Torque March 2016 by james fitzgerald

March - April 2016

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The Duesenberg was designed with a vision to be the world’s finest motor car. Kelly Services , the worldwide staffing leader, was also built with a vision to be the world’s best staffing services company. ®

March - April 2016

Inside This Issue Michigan Region 2016 Activities Calendar………...…..………....…………..………4 From Your Editor…..…….….……….……….….….….….….…..….…….…………5 Cover Story: Tom Tuls’ 1930 Packard 840 Prototype Roadster ……………………...7 Back Cover Story: Carl Jensen’s 1930 Stutz M 2-Passenger Speedster……….……..11 The 2016 CCCA Annual Meeting: “Sweet Sixteen”…………………………………14 Art in Bronze: Alex Buchan………………………………………………………….23 Classic Alfa Romeo, Part I.…..……………….…………………………….…….….25 Obituary: Gene Ledbetter..………………………….……………………….……….29 The 1941 Cadillac Deluxe Heater.……………………………………………………30 The Steering Column…………………….…………………………………………..32 Cover Photos: Don Wood III

March - April 2016

2016 Leadership www.classiccarsofmichigan.com 4717 Maddie Lane Dearborn, MI 48126

Board of Managers Director

Publications Committee Torque Editor

Paul Wise

(810) 333-2498 richray2@hotmail.com

(313) 492-0284 sandrawise@me.com

Assistant Director

Tlanda McDonald (248) 563-5651 tlmcdonald999@comcast.net

Secretary/Torque Editor

Club Photographer

Jerry Medow Wally Donoghue (734) 455-0177 wally@plaidpants.net

Activities

Classic Vibrations Editor

Jay Fitzgerald (313) 885-3641 jayf3641@ sbcglobal.net

Staff Doug Houston

Paul Ayres

Bram Over

Wally Donoghue

Ed Meurer III

Ann Donoghue

Ara Ekizian (248) 851-4069 dlekizian@yahoo.com

Activities

Don Wood III (586)201-3391 donwoodiii@gmail.com

(248) 594-4437 medowg@aol.com

Projects/Advertising

Bob Ferrand (248)722-8375 Bobish1@comcast.net

Greg Kosmatka (313) 882-7980 grk129@sbcglobal.net

Membership

Torque Cover Editor

Rich Ray (810) 333-2498 richray2@hotmail.com

Treasurer

Rich Ray

Phil Fischer (734) 377-6553 corbuck6147@att.net

Activities

Dan Clements (248) 313-9528 jclem5780@comcast.net

Grand Classic

Nancy Seyfarth

Area Head Judge

(313) 436-8327 nancyseyfarth@aol.com

Grand Classic

Terry Ernest (810) 987-8977 ternest@sbcglobal.net

Lee Barthel (248) 476-0702 lfbarthel@yahoo.com

Classic Vibrations/Website Jay Fitzgerald (313) 885-3641 jayf3641@sbcglobal.net

Torque Magazine

Historian

March - April 2016

Bruce Thomas (248) 594-6499

No.442

Torque Magazine is published bi-monthly at 24000 Research Drive, Farmington Hills, MI 48833-2606. Change of address and all correspondence should be mailed to Torque, c/o Rich Ray, 12664 Lashbrook Lane West, Brighton, MI 48114. Subscription price is $35 per year for members and $50 per year for non-members. Periodicals postage paid at Farmington Hills, MI and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send PS Form 3579 to 12664 Lashbrook Lane West, Brighton, MI 48114. Written or pictorial material in the Torque Magazine may not be reprinted without permission from Torque Magazine or its authors and credit given to the Michigan Region Torque.

March - April 2016

Michigan Region 2016 Activities Calendar March 18-19, Friday-Saturday - Overnighter Tour April 16, Saturday - Local Collection Tour May 15, Sunday - Spring Tour June 4, Saturday - National Grand Classic @ Gilmore June 5, Sunday - Gilmore Museum Experience July 10, Sunday - Grand Classic in Ohio August 7, Sunday - Ice Cream Social September 11, Sunday - Steak Roast October 16, Sunday - Fall Color Tour November 6, Sunday - Annual Dinner Meeting

Stay in Touch! If your email, mailing address or telephone numbers change notify Jerry Medow at medowg@aol.com or call (248) 594-4437. This assures that you will receive your Torque Magazine as well as activity notices in a timely fashion. This also applies to those seasonal moves, either up north, down south or out west.

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March - April 2016

From Your Editor By Rich Ray As I am writing this, we have just wrapped up the 2016 CCCA Annual Meeting in Detroit. It was a phenomenal event filled with spectacular cars, from Full Classic速 to brand new. As you will read in the event coverage starting on page 14, it quickly became a test of how to avoid breaking the tenth commandment, "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor's". It was nearly impossible not to covet some of the cars displayed in the collections we visited or that were exhibited in the Grand Classic. Houses, wives, servants and donkeys can be ignored, but those cars were spectacular. As Thomas Kidd of Zionsville, PA commented, "The only thing wrong with this collection is, it's not mine." We can only hope that since cars are not specifically mentioned in this Bible passage, we might get a bye. Finally, check out the sketch on the right of the Cadillac Factory in Detroit made by Michigan Region member Marcus Shelley for the CCCA Annual Meeting Program book. It was just part of the attention to detail that made the event so enjoyable.

March - April 2016

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Ad copy should be submitted in print ready PDF X-1a format with all fonts embedded. Contact the editor for specific ad dimensions. Copy should be suitably CCCA Full Classic® oriented. Ad will appear in the first non-assembled Torque issue following receipt of payment and camera ready art. Torque closing dates are: January 1, March 1, May 1, July 1, September 1 and November 1. Make check payable to: Michigan Region CCCA Mail to:

Wally Donoghue, Torque Advertising 5130 Curtis Road Plymouth, MI 48170

The Classic Car Club of America A club founded for the development, publication and interchange of technical, historical and other information for and among members and other persons who own or are interested in fine or unusual foreign or domestic motor cars built between and including, in the main, the years 1915 and 1948, and distinguished for their respective fine design, high engineering standards and superior workmanship, and to promote social intercourse and fellowship among its members; and to maintain references upon and encourage the maintenance, restoration and preservation of all such Full Classic ® cars. Contact the CCCA at P.O. Box 346160, Chicago, IL 60634 or www.classiccarclub.org

What is a “Full Classic®” car? A Full Classic ® as defined by the Classic Car Club of America, is a “fine” or “distinctive” automobile, American or foreign built, produced between 1915 and 1948. Generally, a CCCA Classic was high-priced when new and was built in limited quantities. Other factors including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories, such as power brakes, power clutch, and “oneshot” or automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car is considered to be a “Full Classic®”. The complete list of the Club’s recognized Classics may be obtained by writing the CCCA, P.O. Box 346160, Chicago, IL 60634 or at www.classiccarclub.org.

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March - April 2016

1931 Packard 840 Rollston Roadster

By Tom Tuls Photos by Don Wood III and the Author Our story started in 2005 at a local club meeting. Hal, a club member, told me his friend had six Packard convertibles in his barn. Wow! I wanted to get into that barn sometime. Four years passed without an opportunity to see the cars. Hal's friend Don died and soon after that, Hal died. I figured my chances of ever seeing the cars had vanished. However, I was given names and phone numbers of surviving family members who arranged for me to see the cars. I spent two and a half years thinking, dreaming, negotiating and researching this car in the barn. On July 31, 2012, we finally bought the roadster and took it home. After talking to others and doing diligent research, we decided to have the car professionally restored. We chose Bill Godsiak, who owns Sunray Restoration in Dowagiac, Michigan. His shop is an hour from my home and he is known for restorations on 1931 Packards. It was a good fit for both of us. They worked on the car and I did the research on it. I also located any needed parts. My trip to Hershey in the fall of 2012 was amazing! I found most of the parts needed on this trip. That definitely made my job easier.

name. One of them was 79 years of age and living near Lansing, Michigan where the car had come from. I called him and asked if he ever owned a 1931 Packard Super 8 Roadster. He began hyperventilating on his end of phone. He answered "Yes!" He purchased the car in 1952 when he was a high school senior. He bought the car from Stan Eames, who received it from his dad, Terry. Terry Eames owned an auto repair shop in Lansing and used this Packard 840 to push vehicles in and out of his shop. He also raced at the Lansing Speedway where this car likely pushed his race car too. Gary owned it for 8 years before selling it to the McDowell brothers in 1960. Gary and I spent the next year sharing stories about the Packard. He told me about the car's history and I shared with him what we were currently doing at the shop. He gave me a photo of himself with his bride standing in front of this old car. It is my favorite picture of this car. My goal was to reproduce the same picture of the two of them when the car was finished. Unfortunately, Gary died before we finished, but his enthusiasm is still with us.

Now we had all the documentation for paint colors, paint scheme, leather interior, convertible top, pin striping and wheel color. It was amazing to have all this information on one sheet of paper! It gave us a strong focus for the car restoration process.

Restoration continued to progress. Chrome was delivered personally to Custom Chrome in Grafton, Ohio. The frame and axle were rebuilt and the parts were soon painted. When I saw the Twilight Blue color - I was hooked. It is different and I liked it. The blue and grey looked good together. Then we looked at the leather interior. The original color was Timberline Grey - it is charcoal grey with a hint of green. My first reaction was the same as finger nails on a chalk board. "What were they thinking?" I asked myself. However, we stayed with the build sheet specs. I didn't think it would look right, but I was wrong; the Jonartz top material brought it all together.

One evening, I was reading copies of earlier documents of the car. The name Gary Narramour was on an earlier title copy. I wondered if he was still alive. I went online and found five people with that

After two and a half years, the car was finished and in time to go to the 2015 CCCA Museum Experience featuring Packards at the Gilmore Museum on June 7, 2015. It was a great opportunity to

One of the vendors spoke with me the following week. He never heard of a Packard Rollston roadster with a V-windshield and a small boat tail. It was this contact that later gave me a copy of the original build sheet.

March - April 2016

Clockwise from above: the split venting windshield with vent wings and windshield wiper; view across the elegant front fender and hood; detail of the rumble seat step and golf club door; the elegant Cormorant hood ornament; the wire spoked wheels; rear view showing the luggage rack; front view of the Packard with beautifully restored chrome.

In July, 1931, or later, a 1932 upgrade kit was installed giving the car a V-grille and headlight bar, twin trumpet horns, dual taillights and 1932 Super 8 bumpers. This car also has an optional walnut grain steering wheel and an accessory trunk rack bumper from Packard's wish list.

finally show the Packard world what we had quietly been doing at Sunray Restorations. There were "naysayers" who said the car did not exist and yet others who were searching for it in Canada. The chassis was delivered to Rollston in late August, 1930. The build sheet was typed September 4, 1930. We have Packard documentation that it was being built for the Salon Show at the New York Commodore Hotel. It didn't make it there. Either they did not have enough time to finish it or they decided on a Convertible Victoria instead. The car was sold on September 1, 1932. This gave it a 1932 title, so today it has 1932 license plates. There is a two year time frame when it may have been shown, but I don't know where. I would love to find photos of the car during that time. 10

The Rollston design includes many features: · V-windshield · Small boat tail design · Scroll door handles · Hidden door hinges · 3" lowered side molding · Dual rumble steps off running boards · Large molding around cockpit · Triangle top cowl vent · Side vents are louvers · And many more! Two and a half years seem like forever when it was happening, but in reality, it went quickly, given all that was done. For Bill, Jordan, Don, Allen and the many others who contributed to and shared in the vision, I am eternally grateful. They are all True Car guys!! March - April 2016

Clockwise from above: the beautifully restored Packard instrument panel with full gauges, map light and cigarette lighter; copy of the Packardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actual build sheet written by Rollston chief designer Rudolph Creteur; proud owner Tom Tuls with his Packard at the 2015 Concours of America at St. Johns; the restored steering wheel with spark and throttle controls and horn button, the rumble seat and access step; closeup of the grille, headlamps, dual horns and Cormorant hood ornament; rear quarter view of the Rollston roadster in a subtle Alemeda Gray and Twilight Blue two-tone finish.

March - April 2016

The Resurrection Of Tom Tulsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 1931 Packard 840 Rollston Roadster

Clockwise from top left: Gary Larramour, owner of the Packard in 1958, with his new bride, Gloria; the Packard spent 52 years in this spot; the Packard sees its first daylight in a long time; the Packard free at last; the resurrected Packard at the Gilmore; the body almost finished at Sunray Restoration; the front end on that first day in the sun; the cowl while in the barn; muscle power to roll it from its corner.

March - April 2016

1930 Stutz Model M Speedster

Photos by Don Wood III and the Author

By Carl Jensen

It is particularly special to me to have one of our cars featured in “The Torque”. Although I reside in Wisconsin, my career in the auto industry for HUSCO International has resulted in Detroit, and its neighboring suburbs, becoming a second home to me. Adding to that, I have many close friends in the area which makes it even more of a second home. Prior to purchasing our Stutz Speedster from our friends Del and Margaret Beyer, it sat quietly on display in the Wisconsin Auto museum for nearly two decades. We had our hearts set on a prewar sporting Classic; a marque that had a racing heritage. When I first took Carrol to see the car, I wondered if she would go for the rather bold color scheme. When she saw it, she said, “How could it be any other color?” As we tracked the history back, we learned that the yellow with blood red wheels were the original colors. Likewise, the two tone yellow and black leather upholstery was still the factory original when we purchased car and we had it upholstered to match. (The backs of the seats and panels still had factory writing of “2-Pass Speedster”.) The Instrument panel is aluminum over wood which we have seen on only a few other Stutz cars, all of which are installed in a similar way. Until recently, the only one that I had seen that is also engine turned was our car, but at The Experience we noted that one of the two Stutz cars in the CCCA museum also has an engine turned dash. Our speedster rides on the shorter 134 inch wheelbase and sports the optional “HC” High Compression engine. All Stutz of this vintage use their Vertical 8 engine which has an overhead cam, twin ignition and a heavily reinforced block to tolerate the endurance of racing. Rods and pistons were aluminum. There are no fan belts; everything is driven from the robust front chain system. The tappets are fitted directly to the valve stems providing a light and durable valvetrain. The aluminum finned oil pan holds a case of oil. Mated to the engine is a four speed gear box March - April 2016

which goes to a unique worm gear differential. The worm gear allowed the chassis to be dropped to improve stability and handling. Stopping is compliments of four wheel hydraulics. While we are still taken by the look of the Stutz, it is the drive that really gives us a thrill. But after nearly 20 years of sitting still, the old Stutz had little interest in showing its racing heritage. To bring it back to life, we started with an engine rebuild. Vertical 8 Stutz owners are quite lucky to have a few people actively racing these cars, including our friend George Holman. George was able to share with us a lot of lessons learned from the track which included solutions from making engine parts to rebuilding the steering gear. The first order of business was a complete engine rebuild, which was done right there in Troy by Brian Joseph. Between the tricks from George and the excellent work from Brian’s shop, the Vertical 8 ran like the race bred engine of which it was derived. For those unfamiliar, Vertical 8 Stutz speedsters were dominant in their day. Consider this record: · Fastest production car in America: 106.53 mph · 1927 AAA Championship: Stutz won every race and every Stutz entered finished ·

Le Mans: 2nd Place

Stevens Trophy, 24 hour race in Indianapolis: 1st Place

· ·

Brooklands England: 1st Place Pikes Peak: Repeated annual record breaking

With the engine out, the suspension was completely rebuilt with all new pins and bushings. This was followed by a rebuild of the four wheel hydraulic brakes and power assist system (again more help 13

Clockwise from above: the sporty Stutz features dual sidemounts and folding windshield; the badge signifies participation in Indianapolis’ centenial year; the Egyptian god Rah sits above the Stutz radiator; the right side of the Stutz Vertical 8 High Compression engine; the left side emphasizes bright intake manifold and cam cover; the rear end with rumble seat and luggage rack.

from George and the extensive parts supply of Brian Joseph). The final touch was a steering gear rebuild, which included a new worm and bearings. It was of course a lot easier to do this work while we had the engine out. The finished product is absolutely unbelievable on the road! When a Classic is fully sorted out, it becomes understandable why people paid such high prices for them…they are amazing to drive. This spring we had a great chance to enjoy the car at the CCCA annual meeting. We shipped it to Savannah and had several great days of driving in the sun. We were honored that the car was invited to Amelia this year, so we decided to take the tour from Savannah to Amelia Island. Our dear friends Mike and Deb Korneli flew down from Wisconsin to join us in the rumble seat. Now, Mike and Deb are die hard car people, they have vintage Jaguars, run the fall vintage race event at Road America and do a lot of touring. But they had not experienced a ride in a rumble. So off we went, for what turned out to be two days of rain. I don’t think the four of us could have laughed any harder. Of course we spent most of the winter detailing the Stutz, replating all the chrome, replacing all the upholstery, and making it sparkle at its best. When we arrived in Florida, I don’t think there would have been any way to make the 14

car any dirtier. At one point we were running down the road about 65 mph and an 18 wheeler was approaching in oncoming traffic. The spray of dirty water was so bad I actually yelled out, “Close your mouth, here comes a truck”. A few hours of clean up by the group the next day and it looked just fine for the concours, and left us with some fun memories! Probably the biggest thrill we have had with this car was to take it back home to Indianapolis for the 100 years of the first 500 where we also celebrated the 100 years of Stutz. It was amazing to take a lap on the track. We know the history of this car back to 1949. It participated in a number of major events, but spent most of its life in large collections quietly waiting for its next outing. Fortunately Del Beyer is a true historian and saved all related info on the car, which actually helped track down the past owners. In his files he also had an article from the Indianapolis Star speaking of a previous owner who had taken the car to 100 mph at the Indy Speedway in a demonstration. While our lap was at touring speed, the excitement and honor of taking this piece of history back home at the 100 year celebration was incredible. March - April 2016

Clockwise from above: the full complement of gages for this sporty car, the steering wheel hub manages spark, throttle and lighting; the engine turned instrument panel; Carl let Roy Margenau take the wheel for some â&#x20AC;&#x153;hotâ&#x20AC;? laps at the Gilmore; how can Carrol, Carl and their friends not have fun in a speedster; a rear quarter view of the speedster; the Stutz back home at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2011; Carl proudly at the wheel of his Stutz Model M Speedster.

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The Michigan Region wishes to thank those whose commitment and support made the 2016 CCCA Annual Meeting, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sweet Sixteenâ&#x20AC;? possible.

Major Sponsors

Special Thanks Bill Golling and the Detroit Auto Dealers Association for their support of our visit to the 2016 North American International Auto Show. Leake Auction Company for hosting the hospitality suite. Bill Parfet for his help securing the 11th floor tour at Center for Creative Studies. Walter Gosden for volunteering his lecture on the Classic coach builders. Christopher Cummings for his talk based on his book The Cadillac That Followed Me Home: Memoir of a V-16 Dream Realized. Greg & Kathy Kosmatka for bringing the Dave Bennett Orchestra to the Awards Banquet.

The Annual Meeting Committee Coordinator Greg Stachura Committee Members Lee & Floy Barthel, Carol Bray, Nancy & Larry Seyfarth, Amy & Kent Jidov, Diane & Ara Ekezian, Lee Belf, Jean Stachura, Rich & Mary Ray, Barb Morningstar, Marcus & Irene Shelly, Don Wood III, Tlanda McDonald, Roger & Joan Luksik, Jay & Patty Fitzgerald, Wally & Marlene Donoghue Grand Classic Terry Ernest - Area Head Judge Wally Donoghue, Jim Morningstar, Bob Ferrand, Brian Joseph, Dan Sommer 16

March - April 2016

By Diane Ekizian Photos by Don Wood III and the Author.

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? The 2016 Classic Car Club of America National Annual Meeting took place January 14-17, 2016. We were celebrating “Sweet 16s”, the year 2016 and the 16-cylinder automobiles that epitomize the robust engineering competition during the Full Classic® era. Our goal in hosting “Twin Sixteens” was to assemble more of those superlative Classics under one roof than at any time in history! We also hoped to attract a lot of custom-bodied Full Classics® to emphasize the epoch of styling during that era. Our first and most urgent desire was to persuade our friends in the hobby to join us in the birthplace of the greatest number of Classics produced anywhere. Our host hotel and salon was the Hyatt Place at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan located just outside Detroit. Lodging and the Grand Classic were held in one connected all-indoor venue including unloading, exhibiting and judging the Classics. As we gathered, Wally Donoghue talked with Jake and David Gano of Salem, Ohio, who brought their 1931 Cadillac V-16 to our SWEET SIXTEEN gathering. Ara and Diane Ekizian enjoyed visiting with Roberts Reed who joined us from Rhode Island. He's a “Bentley guy”, enjoying his '31 Bentley, designed by Bentley as were the "real Bentley's" built in March - April 2016

1931 and earlier, before the merger with Rolls Royce. Roberts and his wife have put about 50-60 thousand miles on their Bentley in travels around the world. Having arrived a day early, Roberts made the trip west to Hickory Corners and enjoyed the classics in residence. The Michigan Region of the CCCA has prepared for 2 years to host the National Annual Meeting with the North American International Auto Show as an inspiring kick-off. The newly renovated Cobo Hall was a grand home for this global wonder. On Thursday evening, after the Auto Show, we took the short trip to the Detroit Opera House which was built in 1922 for $2 million. It was originally a movie theater, the Capitol Theater. In 1929, Paramount bought the theater, but due to the crash, it was sold in 1934 and renamed the Broadway Capitol until the 1960s. Known as the Grand Circus Theater from the 1960s-1985, rock groups performed there. It was left abandoned until, in the 1990s, Dr. Di Chiera was looking for a home for the Michigan Opera Theater. As a friend of Pavarotti, he had him check out the acoustics. Pavarotti approved. The Opera House now supports summer programs for kids as well as opera and dance presentations. We were captivated by the many features required to be a 17

Clockwise from upper left: Richard Bury tries to drive off with the 2016 Buick Cascada Convertible; John Kernan and the Michelin man compare spare tires; Bill Davis, Carol Bray and Chris Bock chat at the Mercedes display: Sheila & Kent Koppenheffer check out the Chevy pickup; Chris & Barbara Cummings with the Buick Avenir concept car; Bob McKeown & Julie Arnheim with the Borg Warner Trophy; Ron & Betsy Thomas enjoy the show; Wally Donoghue was just overwhelmed with it all.

premiere performance venue. A highlight of the MOT tour was The Lee and Floy Barthel Costume Shop. Following the tour, the group was treated to an elegant dinner on the stage of the Opera Theater. There was a rousing "Yahoo!" in honor of Lee and Floy Barthel and for Amy and Kent Jidov, who were missed. On Friday morning, we traveled to the historic Packard Proving Grounds, being restored under the direction of The Packard Motor Car Foundation. We toured the Lodge, originally designed by Albert Kahn, renowned architect of Detroit. Roger Luksik, president of PMCF, presented fascinating information on the history of this venerable site where Packards were tested and developed. Did you know? · The track was so well designed that you could go 100 miles per hour on the track and let go of the wheel and stay "on track" all the way around. · 1928-The record set for 148 mph on the Packard track was not broken until 1953. · 1929-The Charles Lindbergh Hangar, on the Packard grounds, was the location for the first radio communication from ground to airplane. · 1932-Gar Wood’s amazing wooden boat, the Miss America X, had 4-12 cylinder, 2000 horsepower engines that could go over 130 mph on water. When asked how fast the boat could go, Gar Wood replied that the boat went fast enough to beat the other boats. 18

When Britain asked for help with the war, Ford took 6 months to tool up while Packard changed over in 90 days to build PT Boats and P-51 fighter plane engines, thereby contributing to the “Arsenal of Democracy.” The U.S. government and Chrysler used the proving grounds for testing tanks during World War II. A railroad spur was built to deliver the tanks instead of their previous method of driving them which was tearing up the roads.

The Packard Proving Ground was deemed a "historic site" allowing it to escape the wrecking ball when the U.S. government was considering the property for a mail sorting location. The PMCF raised $400,000 in donations to buy the remaining 13.8 acres. Bruce Blevins, one of many Packard experts and devoted volunteers, has 55 filing boxes of photos, and 35-40,000 parts blueprints for reference. Copies are available for use to restore Packards. We proceeded on our automotive adventure. We visited two spectacular private collections exhibiting superior classic boats, autos and memorabilia. The dynamic Ted Stahl and Terry Adderley collections are renowned for quality and unique vehicles. The Ted Stahl collection grows continually at an amazing rate and is a formidable force among Michigan's many fine collections. It includes a Locomobile, Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, Packard Darrin, Duesenberg and Cord among others. The Stahl Collection also March - April 2016

Clockwise from left: an interior wall of the historic Detroit Opera Theatre; the entrance to the DOT; the lobby of the historic theatre; participants enjoying lunch in the Repair Garage at the Packard Proving Grounds; Roger Luksik presents the history and future of the PPG; a view of the PPG entrance and the Lodge; PPG manager Col. Jesse Vincent’s ham radio station located in the Lodge. Inset: a photo of Lee Barthel in the DOT’s Floy & Lee Barthel Costume Room.

includes a collection of musical mechanical instruments, some of which were acquired from the former Milhous Collection. We were serenaded by John Lauter, virtuoso organist and resident mechanic, who played a variety of moving pieces including “Phantom of the Opera" and many oldies, happy, danceable tunes. Terry Adderley has been a car collector for many years. He has recently assembled a premier collection which includes 13 Duesenbergs. A notable story is that one of his Duesenbergs was found on the docks of Cuba and later won the TRIPLE CROWN of awards at Auburn, Pebble Beach and Meadowbrook. The collection includes Delahayes, Bugattis, Marmon, and more. It is jaw-dropping. Thomas Kidd of Zionsville, PA commented, "The only thing wrong with this collection is, it's not mine." A reception and Regional Awards Banquet was held at the General Motors Heritage Center. This facility includes approximately 600 cars, trucks and concept/special interest vehicles produced throughout the century-old history of General Motors. We saw styling and performance one-offs as well as significant race cars, milestone production vehicles and a massive collection of archived documents, artifacts and assorted automobilia. Michigan Region director Paul Wise accepted three awards for the Michigan Region Activity & Performance, 1st Place; Turnquist Large Region Publications, 3rd Place and a 60 Year Certificate. Saturday, the 16th!, was the Classic Car exhibition and judging in the Expo Center connected to our hotel. There we enjoyed a fine display of Full Classics® including 19 Sweet Sixteens! This propitious assembly of the Classic crème de la crème will not likely recur for March - April 2016

a hundred years! Entering the car exhibition hall, participants were greeted by wall size photos of the 1925 New York Auto Show and a period style seating area to set the mood. This was followed by the "Automotive Impressions" exhibit of automotive art including the works of nationally recognized artists Gerald Freeman, Tom Hale and Alexander Buchan. But first, was a visit to the Center for Creative Studies, one of the top automotive-design colleges in the world. Our tour guide, John Manoogian, is an adjunct professor at the school and a retired Exterior Design Director for Cadillac. Located in the Albert Kahndesigned Argonaut Building where the legendary Harley Earl established the original General Motors Design Staff in 1927, CCS places more design graduates into the transportation industry than any other school in the world, including the current design chiefs at General Motors and Fiat-Chrysler. The CCCA’s own Walt Gosden, gave an informative presentation about the custom coach builders of the gilded age as Bill Parfet's one-of-a-kind 1936 Cadillac Aerodynamic V16 Coupe rotated on the turntable before us in the auditorium, just as it may have done during the Harley Earl days. Some of the group chose to tour Hitsville, the home of the Motown sound, founded by Berry Gordy. The Motown Museum offers a musical trip down Memory Lane. The original house where young singers were mentored and groomed to become stars offers tours where each room tells a story leading the way to global stardom and decades of unforgettable words and melodies. Marvin Gay, 19

Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross, The Jacksons, The Temptations, the Motown Sound still moves all generations with its Detroit sound. The two groups lunched at “Mario’s on Second” in the New Center Area before returning to our hotel to hear a special presentation by Christopher Cummings, author of “The Cadillac That Followed Me Home: Memoir of a V-16 Dream Realized”. Our Annual Awards reception and Banquet was a bittersweet gathering, enjoying new and old friends. We were treated to the lovely nostalgic sounds of Dave Bennett and his band through the generosity of Michigan Region members Cathy and Greg Kosmatka. Our new club President, Tom Jones, had many awards to bestow. Don Wood III magically produced a visual review of the winning cars with their titles and owners displayed for all to see and appreciate. The Haartz family was recipient of the auspicious Upper Midwest Region's Motoring Legacy Award for their longstanding contribution to keeping our Classics on the road. Numerous awards were given including most precious of all, the new Katie Robbins Distinguished Service Award honoring Michigan Region CCCA member Katie Robbins, who joined us for the festivities. A beautiful tribute DVD was also shared to show Katie’s remarkable long and devoted service to the CCCA. (See it at (https://youtube/5_Z7M34MfHM).

Top row: the sign greets guests at Stahl’s Collection; Stahl’s 1926 Mortier music machine; a couple of spare Duesenberg engines at Terry Adderley’s Collection, Second row: a beautiful Cord at Stahl’s; another view of Stahl’s; Terry Adderley’s 1927 Alfa Romeo 6C Gran Sport; the 2003 Cadillac 16 at the GM Heritage Center; Hosts Terry & Jennifer Adderley (center) chat with Steve Plunkett and Larry Seyfarth; Stahl’s organist and mechanic John Lauter chats with Wally & Marlene Donoghue.

Clockwise from above: Terry Adderley’s Triple Crown (Pebble Beach, St. John and Amelia) winning Duesenberg; Michigan Region Director Paul Wise accepts three awards from outgoing CCCA President Dave Johnson and CCCA Vice President of Publications Carl Bomstead; Michigan Region club photographer Don Wood III is rarely in front of the camera, but could not help admiring one of Terry Adderley’s many Duesenbergs.

The Michigan Region was so grateful for the fine turnout of CCCA members to our Sweet 16 celebration and we hope that our guests enjoyed their time with us as much as we enjoyed hosting them. See you in Reno, 2017! 20

March - April 2016

Clockwise from above: these two buildings constitute the Motown Museum where the Motown sound originated in the 1960s; Ara Ekizian, a retired automotive designer himself, admires some of the student work on display at Center for Creative Studies; students David & Ryan Root describe their race car design; a participant studies a photo of Harley Earl, the creator of automotive design; participants enjoy lunch at Marioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on Second Restaurant; the main lobby of the former General Motors Building, now used for State of Michigan offices.

Clockwise from above left: a bust of Harley Earl at the Center for Creative Studies; Walt Gosden presented the story of Classic Era coachbuilders; Bill Parfet's one-of-a-kind 1936 Cadillac Aerodynamic V16 Coupe on display in the old GM Styling Auditorium; two views of the Full Classics ÂŽ on display in the Suburban Collection Showplace; a line of dazzling Classic chrome; Alex & Faye Buchan and Scott & Michelle Thams admire the Classics before the Award Banquet; Annual Meeting Coordinator Greg Stachura receives his award pin from incoming CCCA President Tom Jones; Tom Jones addresses participants at the Regional Awards Banquet at the GM Heritage Center.

March - April 2016

Clockwise from left: visitors to the Grand Classic were greeted with this period sitting area; Alex Buchan’s sculpture on display before the Classics; Tom Hale’s spectacular paintings were shown; Gerald Freeman’s beautiful works; Tom Jones presents Katie Robbins with new Katie Robbins Distinguished Service Award; Annual Meeting Coordinator Greg Stachurs checks out the one of a kind 1931 Peerless V16 on display; judges Terry Ernest and John Kefalonitis confer.

Left: Dave Johnson 1938 Cadillac 75 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood 1st Custom 1937-9 100 pts. Right: Dick Kughn 1931 Cadillac 370A Phaeton by Fleetwood 1st Premier Early 99.75 pts.

Left: Wally Donoghue 1940 Cadillac 72 Sedan by Fleetwood 2nd Custom 1940-8 92.75 pts. Right: Ted Stahl 1930 Cadillac 452 Convertible Sedan by Fleetwood 1st Custom 1930-2 99.5 pts.

March - April 2016

Left: Dan Clements 1941 Cadillac 62 Sedan 3rd Production 1940-2 89.75 pts. Right: Ron Thomas 1937 Cord 812 S/C Phaeton 1st Premier Middle 100 pts

Left: Phil Fischer 1941 Cadillac 62 Coupe 3rd Production 1940-2 89.75 pts. Right: Dick Kughn 1929 Packard 645 Dual Cowl Phaeton by Dietrich 1st Premier Early 100 pts.

Left: Neal Porter 1941 Cadillac 62 Convertible Coupe 1st Senior 1940-2 99.25 pts. Right: Bruce Blevins 1933 Packard 1002 Convertible Victoria 1st Production 1933-6 99.75 pts.

Left: Jay Fitzgerald 1929 Cadillac 341B Dual Cowl Sport Phaeton Right: Bill Parfet 1930 Cadillac 452 Roadster by Fleetwood

March - April 2016

Left: Tom Goad 1930 Cadillac 452 Cabriolet Sedan by Fleetwood Right: Lee Barthel 1941 Cadillac 60S Sedan

Left: Steve Plunkett 1930 Cadillac 353 Limousine Brougham by Fleetwood Right: Greg Ornazian 1929 Duesenberg J-184 Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Left: Steve Plunkett 1933 Cadillac All-Weather Phaeton by Fleetwood Right: Terry Adderley 1931 Marmon 16 Convertible Coupe

Left: Steve Plunkett 1934 Cadillac 452D Victoria Coupe by Fleetwood Right: Greg Kosmatka 1934 Packard 1101 Convertible Coupe by Dietrich

Left: Katie Robbins 1938 Cadillac 90 Formal Town Car Right: Lee Barthel 1936 Pierce-Arrow 1601 Sedan

March - April 2016

Art in Bronze: Alex Buchan By Alex Buchan Photos by Don Wood III and Rich Ray My desire to create automotive art in bronze is complemented by my admiration of the men who built and raced the early automobiles. I am motivated by their creativity and determination. There are so many great cars and drivers and their stories which I have tried to capture my sculptures.

Clockwise from above: Alex Buchan with the 1909 Buick Bug in “Race to the Finish” and “Checkered Flag”, a 1906 Locomobile in the background; a 1904 Peerless “Green Dragon”; a 1910 American Underslung in “The Tie that Binds”.

After high school, I enrolled as an engineering student at Wayne State University (WSU) in Detroit. After two years, I was wondering what I would do with the mathematics, physics and chemistry I was learning. I wandered over to the Art Building one day and, much to my surprise, I came across the Industrial Design Department. It was filled with former engineering students who had switched majors. I was at home right away. I did not tell my Dad of this revelation because he did not want me to become a "Starving Artist". His dream for me was to become an engineer with one of the car companies. Eventually, it all worked out. After graduating from WSU, I joined the United States Marine Corps. Upon completion of my time with the Marines, I interviewed with General Motors Styling. I started work there twelve weeks later. Soon my Dad accepted my change in career choice. Forty years later when I retired as Chief Design Sculptor, my Dad came to my retirement party and I know he was proud of the success I had achieved. When I joined GM, I had the choice of being a Designer or a Sculptor. I know now I made the right choice in being a sculptor. After working at GM Styling for five years, I was promoted to Chief Design Sculptor of Truck Interiors. During these early years, I also received a Masters of Arts degree with a major in Industrial Design from WSU. Also, I continued my fine arts studies for another ten years at Center For Creative Studies (CCS) where painting in oils and watercolors was my main interest during this time. WSU hired me to teach Industrial Design and CCS hired me to teach a class in clay sculpting and an introductory class teaching new March - April 2016

design students how to interpret their drawings and create a 3dimensional model. My teaching extended back to GM by helping run an orientation program for new designers, sculptors and engineers. As time passed, I received many commissions to create wood sculptures for churches. This interrupted my painting time and soon, I was sculpting and not painting. During the late 80s, I received a commission to create my first outdoor public sculpture, The "Spirit of Algonac" for the City of Algonac, Michigan. It features two 7 foot figures: a Chippewa Native American and a young boat builder representing the Chris Craft and Gar Wood boat building companies founded in Algonac. The sculpture was unveiled in 1989 and so my career in bronze was started. Through some introductions at a concours, I received a commission from Notre Dame Academy in Pennsylvania for a piece 25

Clockwise from upper left: a wood carving of DaVinci’s “Last Supper” is about 8 feet long; another view of “The Checkered Flag”; an Indian “Flexi” motorcycle “Riding the Rail”; 1924 Dodge delivery truck; a 1961 Indy roadster “Dean Van Lines Special”; 1936 Chrysler Airflow; a 1919 Packard in “The Fastest Man on Earth”; the tools of Alex’s trade; a work in progress with a clay body, plaster tires and a cast bronze exhaust header in the foreground; a beautiful hot rod in “Dream Cruise”. Inset: Edsel Ford’s custom speedster.

with three life size figures. After visiting the Meadowbrook Concours and seeing some wonderful automotive sculptures, I knew where I was going next. I have started a series of bronze sculptures of Barney Oldfield, the "King of Speed". Louis Chevrolet also became one of my heroes, as you can see in my sculptures of the 1909 "Buick Bug", built by the Buick racing team with a radical nose cone and driven by Chevrolet. I have created many trophies for Ford including the 1934 Edsel Speedster. I also did the L.C. Goad Trophy for the Artist's Choice

Award at the CCCA Grand Experience at the Gilmore and top dealer awards for Chrysler. Since 2001, I have received many awards for my works. Just to name a few, the Eyes on Design “Best of Show” at The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in 2004 and 2005 and the David R. Holls Award at the 2008 Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. The Automotive Hall of Fame hosted a major exhibition of my work in 2014. Almost 52 years ago, I met and married Faye. We have two beautiful daughters and five wonderful grandchildren. Faye and I have been blessed with friendships of the members of the CCCA and exhibiting and selling my sculptures for over 25 years. March - April 2016

Classic

Part I

By Rich Ray

Left: This 1924 ad by a Parisian dealer perfectly illustrates the dichotomy that is Alfa Romeo: incredible speed and performance with classic style, in this case touting a win at the Italian Grand Prix with a town car of all things. Above: the talent behind Alfa Romeo’s success including Nicola Romeo, center, and Enzo Ferrari on the right.

Alfa Romeo cars are returning to the U.S. market as this is written with the introduction of the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C, a sexy, lightweight two-seat mid-engine coupe and spyder (convertible to us Americans) and the 2016 Giulia Quadrifoglio 4-door sedan. Since its departure from these shores 20 years ago, the marque's return has been an on again/off again situation with claims made and not kept. The 8C Competitizione, a great car, was imported in the 2000s, but at $200,000+, the 500 HP carbon-fiber two-seat coupe found fewer than 100 customers. But why should the readers of Torque Magazine care about any of this? Well, readers should care because all Alfa Romeos of the Classic Era are recognized by the CCCA as Full Classics®. And, well, to be honest, the author cares because Alfa Romeo is part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles upon which he is dependent to sustain his Full Classic® habit. Now you won't encounter many of these at Grand Classics or Caravans since only 25 are listed in the entire CCCA roster. Classic Era Alfas are an exclusive group to say the least. From 1910 to 1950, only around 12,000 Alfa Romeo cars in total were built, less than one per day on average. These days, they can be among the most expensive of collector cars, rising to the 8 figure range - thin air indeed! The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq and a group of Italian investors. The first factory, a 70,000 square foot structure was built in the Milan suburb of Portello. In late 1909, with faltering sales, the March - April 2016

investors, led by Cavaliere Ugo Stella, took control, renaming the company Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (ALFA). Although Darracq remained involved, Giuseppe Merosi was hired to design a new car, the 1910 24 HP, a car much more suited to the Italian market. Merosi, is hardly known in U.S. car circles, but is considered by some as one of the history's greatest automotive designers. He was born in 1872 and graduated from the Technical Institute in Piacenza where he actually studied to be a building surveyor. He started a cycle factory in his native city and operated it until 1898. He then joined Orio & Marchand building straight 8-cylinder automotive engines and motor cycles. In 1904, he moved to Turin to work for Fiat designing race cars. Two of the 24 HP cars competed in the 1911 Targa Florio. The 24 HP featured 4 liter straight 4-cylinder side valve engines producing 42 bhp at 2200 rpm. They could reach a top speed over 60 mph. The model nomenclature 24 HP was based where the cars fit in the Italian auto tax scheme. The 24 HP spawned a series of cars using the HP designation that were built through 1922 ranging up to a 40-60 HP fitted with a 6.1 liter version of the 4-cylinder engine. The various engines used either side valve or overhead valve configurations. A very advanced version, the GP, using the 4-cylinder engine, dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and twin ignition was built for the 1914 race. However, the arrival of the Great War caused the cancellation of the race as well as ALFA's automobile production in favor of munitions production, in particular, aircraft engines. 27

Clockwise from upper left: the first car with an Alfa name, the 1910 24HP Torpedo; a 1909 Alfa race car; Alfa engineer Giuseppe Merosi at the wheel of a 1914 Alfa Grand Prix race car; A 1919 Alfa Romeo G1 Roadster designed by Guiseppe Merosi was Alfa Romeo’s first all new post war car; Alfa Romeo’s first international race win was with Ugo Sivocci driving his 3.1 L car in the 1923 Targo Florio. The lucky “quadrifoglio” or four leaf clover painted above the radiator was sufficient to offset being car 13 and has been part of the Alfa Romeo logo ever since.

In August 1915, Milan industrialist Nicola Romeo took a majority position in the company, which had fallen into bankruptcy, mostly to gain access to the production capacity of its Portello factory. The financing for this move involved government controlled banks and government agencies. Romeo was born in 1876 and earned a degree in engineering at the Politecnico di Napoli followed by a degree in electrical engineering in Liege, Belgium. He started Ing. Nicola Romeo e Co. in 1911 to manufacturer mining machinery and equipment and held the Italian franchise of the American Ingersoll company, makers of earth-working equipment, pneumatic drills and air compressors. Because of World War I, the importation of equipment became a major problem and Ingersoll decided to give Romeo the license to design and manufacture their products in Italy. The company grew quickly with wartime munitions production and in 1918, he acquired the remainder of the company changing its name to Societa Anonima Italiana Ing. Nicola Romeo. He made Merosi head of his locomotive and railroad car production. It was not until 1919 that a cache of leftover 1915 car parts were discovered and assembled into ten 15-20 HP cars and 95 20-30 HP cars, the first to wear the Alfa Romeo badge. Under the continued design leadership of Merosi, a second place finish in the Targa Florio came with a young driver named Enzo Ferrari at the wheel. Most of the HP cars were offered in either racing or road versions. Ferrari had become the informal leader of Alfa Romeo's factory racing team which included Antonio Ascari, Giuseppe Campari and Ugo Sivocci. Oddly, both Ferrari and Campari were torn between careers as race car drivers or opera singers. The first all-new post war Alfa Romeo was the G1 which Merosi designed while engaged in a legal dispute with Nicola Romeo regarding the brand takeover terms. A longer, stiffer luxury chassis with a 6.3L straight 6-cylinder engine producing 70 bhp was designed moving the marque into Rolls-Royce territory. It could reach 28

86 mph winning its class at the Coppa del Garda race, but it could not win any customers in Italy due to high fuel consumption and all fifty cars built wound up in Australia. An improved version, the G2 was planned, but never produced after the G1 fiasco. In 1920, Merosi began planning a new car that would meet the 3-liter 1921 Grand Prix engine displacement rule. This car was known as the RL (Romeo series "L") which was offered in touring, sports and racing versions. It had a straight 6-cylinder overhead valves engine. The car was introduced in November 1921 when a touring chassis was shown at the London Motor Show. Other than half a dozen cars built in 1922 for racing, real production didn't start until 1923. At this point, two models were available, the RL Normale at 2.916 liters with a single carburetor on a 135 inch wheelbase and the RL Sport at 2.996 liters with dual carburetors on a 123 inch wheelbase. Both chassis were conventional with semielliptical springs at each corner. About 2,650 RLs were produced through 1927. March - April 2016

Clockwise from upper left: one of three prototype RL cars entered in the April 1922 Targa Florio race in Sicily; Enzo Ferrari drove this Alfa to win the 1923 Savio race and was presented with a shield depicting a black prancing horse on a yellow background which later became the logo for all Ferrari cars; the Alfa P2 designed by Vittorio Jano; designer Giuseppe Merosi at the wheel of the RL touring car introduced at the 1921 London Motor Show.

Between 1923 and 1927 Alfa Romeo also produced about 500 RM racers derived from the RL with a 2 liter engine. It came in three versions, Normal, Sport and Unificato which had a slighter larger engine on a longer wheelbase. The Tipo P1 became the first Grand Prix car built by Alfa Romeo in 1923. It had a 2 liter straight 6-cylinder engine producing 95 bhp. Two cars were entered in the 1923 Italian Grand Prix, but were withdrawn from the race after driver Ugo Sivocci was killed in practice. In 1924 a new version with a Roots blower was built called the P1 Compressore. Depending on the source, either race team leader Enzo Ferrari or test driver Luigi Bazzi suggested that the young Fiat designer, Vittorio Jano, be hired to replace Merosi as chief designer. Vittorio Jano was born in 1891, the son of the technical director at one of Turin's arsenals. He studied at Turin's Instituto Professionale Operaio. After a stint as a draftsman with the Rapid motor works, in 1911, he went to work under the brilliant designer Carol Cavalli at Fiat, at the time one of the world's leaders in automobile technology. In 1921, Jano became the leader of the design team developing the historic Fiat 2 liter 805 race car, where he became friends with Bazzi. Fiat had a reputation for producing talented designers so Romeo signed Jano in 1923. Jano's challenge was to "accumulate a respectable competition record." He accomplished this with his first effort, the P2 Grand Prix car winning the first Automobile World Championship in 1925. He then blew past this relatively understated challenge to win 560 races during his career, more competitive events than any other automobile manufacturer. Alfa-Romeo so dominated racing that some of the more nationalistic race fans began to heckle the Italian team. For instance, during the 1925 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa all the cars of the local favorite Delage team had retired and AlfaRomeo was leading a parade. The fans began to make their displeasure known so Jano in response ordered his cars to pit. While they were being refueled he had the cars cleaned and polished. During March - April 2016

this pit stop he had a table placed in full view whereupon he imperiously ate lunch, deaf to the howls of the spectators. The cars rejoined the race and won with ease. The P2 served as a base for a series of cars with small to medium displacement 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder inline engines featuring light alloy construction, hemispherical heads, dual overhead valves and cams. The first was the 6C, part of a legendary series of very reliable and powerful cars, known for their handling and drivability. The 6C 1500 was introduced at the Salone del Automobile di Milano in April 1925. It had a 1.487 liter 6-cylinder engine producing 44 hp. Bodies were built by many coachbuilders including Zagato, Touring, Castagna and Pininfarina. In addition to Alfa's inhouse body shop, Carrozzeria Touring, founded in Milan by Felice Bianchi Anderloni in 1926, was Alfa's leading body builder. Touring featured a patented Superleggara (Super light) body construction using a tubular steel framework supporting hand formed aluminum body panels. The 6C continued with production of about 100 cars per year until 1929 when the engine's displacement was increased from 1.5 to 1.75 liters. A total of 2,579 of these were produced in normally aspirated and supercharged configurations between 1930 and 1933. Jano had definite ideas about body design and ordered that the traditional wood body structure be replaced with aluminum tubular framing. The resulting Ghia-built body won the Mille Miglia with spare tires hidden in the aerodynamic tail. Also in 1929, Enzo Ferrari, who had proved a better team manager than driver, formed Scuderia Ferrari in Modena to provide technical assistance to wealthy private Alfa Romeo owners in their racing efforts. At the end of the Alfa's very successful 1933 racing season, the factory team was disbanded allowing Scuderia Ferrari to become the official Alfa racing team. Although building his own cars was a logical progression of his work for Alfa Romeo, it was not Ferrari's initial intent. But that's another story and besides the CCCA does not recognize Ferrari's cars anyway. Continues in the next issue of Torque 29

Clockwise from upper right: intake side of the 1750 engine with the supercharger mounted in front (right) and the elegant cast cooling fins; the 1750 engine tucked into its compartment; a 1929 1750 enjoying the open road; three views of the 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Zagato bodied roadster owned by Michigan Regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Terry Adderley; a 1932 6C 1750 Gran Turismo with body by Freestone & Webb; two views of a 1928 Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Sport Spyder; 1928 6C 1500 roadster.

March - April 2016

Obituary:

Gene Ledbetter By John Lauter

It is my exceptionally sad duty to report the passing of one of my very best friends in the Packard community, Gene Ledbetter of Novi, Michigan, on December 22, 2015. Gene was one of the people who welcomed me into the hobby as a 21 year old kid. Gene was one of the happiest people I have known, and his love for cars and Packard automobiles was without question. His 1938 Super 8 convertible sedan, "Big Red", was a fixture at local shows and his restoration shop, Complete Auto Restorations in Livonia, was a hub of Packard activity, including many tech sessions for the Motor City Packards. My most sincere condolences to Judy, his wife, and to the staff at Complete Auto Restorations. A finer person in this hobby you could not find. His family has asked memorial donations in Gene's memory be made to the Packard Motor Car Foundation, P.O. Box 182063, Shelby Township, MI 48318.

March - April 2016

1941 Cadillac Deluxe Heater Article and photos by Phil Fischer

Clockwise from far left: a view of the underside of the heater unit; the top of the underseat heater unit showing the fan; closeup of the fan showing its genesis at Harrison Radiator of Lockport, NY, a division of General Motors since 1918; view of the left side underseat heater from under the car; the right side heater from under the car; the deluxe heater control unit;

The option list for the 1941 Cadillac listed two types of heaters available for the vehicle: the standard heater mounted on the firewall under the dash panel and the optional “Deluxe Heater” which cost $ 59.50. The Deluxe Heater option consisted of two circular self-contained copper heater cores, one under each side of the front seat. Each of the units has an electric blower motor and fan. The heater cores were connected to the outlets on the engine by long lengths of 5/8” heater hose. Where the hoses connect to the engine, there are manual shut off valves. The defroster is an independent unit attached to the passenger side firewall inside the cabin and is ducted up to the windshield outlets. The defroster draws outside air under the hood through sections of flexible hose on the passenger side front fender well. The air is picked up through the radiator grille. When I replaced the missing hoses on my 1941 Cadillac, the heater hose routing proved to be a challenge. The hose exiting the lower outlet of the water pump has to pass over the vehicle frame back to the under seat heater on the passenger side connecting to the inlet pipe. A second section of hose is connected to the outlet pipe of this heater and then over the transmission and cross member to the inlet pipe of the driver side heater. The hose from the outlet pipe then crosses back over the transmission and up to the engine compartment where it is connected to the upper inlet pipe of the defroster. The lower outlet pipe of the defroster connects to the valve in the 32

engine cylinder head. Obviously, the routing of the hoses must avoid the exhaust system and muffler. The Deluxe Heater control panel is mounted on the lower portion of the dash to the left of the steering column. The upper portion of the control panel is the defroster blower switch. The Defrost Switch controls the fan speed for the defroster. Below it are the heater control levers: the “AIR” sliding lever and the “TEMPERATURE” sliding lever. The “AIR” sliding lever is attached to a switch that controls the fan speed for the under seat heaters. The cabin temperature is regulated by the “TEMPERATURE” lever. Approximately 35 feet of 5/8” heater hose is needed to renew the system. The cost of the Deluxe heater in 1941 appears to be a reasonably priced option at only $ 59.50. In 2015 dollars that would be the equivalent of $990.87. During my research, I found an interesting fact that until the later part of the twentieth century, under the law in many states, the theft of a wheel, tire, radio, clock or HEATER, was a separate felony charge, punishable by imprisonment. March - April 2016

Above: the defroster is an independent unit attached to the passenger side firewall inside the cabin, and is ducted up to the windshield outlets. Above and below: the heater hose routing proved to be a challenge when the missing hoses had to be replaced.

Below: an under the car view of the heater hose crossing over transmission.

Above: the defroster draws outside air under the hood, through sections of flexible hose on the passenger side front fender well. The air is picked up through the grille.

March - April 2016

The Steering Column By Paul Wise

Welcome all to the start of our 2016 calendar year that is packed full of wonderful activities for all our members to participate in and enjoy! We have just completed our 2016 Annual Meeting at the Hyatt Place at the Suburban Collection Showplace and what a five star event it was! Three days filled with more activities than anyone could have imagined! 16 cylinders were featured and many other classic vehicles also came to this grand event for all to enjoy seeing. Greg and Jean Stachura and their committee went over the top in their preparation to give all our members from across the country and Canada a very memorable event. Many thanks to them for all the work they put into this event! Also, thank you to everyone who brought their fabulous vehicles and all who attended to make it the success it was. Many meetings were held during this weekend event and our new National President, Tom Jones, was elected. Also announced at this meeting is a special experience at the Gilmore Museum featuring Senior Cars. More information will be coming on that and as always check your bulletin for all other activities. I look forward to seeing you all out and about at these events!! Happy Motoring,

Paul

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March - April 2016