Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2022 i Hemmings Classic Car

“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…

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,…

“The original Nash Rambler had looked a bit stubby; the new version had much better proportions.” During 1954 and 1955, the “Little Four” American independent automakers—Nash, Packard, Hudson and Studebaker—learned that merging two automobile manufacturers together is more difficult than one would think. Admittedly, they had few historical examples to draw lessons from. Although Kaiser Motors and Willys Overland had linked up in 1953, that joining was relatively easy. Chiefly, all Kaiser-Willys management had to do was reduce headcount and teach its Kaiser dealers how to sell Willys Jeep products, because both Willys passenger cars and Kaiser cars were heading for extinction. Since Jeep had no real competition, that was where the company would concentrate its efforts. Nash and Hudson were a different story; their future rested on continuing car…

When working in the garage, there are times when a vehicle needs to be moved outside. Maybe it’s to gain additional workspace, or possibly to access another vehicle stored above it on a lift. Reasons aside, it’s not always convenient to push a vehicle back into the garage, and it’s practically impossible if the driveway has even the slightest incline. While starting the engine is an option, the practice of cold startup and immediate shutdown isn’t ideal for a multitude of reasons. Not to mention that your neighbors might not share your appreciation of deep rumbling exhaust if you work late into the evening. What’s a hobbyist to do? Experiencing these sorts of scenarios countless times over the years, we’ve considered adding an electric winch to our garage for some…

I considered calling this piece “I’ve been charging my batteries wrong and four other facts about battery chargers.” In fact, a lot of this is going to come off as common sense for those who have taken the time to read the manual for their battery charger. That’s because it comes to us not only via advice from our friends at Clore Automotive, but simply by virtue of a close reading of both the manuals for their “CHARGE IT!” line of portable and wheeled chargers, which have information specifically targeted at older exotic and classic cars and tractors. I also reviewed the instructions for my own DieHard charger, a circa-2010, seemingly out-of-production legacy of my father. They’re interesting and useful tidbits that may have eluded those of us who learned…

GAA CLASSIC CARS AUCTION (GAACC) HOSTED ITS ANNUAL MID summer sale on July 21-23 at its dedicated facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event has been a regular part of GAA’s calendar for some time, always boasting a catalog brimming with more than 600 vehicular lots of all type. This year, the July sale served, by our count, 619 vintage and contemporary collectible vehicles for onsite and remote bidders alike during the three-day automotive spectacular. American performance cars lit up the stage, and by the time the auction action concluded, a 2005_Ford GT landed at the top of the sales list after it sold for $435,000 (all listed sale prices include a buyer’s premium). It was followed by a 1970_Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda that achieved $205,000, and a 1965_Chevrolet Corvette restomod…

3-5 • GAA Classic Cars Auction Greensboro, North Carolina 855-862-2257 • gaaclassiccars.com 5 • RM Sotheby’s London, England 519-352-4575 • rmsothebys.com 10-12 • Mecum Las Vegas, Nevada 262-275-5050 • mecum.com 17-19 • Mecum East Moline, Illinois 262-275-5050 • mecum.com 18-20 • McCormick Palm Springs, California 760-320-3290 • classic-carauction.com 25-26 • RM Sotheby’s Munich, Germany 519-352-4575 • rmsothebys.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.…

“So what’s my point? Just this: If we want to save the environment, why aren’t we recycling old cars?” Back in 1960, my pal Frank and I talked at length about finding a car for him while sitting at the coffee shop where I washed dishes part-time. I had recently purchased a 1947 Chevrolet for $25. I was able to get it running, and he wanted to do the same. Neither of us were (teenaged) men of means by any means, but we liked cars, we were willing to get our hands dirty, and we could read a shop manual. The waitress interrupted to say that she knew where to find an old car we could have for free: It was in her mother’s backyard, and she wanted it out…

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…

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…

Despite the popularity of battery-operated power tools, most hobbyists consider compressed air a must-have in their garage or shop space for its variety of uses. Many portable air compressors are smaller and can be positioned close to the project or equipment, but their tanks and pumps aren’t always able to satisfy the volume and/or pressure requirements of certain pieces of equipment. Larger stationary air compressors are most effective, but require permanent positioning, which isn’t always conveniently placed. In a corner of the Rotella garage is a 60-gallon stationary air compressor. For years we pulled rubber air hoses across the garage floor or driveway as needed—sometimes connecting two or more hoses together to reach the destination. After finally growing tired of snaking rubber hose around obstacles and then manually coiling it…

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN Fayetteville, North Carolina, in a little community called Massey Hill. I had learned to drive at age 11 and was living with my mother in the house in which I was born. In 1948, when I was 13, my mother, aunt, and uncle started working second shift at a textile weaving plant in Red Springs, North Carolina, about 30 miles away. To save on gas, my mother would drive one week, my uncle the next. Conveniently, my friend Gayle and I had learned from “Dub,” the mechanic at the Shell service station two blocks away, that if you put a half-dollar on the terminals behind the ignition switch, you could start the car. That’s when things started getting interesting! My mother had a 1947…

MECUM AUCTIONS LEAPFROGGED ITS LAST HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, AUCTION BY SETTING A new event record at the venue. The auction house announced a total of $40 million in overall sales, which was a 30-percent increase from its 2019 auction. Other signs of auction sales returning to and eclipsing pre-COVID events included an 81-percent sell-through rate with 863 vehicles changing hands. Looking deeper into the numbers, American cars and trucks up to 1975 accounted for more than $5.5 million in sales with 80 percent of them selling. Among those to sell was a 1974 Chevrolet C10 pickup, thought to have only 711 miles and featuring its original paint. It was a Minnesota truck that was said to only be used for attending church services on Sundays. Powered by a 250-cu.in. six-cylinder paired…

HEMMINGS AUCTIONS IS OUR LIVE, ONLINE AUCTION SITE STAFFED BY customer service professionals ready to help bidders and sellers with any questions. A wide variety of classic and specialty vehicles from all eras are up for bid. Auctions run for two weeks, and qualified bidders place their bids electronically. Once a vehicle is accepted into the auction, the seller pays only a $99.95 listing fee. The winning bidder is responsible for a 5-percent fee on all completed auctions. The following are examples of auctions that transpired during the month leading up to press time. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, email Director of Auction Operations Terry Shea: terryshea@hemmings.com. 1954 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Reserve: $73,000 Selling Price: $90,300 Recent Market Range: N/A Polo White over red is the most famous color…

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…

“… 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…

“Consider almost any 1941 model car and, by contrast, you will see vertical features muted, if not eliminated entirely…” Have you noticed how styling trends tend to appear at about the same time in the automobile industry? Consider wraparound windshields. Only a handful of early cars had them, but virtually all cars suddenly had them in 1955… Rambler, Willys, and, oddly enough, Lincoln, excepted. Studebaker was caught off guard and introduced its bread-and-butter 1955 “sedan” line with conventional windshields. When it was obvious the market demanded wrap-around windshields, Studebaker spared no expense in retooling those sedan models for wrap-around windshields during the model year! New factory tooling was positioned during Christmas vacation in 1954. When 1955 production resumed in January 1955, Studebaker sedans were built with wrap-around windshields. Another example…

A BUSY NOVEMBER IS IN STORE FOR THE collector car auction universe in both Europe and the United States. RM Sotheby’s will have two auctions, one in London and the other in Munich. An early peek at the two events shows many European classics including a 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA by Bertone. The London auction will take place November 5 with the Munich auction slated for November 25-26. For the updated list of consignments, visit rmsothebys.com. Keith McCormick’s Palm Springs Collector Car Auction returns for its pre-Thanksgiving tradition; it will take place November 18-20. Last year’s auction saw total sales of more than $7.4 million with a total of 365 cars, trucks, and other vehicles up for bidding. When the smoke cleared, 82 percent of the lots found…