Olds club magazine gets taste of auction life

“I recently was encouraged to submit our chapter newsletter, The Blue Gray Rocket Report, to the Golden Quill Awards,” wrote Darlene Myers, editor of the publication. Accompanying her letter were several recent samples of the publication. Her club is the Blue Gray Chapter of the Oldsmobile Club of America, serving Pennsylvania and Maryland enthusiasts.

The club’s submissions were in the offing for award consideration while future issues for submission will be pending.

Has your club entered? There is still time for 2019 consideration. (Send your entries to Old Cars and Gerald Perschbacher, Chief Judge, at 8868 Rock Forest Dr., St. Louis, MO 63123-1116)

This club sends issues to its members via email to save costs and speed delivery. Yet, to enter the Golden Quill competition, printed copies are required to even the playing field for all entries since most are sent to club members only in paper form.

Myers’ September edition is an enticement for readers to enjoy. Of special note was the behind-the-scenes Mecum Auction experience covered by Rich Saullo and Ed Grebeck plus Ron and Jim Mummert, photographers. David Morton of Mecum Auto Auctions offered regional car clubs the chance to attend an event showing the ins and outs of an auction from the Mecum perspective, focusing on Harrisburg, Pa., as the site.

Mecum’s three-day auctions take extra effort seldom seen or appreciated by the public. The article noted that there were “at least 100 (electronic) monitors showing every possible angle of the entire complex including the seven other buildings that housed the memorabilia sale and the cars waiting to come the block.”

Rich Saullo, club president, was introduced to the video audience to hammer down the sale of a 1968 Ford Bronco pickup at $28,000. “It was a huge adrenaline shot and a once in a lifetime chance to do this,” he noted. More than 15 color pictures of the event made readers feel as though they were there.

All this reminds us that car clubs can interface with the public far beyond club activities. As clubs put their best image forward at car shows, large or small events, special displays, auctions and a plethora of other interfaces, the general public notices the results. If cordiality, warmth, excitement and good cars are evident, it is a reflection of a car club and every member in it. Hence, being in a car club makes each member an ambassador for the hobby.

In this case, Mecum helped to make that happen.

Blue Gray Chapter/Oldsmobile Club of America
147 S Grantham Rd.
Dillsburg, PA 17019-9565

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AACA magazine has high standards, broad appeal

If you wonder what element brings perhaps the most growth to a car club, consider the Antique Automobile Club of America. Its publication, Antique Automobile (www.AACA.org), for September-October 2019 clearly showed the wide diversity of the club and its generally inclusive nature. The editor of the quality, 100-page magazine is West Peterson.

The cover features a 1925 Rolls-Royce Piccadilly roadster. The eight-page article, with text by Guy Lewis and photos by the editor, offers a short walk through early RR history, including formation, early production and advances leading to 1925, including a stint with the American Rolls-Royce of Springfield, Mass. The color pictures are lavish. The roadster is seen settled amid controlled backdrops on a vintage estate.

This Piccadilly is one of 79 on the Silver Ghost chassis. Thanks to determined research and good file information, RR owners often discover their car’s provenance.This one, owned by Lewis, was a barn find in need of extensive work to bring it to ultra-show status. At the time of purchase, it had not been confirmed that the car originally was purchased by Howard Hughes. That fact must have made Lewis smile when it was verified.

Twenty-one color pictures plus a center spread on the car make the article and issue a delight for pre-war collectors. Succeeding articles offer the same quality treatment on a 1958 Chevrolet, then a 1965 Ford Mustang, followed by the 1963 Foyt/Watson Spring Car, 1970 Mercedes-Benz 6.3 SEL, regional news covering cars of various vintages, and then a surprise.

A four-page article by Walt Gosden is titled, “Stutz in New York.” He covers the displaying of Stutz autos at swanky auto showsand emphasizes the showrooms and custom body salon. The brand made its first appearance at the 1926 New York Salon, a high-end event for ultra fancy, expensive cars. Stutz continued to exhibit at the annual events until the last was held in 1931. Gosden traces the custom body choices as exemplified via 10 renditions in color.

The AACA is a venerable heavyweight among collector car clubs when it comes to sheer number of members (in the tens of thousands) and its active regions, plus the huge and historic annual Hershey Fall Meet in Pennsylvania. The AACA truly is a club for all seasons and for just about all types of car collectors, even those still searching for the car of their dreams.

Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA)
501 W. Governor Road
Hershey, PA 17033
717-534-1910
www.aaca.org

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What makes a club publication “a winner” in the eyes of hobbyists? Consider American Austin Bantam ClubNews (Vol. 58, No. 4) edited by Bob and Cathy Cunningham. Here is the evidence:

ARTICLES: Bob Cunningham’s article on Francis L. Youngblut proves that retirement from daily work is not a retirement from accomplishments. Youngblut recently completed a wooden model 1932 Austin roadster made mainly from walnut. It is a dazzling example of spotlighting a club member’s creative ability. The model was available for sale, per the article. Other notable articles include news of Austin roadster pickup re-creations in process and the farewell for several aged members who made their mark on the hobby.

REPORTS: The 2019 AABC Annual Meet in Dayton, Tenn., was featured. It was the 56th such event by the club.The report by meet host Mark Gage ran four pages and was embellished with 14 images. The report conveyed a you-are-there feel.

FEATURE: A historical feature on the testing of Bantams for use in World War II was based on documents dating from the early 1940s when military preparedness was growing in anticipation of war. The article was prepared by Cunningham, a true historian of the brand. Bantams were tested for floating, jumps off the ground while pulling weight and general maneuvers. The test received national and international attention back then.

TECHNICAL: If you wonder how to remove and reinstall an Austin radiator, tips are provided by Chris Chartier. His nine images support the text.

CLASSIFIEDS: A full-page treatment provided by members included nearly a dozen opportunities to buy, sell or find items relating to the club’s special emphases. All this was compacted into 12 pages with 42 quality black-and-white photos.

The content of this magazine is not solely from one person. At least nine members submitted considerable material and perhaps a dozen or more provided additional items of interest. It has often been said that a club publication is as good as the club that is behind it. Make your club publication a membership-supported endeavor. Submit, offer ideas for articles, provide images and converse with your editor. Your article or idea may be featured in your publication!

American Austin Bantam Club News
4809 Westwood Dr.
West Des Moines, IA 50265

The post Club Clips: November 14, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

A twin salute to club magazines serving the hobby well

Here are prime examples of two clubs that have a long history of producing fine publications that inform their members in more ways than one.

Arc and Spark is by the Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club and edited by David O. Lyon (P. O. Box 532, Oshtemo, Mich. 49077). To gain a perspective, consider the variety over the eight pages ofthe issue for mid-September.

Official meeting minutes are shown. News of members is revealed. The club president has a message. There is a short calendar of events, a sell & swap section, coverage of the concours at St. Johns, and the 19th annual Red Barns Spectacular. Front and back covers are in full color. The paper stock is “coated” (slick), which enhances clarity. A single “forever” stamp carries it through the mail.

It’s not flashy, but is high-quality in appearance, design and coverage. It helps members learn the hobby, find out more about the club, and keep up with its members. These are the virtues of a good hobby publication, but there’s more.

A three-paragraph article with a picture of a McLaren that sold recently for nearly $20 million is on page four. Set for exhibit at a recent concours, the text reads: “This Gerald Weigert car is considered by many as the first American-built supercar featuring a wedge design and a Chevrolet engine developing 625 hp…top speed of 230 mph is claimed.” Designed mainly in the 1970s,but introduced in the 1980s and continuing into the 1990s, “only 19-22 are thought to have been built.” Back then, the sale price was $455,000. Good stuff to report! There are bunches of pictures of other show beauties in the issue, too.

Airhorn, produced by the Chicagoland Corvair enthusiasts (208 South Caryl, Northlake, Ill. 60164) and edited by Charley Biddle, carried 10 pages for the same month. It, too, covered club events past and coming. Show reports were also included, making Airhorn comparable to Arc and Spark in several respects.

Another enjoyable article was “GM Heritage Museum” on the Corvair homecoming event a short distance from the Ypsilanti GM Assembly Plant, home to most Corvairs. Tours of museum sites plus a close-up experience with the Chevrolet Astro I, II, and III show cars, capped the event.

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The mainly red-and-white cover of The Brickline, Vol. 44, No. 1, bristles with dynamism as an exploded view of the concept car is depicted with body panels floating around the chassis. The creative cover is not unusual for the publication of the Bricklin International Owners Club, Inc., (editor Randy Wyrick).

The highlight of this issue came in the two-article section covering five pages. Steve Owen’s treatise on Bruce Meyers opens with a focus on his “earliest days of the safety vehicle.” Meyers, who was an anti-aircraft gunner shooting at Kamikazes in World War II was well aware of safety measures. Survival may have seemed miraculous to him. When peace returned, his thinking was conveyed to the dune buggy craze, which he helped to spark in postwar years. The inventor of Armor All (Alan Rypinski) urged Meyers to connect with Malcolm Bricklin and set a special course. The idea was to use the Subaru 360 as a platform for racing. Roll cages and exoskeletons were in the mix, circa 1970.

A sleek design and Polyethylene skin soon followed for what was labeled the FasTrack program. That concept was noticed by John DeLorean. All the while, Meyers pushed for a first-class initiative. Early concepts seemed to smack of Datsun or Toyota, and Meyers doesn’t apologize for that.

As the writer stated, “If there is a revelation in this story, it’s the breadth of Bruce’s talent. How many people can create a working chassis from scratch and produce world class industrial designs, or innovative body skins that bounce back after sharp blows?”

Survivors of the FasTrack idea still are maintained. Good ideas often timeless.

Meyers literally was credited with teaching Malcom Bricklin “about the car business from clay models on up.”Also, Rypinski interfaced seriously with Bricklin, eventually phasing out of a joint venture, only to rebound with the magic of Armor All.

Tossed into the stretch of pages is the magic of Howard Hesketh, located smack-dab in the center of the U.S.A. When Bricklin owners have operational problems, he puts matters into perspective with the wave of a wrench. “If your brakes don’t work well, why are you trying to build a 600-horsepower motor?”

Practical, he is. Good advice!

Bricklin International Owners Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 1021
Vail, CO 81658
thebricklin@gmail.com

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Mike Post must like large cars. Even “standard” Packards were never small, and Mike proved his adoration for even larger models by seeing his 1949 Super Eight Limousine on the first-quarter 2019 cover of PACKARDGRAM, publication of Packards of Arizona, a region of Packards International (Duane Gunn, editor).

Post doesn’t have just one. He also has a 1948 version, both with 141-inch wheelbases and seating space for seven. PACKARDGRAM has a fine history of running 30 or more full-color photographs on quality paper stock.In this regard, each issue, only eight pages long, carries “keepers” as far as the visuals are concerned. Post also prepares the companion piece, “PACKARDGRAM News-Notes,” inserted with each issue. The piece provides news on members and their projects, plus tips on such things as installing an electric fuel pump (let’s face it, gasoline today isn’t what it used to be and tends toward vapor lock), and ends each issue with a marketplace listing of Packards and parts for sale.

Post’s two cars were not the top line for 1948 and 1949, but close to it. That Super, with its 141-inch wheelbase, was a good car to pick up company visitors at train stations and airports. It was also good for other transport service, such as taxis. And occasionally, large, young families could enjoy the car with plenty of room for all.

The larger Packard was the Custom Super Eight on a 148-inch wheelbase. That was aimed at wealthy owners, the “old-money” type of inheritors who had to maintain their image of being chauffeured around town. A cut above the Super, both models were superb in their own right.

It’s not easy to find a garage big enough for both cars. Post didn’t seem to be worried. And, if you think about it, even small collector cars in today’s environs take up much more space than their girth necessitates. The extra allotted space may be seen as a salute to the car placed therein.

It’s clear Post and his spouse cherish their Packards.

Packards of Arizona
1531 East Flint St.
Chandler, AZ 85225

The post Club Clips: October 3, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

The cover story of the May-June edition of the Bulb Horn featured an iconic 1962 Porsche 356B. The classy bimonthly magazine is the main conveyor ofthe Vintage Motor Car Club of America (Dennis Holland, editor at the wheel).

The lavish six-page article is colorful in text and visuals, traversing the early days of that Porsche model. Generally, collectors are familiar with the launch of the 356 in 1948 from the Austrian factory in Gmund. A good number will know the evolution through four generations of 356A through D variants seeing daylight through 1965 thanks to the Reutter factory in Stuttgart, Germany.

The evolution in style and features is tapped in the article, with such tidbits as 78,000 units being made “of which 2,249 standard T6 60-hp coupes were produced in 1962,” wrote David Dennis, with substantive photos also provided by Holland. The writer puts the human element behind the wheel with flashbacks to his early encounters with the sporty Porsche, eventually arriving at ownership of the featured 1962B in 1992, 27 years following those early memories. Evidently, his hope never waned.

Said the writer, “A regular driver for several years, it has become a fair-weather car for challenging driving skills on winding narrow roads in the hills and for VMCCA tours and Rocky Mountain 356 club [sic] rallyes.”He sums up, “It is a performance car — gearing well-matched to its RPM and torque specs, and with great stability on the corners. It is a fun car to drive and attracts much attention. After 26 years, I can’t imagine not having it as a companion.”

All this brings to mind the purpose behind our collector cars. Regardless of age or condition, collector cars of today were made for a single paramount purpose—to be DRIVEN and enjoyed. Static viewing of an old car at rest may be an artistic enterprise resulting in “ooohs” and “aaahs” from onlookers, but the real purpose of that old car’s existence comes when the motor turns and it takes to the road as a mechanical marvel from the past.

The Bulbhorn
Vintage Motor Car Club of America
7501 Manchester Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64138
vmcca.org

The post Club Clips: September 26, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

Foreign king was intrigued by early Jeepster

Editor Peter G. “Pete” Mozzone saw the importance of the news, albeit from 1948, when he blazoned it on the cover of a recent edition of Jeepster News, (Volume 53, Issue 5). The headline read, “First Jeepster ‘Fit for a King,’” and that statement rang true.

The cover shows three views of the proposed 1948 Jeepster at the Toledo, Ohio, plant being inspected by King Michael of Romania. If you recall geography, Romania is a Balkan country in southeastern Europe, with an intriguing history of wars and communism. The photos on the cover continue the tale inside the issue, with the same prototype Jeepster being given a close eye by the king, with differences from the production model (which added vent windows).

Prince Michael was named king in the summer of 1927 as a 5-year-old kid. He died in 2017 as “the only sovereign in the world who lived 90 years after the crowing,” said Mozzone. Truth be known, his father reclaimed the crown in 1930 but abdicated in September 1940, which was a time of war due to Nazi schemes.

Michael, at age 22, showed spunk by ordering the arrest of the country’s military marshal, who had sided the Romanian army with the Nazi regime. Mozzone added that the King’s decision put the army on the side of the Allies, reportedly shortening World War II by some six months. In effect, that move saved “hundreds of thousands of lives.” So, in 1948, it was good news for the king to pay a visit to see the prototype Jeepster.

He certainly had the time. The King’s future soured when, in 1947, he was forced into abdication and exile. He bounced around to Italy, Switzerland and England, owning five Swiss abodes during his life. He married in June 1948, so he and the envisioned new Jeepster had something in common with that being an important year.

The concept of a sporty Jeep (hence the Jeepster) still lingers in American history to this day. Regardless of the maker, the Jeep and Jeepster concept have a long history. Still, Mozzone ponders why the Romanian King came to pay his respects at the plant. Maybe a reader can solve that mystery.

Willys Overland Jeepster Club
167 Worcester St.
Taunton, MA 02780-2088
Jeepsterme@aol.com

The post Club Clips: September 12, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

This past spring, The Industry Standard magazine’s 40-page edition carried three features: “Duesenberg, Celebrating an American Classic (especially curiosities)” by Jon Bill; “Women Who Motor” (curated by Cindy Olsen); and the lead article by Rich Ray on automobile design and the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild. Spearheading the issue was Christopher R. Shires, executive director of the Gilmore Car Museum. The publication is a joint effort of that museum (gilmorecarmuseum.org) and the Classic Car Club of America Museum (cccamuseum.org).

Features highlight special exhibits at the Gilmore Car Museum. With a nod to the lead, Ray provided exceptional information in his four-page color treatment of the Fisher Body Craftsman’s Guild. Organized in 1930 by the Fisher Body division of General Motors, the guild stirred up the imaginations of youthful wanna-be designers as never before. It was an era of hands-on expression far prior to the time-absorbing and impactful design work of computerization. Boys ages 11-19 entered the annual contests in droves, especially when car design was added beginning in 1937. Prior to that, the famous Fisher Coach was the main subject. The contest gave kids “the opportunity to express their imagination, design talent, technical skills and, most importantly, their creative ingenuity.”

To underline that fact, Ray added that “over a third (35%) of General Motors designers were former Guildsmen.” The line of work became popular enough for institutions of higher learning to snag instructors to teach classes on the subject, which may have resulted in the Fisher Guild program fading in 1968.This fabulous exhibit continues at the Gilmore through October. The Duesenberg special exhibit is open through September, and the “Women Who Motor” display, launched in July, will continue this fall.

Among car magazines from museums, this one is among the best. Quality writing, layout and design, plus topics of keen interest, carry the effort high, befitting its name. Anything called the “standard” in ages past meant it was the mark against which all others should be measured. That’s a tall order for the Gilmore (Genevieve & Donald S. Gilmore Foundation) and CCCA to perpetuate when it comes to museum magazines, but this one may very well do it.

The publication rounds out with a plethora of small articles and invitations, including membership and special events. Topping the remaining pages is a three-page color article by Kevin Fleck, a guru of the Cole automobile, which, in its specially designed V-8 form, is a Full Classic. The Cole brand was never underrated in its prime (1909-1925) and with possibly less than 80 around today, it remains a kingly machine for which our hats must be tipped in appreciation (for more, go to www.colemotorcarregistry.com).

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The Skyliner publication from the International Retractable Club puts zing in each monthly issue, and the June 2019 issue is a great example. Kudos to editor Judi Terrell for continuing the tradition.

Part one came when the lead article gobbled up the front cover with its teaser, so it was natural for readers to jump to page 8 where the story by Cheryl Horne and Carol Bray unfolded. Titled “Perseverance Pays Off,” the story centered on club member Bruce Horne. Shifting toward a photo feature with 15 more images, the shots showed far beyond words that Horne tackled his restoration challenge without being overwhelmed. He was no novice “when it came to working on things that moved.” Then came the reasons. He restored five Ford Jubilee tractors and knew how to center his attention on restoration problems, no – make that CHALLENGES — with no fear. He also had tackled a 1957 Oldsmobile, so when he tore into the 1959 Ford retractable, he was fearless and dauntless. It eventually became his biggest challenge.

Horne won. When he completed the project in the summer of 2017, he radiated pride, which often is the case when a person gives it their all to do a job properly. Little improvements quickly followed and, happily, Horne was able to enjoy the pleasantries of his accomplishment right up to his passing in October 2018. The article, masterfully displayed with vim and in full color, proves that the results of a restorer’s labor can be held as a reminder of the person behind it.

More “zing” came in the next pages of the issue. The Tech Advice feature by Mike Mathes dealt with “Spare Tire Assembly,” which is a tricky detail when it comes to retractables. “The spare tire assembly … is designed to be operated from outside of the vehicle, even though the decklid is hinged at the rear.” The task involves several key steps in preservation and/or restoration from the use of gray paint, a glued trunk mat, the use of plywood, tee nuts, wheel mounting plate, hinge and tire rest brackets, hold-down cup and trunk mat, plus wheel mounting bolt and plate assembly. A fast read proves that one does not need to be the owner of a retractable to gain insight into the fundamentals of the model’s fine points and curiosities.

Club editors of all types are wise to consider a technical article, large or small, in each issue of their publications as a service to all.

International Retractable Club
6059 Darby Road,
Cicero, NY 13039-9050
IFRC.Office@skyliner.org

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