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Inside This Issue Michigan Region 2016 Activities Calendar………...…..………....………….…….…4 From Your Editor…..…….….……….……….….….….….….…..….…….…………5 Cover Story: Bruce Grinager’s 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Phaeton………………...7 Back Cover Story: Robert Valpey’s 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Roadster…….…...10 The Packard Speedsters………………………………………………………………13 Michigan Region’s 60th Anniversary Crank Up Party…………….………………….14 60 Years and Still Going Strong!…………………………………………………….16 Mini CARavan to Shipshewana, Indiana…………….………………………………18 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance…………….…………………………………...20 Obituary: Doug Houston..……………………………………………………………22 Theory of Ailing Starters..….….……………………………………………………..23 Alfa Romeo, Part 2…………..……………….……………………………………....25 1941 Cadillac Crossover Exhaust Manifold Heat Shield.……………….…….…….28 New Member Profiles……………………………………….……………………….29 ReTorque…………………………………………………………………………….30 The Steering Column…………………….…………………………………………..32 4
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2016 Leadership www.classiccarsofmichigan.com 4717 Maddie Lane Dearborn, MI 48126
Board of Managers Director
Publications Committee Torque Editor
Paul Wise
Rich Ray (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
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
Phil Fischer (734) 377-6553 corbuck6147@att.net
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) 313-9528 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
May - June 2016
Bruce Thomas (248) 594-6499
No.443
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.
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Michigan Region 2016 Activities Calendar May 15, Sunday - Spring Tour June 4, Saturday - National Grand Classic @ Gilmore June 5, Sunday - Gilmore Museum Experience July 9, Saturday - 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) 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
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May - June 2016
From Your Editor By Rich Ray
Page 22 of this issue reports the passing of long time Michigan Region Member, Doug Houston. I first got to know Doug when I joined the Publications Committee around 2004. Everyone who knew Doug will agree with my first impression that Doug was a character; one of those unique individuals that make life interesting. He was extremely knowledgeable on all things Cadillac and, when joined up with the equally knowledgeable Paul Ayres, I knew I was going to learn something, whether I wanted to or not. A lot of time at Torque Committee meetings were devoted to these discussions, sometimes to the chagrin of chairman Tom Goad who simply wanted to know if someone would convert this avalanche of knowledge into a much needed article. Doug could be somewhat "cantankerous" and was never reluctant to express his opinion to me if I wrote something he disagreed with. After an article about my 1941 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Sedan appeared in Torque, I received a call from Doug saying my car wasn't equipped with a day/night rear view mirror. Expecting a lecture on this authenticity violation, I said "I didn't know I should have one." Doug told me that they were an available accessory and he had one for me. I breathed a sigh of relief and the next time I saw Doug, he gave me a NOS rear view mirror, explaining to me precisely the correct way it should be mounted. In looking through back issues of Torque to find photos of Doug, of which there are very few since he was often acting as club photographer, I did encounter many of the fine articles he contributed. One of those is reprinted on page 23 of this issue. The Michigan Region will feel the loss of this very knowledgeable man who did so much for us.
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Torque Advertising Rates One Year (6 Issues)
Single Issue
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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.
The Enthusiast Garage, LLC Where you would send a friend Classic and Antique Restoration and Service Including But Not Limited To: Mechanical, Body, Paint, Upholstery General Service and Maintenance Full Ground Up Restorations
The Enthusiast Garage, LLC Jocko McNeal, Proprietor 2720 N. Monroe, Frenchtown, MI 48162 Phone and FAX: 734-637-1421 Email: highlander809@gmail.com 8
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1930 Packard 734 Speedster Phaeton
By Bruce Grinager Photos by Don Wood III The first thing anyone should notice about this car is the long, low bodyline beginning with the nearly eight-foot long front fender curve. Right? But the first thing most folks do notice is the color. I painted it before I learned that originality has its own virtues so this is not the factory color. But it could have been! You see, the Speedster brochure stated that “…the Phaeton is strictly custom built and may be developed in any upholstery or color harmonies that please the owner’s expression of good taste.” How classically stated by Packard. These colors remain because, after all, who else has a Packard with colors specifically suggested for their specific car by a (former) Packard Chief Stylist? Richard Teague, a confirmed historic car fan, and I were mutual members of a car club in Detroit when I got the car and he was happy to offer his ideas when I asked. Well done, Dick. The colors endure – and I still have the color chips you gave me. What makes a 734 Speedster so special? Start by making a list of the features that make any classic car more desirable and you will find you have defined the 734 Speedster. It featured high power, speed, great engineering, long front end, sleek low styling, rarity, high price, and more. Jesse Vincent, the Packard Chief Engineer was a go-fast guy in a company that revered dignity first. Although the motivation behind the Speedster was Vincent’s lust for performance, an equal amount of talent was spent on the very special styling that achieved a much lower, narrow, and sleek look. May - June 2016
This begins with a very long hood but differences begin at the cowl that is seven inches longer than others to extend the visual length of the hood. The aft position of the cowl closer to the front seat restricts ease of foot entry – but finally gaining entry to a Speedster is well worth the effort. Adding to the look, the sides of the car extend straight back from the hood sides rather than flaring four inches wider starting at the firewall. Most importantly, the body is lower. The upper molding on the hood had to be lowered two inches below the top of the hood to match the lower door height, and the top is mounted another two inches lower so overall it is at least four inches lower than a stately DeLuxe 745. The windshield is about the lowest that Packard ever made. Vincent got dispensation to build a few 626 Speedsters in 1929, then a full 1930 line of five body styles with up to 145 hp – 100 more than the 1930 transportation standard, the Model A Ford. But that came at a $5200 price - just as the 1929 stock market crashed. Triple the HP but at ten times the $525 Ford price. Even worse, it was just in time to face the new Cadillac V16 with 185 hp at the New York Auto Show. Embarrassed, Packard never ran a single ad for the 734 Speedster so credible production estimates range from only 113 to 120 of which about 32 were phaetons. Five remain. At least three of the other four have been seen at Pebble Beach. Now for the “Speedster” part. The touted 95-100 mph speed was delivered from what later became the 1931 384 cid Deluxe block with its better valve and intake design, high compression head, faster axle ratio, a finned exhaust manifold to dissipate heat and a 9
new intake manifold to accommodate double the number of carburetor barrels with the new two-barrel carburetor. The exhaust pipe was slightly larger to speed pollution to the muffler which had a by-pass to avoid those pesky baffles. Even a vacuum pump was added so the vacuum fuel tank could still feed the engine at wide open throttle. The known history of this car begins in June 1942 when Navy Lt. Smith Hempstone Oliver saw it frequently parked on the street in Manhattan and traced the owner to Long Island. A year later he was able to buy it and drove it until 1948 (on Brooklyn Navy Yard rationed gasoline during WWII) when he sold it to a lawyer who took it to Detroit where I found it in 1959. It took me six months to convince him he was never going to start restoring it (it had been dormant in a garage for 12 years) and another six months to establish a price during which time he contacted Oliver again for price advice. But… of the many great classic cars he had owned, Oliver said this Speedster had been the most fun to drive. He wanted to buy it back. I figured it was gone. Oliver drove to Detroit from Washington D.C. to check it out, put money down, and then went back home to get estimates on some engine work, paint, interior, and cosmetics it needed. But I kept calling every few weeks just in case it hadn’t left. Thankfully, Oliver did not like the estimates – he canceled the deal by telling the seller that the work would be another $800 over the car price and “…God knows it will never be worth that much.” 10
Clockwise from left: The body tag tells the story the Speedster body was built in Packard’s own body shop; the rear mounted spare tire and split bumper; the short wheelbase with long hood and rear-mounted spare tire give the Speedster a sporty appearance; rear quarter view shows sporty appearance; chrome wire wheels; Bruce’s initials and the original purchase price grace the grille.
So persevere, folks. As Yogi said, “it ain’t over till it’s over.” So now the car was available with an established price so we were ready to go. Early on I had started it and driven it around the block and other than the non-functioning vacuum fuel tank it ran well so I felt OK about driving it out Grand River Ave. from Detroit to Farmington. I showed up with the battery from my Model T, a gas can, a water bucket, and a check and drove it home, stopping every few miles to funnel in another vacuum tank full of gas. As if all the character of the car was not enough to love, this car has never been restored in the conventional sense – because it never needed it. The cosmetics have all been done but the metal and wood of the body have never been touched. Front fenders have had very minor work around the edges, but that’s it. Every numbered component is original which seems increasingly desirable these days. Now please don’t tell the judges, but some of the frame unseen from above has intentionally been left untouched because the original factory paint on it still has some sheen. We can restore anything but original only comes once. May - June 2016
Clockwise from above: The business end of the Speedster; the engine features a high compression cylinder head, larger valves, ribbed exhaust manifold and a two-barrel Detroit Lubricator updraft carburetor; refitted with blackwall tires, the car looks even sportier; this Packard blurb explains what the Speedster is all about; proud owner Bruce Grinager, with his 1930 Packard 734 Speedster at the 2015 Grand Experience; Grinager’s Speedster as it appeared in 1942.
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1930 Packard 734 Speedster Roadster
By Robert Valpey Images by Don Wood III and the Author In the early 1960s I was on a tour in my 1941 Packard 180 Formal Sedan. Also on the tour was a 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Phaeton. The owner offered to switch cars much to my surprise and delight. The drive over the next 50 miles was far more exciting than any antique or classic car I had driven. I searched Hemmings Motor News, the Hershey Flea Market, and auctions hoping to find a 734 for the next 45 years. Finally in 2007 this 734 came up at an auction and I took the plunge. The history and ownership is known back to 1948. There have been four owners since 1948. In 1948 the cosmetic condition was typical of many classics that missed the World War II scrap drive, incorrect headlights and wheels, very poor paint, and unknown mechanical condition. Perhaps in the 1950s the 734 was treated to a typical period driving restoration. Naugahyde upholstery over the original leather was used in much of the interior. This fortunately gave good original interior for patterns when the 734 was treated to a full restoration by Sargent Metal Works of Vermont in 2012-2013. The color Plum, a Packard color, was found in numerous places during restoration.
drums, and a straight-thru exhaust system activated from a floor mounted foot control. Packard built in their factory custom shop, about one hundred twenty-five 734 Speedsters. Their coach work offered Sedans, five-passenger Victoria Coupes, Phaetons, Boattail Runabouts and four-passenger Roadsters of which there were seven built. This Roadster is one of two surviving Roadsters that we know of. A total of about twenty-five 734 Speedsters of various body styles are known to survive. The cost of a Boattail Runabout or Phaeton was approximately $5,200.00 in 1930. Below: Detail of the hood vent doors and the new arrow design at the leading end of the belt line stripe.
The 734 was Packard’s answer to the need for a car with good, fast, driving potential. It was known that Stutz had a twin-cam engine, Cadillac and Marmon had V-16 engines ready for the market. The Packard 734s had a high compression head, a large 2-barrel updraft carburetor, larger valves, finned exhaust manifold and brake 12
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Clockwise from above: The rear mounted spare tire with split bumper; the headlamp bar badge carries Robert Valpey’s initials; rear quarter view of the Packard; the functional cockpit of the Speedster.
Clockwise from above: the instrument panel detail; radiator detail with unique badge; the 6.3 liter engine features cooling fins on the exhaust manifold and a 2-barrel carburetor.
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Clockwise from above: The radiator badge proclaims the 6.3 liters displacement of the Speedster engine; the rear view as it nears completion; the Speedster under restoration; the engine is nearly completely installed; the cockpit before instrument panel and trim; the body and engine are in the chassis.
Clockwise from above: The engine, radiator and lamps are in place; the engine has just been installed; the stowage compartment behind the driver; top frame assembly is complete; detailed trim in the cowl area; untrimmed rumble seat floor; the vehicle data plate proclaims the car was delivered in May, 1930.
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The Packard 734 Speedsters By Rich Ray
The two Packard Speedsters featured in this issue of Torque represent a unique offering of the Packard Motor Company. Known for its conservative luxury cars preferred by affluent, conservative customers, Packard showed its "feisty" side with these cars first introduced in 1929. Col. Jesse Vincent, Packard's engineering chief, loved speed and spent a lot of time at the Packard Proving Grounds testing his company's new offerings. The high speed 2 1/2 mile oval test track often held the world speed records in its heyday. During the late 1920s, after experiencing exhilarating rides in Bugattis and Mercedes-Benz in Europe, Vincent saw performance as one way to maintain Packard's leadership in the upper end of the car market. Several approaches were prototyped and tested including supercharging, a Monoblock straight twelve cylinder engine, overhead valves packaged in narrow-bodied, short wheelbase chassis. For the 1929 model year, Packard introduced the 626 speedster line consisting of three factory-bodied styles - phaeton/touring car, sedan and roadster. Riding on a 126 inch wheelbase chassis and powered by Packard's big 8-cylinder engine with high compression heads and high-lift camshafts producing 130 HP. The short wheelbase had the effect of making the hood appear relatively longer and was coupled with small venting hood doors, replacing vertical louvres, and rear mounted spare tires to give a longer, lower appearance. The concept was further developed for 1930 with the introduction of the 734 Speedster. This rode on a 134 inch wheelbase chassis and the heavily tweaked 384.8 CID 8-cylinder engine claimed 125 to 145 HP and a maximum speed of better than 105 mph. The higher output engine included a high compression cylinder head, larger valves, ribbed exhaust manifold, a two-barrel Detroit May - June 2016
Above: Factory photo of a 734 Boattail Speedster. Bottom: Col. Jesse Vincent’s Speedster at speed at the Packard Proving Grounds.
Lubricator updraft carburetor and a higher ratio 4-speed transmission. A two-passenger runabout with a boattail rear deck provided a dramatic bodystyle, although the line also offered a 4-passenger phaeton, a four-passenger Coupe Victoria and a 2-/4-passenger roadster and a four-door sedan. The open body models were three inches narrower than their standard model counterparts while the closed models featured lower rooflines. To help justify prices ranging up to $6,000 (an entry level Packard started at $2,425), each Speedster was driven or "broken in" before delivery and was "custom built" with unlimited paint and upholstery choices and bore a "Custom Made by Packard" body plate. The line was formally introduced at the January 1930 New York Automobile Show although customers had been primed by the release of photos of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh driving a Speedster at the Packard Proving Grounds test track at 109 mph. The factory described the Speedster as designed for "the few who desire to attain a maximum speed." However, as they say, timing is everything and the timing of the Packard 734 Speedster was not great, coming two months after the 1929 stock market crash. Packard sales went into free fall, along with the rest of the industry. Packard customers, preferred luxury, elegance and style over speed and performance and the Speedster lasted less than one year. While few of the 1929 626 Speedsters are known to survive today, about a quarter of the 120 1930 734 Speedsters produced are still around, including the two in the preceding pages. 15
Michigan Region’s 60th Anniversary Crank Up Party By Rich Ray Photos by Diane Ekizian and the Author
The Michigan Region CCCA cranked up its 60th year on Valentine's Day, 2016 with a great celebration at Cantoro's Italian Market & Trattoria in Plymouth, Michigan. We took over their private underground Tuscan Wine Cellar to enjoy champagne, Italian wines and other wondrous delicacies. Seventy five stalwart members and guests gathered on a cold and windy day to commemorate our 60th year (see following article). Outside temperatures were in the single digits and no one had the audacity to bring out a Full Classic®. Probably just as well since the parking lot was jammed with shoppers stocking up on fine Italian foods. Shopping carts and Classics don't mix happily. Cantaro's is primarily a true Italian market and founder Mario Fallone is living the “American Dream”. Born in San Elia, Italy during World War II, Mario came to America in the early 1950’s, settling in Detroit. After many years in the grocery business, Mario purchased Cantoro Italian Market and, in 1974, moved the business to Livonia, which is now the Livonia Cantoro Italian Market. He added the Italian Market and Trattoria in 2014 in nearby Plymouth, Michigan. It is unique because within it is a restaurant called the Trattoria, private banquet areas, a Mezzanine area, as well as the old world Wine Cellar located in the lower level. Both locations are operated with the help and support of Mario's wife Pasqualina “Pat,” and their sons. Cantoro's is a family operation with a wide selection of old world, homemade baked goods and meal items, along with hard-to-find imported packaged food products. Upon arrival, we were greeted with glasses of champagne by the Activity Committee made up of Ara Ekizian, Phil Fischer and Dan Clements. Mingling and getting reacquainted after the winter break, we enjoyed Italian antipasta meat and cheese plates. We were then seated for dinner including insalata, pasta course of rigatoni with meat sauce followed by chicken picatta with Italian potatoes and asparagus. 16
Left and bottom: Cantoro’s Market has some cool displays one doesn’t see in ordinary supermarkets. Above: Guests were greeted by Activities Committee members Dan Clements, Phil Fischer and Ara Ekizian.
Following dinner, organizer Ara Ekizian greeted everyone and invited Katie Robbins to light a candle on the large 60th anniversary cake. Each of the nine former Regional Directors present, as well as current Director Paul Wise, also lit a candle. Additionally, the wives of three former Directors, Lee Belf, Tlanda McDonald and Carol Bray lit candles. Everyone then enjoyed a piece of 60th anniversary cake. Joining in were members Bob & Mary Anzalone, Lee & Floy Barthel, Lee Belf, Tom & Lois Booth, Carol Bray, Jerry & Pat Brochstein, Alex & Faye Buchan, Dan & JoAnn Clements, Bob & Linda Denk, Wally & Marlene Donoghue, David & Mia Donoghue, Amy Donoghue, Louis Donoghue, Ara & Diane Ekizian, Phil & Helen Fischer, Jay & Patty Fitzgerald, Don & Vicki Gale, Kent & Amy Jidov, Greg & Kathy Kosmatka, Tlanda McDonald, Jerry & Judy Medow, Bob & Dorothy Messinger, Rich & Mary Ray, Katie Robbins, Larry & Nancy Seyfarth, Dan & Marty Sommer, Jerry & Helen Szostak, Paul & Sandy Wise and Diran & Joyce Yazejian. It was a great start to this significant year for our region and we thank Ara and Diane Ekizian for organizing this activity. May - June 2016
Clockwise from left: Paul Wise, Jay Fitzgerald, Ara Ekizian and Wally Donoghue admire the Michigan Region’s 60th birthday cake; Jay Fitzgerald, Greg Kosmatka, Kathy Kosmatka, Kent Jidov, Amy Jidov, Lee Barthel and Floy Barthel enjoy dinner in Cantoro’s interesting Wine Cellar; Mary Ray, Sandra Wise and Kathy Kosmatka enjoy some of the wine; Joyce and Diran Yazegian check out the produce; Nancy Seyfarth and Bob Messinger watch Lee Barthel light one of the candles, Wally Donoghue lights a candle as Bob Messinger and Paul Wise look on; the produce area at Cantoro’s Market. Bottom left: Lee Belf, Dot Messinger, Carol Bray and Katie Robbins. Bottom right: Past Directors present included from left: Jay Fitzgerald, Wally Donoghue, Rich Ray, Larry Seyfarth, Bob Messinger, Lee Barthel (obscured), Nancy Seyfarth, Katie Robbins, Lee Barthel, Paul Wise, Lee Belf, Tlanda McDonald, Carol Bray (whose spouses were past directors) and Paul Wise.
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60 Years and Still Going Strong! Article and Images by Bruce Thomas
Left: The 51 charter members of the Michigan Region, several of whom are still with us. Above: The scene of an early meet over the hood of Bruce Thomas’ 1933 Chrysler Imperial.
As the Historian for the Michigan Region of the Classic Car Club of America, and as a charter member, I was well aware of 2016 being our sixtieth anniversary and had recommended to various members of the board for a "Special Meet" to commemorate it in 2016.
caught my attention, so I visited the Detroit meet site. Of course it was the Classic Car Club of America and I joined on the spot. I finally had found a club dedicated to the long hood, sweeping fender, high powered cars I admired.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to be asked to write an article on the 60th anniversary and I agreed to write something. Trying to determine what might be interesting to current day members posed a problem and I finally decided to just write what came to mind as I reflected on the old car hobby and the CCCA in particular.
In the national CCCA magazine, an article appeared in 1956, encouraging people interested in establishing a Michigan region to contact Frank Kinzinger, an attorney in Royal Oak, Michigan. The first twenty five signers were the Charter Members. By year's end, 100 members existed. Oddly enough, the original signed charter does not exist in the archives.
I personally have always been a car nut and in the 30's had an almost complete set of diecast Tootsietoy cars (still have a few) and when I was discharged from the Navy in 1946, I went to work at a car company, Chrysler, working on a Masters Degree in Engineering. The training program involved three month assignments in various parts of Chrysler Engineering. While I was working in the road test garage, two mechanics and I got the assignment of working on a 1933 Chrysler Imperial LeBaron Phaeton owned by singer Jimmy Melton. He was a personal friend of the vice-president of engineering and we installed an incorrect white plastic steering wheel, a new exhaust system and incorrect overdrive transmission and did a general tune up on the car. We always got to "road test" our mechanical work and we took the phaeton for a spin. I fell in love with the car and that long, long hood and decided then and there I would have to have one. The old car hobby in those days was made up of various diverse groups which had interests in every conceivable old car. The big car clubs, AACA and VMCCA, generally catered to cars of the 20's and earlier and most people were "make-oriented", like Ford, Dodge, etc. Working for Chrysler, and having that brand loyalty, restricted my potential purchases, but I looked at many that were available through newspaper ads, word of mouth, etc., In 1953, a group centered in the New York metropolitan area, staged a CARavan to Detroit and a brief article in the local newspaper 18
We have scrap books of the early years of the club, but very few pictures exist. The content is mainly flyers and a few pictures. I have included a picture of my 1933 Chrysler Imperial which I bought in early 1956. It was a work in progress, as you can see, but it was already a family fun car. Family was one of the key components of the club initially and the Michigan Region meets were family-oriented with picnics, swim meets, car gymkhanas, etc. My kids all remember the meets and the friends they met. Marg and George Hubbell, early club members and owners of a gorgeous estate near Milford, hosted many summer swim, game and picnic meets. To the delight of all, George would run his enormous steam powered traction engine around the fields with all the kids putting out grass fires behind the vehicle. When the children turned in their "fire-fighting brooms", they each received a silver dollar. Marg was the first club historian and her scrapbooks cover the club's early days. All the early members were acutely aware of the difficulty in finding people with similar car design ideas so we tried and were successful in getting write ups in Sunday supplements to the local newspapers to attract new members. In trying to publicize the Classic Car Club, we had a great asset in Greenfield Village which May - June 2016
Clockwise from above: Three of the five Duesenbergs at an early meet in Grand Rapids; author Bruce Thomas with his “$500” 1933 Chrysler Imperial; a press clipping from an early Grand Classic.
then, and now, was a great gathering place for car hobbyists of all types. Greenfield Village was very receptive to Michigan Region events. These of course were publicized and brought new members to the club and gave us days of enjoyment at the village. My children in particular, remember rides on the paddle wheel boat, the antique trains, horse drawn wagons, the chiming clock tower and various events. When the region got under way, we had some great meets which were largely subsidized by the meet organizer. This caused people to shy away from organizing meets due to the expense it could entail. Early on, we passed a resolution: you could not subsidize a meet. One early meet (which was subsidized) was in Grand Rapids on the estate of Dudley Waters, a charter member. As I recall, at the meet, there were five Duesenbergs (the first time in years that many had assembled). It was a simply glorious day. Preston Tucker was there and for some reason I went for a ride with him in his Tucker. He was trying very hard to get the Tucker classified as a Full Classic®, but, of course, that failed. As a long-time car collector, seeing the cost of vehicles then, as compared to now, is somewhat staggering. Our classics in the early days were priced in the hundreds of dollars or less and were of course only twenty to thirty years old. Restoration back then meant keeping the car presentable and drivable and hundred point cars were very rare. Various wrecking yards were springing up in the May - June 2016
east and far west of the country and were great sources of parts. One of the charter members of the Michigan Region owned a Chrysler parts facility in Port Huron which helped me from time to time. Most of our members were car-oriented and road side repairs and owner restorations were the key. We all have crazy price stories, but a current one for me is the 1933 Imperial shown in an earlier photograph which is being auctioned this year with an estimated price between $700 and $900 thousand. I paid five hundred dollars for it! I dearly wish the "paper trail " of the early days of the club was less fragile, but I understand sometime this sixtieth anniversary year, we will try to make available, at a meet, some of the scrapbooks of the early years, not just the first. 19
Spring Overnighter: Food, Cars, Horsebuns & More Food By Rich Ray Photos by Diane Ekizian and the Author
Early on Friday morning, March 18, a group of Michigan Region members convened in a miniscule corner of the infinite Meijer's parking lot on Zeeb Road west of Ann Arbor to fortify themselves with coffee and donuts for a overnighter trip to Shipshewana, Indiana. After instructions from tour leader Dan Clements, we were off to our first stop in the small Michigan college town of Spring Arbor. Ye Ole Carriage Shop displays the collection of Lloyd and Judi Ganton which offers something for everyone. Lloyd, with the assistance of his grandson, Jacob, personally guided our tour through the vintage cars which focuses on those built in Jackson, Michigan. In the early years of the automobile industry, Jackson, was the fourth largest auto producing city in the country, including recognizable brands such as Buick and Kaiser-Darrin in addition to the largely forgotten Reeves, Jaxon, Jackson, CarterCar, Orlo, Whiting, Butcher and Gage, Janney, Globe, Steel Swallow, C.V.I., Imperial, Ames-Dean, Cutting, Standard Electric, Duck, Briscoe, Argo, Hollier, Hackett, Marion-Handly, Gem, Earl and Wolverine. Ganton's collection includes 16 made in Jackson and five "one-andonlys", Jackson cars of which only one was built. In addition to the cars, there is a large "Coca-Cola" room filled with original CocaCola memorabilia set around a soda fountain moved from a drugstore in northern Michigan. A recreation of a 1950s kitchen and a large display of vintage pedal cars rounds out the exhibit. From there we sought nourishment at Stoagies Family Room Cafe, located in an old mansion in Coldwater for great lunch to fortify ourselves for the drive to Shepshewana, just across the state line into Indiana. A sign on the wall warned us that "there will be a $5 charge 20
Clockwise from left: “Oat-burners” were everywhere in Shipshewana; Amy Jidov was taken with the ‘57 Chevy at Ye Olde Carriage Shop; JoAnn Clements wanted to take Elvis home; Lloyd Ganton and his grandson, Jacob, were our hosts; this beautiful 1932 Pierce-Arrow was one of the Full Classics® on display.
for whining and $10 for being a real pain in the butt" - good advice for any CARavan. Shepshewana is in the heart of Amish country with roads shared between modern cars and horse-drawn buggies. Noted for its huge flea market, which (mercifully) is only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the summer months, a few sought exercise roaming some of the gift shops that were open to make room for dinner in our own private dining room at the Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery. Here we stuffed ourselves with a home-style Amish dinner of fried chicken, roast beef and great deserts. Everyone gathered back at our lodging, the Blue Gate Garden Inn, to share some spirit and spirits at the hospitality room. After a large buffet breakfast the next morning, we visited the Guggisberg Cheese Deutsch Käse Haus where we could watch cheese being made, sampled and, of course, sold. Then we moved across the road to the Menno-Hof to see and hear the AmishMennonite story. The Amish are a branch of the Anabaptist movement that began during the Reformation in 16th century Europe. They have resisted many modern conveniences, including cars, radios or television, phones and electricity in their homes. The Menno-Hof (Mennonite farmstead) gave us an interesting understanding of this faith which claims a 1.5 million followers in 66 countries around the world, but principally in the U.S. and Canada. We then drove to LaPorte, Indiana to visit the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum. This large building, originally built by Dr. Peter C. Kesling and his wife to house their extensive automoMay - June 2016
Clockwise from above left: The Menno-Hof Museum looks like a typical Amish farmstead; standing from left are Mary Ray, Amy Jidov, Floy Barthel and Diane Ekizian while seated are Judy Kudla, Linda Pirous, Rosaline Humphries and JoAnn Clements; Lee & Floy Barthel celebrated their 56th wedding anniveresary; Rosaline Humphries, Mary Ray and Diane Ekizian relax in a replica Amish buggy; this one-eyed 1915 Brisco speedster is one of two known to exist; Lloyd Ganton describes his Coca-Cola room to the group; 1938 Mercedes-Benz at the LaPorte Museum; Mary Ray is frightened by this Classic Era hair curler;
Left: enjoying dinner are Graham & Rosaline Humphries, Mary Ray, Ara Ekizian (Diane hidden), Linda Pilous & Bob Denk, Dan Clements, (Judy Kudla hidden), Jerry Medow, Phil Fischer, Floy & Lee Barthel, Amy & Kent Jidov, JoAnn Clements with Rich Ray reflected in mirror at rear. Right above: 1934 Brewster 4-Door Convertible at the LaPorte Museum.
bile collection includes many displays of the history of LaPorte as well as Kesling's automobile collection which ranges from a 1903 Winton to a 1982 DeLorean. The 1903 Winton was driven from California to New York City by Dr. and Mrs. Kesling in 2003, retracing the path of the first coast to coast auto journey by Dr. Horatio Jackson, one hundred years earlier. The collection contains many Indiana-built automobiles including a 1929 Auburn Cabin Speedster with T-tops recreating an original destroyed in the disastrous fire at the 1929 Los Angeles Auto Show. A 1929 Auburn Boattail Speedster joins two Cords, a 1930 L-29 and a 1937 Model 812, and a 1929 Duesenberg Model J. May - June 2016
Right lower: In 1903, a Winton (NC) was the first automobile to cross the continent with Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson at the wheel. This 1903 Winton completed a 2003 rerun of that trip from San Francisco to New York with Dr. and Mrs. Kesling driving.
To brace ourselves for the trip home, we had an early dinner at the Round the Clock Restaurant in LaPorte including huge deserts. Overall, it was a great, diet-busting, weekend organized by Dan & JoAnn Clements and the Activities Committee. Participating were Lee & Floy Barthel, Bob Denk and Linda Pilous, Ara & Diane Ekizian, Phil Fischer, Graham & Rosaline Humphries, Kent & Amy Jidov, Jerry Medow & Judy Kudla and Rich & Mary Ray. 21
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance Article & Photos by Don Wood III
On Saturday, March 5th at around 5:30 a.m., Greg Ornazian picked me up in Rochester to start our trek to sunshine. We drove thru snow, rain, drizzle, fog and a detour because of a rockslide in Tennessee to finally get to Greg's place in Fort Meyers, Florida at 1:30 Sunday morning. We got to Jacksonville on Wednesday and headed to Amelia to check out the auctions. There were going to be five this year: Bonhams, Hollywood Wheels, Motostalgia, Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby’s. Bonhams had about twenty CCCA recognized cars to bid on, Hollywood Wheels had no Full Classics®, but mostly 1950s -2000 American convertibles along with Ferrari, BMW, Lamborghini and about every Porsche you could imagine up for bid. Motostalgia had some fiberglass L29 Cords and a 1929 V12 Cadillac convertible that would make a good tour vehicle. Gooding’s auctioned off a 1929 Disappearing Top Model J Duesenberg that went for $2.64 million, a 1936 Cord 810 cabriolet for $143,000, a 1948 Chrysler Town and Country Convertible for $132,000 and a 1941 Lincoln Zephyr for $214,500. Jerry Seinfeld was able to sell some of his Porsche collection for $22 million; good for him. At RM Sotheby's, a 1930 Cord L29 sold for $203,500, a 1932 Packard Twelve coupe roadster for $1.21 million, a 1932 Ruxton Model C sold for $357,500, a 1931 Stutz DV32 convertible victoria by Rollston sold for $1.1 million, a 1935 Auburn 8 supercharged speedster sold for $4,715,000, a 1931 Marmon Sixteen convertible sedan by LeBaron sold for $632,500 and a 1928 Bentley 4½ litre tourer by Vanden Plas sold for $852,500. There was a flurry of things happening at the Ritz-Carlton on Saturday. Heacock Insurance had a Cars and Coffee that filled both fairways with a great array of vehicles. Also, there were several meet and greets of legendary racecar drivers of every era. We enjoyed some $9 brats in the ocean side café at the Ritz and watched stagehands wrestle a Green 1966 Lamborghini Muira onto a stage. We picked up our passes and purchased a ticket for my father. The passes are $95 before the show but, on Sunday, they go for $120. I recommend purchasing an early entry wrist band - we didn’t and by the time we got in at 9:30 it was a sea of humanity and the cars on the field disappeared. Show day, Sunday, March 13th, was threatening rain showers around 3:30 p.m., so only the first place winners of each class were paraded to the front of the arena. RM Sotheby's had seats available right in front, so Greg and I dropped off my father to sample the 22
Clockwise from left: Tlanda McDonald, Carol Bray and Pam & Lee Wolff; Don Wood enjoys the show; a Duesenberg engine is always a thing of beauty.
food and drink in the tent where he was very satisfied not to have to walk around the crowded field. Plus, he knew his son would take 600 photos that he could enjoy on his ipad at a later date. So Greg and I meandered thru the crowds of folk and enjoyed the show. We bumped into many CCCA members at Amelia, Bill Davis, Carol Bray, Tlanda McDonald, Lee Belf and Andy Wolf were enjoying the hospitality of the OFF Brothers in the Rolls Royce category. Those guys know how to party with huge shrimp cocktails, mimosas, wine, fruit and crackers. Further down in the Duesenberg category, Mark Hyman had a lovely cold cut spread and the corks were popping as well. John Lauter from Ted Stahl's Collection had their Duesenberg Model J Sedan there, as well as, Dave Gaunt and his Auburn Supercharged Speedster. We also bumped into Dan Sommer, Werner Meier, Brian Joseph and Terry and Jennifer Adderley The Best of Show was won by the Nethercutt Museum with a stunning Rolls Royce Town Car. The show beat the rain which showed up a little after 4 p.m. By that time, the field was clear and Dad and I headed back to our hotel to get ready for the drive back to Michigan. This Concours should be on everybody's bucket list: the quality of vehicles organizer Bill Warner puts together is stunning and rewarding. This is my second time and I look forward to returning again and spring for the early entry wrist band! May - June 2016
Clockwise from top left: If the weight of all the show cars don’t sink the island, the addition of spectators should do it; the Best of Show 1930 Rolls-Royce Phantom II and 1952 Pegaso Z-102; Greg Ornazian checks out the 1938 Phantom Corsair; Ted Stahl’s Amelia Award winning 1934 Duesenberg J-486 Sedan; one many V16 Cadillacs; Terry Adderley’s Best in Class 1937 Cord 812; a very, very elegant 1934 Packard Convertible Victoria; Dick Kughn’s Cadillac V16 at the RM Sotheby’s booth; Hyman’s 1932 Duesenberg J354 Victoria Coupe accepts the Rolex Timepiece Award.
Left: Tom Tuls’ Amelia Award winning 1931 Packard 840. Right: Ted Stahl’s Auburn (left) looks subdued next to its yellow and orange neighbor.
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Obituary:
Doug Houston
Clockwise from left: Doug relaxing at a 2009 activity; Doug was the first to receive the Michigan Region’s Robbins Man of the Year Award; Doug with his 1941 Cadillac Coupe at the 1987 Carnival of Cars where he always handled the public address system; Doug’s 1941 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Sedan; Doug receiving the Henry M. Leland Award from Cadillac & LaSalle Club president Don King; Doug’s 1938 Cadillac 60 Special Sedan.
Michigan Region lost long-time member Douglas Houston on February 9, 2016 at age 86. Doug was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and served in the U.S. Army in Korea. He spent his career as a civilian electrical engineer for the U.S. Army at TACOM in Detroit. He was buried with Military Honors as the Great Lakes National Cemetary near Holly, Michigan. Doug was a member of the Michigan Region for 55 years. He was CCCA member number 161, having joined the club in 1961. He served continuously on the Torque Committee from at least 1969 until his death. He contributed countless articles focused primarily in his areas of expertise in electrical issues, especially radios, which helped many members, and Hydramatic transmissions. He was recognized as an expert in all things Cadillac, especially late 30s and 40s cars, and his passing represents a significant loss in the club's knowledge base in this area. He owned about ten collector cars including the following Full Classic® Cadillacs: 1939 Series 90 Coupe by Fleetwood, 1939 Series 90 Town Sedan, 1939 60 Special Sedan, 1941 Series 62 Convertible Coupe, 1941 Series 62 Coupe, 1941 Series 62 Convertible Sedan and a 1941 60 Special Sedan. He acquired the last car in 1956, well before it attained Full Classic® status. 24
Doug was a skilled amateur photographer spending a lot of time behind the camera covering region activities for Torque. The downside of his dedication is that there were not many photographs available of Doug to complement this article. He was the first recipient of the Michigan Region's Robbins Man of the Year Award in 1972 and in 2014 he received the prestigious Henry M. Leland Award from the national Cadillac & LaSalle Club. His longtime friend, Bob Dziewit "first met Doug, in 1977, carrying a 1941 Cadillac bumper down the hallway of the Engineering building at TACOM on his lunch break! He first met Dave Holls when the two of them were scrounging for 1941 Cadillac parts at a junk yard on Mound Road in Sterling Heights. Dave arranged for GM to use Doug's 1938 60 Special in the 1972 Cadillac sales brochure, the GM history book that was distributed to the employees in the 1980s and to transport Bill Mitchell's family at his funeral. Michigan Region's Don Sommer said "Doug was always very helpful when I needed information on radios. He was one of the first CCCA members I got to know when I joined the CCCA in, I believe, 1966. We lost a member who had a wealth of knowledge." May - June 2016
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May - June 2016
Classic
Part II
By Rich Ray
Clockwise from left: the famous Alfa Romeo P3; 1932 Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Type B with a 2654 cc engine with dual superchargers; a 1933 8C 2300 Alfa Romeo; the 1934 Alfa Romeo supercharged 8C 2300 engine compartment .
The Banca Italiana di Sconto, which had provided financing for Alfa Romeo and other Italian industrial companies, went broke in 1921 and the Italian government stepped in to rescue the industrial companies. Alfa Romeo's railway activities were separated in 1925. The 1929 stock market crash put Alfa into bankruptcy and Nicola Romeo left the company. Benito Mussolini's state-owned receivers, under the banner of Industrial Reconstruction Institute, took control of the company in 1933 giving Il Duce effective control. Fiat had been interested in acquiring the company, but Il Duce wanted to control Alfa's aero engine output himself, for obvious reasons. Some back room trading did go on between Mussolini and Fiat's Gianni Agnelli and in 1933 Agnelli released one of his top executives, German-educated engineer Ugo Gobbato, to run Alfa. During this period the company built exclusive automobiles for the wealthy with custom bodies supplied primarily by Touring of Milan and Pinin Farina of Cambiano, Italy. The 8C 2300 was introduced in 1931 with an eight-cylinder engine displacing 2.3 liters. The engine was unusual with the camshaft and supercharger drives coming off two spur gears located in the center of the crankshaft between the fourth and fifth cylinders. The result was 142 HP in production form and capable of zero to sixty in under ten seconds, incredible at the time. In addition to the new engine design, the chassis was a huge step forward featuring four-wheel independent suspension with a rear mounted transaxle driving through half shafts. The resulting near ideal weight distribution helped the car win LeMans for four straight years and take the top four positions at Mille Miglia. The car found 207 sporting owners who purchased them for road racing and touring. They were recognized as fast and durable, winning eighty percent of the 1,000 mile Mille Miglia road races through 1947. Ironically, despite all the acclaim, the designer Jano thought the car "simply too heavy" and "no masterpiece of mine." May - June 2016
When the 8C was introduced, Alfa Romeo had stated that the car would not be sold to private owners, but by the fall, Alfa offered it as a rolling chassis in long and short wheelbases with prices starting at 1000 pounds. Many of the same coachbuilders engaged in the 6C created bodies for the 8C. In 1932, the P3 Monoposto was designed and won the Italian Grand Prix its first time out. This was the first true single-seat racing car and was powered by an 8-cylinder engine built combining two four-cylinder blocks, each with its own Roots supercharger. The driver's seat was lowered by using twin prop shafts, The complete car, even with a cast iron engine block, weighed only 1,625 lbs. The P3's most famous win came at the expense of Mercedes and Auto Union at the 1935 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, in front of dozens of Nazi officials. To appeal to discriminating drivers who did not need quite so much power, a 2.3 liter 6-cylinder powered 6C 2300 was introduced in April, 1934 at the Salone di Milano and increased to 2.5 liters in 1939. It was a touring car, but lacked the handling of the earlier cars and sported a low cost stamped steel body that was not considered particularly attractive. However, the cars swept the podium at the Targa Abruzzo 24 Hour races and an improved 2300B version with all independent suspension and better styling followed the next year. Surprisingly, these cars continued in production in very limited numbers through the war becoming known as the last "real" Alfas with the company's postwar shift to small mass-market cars. To insure their continued racing domination, Alfa Romeo introduced the 8C 2900 at the 1936 Mille Miglia winning the first three positions. These were open wheel race cars with fully independent suspension by Jano, and an all alloy, twin supercharged straight eight with seating for two, cycle fenders and headlights. Just 26 wealthy sportsmen purchased one of these spectacular cars, most 27
Clockwise from left: Enzo Ferrari and Benito Mussolini stand next to Tazio Nuvolari at the wheel of the twin 2.9 L engined car which reached over 200 mph; an Alfa Romeo taking the first turn in a 1938 race at Berne; a 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corta by Touring; a late 30s, Alfa Romeo racing car.
wearing Carrozzerria Touring coachwork. The factory sent one of them to Long Island, NY to win the revived 1936 Vanderbilt Cup race at Roosevelt Raceway resulting in the sale of three cars despite the lack of an authorized sales agency in the U.S. Jano left Alfa in 1937 as he could not get along with Gobbato and Jano's assistant, Bruno Trevisan, took over. However, Jano’s last effort before departing was a 4 1/2 Liter V12 car based on the 2900 producing 220 HP and called the Tipo 412. Only four were built, taking the top two places at the 1939 Antwerp Grand Prix before war intervened, bringing an end to all the fun. With the outbreak of World War II, the factory was converted to production of Alfa's Macchi C.202 Folgore and Daimler-Benz's 600 aviation engines until the factory was bombed by the British. The company struggled to return to profitability after World War II with a focus on mass market small cars although profits were illusive. Fiat Group took control of the company in 1986.
Above: a 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Corto by Touring. Below: a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Corto by Touring.
During the peak of the Classic Era, Alfa Romeo represented the epitome of sports car design with rival Bugatti. It established a racing hegemony and at the end of the 1930s was building the fastest cars in the world. During the Classic Era through 1947 when Alfa ceased fielding a factory team, the brand won eighty percent of the time, against all comers, displaying astounding endurance. That Alfa Romeo and other such spectacular cars came from Italy is somewhat amazing considering that Italy was a relatively poor country that in 1922 had only one car per thousand population. Car production was fairly high, but most were exported and most Italians had to content themselves with motorcycles at best. But regardless of how improbable the outcome was, we can all agree with Henry Ford's assessment that "every time I see an Alfa Romeo pass by, I take my hat off." 28
May - June 2016
Above: a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Mille Miglia Coupe at the 1938 Paris Show. Below: an Alfa Romeo 2900B with Superleggera coachwork.
Above: a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Touring Superleggera cabriolet. Below: a 1940 Alfa Romeo 12C 512 1.49L 12 cylinder.
Alfa Romeo Radiator Badges Left & Below: a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Spyder by Touring In the Ray Scheer Collection in Los Angeles during the 2013 CCCA Annual Meeting.
Badge as used on pre1926 Alfa Romeos.
Badge with laurel wreath added after 1925 World Championship
Alfa's badge, designed in 1910 by Italian designer Romano Cattaneo, incorporates emblems from fifth century Italy. On the right half is the Biscione, a serpent swallowing a Moor and emblem of the House of Visconti, 14th century rulers of Milan and on the left half is a red cross on a white background, the emblem of Milan. After Nicola Romeo took control of the company in 1918, Merosi modified the badge with the addition of a dark blue metallic ring inscribed with Alfa Romeo and Milano separated by two Savoy dynasty knots to honor the King of Italy (removed in 1946 after the monarchy was abolished). A laurel wreath was added in 1925 to recognize the victory in the 1925 World Championship at Monza by Count Brilli-Peri’s P2. May - June 2016
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Cadillac V8 Exhaust Manifold Crossover Heat Shield Article and Photos by Phil Fischer Clockwise from above: left side view of the heat shield installed; right side view of the heat shield; the highly polished heat shield before installation; the heat shield template layout with dimensions.
I attended the 2016 “ Sweet 16 ” CCCA Annual Meeting in Novi, Michigan, this past January, where I had my 1941 Cadillac judged. While admiring other Cadillacs there, I was impressed with a metal “heat shield” that Neal Porter had installed on his flathead engine. It appeared to be attached at the rear of the carburetor and extended upward a few inches, at the rear float bowl of the carburetor. On the 1936-1948 Cadillac flathead V8 engines, an exhaust manifold crossover passes from the left to the right bank of the engine, behind the carburetor. The shield looked like a factory part you would expect to see installed to reflect heat away from the float bowl of the carburetor. This showed me that a metal shield was a better way to deflect the exhaust heat away from the carburetor. I was using woven exhaust wrap material around the exhaust manifold crossover, as well as, around the gas line leading from the fuel pump to the carburetor. I began to research into the availability of such a metal heat shield, but soon discovered that it doesn’t appear to be an available part, so it must have been hand fabricated. Not one to be discouraged, I felt I could hand fabricate a heat shield of my own design. While surfing the internet, I found a photo of the engine compartment of a 1941 Cadillac, and low and behold, there was another metal heat shield attached between the carburetor and the exhaust manifold. This one appeared to be fashioned from a heavy gauge steel or aluminum sheet and bolted to the rear studs of 30
the carburetor. Using the photo for reference, I took measurements from my engine compartment to duplicate the heat shield. I made a cardboard template corresponding to the measurements and used it to cut out an aluminum shield from a sheet of 1/8 inch stock. The shield is 8 1/8 inches long, and 8 inches wide from the top, to the carburetor stud holes. My technique to bend the 1/8 inch sheet aluminum was to carefully heat the area of the bend with my propane torch, then clamp the shield in a vice and slowly bend the bottom, creating a 90 degree angle. My first prototype fit well, after removing some material for clearance to allow the holes in the shield to align with the carburetor studs. I ordered a sheet of 0.125" aluminum through the internet. This 8” x 24” sheet allowed enough material for three heat deflector shields. All the measurements indicated on the template were taken from the finished heat shield. I used a Rockwell “jig saw” to cut out the heat shield from the aluminum stock. During the trial fitting of the shield on my 1941 Cadillac, I needed to make corrections to some of the dimensions for clearance issues. Some tweaking will probably be needed in any case, to allow for variations under the hood for vacuum line or carburetor differences, depending on the model year of the Cadillac flathead. This addition to my engine compartment looks more appropriate than the woven exhaust wrap I had installed and can be easily removed if necessary. May - June 2016
New Member Profiles Robert Grooters Bob Grooters rejoined the Michigan Region CCCA recently although he has been in the old car hobby since 1955. His father owned a car museum, so he was indoctrinated into the hobby early in life. He is the current owner of a 1929 Packard 645 Sport Phaeton by Dietrich. The blue car is in original condition, but is having a makeover including new paint and upholstery at Brian Joseph's Classic & Exotic Services in Troy, Michigan. It was originally owned by the U.S. Ambassador to France. The car runs and drives great and Bob is really enjoying it. Bob has previously been a member of the CCCA and is a Trustee of the Gilmore Car Museum. Bob owns Robert Grooters Development Company in Grand Rap-
ids, Michigan, a large developer of industrial and manufacturing buildings. Bob and his wife, Sharie, have two children, Scott and Gwen. We welcome them all to the Michigan Region and hope to see them at some future activities.
Henry Vander Werp Hank Vander Werp recently joined the Michigan Region CCCA, but has been around collector cars for much longer. He acquired his first car, a 1936 Ford, when he was 15. He resides in Hudsonville, Michigan and is married to Joyce with whom he has three adult children. He is a commercial real estate broker and owns Clinton Development Advisors, LLC. He owns a 1929 Cadillac LaSalle V8 Town Sedan purchased in 2009 from a gentleman in Allendale, MI who intended to do a complete restoration. After sizing up the scope of the work, skill level and expense required, he decided to sell. After purchasing the car, Hank was told by his restoration shop that "there must be a number of LaSalles sitting in boxes as a result of the good intentioned hobbyist who simply gave up having found out the hard way that these cars are very difficult, once taken apart, to put back together again." He first decided to have the engine completely rebuilt. It now runs as smooth and quiet as brand new.
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One of the biggest challenges associated with the restoration was finding quality replacements parts. The majority of the potmetal parts were warped, cracked and unusable. Ryan DeVries, his very talented restorer, recast many parts in brass including door hinges, door handles and window cranks. The upholstery in the LaSalle required a detailed woven trim. A weaver was located who did an excellent job of providing the color matching material.
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The LaSalle was first shown in 2014 at the Experience in Hickory Corners where it won Best in Class. A best of show was earned at the LesChenaux Car Show and a First Junior at Hershey. In 2015, the car won its Senior award in Auburn and was invited to St. Johns. Hank reports that "today we see a plethora of convertibles at the major collector car venues and they are beautiful. The everyday vehicles, such as a Town Sedan, were often pressed into commercial service or driven until they rusted out or the wheels came off and then it was off to the junkyard. One has to wonder if in reality the rare cars today are the family sedans of the past. Just a thought." May - June 2016
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Reader comments on Torque Magazine are appreciated and encouraged. It assures us that someone actually reads it! It was enjoyable to read Rich Ray’s article on the automobiles of Edsel Ford in a recent Torque. Many Classic car enthusiasts have no idea of what an automobile enthusiast Edsel Ford was and, as Rich noted, Mr. Ford had many of the qualities of a CCCA member.
Left: Edsel Ford’s 1921 Hispano-Suiza Phaeton has indeed fallen on hard times.
I’d like to share information about two of the cars mentioned in Rich’s article, the 1921 Hispano-Suiza Brunn phaeton and the 1932 Ford boat tail speedster, as well as one not mentioned, a 1934 Ford cabriolet with coachwork by Karl Deutsch of Koln (Cologne) Germany. I’m familiar with each of these cars.
Below: His 1932 Ford speedster has seen new life and, subsequent to Mr. Schultz’ letter, was acquired by the Edsel & Eleanor Ford Estate.
The 1921 Hispano-Suiza and 1932 Ford speedster appeared in 2009 at a concours I managed in Canton, Ohio, when we featured “The Cars of Edsel Ford.” The former was deaccessioned by the Henry Ford Museum about 30 years ago and acquired by well-known car collector and vintage tire retailer Stan Lucas of Long Beach, California, who still owns the car. Unfortunately, while the car remains in unrestored condition it has deteriorated to the point that a restoration is likely at some point. The 1932 Ford speedster, designed by E. T. “Bob” Gregorie, is owned by Jim Gombos of Tennessee. After going through the hands of several owners who didn’t appreciate what they had (to put it nicely), Mr. Gombos acquired the speedster in very rough condition and spent years painstakingly returning it to as-original condition. Interestingly, the car is being offered for sale at the RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction in March. Chris Koch of Florida owns a 1934 Ford cabriolet that carries coachwork by Karl Deutsch GMBH of Koln. Edsel Ford ordered the body in June 1934 and it arrived in the United States in late August of that year and was installed on a Ford chassis. Mr. Koch has all of the postal cables relating to the build criteria. (Edsel Ford’s Type 35 Bugatti is believed to be in South America.) It’s great that the leadership of the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House has returned several of Edsel’s cars to the Ford House, where the public can view them. Hopefully, they’ll acquire others in the years to come. David W. Schultz Massillon, Ohio
Department of Corrections On page 21 of the March /April issue of Torque, Dan Clement’s 1941 Cadillac Sedan was erroneously listed as a Series 62. Sharpeyed reader Chris Duncan of Arizona quickly caught the mistake. He is quite familiar with this quite rare model Cadillac, a Series 6319, since a childhood neighbor owned a 1942 model. The 6319 model was built to be a LaSalle. When LaSalle was canceled for 1941, the bodystyle continued as a Cadillac, although very few were built. Dan believes that only 16 cars still survive and only 2 of which are original including Dan’s and one other in New York. Thanks to Chris for spotting this error. 32
With the greatest delight and pleasure I write to tell you how much I enjoyed the latest issue of Torque, which came a couple of days ago. I note the tremendous amount of effort that you are putting into editing this publication, including your wonderful articles, which represent a great deal of research. I compliment you for this effort. I note in your article on the 2015 Annual Meeting that I have somehow been awarded the Stebbin's Membership Award. If I had known that such was to be the case, I might have made a special effort to attend the meeting! Would you be good enough to advise me as to how this Award came to be given to me and maybe the person to address a note of thanks. I certainly appreciate being mentioned, and it is always my regret that I cannot attend more Michigan Region events, for the simple reason of distance, time and cost. I am now 88 years of age, and my wife and I cannot travel with the same ease as was the case in earlier years. We were able to make the Hickory Corner's affair in early June last year with our Packard, and it was a glorious opportunity to view so many wonderful Packard cars; unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and we were denied the opportunity to look at all of those cars in detail, because of the downpour. We are registered for the Ohio Mini-CARavan in Salem for 2016. No doubt many Michigan Region people will be in attendance because of the fairly close proximity of this event. Many thanks to yourself and Tom Goad, who edited Torque for a long time. Annetta and I look forward to meeting you again at some event in the near future. J. Ralph A. Turner
Toronto, Ontario, Canada May - June 2016
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The Steering Column By Paul Wise
I’m sure that everyone is looking forward to the warm weather coming and being able to get our Full Classic® cars out and driven. Many of our members have been working on their cars. It is truly a great start of our season with all our car activities in full swing. I look forward to seeing as many of our members as possible. With the National CCCA now allowing 1915 to 1948 cars, hopefully some of our member will bring out some of these fabulous brass era cars so we may enjoy them. This year our National CCCA President, Tom Jones, has made a request to try and get all members, at all regions up by five percent; a large request, but very possible with the help of all members. Remember to invite a couple of friends to all our activities, and let them enjoy our CCCA events. Looking forward to seeing everyone soon. Happy motoring, Paul
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May - June 2016
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May - June 2016