Hemmings Classic Car January 2023

“… once that car was mine, I wanted to make it better; just trading it off for a better one would have felt like quitting…” For fans of vintage vehicles, the topic of auto restoration is part and parcel of our world. Even if you have no interest in performing the work required to bring an old car back to its original state, you’ve likely had to consider what it takes to make that happen. My own pursuit of these skills was initially spurred the same way I suspect it was for many enthusiasts—I liked cars that were already many years beyond the showroom, and the examples of my favorites that I could afford were worn out and weathered. If I wanted one for myself that looked and performed as…

Rare Commander Comes to South Bend THE STUDEBAKER NATIONAL Museum has announced a new acquisition to its collection: a 1938 Studebaker Commander Stateconvertible sedan that can now be seen in its facilities. The car is thought to be one of just 224 made for the 1938 model year and, even more impressive, it’s thought to be one of less than a half-dozen still in existence. The limited convertible sedan was the most expensive model in the Studebaker lineup that year and it features classic styling by Raymond Loewy. Coachwork was courtesy of the Central Manufacturing Company of Connersville, Indiana, which provided bodies to many car companies of the time. The new addition to the museum is finished in Tulip Cream complemented by a green leather interior. The museum is located in…

King Midget Basement Resto KING MIDGET CLUB MEMBERS STILL DON’T KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT THE PROTOTYPE FIBERGLASS ROADSTER THAT MIDGET MOTORS intended to build. How did the tiny Athens, Ohio-based company plan to power the car? Was it ever meant to have a top? What exactly caused its demise? Now that club president Lee Seats has the prototype in his garage in anticipation of a full restoration and subsequent public display, perhaps some answers will soon come to light. In the mid-Fifties, King Midget’s Dale Orcutt saw fiberglass as an opportunity to both cut some weight and design a body with more complex shapes than the steel-and-aluminum-bodied Model 2 and Model 3’s bodies without springing for more expensive tooling. He shaped a model out of clay, took…

Find Your Bearings THE FILLING STATION • 800-841-6622 FILLINGSTATION.COM • $199.50/SET Tapered front wheel-bearing kits are available for the 1923-1940 Chevrolet cars, trucks, and GMC trucks. Each kit replaces your original ball-bearing type with tapered roller-type bearings, which require less maintenance and are easier to adjust. They’ll fit everything except 1933-’36 Standard passenger or utility trucks and Canadian models. The kits come with two inner and two outer tapered roller bearings with two front wheel seals, made specifically for this installation. They replace GM# 909001-2, 909501-2, 909601-2, and 909701-2. Inquire about p/n FS-178K. Flare Up CLASSIC TUBE 800-882-3711 CLASSICTUBE.COM $436.99 Stainless-steel tube flaring is easier than ever with this flaring tool kit designed for brake, fuel, transmission, vacuum, oil, coolant, hydraulic, or other hard-line applications for your vehicle. The universal…

EMAIL YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS TO: tmcgean@hemmings.com REGARDING “STEALTH STOPPING,” the disc brake conversion article in the September issue (HCC #216), I suggest less invasive alternatives: 1. Use a smaller-bore master cylinder. Sleeve the original master cylinder down by 1/8 inch. This gives more hydraulic psi for any given pedal pressure. The trade-off is more pedal travel, which is easily managed. 2. High friction linings. Learn friction codes and specify replacement drum brake linings with “GG” friction rating. Linings with EE friction will work with a power brake booster but not manual brakes. The FF friction is borderline acceptable. The friction information is supposed to be printed on the lining edge or shoe, but this is done inconsistently. 3. Soft lining composition for fast break-in. Linings with a lifetime warranty…

“… we’re encouraging you to keep sending in those automotive-related adventures…” I hardly seems possible, but another lap around the sun is about to be completed. As I’m sure is the case with other like-minded enthusiasts, my celestial New Year is not marked by a solstice or equinox event, but rather the opening day of the AACA Eastern Fall Meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania. For those new to the hobby, the pilgrimage to Chocolate Town for old vehicles, parts, and memorabilia is a decades-long tradition, and I’ve been an eager participant since 1997, save but one due to the pandemic. This year’s multifaceted show, the second since “Tumultuous ’20,” could be considered a rebirth, much like solstices to our ancestors, after it was announced just over 12 months ago that…