2017 March - April Torque by james fitzgerald

March - April 2017

Inside This Issue

Michigan Region 2016 Activities Calendar………...…..……....………….….…...…4 From Your Editor…..…….….……….……….….….….….….…..….….……..….…5 Cover Story: Bill Parfet’s 1933-4 Auburn Salon Cars.………………………….…...7 Auburn Salon Model Brochure...……………….….….….……….….…………….14 Classics Out of Africa…………………….…….……….….….…….……………...20 Jim Quinlan Interviews Charles Waterhouse………………………………….……25 Michigan Region CCCA Coffee & Cars………………………..……………….….28 Obituary: Richard Zapala………………….…………….………..……………..….29 Does Your Classic’s Radio Work?………….……….……………………………...30 Obituary: Gene Matti……………….………….…………………..…………….…31 The Steering Column…………………….………………………….………….…..32

March - April 2017

2017 Leadership www.classiccarsofmichigan.com 4717 Maddie Lane Dearborn, MI 48126

Board of Managers Director

Publications Committee Torque Editor

Tlanda McDonald

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

(248) 563-5651 tlmcdonald999@comcast.net

Assistant Director

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

Secretary/Torque Editor

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

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

Treasurer

Torque Cover Editor

Club Photographer

Greg Kosmatka

(586)201-3391 donwoodiii@gmail.com

(313) 882-7980 grk129@sbcglobal.net

Membership

Jerry Medow (248) 737-0637 medowg@aol.com

Projects/Advertising

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

Activities

Classic Vibrations Editor Staff

Ara Ekizian

Paul Ayres

Bram Over

Wally Donoghue

Ed Meurer III

Ann Donoghue

Paul Wise (313) 492-0284 sandrawise@me.com

Activities

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

(248) 851-4069 dlekizian@yahoo.com

Activities

Don Wood III

Cover Photos: Don Wood III

Dan Clements (248) 437-7193 jclem5780@comcast.net

Grand Classic

Nancy Seyfarth (313) 436-8327 nancyseyfarth@aol.com

Grand Classic

Area Head Judge

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

Bruce Thomas (248) 594-6499

March - April 2017

No.448

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 2017

Michigan Region 2017 Activities Calendar March 30-April 2, 2017 - CCCA National Annual Meeting, Reno, Nevada April 15, Saturday - Local Activity May 6, Saturday - Judges & Tabulators Seminar May 21, Sunday - Spring Tour June 2-4, Friday-Sunday - CCCA Museum Experience July 7-8, Friday-Saturday - Michigan Region Grand Classic August 6, Sunday - Ice Cream Social September 10, Sunday - Annual Steak Roast October 15, Sunday - Fall Color Tour November 5, 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) 737-0637. 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.

Classic & Exotic Service Experts in the Restoration and Maintenance of Prewar Cars Supplier of Specialty Parts for Prewar Cars

Classic Car We offer a wide range of services to the Classic and Antique Car Owner Including but not limited to:

Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. has been restoring the finest American and European Classic cars since 1988. Located in Troy, Michigan, with over 30,000 square feet of floor space and a staff of 30, we are one of the Midwest's largest and most experienced restoration facilities. Our customers will attest that we provide only the highest quality restora tion. In our restorations, the mechanical functionality of the car is as im portant as the cosmetic appearance. We have completed many resto rations for Pebble Beach, Meadow Brook, St. John's, CCCA Grand Classic and for touring. We have experience with a wide variety of automobiles. From the mighty Duesenberg, luxurious Packard, Lincoln, Pierce Arrow or Cadillac, sporting Bugatti or Bentley, our knowledge, skill and experi ence will make your automobile perform and look its best

Classic & Exotic Service, Inc. 2032 Heide Dr., Troy, MI 48084 USA Phone: 1-248-362-0113 Fax: 1-248-269-9365

GENERAL SERVICE MAINTENANCE DETAILING RESTORATION WORK MECHANICAL SERVICE Pickup and delivery is available in an enclosed trailer for Classic Car repairs

EMS CLASSIC CAR CARE, INC. 11530 Timken, Warren, MI 48089 1/4 mile South of Stephens (9-1/2 mile), just west of Hoover

Ed & Emica Syrocki Phone: 586-754-3728

March - April 2017

From Your Editor By Rich Ray Last June, Torque photographer Don Wood III and I traveled to the CCCA Grand Experience at the Gilmore Car Museum at Hickory Corners to photograph cars for upcoming covers of Torque magazine. Of course, there were a lot of great Full ClassicsÂŽ there to grace future issues of Torque. Michigan Region member Bill Parfet, who is also President of the Gilmore Car Museum Board of Trustees, had his 1934 Auburn Twelve Salon 5-Passenger Sedan on the show field and we immediately asked if we could photograph the car. As Don got started on the photography, a second Auburn, a 1934 Salon Cabriolet, in matching livery, pulled up and we immediately asked to photograph it also. Bill agreed and suggested we might also want to consider his other three Auburn Salon cars. We wholeheartedly agreed. As regular readers are aware, our usual practice is to have one member's car on the front cover and another on the back with separate articles. The opportunity to feature all five body styles of the famous Auburn Salon series caused us to toss our usual practice for this issue of Torque. All five were readily available since Bill has two on display in the Gilmore Museum and the rest stored in his private collection located on property adjacent to the Gilmore. Mary and I traveled to South Africa last October in pursuit of the Big Five of African game: the African lion and elephant, Cape Buffalo, African leopard, and the rhinoceros. The Big Five are the most difficult and dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot, so Mary and I chose to be driven in safari vehicles since we were only going to "shoot" them with a camera anyway. After failing to find all of the Big Five - no leopards, but lots of cheetahs, I decided to shift my efforts to Full ClassicsÂŽ. I succeeded in finding the Franschoech Motor Museum in South Africa's wine country featuring the spectacular display of historic automobiles described in the article on page 20. They are as amazing as the animals. Enjoy.

March - April 2017

Torque Advertising Rates One Year (6 Issues)

Single Issue

Color Full Page ½ Page ¼ Page

$1,100 $600 $320

$220 $110 $70

Black & White Full Page ½ Page ¼ Page

$1,000 $550 $285

$190 $100 $55

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.

March - April 2017

Bill Parfet’s 1933-4 Auburn Salon Cars Article by Rich Ray

Images by Don Wood III and Vivian LaVine

Bill Parfet is a long time member of the CCCA and the Michigan Region, but has been into Full Classics® since he has had a driver's license. Growing up next door to his grandfather, Don Gilmore, founder of the Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan, his grandfather gave the 16 year-old a 1937 Cadillac V16 5-Passenger Phaeton as a driver for the summer. What a grandpa! I am a grandfather as are many of our readers, but I don't see myself getting into the Don Gilmore league of grandfathers. Now, granted, the car was unrestored and this was 1963 when 1937 Cadillacs were just 25 year old cars, but still, how cool. Bill says he had a great summer with that car cruising local drive-ins with friends and smoke belching from the old car's exhaust pipe.

While 1932 was a very bleak year for everyone in the auto industry, luxury brands and custom coachbuilders in particular experienced a collapse in sales. After a dismal turnout at the salon in Chicago, the longstanding practice of coachbuilders hosting a private salon display of their wares for an invitation-only group of their best customers, the annual automobile salon practice came to an end. Most customers could no longer afford a custom-bodied luxury car and those that could did not want to flaunt their financial security in front of hungry, discouraged people on the street. Auburn, which had been struggling along with the rest of the industry, decided to grab the "salon" moniker for a special line of cars to hopefully boost sales.

Twenty years later, Bill would purchase his first collector car and in another ten years he bought his first Full Classic®, an Auburn Twelve Salon Phaeton starting down the road to the Salon series of cars we see here. Bill regularly joined his longtime friend, restorer Bud Hicks, at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Annual Reunion in Auburn, Indiana where Bud told him he had to get an ACD car.

The Salon series was a new upgrade model offering from Auburn. The Salon models were offered in 1933 and 1934 on both 8- and 12-cylinder Auburns in five body styles: 5-Passenger Sedan, 5Passenger Brougham, Cabriolet, Phaeton Sedan and Speedster. The Salon Twelves rode on a 133 inch wheelbase. The most noticeable features of the Salon were the addition of chrome moldings on the fender edge, unique single-bar Vee bumpers, radiator grille and hood design, Vee windshield, headlight and cowl lights lenses and dual chrome plated horns. Salon interiors featured fine broadcloth upholstery, a panel type foot rest that folded into the back of the front seat and a rear compartment cigarette lighter. Mechanical features included four-point, semipneumatic rubber engine mountings and vacuum power brakes on the Twelve version. A new "X plus A" frame had a central X cross member with an A member forward of the X that doubled the stiffness of the frame.

The Auburn Automobile Company traces its roots to the Eckhart Carriage Company, founded in Auburn, Indiana, in 1874 by Charles Eckhart. It struggled through many changes over the years, but was one of the few auto firms to show a profit in 1931, although 1932 was not so kind. A "Dual Ratio" axle demonstration week brought 50,000 people to Auburn showrooms, but few of them bought cars. A huge price cut in June seemed to help (a V12 coupe could be had for under a $1,000), but 1932 would clock less than 12,000 cars sold versus nearly 30,000 in 1931. Cord Corporation showed a profit of $1.5 million for 1932 based on E.L. Cords clever stock trading that offset a $974,751 loss on the sale of Auburn cars, actually not as bad as some manufacturers during that abysmal year.

March - April 2017

The Auburn V-12 engine was introduced in 1932 when Auburn and many other manufacturers were in the midst of the "cylinder wars" offering competing 12- and 16-cylinder powered cars. The Auburn had an unusual cylinder head and valve design that set it apart from 9

Above: The Auburn Salon Lineup in matching colors: Phaeton Sedan, Speedster, Cabriolet, FivePassenger Sedan and Five Passenger Brougham. Below: Two views of the Phaeton Sedan at the CCCA Museum Grand Experience.

Cadillac, Packard and Pierce-Arrow and it was a powerhouse. Legendary driver Abe Jenkins set many speed records behind the wheel of Auburn Twelves, some of which survived until after World War II. The engine amazingly continued in use into the mid-1960s, although in less glamorous use powering American LaFrance fire trucks. When introducing the V12 engine built by Lycoming in 1932, E.L. Cord, stated that "to sell automobiles today, a dealer must have better cars, for less cost, than his competitors" and he delivered on this. The Auburn Twelve started at $1,345 which was considered "spectacularly low" by Automotive Industries and convinced Time magazine to put E.L. Cord on its cover. The Lycoming V12 was a 45-degree Vee displacing 392 cubic inches breathing through a pair of Stromberg downdraft carburetors to produce 160 horsepower at 3400 rpm. The horsepower was contained by a five bearing crankshaft with three counterweights. The exhaust manifold was ribbed and the exhaust pipe wrapped in asbestos. The power got to the ground through a 3-speed, free-wheeling transmission synchronized in second and third gears and a two-speed rear axle. 10

By 1933, E.L.Cord's interest in cars had been replaced by aviation, shipbuilding and other more profitable outlets, leaving the Auburn Cord Duesenberg organization to fend for itself. Sales did improve somewhat in 1934, but the end was coming near. Although Auburn 6- and 8-cylinder models had new bodies in 1934 with a new grille, the Salon Twelves continued essentially unchanged into 1934 although the Speedster was dropped. Twelve cylinder production ended in early 1934, Auburn stopped production in 1936 and closed in 1937. Bill Parfet now has a spectacular collection of about 55 cars including many Full ClassicsÂŽ. Several are displayed at the Gilmore Museum, where he is President of the Board of Trustees, and the remainder at his building located on property adjacent to the Gilmore campus. The CCCA was privileged to visit his private collection as part of the Shore Thing CARavan in 2014. After acquiring his Salon Phaeton, Bill also purchased an Auburn Speedster, but it was an incorrect combination of a 12-cylinder

March - April 2017

Clockwise from above: the Phaeton Sedan’s steering wheel and instrument cluster detail; the Phaeton has roll up windows and removable center pillar; the driver’s position; plush leather trim is standard in the open Salon cars. The cowl lamp lens design echos the headlamps lens; the Vee rear bumper echos the boat tail theme; profile of the Speedster with the wrap around cowl theme; chrome shimmers under the lights.

March - April 2017

museum’s bright

Clockwise from top left: the Speedster cockpit is trimmed in leather; the rear of the Cabriolet carries a luggage rack; the Cabriolet with dual sidemounts; the 5-Passenger Sedan carries a trunk; the Vee bumper of the 5-Pass. Sedan with turning driving lamps; the Speedster, 5-Passenger Sedan and the Brougham feature split windshields.

chassis with an 8-cylinder body. While it was a great driver, he wanted Auburns that would pass muster with ACD judges. When Bill acquired his 1934 Auburn Twelve 1250 Salon Phaeton Sedan in 1992, it was painted maroon and silver. He had a little mechanical and cosmetic work done on the car and proceeded to enjoy driving it for several years. In the late 1990s, he had RM Auto Restoration do a complete concours level restoration of the car that was completed in 2000. He requested RM to develop a dark blue and silver exterior color combination. When the blue was first sprayed, they were concerned that it looked purple. After Bill's review, more blue was added to the mixture. The resulting color shifts from purple in the sun, to blue in cloudy conditions and to 12

almost black in dark conditions. The resulting mixture has been applied to the next four Auburns. The interiors are finished in leather in the open cars and broadcloth in the closed cars. Desiring a real speedster, Bill purchased the 1933 Twelve 165 Speedster in 2000 with the encouragement of his wife Barbara. Only about three Auburn Salon Twelve Speedsters are known to exist, so they are not easily purchased. He bought the car from Rob Meyer of RM Auto Restoration who then completed a full restoration of the car in 2001. Next came the 1934 Auburn Twelve 1250 Salon Cabriolet. Bill saw the car, owned by Lou Ficco of Denver, at the ACD Annual Reunion. He offered to buy the car, but Lou would only give it up March - April 2017

Clockwise from top left: the plush broadcloth interior of the 5-Passenger Sedan; the 5-Passenger Sedan’s central mounted instrument cluster; the 5-Passenger Sedan in primer; the 5-Pass. Sedan in paint; the 5-Pass. frame illustrating the “X plus A” crossmember design; the 5-Pass. Body before primer; the 5-Pass. Sedan before restoration.

in trade for a Phaeton. Bill obviously did not want to give up his own Phaeton so he found another one he could purchase to make the trade. The cabriolet was taken to LaVine Restorations in Nappanee, Indiana for restoration in the now well established color combination and completed in 2000. Next came the 1934 Twelve 1250 Five-Passenger (4-Door) Sedan. He found the car in the possession of Bill Bowles of Cincinnati, Ohio and its restoration was completed by LaVine in 2007. The last car needed to complete the set was the Twelve Salon Five-Passenger Brougham and this would be the most challenging. As most readers can easily surmise, the survival rate of 2-door closed cars is much lower than the open cars that today's collectors most desire. The first one they found, a completely original car, was owned by the CCCA's own Steve Babinsky. Steve had no interest March - April 2017

Clockwise from top left: the Broughamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rear mounted trunk; front quarter of the Brougham with dual driving lamps and horns; the interior door garnish detail of the Brougham; Bill and Barbara Parfet stand proudly with the Salon Sedan at the CCCA Museum Experience; details of the 5-Passenger Sedanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s metal trunk and fuel filler.

in selling his car. Mark Iles, Operations Manager for Bill's collection, was visiting Bill Bowles looking over the 4-Door Sedan. Bowles had a huge collection of vintage cars, parts, tools and "stuff". When Mark mentioned their frustration in finding a Brougham since Steve Babinsky seemed to have the only one known to exist, Bowles pointed across the room at an Auburn Speedster and said "there's your Brougham!" Mark only saw an old speedster. Bowles informed him that it was a complete Brougham chassis that had been rebodied with a recreated speedster body. Six months later, Mark received a call from Bowles informing him that he had found the Brougham body for that chassis in Ohio. Mark immediately headed to Ohio to check out this lead. The body was sitting on a nondescript chassis in a barn serving as a home for wayward mice and other critters. Checking the numbers on the body with the ACD Museum validated that this was indeed a legitimate Salon Five-Passenger Brougham body. Better yet, further checking with the Museum verified that it left the Auburn factory in 1933 mounted on the Twelve chassis sitting in Bowles building. The body and chassis were reunited in a full restoration which was completed in 2009. The result was the second Auburn Salon Five-Passenger Brougham Twelve now known to exist, completing Bill's set of color matching Auburn Salon cars. Bill's Auburn Salon collection debuted at the 2010 Concours d'Elegance of America at St. John's. Since then each car has received the Best Auburn award at the ACD Annual Reunion and the Speedster won Best of Show at the 2013 Reunion. When you 14

read this article, the collection will already have been shown at the 2017 Boca Raton Concours d' Elegance where Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg are Marques of the Year. Despite the level of quality of these cars, Bill loves to drive them all. The Phaeton has toured Death Valley and the Brougham has even come out in the Michigan snow around Bill's home (well ahead of the salt trucks, of course). We thank Bill and Barbara for sharing these special cars with us. March - April 2017

Clockwise from top left: the Salon front end features dramatically flaring front fenders; full hood louvres help cool the V12 engine; the Lycoming V12 is a 45-degree Vee displacing 392 cubic inches breathing through a pair of Stromberg downdraft carburetors to produce 160 horsepower at 3400 rpm; all of Bill’s Salon cars have been awarded CCCA badges; the Salon cars on display at Bay Harbor, Michigan; “Auburn 12” is flaunted on the hub caps and bumpers; the V12 exhaust manifold is fluted and the pipe is asbestos wrapped.

March - April 2017

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note: At the Grand Experience where we photographed Bill Parfetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Auburn Salon cars, he showed us this original period foldout brochure published by Auburn extolling the virtues of their Salon Models. We have reproduced it on the following pages so you can appreciate the features of the Salon cars at your own leisure.

March - April 2017

Classics Out of Africa

Article & Images by Rich Ray

When one thinks of South Africa, Full Classic® cars usually do not come to mind; wild animals and fine wine yes, but Classics, no. However, automobiles are a significant factor in this beautiful country. While traveling in the country recently, I was determined to find some Full Classics - after all, how can a three week vacation be pleasurable without a Full Classic "fix"? Actually, looking for historic cars in South Africa seems a hopeless goal since their cars have significant quality problems: the steering wheel on my rental car was located on the wrong side of the car and the rental agent insisted they are "all like this". Moreover, the local drivers are horrible, going down the wrong side of the road and making rude gestures to me even after I had to swerve to the left side of the road to avoid hitting them. But I found that South Africa has a significant automotive history. In 1896, Mr. John Percy Hess of Pretoria decided to import a Benz Velo from Mannheim Germany. The car arrived later that year and marked the start of Mr. Hess' career as a Benz & Company agent in South Africa. He demonstrated the car to South Africans for the first time on January 4, 1897 with the founder of Pretoria's newspaper and the State Secretary of the Transvaal as passengers. South Africa's president, Paul Kruger, attended, but preferred to watch the event. A gold medal was minted to commemorate the occasion and a large number of spectators paid 2 shillings and 6 pennies to witness the event. A few weeks later, Mr. A. H. Jacobs, a Johannesburg coffee importer, purchased the car. Being a clever merchandiser, he allowed every customer who purchased 500 grams of coffee from his shop to see the car. Unfortunately, some months later, it was destroyed in a fire.

In September, 1904, Mr. Youldon, an importer, was in New York, where he saw Henry Ford demonstrate his new car, the 1903 Model A. Youldon immediately placed an order which became the first Ford sold outside North America. The early days of the South African motoring industry were focused on British and, to a lesser degree, American makers. Volkswagen also has a long-term presence, being particularly popular with those Afrikaners, South Africans of Dutch and Huguenot descent who were unwilling to buy a British car. By the late 1970s, Japanese producers had gained a foothold and British makers were pushed out. As a result of the fuel crisis, large American cars which had been very popular dropped in sales drastically although all maintain a presence. South Africa has been engaged in the assembly of motor vehicles and light truck models since the 1920s and is the leader in the African continent producing more than half a million units annually. It turns out there are not even a half dozen car museums in South Africa, but I was fortunate to be able to visit the Franschhoek Motor Museum which offers an amazing collection of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and memorabilia in the magnificent setting of L’Ormarins wine estate. The museum is located about 1 kilometer from the gate up a scenic tree-lined driveway complete with cattle, mountain backdrop and the Anthonij Rupert Winery named after the owner's deceased brother. The museum’s collection exceeds 220 vehicles – ranging from a 1898 Beeston motor tricycle to a 2003 Ferrari Enzo supercar and more than 80 are on view at any one time, displayed in four deMarch - April 2017

Opposite: The main entrance to the grounds of the Franschhoek Motor Museum Clockwise from top left: the entrance to the welcome building; Mary Ray in the central grounds between the four display buildings and the welcome building in the distant background; a place to relax in the welcome building featuring dramatic murals, part of the building devoted to race cars, the exotic car wing with Ferraris on the right; a display dedicated to former Rhodesian (now Zimbabwae) Formula One driver John Love; the long winding entrance road to the property; a line of Mustangs (NC).

March - April 2017

Clockwise from top left: 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Berlinetta; 1935 Austro Daimler Bergmeister; front view of a 1936 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet C with plenty of lights to help Egyptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s King Farouk light up the desert - the car was a 1938 wedding gift from Adolf Hitler; 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25; front end of the Rolls also had plenty of lights.

humidified halls with a total floor area of 29,000 square feet. The vehicles are also all started once a month to keep the battery ticking over! At around 12 or 13 years old, it is an amazing collection. The collection is owned by one of South Africa's richest men, billionaire Johann Rupert, who chairs listed Swiss luxury goods firm Compagnie Financiere Richemont, best known for the brands Cartier and Montblanc. He built the company from a South African tobacco company his father Anton founded in the 1940s. He also owns part of the Saracens English rugby team. After passing through a welcome building with some beautiful automotive artwork, small displays and waiting, I made the typical American mistake and went to the right to enter what turned out to be Building 4 filled with exotic cars (all the locals properly kept to the left entering what turned out to be Building 1). In Building 4, everything from a 1955 Jaguar D-Type to a 1966 Ford GT40 to a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT were lined up behind ropes. Five Ferraris, a couple of McLaren race cars, AC Cobra and more were 24

accented by a display of racing memorabilia. No Full Classics, but breathtaking anyway. Then I wandered to the next building, which would be Building 3 where I spotted my first confirmed Full Classic, a 1936 Mercedes Benz 540K, not a bad start. In addition I came across a 1935 Armstrong Siddeley. Moving on to Building 2, featuring some very interesting cars, including a line of Ford Mustangs, but no Classics. I was begining to despair that I might not hit the "Big Five" of Full Classics either. However, Building 1 offered my Big Five experience. A 1922 AC Royal greeted me followed by four Bugattis, a 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre, a 1928 Rolls Royce Phantom 1 with a 1936 Rolls 20/25, a 1928 Merecedes S-Type, 1935 Austro Daimler Bergmeister, a 1938 Jaguar 22 and a 1936 Cord 810 Convertible to help me March - April 2017

Clockwise from top left: 1935 Cord 810 Cabriolet; 1931 Bugatti Type 49; 1925 Bugatti Type 23; 1937 Maserati 6CM race car, one of 30 built for racing including the 1938 Indianapolis 500; 1928 RollsRoyce Phantom I; the 1928 Bugatti Type 35B that won the 1928 Targa Florio race with unique racing windshields inset; 1922 AC Royal Model 12.

feel at home. A spectacular display of Full Classics not often seen in U.S. collections. That very first 1903 Ford Model A delivered to South Africa was on display along with a Curved Dash Oldsmobile and a spectacular 1911 Lorraine Dietrich with its "snake horn" were some entertaining offerings to round out the visit. Mary and I greatly enjoyed South Africa and would definitely recommend a visit to anyone who enjoys travel. The Franschhoek Motor Museum is a bonus to a trip to South Africa and, located in the midst of the country's wine country, is a perfect place to get your Full ClassicÂŽ fix. March - April 2017

Clockwise from above: 1930 Bugatti Type 46; 1929 Merecedes Benz S-Type; 1928 Bentley 4.5 Litre; 1911 Lorraine Dietrich (NC) with the coolest Boa Constrictor horn; 1905 Mars Carette (NC) with pre-NHTSA front passenger seat; this 1903 Ford Model A (NC) was the first Ford imported into South Africa.

March - April 2017

Jim Quinlan Interviews.... Charles Waterhouse

My association with Charles L. Waterhouse, the son of Charles Waterhouse, Sr. and founder of the Waterhouse Body Company goes back to my high school days. In 1947, I had asked for an interview at Ford Motor Company to evaluate the activity of automobile styling as a vocation. Mr. Waterhouse, who was at that time Operations Manager of Styling, was gracious enough to talk to me about what a great field it was. A repeat visit came twenty-five years later at his beautiful estate in Dearborn. A winding road to the house on six acres of property all beautifully landscaped attested to his skill at gardening. I asked him if he did all the work himself: Waterhouse: Of course! You know I was born and raised on a farm in Merrimac, Massachusetts. I was one of ten children and we all had our chores to do around the farm. One of my hobbies is work. Quinlan: Tell me about the training you had for the automotive business.

responsible for the shape, would fit these braces to the sills. When the body was framed, the sheetmetal group would clad the skeleton and fit the doors. Quinlan: Tell me something about Waterhouse. The Victoria Convertible was one of the most outstanding body designs wasn't it?

Waterhouse: I went just one year to Wentworth Institute in Boston. I took the Andrew F. Johnson Correspondence School Course in Rochester, New York. This was an art school course. I guess I've always been interested in the esthetic side of cars, both color and style. The engineering part too, but not as much.

Waterhouse: Yes, I helped engineer that. We took pride in the fact that our roof stack-up was flat and stylish, not sticking up high and bulky. The way that we achieved this was by lengthening the wheelbase so that the top could stow forward of the wheelwell with room to spare. You will notice that the rear wheel is quite far back on these cars.

Quinlan: Were you working while in Rochester?

Quinlan: Was Waterhouse a large or small shop?

Waterhouse: Yes, I worked at the James C. Cunningham Custom Body works there. That was from 1926 to February, 1928.

Waterhouse: Small! Waterhouse was probably the last company to enter the custom body business. My father and oldest brother, M. Sargent Waterhouse, together with two money backers, Roger S. Clapp and S. Roberts Dunham, started the business in January 1928. The company was in business six years and turned out about three hundred car bodies.

Quinlan: Was this your first job? Waterhouse: No, after high school hours (we went to school from 8 am to almost 1:30 pm and on Saturdays) I worked for Judkins and then Walker Body Company, all located around my home town. This was a good start on my education. I sanded garnish moldings and did wood and pattern work. Quinlan: How did the bodies evolve in those days? Waterhouse: First we got the metal supports for all the pillars from the blacksmith shop. Then the bodymaker, the woodman who was March - April 2017

Quinlan: What auto company did Waterhouse deal with first? Waterhouse: duPont was the company that we worked with first. We did a lot of work for them in 1929 and 1930. Later we worked with Packard, Chrysler, Rolls Royce, Cadillac, Pierce Arrow and Lincoln. If the depression hadn't hit, the custom body business would have gone on into the war years.

Clockwise from left: a rendering of a DuPont town car in a 1929 Salon ad; a Waterhouse body on a 1931 Packard 845 chassis with the “disappearing top” up; rear view with the top folded; the folded top “disappears into the body lines.

Quinlan: Do you remember any other car bodies that were unique that Waterhouse did? Waterhouse: There was one speedster on a duPont chassis that was made for Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. that was really something. The car had no doors. This allowed Mr. Fairbanks to leap over the side of the car into the driver's seat in a dramatic fashion not unlike some scenes in his movies. Another car was designed for a fabulous character by the name of Harry Orndorff. My father suggested as a joke that a fireplace would be comfortable in a Waterhouse body and wouldn't you know it, Mr. Orndorff went for the idea. The unit was built with a fireplace, but later changed into a housing for a radio when Mr. Orndorff decided there was no place to install it except in the fireplace. On his stationary, Orndorff would never have his address, only the latitude and longitude in degrees. This was his address. He had four of his friends mail letters to him with this type of address. Only one letter reached him because the postman recognized his name. Quinlan: How do you compare styles of today compared with the Classic® Era? 28

Waterhouse: Well, I think there has been a natural evolution of style. In the early days, the people who could afford these custom cars were very wealthy and usually older. They didn't mind the tall, massive look. They wanted to look important and be comfortable. I remember a customer brought his favorite chair in and put it on the frame and requested that we build a car body around this seating height. Head room was also very important. People of stature would go to the opera and wear high hats. There had to be room for hats. In later years, designers have been striving for lower cars, but the life style has changed and people have accepted these new automotive packages. Quinlan: Tell me about your other automotive experiences. Waterhouse: In 1928, I started with the Ford Motor Company as a body draughtsman with the Lincoln Division. I left there to go with the other auto company, General Motors, and worked as a body March - April 2017

Clockwise from left: a Waterhouse Speedster on a DuPont chassis purchased as a birthday gift for Douglas Fairbanks by Mary Pickford; three Waterhouse designs for DuPont; a convertible victoria body for a Chrysler CG; a huge town car, the only Waterhouse body built on a Cadillac chassis; a Waterhouse salon show display; A beautiful convertible sedan on a Marmon; a roadster on a DuPont.

engineer for sixteen years. This included working in the Fleetwood Division in the Art and Color Section. Quinlan: Did you ever own any Waterhouse-bodied cars? Waterhouse: People ask me that question. No, I haven't. When you are in the business your whole life is enveloped around cars so my hobby was never cars either collecting them or literature. I guess you get too much of them when you work on them as a profession. But you should see the beautiful collector's item I have! At this point, Mr. Waterhouse showed me a grandfather clock that he had just received that was originally on his grandmother's farm in Massachusetts. He explained how old it was, 1750 he guessed, and how satisfying it was to have a beautiful family heirloom. Somehow my visit was like walking into New England for the short time that I had spent with him. I thanked him on behalf of the Classic Car Club, Michigan Region for the opportunity of chatting with him about our favorite subject. He thanked me and suggested that we see each other sooner than every twenty five years. March - April 2017

Michigan Region Cars & Coffee

Article & Images by Rich Ray So you are stuck in Michigan in January and its cold, but not enough snow for skiing, but too much residual salt coating the roads to risk taking your Full Classic out for a cruise, What do you do? Well, join the Michigan Region CCCA for Cars & Coffee (and donuts) at Paul Wise's collection in Farmington. Fifty eight region members turned out for plenty of coffee, donuts and car talk to shake off the winter doldrums. Paul's "Man Cave" collection is located in an industrial building that is nicely finished out with plenty of automobilia along with tools and equipment to do real work on cars. The entrance is through a carpeted showroom containing several Non Classics including a 2014 Mustang, a 1939 Ford Deluxe 2-door convertible, a 1941 Ford Pickup with a ¾ cam, Offenhauser heads and tri-power carburetors, a 2004 BMW Z3 and 2003 Ford Thunderbird. Beyond the showroom is the shop area dominated by Paul and Sandy's beautiful Dynamax DX3 motorhome and car trailer rig. On display was Paul's 1940 Cadillac Sixty Special and 1939 Ford Deluxe Sedan (NC). He is also dialing in Tlanda McDonald's 1941 Lincoln Continental and 1966 Ford Thunderbird (NC) for next summer's tours and shows. Also there was a 1956 Mercury Montclair convertible (NC) and Sandy's summer driver, a 1971 Chevelle SS hardtop with a “stroker” motor and a specially foamed seat to give her a high perch to view the road. A 1982 Chevy S-10 pickup sits on a hoist awaiting conversion to a Pro-Stock drag racer. Although no tech session was planned, the group managed to solve all the problems of cars and the world for that matter. Thanks to Dan Clement and Phil Fischer for organizing the event and especially to Paul and Sandy Wise for hosting.

March - April 2017

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Paul’s 1940 Cadillac Sixty Special; the donuts came under heavy attack, Mr. Goodwrench helps Paul in his shop; Dan Clement and Phil Fischer handled the registration desk; Greg Stachura, Neal Porter and Kent Jidov were enjoying the coffee; Jack Donlan and Bob Arnold and ponder the Sinclair Dino statue. This page clockwise from top left: Tlanda McDonald, Lee Belf and Dan Sommer chat; Wally Donoghue and hostess Sandy Wise with the 1939 Ford Deluxe Convertible (NC) and 1941 Ford Pickup (NC) in the background; Paul must use a feeler gage to achieve the precision parking to fit everything into the shop; Wally Donoghue, host Paul Wise and John Bertolone in front of the 1939 Ford Deluxe Sedan (NC), Tlanda McDonald’s 1940 Lincoln, 1956 Mercury (NC) and Tlanda’s 1966 Thunderbird convertible (NC); Bruce and Jason Thomas enjoy their coffee by a wall of automobilia; Terry Ernest and Larry Seyfarth; Larry Seyfarth, Diran Yazejian, Tlanda McDonald and Joyce Yazejian.

Obituary

Richard Zapala Michigan Region CCCA member Rich Zapala of Haslett, Michigan passed away on December 19, 2016. Rich had been a member of the CCCA since 2011, but has been associated with the CCCA since his father bought a 1932 Packard in 1959 and joined the club in 1960. He and his father restored the Packard and went on to restore many other cars including a 1935 LaSalle (NC). Richard acquired his 1936 Packard 1401 5-Passenger Touring Sedan in 2011 and had the older restoration "freshened". He displayed the car at several Grand Classics and Gilmore Museum Experiences achieving a Premier badge. Richard is survived by his wife, Leanne, two daughters and four grandchildren.

March - April 2017

Rich and his late mother at the 2012 Michigan Grand Classic at the Dearborn Inn with his 1936 Packard 1401 Touring Sedan.

Does your Classic’s® Radio Work? By Larry Pumphrey

Even if it does, I may have some interesting news for you. Would you like to have FM? Would you like to play CD’s? Would you like to play your MP3 device or smartphone through your radio? Or if your radio doesn’t work would you like to have music, audiobooks, etc., in your Classic without doing anything that changes the look of your dash or anything else in the interior? Well, maybe I have an answer that will do all of the above. Recently I installed a remarkable unit in my 1937 Packard Twelve called a RediRad made by Brew City Engineering in Wisconsin. This unit is incredibly easy to install. All you need to do is remove the antenna wire from your present radio, plug in one of the leads from the RediRad, and attach your antenna to the RediRad. Then hook up one of the provided wire leads to power and the other to a good ground. The case for the unit is about the size of a pack of cigarettes and can be fastened under your dash, out of sight, with a couple of provided “zip” ties. Now, turn your radio on, tune your dial to 1000 kHz (your radio’s dial face may display 10 or 100), and plug the 3.5 mm headphone jack into your CD player, ipod, smartphone, or other device and it will play through your AM radio. You will be amazed at the quality of the sound. The unit sells for $99.00 and I bought a portable CD-FM radio player for about $30.00. The CD-FM player is about the size of a coffee cup saucer and about an inch thick. The player easily fits in the glove compartment where I ran the wire with the 3.5 mm head-phone jack. The RediRad comes in several models to fit 6 or 12 volt, negative or positive ground vehicles. See the nearby description for more information. One important installation consideration: If you want to play your radio when the engine is off be sure to get power from a source such as the hot side of your battery disconnect switch. You do not want for it to be necessary to leave your ignition switch key on for long periods of time as it could ruin your ignition points. 32

Images by GLCON

What if your radio doesn’t work and you don’t want to go to the trouble and expense of having it repaired? I have a pretty good answer for that. Recently I purchased a small Bluetooth speaker from Amazon. The price was $22.00. It is a 2 X 2 X 2 inch square and is black in color. It is amazing how much volume and clarity of sound that this little speaker can emit. I put a small square of Velcro on the speaker and another piece under the dash of my Classic and joined the two. There is no wiring involved. I sync the speaker with my smartphone and play old Fibber Magee and Molly episodes and other music from the 30’s and 40’s that I have loaded from iTunes. The battery in the little speaker will last 22 hours and will play as long as my smartphone is within 33 feet. No one suspects that my radio does not work. The old radio programming is a big hit with bystanders at car shows. And you don’t need to turn on your ignition switch! Another option I should mention, that I have not experienced, is sending your radio to a repair specialist who can remove the innards from your vintage radio and install a solid state AM-FM receiver. This will involve removing the radio from your dash, which can be a daunting task, sending it off and paying for the same. The conversion will cost several hundred dollars. The result will be a good sound with a nice installation. There are probably other ways to have radio, or hear radio, in your Classic. These are just a couple I have experienced that have merit for me and I hope for you. If any of this seems a little too high tech for you just get some help from your grand-children like I did. By the way, youngsters, Fibber Magee and Molly was radio’s top rated program in 1943. The show began in 1935 and I remember listening well into the 50’s. Now you know!

March - April 2017

Obituary

Gene Matti With sadness we report that long time member Gene Matti passed away suddenly November 29, 2016. A devoted racketball player Gene suffered a stroke while playing his favorite game. He is survived by his wife, Catherine and daughter Catie and other family members. As a CCCA member we have vivid memories of Gene and his 1937 Cadillac at many, many meets. He ultimately replaced that favorite with a new favorite – another Cadillac – a gorgeous 1953 Cadillac convertible. He was often seen tooling around Birmingham in his newer ride. Another prominent memory is Gene with an apron behind the grill at the annual Michigan Region – CCCA SteakRoast. He was chief cook for many years. “Gino” is remembered by those who knew him well as funny, rock steady and loyal. He will be missed by all who were fortunate to know him. Tlanda McDonald

March - April 2017

The Steering Column By Tlanda McDonald Hello to all, As you read this column we will be exiting our winter hiatus and anticipating better weather to come. Along with the weather we car lovers also look forward to finalizing the winter preservation and restoration projects for each of our Full Classics® to be sure we and it are ready for the season! Another mode of preparation I would like to encourage all of you to review is that of our constantly growing and improving Michigan Region Website at www.classiccarsofmichigan.com. I’m sure you have noticed that one of your Board of Managers, Jay Fitzgerald, is dedicated to this project and to the value of its communication within our Region. Yes, technology is here to stay and we have embraced it whole heartedly as we recognize the speed at which up to date information can be disseminated and the ability to reach so many of you with important details of our Club. The site is incredibly well done featuring not only details about our Regional operation but also with various links to our National site and other points of interest. There is a “member only” link which asks that you register to access more privileged data and information. My challenge to each of you reading Torque this month is to check out the site and let us know how much you appreciate this vital source for our Region. And if you have suggestions that would enhance its value please let us know that as well. Very truly yours,

CREATIVE HEALTH PRODUCTS Leading supplier of exercise, fitness testing and medical equipment. Contract Holder GS07F0030N

AED

Blood Analyzer QUALITY PRODUCTS PROMPT FRIENDLY SERVICE

Authorized POLAR SERVICE CENTER www.polarservicecenter.com Authorized LANGE SERVICE CENTER www.langeservicecenter.com

800-287-5901 C R E AT I V E H E A LT H P R O D U C T S 7621 East Joy Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48105

800-742-4478 w w w. c h p o n l i n e . c o m 34

Award Winning Restora�ons We pride ourselves in our a�en�on to detail and cra�smanship be it a full restora�on, special car build, par�al restora�on or service work. We have been providing these services since 1987. Call or visit our 14,000 sq � facility located 30 minutes west of Ann Arbor.

Bob Anzalone R&A Engineeing,Inc 8720 Sharon Hollow Road Manchester, MI 48158 (734)428-1808 Fax(734)428-1807 Email: anzalone61@msm.com Website: www.ra-restora�ons.com

March - April 2017