Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Hemmings Classic Car

“My days of contorting to retrieve something as simple as a torque wrench from the vast pile of clutter are, thankfully, coming to an end.” Contrary to what one might think, this has nothing to do with the intense combat armies endured within the Ardennes nearly eight decades ago, or the annual test of willpower against the tasty might of holiday snacks. No, this has to do with the constant struggle to minimize the introduction of—and/or maximize the purge of—more outdated, too-good-to-throw-away, might-need-it-again objects of everyday life to the “Family Storage Center,” also known as “the garage.” I’ll refrain from narrating every OSHA-violating trip hazard that exists in what was once my well-organized work-space for vintage cars. Oh, the horrors verbally painted in prior monthly “State of the Space” addresses…it…

THE VINTAGE MOTOR CAR CLUB OF AMERICA ANNOUNCED THE DATES AND ROUTE FOR ITS 41ST CHROME Glidden Tour. Enjoy four days of touring and experiencing wildflowers, spirits, history, and old cars in the Texas Hill Country, centered around Fredericksburg, Texas. Preference will be given to vehicles built from 1935-1998, with the tour capped at 100 entries. The itinerary includes drives to Enchanted Rock, the Willow City Loop, the Museum of the Pacific War, country roads to Luckenbach and Johnson City, and a private car collection. The tour will take place April 16-20 and registration is now open. Visit vmcca.org/tours for more details and registration forms.…

“Carburetors don’t play well with modern emissions standards, but from a user standpoint, they’re simplicity itself.” My daily driver is a ’62 Corvair, but if I could have another, it would most certainly be something from the late 1930s or early 1940s. More specifically, it might be a 1929-’31 Ford Model A upgraded to the technological moment of 1940-’48. Then, just straddling the U.S. participation in World War II, a lot of technological trends of the 1920s culminated into a pinnacle of the Machine Age. Modern consumer goods, automobiles included, may be more capable than their equivalents of the 1940s, but the vintage pieces are unmatched for serviceability, durability, and user friendliness. In the automotive sense, I can think of a few pieces of technology that were standard in U.S.…

This was almost the story of a 1962 Chrysler. Sometime in late 1961 or early ’62, Anthony Griffo’s father, Giuseppe—“Joe” in this country—was working as a mechanic at Johnny’s County Motors in Oaklyn, New Jersey. The base price for this Bonneville back then was $3,349, a hair more than the $3,323 Chrysler 300. Now, granted, the 300 was not a 300-H, nor even a New Yorker—it was more or less a Chryslerized version of the discontinued De Soto Adventurer—but neither is a Bonneville a Grand Prix. Both are still nice, powerful, luxurious mid-priced cars. The trouble was that Joe’s boss didn’t think he could swing the payments on a 300 hardtop, and Joe thought he could. “My father really wanted to buy a new Chrysler,” Anthony says. “Every day, he…

It wasn’t that Pontiac didn’t offer a station wagon during the immediate postwar years—the division saw to that as soon as production resumed for the 1946 season—but rather its mid-decade Custom Safari broke design tradition in visually stunning fashion. Introduced for 1955, the all-new Custom Safari was a sporty two-door station wagon designed as an up-market complement to Chevrolet’s Nomad utilizing the same 122-inch wheelbase A-body chassis and Fisher Body shell. Although on a short chassis, Pontiac considered the Safari part of its larger B-body Star Chief series, officially designating it as the Star Chief Custom (Series 27). The Custom Safari was differentiated from the similarly styled Chieftain 860 Colony two-door wagon (also introduced in ’55) by a forward rake “B” pillar—versus a vertical pillar—and an angled tailgate, as well…

Philadelphia, and much of the surrounding area, owes a sizable debt to the original William Penn. After all, he founded the place, and his likeness has stood sentinel atop City Hall for decades. Penn’s legacy runs deeply through the Delaware Valley in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, both for the social order that he created and the institutions of faith that still thrive there today. The generations of Quakers who ranged across southeastern Pennsylvania, in particular, created a strong foundation of business, government and education. You can find beautifully maintained relics of the Quaker past if you know where to look. This pristine 1952 Dodge B-3-B half-ton pickup is one of them. How so, you say? The two-wheel-drive truck was delivered new to Jarrett Dodge, which used to be located in…

A SLEW OF PRE-WAR CARS, PRE-WORLD WAR I THAT IS, changed hands at Bonhams’ The Golden Age of Motoring auction in London last November. Among the consignments, more than 20 lots—ranging from an 1897 Daimler to a 1915 Lanchester Sporting Forty Torpedo Tourer—were sold. A nice example was this 1907 Stanley Model EX Steam Runabout with a known history from new, including the one-family ownership from 1925 to 2012. It particularly caught our eye as it underwent a restoration in Hemmings’ current base of operations of Bennington, Vermont, in the mid-1950s. After its many decades around the country, it competed in the Stanley class at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in 1997. The brass-era beauty had undergone some other significant restorations with a new boiler, burner pan, and all woodwork being…

2 • Bonhams Amelia Island, Florida 415-391-4000 • bonhams.com 3 • RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island, Florida 519-352-4575 • rmsothebys.com 4 • Gooding & Company Amelia Island, Florida 310-899-1960 • goodingco.com 28-4/1 • Mecum Glendale, California 262-275-5050 • mecum.com 30-4/1 • Greensboro Auto Auction Greensboro, North Carolina 855-862-2257 • gaaclassiccars.com Please note that these events are active as of press time. 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, hemmings.com/auctions/partners.…

“It finally took someone with the intelligence, chutzpah, and charisma of Jay Leno to get things changed.” The first time I met Jay Leno was when Robert Escalante, of Custom Auto Service, needed to deliver Jay’s 1956 Packard Caribbean to him up in Burbank, California. Robert asked if I could drive a backup car—a 146-inch wheelbase 1947 Packard Custom Eight—so he could get home. I was delighted. I had been a fan of Leno’s Tonight Show for years; more importantly, I knew he was a car guy as well. While we were cruising up the Hollywood freeway, I wondered what Jay would be like in person. I mean what he would really be like. Having done a little television myself with the how-to segments on Dennis Gage’s My Classic Car,…

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE MADE the trek on Route 66 in recent years may have noticed or stopped by a facility dedicated to Chevrolet’s famous air-cooled car. General Motors has now officially recognized the Corvair Preservation Foundation Museum in Glenarm, Illinois, as the official Corvair museum in North America. The museum, in operation since 2016, hosts events throughout the year to celebrate and preserve the legacy of the popular compact car. “It is with great joy and genuine excitement that we announce the official new name of our ‘National Corvair Museum,’ which has just been approved by General Motors,” Mike Hall, CPF President and Museum Curator, says. “We look forward to a long and productive partnership with General Motors as Corvair will now have a national home for its display…

2-5 • The Amelia Amelia Island, Florida • 904-636-0027 ameliaislandconcours.org 5 • Sumter Swap Meet Bushnell, Florida • 727-848-7171 • floridaswapmeets.com 18 • AACA Antique Auto Show Vero Beach, Florida • 772-584-1842 • aaca.org 11-12 • Kyana Auto Swap Meet Louisville, Kentucky • 502-619-2917 • kyanaswapmeet.com 17-18 • Chickasha Pre-War Swap Meet Chickasha, Oklahoma • 405-224-9090 • pre-war.com 19-20 • Almost Spring Model A Club Swap Meet Puyallup, Washington • 360-863-2877 • mafca.com 24-25 • Corvette Expo Pigeon Forge, Tennessee • 865-687-3976 • corvetteexpo.com 24-26 • Turkey Run Daytona Beach, Florida • 386-767-9070 • turkeyrun.com Please note that these events are active as of press time. We recommend you verify the status before making plans to attend.…

Versatile Helmet LINCOLN ELECTRIC • 888-935-3877 • LINCOLNELECTRIC.COM• $448 MSRP The new upgradedVIKING 2450ADV helmet is lightweight and gives you a variety of options and visibility to make your welding and metal shaping projects go as smoothly as possible. Each uses 4C lens technology to reduce eye strain with better clarity and real color view. The helmet is said to have increased battery life and a wide-screen view. Its digital interface features several delay, sensitivity, and shade settings to suit your project, with special modes for welding, grinding, and cutting. The display also has a battery test mode so you will know if it’s ready to go before you begin. Each comes with a helmet bag, bandana, five outside cover lenses, and two inside cover lenses, and sticker sheet. Rebates…

“Doing 75 mph in a Jackrabbit must have been exhilarating—and terrifying.” The folks who named the little Pennsylvania town of Intercourse weren’t trying to come up with a way to make demure ladies blush. Instead, they were thinking of the word’s primary meaning—communication or dealing between people, i.e. social intercourse. They wanted the town to be known as a progressive, friendly place. Unfortunately, language changes over the years, and now the word has a different meaning to most people. The same thing happened to Apperson and their famous car. I don’t think Elmer and Edgar Apperson have ever received the recognition they deserve. The two brothers, along with Elwood Haynes, formed the Haynes-Apperson Company in Kokomo, Indiana, becoming that state’s first automobile company. From 1896 to 1905 they manufactured Haynes-Apperson…

I GREW UP IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN. My dad, with only a fifth-grade education, was a good mechanic and had a job at Packard Motor Company. During World War II, Packard had contract work building Rolls-Royce engines for the North American P-51 Mustang fighter planes and PT boats — over 9,000 of those engines. During that time, we rebuilt used cars since the production of new civilian vehicles had ceased. It was something we still did afterwards; believe it or not, cars were still scarce in 1949. It was a problem, as I was 17 years old and had thoughts about a car of my own. One day, my cousin—who was “bird-doggin’,” or spotting cars for dealers—came over and said, “Elmer, I have a car for you.” That Sunday afternoon we went…

CONSIGNMENTS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR RM SOTHEBY’S annual auction at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Last year’s sale realized a little more than $46.6 million in total sales with a sell-through of 89 percent; 11 cars changed hands with their final bids eclipsing the $1 million threshold. One of 2023’s lots includes a 1949 Packard Custom Eight ConvertibleVictoria (pictured) that will sell without reserve. Early listings also include some European flair such as a 1968 Dino 206GT and 1934 Tatra T77. The auction will take place March 3, with free admission for the public to preview on March 2. Visit rmsothebys.com for the latest docket.…

THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT CAME WITH THE LITTLE ELECTRIC sports car when Tom Rapini bought it from a friend’s widow was sparse. The amount of useful information was even more scant. In fact, he didn’t even really know what to call it, so he’s since dubbed it “EV2,” denoting the second homebuilt electric car he’s come to own. What he knows for sure: It has an aluminum body, a boat windshield, dual 36-volt golf cart motors with belt-to-chain drive at each rear wheel, and a “clacking” speed control “with contractors that feed the power through a big resistor for the three slower speeds, just like the old golf carts in the Sixties,” he says. What he’s been told: A retired aircraft engineer in California built it. It may have…

“Did you know she was a life-long Studebaker customer?” Have you ever met anyone who didn’t like The Andy Griffith Show? If so, did they seek counsel and treatment for their affliction? It would be warranted. The show aired from October 1960 through April 1968, a span of almost eight years that encompassed 249 half-hour episodes of life in the fictitious small town of Mayberry, North Carolina, loosely based on Andy Griffith’s Mt. Airy, North Carolina, hometown. Andy Griffith played the role of widowed Sheriff Andy Taylor, assisted by his bumbling but well-intentioned deputy, Barney Fife, played by Don Knotts. Andy and his son Opie (played by a young Ron Howard) lived with Andy’s Aunt Bee, played by actress Frances Bavier. And speaking of Ms. Bavier, did you know she…

Then and now, Pontiac’s second-generation Firebird occupied a strange spot in the car world. Mind you, we’re not talking about the spatted, stickered, and spoilered Trans Am; its place is known and secure. After the summer of 1977 and Hal Needham’s good-ol’-boy Smokey and the Bandit saga, America suddenly remembered that the Trans Am was the closest thing this country still had to a muscle car—and in between the fuel crises, that shot T/A sales up 35 percent year-to-year. No, we mean the non-T/A chunk of Pontiac’s F-body lineup, consisting of Firebird, Esprit, and Formula. An Esprit (pronounced uh-SPREE, not EE-sprit—French for “spirit”) may have been pretty, and may have shared DNA with the beefier Trans Am, but it wasn’t a showy peacock of a car, a corner-carving terror,…

PART OF THE AACA EASTERN FALL MEET’S LEGACY IN HERSHEY, Pennsylvania, has been a collector car auction, the last 16 of which have been hosted by RM Sotheby’s at the Hershey Lodge. Aptly billed as The Hershey Auction, the 2022 dates were the evenings of October 5-6, preceded by an opening barbeque-style preview dinner. Supported by 86 automobilia lots, the auction featured 129 vehicular lots, 59 percent of which originated from the prewar era. Postwar era enthusiasts were delighted, too: 38 percent of the lots dated from 1949-’69. Prewar cars traditionally sell big here, and 2022 was no exception. Jumping to the top of the overall sales list was a rare 1930 Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton with coachwork by Fleetwood that sold for $880,000. Next was an equally rare 1914 Thomas…

TRACTORS, FARM EQUIPMENT, VINTAGE TOOLS, AND A VARIETY OF pickups cross the block every autumn at Mecum’s Gone Farmin’ Fall Premier auction. This year, nearly 100 trucks and trailers were a part of the proceedings including this 1940 International D2H ¾-ton pickup. It’s been a resident of the heartland, spending the last four decades with the same Sooner-state owner. Finished in proper green with black fenders, it featured the rare H-code option that included 32-leaf rear springs and heavy-duty steel wheels. It was powered by the original inline-six engine mated to the optional four-speed manual transmission. Other options included a crank out “V” windshield, cab heater, chrome bumper, and interior and exterior sun visors. The old workhorse still had the original bed and tailgate. It was ready to work for its…