Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2023 i Hemmings Classic Car

Write to our Editor at mlitwin@hemmings.com and follow him on Instagram @matt.litwin.hemmings. “It may seem a daunting travel plan, but we should never forget that part of vintage vehicle ownership is the enjoyment of driving.” IT WAS an overcast morning when I slipped into our Bennington, Vermont, office clutching a pair of 15-inch wheels retrieved from my stash of Buick parts. Their delivery brightened the day, for David Conwill and I were joining our mechanic extraordinaire, Junior Nevison, to continue wrenching on our 1940 Buick Century, and the wheels were a solution to the latest issue discovered by accident. When the project began, all four primary 15-inchers were outfitted with new whitewalls purchased from our friends at Coker Tire. It dawned on us the spares should be replaced too, and a…

EMAIL YOUR THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS TO: mlitwin@hemmings.com READING DAVID CONWILL’S column (March 2023) brought many thoughts of agreement. I have said for years that I thought the automobile had been “perfected” by 1940-’41. In fact, under the changing sheet metal after the war, very little was new from the mid-1930’s engineering until well into the 1970s (or really, the early 1980s). Two other comments: The first of the plastics sometimes didn’t work out too well. I remember seeing more than one model, and specifically an early Packard with plastic (white) handles on some controls, that warped or broke after a few years. Others stood up better, maybe some colors were stronger? Back in the day, I don’t remember anyone ever complaining about 6-volt systems. My first several cars—a ’36 Chevy, ’35…

The Studebaker National Museum and The History Museum, both in South Bend, Indiana, announced a poster design contest that will celebrate the next 100 years of the historic Indiana city. The winning poster should best capture the spirit of the city and its potential to carry on its legacy and fame as it approaches its bicentennial later this year. For several years, Indiana was second only to Michigan in car production; of course, one can’t gloss over the impact of South Bend’s own Studebaker, one of the biggest car manufacturers among the independent automakers. Though the company has been defunct since 1966, the last century of South Bend saw Studebaker produce cars for all market segments. Today, these distinctive models like the bullet-nose Champion and Commander, Starlights with their wrap-around…

SPONSORED BY GULLWING MOTOR CARS There are but a handful of cars that stand out as instantly identifiable models, even to those who know nothing about our automotive past. A perfect example is Chevrolet’s Camaro. It doesn’t take a degree in marketing to realize that the nameplate has been a hot commodity ever since it was unveiled as one of General Motors’ Mustang fighters in the fall of 1966. Its chiseled body and sports car nature struck a perfect balance with the public, appealing to the youth of the day as well as family types looking for a dependable, yet stylish daily driver. Camaro had it all. Automotive historians agree that the engineering formula behind the badge meant the newcomer to the pony car market came out of the gate…

WHILE WE ALL DREAM OF IT, not everyone will be afforded the opportunity to obtain an amazing barn find, such as the now-restored 1930 Cord L-29 Brougham featured on pages 50-57. As it stands today, 1 in 3,000 people will have better chances of getting struck by lightning in their lifetime. Better still are the odds of finding a coveted Full Classic at a considerably smaller scale—especially at a storied event such as the AACA Eastern Fall Meet, held each October in Hershey, Pennsylvania, where we found this 1937 Cord convertible for sale produced by Pyro Plastic Corporation. Pyro Plastic was founded by William and Betty Lester in 1939 after perfecting the injection molding process for creating precision forms of various sizes. Located in Union, New Jersey, Pyro quickly established…

“[I] have decided that in view of my uh… looming maturity, I had better determine what my few cars may be worth.” A WHILE BACK MY wife and I were tootling around town in my 1940 Packard 110 business coupe checking out garage sales, when we came across an elderly lady who was obviously downsizing, selling many years of her accumulated belongings. My wife headed to the antique china, and I hustled over to a red 1967 Dodge Dart with a for-sale sign on it that looked in need of a cleanup but was all-original and in great condition. I opened the hood, and the engine was clean, correct, and detailed. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I then opened the driver’s side door and the interior looked almost new. I asked…

Ford’s late-1950s retractable hard top Skyliner is a car-show crowd favorite for its complex roof workings. This 1959 Fairlane 500-based convertible enjoyed a 10-year body-off restoration that saw its top-of-the-line 352-inch V-8, Cruise-O-Matic transmission, suspension, and upgraded front disc/rear drum brakes renewed and installed. The chassis was reassembled with an eye for detail that extended to the two-tone paint and three-tone interior; one paint bubble was noted, though. Halogen and LED lamps improved visibility, Bluetooth was added to the radio, and radial tires and seatbelts were fitted for safety. It took an impressive 42 bids before this upmarket Ford hammered to a new home. Reserve: $45,000 Selling Price: $53,550 Recent Market Range: $38,750-$55,700…

“The failure to buy Jeep in 1963 was probably a main factor in their [American Motors] eventual takeover by Chrysler.” IN MY OPINION, the dumbest mistake American Motors ever made was not buying Jeep earlier. Doing so would have made them a world-class automaker. The failure to buy Jeep in 1963 was probably a main factor in their eventual takeover by Chrysler. In 1953, Jeep builder Willys-Overland’s assets were assumed by Kaiser Industries as a way for Henry and Edgar Kaiser to salvage something out of their doomed Kaiser-Frazer company. At the time, Kaiser-Frazer was losing vast sums of money while Willys-Overland was a money-maker, and it seemed likely to remain so for a long time because it had essentially no competition in the four-wheel-drive market. Willys could price its vehicles…

1. BUICK PADS ORIGINAL PARTS GROUP 800-243-8355 If it’s time to replace the worn out, faded, cracked, or damaged arm est pads in your early 1960s Buick, these replacement parts are identical to the originals. The same size and the correct texture—GM’s Seville grain—will replicate the authentic look and feel in your Buick’s interior. Each armrest pad is a urethane-molded part that lasts longer and retains its color better than the vinyl-wrapped originals. Available in black, light blue, red, saddle, and white, each is made using a paint-in-the-mix technique. These specific pads will fit the 1961-’63 Skylark and the 1963-’64 Riviera. Ask about p/n ARP0030 for more information. $59.99/PAIR opgi.com 2. EURO RUBBER COKER TIRE 877-512-0002 The Michelin XZX 165R15 is no stranger to European car owners who desire period-correct…

“If you overhauled the engine and put retread tires on your antique car from the Thirties, Forties or Fifties, would you attempt any hint of a cross-country trip with it?” I GUESS most all of us have heard our parents tell stories time and again that eventually end up becoming a big part of family lore. As I was growing up, I heard one such story quite often about a trip that took place during 1946 and, in full disclosure, it was just prior to this trip that my mother learned she was pregnant with me. In a sense, I was there. To me, it’s worth sharing since it’s common knowledge these days that a fair number of vintage car owners are unfortunately reluctant to drive their cars too far from…

Unlike its fuel-injected straight-six 300 SL sibling, the 190 SL was a slow-lane cruiser. This Mercedes-Benz, which ultimately sold as a Make Offer listing, apparently remained in top condition 10 years after its full restoration was completed. The specialist-rebuilt 120-hp four-cylinder engine and four-speed manual had been driven around 1,500 miles in that time, and they looked correct and dry like the tidy undercarriage. Its factory red hue turned heads, especially when the black hardtop was fitted to enclose the black leather-upholstered interior that presented well with minor seat creasing. The plastic window in the black fabric top had minor storage marks but was otherwise intact. Reserve: $145,000 Selling Price: $126,000 Recent Market Range: N/A…

According to the dictionary, the word engineering is a “branch of science and technology concerned with the design, building, and use of engines, machines and structures.” Fitting, then, that De Soto used “scientific weight distribution” to describe, in part, its 1936 Airflow III, replete with its “Gas-Saver Transmission” and available “6% Time Payment Plan.” It was a perfect ride for relaxed travelers.…