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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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

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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

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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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’Vette buyer shares ins and outs of finding his ’65

What might a car collector expect to see when he or she “kicks tires” on a sports car?

If the car has been stored for a long time, buyer beware! That is the message in “My Latest Buy – Finding My 1965 Coupe,” an article written by Bob Cirilli and appearing in the spring 2019 newsletter of the Tri-State Chapter of the National Corvette Restorers Society.

After a three-month wait, Cirilli finally made it to the spot where several Corvettes were stored, all in various stages of condition. “I was led back to a plastic cover. As it was pulled off, I saw a ’65 Corvette,” Cirilli reported. Loaded with extras? Not quite. But it was “loaded with dirt inside and out.”

Still, Cirilli liked that model. As he inspected further, it was evident the brake pedal went to the floor and the brakes had to be replaced top and bottom, and “the radiator was shot.”’ Despite these factors, the car started, ran great and there were no serious leaks evident. Underneath, the car looked like you would expect for a 54 year old. There were little issues with a switch and other factors that Cirilli would have to address.

If you are new to the old car hobby, you might not realize that some makes and models are judged stringently. The topic of Corvette originality was explored later in that issue, as editor Jim Patitucci explained the very fine points of the Corvette valve cover engine suffix code label. Used in late 1966 and later, the tag “was intended for plant personnel to quickly identify the engine to be pulled” from Chevrolet’s engine inventory which, back then, was at the St. Louis plant. Those labels were not intended to last much longer than that, but more than a few still survive. This application appears to be the natal stage of “broadcast codes” which trailed parts and matched them with the necessary others. Eventually, tracing and matching codes became a mainstay of automobile assembly plants. It is an interesting bit of history how those paper labels were successors of crayon markings, which are even rarer as survivors.

Condition, originality, completeness and function are factors when buying an old car, but above all, the buyer should really like what’s there and, like Cirilli, see the strengths that remain to be enhanced.

Tri-State Chapter
National Corvette Restorers Society
P.O. Box 92
McClellandtown, PA 15458

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Not all car carburetors are created equal, but they all have one thing in common. Those darlings must operate on cue and deliver reliable results when it comes to the motive function of an old car.

That maxim was pressed recently in the May 2019 Corsa Comminque, publication of the Corvair Society of America, Inc. (1448 Seagull Drive, Apt. 312, Palm Harbor, FL 34685). Don Keefe serves as executive editor.

What happens to Corvair carbs can easily happen to carbs on any old car, so take note. The article “Amazing Discovered!” was written by Howard King and is accompanied by a bevy of pictures supporting his tech feature. He noted that time marches forward, but carbs need help along the way. “Time…has not been our friend and unless you are lucky to have purchased NOS carbs or are the original owner you cannot be certain” that your carb consists “of matching parts.”

He explained: “To have a balanced engine with both sides producing the same output at various RPM levels, not only the flow, but the mixture, must be in balance.” Jets are important, to be sure. But that is only “one piece of the whole enchilada,” he explained. The biggest potential drawback is that “big box stores” are known for mixing parts before assembly. In effect, with the mixing of parts comes the possibility of a carb unable to “achieve a true mixture balance over the RPM range and from side to side….”

Worried? That’s not a bad thing, but it need not sink your ship. There are obtainable correct wire gauges that feel the jets and vents to make certain internals are in order. A simple visual or “eyeball” check isn’t sufficient. The writer moves onward with explanatory photos depicting the steps to check matters.

While all this relates to various Corvair carburetors made in the 1960s, the advice may transfer to cars of any make and year that carry carbs. Experienced collectors often vouch for the necessity to make certain their carb is properly rebuilt and balanced if roadworthy results are expected. The article proves a salient point that careful and accurate rebuilding are prime factors. Car owners are reminded that even though the old car they consider purchasing has a freshly rebuilt carburetor, that is no guarantee the device is functioning efficiently.

Since do-it-yourselfers are prone to rely on good advice, the article plugs the possible reprinting of the book “How to Identify and Rebuild Corvair Rochester Carburetors” by the late Bob Helt. In effect, stay tuned with the club!

The post Club Clips: July 18, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

American Woodies were never meant just for Americans. The article “Double Woodie Time in Germany” is a case in point. It appeared in the April 2019 edition of the National Woodie Club, Inc.’s Woodie Times (editor John Lee).

The article was drafted by Torben Kasimzade of Herzebrock-Clarholz, Germany, who has held a fascination with wood-trimmed American cars since he was a teenager in the mid-1980s. Torben leans toward other U.S.-made cars with classy lines from the 1930s through ’50s, especially those with an abundance of chrome.So it was that Kasimzade combined this bent with a similar fascination of mahogany boats.

Enjoying a weekend holiday in the German mountains, Kasimzade chanced upon an all-black Chrysler Town & Country two-door Newport coupe. “It hit me, to be honest. The huge size, the great chrome, and the fascinating wood — I loved it!” says Kasimzade. Contact was made with the owner on the East Coast of the United States and a few months later the car found a permanent home in Europe.

What did Kasimzade do upon obtaining custody of the Chrysler? Changed the headlamps “to the European norm” and beefed up the braking system to tow a trailer cradling a classic mahogany speedster motorboat. Hence, the article’s headline “double woodie.”

The combo “was a real head-turner and people loved it…me being proud of owning such a great American classic,” Kasimzade said.

As in the U.S., Germany has its share of vintage car shows with American iron. I’ve been there, seen that, in Germany — and the experience is odd when you little expect to see American beauties on a show field. It makes an American feel especially proud that domestic cars are honored off their home territory. Kasimzade’s car was the sole woodie driven to the meet that garnered more than 2,000 cars.It came as a surprise when he placed his double woodie exhibit on the best-of-show platform to win the top honors. Interestingly, the boat was a Packard-powered Gar Wood Speedster (1936). Kasimzade adds, “It was the first race boat that belonged to the Shah of Iran.”

National Woodie Club, Inc.
P.O. Box 6134
Lincoln, NE 68506

The post Club Clips: July 11, 2019 Edition appeared first on Old Cars Weekly.

De Soto owner tells tale of his first national meet road trip

Only four years into his corner of the old car hobby, Mike Welsh was sold on attending an annual major meet of the National DeSoto Club, Inc. One reason he went was due to its proximity, only 220 miles from home. His tale is covered in the article, “My First Convention,” featured in DeSoto Adventures, Vol. 33, No. 5 (Dan Lyman, editor).

‘Welsh’s 1959 De Soto Fireflite “is a survivor car and a work-in-progress…now that the car runs and drives well, the latest project was to make the factory air conditioning function.” He did a step-by-step report on his work, which can be a godsend for others in a similar fix.

Mike and Judith experienced a full schedule with a couple high points per day as they headed to Branson in 2018.

The car garnered a second place it its class, which is commendable. The only downer on the drive was running over a “weed-eater” abandoned on the road. Fortunately, the car wasn’t damaged.

All this left a good feeling with Welsh. He realized his car could make the grade, performing well along the way. Had he been frightened by the thought of pressing the old car 220 miles there and back, he mayhave never left the garage. He also discovered 40 other De Sotos that were there, eight of which were from 1959.

Welsh almost certainly shared stories with other car owners during the meet. That by itself is a learning experience worth the time, cost and effort to attend a national meet.

“I made some new friends, went to the board meetings to see what went on, and we might go again,” he reported, uncertain if longer drives to either coast would be considered. But he did not discount them, either. What sticks with him is the range of De Sotos that appeared from 1929 to 1960. It all made him happily go into “De Soto Overload,” and he was glad he did.

National clubs often change locations for meets, thus allowing Welsh and others to attend when the destination isn’t too far away.

National DeSoto Club, Inc.
944 Fruitwood Dr.
Fruit Cove, FL 32259
DeSotoadventures@gmail.com
https://desoto.org

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