakes or add bigger tires to your vehicle. They are also compatible with factory-correct hubcaps and OE lugs, making for a hassle-free installation. The new wheels come in silver or gray primer and are ready to paint or powder coat. Available sizes for silver include: 14 x 5-7 inch; 15 x 5-8 inch and 17 x 7-9 inch; available size for gray is 15 x 7 inch. Trim rings, center caps, lug nuts, center cap emblems,…

EMAIL YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS TO: tmcgean@hemmings.com IN REFERENCE TO MATTHEW LIT win’s column, “How about Canadian Brands?” (HCC #214, July 2022), if it wasn’t for Tad Burness and his vintage car renderings featured on our Sunday paper, I wouldn’t know any of those Canadian classics existed north of the border in a parallel automotive universe. This 1956 Meteor from Canada appears to retain its original color scheme but is adorned with new-production seven-digit California license plates. The rake of the headlamp eyebrows and bodyside sweep seem to differ from its American cousin, and from where I sit and scribble this, it has a more sassy, in-your-face kind of design ethic. And so does the front grille. This Meteor also shares the tailpipes emerging from the rear bumper with the…

“… upcycling abandoned ex-commuters for thrill-n-spill perils and circle track stardom begged a question…” A good friend recently told me of a 1978 Pontiac Phoenix he spotted for sale near our Bennington, Vermont, office with an asking price of just $2,200. It was a four-door sedan that boasted just 40,000 miles of movement managed by a then-optional 305-cu.in. V-8 and automatic transmission power team. Inside was a standard interior fitted with a vinyl bench seat, along with what was reported to be factory air conditioning. While the cabin looked surprisingly clean, the exterior exhibited “nice patina,” which was to say faded blue paint complemented by ample surface rust on horizontal panels. The Pontiac had not run in some time, either, as it had just been pulled from storage. Not that…