HIT THE ROAD! Santa Cruz
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ANNIVERSAR
Y
ISSUE
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Ben Klemenzson
Viewpoint HIT THE ROAD!
I
Santa Cruz
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A RY
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Ben Klemenzson, editor bklemenzson@mortons.co.uk
Image: Jonathan Fleetwood
328 August 2 018
n case you hadn’t noticed, this issue of Classic American is a very special one for us, as it marks 30 years in publication since that very first issue hit the shelves back in 1988. We thought we’d pull the stops out with some special features, including probably one of the nicest Continental Mark IIs in the country and an amazing road trip feature from our star snapper Jonny Fleetwood, who was recently voted Automotive Photographer of the Year at the Newspress awards. In the current publishing climate, it’s quite an achievement to have made it this far – I’d be lying if I said we haven’t faced challenges over the past couple of decades, but as with any successful species, it’s been essential that we evolve and adapt to the new climate/environment in order to survive. While our website and Facebook pages will never take over from the magazine, they’re an integral part of what Classic American is now and offer platforms for material we can’t fit in the actual magazine itself. We look forward to hearing your reminiscences and memories about Classic American, your cars and fun times over the last three decades. Why not write in or email about them – you could win a er! Here Here’ss to the next 30 years... years £100 insurance voucher!
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53
33 110 SEE PAGE 100
22 EDITOR
DIVISIONAL ADVERTISING MANAGER
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Nigel Boothman, Simon Browse, Paul Bussey, Richard Coney, Kev Elliott, Huw Evans, Jonathan Fleetwood, Keith Harman, Steve Havelock, Richard Heseltine, John Kennedy, James Mann, Jim Maxwell, BK Nakadashi, Tony Oksien, Mike Renaut, Matt Richardson, Will Shiers, Jonny Smith, Zack Stiling Pauline Hawkins, Sarah Spencer Tim Hartley
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AUGUST 2018 REGULARS 06 14 16 18 20 40 90 100 119 127 129 132 134
News Muscle Car Files Here to Obscurity Across the Pond Subscription Offer Letters Discoveries Events Scale Autos Reviews Service Directory Drive Buy Private Classifieds
77 F E AT U R E S 22 33 43 46 53 64 69
1956 Continental 1957 Oldsmobile 30 years of Classic American Chryslers of the 50s American Road Trip Mercury’s Mustang Wayne Carini
WORKSHOP 77 83
Tech: Radiators Beauty Pala
AMERICAN & MODIFIED 110 116
Dodge Charger A&M News
EVENTS
104
75 92 97 104
Staplefield Show Bristol Classic Custom Rod Show American Speedfest
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Classic American
James Hadley from Kingstown Shipping (right) hands over the Speedfest VI heat Car of the Year trophy to John Maunder.
Newss WE HAVE A WINNER (OR TWO!)
Rounds two and three of the Footman James & Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year competition have been and gone and we’ve got some tasty automotive morsels to share with you. The second heat took place at the American Speedfest VI at Brands Hatch (you can read a full report on that event on page 104) and was won by this stunning fastback Ford Mustang in Champagne Beige. Owner John Maunder is an American who has been living on these shores for the past three decades and has actually owned the Mustang since he was 16, when he acquired it from his brother, after helping him extract it from a garage. The car was driven daily from the Seventies until 1988, when John moved to the UK, and it was laid up until 2014 when he decided to have the Mustang restored by Shasta Mustang Supply of Redding, California. With its Deluxe interior, fresh
carpets and paint and highly detailed 289 motor, this is one pony car that will be quite the centre of attention at this year’s finals at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC in November. Round three took place at the Footman James Bristol Classic car show and was won by this stunning 1957 Plymouth Belvedere (right), belonging to Nick Parker from Bristol. The car had previously belonged to famed Bristol hot rodder Jerry Denning, who had bought it as an unfinished project. Nick had first seen it in 2005, when it totally blew him away, but it took almost a decade until the opportunity arose for him to acquire it. Not a lot is known of the car’s history in the States, other than a dealer tag on the back from New York state. The car boasts a lot of its original interior, a 301cu in V8 and of course that famous
push-button transmission. Nick is no stranger to success at the Car of the Year contest – he was the heat winner two years ago at the Bristol Classic with his equally stunning 1973 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. Nick’s gorgeous Plymouth.
BULLITT COMES TO GOODWOOD The iconic 1968 Ford Mustang GT driven by Steve McQueen in Warner Bros Pictures’ classic film Bullitt – and lost to history until the beginning of this year – will make its first appearance outside of the US at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed from July 12-15. The car that starred in the Warner Bros film’s legendary 10-minute chase sequence – setting the standard for every movie car chase to follow – is set to feature on the 1.16-mile (1.9-kilometre) Goodwood Hillclimb course alongside the new special edition Ford Mustang Bullitt, now available to order in Europe and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic film. One of two identical 1968 Mustang GT fastbacks used in the filming of Bullitt, the historic vehicle driven by McQueen resurfaced after more than three decades in storage. To fulfil his family’s lifelong dream, owner Sean Kiernan, who inherited the car in 2014 from his late father, Robert, contacted Ford and the two parties worked together to reveal his movie star car at the 2018 North American International Auto Show, Detroit, in January. Kiernan is accompanying the car during its European debut at Goodwood.
6 classic-american.com
Sean Kiernan, owner of the original Bullitt with a brand-new 2018 Bullitt Mustang.
WIN A £100 INSURANCE VOUCHER! Those nice folks over at RH Insurance are sponsoring a prize for the star letter in Classic American magazine. The prize, which is valid for 12 months after the competition has closed, is a contribution of up to £100 towards the premium for the insurance of one specialist vehicle courtesy of RH Specialist vehicle insurance. All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is send us a letter or an email. For full terms and conditions please visit http://mrtns.uk/starletterterms Grass was so dry that Tatton Park looked like a beach!
CLASSIC AMERICAN STARS & STRIPES SCORCHER The weekend just before we were going to press was the inaugural Classic American Stars and Stripes show. This event is celebrating its 30th anniversary – just like Classic American – and this year was the first year the event (having been taken over by Classic American’s parent company Mortons) was being run by the company’s show team. The weather was scorching hot both days and the show field was packed out. It was a great start to Classic American’s very own show and we hope we can build on it and improve on it in coming years – as always, your feedback is gratefully received!
classic-american.com 7
Classic American
News Stuart Graham.
THRUXTON 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
Mansell, Walker and Thruxton Group MD Bill Coombs.
Words and photography: Steve Havelock
Under a blazing mid-day sun, at this 50th anniversary celebration, 1992 Formula One world champion and 1993 CART Indycar champion Nigel Mansell teamed up with his old friend, the much-loved commentator Murray Walker, to officially open Thruxton’s new multimillion pound hospitality centre. Prior to this, the pair signed hundreds of autographs and chatted with fans. Mansell, now 64 and looking fit and well, unexpectedly quit Williams F1 after lifting the F1 crown and headed Stateside to race Indycars. He signed up with Newman Haas Racing as team mate to Mario Andretti in the CART Series, where he stunned the American racing world by taking pole position and winning his first race. He also led the Indy 500 before eventually finishing a fine third. He won five races that year and bagged the Championship, making him the only man to hold both the F1 and CART titles at the same time. Mansell said at Thruxton: “I did my first race here in 1976 in Formula Ford 1600 and I’m pleased to say that I won it. And I raced in F3 here in 1979. But the biggest thrill I’ve had is meeting my ‘dad’ here (referring to Murray) and being a double act to open this splendid building.” Murray, who is now 94, has frequently commentated Marshals with lemonade.
8 classic-american.com
at Thruxton and said: “Looking back, I can’t Big rig display. think of any other track that has changed as little as Thruxton has. It’s the same now as I always remember it, which is one of its great strengths. Not only that, but it’s in this glorious rural setting in Hampshire and the racing is always good and varied.” Mansell was asked if he would be demonstrating a racing car that afternoon and wasn’t sure, so Murray, famous for his Murray-isms, piped up: “Well, he’ll either be driving or he won’t.” Classic Murray. A walk around the paddock revealed some wonderful machinery. There was a new bright yellow Ford GT which was later put through its paces on track by British F4 Camaro driven by the man himself. The former driver Seb Priaulx and nearby was an original Motorcycle Grand Prix and TT winner turned 1965 GT in the iconic blue and orange Gulf Championship-winning car racer, competed at livery belonging to the Rofgo Collection. There Thruxton many times in Camaros during the was also the famous DAF 55 with rear mounted early ’70s and won here. Upon climbing out of five-litre Oldsmobile V8 that Tony Hazelwood the car, Stuart said: “I wasn’t going that quick raced in Super Saloons during the early Seventies because I was still trying to figure out where all and was the first Super Saloon to lap Thruxton the bits were. I always used to enjoy Thruxton at more than 100mph. A raucous Lola T70 because it was a proper flowing circuit which Chevy V8 in blue and yellow Sunoco colours suits a big car anyway. We always went pretty also thundered around the track as part of the well here with the Camaros so it was nice to weekend’s demonstrations, as did a replica of rekindle some memories and it was great fun. I Stuart Graham’s black and green Faberge ‘Brut’ thoroughly enjoyed it.” I also spotted something to keep the kiddies entertained, not difficult as a giant Kenworth Smokey and the Bandit tribute rig gave the game away. It had hauled a bunch of Mini Movie Trucks, powered by 6.5hp motors, for the children to trundle around a ‘Smokey’ film-themed inflatable course. And finally to the racing. Of most interest to CA readers were the two historic touring car races which saw the Chevy Camaros of Oliver Bryant and Alex Thistlethwayte pitched against hot Mansell’s Williams F1.
Rofgo Collection GT40.
The new hospitality centre.
Jags, Capris, Rover V8s and Alfas. Unfortunately, Ric Wood’s threelitre V6 Capri, driven by BTCC ace Adam Morgan in the first race, was just too fast and romped home to win by 36 seconds from Oliver, with
Alex a further six seconds behind. The second race was pretty much a repeat. This time, Wood himself took to the wheel and won by 42 seconds from Oliver with Alex fourth behind a Jaguar XJ12C. ★
Stuart Graham.
New Ford GT.
lola.
Bryant Camaro.
classic-american.com 9
Mid-century must-haves
Sarah Bradley tracks down some seriously cool fabrics, perfect for use in home furnishings for fans of mid-century modern…
If you’ve got a mid-century modern home to match your classic American car, you’ll love these classy new 1950s-inspired interior fabrics and homewares from 20th Century Cloth. The London-based brand’s upholsteryweight fabric is diverse with styles and colours, ranging from the atomicinfluenced Telstar and fun boomerang look of Monterey and Ventura, through to the more sophisticated design and hues of Spiro. The initial eight retro patterns are also available on a variety of home accessories, including scatter cushions and cork-backed melamine coasters. Best of all, these high-quality products are all designed and made exclusively in Britain.
Telstar coasters.
20th Century Cloth owner and designer Helen Snell – whose family garage houses a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air – says: “I have always loved the designs of 1950s America, and this range really has been a labour of love. The initial response has been overwhelming, and I've already got more designs in the pipeline.” The upholstery fabric is priced at £72 per metre, while the coasters are £20 for a boxed set of four and the cushions start at £42 each. 20th Century Cloth also has a 1950s-inspired range of dress fabrics and beauty accessories; to see the full selection of products, go to www.20thcenturycloth.com. ((Chair image e: www.sewplush.com)
Starlight fabric.
Atomic Blonde coasters s.
Twilig ght pattern cushion.
Planet Voodooo up for sale It’s not very often that a renowned and highly regarded UK custom comes up for sale – and this one’s arguably the finest built in the UK – but that’s precisely what’s happened, now that legendary 1950 Ford Mercury custom Planet Voodoo has been put up for sale by its creator, Lance McCormack, the Mulliner Park Wardtrained proprietor of premium classic restorers, Romance of Rust.
Planet Voodoo.
10 classic-american.com
Lance told Classic American: “It was built by myself and a team of craftsmen to exacting standards at Romance of Rust. Since its first outing at the prestigious Louis Vuitton Concours d’Elegance at London’s Hurlingham Club in 2002 this car has become a highly regarded art car. It has won many shows, however I feel it is time for a new owner to enjoy this wonderful machine so it is now for sale. It has covered only 350 miles since its debut. I would actively encourage any inspection at our premises in Brentford. It really needs to meet its public again after a quarter of a century since it first emerged…” This stunning car was imported from Dakota in 1992 and underwent a 2¾-inch roof chop with hammer-welded panels, ’53 Buick headlamp treatment and side trims. In true Fifties style it was nosed, decked and every panel of the car has been massaged. In the engine bay sits a 368cu in Continental Mark II engine, transmission and rear axle. All the brakes have been rebuilt with new parts and dual exhausts by Pipecraft were fitted. The Mercury also features Fat Man Fabrications
Inside features Connolly hide and Wilton carpet.
dropped front spindles, all new front suspension, Posies ride glide rear springs, Ron Francis Wireworks wiring system and a dash painted by Vince Ray. Continuing the excellent spec are the gauges, which have all been rebuilt by Speedy Cables then faced in boa constrictor skin, plus a steering wheel in hand-stitched Connolly hide and cobra skin. Interior wow factor also includes seats in Green Connolly hide, with bronze Gucci reptile leather and Wilton carpets throughout, bound in hide. Finishing up are Continental Mark II hubcaps, rebuilt original radio and a differential pinstriped by Simon Watts. Interested? Then get in touch with Classic American by email at: email@ classic-american.com
Classic American
News It was 1968 and a young engineer owned a 1967 roadster with the L71 427 cubic inch/435 horsepower engine. He made some connections to get hop-up parts at a discount and it wasn’t long before his drag racing buddies found out and wanted the same deal. From such humble beginnings, Summit Racing Equipment was born. Fast-forward to 2018 and that one-man startup is now the World’s Speed Shop – the go-to parts source for thousands of gearheads around the globe. They got there by saving customers money on the parts they want, delivering those parts quickly and backing them with the best customer service in the industry. That’s certainly something worth celebrating.
It all started with a Corvette
Summit Racing’s Texas retail facility.
Akron store.
Bet you didn’t know… You can be the neighborhood’s source of Summit Racing lore with these interesting facts, some neverbefore revealed:
Summit Racing’s first “store” was the basement of a donut shop in Stow, Ohio. The coffee and pastries were nice, but the location didn’t get a lot of traffic. A year later in 1969, the business moved to its first true store, that sat next to a Midas Muffler and a pizza shop in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. It was 1,500 sq ft and just 20 feet wide.
Summit Racing built its first project car in 1980. The Elite Enterprises Lazer 917 kit car had a Buick V6 drivetrain pirated from a front-wheel drive GM X-body, cradle and all. The Lazer was featured in the February 1981 issue of Car Craft magazine. They’ve printed nearly 200 editions of the Summit Racing “Big Book” catalogue since the first one appeared in 1974. The catalogue was an annual publication until 1987 when they went to the six catalog’s/ year format.
The Summit Racing catalog’s famous pullout car feature ‘centerfold’ was added in 1990. That first car was a tube-frame 1960 Corvette, with a 406 cubic inch small block making around 700 horsepower on nitrous. The street-driven can ran mid-nines in the quarter-mile – and garage walls across the world rejoiced. The 1967 Corvette that kickstarted Summit Racing was restored in the mid-2000s. The L71 was punched out to 496 cubic inches with a SCAT rotating assembly, a COMP Cams hydraulic roller cam, Quick Fuel-modified carburetors,
and Trick Flow PowerPort Oval aluminum heads. The big block now makes about 590 horsepower. As a company of gearheads, nothing gets it more excited than helping enthusiasts bring their automotive passion to life. Summit says: “We’ve been offering everything you need for anything you drive for 50 years, and we’ll be doing it for the next 50!” Happy Anniversary guys! Summit Racing Equipment www.summitracing.com 1-800-230-3030
’80s catalogues.
Akron store interior.
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1970 Summit catalogue.
Tony Oksien
Muscle
car files
Winged wonder
Tony looks back fondly on almost two decades of Classic American and his association with the title…
T
his year is a herculean one for anniversaries and in the world of classic car magazines the 30th anniversary of a title’s very first issue is a milestone to celebrate. Classic American was a trailblazer for American car publications in the UK, taking in not only classic cars, music and lifestyle, but also giving a voice to thousands of retro American car fans. On sale to us petrol heads at the time were a couple of other titles that dealt with the hobby admirably – and still do to this day – however, Classic American reached out to a wider audience looking to embrace the whole of the American car scene. It seems an awfully long time ago since 1988 and the magazine’s launch. My name never appeared in Classic American until the 1990 winter edition, when my pride and joy at that time, a 1970 Lemon Twist Plymouth Superbird, became a feature car, photographed and written up by Nicky Wright, an early contributor to the magazine. I had to wait until 2009 for another car to be featured, which was my 1968 Plymouth Barracuda that I had restored, photographed by Craig Pusey and written up by the infamous Eddie Rodbolt.
t.
No missing that Lemon Twist pain
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My first big break into automotive journalism came from Classic American’s then deputy editor Sarah Bradley, who I pestered mercilessly to let me have a shot at writing a feature and photographing an American car for publication in the magazine. That car belonged to Mopar aficionado Neil Crozier, who allowed himself and his outstanding 1968 Dodge Charger R/T to be my inaugural victim. A five-page feature duly appeared in the early Nineties and was written and photographed by myself. With a promise of other features in the pipeline I quickly realised that I needed to hone my photography and journalistic skills so I contacted my good friend Greg Rager at Mopar Muscle magazine who organised 10 days of photography training with Tom Shaw, their resident snapper – I had the pleasure of assisting him around Florida shooting numerous high-dollar quality muscle cars and learning the craft. Since then, my monthly column Muscle Car Files has been a feature of the magazine for a number of years. My involvement with the Mopar EuroNats stretches back some 25 years and Classic American has always supported this muscle car weekend, contributing to the show by making it one of the final heats of the Car of the Year competition. By taking the contest around the country (and to a diverse range of shows) the magazine has engaged with all sorts of American car fans, demonstrating its commitment to the hobby and acting as a focal point for the American car community in the UK.
440cu in with six-pack.
Conversing with the public is a first-hand form of feedback from the readership and acts as a valuable source of opinions and ideas that the magazine can take on board. The current editor and head honcho of the magazine is Ben Klemenzson, who over the years has stamped his authority on the title and his enthusiasm and sheer love of American cars shines through the magazine. For more than 20 years, Ben has steered the ship through calm and troubled waters; the world of publishing is notorious for wrecks along the highway, yet Ben has always stuck with Classic American. Long may it prosper as a hands-on ‘old skool’ publication that is dedicated to the hobby of all things American and automotive. With the show season in full swing, make sure you head for the Classic American stand and have a chat! So, summing up 30 years of the UK’s number one American car magazine, all I can say is that I look at this milestone with immense gratification not only to be an avid reader and collector (yes, I have every copy in my collection) but also to be a contributor to the best publication in its field. It’s an honour that’s never lost on me, as each new issue is produced. Happy pearl anniversary, Classic American! ★
Tony Oksien – CA’s resident muscle car guru
Richard Heseltine
From
here to
obscurity
Interior looks like a pedal car...
... while the exterior is equally bizarre.
A Glassic!
Recreating classics with modern running gear has long been a tactic adopted by small-scale manufacturers. The ‘Glassic’, a Model A-inspired car with International running gear, perfectly illustrates this genre of tribute vehicle, as Richard Heseltine explains…
T
hey don’t make them like they used to. It was a once-familiar refrain for Florida mover and shaker, E V (Jack) Faircloth. This International Harvester dealer, politician, super-slick salesman and born raconteur became a car manufacturer after having a brainwave at some point during the mid-Sixties. His young son, Joel, had a Ford Model A, one that was used to tow his boat from the family home in West Palm Beach to a nearby slipway. Invariably, someone would wistfully comment that they wished such a car was still being made. This got Faircloth Sr’s brain whirring: what if he married Model A looks with modern-day running gg gear? And thus, the ‘Glassic’ was born.
Publicity shot of production process.
16 classic-american.com
It’s at this point that the would-be motor mogul made a decision that would irk the purists: his Ford ‘replica’ would employ an International Scout 80A chassis and corresponding running gear. Working with boat builder Dick Bradley, the prototype was built along the lines of a Sports Phaeton-bodied ’31 Model A, but with various modifications: the doors were made longer for ease of entry/ingress, the front wings were extended by two inches, while the rear fenders were narrowed by a similar amount, as otherwise the wheels would have appeared oddly inset. The prototype was then shown to representatives from International who were impressed. p So much so, a deal was struck whereby it would supply batches of 12 rolling chassis packages at a time, with production starting in 1966. However, only two cars were made using 80A parts as new and improved 800A running gear was substituted. This stretched to a 2.5-litre ‘Commanche’ 152 four-banger, the 3.8-litre ‘196’ unit coming online over time. Reaction to the car was, for the most part, overwhelmingly positive. The Faircloths were keen to play down the Model A connotations,
and avoided all mention of the word ‘replica’ in their marketing material. Prices started at $4125 (£1660), although, to abuse an oft-repeated Henry Ford maxim: Glassics were available in any colour you desired, so long as it was red. Within two years, 125 cars had apparently been made according to Autocar magazine, and there was even the option of a four-wheel-drive model! The father and son team continued to develop the Glassic, several changes being made to the cabin. For example, customer feedback informed them that the front seats were overly constricting, so they were replaced with wider items adapted from a Piper aircraft design. They also responded to complaints that the aluminium trim soon dulled, so brightwork was subsequently anodised. Scroll forward to the early Seventies, and Glassic began using Ford running gear, including a 302cu in V8. However, Faircloth Sr sold the company to Parker-West in October ’72, with his son staying on under the new regime as vice-president. He quit after 90 days, unhappy at how the business was being run. Parker-West ramped up production to an alleged 300 units per year (this is highly debatable...) and also attempted to introduce an Auburn lookalike dubbed ‘Romulus’. In late 1974, the firm lurched into bankruptcy, but only after a factory fire. Remaining assets and parts were sold by the receiver to Al and Fred Pro who revived the model in 1976 under the ‘Replicar’ banner. The interest from a decade earlier had long since evaporated, though. In 1979, the Pro brothers began offering comprehensive kit packages for home assembly, but a year later the game was up. As for how many cars were made, it depends on whose estimates you credit. The build records were lost in a flood in 1982. ★
Richard Heseltine’s weird and wonderful American cars from the past.
Huw Evans
1985 Camaro IROC-Z.
Across
the
pond
1983 Chevy Camaro Z2 8ad.
1984 Camaro ad.
Nostalgia traffic Evans waxes lyrical about classic highway footage and how interest in old cars is proving multi-generational.
I
t’s no secret that I’m a true Eighties child. Growing up in the new wave era left a huge impression on me and that’s reflected in much of the music I listen to and the cars I’ve purchased over the years. Recently, I’ve taken to looking at old videos of driving on roads and freeways – via YouTube or other mediums. If you have the opportunity to search online during your free time, it can prove to be quite fascinating. There are a bunch of videos out there, particularly in New York and Los Angeles, that were filmed around 1987-88, just as camcorders were really starting to catch on. The thing about these videos is that they truly capture the spirit and feel of the time, with large, boxy cars providing added eye-candy for the enthusiast set. And no matter how many times you watch them, they never seem to get old. For me, it’s almost as if I’ve been transported back in time and found myself plopped in the middle of Broadway or inside a Mustang driving on the I-10 Freeway. What’s sad is that many of the cars you see in these videos (and they include 1950s, 60s, 70s and of course 80s cars in regular use) are not often found on the roads any more, replaced as they have been by generic soft roaders for daily transportation. When you look at footage 1988 Camaro IROC-Z.
classic-american
from back then, not only does it bring a sense of nostalgia, but it somehow seems like a different world, even though 1988, for many of us, doesn’t seem that long ago. And it’s this difference that seems to resonate ever stronger with people, whether they were around at the time or not. What’s interesting is that as the summer car show season kicks off over here, I am seeing more and more young people show with older vehicles, with some even choosing to don themselves in period clothing! There was one guy I saw the other day, who could not have been more than 22 years old, driving a period cream 1980 Cadillac Coupe De Ville and sporting the requisite era shirt and trousers to match! Even my son, who is just seven years old, seems drawn to mid and late-20th century culture, particularly cars and music. Whenever we go anywhere, he insists on listening to 60s on Six; 70s on Seven or 80s on Eight via the Sirius XM satellite radio in the truck. Not only that, but when he gets the chance to buy a new Hot Wheels car to add to his collection, he always seems to seek out the 1950s, 60s and 70s models. Ask him what his favourite car is and he will tell you 1959-66 Cadillac and 1959-69 Chevy Impala. Ok, so I might have had a bit of influence on that, but when I took him to a local new car expo recently, he kept asking me where the old cars were. “I’m not really interested in these new ones,” he said. To me it seems there’s a pattern here. We can go on all day about how cars have never been better built than they are now, have never b been safer, more efficient or powerful related to ttheir size and engine displacement. Yet the fact rremains, that for all intents and purposes, they’ve b become true appliances. Buying a new car today is a bit like going into Currys and picking up a new
washing machine or fridge. You see if it meets all of your functional needs and your budget, select your financing option and off you go. Years ago, buying a new car was an experience, as many of us remember from our parents and even grandparents. And it was those cars, which often became hand-me-downs, that gave us our first taste of freedom and a connection to both the road and the machinery itself. We learned how to drive in them, and often, how to fix them. We bonded with them. It’s also far cooler to say my first car was a 1977 Chevy Monte Carlo than a 2015 Toyota Corolla, even though, statistically, the Corolla is far safer and more reliable. And if cars had been like they are now 30 years ago, do you think we’d be as interested in the “classics” today? I think the best way to answer that question is to go back to those YouTube videos. What’s more exciting to you, watching traffic on I-10 in 1988 or 2018? I know what my answer is. ★ 1986 Camaro IROC-Z.
1986 Camaro ad.
Huw Evans – news & views from North America
classic-american.com 19
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22 classic-american.com
ark II 1956 Continental M Words: Nigel Boothman
rivals including the Ford d ye no an ’ ld or W e th of andard – raised the bar for II k Cadillac’s slogan ‘the St ar M l ta en in nt Co e th sponse – Motor Company, whose re cars could achieve. an ic er Am ity al qu d an e both the pric
etwood Photography: Jonathan Fle
classic-american.com 23
“I “WHAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST CARS OF ITS DAY IS NOW ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE CLASSICS.”
’ve been looking for a car like this for 10 years,” says Terry Jeeves. “There aren’t that many out there, of course, and even fewer good ones.” Terry has owned this beautiful and largely original example since August 2017, when he acquired it from a man in Canada who in turn had rescued it from 29 years in a museum. Does it strike you as odd that someone would be so patient in tracking down a relatively obscure old American car? That probably depends what you know about the Continental Mark II. We take it for granted that Classic American readers know quite a lot, especially about Mustangs, Tri-Chevys, ’59 Cadillacs, Corvettes and muscle cars, plus the gist of the Edsel story... but what about the Continental Mark II? My suspicion is that our readers fall into two camps: a few of you have admired them for ages and could recite the story in your sleep; for most they’re a bit of a blind spot. So with apologies to those in the know, we’re going to fill in the blanks. The Continental Mark II is a revival of an exotic and desirable model that made a big splash just as the Second World War broke out. Edsel Ford, Henry’s only son, asked a gifted stylist called Bob Gregoire to come up with something that echoed the elegant two-door drophead coupes he’d seen in Europe. Within an hour, Gregoire came up with a sketch. At this point the new car was only going to be a plaything for the boss; a one-off to enjoy during his winters in Palm Beach. But such was the reaction from anyone who saw it that a second car was ordered as a proper prototype, with an eye on production. The list price was $1000
Most of the original Continentals were convertibles, but for the Mark II, only the coupe made it to production. A couple of factory convertibles were built as prototypes, together with 18 others converted by a coachbuilder in period. These can now command $200,000.
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beyond that of the next-most expensive Lincoln, confirming an exclusivity that the car’s looks already suggested. The first production car went to Hollywood actor Jackie Cooper and before long, Babe Ruth, Randolph Scott, Rita Hayworth and Mickey Rooney all had one of these graceful new Lincolns. The name? Continental. As a brand, it worked perfectly. Americans somehow knew without being told that the continent it referred to was not their own, but mainland Europe, with all its associations of culture, style and sophistication. The original Continental lasted until the end of 1948, when Lincoln launched its first properly new postwar cars, sharing bodies with Mercury. With a bit of hindsight this was always going to concede ground to Cadillac at the top of the pecking order. Their slogan, ‘The Standard of the World’, seemed to bite Ford bosses particularly hard and they decided to fight back with the creation of an entirely new car, sold by a new division. William Clay Ford, Edsel’s son, led the team behind the project. Edsel had died in 1943 from stomach cancer, aged only 49, and it’s tempting to think that William Ford had a special interest in seeing that the new Continental would live up to his father’s standards. The team set up at the Allen Park Body and Assembly plant outside Detroit, and in 1955 Ford Motor Company established Continental as a separate division. This only contributed to the growing buzz about the new luxury car. Walt Woron, writing in the May 1955 issue of Motor Trend, remarked: “Never can I recall so much interest abounding in the release of a single new automobile...”
The 368cu in V8 was rated at 300hp and turned a Turbo-Drive three-speed automatic transmission. The driveline was one of the few aspects of the car shared with regular Lincoln models.
Distinctive design
The new car was designed and developed by a group led by chief stylist John Reinhart, chief body engineer Gordon Buehrig (who had designed the Cord 810) and the chief engineer, Harley Copp. As the public would soon discover, the Continental Mark II was created with little emphasis on yearby-year styling fashion, but rather with efforts to mix timeless grace with unmistakable cues from the first Continental. But the first members of the public to see a car like the one on these pages were not American, but French. To help project an air of imported European luxury, Continental launched the Mark II at the 1955 Paris Motor Show. It was just the spectacular glamour-fest you’d expect, with cars from Facel Vega, Ferrari, Pegaso, Maserati and coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Boano and Ghia. Citroën’s revolutionary new DS took most of the headlines and there was that spectacular fin-laden Cadillac dream car, the Eldorado Brougham – not yet suggested as a production model. Had Continental’s plan backfired? Was it just a little too sober and sensible to stand out in such a crowd? The reaction following the car’s domestic launch a few weeks later seemed to confirm the new division’s worst fears. On October 10, 1955, Time magazine reported that 2100 pre-production orders had been taken, but when the cars reached the showrooms many people asked for their deposits back. For the first 10 months of 1956, only 1338 Mark IIs were registered. It meant the cancellation of plans to expand the Mark II into a three-model range, with a convertible and a four-door sedan due to join the line-up. Production of the coupe continued only until mid-1957 when output for the two model years totalled either 3000 precisely, or just a few more, depending on which source you trust. ❯❯
classic-american.com 25
If you see a Mark II with over-riders on the front bumper, it probably means it started life in a state that required a front number plate. Continental felt that an unframed plate on a plain bumper would look unattractive.
The hubcaps are extraordinarily labourintensive to make or to restore, with one nut for each spoke.
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Those T-handle controls are for the heating system. Terry says you need the workshop manual just to figure out how they’re all supposed to work – and this one doesn’t even have the Mark II’s single option, air conditioning, at an extra $595.
Lincoln Continental.
William Clay Ford with 1956 Lincoln Continental Mark II.
For such a rare car, parts support is surprisingly good, with reproductions of some very obscure little items such as door lock covers easily available from Mark II Enterprises in California.
The verdict? Motor Trend suggested in 1957 that the car’s styling was seen as too old fashioned, which seems extraordinary now – can you think of another American car from 1955 that could have passed as a production model in 1965? The truth is probably straightforward: most people who wanted to spend that much on a new car felt the Continental should show off its $10,000 price tag rather more obviously than it did. If this tale leaves you feeling a sense of injustice, we sympathise. William Clay Ford and his team tried something relatively rare in the auto industry at the time – good taste and restraint. They ensured it was done with the highest possible quality control, introducing seven initiatives that involved everyone from top management to the gate security guards in the process. They were even prepared to lose money on the first year or two of production, and they did – around $1000 per car, but it just wasn’t to be. Those who did buy the cars obviously cherished them, having spent the price of five Ford Customlines, and more. This meant most survived long enough to become appreciated as classics, although their rise in value has been more recent. Terry Jeeves had to watch them go up and up until last year when he found his. “I saw it on eBay and eventually sent an assessor to have a look,” he says. “He gave me an appraisal and a valuation that was more than the sum I was going to pay, telling me it was a really good one. For the $600 it cost me, I would recommend an appraisal to anyone who’s serious about buying a valuable car overseas, it was well worth it.” Terry and his brother Les, also an American car nut, went to collect the Continental from the dock and it was every bit as good as the assessor indicated. “It was repainted once in 1986,” says Terry, “but the interior is 100% original. It’s car number 1710 of the 3000 they made and there’s a goldplated plaque on the transmission tunnel with the name of the first owner, Loyal W Jodar, MD. He was a plastic surgeon!” ❯❯
classic-american.com 27
Amazing grace
Well, it took serious money to own one. Dr Jodar chose Deep Gray Opal for his car and it’s a colour that suits the Continental’s semi-formal grace very well. Terry says that the car would have been valued at $20,000 more had it been black, according to the assessor; however, Terry prefers the grey colour to black and it’s really his opinion that matters though, because there’s something we haven’t told you about him. Terry grew up with American cars and has owned and driven more than we could easily count. He now has a collection of mostly convertibles classics built between 1940 and 1970 that’s entered double figures. He has a Cadillac of exactly the era Lincoln were trying to beat, so he’s in a unique position to give us an informed view of how this car compares. “It cruises very nicely at 60-70mph and feels really steady and solid, especially since I’ve changed the cross-plies for radials. It doesn’t pitch or wallow, but if I was forced to choose, I’d say the Continental drives better. But I have to make allowances for the Cadillac being a convertible – as a coupe, the Lincoln is very quiet and relaxed.” One more question – among all those other classics (including a wild 1960 Lincoln Continental convertible, and a 1940 Ford coupe), what is it that appealed about the understated Mark II? “It’s the shape. It really bit me... cars are like a disease for me, and I’ve wanted one of these for a very long time. When it’s parked now I still find myself looking at it and thinking ‘yes, I’ve finally done it, I’ve bought the right one this time’.” The truth is that the Continental Mark II represents the very best of the American motor industry during its golden age – these huge, vastly wealthy firms could afford to invest immense sums in brave new models, and they did. The fact that they sometimes came unstuck and had to admit defeat shows just how large the risks were, but when the end product itself is so blameless – as is the case with the Mark II – we can only be grateful that they were allowed to try. What was one of the best cars of its day is now one of the most impressive classic cars to grace our scene. It’s never too late for a bit of recognition, is it? ★
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The rumoured $10,000 price of the new Continental gave Cadillac something to top, and top it they did – by late 1956, when the Continental was already on sale, Cadillac announced the Eldorado Brougham at $13,074. Had they known of the minimal commercial impact the Continental would eventually have, they may never have bothered trying to better it.
Fixed-head coupe on 1933 Phantom II.
Two-door fixed-head coupe on 1930 Phantom II.
CONTINENTAL: THE ORIGIN STORY Just as Americans knew which continent the 1940 Lincoln-Zephyr Continental was referring to, wealthy Britons assumed the same thing when considering a Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental as far back as 1930. The story is remarkably similar to that of Edsel Ford and Bob Gregoire, only in this instance Sir Henry Royce asked designer Ivan Evernden to build him a one-off, short wheelbase Phantom II. It had a tuned engine, stiffer springs and a lightweight body, making it ideal for fast touring on long continental roads, but – here’s the crucial difference – with the owner at the wheel and the chauffeur left at home. Rolls-Royce built 281 Phantom II Continentals, many bodied by outside coachbuilders in two-door sedanca de ville or drophead coupe styles – long
bonnets, a short rear deck, low overall roofline and often one or two spare wheels mounted aft of the trunk on the tail. Edsel Ford’s inspiration is therefore pretty clear, even if Bob Gregoire’s brilliantly executed styling job was entirely his own. Still, it’s odd to think when looking at this lovely Continental Mark II that it’s inherited many of its basic styling features from English firms such as Gurney-Nutting, Barker and H J Mulliner. And its name, of course, was a straight lift, which Rolls-Royce took back again in 1952 for the Bentley R-Type Continental. Since then, Bentley and Lincoln have shared the name over many decades as it’s passed in and out of use. Currently, both firms are making a Continental… neither of which owes much to these classic early models.
The perfect gift for the man who has everything.
classic-american.com 29
Looking at Paul Wells’ 1957 Oldsmobile 88 convertible today, it’s hard to believe he bought the car as a rusted-out wreck – although Paul didn’t realise that at the time… 1957 Oldsmobile 88 convertible Words: Mike Renaut Photography: James Mann
classic-american.com 33
T
here’s no denying that Paul Wells is an Oldsmobile enthusiast. It takes certain dedication to own four of them! Although, if anything could have put him off, it would have been his six-year nut and bolt, frame-off restoration on this 1957 Oldsmobile 88 convertible. Paul first dipped his toe into the waters of American car ownership with a Chrysler Cordoba. “I don’t remember anything about that,” smiles Paul, “I bought it sometime in the Nineties and it must have been cheap...” Otherwise he’s had mainly sports cars; a Healey Sprite, MGC, Austin Healey 3000 and a rare Renault Alpine A110, “until a mate at a local garage had a 1957 Olds Golden 88 four-door sedan for sale on behalf of a customer. He needed to sell in a hurry so I gave him £3000 and my Volvo 240.” Paul found a 1957 Holiday coupe online and had that shipped over; it was featured in our August 2009 issue. “Then I bought a second ’57 Holiday, this one a four-door, with its headlining signed by Bill Haley’s Comets during a UK tour. There was another buyer, Ken, interested and the seller mentioned I had owned Oldsmobiles. Ken ended up buying my original sedan and became a good friend. “I sold that ‘Comets’ Olds around 2012 to fund restoring this convertible – it went up north somewhere, then turned up again at a cruise 10 miles from where I live! Then I saw a 1957 Olds wagon I couldn’t resist.” Paul wasn’t finished yet. “I saw a fire-damaged 1958 Oldsmobile 98 coupe on eBay in 2014 and shipped it over. I’m currently restoring that and then the wagon.” If you’ve managed to keep up, you’ll realise Paul currently has three ’57s. The convertible you see here was bought sight unseen from eBay. “A mate in California offered to collect it – which was about a thousandmile drive. It turned out to be an absolute basket case. He explained I’d need a parts car if it was ever going back on the road. So I bought a ’57 two-door hardtop − back then the pound to dollar exchange rate was really good.” The cars went to a California bodyshop to get made into one good one, but progress ground to a halt. “I was getting worried since no one could tell me what was happening,” remembers Paul. “Over three years passed so I decided to get the convertible shipped to the UK.” In 2010 Paul and mate Steve collected it from Chatham Docks. “We were walking into the warehouse when Steve said, ‘how bad can it be…?’ Then we saw the car. Steve just walked away. I looked at the state of my Oldsmobile and wondered if I could push it off the dock into the water and walk away too…”
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Caroline takes the wheel.
Longer, lower, wider
Paul’s convertible came with no previous history. We know from the VIN that it was built at the Lansing, Michigan plant and after that was obviously parked somewhere very wet for many years. Introduced November 9, 1956, the 1957 Oldsmobiles got a complete redesign, yet still strongly resembled the 1956 cars; this was deliberate since previous Olds had been great sellers in the mid-price market, meaning General Motors saw little need to alter a successful recipe. Yet, they were billed as “the most changed Oldsmobiles in 20 years”. Wheelbases remained the same at 122-inches for the 88 and Super 88, 126 for the 98-series, but those cleanlystyled bodies were longer, wider and lower − the latter helped by switching from 15 to 14-inch wheels. Underneath, was a new cow-belly frame and Olds’ first ball-joint suspension. The extra weight of 300lb which the ’57s now had, was hauled up by a 277bhp, 371cu in Rocket V8. Internal framework was shared with Buick and begat Oldsmobile’s first wagons since 1950. Badged Fiesta, they were all four-doors and even available as a stylish pillar-less model.
277bhp 371 cu in Rocket V8.
Sedans, coupes and, for the first time on an 88, convertibles, were available in base 88, mid-range Super 88 − both known as Golden Rocket – or, top model, Starfire 98s. It wasn’t Olds’ best year for production; 384,390 cars built was more than 25% lower than 1956, but enough to retain Olds’ fifth place overall; a 6.2% market share. For the first time ever, the cheaper 88 outsold the Super, and by better than 40,000 cars. It wasn’t all bad news; a rare J-2 triple carburettor performance package could be optioned for any model. For just $83 it slashed the 0-60mph time to nine seconds, Lee Petty took one to more than 140mph at Daytona. Paul’s car is one of 6423 convertible 88s that sold for $2895 in 1957, but he’s spent a bit more than that to get the car looking like it does today… ❯❯
The tri-tone back seat is almost nautical in flavour.
The tri-tone theme continues on door panels.
classic-american.com 35
Ovals and circles feature prominently in the front end design...
Crazy 88
Let’s re-join Paul at Chatham, surveying the remains of his droptop. On the positive side, it was a genuine 1957 Oldsmobile convertible. Unfortunately, “it had no floor, the roof frame was bent, the rear seat was missing, there was rust in most of the panels and it sat on four flat tyres…” remembers Paul. “It was a nightmare. But, being a base model convertible, it was rare. We got it back to my garage and I discovered you can buy repair sections but not a complete floor.” Neville Partridge of Sienna Cars (01985 840966) fabricated an entire new floor from sheet steel, identical to the original down to the convertible’s extra strengthening sections. “The rear seat surround was rusted-out and had to be repaired with new metal − that included fabricating new mounts for the roof frame.” Once the bodywork was solid – which took more than 120 hours of work before even normal rust repairs, accident damage repair and panel alignment could begin − Paul borrowed Steve’s garage and they took the body off the chassis. “While Steve did rust repair, I restored the chassis at home,” says Paul, who lives in Bath. “I stripped it down, had it sandblasted back to bare metal, rebuilt all the suspension and brakes, then repainted it. The only things that weren’t replaced were the differential – which got all new seals – and the rear leaf springs. Everything else on that frame is brand-new.” The engine and gearbox were also rebuilt; with the JetAway Hydramatic three-speed automatic being brought back to life by Ian Chant at IC Automatics Ltd (01761 472295/ www.automaticgearboxesbath.co.uk). “Ian did a brilliant job on the gearbox, I can’t recommend him enough,” adds Paul. “Me and friend Colin Bowbadge rebuilt the engine using a kit I ordered from the States. That was pretty straightforward.” Attention turned to the interior. “The rear seat was missing so we cut down a coupe version and narrowed it to fit.” Then it was a question of finding a trimmer, which turned out to be easy. “I was parked in the Olds coupe one day and a couple approached to chat about the car,” they turned out to be Claire and Chris from Equinox Custom Interiors (0117 986 6880/ www.equinoxcustominterior.co.uk). “Once I’d visited their premises I knew I could trust them to retrim my convertible and they did an absolutely stunning job. I wanted a Super 88-style interior since the original 88 looks a bit plain. They copied it largely from photos.”
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and are repeated on the dash.
Exhaust exits through the bumper.
SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon (www.smsautofabrics. com), supplied the correct vinyl. “I had Chris add threetone trim across the side panels of the rear seat since stock is just one colour. Once we’d fitted the new pump and roof rams I’d bought, Chris made a superb job of fitting the new roof.” That was after Paul discovered the original roof frame was bent and was forced to source a new one from America.
Blues Man
“The car was originally red, but I don’t like red convertibles so decided to paint the car blue. I’d already painted the interior of the body and the dashboard. Then I was at the Power Big Meet in Sweden and saw a ‘57 in two-tone blue. I decided mine ought to be blue and white so I had to redo some of it, fortunately most of that interior paint was covered up by trim.” Paul tried to keep it a secret, but the colours his Olds is painted are actually Citroen Botticelli Blue over Ford commercial Diamond White. “The commercial white is a little creamier than standard Diamond White.” Thanks go to Neil Hilliard and Andy Meakin for their painting skills. Andy later did much of the body reassembly as well. A Newport Engineering electric wiper conversion was added too; “it bolts right into the existing holes”. The Oldsmobile was treated to a complete stainless steel system by Infinity Exhausts (01454 273123/www. infinity-exhausts.co.uk). “I was really impressed with their work, they made the system from scratch and it’s bolted,
not welded, together. Then after I’d fitted the fuel tank I realised the exhausts fouled on it. I took it back and they rerouted the pipes for free – that’s great service!” The shiny bits were rechromed in the States, “the quality seems better, but it costs about the same once you ship parts there and back. We panicked when the front bumper and grille top didn’t align − I had ratchet straps bending it back into position!” Paul reckons the car did about 1000 miles around the UK on lorries before he ever got to drive it. “The restoration was a real learning experience, there’s virtually nothing I don’t know about ‘57 Oldsmobiles now,” laughs Paul. “For instance, the boot convertible hinges are different to those on the coupe, so are the sunvisor mountings and the screen trim. I spent most evenings online finding parts. I’d thought some would be shared with other GM cars, but almost everything is different. Of course, all the trim is uniquely Oldsmobile too. There are very few people offering Oldsmobile parts, yet you can buy virtually everything for the same year Chevrolets.” After some 2500 hours spread over six long years, the Oldsmobile was back on the road in 2016 and all those efforts were recognised. “I was pleased and surprised to win best in show at the pre-50 American Car Club’s Bristol American Car Show. And now I’m doing virtually the same restoration with my 1958 Oldsmobile 98 − I must be mad…” Thanks to Paul’s good friend Caroline for kindly joining us on the photoshoot. ★
“I LOOKED AT THE STATE OF MY OLDSMOBILE AND WONDERED IF I COULD PUSH IT OFF THE DOCK INTO THE WATER AND WALK AWAY TOO…”
classic-american.com 37
Email us at: email@classic-american.com or write to: Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ
Classic American
STAR
Letter
50s are finest
Dear Classic American, Thank you for publishing my letter recently about boring samey cars with black interiors, forsaking all the fun and frolic the American cars had in the Fifties and Sixties. And lo and behold, there on page 53 (July issue) is a photo of a Cadillac CT6, all black inside and outside and looking essentially – at least from the side – like a big Jag, or big Audi, or big VW... or a big lots of other makes! How enthralling. Thank goodness for the coverage of the eye-watering older Cadillacs, all quite impractical, but what fun! Alan Elkan Downend S Glos
1957 Cadillac.
WIN A £100 INSURANCE VOUCHER!
Glad we’re offering succour with our 50s Cadillac offerings!
SALVAGE SALVATION Dear Classic American, I subscribe to Classic American and love looking through the pictures of the various finds in the salvage yards. After a couple of years of saving my father and I are finally off to America in October for the Hershey AACofA event as per your write-up a couple of months ago. We are making a road trip of it, heading from Newark airport to Detroit, then down to Hershey. My question to you is, when travelling to Detroit on the I80 freeway, are there
any friendly salvage yards that we could stretch our legs and have a look around that you would recommend, please? Frank Nolan Via email We asked Will Shiers, our resident salvage yard expert and he said: “I haven’t done that route, and even if I did know of some decent yards, they’d have closed by now. It’s such a struggle to find anything decent that’s still open. Sorry I can’t help.”
Hard to find today: Salvage yards.
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Those nice folks over at RH Insurance are sponsoring a prize for the star letter in Classic American magazine. The prize, which is valid for 12 months after the competition has closed, is a contribution of up to £100 towards the premium for the insurance of one specialist vehicle courtesy of RH Specialist vehicle insurance. All you have to do to be in with a chance to win is send us a letter, or an email. For full terms and conditions please visit http://mrtns.uk/starletterterms
STARS & STRIPES GRIPES Dear Classic American, My wife and I visited Stars & Stripes for the first time and it was certainly a scorchingly hot day! There were plenty of exhibits and trade stands, and many visitors. A couple of things that I found disappointing, though. There were a number of exhibits that were not ‘classic American’; various British classics that really had no business being there. However, since I like British classics I can live with that. More depressing though was the huge number of modern American motors present – and I mean virtually brand new, up to 10 years or so old. These are NOT classic cars and I really don’t want to have to walk past dozens of these vehicles to find a ‘proper’ classic of the 60s, 50s or earlier. I appreciate that some of the visitors to the show might be interested in new Mustangs, Camaros, Chargers and (Fiat) Jeep Cherokees etc. but personally I find them dull and in far too great a profusion at a ‘classic American’ show. Are they allowed/encouraged just to make up the numbers, I wonder? Michael Hooton Holyhead Anglesey
There were a handful of British classics and we hope to be even more vigilant in the application process to root out non-American cars next year. As for newer American vehicles that are not ‘classics’, we don’t think there were too many at all – a concerted effort to limit the number of modern vehicles was made in the selection process – the ones that were on display were a fraction of those that applied. The ones that were allowed in probably did boost the numbers and we wouldn’t make any apologies for that: better a line of modern Ram trucks or Mustangs, than an empty bit of field. The show, like Classic American, reflects what people are driving and not everyone is lucky enough to be able to have a daily driver and a classic American car… Nearly new: Hummer.
30th ANNIVERSARY
30th ANNIVERSARY
30
1998: editor Tony Beadle
Editor Ben Klemenzson looks back on three decades of Classic American…
I
’d like to say I’ve read Classic American since the first issue, but I came to the party a bit later… I now realise I started reading from issue three – better late than never and all that! I can’t imagine many readers go on to work on their favourite magazine – let alone edit it for two decades – but that’s the position I find myself in, 22 years and six months after I first started on the title. I’d like to think the magazine’s success – at least during the time I’ve been involved with it – is that I’ve always treated Classic American as if it was my own business. Of course it isn’t and in the time I’ve worked on it, it’s had three different owners, including Auto Trader and more recently Mortons Media, a family-owned and run business that specialises in smaller niche titles, predominantly rail and motorbikes. What I have noticed over the years is that whoever has worked on it, or whoever has owned it, they always seem to become quite enthusiastic about the title – it’s always been well liked by both owners and employees alike. Of course, when Classic American started out in the early days its first editor Tony Beadle and deputy editor Sarah Bradley were running a magazine that was catering to the sudden explosion of interest in the American lifestyle here in the UK. Those early issues featured articles on everything from American football, jeans, cowboy boots and general Americana and reflected the pop culture of late-Eighties Britain. Ben E King was topping the charts, everyone wore Levis, drank Bud and aspired to owning a Rock-Ola jukebox or a Ford Mustang. The cars, funnily enough, played a relatively minor role in those earliest editions, but the car content grew exponentially with each issue. Back then Classic American was quarterly, then bi-monthly and then monthly. Printing went from black and white with the odd colour feature to full colour and over the years cars came to dominate, as the lifestyle features fell away and Classic American became effectively a car magazine. The rise of the internet and the digital age has presented challenges to every newspaper and magazine the world over. However, although the common wisdom has been that paper-based versions of magazines like Classic American would disappear entirely, to be replaced with digital or web versions, what has actually happened is those digital versions of Classic American have emerged (you can subscribe digitally to Classic American to read ❯❯
1999: Power Big Meet, deputy editor Sarah Bradley and Dream Cars. 1998: Ernie Wright of EG Wright’s helped with mechanical woes.
1999: Project Falcon that almost never happened.
1997: Sucks Gas sticker... a riposte to the constant MPG jibes.
2000 Classic American pick-up.
cla ic meric n.com 4
2001: This mustang won the first ‘Win a Paint Job’ competition.
2002: de deputy editor Dave Smith.
2002: Classic American administrator Angela Dickinson with Cameron Rennie.
on your tablet or iPad,) as have the Classicc Ameriican website and Facebook pages. Yet, rather than replacing the magazine, they serve to enh hance it, complementing what’s on the page and d offe ffering a platform for material we can’t fit into the magazine itself. Of course it’s a fine balance deciding what can go online without diminishing the value of the magazine; put too much on there and no one will buy the magazine (copy sales, along with in-magazine advertising, are the title’s main source of revenue). Too little and no one will bother with the website. But we think today we have the balance just about right. One of the most common expressions I’ve heard over the years – and still hear today – is the comment: “I’ve been reading since issue one/I’ve got every issue since issue one.” All I can say is that readers must either have very big houses, or very understanding partners, as I have every issue since number one and it takes up practically a whole wall and gives me nightmares about the structural integrity of my home! Jokes aside, I am very proud that Classic American still appears to have the popularity it’s always enjoyed, whether that be from readers, subscribers or advertisers. It’s a strong brand that’s always known what it’s about and has always enjoyed a loyal following. Of course no one, or thing, is perfect, but something we’ve always tried to make sure is that the content of Classic American is relevant to the readership and as such we’ve undertaken three in-depth, extensive readership surveys over the past nine years, to ensure we’re offering readers the type of content they wish to read about. Overall, the feedback has been positive, but as always we’re keen to hear from readers, subscribers and advertisers alike, so drop us a line if you have any comments, suggestions or ideas of how we could improve Classic American – it is, after all, your magazine! ★ ★ Got a suggestion or comment? email: email@classic-american.com Or write to: Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ
2008: Rally of the Giants and Buick Wagon.
2004: Classic American sales rep Julie Wright.
2011: Sales rep Michelle Frost and Chloe at the NEC Classic.
Classic American was acquired by Mortons in November 2009.
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Class Am’s current team at the 2017 Mopar Nats.
30th ANNIVERSARY
Chrysler Corporation in the Fifties
Virgil M. Exner chief stylist.
W
ith the arrival of the Fifties, it was engineering, not styling, which reigned supreme in Chrysler’s cars. The reason for this was the leadership of the President of the company, Kaufman Thuma ‘K T’ Keller, who was hell-bent on producing cars that were practical, objective and built with an engineer’s approach. The Chrysler cars of the era were tall and traditional, whilst the competition started making lower, longer, more sleek and streamlined body styles for their cars. While Keller was a fantastic leader in regards to knowing the mechanics of not only the vehicles coming down the assembly line, but also the machinery which built the vehicles on the line, he was no stylist and had a stubborn approach, sticking with old, outdated body shapes. After the Second World War Chrysler did very well, being the second-largest auto producer in the United States behind giant General Motors, but things were changing rapidly at the start of the Fifties. America was enjoying happy times, and buyers were ready for better looking cars. Meanwhile, the newly-designed 1949 Chrysler line didn’t keep up with the competition, styling-wise, and it was all as a result of K T Keller’s strong views on wearing hats while driving, as well as when getting in and out of an automobile − great engineering and dependability, not so much great looks. One of Keller’s favourite quotes regarding Chrysler Corporation styling went like this: “There are parts of the country, containing millions of people, where both men and the ladies are in the habit of getting behind the wheel, or in the back seat, wearing hats.” For both big and tall people, it was said that Chrysler products of this era, with their volumes of head, leg and elbow room, would have satisfied even the tallest, biggest customers. When Fortune magazine carried a full spread on the line of Chryslers at the time, they said this: “Looking at the ’49 Chryslers, Plymouths, DeSotos and Dodges, may or may not knock your eye out when you look at them, but they will certainly not
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Jim Maxwell takes a fond look back at Chrysler Corporation’s glory days, from the mid-Fifties to that decade’s tumultuous close. It was certainly a turbulent time for Chrysler, as he recounts… 1950 DeSoto Custom Suburban.
1951 saw Chrysler introduce power steering.
1953 one millionth Plymouth.
1954 saw Dodge pace.
1954 Chrysler.
knock off your hat.” Even though Keller had accomplished great things while being top guy at Chrysler in his long career at the company (which started in 1927), by 1950 he knew there needed to be some new thoughts and ideas. He stepped down from the presidency and moved to chairman of the board. The new President was Lester Lum ‘L L’ Colbert, called ‘Tex’ for short, a long-time Chrysler employee whom Keller had taken under his wing early on. At the same time, Keller hired a designer named Virgil Exner. There wasn’t any time to change things for the 1950 model year of Chrysler’s divisions, so they were carry-overs from the boxy 1949s. Walt Woron, who was the editor of a new automobile magazine at the time, Motor Trend, tested a 1950 Chrysler New Yorker during the Mobil Mobilgas Economy Run and it delivered 17.11 miles per gallon from its 323cu in L-head straight-eight engine. Here’s how he described the vehicle: “For a car of this type, it is difficult to suggest improvements, because above all we must consider who and what the car was designed for. If you want a car that you can be proud of, and are looking for a car of the Chryslertype design and price bracket, then you should consider the New Yorker.” Consumers did buy those New Yorkers, as well as loads of other Chryslers, Imperials, Dodges, DeSotos and Plymouths, in 1950, topping 1,201,800 vehicles sold − a Chrysler Corporation all-time record and even more impressive considering there was a 14-week long workers’ strike halting production. Some of these sales were the new two-door hardtop models (Chrysler Newport, DeSoto Sportsman, Dodge Diplomat) which was a roof design that was soon to gain tremendous popularity with buyers.
Technical brilliance
1954 saw Powerflite-transmission introduced.
1955 Chrysler C300.
1955 Chrysler C300.
For the 1951 model year, the big news was Chrysler’s new V8 engine, with its “Hemihead” design, which, while it matched Cadillac in overall cubic inch capacity (331), actually produced 20 more brake horsepower: Cadillac’s V8 engine had 160 horsepower at 3800rpm, while the Chrysler power-plant developed 180 horsepower at 4000rpm. The other Chrysler engineering milestone which occurred that same year was the introduction of power steering, which now made parking a lot easier for the 4000-pound land yachts. The engineers came up with a system, called Hydraguide, which was advertised as “doing four-fifths of the steering work for you”. It was a system which quickly caught on as being a practical option. “This one advance all by itself gives you a truly astonishing new experience,” touted the advertising copy, and it was quite true and not hype by any means. “With Hydraguide, your wife can park the biggest Chrysler with thumb and one finger around the wheel... or, put the other way around, you can now enjoy the safety in sudden situations of five times the steering control any car has ever had before.” ❯❯
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The sales of Chrysler Corporation vehicles topped 1.23 million units for 1951, however, the fast-rising Ford Motor Company had passed them up for the number two sales position behind leader General Motors. The old and outdated Chrysler styling was hurting the company, and even though the young, enthusiastic Exner was on board (and did some futuristic show cars) he wasn’t able to get anything done on the production cars in those first early years of employment. The older engineers and designers resented him and held him back, seeing him very much as an “outsider”. Engineering advancements continued nonetheless. PowerFlite came in 1954, a twospeed automatic transmission which replaced the previous “semi-automatic” transmission called “Hy-Drive” (which was rather odd in design considering the fact it combined the engine oil and the transmission oil all in one, requiring some 11 quarts for service). As soon as Colbert was able to give him the green light for expansion, Exner increased the design staff from 17 people to 280 when he came to be Vice President of Chrysler’s styling. While work was being done in the styling studios for something new, 1954 saw sales slip to just 723,300 units. This bad news caused the company to take a long hard look at what they were doing wrong and where they needed to go. It was not a good year for Chrysler; there were jokes circulating around Detroit about the “Big 2½” instead of the “Big 3”, which was a dig to the loss of sales at Chrysler. As chairman of the board, Keller saw that things were seriously amiss and his announcement didn’t mince words: “I have seen the error in my ways,” he told the Detroit Free Press Newspaper at the time. “Christ, we can’t afford another mistake.” One of the things which led to the decision that something had to be done – and it had to be something of substance for the 1955 model year – was when a proposed “facelift” was shown to Exner for review. It was so old and outdated a design that it prompted the
1955 Dodge Clay.
1955 Plymouth Belvedere.
1955 Dodge dashboard design.
1955 saw dash-controlled transmission on Plymouths.
1956 Carol Burkheiser of Plymouth styling department.
designer to proclaim: “I don’t think there’s anything you can do with this car. You need a whole new skin on it.” After that, the decision was taken to start a crash programme on a complete re-do, on what would come to be known as the “Forward Look” cars of 1955 − Exner’s first big splash – Chrysler’s new genre of cars with a sleeker, more fashionable appearance. It helped the corporation in getting back in the game. There were highlights, such as the crown jewel, the Chrysler 300, which was a two-door hardtop model, with an Imperial front end put on and a muscled-up 300-horsepower Hemi engine, plus Imperial dashboard and plush leather interior. It was positioned as a “rich man’s toy” and provided a great focal point for the division. Suddenly the Chrysler Corporation wasn’t just for old folks, but now offered a new flash of excitement. Exner’s magic provided the looks and, combined with the existing Chrysler engineering excellence, the products across the board – Chryslers, Imperials, Plymouths, DeSotos and Dodges – all started gaining market share.
The first muscle cars?
1956 Chicago show stand.
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The term ‘muscle car’ didn’t exist in the Fifties, however, Dodge created something that was a prelude of sorts, in the way of their 1956 D-500, which was a Coronetbased performance package, which included the following special equipment: 315cu in Red-Ram Dodge Hemi engine, with dual Carter four-barrel carbs, 9.25:1 compression ratio and a larger exhaust, delivering 295 horsepower, along with heavy-duty suspension components (from Imperial and New Yorker) and 12-inch diameter brakes
1957 Chrysler 300C.
1957 DeSotos being transported.
1956 DeSoto.
sourced from New Yorker. They were adorned with crossed-checkered victory flag emblems, and these Dodges were nearly 500 pounds lighter than the Chrysler C300. Besides the D-500 Dodge, the 1956 DeSoto Adventurer was available, equipped with a 341cu in Hemi, with 320bhp, a car that was clocked at 144mph at the Chrysler proving grounds. Here’s how Jim Wangers (the guy who helped market the Pontiac GTO) described them: “The most interesting thing about each of these cars was that, taking horsepower and weight into consideration, Chrysler was actually marketing the first true muscle cars, almost 10 years ahead of their time…” Also, during 1956, K T Keller had stepped down from the board, leaving Colbert and Exner all set to go even further with daring designs. Big things were to come for the Chrysler Corporation for the model year 1957, with the introduction of the second wave of the Forward Look vehicles. And while they were creating completely new bodies, the overall chassis and front and rear suspension systems were updated as well. For many years, the typically big and heavy American automobile was criticised for having sloppy handling, and by switching from conventional coil springs to torsion bar suspension, Chrysler engineers were able to greatly improve cornering abilities. Chrysler gave it the name “Torsion-Aire” and a side benefit was that it provided more room (allowing the hoods to be dropped down to the level of the fenders) plus a less cluttered appearance under the hood. In addition, a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission debuted. With
1956 Dodge Mayfair.
1956 DeSoto FireFlite.
“CHRYSLER WAS ACTUALLY MARKETING THE FIRST TRUE MUSCLE CARS, ALMOST 10 YEARS AHEAD OF THEIR TIME...”
1957 Torsion Aire ride.
1957 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer.
lower, longer and cleaner body lines used on all models, the re-design from 1955 started the transformation to change Chrysler Corporation vehicles, and these new-for-1957 rolling sculptures from Exner completely revived the entire vehicle lineup, and for the better. Using curved side glass and artistic tail fins, combined with all the technical advances made, these cars took the rival car manufacturers by storm. Virgil’s colleague Maury Baldwin reported at the time that the rear tail fins were not simply for appearance, but for function. “Wind tunnel tests proved conclusively that they aided stability at speeds over 60-70 mph,“ he stated, “…they were never conceived as a gimmick.“ One of the unique quirks of these newly designed cars was that they were equipped with a dashboard-mounted, rear-view mirror, rather than the industry standard of an upper windshield mounted location. It was an odd ingredient of the Forward Look design starting in 1957, and advertising materials indicated that it provided 30% better visibility than previous mirror location, taking for granted that nobody tall was sitting in the centre of the back seat. ❯❯
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1958 Dodge Sierra Wagon.
1958 Plymouth Fury.
1958 Dodge ad.
1959 Chrysler Group.
1959 Chrysler Windsor.
Winged fortune
With greatly improved sales of the 1957 model year run, which did lots in helping Chrysler Corporation as a whole, a total 1,222,300 Chrysler branded products were sold. And for the Plymouth Division, their increased sales sent it back to the number three position, passing Buick and Oldsmobile, to regain its former position (behind Chevrolet and Ford marques). The 1957 designs garnered the prestigious Gold Metal Award of the Industrial Designers’ Institute and the low and sleek cars that came out that year (some measured five inches lower in overall height compared to their 1956 predecessors) were so radical to those who first set eyes on them, that it was quite shocking. Years later, a retired designer who was working for the DeSoto division said this: “When I got my first glimpse of it as a full-size clay model, I said, ‘Oh my God,’ I couldn’t believe it. I was just so shocked, going from the ’56 to ’57. You mean we’re going to make this car? It’s not just a show car, it’s… it’s reality!?” The men who were known as “Tex“ and “Ex“ were, without question, the two single biggest influences on the company in the final years of the Fifties. Of course, the talented engineers who designed the famous Hemi engines and torsion bar suspensions also contributed to the success of those 1957 models. However, there was one big problem which emerged during the development of the 57s, and it was the result of the rush to production – unfortunately, quality was compromised along the way, as the development time was rushed and ultimately
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there wasn’t enough time for the normal preproduction testing. The doors and windows leaked water and there were widespread rusting problems, as well as problems with overall fit and finish. As a result, customers backed away from these cars the following year. By the end of the 1958 model year, a dismal 581,200 Chrysler products had been sold. Part of it was because of the national recession which was taking place that year, but 1959 wasn’t much better: 737,800 units in total. In the design for the line of 1960 Chrysler products, there was a major upheaval ahead, with a change to “unit construction“. The full frames of the Fifties were being phased out at a cost of $80 million for the corporation. Enthusiasts who own late-Fifties Chrysler products have the distinction of being unique, as they have the torsion bar front suspension but not the uni-body construction. That, and the lucky ones who have Hemi power, have distinctive automobiles that do a wonderful job of representing a place in time and with the chrome and glitz of the late Fifites. In summary, the Fifties saw a tremendous amount of change in the American automobile industry as a whole, in particular many changes and advances at Chrysler, with the lowest of the lows occurring during 1954 and then peaking with the revolutionary 1957 cars. At the beginning of the decade the company had some 23.1% market share of the American auto industry − by the end, only 11%, making the Fifties most definitely a story of ups and downs and turbulent times at Chrysler. ★
1959 Plymouth.
1960 Imperial.
1961 Imperial Southampton.
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ROAD TRIP: Pacific Coastal Highway Words & Photography: Jonathan Fleetwood
Classic American photographer Jonny Fleetwood took a few days out from a work trip to the west coast of America for the ultimate road trip, in the ultimate American sports car, a Chevrolet Corvette of course… classic-american
You don’t get much more old school American than a thumping great V8 like the 455bhp version found under the bonnet of the ’Vette.
L Corvette Stingray C7
Engine: LT1 6.2-litre V8 Power: 455bhp Torque: 460 lb ft Transmission: 8 Speed Auto 0-62mph: 3.8 seconds Top Speed: 190mph
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ike many people in their late twenties, I grew up watching a mixture of spaghetti westerns and reruns of road movies – as such there’s always been an undeniable draw to roads stretching off into the horizon offering the possibility of adventure at every turn. When a photography job in the States came my way, it was the perfect opportunity to tack on a couple of extra days and finally realise a dream that I have had, even long before I held a driving licence: Driving up the Pacific Coastal Highway from Los Angeles to San Francisco. I would be starting in LA with just three days to see as much as possible before my flight home. A good friend in San Francisco had offered me a bed should I ever find myself on the West Coast and I decided to take him up on his word. With something to aim for and a deadline to be back, it was time to make a plan. One of the most important factors when planning an epic road trip is nailing the perfect car. For America, I set three key criteria: It had to be V8, it had to meet the teenage poster car aesthetic and it shouldn’t be readily available here in the UK. A Mustang seemed like the obvious choice for a ‘first time in America’ road trip, but since it is now available at home, settling on a Dodge Challenger R/T, with 375bhp from a hemi V8 didn’t sound like too much of an ordeal. Sadly, even the most carefully organised plans can unravel without a moment’s notice. A mix up somewhere in the Hertz system meant my Challenger was out fulfilling someone else’s dream when I turned up to collect it at Los Angeles’ LAX airport, despite having booked it via Hertz’s Adrenalin Collection, which guarantees a specific model. Next to me, a slightly irate chap was having a similar situation with his missing Mustang, so things weren’t looking great for my dream drive. But, fate intervened once more and the manager came up with a thoroughly more appealing solution, just as I was resigning myself to the prospect of crying my way to San Francisco in a Toyota Corolla – a bright yellow Corvette Stingray with 455bhp and four exhaust pipes almost big enough to fit my hand inside. To this day, he’s probably nursing a sore shoulder from the feral joy with which I tore the key from his hand.
Combining my first trip to the States with my first naturally aspirated V8 meant even the busy LA traffic couldn’t dampen my spirits in the morning sunshine. A direct route to San Francisco can be done in five to six hours, but luckily for me, my friend wouldn’t be home until midnight, giving me nearly 15 hours to get there. The original plan was to follow the Pacific Coastal Highway (PCH) all the way from LA, but landslips along the route had made it impassable without doubling back to the interstate. I had to compromise – heading north on the interstate, cutting across towards Monterey Bay before finally turning south onto the PCH, down as far as possible into Big Sur, before time forced me to retrace my steps and head north once again towards San Francisco.
Carmel or Bust
Setting the navigation for Carmel, the town where Clint Eastwood was once mayor, I settled into the drive while soaking up the California sunshine. From the relatively verdant green hills around LA, through open farmland and then into seemingly arid desert areas, drastic landscape changes happened rapidly. Oil derricks on the aptly named Petroleum Highway were a pleasant surprise, the road, arrow straight with heat from the sun creating a shimmering mirage effect above the asphalt – yet another possible film set and only a few hours in. Accidents, traffic around LA and the missing car at Hertz had added a couple of hours onto my journey. With the aim of hitting the PCH before the sun set over the Pacific I pushed on, spurning a hot meal in favour of cheese puffs, Gatorade and turkey jerky. Such things are part and parcel of the road trip experience, nothing wholesome was going to be passing these lips until I reached my destination. The Corvette was gasping for fuel by Monterey, so I dropped into the outskirts looking for a gas station, the sat-nav once again proving invaluable. Pay at pump machines in America seem to hate our credit and debit cards, so going inside and prepaying is the norm. I had no idea how much a Corvette could take, but the man behind the counter suggested $50 would be a good place to start, anything unused would get refunded a couple of days later anyway. ❯❯
Jonny hits the road.
classic-american
Pacific Coastal Highway (PCH) offers stunning views.
It’s hard to convey in words the feeling as I dropped down past Monastery Beach with the Pacific on my right and realised I was at the start of the section of road I had been most looking forward to. Often things long looked forward to fail to live up to expectation; this was not one of those occasions. The strong smell of pine resin and ocean spray on the evening breeze, waves crashing on the cliffs, mixed with a deep bass V8 soundtrack, the exhaust crackling into each perfectly-cambered corner was petrol head perfection. Combine this with a truly epic stretch of road running though jaw-dropping scenery and painted in warm orange tones by the setting sun, it was a moment like no other and the perfect playground for such an awesome machine. I drove until the sun set and then drove some more. I knew I would need to turn back towards San Francisco at some point, but that also had a silver lining, the same cambered corners and short concrete bridges in reverse. Only this time I knew the road and in the darkness the other cars were all but absent… The steering was responsive and precise, not aggressively so, but with the drive mode selector in ‘Sport’ the weighting on the wheel gives a real confidence. On these roads the car feels alive, ready and willing to handle everything that comes its way, the phrase ‘American cars don’t corner’ parroted by so many certainly doesn’t apply to the Corvette on its home turf. Although I was now against the clock to get to San Francisco, I still opted for the more scenic route, heading out towards Santa Cruz then up Highway 17. Though the scenery was largely lost on me in the darkness, the route I took was far more engaging, fast and with surprisingly tight twists and turns for a dual carriageway. Other drivers all seemed to be on a similar mission, gone were the sedate speed limit adhering drivers of the daylight hours, replaced by a whole new breed in the darkness. Perhaps chances of getting singled out for a speeding ticket are lower at night, but either way it was refreshing to be pushing on with everyone else. ❯❯
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“ THE CORVETTE IS A REAL BEAST, BUT YOU HAVE TO RESPECT IT OR IT WILL BITE...”
San Francisco
Mission Street
San Jose
Santa Cruz
San Francisco.
Monterey Carmel-by-the-Sea
Big Sur
Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin headlands.
classic-american
te Park
The low end torque and lack of turbo-lag from the Vettes big naturally-aspirated V8 made me fully reconsider my feeling about long distance drives in petrol cars. Most modern petrol engines only feel progressive with your foot down and then seem to almost coast. But with 455 horses on tap, my opinion changed drastically; big displacement lazy V8s are the most wonderful thing ever invented for long distances. Even better, cruising with the occasional bit of foot down fun it was still getting around 25mpg in the real world. A brand new BMW M3 wouldn’t be doing much better. I am a massive BMW fan but… I think I would choose the Corvette for sheer ‘smiles per mile’ over a Bavarian bahnstormer in almost all situations. On my arrival, my friend Chris was waiting with an ice cold beer and an almost life-changing burrito from a joint called El Farolito. A fitting way to end such a monumental day.
I Left my Heart in…
Bakersfield
Los Angeles
Joshua National
Palm desert
Yosemite offers stunning views and exhilirating driving at every turn.
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Next morning, in true San Francisco style, brunch was first on the agenda. Afterwards, we drove around as much of the city as we could, through the Dogpatch and Mission districts, then further west towards Ocean Beach, before heading back east towards Embarcadero, taking in the iconic hills and trams that define San Francisco in so many movies. Every corner the possible set for one of 1000 movies all flashed through my brain as we drove… San Francisco is a stunning city, worthy of so much more time than I could afford to give it, but with a glimpse of Alcatraz through the smoke blowing in from fires further north, it was time to head out, because no road trip to San Francisco is complete without a trip across the Golden Gate Bridge. Something about the rust-red colour and towering supports sets it apart from others. It was a struggle to keep eyes on the road as the abutments soared overhead, the impact multiplied by the unrestricted view skywards with the roof down.
Los Angeles
Ontano
LAX TERMINAL 1
Palm Springs Palm Desert
Outside the big cities, California’s roads are quiet and relaxing to drive.
We powered on towards Muir Woods and the prospect of some seriously big trees. Although the trees were just as massive and awe-inspiring as promised, the roads on the way there were fun too, perfectly cambered and a joy to glide through the corners, hitting the apex and then powering out. I would love to say we both enjoyed that part of the drive, but the pained expression on Chris’ face suggested he wasn’t such a fan. The Corvette is a real beast, but you have to respect it or it will bite – the rear end can be lively and catching it early is advisable before you end up broadside, with full opposite lock looking nowhere near as cool as in the films…
LA Story
Up long before the sun and determined to make the very most of the Corvette and the scenery, the drive back was to be equally ambitious. I could just about squeeze in a flying visit through Yosemite National Park, over the Tioga Pass, before heading down through the Sierra Nevada back towards LA. The drive out over the Bay bridge towards Oakland was smooth and traffic wasn’t a problem at that time in the morning. With the navigation set, I settled into the three-hour journey. The entry fee to Yosemite lasts seven days and at $30 isn’t overly expensive for what you get to witness. Speed limits in the park are low, but when flanked by redwoods soaring into the sky with smooth tarmac ribboning ahead of you, this is no bad thing – just soak it all in. Fueling the tank before diving deep into the park is advisable and provides a perfect opportunity to load up on more jerky and shockingly vibrant gummy sweets. The struggle to balance the need to keep moving with the desire to stop and admire the view was never-ending, every break in the foliage revealing another breathtaking glimpse of the park. Mile after mile I really felt torn by the ever-ticking clock, as this is a place to visit when you have time to absorb the raw beauty. Having reached the highest point at 9943ft the road descends, rapidly in places, more than 3000ft towards Mono lake and the town of Lee Vining. With one last stop on my agenda before flying home, I turned south with the aim of reaching Palm Desert, 380 miles away, where another friend had offered me a sofa for the night. Long distance drives in America are the price you pay for such a vast and varied country, but watching mountains slip by the window hour after hour is no hardship. If you have time on your side, relax and take it slow, but even with a tight schedule you can pack a helluva lot in. ★
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Words: B K Nakadashi Photography: Courtesy of Ford
We take a look at the secret styling studies which led in 1 1967 to Mercury’s very own upmarkket Mustang: the Cougar… These earliest clays are dated January 22, 1965.
I
Interestingly, this rear end taillight treatment is very similar to the restyled 1971 Cougar.
Fussy knock-off wheel centres never made it into production...
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t would seem to be an impossible ask − take the Mustang, Ford’s hot new genre-defining, all-American pony car, and kick it upmarket to make it a Mercury. It had to have the Thunderbird luxury-car feel on a Mustangsize platform; it had to elevate itself above the street-racing fray with added class and poise; it needed what Americans hilariously thought was a European feel; it had to be a sporty car the whole family could enjoy… and it had to do it all on a shoestring budget of a mere $40 million. Cougar styling studies started in 1963, although it was simply known as T-7 in those early days. T-7, the upmarket Mustang-based proposal, was on the back burner until the actual Mustang (itself codenamed T-5) was a sales success − far from a sure thing in late ’63 and early ’64. Work began on T-7 in earnest once the Mustang proved successful, and it was assigned to Lincoln-Mercury. Simply pasting a new nose and tail onto the extant Mustang, with Mercury levels of interior trim, would have been the easiest route. It also smelled of failure to Lincoln-Mercury Division general manager Paul Lorenz. The intermediate Mercury Meteor, a Fairlane with minor styling differences, sold poorly; the division’s compact Comet was a slightly larger, better-trimmed version of Ford’s Falcon − and it was a big seller for Mercury. Such was the approach chosen for the T-7. Cougar was destined to be available only as a coupe in its introductory seasons, although an upmarket convertible was mocked up. A flying-buttress roof treatment would help visually lengthen the T-7, but this was later dropped.
...nor did the gill-like grille on the front wings.
Motor Company archives and the author’s collection
At just over 111 inches, the Cougar’s wheelbase meant it was significantly bigger than the Mustang.
The basic structure was heavily based on the Mustang, with i h three h iinches h grafted f d iinto the h wheelbase; h lb iindeed, d d the h Cougar’s 111.2-inch wheelbase came between the ’67 Mustang’s 108-inch wheelbase and the Thunderbird’s 114.5-inch wheelbase. Some additional room was granted to rear-seat passengers, but the reason for the extra length was to give Cougar a longer (and probably lower) look, so most of the extra length appeared ahead of the firewall. Cougar’s lines were flowing, yet restrained; wheel arches brought attention to the wheels and tyres. Where Mustang had a pair of body lines terminating in a faux door vent, the Cougar was clean and smooth. Basic body lines had been signed off by early 1965, with only headlight and tail-light treatments still to be decided. The Cougar name seemed like an easy choice; marketing studies showed Cougar to resonate with potential buyers after a pair of early-Sixties dream cars wore the nameplate. While the name was an easy choice, other badging proved more difficult. The shiny Cougar badge in the headlamp door sent a message of agility and power to American car buyers, but it got Jaguar’s lawyers all in a huff. When the Brown’s Lane solicitors won the case, Mercury’s kitty was posed atop simple COUGAR lettering. A plaque with the model name also lived on the rear quarters. The vertical chrome grille and headlight-cover strakes remained from an early sketch, a motif that is repeated at the taillights. The grille and lights take the majority ❯❯ February 11, 1965, another alternative taillight treatment.
Hide-away headlights were imagined from the start.
Here’s a convertible rendering, with another rear end treatment.
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February 1965 and those faux knock-off spinners are still making an appearance.
of the front and rear ends: the grille split is narrow and the taillights only end at the licence plate recess. Unkind critics called it the “electric shaver” look, and their comments strike us as far fussier than the styling details they’re discussing. As was common for the day, the chrome bumpers were largely decorative. Inside, the XR7 deluxe model upgrade further sought to provide a ‘Ye Olde Worlde’ feel: leather bucket seats, floor shifter, two consoles (one on the floor, the other on the ceiling), wood-grained instrument panel, tachometer, trip odometer, toggle switches and a three-spoke steering wheel. Despite the interior, the sought-after European feel was abandoned under the hood. While you might think that a high-revving inline OHC Six with side-draught Webers would be in the European tradition, Cougar sought to differentiate itself from Mustang by offering only V8 power. Starting with a 200bhp two-barrel 289cu in V8, a 320hp, 10.5:1 compression 390cu in V8 was top dog under the hood. A three-speed manual transmission was standard, with a choice of four-speed stick and three-speed automatic available. Suspension was from the Mustang parts bin, though softened slightly for a smoother ride. At the start of the ’67 model year, Cougar’s base price was $2851 − roughly 10% more than a comparable Mustang, and quite a bit less than a Thunderbird. All of Ford’s fretting over whether Cougar would hit the luxury-sporty sweet spot was well worth it: Mercury sold more than 150,000 copies for the 1967 model year. That means Cougar gave sleepy Mercury division a kick up the backside − the new nameplate represented 40% of all Mercury sales for the season. (All other
April 1965 and the rear end styling is approaching completion.
By May 5 the front end styling was almost complete...
This rear end treatment was dismissed.
...likewise the taillights are like those decided upon.
Mercury nameplates lost between 18 and 52% of their sales in 1967, possibly on the back of their chauvinistic “Man’s Car” ad campaign.) Cougar may have nibbled away at the edges of Mustang’s sales dominance, but so did the other new entries. With GM’s Chevy Camaro and Pontiac Firebird joining the fight, and a restyled Plymouth Barracuda jumping into the pony-car fray at the same time, Cougar had to be seen as an absolute smash as it debuted. It represented something of a departure for the peppy pony-car class; one that showed luxury could still be added without losing any of the verve or maneuverability which the genre became famous for. When they built a Mercury Mustang, Ford got its reward. ★
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He’s probably one of the best-known faces on TV for discovering and restoring extremely rare and beautiful classics, but how did it all come about? Steve Havelock meets Wayne Carini and finds out… Words: Steve Havelock Photos: Courtesy of Wayne Carini, Crashing Wave Entertainment, Velocity and Discovery
“I
’m 66 now, going on 18, and I am excited about getting my new Dodge Demon,” says Wayne Carini, the star of the popular TV show Chasing Classic Cars. “I’ve got my order in. They’ve got 840 horsepower from the factory and will do wheelies. They will pull the front wheels off the ground and into the air. I want to put my young grandson in the passenger seat and pull wheelies and have him experience that − on private land, of course. In 1971 I built a Pontiac Firebird with a 400 horsepower GTO engine. It had no interior apart from the driver’s seat and I used to drag race it over on the local turnpike. There was a kid with a ’63 Dodge Dart and it had a Hemi in it and he would lift the left front wheel right off the ground, it had so much torque. I thought, ‘that is the coolest thing in the world’
and now Dodge has come out with a car that you can drive on the street and yet can pull the wheels off the ground.” Well, it’s good to see that Wayne is still young at heart. In the TV show we usually see him buying, selling and restoring mega-expensive collector cars such as Ferraris, Cadillacs, Packards and Bentleys, but he has a real passion for hot rods, specials and oddball cars, as well as drag racing, F1, Nascar and motorcycles. Wayne grew up around cars as his father Robert was a highly regarded car restorer, operating out of a barn on the family farm in Connecticut. Robert started by restoring Model A Fords and in 1952 co-founded the Model A Restorers’ Club of America after his own Model A was denied entry to a local car show for being too lowly.
Wayne recalls: “As a kid I spent every moment I could with my father. When I was about six and could actually do things, he put some sandpaper in my hands and then it never stopped. Basically, I became his cheap labour. Next to my father’s workshop was a lean-to where my cousin, who was six years older than me, built hot rods out of nothing. He’d haul a Model T home and the next thing you know, there’s this big blown Chevy or Chrysler motor in it. He’d put it together with paper clips or bubble gum as he didn’t have any money. It was crazy and they were so fast. It got me into hot rods from an early age. When he was 18 he’d hang out with his buddies and I’m like 12 and I became one of the hot rod guys; getting tools for them and going to the fridge to get them cold beers. ❯❯
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“Over the years hot rods have really intrigued me to the point where I built one, then another, and started buying them. Recently, I had Steve Moal, who is one of the best hot rod builders in the country, build me a car to my specification. It’s a ’32 Ford-based car that looks a bit like a very early Ferrari or Maserati race car. It’s a flathead Ford and it’s got little Brooklands screens on it, minimal gauges and disc covers for the wheels. We spent a lot of time and a lot of effort and they built it to fit me. I’m a small statured guy and I fit in that car perfectly. A guy who is 6’6” won’t fit. It was like going to a custom suit maker and having a suit made for you. It was a great experience. “I also have in my possession, that I am selling for Mr Ed Iskenderian, two of the oldest hot rods in existence. I have the John Athan car that was in the movie Loving You with Elvis. That car was built in 1937. And Ed’s car, that was built in 1938. These are the two oldest-known hot rods in existence that are totally original. They haven’t been monkeyed with since they were built. I’m thrilled with that. John Athan was a machinist and he worked for Ed, grinding camshafts. They built their hot rods together and used to drive them to El Mirage (a dry lake bed) and race them. Some movie producer saw Athan’s car parked on the street in front of the shop and said he would like to rent it for this movie with Elvis, and so the car became very famous.”
Teen Dreams
By the time he was a teenager, Wayne was already totally hooked on cars and speed, and that sometimes got him into trouble. He recalls: “My mother had a 1961 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible that I fell in love with. That was really fast. I used to steal it when I was about 12 or 13. I made up my own keys and when my parents went to the movies on Wednesday nights I used to take the car and drive it around without their knowledge. Until I got caught one night. It was pretty bad. I drove it out of the driveway to the end of the street. I looked left and then right and looked back to the left and there is my father sitting there waiting for me. He set me up. I reversed back up the street and into the driveway and he came into the driveway sideways. He gets out and says, ‘Give me those keys and get back in the house, I’ll deal with you when I get back home.’
Wayne as a boy with his dad.
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Wayne as a boy with his dad and Model A.
“It was a week before he would even talk to me about it and so I was in fear every day as to what was going to happen. Finally, he said, ‘Do you know what kind of trouble you could have been in, and I would have been in, if you had had an accident with somebody?’ Something kids never think about. My father never touched me, but he would create this fear, which is something that children don’t have these days.” The impulsiveness of youth also backfired on Wayne when he was in high school. He recalls: “I had a 1966 MGB that I worked on. I took a real pride in it and it was a beautiful, beautiful car. My dad was restoring a Morgan three-wheeler for a lady and she also had this 1966 Corvette. She offered me an even trade − her Corvette for my MGB. My dad said, ‘It’s your car, do what you want, but I wouldn’t do it if I were you.’ But I did it, of course. I thought I was in heaven, owning a Corvette as a junior in high school. Then I couldn’t afford insurance. It was something like $1000 a year for someone my age. So I owned it, but I couldn’t drive it. My father had a dealer plate and he let me drive it once a month. Then I had an accident. A buddy was trying to race me in his Triumph TR6 and he bumped
me in the back and cracked the fibreglass. That was the end of that. My father said, ‘Time to get rid of that, it will get you into trouble.’ So I sold it and it paid for my first two years at college. College was pretty cheap back then. For a daily driver I had a ’59 VW. It was funny, I would ask girls out. They knew I had the Corvette, but they would turn me down. But the minute I got the VW I had more dates with girls than I did driving the Corvette. Go figure.” Wayne says his father wanted him to broaden his education so he enrolled at college to study architecture, although he carried on working with his dad at weekends and holidays. After a couple of years, he decided it wasn’t for him and went to work with his dad full time, quickly earning a reputation for the high quality of his work. He recalls: “Then in 1973 my dad made me buy into the business. He thought he needed a change in life so he and my mother moved to California and he started working in a shop there making four-door Corvettes. He left me with the business to run, even though he owned most of it. But it was going well and I was a workaholic, working 15 or 18-hour days. I was making some money and buying things like motorcycles and ended up building a house. I suddenly became a responsible person.”
Wayne and Jay Leno at F40.
Have dog, will travel!
Wayne and Kimberly in the famous Rain Man Buick.
TV Beckons
Now, 45 years later, Wayne owns F40 Motorsports, a highly successful classic car sales and restoration business, and is a TV star. Chasing Classic Cars first aired in 2007 and there have since been more than 160 episodes. So how did that come about? He says: “I’d got a pretty good reputation on my restoration work and buying and selling cars. There was an article written in the New York Times (in 2006) by Donald Osborne, and we’ve been friends for more than 40 years, about me buying a Hudson Italia. I had been trying to buy this car since I was 16 years old, because I fell in love with it. My father knew the guy who owned it and I said to him, ‘If you ever think about selling that car I’d like to buy it.’ He sort of shrugged it off. “I finally bought it when I was 52. Donald wrote this article called First Love. The head of the production company that I now work for read the article on a Sunday and called me Monday morning saying he’d like to do a TV show about me. All they wanted to do was to follow me around with a camera and document what I do every day. I said, ‘Boy, if you think that’s interesting, God bless you!’ I asked how much it paid and he said, ‘Absolutely nothing, but you never know what will happen. This could be something really big.’ I said, ‘All right, what do I ❯❯
Wayne and Kimberly with the Rain Man Buick.
First time in the Moal Speedway.
Wayne with the 1921 Stutz Bearcat ‘best barn-find’.
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Series creator Jim Astrausky, Wayne and producer Hannah Lintner.
have to lose?’ We made two, one-hour episodes called The World’s Most Expensive Car and Monterey Week. “The head of programming for Discovery came to Monterey with us. We were filming without a contract or anything. She said, ‘We would like to do a series. You can call it anything you like. We’ll do 12 episodes for next year. We believe in what you are doing.’ We decided to call it Chasing Classic Cars. She pulled me to one side and said, ‘Your life is about to change. Television is the most powerful tool in the world. Everyone will know who you are within three months, I guarantee it. Just hang on to your hat about what’s going to happen to you.’ I shrugged it off and thought ‘Right!’ “Well, you can’t believe what has happened. The show is now in 37 countries and my voice is dubbed in just about every language you can think of. I get recognised everywhere I go and people want my autograph and pictures. They want to know your life’s story. It’s been amazing and it’s all been very positive. It’s opened new doors for me and given me opportunities I would never have had in my life. Last year, I was on the road 183 days, either filming for the TV show or making appearances. I would like to bring that down a notch to spend more time with my family. I take great pride in producing a show that the
whole family can sit down and watch. There is no swearing, there is no throwing tools, there is no hatred. Nothing. It’s just me being myself. It’s changed my life, but it hasn’t changed me. I am still the same person.” Wayne certainly produces the goods. He seems to regularly come up with great stories, unusual barn finds and meeting interesting folk. One of the best was the story of the 1948 Buick Roadmaster convertible. Regular viewers will know that Wayne and Laurie, his wife of 35 years, have two daughters, Lindsay and Kimberly. Wayne says: “Kimberly has autism. Realising and finding out that your child has a disability is pretty devastating. We did everything we possibly could to find out everything about autism − what it was and how to best deal with it. Kimberly, who is now 30, has done very well even though she doesn’t have any speech and we’ve gotten along just fine. She’s a wonderful person and we’ve done great things. Autism wasn’t really recognised or people didn’t really know what it was. They put people in mental institutions because of it back in the Fifties and Sixties. Finally, people found out more about it and how to deal with it. The movie Rain Man came out around the time Kimberly was born (in 1988 starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman). It was such a great movie and such a great depiction of someone who had autism.
Wayne and Pam Yates with Brock Yates’ 1925 Ford Eliminator.
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Wayne taking part in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
It helped people understand autism a bit more. It meant a lot to our family to have people say, ‘Now I get it, we now know what you are going through and what autism is about.’ “Years later I get a phone call from a lady and she says, ‘My boss would like you to restore his Buick convertible. We’ll send it to your shop.’ It arrived all taken apart and as I’m preparing the estimate I thought, ‘This looks just like the car in the Rain Man film.’ So I call the lady and told her and she says, ‘That’s because it is the car. Barry Levinson, who directed the movie, watches your TV show and would be thrilled if you would restore it for him.’ This car meant so much to me and I restored it. I told him that I had become in love with it and the meaning of it and I told him the whole story. That was five years ago and I still have the car here. Mr Levinson has never picked it up. He’s always too busy making another movie. I asked him if I could take it to shows and use it to fundraise for autism, which we do. It does a lot of good. There are no restrictions on me for the show. Everything you see on that show comes from me. What that freedom gives me is the opportunity to talk about things that I want to talk about. It gives me that soap box to talk about autism, for instance. I go around the country giving talks and I ask that my fee is donated to their local autism charity.”
At the Race of Gentlemen.
A hill climb Indy car.
Best of the Best
I asked Wayne what was his most exciting American car discovery to which he replied: “About three years ago a gentleman called me and said he found this Stutz Bearcat in an old barn. Nine times out of 10 they turn out to be fibreglass kit cars that look like an old car, but this really was a 1921 Stutz Bearcat. It was parked in a barn in 1931 because it had a noise in the engine, but all it was, was a carbon build-up in the head. It was probably the greatest original car and the best barn-find I’ve ever found. But every time I went out in it someone would almost hit me. It was a bad omen so I decided to sell it.” I asked if he had a personal car collection and he replied: “Yes. I have way too many, but never enough. I have more than 50 but under 100, but I’m pushing that 100 a little too close.
The best American car I own today is a 1953 Studebaker Starliner Coupe. Raymond Loewy was probably one of the best designers of his era and the car is absolutely beautiful. It was a car I wanted, but I just couldn’t find the right one. I was at an auction about 15 years ago and there was a framed picture of this car and it was in an orangey colour and was just beautiful. I bought the picture! Things are meant to be, and I’m a big believer in that. Do you know, I found an exact car that matches that picture and it had 7000 original miles on it? It is like brand-new. It’s unbelievable. I will be showing that car this year at Pebble Beach in the Post War Preservation Class. It doesn’t get much better.” I then asked which car he most regretted selling. He said: “A 1960 Cadillac Coupe de Ville with 11,000 miles on it that was like brand-new. I think
I bought it for $8000 and this guy kept bothering me to buy it saying there had got to be a price. I said, ‘No, not really,’ and then he said, ‘I’ll give you $18,000 for it.’ I said, ‘Wow, okay, deal.’ The minute I said it I regretted it, but I said I’d sell it so it was a deal. I am a man of my word. I’ve been trying to buy that car back for the last 10 years. I see him once a year at a car show and ask, ‘Will you please sell it back to me?’ and he says, ‘No!’ ” A couple of years ago, Wayne lost both of his parents. He says: “I’m next in the batter’s box. My grandson was born the year that my parents passed away. The old is out and the new is in. It’s the circle of life. My mom died at 89 and my dad died at 94. I plan on being 115. That’s my goal. I will never retire from this business and will always be doing something with broadcasting. I enjoy that.” ★
A Davis three-wheeler.
Wayne at Race of Gentlemen.
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1960 Lincoln.
Staplefield Village Fete and Car Show
Words and photography: Zack Stiling
Staplefield, West Sussex
May 28, 2018
1935 Auburn 851 Speedster. With national club shows, lifestyle festivals and numerous professionally run events happening across the year, you could well forget about little village shows. You’d do well to remember them, though, because they’re often so friendly and informal and the Late May Bank Holiday show in Staplefield, West Sussex, is no exception. Run alongside the annual village fete, you get the expected British classics (including more Morris Minors than you could shake an A-Series dipstick at!) but also a worthwhile turnout of Yanks from the Twenties up to C5 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Corvettes, and by midday cars were parking around the periphery of the not-insignificant green, which had reached capacity. 1970 Ford F100.
1928 Ford Model A Phaeton.
Popular classics like Model As and Mustangs appeared alongside iconic Fifties glamour cars like the ’57 Chevy Bel Air and ’59 Chevrolet Corvette. A 1960 Lincoln Continental and 1935 Auburn 851 Speedster were clearly pretty special, although the specialness of the 1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator on display may not have been quite so obvious initially. Recognisable by its spoiler, stripes and Competition Orange paint, it was one of only 2267 examples with the Eliminator performance package built for that model year. Various other vehicles turned up as well – pre-war, commercial, military and motorbikes – so there was plenty for all tastes. Entry was by a £2 donation to local causes, and for that you got a scenic drive into the High Weald to meet with an interesting mix of like-minded enthusiasts. If that sounds like a nice way to spend a bank holiday, remember Staplefield for next year! ★
Jeeps a go-go.
1970 Mercury Cougar Eliminator.
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... at least not when the ‘hot’ is a result of overheating
Words: Kev Elliott Syndication: Fox
I
t’s amazing how many homebuilt cars − as well as a few professionally built ones − suffer from cooling issues, whether it be full-blown overheating or simply running too hot. There can be any number of reasons for this, though more often than not it’s caused by the radiator simply not being up to the task at hand, closely followed by the fan, or fans, not moving enough air through the radiator core. We had a couple of cars with different problems – our ’46 Ford roadster pick-up, and a friend’s ’63 Chevy Nova wagon. The latter had received a GMPP crate 350 in place of the stock six a couple of years ago, with a new water pump and radiator to match. However, in the heat of the summer, it was noticed that the wagon had started to run a little warmer than what had been
a 195-degree norm, especially in rush-hour traffic, more than once requiring exiting the freeway to cool down. With all-new parts used during the conversion, the cause was a mystery. Rather than take a shot in the dark by replacing parts one by one (though admittedly this would have answered the question of why the wagon was overheating) our buddy sought the advice of an expert, namely Don Armstrong, owner of US Radiator. After checking out the wagon, Armstrong suggested the following: remove the plastic low-flow flex fan and replace it with a high flow and more efficient 17-inch, seven-blade fan, switch the 180-degree thermostat for a 160-degree version, replace the radiator with a copper/brass version with a ❯❯
The radiator removed from the Nova was not only inadequate for the job, but the side-plate had come away from the top tank too. This radiator, installed when the V8 replaced the straight-six, would be replaced by a high-efficiency version from US Radiator.
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“WITH THESE MODS DONE, THE WAGON ONCE AGAIN WAS RUNNING AT 170 DEGREES, WHATEVER THE TRAFFIC...”
Flex-a-lite’s 17-inch even-blade flex fan is designed to pull air through a three- or four-row radiator, and is quieter in operation than most flex fans too.
high-efficiency four-row core, and fabricate blanking plates to prevent hot engine compartment air from recirculating over the core support and passing through the radiator, a problem which can happen at idle or low highway speed. We could have gone further and added a fan shroud to the Nova, but found it unnecessary. With these mods done, the wagon once again was running at 170 degrees, whatever the traffic, proving a little solid information can go a long way. While Armstrong was inspecting the wagon, we took the opportunity to have him give our pick-up the once-over. While it’s never let us down (okay, it’s overheated a couple of times traversing the infamous Grapevine over the mountains north of Los Angeles), and has travelled through many states, its constant hot-running has always been cause for concern, especially on long mountain grades. We knew the radiator was a weakling two-row core, but had persisted with it mainly because it was such a pain to remove and replace. Stupid we know, but with a crossflow radiator mounted so each end tank is under the fenders, the only way to get it out was from underneath, and we’d welded in the cross-member that supported it, in a typical last-minute rush to get the truck running years ago! Armstrong lent us his airflow meter to see just how poorly the single electric fan was pulling air through the grille and radiator core. To be fair, this fan didn’t cover enough of the core, and despite its best attempts, was working with a radiator far too small. It was time to retire it. With a new three-row core and triple-flow design from US Radiator, we cut out the old cross-member and fabricated a new removable one. The thicker core meant we had to kick the bottom of the radiator out towards the front of the car and subsequently modify our blanking panels to suit. We also had to mount a transmission cooler behind the grille, as previously this had been handled by the cooler in the old radiator. The triple-flow design of the new one meant this wasn’t an option, so an aftermarket one was bought and installed. The few hours of work involved for all this should really have been tackled years ago, as the truck now runs below 190 degrees, in turn keeping the driver from overheating too. Roll on summer and a trip over the Grapevine… ❯❯
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Flex-a-lite also supplied a selection of fan spacers to fine-tune the gap between the new flex fan and the radiator core.
We added a 16psi–rated cap to the new radiator.
This 160-degree thermostat also came from Flex-a-lite, and replaced the existing 180-degree unit in the Nova.
The new copper/brass radiator is similar to what GM used to cool 350bhp 327 engines, but with a higher efficiency four-row core. US Radiator can fabricate aluminium or copper/brass versions, but rate the latter for their higher efficiency when comparing like for like.
Though we didn’t use it on the Nova, high-flow water pumps can sometimes be a help when troubleshooting overheating issues. FlowKooler high-flow water pumps resolve low-speed heating problems by doubling flow rates at low rpm and idle. They can also delay the onset of cavitation at higher rpm.
The Nova has an open space between the top of the grille and the core support, which allows hot air from the engine bay to flow up and over the support and into the radiator core at low speeds or when stationary. These blanking plates were made from heavy-duty construction board, having the extra benefit of forcing cool air through the radiator rather than over it at speed.
We got slightly more scientific when it came to our ’46 Ford, as we knew the water pump was new last year and it already has a 160-degree thermostat. More to the point, we knew the radiator was a puny two-core item, likely from a six-cylinder car. We used an airflow meter to determine the air velocity through the radiator with the electric fan on. We also measured the temperature of the radiator core with the engine at operating temperature, rather than rely on the gauge, which was always at on or above 210 degrees, regardless of traffic speed. The only time the engine ever stayed below 210 was on cool rainy days, not exactly common in Southern California!
Here’s the old radiator, with my home-made shroud and single electric fan, which, though it had done sterling duty, didn’t cover enough of the core and was no match for the too-small radiator core.
Compared side by side, it is obvious how much more cooling capability the new twin SPAL fans will offer. That cut-out in both shrouds is to clear the steering box on the Caprice front clip.
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Sometimes the junkyard can be your friend. We bought four radiator upper supports from a couple of late-model Fords for the grand sum of $8, media blasted them, then cut them down on the band saw to suit the thickness of our radiator, cutting the rubber inserts by the same amount (seen on right).
The new radiator mounted in place. Owing to its increased thickness, we had to kick the bottom out toward the front of the car, necessitating slight modifications to the lower inner corners of the blanking panels that direct all airflow through the radiator.
by Don Armstrong, Owner of US Radiator 1. There are generally three types of overheating scenarios that will lead us in the most direct path to identifying the problem and parts necessary to fix. (A) Overheating that occurs after the thermostat opens and continues to climb until the engine is shut down. This is the least common and generally requires a complete system review and upgrade. Start with the least expensive parts and hope that you’ve solved the problem before you get to the radiator, but don’t rule it out. (B) Overheating that occurs at low speed or at idle, but goes away once the vehicle is moving into constant highway speed. This is the most common and usually indicates coolant or airflow issues. The good news is you can usually rule out radiator issues and focus on water pump, fan blade, fan clutch, and shroud or air dam components. (C) Overheating that occurs at high speed but goes away at idle or low speed. This form of overheating usually involves an inadequate-sized radiator or partially blocked radiator that cools fine when there’s little horsepower being produced but can’t keep up with high-horsepower heat generated at speed. It can occasionally involve a water pump, so start there and move on to the radiator. 2. One of the most common misconceptions about cooling is that an aluminium radiator cools better than copper/brass. This only holds true when comparing a 3/8-inch high-efficiency aluminium fin core to a Sixties-style standard automotive ½-inch fin copper/brass core. When both radiators are compared using the 3/8-inch high efficiency fin height the additional tubes in the copper/ brass radiator make it far more efficient than its aluminium counterpart. (A) Another popular misconception is a threerow aluminium core cools better than a two-row aluminium core. Heat transfer can only happen where the fin touches the tube or water passage and it’s referred to as fin bond area. Two rows of 1in tubes indicate two linear inches of fin bond where a threerow aluminium core using a 5/8-inch tube only has 1 7/8 inches of fin bond and actually produces less.
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We used one of the junkyard-sourced radiator supports to hold the top of the radiator, welding it to the slam panel, which will be repainted. All that remains now is to install a new transmission fluid cooler, as this was previously located in the radiator end tank, but the triple flow design of the new radiator precludes this.
US RADIATOR (323) 826-0965 www.usradiator.com FLEX-A-LITE (877) 767-0554 www.flex-a-lite.com SPAL (800) 345-0327 www.spalusa.com We fabricated a simple cross-member with two of the “reconditioned” support brackets trimmed and welded to it to locate the new radiator. As with the unit it replaced, the radiator is removed from the bottom, as it sits under the front fenders.
FLOWKOOLER (805) 239-2501 www.flow koolerwaterpumps.com
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’Pala games We’ve steamed through the headliner fitment, and now it’s time for quarterlight mechs, throttle linkage conjuring and the Impala to be reunited with its original green ’screen. Words: Jonny Smith Photography: Simon Browse
Kettle’s on
Back in the June issue you read how Simon Browse managed to expertly fit the Impala’s deep red headlining without the help of a grown-up. There was just one final job left on the roof fabric before ticking that job off the Beauty Pala to-do list. Simon isn’t a professional trimmer, so he doesn’t have a special steamer for the headlining final shrink conditioning. Instead he kept a kettle of water continually boiling inside the car, so as to create enough steam all over the headliner. This was followed by a wipe with a cold microfibre cloth. Lastly Simon trimmed the excess material in window apertures before sitting down for a well earned pint of sugary tea.
Quarterlight overhaul
I may have mentioned it in my last project installment, that instead of opting for new repro Chinese-made quarterlight (vent window) opening mechanisms, I wanted to refurbish the American originals. After some research, I found a small business in Florida that worked a recon exchange service for ‘regulators’. For less money than I could buy the Chinese ones, I had a pair of fully-restored originals shipped out. They are wonderfully rebuilt, and my cores netted me some money back in return. Highly recommended. Search ebay.com for the seller Jessejane1957. Simon fitted the quarterlight mechanisms, which were the final piece to the puzzle for the doors. ❯❯
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“THIS STEERING HEADACHE IS SOMETHING I WOULDN’T WISH UPON MY WORST ENEMY.”
Saga nearer to an end
The new (chrome) steering box rag joint was positioned and fitted to the 605 chrome (now rusting because of poor quality American chrome) steering box on the Impala. Then the steering column coupler joint was removed and stripped down to its component pieces and the exterior of the coupler was sanded, primed and painted satin black. A new grease seal was fitted to the end of the steering column and the coupler (and its bearings/parts) were regreased and reassembled and reattached. This brings the steering dilemma a few steps closer to success. For those of you who don’t remember, by me having the chassis reinforced with 6mm steel and seam welded, the steering box is now in a slightly different position to before. It also means the steering links foul the cross-member. We are slowly working out a solution for this, but if anyone has any shorter pitman and idler arms (or can shorten the originals safely?) please get in touch. There’s a new steering shaft and rag joint on its way from the US as we speak. This steering headache is something I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy…
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WANTED!
Throttling
If I had my time again with this Impala, I would ensure that every part was stripped by myself and bagged/labelled with no room for error. During the Impala’s early years, when I stripped it and sent it to various locations for repair, a few parts went walkies. One of these was the throttle pedal to bulkhead linkage. Gone. Sad emoji face. You can find them secondhand over in the US and you can order repro parts, but because we’d heard on forums some stories of dubious quality, Simon decided to fashion his own using parts from his own American cars. As he runs vintage wedding car company Arrow Cars, he carries an enormous amount of spares, not to mention the skills to repair stuff swiftly. A 1954 Cadillac throttle rod and bulkhead bracket was very similar (Simon has two ’56s and used to have a ’54) so he used that as a basis. The bulkhead bracket needed adapting for shape to the Impala and the pedal rod itself needed shortening slightly. Next the carb linkage arm (the bit inside the engine bay) was thieved from Simon’s 1964 tri-power Pontiac Grand Prix awaiting resto. All parts were cleaned, red-lead undercoated (two coats) and then high-temp black satin paint to finish. New bolts and fittings were used, along with re-greasing. Now all we need to do is sort the carb linkage/spring return end. ❯❯
As you know, I’m always looking for Impala parts; a proper fitting original radiator (with fittings), a fuel filler neck, a bonnet eye-brow trim, engine flex plate, door sill plates, classic Chevrolet script rocker covers, and short type pitman and idler arms. If you have got ANY 1964 Impala parts to sell, please get in touch. What have you got? Email carpervoffice@ gmail.com
Thanks to:
★ Arrow Vintage Cars - arrowvintagecars.co.uk ★ 3D printed classic car parts - modernclassicparts.com ★ Shiftworks - shiftworks.com ★ Roadhouse Retro - roadhousemotor.co.uk ★ Kwik Performance - kwikperf.com ★ Woollies - woollies-trim.co.uk ★ USAutomotive - usautomotive.co.uk ★ XS Power Batteries - 4xspower.com/ & bladeice.com/brands/ xs-power/batteries/ ★ Marque Restore chrome plating - marquerestore.co.uk ★ ABS Power Brake Inc - abspowerbrake.com ★ ERS Insurance - ers.com
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Screen grab!
The Impala has not had a windscreen in place for about 12 years, so this is a major chapter in the resurrection of project Beauty Pala. As with the rest of the glass, the windscreen is the green-tinted (dated) original piece. As the headliner had been fitted and shrunk to fit last month, Simon went ahead and took some more brave pills before embarking on the screen fit himself. However, before it could be smacked into the car’s aperture, the screen glass needed restoring. It was covered in a mixture of spray dust, road film, old tape glue and bathroom sealant (from a previous refit at some point in its life). First things first was a hot soapy bath to loosen all the debris, followed by a scraper to remove the silicone remnants on the bead and the outer edge, taking great care not to chip any of the laminate. It is after all 54-year-old glass. Eeek. Then, very carefully used, a razor blade was used across all of the screen’s surface to remove the stubborn tape glue and general cack. Next was a liberal bath of white vinegar for both sides of the screen, followed by a rub in acetone – this acts as a squeaky clean for any residue prior to fitment. Out came Simon’s glass cleaning compound and a machine buffer for the finale. Add rubber before pushing in. I had bought new window rubbers eons ago, so they were liberated from their packet and attached to the windscreen and left for the day in something called British summer weather in order to soften.
“FIRST THINGS FIRST WAS A HOT SOAPY BATH...”
Next month
As you can see from these pics, there has been progress on the 64 SS interior door panels, but, as usual with this particular project, these things aren’t plain sailing. Simon is in the midst of remounting the fabric and foam on millboard and swapping over all the fiddly pieces of trim and the steel ‘chassis’ that holds the door cards together. More on that in the next issue folks, as well as some under-bonnet action with a serpentine belt kit. Who knows, it might have a rear screen too…
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For the fitment of the screen, parachute cord was run around the inner edge (car side), a bead of 3M windscreen sealer added to the outer edge of the window frame of the car and then the glass was slotted into place over the leading edge and para cord pulled to assist the rubbers. Simon pulled from the inside using sucker handles. If any CA reader has ever tried to lift an American car windscreen alone, they will know they are seriously heavy, especially when trying to gently manipulate into a water-tight location! Next, another bead of 3M sealant was added around the outside edge of the glass and this therefore seals the glass to the rubber and the rubber to the car. The first trim to be fitted was the top one (note the black clips pictured before Simon put the glass in place), followed by the A-pillar stainless trims (which overlap the aforementioned top trim) hence in place with grub screws into the A-pillars themselves. As with almost all the other trim, these are the original pieces of brightwork and have also been refurbished. And guess what, they fitted perfectly. I think you’ll agree it looks so much more like a proper car now. You may have noticed that the lower windscreen trim has not yet been fitted. Poor Simon is in a darkened room muttering to himself, because we discovered that this piece requires fixtures to be fitted to the car before the wings are bolted on. And guess what has been expertly aligned and fitted already? Oh for crying in a smelly bucket. Before you ask, Simon has ensured that the dash pad can be removed with the screen in place so as to access the dash gauges/ wiring loom for one of the next steps of the Impala resto. ★
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DISCOVERIES Our intrepid salvage yard explorer brings you junkyard jewels from across North America.
Words and photography: Will Shiers
The 1969 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible was good for a top speed of 116mph and could accelerate to a quarter mile in 17.7 seconds. But that’s not true for this one, which has long since parted company with its 390 V8.
Incredibly, since the photo was taken, this 1957 International Harvester S120 Metrovan has been rescued. It was dragged out of the South Dakota field and transformed into the ultimate ratrod. The bodywork has been untouched and the only notable change to the exterior is new glass and the ‘M’ in Metrovan has been changed to an ‘R’. It now sits on a 1997 GMC pickup truck chassis and is powered by a 5.7-litre Hemi. Check out the video on YouTube.
This 1955 Buick rolled at some point, explaining its mis-shapen roofline. The New Mexico climate has been kind to the bodywork and like so many of the other cars in this tiny Roswell yard, it has an abundance of rot-free metal.
A pair of matching 1956 Fords are laid up in a Tennessee junkyard. Both are far too rotten to be restored, and have very few useful parts to offer.
In 1949, when this Packard rolled off the line, the average household income in the USA was $2950 and the average car cost roughly half this figure. Meanwhile, a fully loaded Packard Super Eight on the other hand, which was anything but average, had an asking price of $4123. I’m not sure which model this parts car is, but if you want more information, you can call its owner on 001 940-482-3007.
This early-Sixties Chevrolet Greenbrier once belonged to a plumbing business in Loveland, Colorado, about 50 miles from the Denver scrapyard it currently resides in. Apparently, Loveland is famous for its Valentine re-mailing programme, which every year sees 160,000 love-struck people from 100 different countries, send their Valentines to Loveland, to be hand-stamped with a cachet and verse. The van, on the other hand, has seen very little love in recent years.
Considering this Texan 1949 Plymouth Special Deluxe hasn’t been driven for over 40 years, it’s looking surprisingly good. This car is crying out to be put back on the road, but personally I reckon the bodywork needs to be kept original, as I love the patina on the bonnet. European Ford Granadas from the Seventies are few and far between, on account of them being the banger racers’ car of choice throughout the Nineties. But, it’s a different story in the States, where you can still find American Granadas dotted around in junkyards. This two-door example, which I uncovered in Arkansas, is 41 years old.
When designing the Champ pickup truck, cash-strapped Studebaker took a Lark, cut it in half, and stuck a truck bed where the back seats should have been. Incredibly, it wasn’t a bad vehicle, but it also wasn’t enough to revive the ailing company. This trio was photographed in New Mexico. If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise – a 1956 Chevrolet! It has clearly been in this spot for decades and is totally hemmed in by trees. Should you be brave enough to want to rescue it from this Georgia forest, take a chainsaw and plenty of insect repellent.
This 70-year-old Chevrolet Stylemaster has definitely seen better days.
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Meteor 4B Special.
Footman James Bristol Classic
Words: Ben Klemenzson Photographs: Ben Klemenzson and Mike Renaut
Shepton Mallet, Somerset
C
lassic American’s parent company Mortons (which also has a show division) has been running the Footman James Bristol Classic car show for the past four years, having added it to the company’s already extensive portfolio of events (including the recently acquired classic car shows at Tatton Park, which includes the Stars & Stripes show). Although this is a mainstream classic car show and not specifically an American one, there were plenty of American cars on display. Sunday saw the largest turnout of vehicles, with just about every classic imaginable, from expensive big ticket Jags, Bentleys and Bristols to rough and ready Minis, Volkswagens and everything in between. In terms of American iron the variety was just as broad, with everything from a stunning Model A to a brand-new UK spec Ford Mustang. There were several interesting Yanks worth a mention, including the 1944 Jeep belonging to Mike Jackson from Bruton, near Shepton Mallet. Mike discovered the Jeep (which had seen service during the Second World War) in Hong Kong in 1973 and got a friend to drive it all the way back to the UK after it was shipped to India – what a road trip that must have been!
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June 16 and 17, 2018
DeLoreans too!
Grand Wagoneer.
1965 El Camino.
1957 Cadillac.
Lovely Model A.
Pontiac Fastback.
Steve Cox, Mark and George with ’57 Chevy.
1958 Chevrolet Apache.
Paul Chamberlain’s 1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar 88.
Plates aplenty!
It wasn’t all Americans!
Another eye-catching car was the 1957 Chevrolet belonging to Steve Cox, who had brought the car into the UK fresh from the States. As with most freshly imported cars, it still had a few hiccups – Steve’s car was no exception, refusing to start when it came to leave – however, we’re sure all those niggles will be ironed out now! Paul Chamberlain, who was our heat winner at this show last year, had brought along a relatively recent acquisition in the shape of his 1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar 88 Holiday Coupe. Wearing aftermarket wheels (of which I’m not a big fan usually) these almost complemented the vehicle, although it would be interesting to see what the car looks like with its original wheels and hubcaps. Inside the halls on display was a stunning 1939 right-hand-drive Australian Packard 128, wearing a plate from ‘Packard Australia’ in its engine bay; it was unclear whether it was assembled in Australia with locally sourced components, or shipped there in its entirety in so-called ‘Complete Knock-Down’ (CKD). Owner Dennis Smith is still researching the car and hopes to find out as much as possible about it in the near future. Out on the car park, many couldn’t believe their eyes when a Meteor 4B Special turned up. “What’s that?” you say. Well, it has a 27-litre V12 engine rated at 631bhp, offering a mere 5-10mpg and sounds like the doors of hell being flung open when it’s started up. Charterhouse Auctions had a rather tasty selection of cars, including a mid-Sixties Dodge D100 pick-up and a Harley Davidson with a sidecar. And if it was generic parts, tools or vintage items you were after, there were plenty of traders on hand. ❯❯
RHD Aussie Packard..
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Dodge pick-up was in auction. Shaker hood...
...on tough looking ’79 Mustang.
Bill Trowbridge with ’59 Cadillac flat top.
Main show hall.
Harley Davidson with sidecar.
Footman James & Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year The Footman James Bristol Classic car show saw the third heat of the Footman James Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year competition, which was won by this stunning 1957 Plymouth Belvedere, belonging to Nick Parker from Bristol. The car had previously belonged to famed Bristol hot rodder Jerry Denning, who had bought it as an unfinished project. Nick had first seen it in 2005, when it totally blew him away, but it took almost a decade until the opportunity arose for him to acquire it. Not a lot is known of the car’s history in the States, other than a dealer tag on the back from New York state. The car boasts a lot of its original interior, a 301cu in V8 and of course that famous push-button transmission.
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Nick Parker with Julia Attwood from FJ.
... stunning profile.
Plymouth boasts....
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Trevor Cowell, centre, accepting his awards.
The National Hot Rod, Custom & American Car Show
Peterborough Showground, Cambs
May 26-27, 2018
Words & Photography: John Kennedy
T
he National Hot Rod, Custom & American Car Show held at Peterborough Showground was even bigger and better this year. The two-day event has evolved massively from its early days into what is now considered one the UK’s most prestigious automotive events. Car clubs, traders and show exhibitors arrived earlier in the week to set-up, ready for the masses of people that visit the show every year. The many related stalls, selling Forties and Fifties clothing and car culture merchandise, promoted the unique culture and lifestyle that hot rods and American cars bring to the scene and they were busy with loyal customers. In both the show field and shed there were some amazing stand-out cars, going back in years from the Thirties through to the present. There were classic Sixties and Seventies muscle cars, rat rods and hot rods, with examples of completely original ones from back in the day, as well as modern full nut and bolt restorations. With this year’s entries in the shed, there was barely any room to move and again the quality of the cars on display was absolutely mind-blowing. ❯❯
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Keep spinning those decks.
Jurassic Park comes to Peterborough!
Caddy low rider.
Rolling ad for Gary Sanders’ shop.
Fantastic murals...
...adorned this Ford truck.
Low ridin’ 1960 Biscayne.
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Amazing custom.
1958 Chevy Sedan delivery.
Dino-bike. ... and his award-winning...
The dinosaur theme continues outside.
...’49 Mercury Phantom.
Trevor Cowell...
Greenlight girls.
Rockabilly raving.
’34 Ford Pick-up.
The display cars both outside and in the main hall at the Modified Show were impressive – mostly modern European and Japanese cars, with a smattering of American stuff. It was amazing to see just how much time, money and hard work these guys put into their cars, on diverse customisation and incredible sound systems. There were many more stalls selling just about anything and every service you could think of to customise your ride. The fields surrounding the hall were filled to the brim with car clubs and yet more stalls and camping areas. Both shows had their own live stages; the hot rodders had a mixture of rockabilly, punk ’n’ roll and rock ’n’ roll. Later night-time bands included Power Child, Johnny Trashed, Kingshakes, Slade UK, Betty and the Bootleggers, Top Banana Band and Burlesque. The modified show’s live stage had a mix of DJs, rappers and half-naked fire eating girls. There was something for everyone – the Oil and Tattoo Convention, pinstripers, wall of death, fairground, main arena, the Fire and Mayhem stunt show, monster truck rides, drifter rides, BMX stunt riders, low riders and the list goes on. The cars entered into the Hot Rod and Custom Best in Britain competition were astonishing. These cars are a selection of the UK’s finest customised vehicles presently on the scene. There were 24 awards presented to the winners. These ranged from Best Pre-’49, through to the ultimate winner of this year’s Best in Britain, which was Phil Perry and his ’34 Ford Pick-up. Trevor Cowell also picked up his two much-deserved NSRA Pick and Best Kustom awards with his gorgeous piano black ’49 Mercury Phantom. I’d say the event was, yet again, a massive success and a must for any gearhead young or old. I’m already looking forward to next year’s show! ★
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events&cruises
Classic American Events, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR
Classic insurance redefined. Shows highlighted in white are car of the year events
2018
JULY 22 KENT`S KIT CUSTOM AND AMERICAN CAR SHOW www.kentskitcustomandamericancarshow.co.uk JULY 20-22 SILVERSTONE CLASSIC • Sixties American muscle cars back on the Silverstone Classic bill • Transatlantic Touring Cars always a huge crowd-pleaser • Cyclone storms into London for Regent Street Motor Show • Super Early Bird tickets now on sale at 2017 prices The rumble of V8 thunder is returning to next summer’s nostalgia-fuelled Silverstone Classic (20-22 July*) with confirmation that the roar of sixties muscle cars will once again reverberate around the home of the British Grand Prix. The fearsome Trans-Atlantic Touring Car Trophy grid never fails to deliver both shock and awe as full 50+ car grids bristling with mighty Mustangs, Galaxies and Falcons growl into life. Adult Super Early Bird tickets start from £35 and the cost of the three-day weekend ticket remains at £99. Full details of all 2018 ticket prices – Super Early Bird, Early Bird and Standard – are available on the silverstoneclassic.com website. JULY 20 - 22 DEVON CRUISERS WHEELS WEEKENDER camping, live music, trade stalls, show n’ shine, trophies. Riverside Caravan and Camping Park, South Molton, Devon EX36 3HQ E mail: devoncruisers@hotmail.com . Facebook – Devon Cruiser or Telephone. 07856557982 JULY 20 - 22 PHANTOM STREET CRUISERS 14th hot rod hootenanny at the blackford games park in blackford perthshire contact jonesy on 07789280600 JULY 22 DAMN YANKEES 32ND ANNUAL SUMMER SLAM CAR SHOW. North Weald Airfield, Merlin Way, ESSEX, CM16 6AR ( A414 Between Harlow Chipping Ongar, M11 Junction 7). American Cars, Hot Rods, Customs & Harley’s, Trophies, Arena Events, Show & Shine, Bar, Live Band, Trade Stands, Food & Drink refreshments, Children’s Rides. Entrance Fees : Yanks, Rods, Customs & Harley’s £5 per adult, general public £10 per adult, all accompanied children under 14 FREE. For more info www. damnyankees.uk.com Tel. Gary Hall 07740 827288 JULY 22 DETONATORS CC - 7TH ANNUAL BBQ AND CAR SHOW 1.00 ‘till 5.00pm, admission free, collection for local charity, Rockabilly Bands/DJ’s and Trophies for best in show. facebook/detonatorscc.co.uk Oxleas Wood Cafe, Crown Woods Lane, Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3JA JULY 22 KENT’S KIT, CUSTOM & AMERICAN SHOW Aylesford Priory, Aylesford, Kent ME20 7BX, Junct 6 off M20. www.kentskitcustomandamericancarshow. co.uk or e-mail: kkccshow@outlook.com JULY 28 - 29 ATOMIC VINTAGE FESTIVAL Sywell Aerodrome, NN6 0BN A spectacular twoday festival of 1950s music, dancing, cars, action, style and fun at historic Sywell Aerodrome, near Northampton. Featuring top-quality international bands, pre-66 classic and custom car show, traditional flag-start drag racing, classic car rides, the ‘ATOMIC Cavalcade of Chrome’, wall of death, large covered dance floors, huge vintage and retro market, late-nite ‘Danger Shows’ and burlesque, rock’n’roller rink, fairground rides, dance classes, crazy golf and lots more... including an old-style soapbox derby! ATOMIC is a unique all-action weekend for all ages. Call the hotline NOW on 01435 812508 to book your cheap earlybird tickets and camping (tent pitches are FREE!)
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JULY 27-29 25th MOPAR EURO NATIONALS Santa Pod Raceway, Airfield Road, Podington, Wellingborough, Northants NN29 7XA. Signposted from J14/15 M1. The Ultimate American Muscle Car show with RWYB, burnout competition, huge show & shine, muscle car cruise, MSA Pro Modified, doorslammers, traders, car corral and live music. Entry: Advance:Sat £22, Sun £22 weekend £42 On the gate: at £30, Sun £30 weekend £52 For tickets call: 01234 782 828 www.moparnats.co.uk. JULY 29 OUR 2ND ANNUAL ‘CAR-FEST’ Burley Park, Burley, Hampshire. The beautiful setting for the show is next to the picturesque village of Burly, with its rich and ancient history. The Show will be made up of many different vehicle types, including classic, vintage and hobby cars, as well as American, custom and hot rods. The show is open to all age of vehicle presented for display. There’s a good mix of trade stalls, including our own club raffle, a lovely homemade cake stall, authentic American Hotdogs and Burgers, plus much more. A great fun packed day out, in the New Forest. Show opens to the public at 9am and continues until 4pm. Prizes & Trophies for various categories.www.canamcarclub.org.uk email: admin@canamcarclub.org.uk JULY 29 THE 25TH BRIDLINGTON AMERICAN ROD & CUSTOM SHOW & GALA Held at Sewerby Cricket Club, Sewerby, Bridlington, east yorks, YO15 1EW.TH Hosted by Yorkshire American Car Club [YANCS] est 1982. Camping from Friday noon. Lazy day Saturday , catch the land train down to town, go on a sea cruise, then 0500 hrs we have our through the town with the show vehicles. Then party in the marquee, no bar so bring your own. SUNDAY SHOW DAY ONLY Gate opens at 0900 hrs for exhibiters 10.oo for the public. The event is open to anything of interest. For anymore info please get intouch email: yancs1@ yahoo.co.uk or call: 01709 542555 or after 28th march 07787915081 JULY 29 SHAFTESBURY CARNIVAL CLASSIC CAR AND BIKE SHOW. Barton Hill Recreation Ground. SP7 8QA. 10am to 3pm. Cars £5 bikes £3. Many trophies. Refreshments, stalls and licensed bar. All proceeds to local charities. For information or to book in advance contact Ray on 01747 852922 or email humphrieshouse@btinternet.com AUGUST 4 THE ROCKABILY REV UP Rye rugby club, new road, rye east Sussex, TM31 7LS Live entertainment from Rusti steel + the star tones, the devil cut combo, the hustlers + TOP DJ’s. Custom and hot rod car show + V8 rev up! Vintage cloth stoles, licensed car & food all day at club prices. Camping £5 a tent, Caravan/ camper £10. All PP £15 10 min walk from Rye town centre, 5 min drive from Camper sands. For more details please contact john on 07999806635 or gypsyjohnnewson@yahoo.co.uk Facebook: the Rockabilly Rev Up 2pm – 12pm Midnight. AUGUST 5 AACUK No Name Show Stoke Prior Sports & Social club, Bromsgrove B60 4AL Camping from Friday August 3rd, Show ‘n’ Shine Sunday. See www.aacuk.com or contact Richard 0121 779 2562. AUGUST 5 CLASSIC VAN & PICK UP SHOW British Motor Museum Banbury Road, Gaydon Warwickshire, CV35 0BJ Web: www. britishmotormuseum.co.uk Tel: 01926 649649 This annual Show has an impressive range of light commercial vehicles including customs, pick ups, police vehicles and vans. For ticket prices and more details please visit our website. AUGUST 10-12 NSRA HOT ROD SUPERNATIONALS Old Warden Park www.nrsa.org Instagram @nrsa_uk Facebook @NationalStreetRodAssociationUK www.nrsa.org.uk/newforum Find the NRSA UK Forum in the Apple & Android App Store!
Call our friendly UK team for a quote today:
0333 207 6024
American Speedfest VI AUGUST 12 CROMER CARNIVAL AMERICAN & CUSTOM CAR SHOW Carnival Field, Runton Road, Cromer From 10am onwards, free entry Tel 01263 570223 for details AUGUST 19 BROOKLANDS CLASSIC & VINTAGE CAR SHOW EVENT IS IN AID OF THE YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE. Brooklands Nurseries, Scholes, Holmfirth HD9 1UJ Any vehicle is welcome including tractors, lorries, scooters etc. There will also be a bar, food, music and a variety of stalls. Stalls cost £15 and own gazebo and tables must be provided. For further information or to book a stall please contact Jan on 07523 170829 or to book in a vehicle contact Peter on 07713 325542. AUGUST 25-27 KNUCKLE BUSTERS AT THE BARNS August Bank Holiday Weekend Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, nr Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 6AT Hot Rods, Classics, American Cars, Bikes Show & Shine, Live bands, DJ’s Dancers Bar, food, camping and more. www.stonhambarns.co.uk events@stonhambarns.co.uk Tel: 01449 711111 AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 2 VICTORY WHEELERS SHOW HOT ROD & CUSTOM CAR SHOW WEEKENDER Stansted House, Rowlands Castle, PO9 6DX Weekend camping, Saturday Cruise & party night. entertainment both nights. www.victorywheelers.co.uk SEPTEMBER 7- 9 AACI OPEN NATIONALS Billing Aquadrome, Nothampton NN3 9DA. Live bands on Friday and Saturday evening, DJ, bar, catering, traders and lots to see and do, including swimming pool, hovercraft rides and fairgound. American cars, trucks, bikes and vans. Huge display of heavy trucks too. Bands are; Friday TBC. Saturday; Harley’n’Dutch Everybody is welcome, no registration is necessary. Club space is available too. See www.aac-int.com for more info. SEPTEMBER 8-9 RETRO TRUCK SHOW British Motor Museum Banbury Road, Gaydon Warwickshire, CV35 0BJ Web: www. britishmotormuseum.co.uk Tel: 01926 649649 This weekend Show celebrates some of the UK’s leading truck manufacturers including DAF, Scania and Volvo. See an array of the best modern classic trucks produced between 1970 and 2000. For ticket prices and more details please visit our website. SEPTEMBER 9 KENT`S CLASSIC CAR SHOW www.kentsclassiccarshow.co.uk SEPTEMBER 14-16 30TH ANNUAL HOT ROD DRAGS Format the same as previous years, with a firm commitment to pre-1973 RWYB, coupled with the
ever popular and entertaining action provided by the Outlaw Anglias, Gasser Circus, Supercharged Outlaw and Wild Bunch contingents, as well as some additional track action. Santa Pod Raceway, Northants. See: www.nsra.org.uk or www.santapod.co.uk SEPTEMBER 15-16 NSRA HOT ROD DRAGS Santa Pod Raceway SEPTEMBER 15-16 CHARITY CLASSIC CAR EXTRAVAGANZA SPECIAL ISLE OF WIGHT 15th island round table newport quay 16th earl mountbatten hospice ryde esplanade both shows start at 10 a.m. finnish at 1800 the shows are free to attend for spectators we are expecting a record amount of american classics to attend this year all car owners must register with the organiser please on 020 8 439 7871 SEPTEMBER 16 AACUK AUTUMN NATIONALS Drayton manor Theme park, Fazeley, Tamworth Staffordshire B78 3SA Camping Pre-booked only from Friday 14th Show ‘n’ Shine Sunday. See www.aac-uk.com or contact Richard 0121 779 2562 SEPTEMBER 16 WESTON-SUPER-MARE “AUTUMN EVENT” AMERICAN CAR EVENT to be held at Weston Helicopter Museum where you can get the best of both worlds, great American cars and a great helicopter museum and if you get bored the sea front is only 2 miles away with lots more to enjoy. The Helicopter Museum is a charity so come and support us to keep it running. It is free to enter your car and you have free entry to the museum. To exhibit your car, register or if you have any questions then contact Andy Green on: cadillac58.62series@ gmail.com SEPTEMBER 16 FUN DAY AT THE BLEEDING WOLF This pub is situated in Congleton Road North, Scholar Green, near to Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent ST7 3BQ. This is a very popular show, all cars, vans, pick-ups, motorcycles welcome. Burgers, chips, music, stalls, trophies. Tel Lou 07901 923868. SEPTEMBER 23 THE EGERTON ARMS This pub is situated off Newcastle Road, Congleton, CW12 4RQ. This is a very popular venue, all cars, vans, pick-ups, motorcycles welcome. Burgers, music, stalls, etc. Tel Lou 07901 923868. SEPTEMBER 30 AMERICAN CAR SHOW Stonham Barns, Stonham Aspal, nr Stowmarket Suffolk IP14 6AT Showring parade, trophy prizes, pre 50’s/70’s/80’s welcome Live music, bar, food, traders and autojumble www.stonhambarns.co.uk events@stonhambarns.co.uk Tel: 01499 711111
EVENTS MARKED IN WHITE ARE CAR OF THE YEAR HEATS
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events&cruises
Classic American Events, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6JR
Classic insurance redefined. SEPTEMBER 30 HORSHAM AMERICARNA Horsham Town Centre & Park West Sussex RH12 1EE American cars, bikes and rock’n’roll years entertainments Following the runaway success of the first event in 2017, Sunday 30 September 2018 has been set as the second Horsham AmeriCARna. An annual show devoted to the celebration of American cars and bikes supported by themed stalls and entertainments. There will also be: Music, Trade Stands, Food Concessions, Sports and entertainments all on the American theme. Our charity for the event is St Catherine’s Hospice who will be providing American DJ and Comperes and will be collecting around town during the event. The event will be run from 10am to 4pm and visitors are invited to add to the fun by dressing up in 50s and 60’s costumes. The event is made possible by commercial partners which include Max’s Diner, Retroesque, Horsham Car Centre with more welcomed. Free For more information please see www.horshamamericarna.show www.facebook. com/horshamamericarna 01403 215386 welcome@horshamamericarna.show SEPTEMBER 30 FORT PAULL AMERICAN ROD & CUSTOM SHOW Held at Fort Paull, Paull, nr Hull , east yorks, HU12 8FP. Camping from Friday noon 28th bar open Friday night. Lazy day Saturday go into Hull or have a run to the coast Saturday night disco with late bar good prices [ optional fancy dress] SUNDAY SHOW DAY ONLY The show is open to anything of interest.SORRY NO DOGS ALLOWED IN THE FORT ONLY ON THE CAMPING FIELD. To see the event please look at youtube Fort Paull American car shows. For anymore info please get intouch email: yancs1@yahoo.co.uk or call: 01709 542555 or after 28th march 07787915081 OCTOBER 6-7 PRESCOTT AMERICAN AUTUMN CLASSIC Prescott Hill Climb, Bugatti Owners’ Club, Prescott Hill,Gotherington, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 9RD Tel 0044 (0)1242 673136 or see: www.prescott-hillclimb.com The ever-popular Autumn Classic event at the famous Prescott Speed Hill Climb; an all-American Stars and Stripes Weekend celebrates the biggest, brightest and brashest cars this side of the pond. The actionpacked weekend always attracts a very wide variety of competition cars competing on the historic hill climb course, plus spectacular American vehicle displays and US-themed entertainment from the Demon Drome Wall of Death to non-stop live bands, dancers, Vegas Showgirls and the stars ‘n’ stripes comedy stilt walkers. NOVEMBER 9-11 LANCASTER INSURANCE CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW The UK’s biggest and best classic motoring celebration returns to Birmingham’s NEC this November and Lancaster Insurance is delighted to continue their support as headline sponsor of the show for the 6th consecutive year. The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, takes place on Friday 9th to Sunday 11th November and
as the grand ‘season finale’, this one is not to be missed. As well as being the UK’s biggest and best classic motor show, this year the show has been crowned the WORLD’S largest gathering of classic vehicle clubs with 300 getting together under one roof. Across the weekend, the halls fill up with over 2,500 stunning classic cars and motorbikes , the UK’s largest indoor Autojumble and 650 specialist exhibitors, traders and dealer. Catering for all classic car fans, there is something for everyone. Amongst all of this you will also find a fantastic array of features including; • The Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership Competition where 24 carefully selected rare and unusual cars will be on display for you to vote for your favourite • The Discovery Live Stage, hosted by Wheeler Dealer duo, Mike Brewer and Ant Anstead, will be jam packed with everything from special guests and live restorations, to car parades and competitions• Meguiar’s Club Showcase displays the best of the best from the UK Classic Car club scene • Silverstone Auctions will have over 130 lots going under the hammer • The Live Restoration Theatre is the longest running feature of the show and offers you the opportunity to learn from the specialised team of GilbertMichaelson • Dream Rides with Sporting Bears gives you the chance to jump into and experience some of the most spectacular cars in the world and all you have to do is donate charity So what are you waiting for? Book your tickets today and save over 10%* at www.necclassicmotorshow.com or by calling 0871 230 1088 Quote CMS18EL *10% saving is based on On the Door ticket prices and is already applied to the prices shown on the website. The code stated above does not equate to a discount and is solely for marketing purposes only. Calls cost 13 ppm plus standard network charges. Ticket prices include a free show guide with the value of £7.50. Advance tickets are available until midnight Thursday 8th November 2018. After that date, tickets will only be available at the show and at full price. All bookings are subject to a single transaction fee of £1.95. Full T&Cs can be found online at www.necclassicmotorshow.com/NEC North Ave, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT www.necclassicmotorshow.com www.facebook. com/necclassicmotorshow 0871 230 1088 info@ necclassicmotorshow.com
Cruises
BEDFORDSHIRE – Breakfast Club Dates: SHUTTLEWORTH RESTAURANT The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome, Nr Biggleswade, Bedfordshire SG18 9EP From 10:30am onwards ! 11TH MARCH, 8TH APRIL, 13TH MAY, 10TH JUNE, 8TH JULY, 12TH AUG, 14TH OCT, 11TH NOV DEVON - Devon Cruisers – Custom, Classic and American meet at 2pm on the 3rd Sunday of the month from April to September at various locations. Please see us on Face book for further details or telephone: 07856557982
Call our friendly UK team for a quote today:
0333 207 6024
American Speedfest VI GLOUCESTERSHIRE COFFE & CLASSICS The Classic Motor Hub, Old Walls, Abington, Bibury, GL75NX. Number and email: Info@ classicmotorhub.com + 01242384092 Sunday 1st April 10am - 1pm Sunday 6th May 10am - 1pm Sunday 3rd June 10am - 1pm Sunday 1st July 10am - 1pm Sunday 5th August 10am - 1pm Sunday 2nd September 10am - 1pm Sunday 7th October 10am - 1pm HERTFORDSHIRE – THE THREE HORSESHOES !Hooks Cross, Watton at Stone, Hertfordshire SG14 3RY Third Wednesday of the Month, from 7:30pm onwards: 21ST MARCH, 18TH APRIL, 16TH MAY, 20TH JUNE, 18TH JULY, 15TH AUG, 19TH SEPT LINCOLNSHIRE New A.A.C.U.K. monthly meet in south Lincolnshire. 3rd Wednesday of every month, from 6:30 starting Wednesday April 18th, 2018. Venue, The Ship Inn, Northgate, Pinchbeck, Spalding, Lincs, PE11 3SE. All American and American derived vehicles and enthusiasts welcome. Good reasonably priced food and drinks available. LONDON - Detonators Car Club Breakfast Meet. Last Sunday of the month from 8.30 ‘till 11.00am. Oxleas Wood Cafe, Crown Woods Lane, Shooters Hill, London, SE18 3JA. (Langley Gifford 07913348950) detonatorscc.co.uk LONDON - Ace Cafe London, Ace Corner, North Circular Road, Stonebridge, London NW10 7UD www.acecafe.com All American Cruise Meets - 4pm - 8pm Saturdays 27th January 24th February + Jeeps & 4x4 Meet 31st March + Mopar Muscle Meet
28th April + Chevy Special 26th May + Pick-Up Party 30th June + Pontiac Pow-Wow 28th July + Cadillac Special 25th August + Corvette Special 29th September +T’Bird Special 27th October + Oldsmobile Special 24th November + Station Wagon & Dayvan 29th December MANCHESTER-A.A.C.N.W. - meet first Sunday of every month at the Veterans Garage, Barton Aerodrome, Liverpool Road, Eccles, Manchester M30 7SA. Junction 11 off the M60 from 9-30am Contact Val or Bert Kendall 0161 865 7684 SOUTHAM WARWICKSHIRE - The Butty Run This is a breakfast meet that takes place on the first Sunday of each month, from 9am until noon at the Long Itchington Diner, Southam Road, Long Itchington, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 9QZ. Website: http://butty-run.com and a facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ ButtyRun/. We run all year round and very occasionally switch weekends, either if the diner isn’t open or to avoid clashing with big hot rod shows. Anything and everything is pretty much welcome, although the main focus is on hot rods and American cars. WILTSHIRE. - The Milk Churn, Commerce Way, Melksham, SN12 6AD. All American vehicles welcome, the second Sunday of the month, 12pm to 3pm. For details evening only Simon 07809396822 or John 07980434503. WORCESTER A.A.C.U.K. - Third Wednesday every month from 8 p.m. at the Timberdine WR5 3HP. On the A38 just on the city limits. Huge car park, Harvester Restaurant. Everyone welcome. Contact Mel 01905 351955w
Want to see your Cruise or Event listed on the famous Classic American blue pages for free?
American Speedfest VI
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Then simply e-mail it in to: email@classic-american.com or send it by post to Classic American, PO Box 99 Horncastle, Lincolnshire Ln9 6LZ.
EVENTS MARKED IN WHITE ARE CAR OF THE YEAR HEATS
American Speedfest VI
Words and photography: Ben Klemenzson
Brands Hatch, Kent The weather gods were smiling on the organisers of the American Speedfest VI event at Brands Hatch. As in previous years it was roasting hot on both days – some might even say ‘too hot’. As for the turnout of cars on the Saturday, the numbers seemed to be noticeably down on previous years, although as with so many American cars shows, Sunday has become the main day. Certainly there seemed to be fewer traders and definitely fewer display cars. There were however plenty of food concessions, fairground rides and people selling model cars. Classic American advertisers David Boatwright, A-Plan Insurance and Haynes Ford were on hand and there was not only a display of cars from the movies, but even a very convincing Bumblebee robot, which was a real hit with the kids, as was Herbie the VW Beetle. Throw in all other manner of family entertainment – from a nitro-powered monster truck to the now de rigueur Wall of Death and the Mana cheerleaders – and you have a great day out for the whole family. For the grown-ups there was plenty of track action, including demos by real American NASCARs, Bernie’s V8s, Legends cars and the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series. Away from the track there were 4x4 Jeep drives and live music, as well as club display areas, including the Mopar Muscle Association, Corvette and Mustang owners’ clubs. Interestingly one of the largest collections of
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June 11 and 12, 2018
1958 Le Monstre tribute.
1950 Le Mans tribute Cadillac.
cars on site were the new right-hand-drive UK spec Ford Mustangs, many of which had been modified and belonged to Facebook group Simply Mustangs UK. One car that caught our attention was a customised 1960 Biscayne wagon belonging to Phil King. Lowered and with a striking paint job, it really looked the part, as did the baby blue ’59 Plymouth Fury belonging to Nick Axford. Another eye-catching car was the stunning white 1957 Ford Thunderbird belonging to Allyson Scanlon. It’s always interesting to meet car owners, especially when they own a car which has been spotted previously, but the owners were not around to chat. Last year I came upon a very authentic, patina’d looking 1966 Buick Skylark; ❯❯
NASCAR Demo laps.
Bumblebee robot.
Mana cheerleader squad.
Jordan and Terry Harkin with ’66 Skylark.
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it was parked up at last year’s Mopar EuroNats, with no one around, so I was unable to find out anything about the car, other than it kind of looked like it had just been dragged out of a barn. Twelve months on and I spotted the same tough-looking Buick rolling in. No sooner had it parked up and I was over there in a flash. I have a real soft spot for these mid-Sixties Buick ‘compacts’, which seem to be completely ignored by enthusiasts. That fact perhaps makes them all the more interesting and rare. The Skylark actually belongs to Terry Harkin, but it’s son Jordan who is lucky enough to get to drive it and is proof that you can still own a really cool American car, have fun with it and not totally break the bank (watch out for a feature on this crusty-but-cool Buick in an upcoming issue!). All in all, another vintage American Speedfest, although it certainly seems like Sunday is the day to go if you want to see lots of American cars! ★
Boatwright crew.
Slammed ’60 Biscayne wagon.
Rob Norrington and family with ’68 Dodge Charger.
1959 Ford Skyliner.
Gettin’ up close and personal with the cars.
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Mopar stalwart Pete Wiseman has defected to the blue bow tie apparently.
Allyson Scanlon with stunning ’57 T-bird.
Nick Axford with ’59 Plymouth.
Footman James & Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year
The second heat of this year’s Car of the Year competition was won by this stunning fastback Ford Mustang in Champagne Beige. Owner John Maunder is an American who has been living on these shores for the past three decades and has actually owned the Mustang since he was 16, when he acquired it from his brother, after helping him extract it from a garage. The car was driven daily from the Seventies until 1988, when John moved to the UK, and it was laid up until 2014 when he decided to have the Mustang restored by Shasta Mustang Supply of Redding, California. With its Deluxe interior, fresh carpets and paint and highly detailed 289 motor, this is one pony car that will be quite the centre of attention at this year’s finals at the Classic Motor Show at the NEC this November!
Kingstown Shipping’s James Hadley hands over the Car of the Year heat trophy to John Maunder.
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1969 Dodge Charger
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Ringbrothers’ Charger defects from the expected…
T
he first Mopar from the Ringbrothers garage took more than 4700 hours of custom body work to incorporate the original styling cues of the iconic muscle car while creating a one-ofa-kind car. When you think American muscle cars, you probably don’t think of Norway. Rightly so – it’s pretty much Volvos as far as the eye can see. Which begs the question: how did a Norwegian living in London end up having a custom car built in the United States? “I was always into the classic American muscle car scene,” said Erlend Christoffersen. Turns out, there’s a pretty significant car culture in Norway; there are many American cars in Scandinavia. Erlend also grew up exposed to magazines that featured them. And he developed a favorite: “Mopars are special, especially the Dodge Charger. So nice and curvy.” Cut to adulthood, with Erlend living in San Francisco, California, and taking a 1969 Dodge Charger that he got on eBay.com on lengthy road trips. “I drive a lot, but older cars don’t drive that nicely. It couldn’t live up to my expectations, let’s put it that way.” He sold that car, but was determined to once again own an older muscle car – yet one that was comfortable and drove like a modern car. However, the easy solution of simply buying a late-model Charger didn’t appeal to him. “The new Charger is inspired by the late-Sixties car, and while I think it looks pretty cool, I think it looks so far from the original.” That’s where Jim and Mike Ring of Ringbrothers, based in Spring Green, Wisconsin, fit into the equation. Erlend had become a fan of their previous custom cars, especially their attention to detail. The car of choice for the collaboration between Erlend and Rings? A worn-out 1969 Charger. Interestingly, this was the first Mopar the Rings had ever built. “We hadn’t had anybody ask us to do one. We kind of got pigeonholed in Mustangs for a long time, so that’s all people thought we did,” said Mike. Having no Mopar experience wasn’t a concern for Erlend. “I instantly got a good vibe from them,” plus their inner perfectionism spoke to his inner perfectionist. Venturing into Mopar territory wasn’t a concern for the Rings, either. “For us, it doesn’t matter what kind of car it is. The only thing that made us nervous was that Mopar fans don’t like people cutting those cars up,” said Jim. ❯❯
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Keep it real
Keeping it original looking was key for Erlend, “because I’ve seen way too many cars where I think the builders went overboard, and what used to be a cool classic kind of lost its character. Also, I like classic designs, whether furniture or architecture. I like more old-school stuff and didn’t want to mess with that. That’s why from the get-go I was so clear on keeping it true to the original.” “Erlend knew exactly what he wanted,” said Jim. “He had a concept on how he wanted to see his car. He knew exactly what he wanted that car to look like. So, we kind of followed, more or less, his lead on what he wanted to see.” “I had multiple ideas or suggestions that they shut down and I’m glad they did, and they had their own ideas based on their experience. I appreciated that,” explained Erlend. Rejected ideas included a Hellcat engine due to availability, and lowering the roofline since Erlend thought it was too top-heavy. They did all immediately agree upon a distain for excessive overhang. Therefore, the Ringbrothers gave the Charger its “better balance” by shortening the car by two inches through the trunk area and extending the wheelbase by three inches. The side rockers were lengthened and the quarter panels were lowered and extended, and a front valance that appears lower than factory standard was added. “I think it turned out much better and we stayed true to the original design,” said Erlend. “And it was also cheaper!”
Attention to detail...
Hard to believe, but those are Toyota Camry seats.
... translates into interior upgrades...
... for trim and switchgear.
“THE INTERIOR LOOKS STOCK, BUT THERE IS NOT ONE STOCK PART ON THE CAR.”
Charger enjoys a commanding stance.
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A Detroit Speed Hydroformed subframe sits below the body, with rack-and-pinion steering, front sway bars and four-link rear suspension. Performance also comes in the form of a Wegner Motorsports 6.4-litre Hemi engine. The motor maintains perfect temperatures with help from Prestone coolant, while custom Flowmaster headers and exhaust give the car a robust performance exhaust sound. The rear wheel wells were opened up for custom 19-inch HRE machined wheels, size 19x11 in front and 19x13 at the rear, with custom Ringbrothers hubcaps. There are Michelin tyres in size 285x35x19 in the front and 345x35x19 in the back. “I actually wanted smaller wheels and not as wide,” said Erlend. “But the Rings did a good job of talking me into going larger. It also makes sense to have wider tyres for traction, and also going with the classic-looking wheel; it’s really subtle.” ❯❯
Wegner Motorsports 6.4-litre Hemi V8.
Specs: Vehicle: Ringbrothers 1969 Charger ‘Defector’ Designer: Gary Ragle Designs
Owner: Erlend Christoffersen
Drivetrain
REAR SUSPENSION:
ENGINE:
DSE 4-link
EXHAUST MANUFACTURER:
FRONT WHEEL SIZE:
Wegner Motorsports Inc. 6.4 Hemi
SHOCK MANUFACTURER:
Flowmaster 44 Stainless Steel
19”x11”
ENGINE OIL:
RideTech
Royal Purple
FRONT SWAY BARS:
ENGINE OIL WEIGHT:
DSE
5-30
REAR END: John’s
ENGINE EXTRAS:
Industries 9” 355 gears
Holley Dominator Fuel Management TRANSMISSION:
Bowler 4L80E TRANSMISSION OIL:
DIFFERENTIAL OIL:
Royal Purple Max Gear
Cooling
Greener on the Other Side
FUEL TANK/CELL:
PAINT BOOTH:
Anti-Freeze
Michelin
Aeromotive
FRONT TYRE SIZE:
FUEL MANAGEMENT:
Global Finishing Solutions
285x35x19
Holley Dominator Fuel Management FLUIDS: Royal Purple Max-Clean Fuel System Cleaner & Stabiliser
TYPE: Rack & Pinion MANUFACTURER: DSE STEERING COLUMN:
DRIVESHAFT:
70W 90 SAE
FLUID: Royal Purple
QA1 Carbon Fibre Driveshaft
Exhaust
Wheels and Tyres
CHASSIS & FRONT SUSPENSION: DSE
Flowmaster
Hydro Formed subframe
Customised by Ringbrothers
HEADER DETAILS:
PAINT COLOUR:
Aeromotive
Royal Purple
Suspension
FUEL TYPE: 92 Octane FUEL PUMP:
BASF Glasurit
TYRE MANUFACTURER:
Steering
Ididit
WHEEL MANUFACTURER:
Custom HRE Wheels with custom hubcap by Ringbrothers
19”x13”
Fuel
PAINT MANUFACTURER:
RADIATOR: Stock OE FLUIDS: Prestone
DIFFERENTIAL OIL WEIGHT:
HEADER MANUFACTURER:
REAR WHEEL SIZE:
REAR CALIPER SPECS: 6S 6-Piston
REAR TYRE SIZE:
345x35x19
Brakes FRONT MANUFACTURER:
Baer FRONT CALIPER SPECS:
6S 6-Piston REAR MANUFACTURER:
Baer
Interior INTERIOR:
WIRING HARNESS:
Full custom upholstery by Upholstery Unlimited GAUGES: Classic Instruments
Painless Wiring
A/C SYSTEM:
Exterior
Vintage Air Gen IV Magnum Evap Kit
CHROME: Advanced
STEREO SYSTEM:
Plating
Alpine
Electrical
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Many hours’ work
The Charger’s update to modern muscle took the Rings about 4700 hours. “So many parts had to be modified,” explained Jim. “Even the interior looks stock, but there is not one stock part on the car – from the seats out of a Toyota Camry to the back seat made from scratch, the stitching and the style of stitch – but it looks factory.” The Rings have one very strong opinion when it comes to paint: “The owners are always involved in the colour,” said Jim. “Mike tells them early on that the car will tell them what colour it wants to be. Colour is a scary thing. It’ll make or break a car, there’s no doubt about it.” Erlend loves black paint, but felt that it wasn’t the right choice for this car. The co-designer, Gary Ragle, provided Erlend with renderings with different hues, and green was the colour the car wanted to be. The BASF Glasurit shade is called Greener on the Other Side and is the same as a favourite car of Erlend’s: a 1973 Pontiac Trans-Am built by Detroit Speed in 2011. The completed Charger, named ‘Defector’ because it was being shipped from the US to London, turned out beyond Erlend’s wildest dreams – and dreams and imagination were part of how he survived being located in London throughout the entire build. He did visit the Ringbrothers facility once, but had to rely mainly on updates via drawings, photos and conference calls – and plenty of trust in the Rings. But he wasn’t worried. “They ‘got’ me and used their experience to steer me and the project in the right direction. I gave them the creative freedom to turn this car into what they did. I couldn’t be more happy with the process and the results.” And the Rings enjoyed the build as well. “It was great working with him. He’s an awesome guy, and he’s happy, and that’s what matters to us,” said Jim. London has plenty of supercars and expensive cars but not a lot of American muscle cars from back in the day. That suits Erlend just fine. “It’s so much cooler when I run into a person who actually takes time to have a second look at the car and then realises everything that has been done, and to what level of quality it’s been done. I’d rather have that than driving around in a Lamborghini, screaming, ‘Look at me, look at me’,” he said. “This car is modern, but, in my opinion, timeless.” ★
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Alpine stereo sits above the console.
Sponsors CORPORATE SPONSORS
Prestone BASF/Glasurit Flowmaster/Hurst/B&M Royal Purple 3M PRODUCT SPONSORS
Stock-style dog dish hub caps.
345x35x19 tyres on the back.
Aeromotive AFCO ARP Automotive Racing Products Baer Brakes Bowler Transmission Dynamat GFS – Global Finishing Solutions Heat Shield Products Holley HRE Miller Welding MSD Optima Battery Painless Wiring QA1 RideTech
Keith Harman rounds up the latest news and views from the American and modified scene…
GOODBYE SHAKESPEARE COUNTY RACEWAY (AGAIN) We may have jumped the gun at the end of last year when we reported the end of Shakespeare County Raceway (and duly got our knuckles rapped!), but the writing was on the wall as sadly we all knew. The official announcement came from Jerry Cookson early in May that, after 44 years as a drag strip, there would be no more events held there. Predictably, social media was soon
Show or go? While we are sure that owners of both classics and customs will always enjoy going to weekend shows, relaxing and checking out other cars, we honestly believe that you can’t beat the actual driving, rather than sitting around in a deck chair munching sandwiches. We’ve been lucky enough to attend some cracking weekends organised by local hot rod clubs over the last few years where the emphasis is on a day of driving, rather than parking. Usually held on an invite-only basis to keep numbers manageable, these ‘reliability runs’ involve everyone driving a pre-set route through unfamiliar but attractive countryside, with civilised stops for lunch taking in some local beauty spots, with a get-together and party in the evening back at the original venue. These events make a great change from ‘show and shine’ type events, which can often be a bit samey. Why not get together with your club, or the group you hang out with, and do the same – and don’t forget to take some p pics for Classic American!
Like driving? Reliability runs could be for you!
awash with sympathy, regret, memories, recollections of time past, and some anger too that Shakey’s days were finally over for good. Thanks were forthcoming from the SCR management to all who had attended, worked, partied and raced there over the years. Ah well, we still have the memories, and the pictures of course, they’ll never take those away.
Meanwhile over at Santa Pod… Also in May, and concerning our now one remaining permanent drag strip, Santa Pod Raceway, it seems there had been a proposal to possibly build a garden village in fairly close
proximity to the track. SPR had fought vigorously against this, citing the amount of revenue its events bring to the area, challenging the developers to come up with a proposal that would protect residents from the noise resulting from regular race events that are held there (and that would allow SPR to continue running its business without future hindrance). No such proposal was forthcoming and the local council has scrapped the proposal from its local plan. Housing developers are a cunning bunch though and with a constant demand for new homes right across the country, this is a scenario that will need constant monitoring, although we are sure SPR are on the case.
Carbs are good SU Carburettors are almost a household name in the UK, their well-known products were standard fitment to many British cars back in the days before fuel injection, and I expect most Classic American readers have owned at least one on a car in their time. SU Carbs are still going strong, these days specialising and concentrating on the classic and restoration market, and we recently paid them a visit at their factory in Wiltshire and found that all three of the Burnett brothers who now run the company are into classic vehicles.
Of particular interest was Jamie Burnett’s Chevypowered hot rod. It’s a ’42 Chevy tru uck running a small No missing those SUs! block Chevy and fed by three SUs, a unique set up we hadn’t seen before. The truck was a collaboration between SU and Valley Gas Speed Shop, and an experiment to see if such a conversion would be of interest as an alternative carb set up for Chevyy V8 owners looking for something different. Sure looks good!
First outing for unique Miller Back in April of last year we showed you a sneak preview of an awesome car under construction at Lamb Engineering in Salisbury. Larry Houghton is a top custom bike builder, but has this time turned his hand to fabricating a fantastic replica Miller-style single seater. The nearly completed car recently broke cover for the first time at the Vintage Nostalgia Festival and
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luckily we were there to see it. Nearly everything on the car is hand-fabricated, including the body, frame and all the suspension etc. Powered by a Royal Kustoms-built Flathead V8 (don’t miss our profile on Royal Kustoms next month) the car is an n absolute work of art from top to bottom. We are not sure where Larry is showing it next, but you’ll know it if you see it, it’s one of a kind!
Thoroughly modern Miller.
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Richard Coney
Scale
aut autos Scale Autos editor Richard Coney looks back over almost 30 years at the helm of Classic American’s Scale Autos section…
H
ow time flies when you’re having fun! It’s nearly 30 years, almost half my lifetime, since I first wrote a one-off article called Scale Autos for the late, much-missed, Tony Beadle. As technical editor of Street Machine, he’d been asked to mastermind a new magazine as an extension of his Yanks column. The first issue was a success, sufficient to commission a second edition, at which point Tony decided that he’d like an article on collecting miniature American cars. As a friend of then features editor Russ Smith, despite having never contributed to a magazine before, I was asked to have a go, given my interest in American model car kits. My remit was to concentrate on the die-cast side of the hobby, something I knew virtually nothing about. I agreed anyway, with one proviso, that I be allowed to acquire the featured models and photograph them myself, so if something went wrong and they were lost or damaged, it was entirely my fault. Tony agreed, my article appeared in the summer 1989 edition and the rest is a lengthy history. Much has changed in those three decades, both in how magazines are published and in the models available. My initial baptism of fire was eased somewhat as I could seek advice from two friends who were regular writers for modelling magazines. Another friend was a Royal Navy photographer who taught me the basics of macro photography, using my Pentax SLR film camera. As Scale Autos became a regular column, I gradually learned the craft, a task much simplified by the local model shop in Harrow, which allowed me to borrow a wide variety of die-casts and kits for review. Indeed, Scale Autos would have dried up many years ago if it were not for such accommodating shops, importers and distributors, the staff of which trusted me to care for their models and return them undamaged in a timely manner. In the pre-digital age, models had often been returned before the photos were back from the developers, so I learned to bracket shots, to lessen the chance I’d have to borrow them again for a repeat performance. With the rapid improvement of digital cameras in the last decade this problem has disappeared, as one can view pictures instantly on the camera’s screen, pure science fiction when I started – indeed, my mobile phone is probably sophisticated enough to use these days.
Change of range
The range of models produced has also changed over the years, as have the prices, dramatically in some cases. My first article featured a trio of Solido 1:43 scale cars, a Bburago 1:18 scale 1957 Corvette, plus three AMT/Ertl plastic kits. In the Nineties, the popularity of large-scale models exploded, with a surprising variety of cars and trucks arriving as fast as I could review them. With the increasing popularity of these heavyweights, demand for 1:43 scale American cars diminished. Simultaneously, the supply of American model kits from Ertl, Revell, MPC etc. almost evaporated, as few were imported and the escalating cost of petroleum-based goods forced manufacturers to reduce their ranges. Unless you imported kits yourself, it was a lean time for modellers. Then came the expensive Hot Wheels Collectibles, which I confess I found irresistible, despite their inflated prices, followed by a vast selection of cartoonish cars from Muscle Machines and Jada Toys, that appeared almost overnight and disappeared just as swiftly. So too vanished most of the 1:18 scale cars, along with budget-priced die-casts from Maisto, Yat Ming and Welly, their Far East importers victims of the credit
crunch of the late Noughties. I struggled to find a decent selection to review each month. I need not have worried. They say everything is cyclical and model cars are no different. The last decade has experienced the closure of most model shops, victims of high rents and the blossoming internet. Large-scale cars are also now a rarity. Having flooded a crowded market with interminable repaints and few new releases, expensive tooling and escalating transport costs contributed to their disappearance. Modellers have fared better, as Round 2 Models have resurrected many previously ‘lost’ AMT and MPC car kits, often with retooled parts from early releases, though sadly no longer with pocket money prices. The £30-plus mark is not unusual these days! Disturbingly, I heard recently that Revell had been sold, leaving a question mark over the continued availability of the company’s products. In contrast, small die-casts are back in force, accompanied by similar-sized resin beauties, many finished to high standards, with prices to match. All this means that model cars are here to stay. As old ones go, new ones appear to fill the void. I’m as passionate about them as I was in 1988. I know many of you share that enthusiasm. So here’s to the next decade and on with the show!
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JADA TOYS 1958 CHEVROLET IMPALA Taking the unusual a further step, how about this for different? Produced as one of a new series of 1:24 scale die-cast caravans, or ‘travel trailers’ as the Americans refer to them, this Greenlight ‘Hitch & Tow’ Shasta AirFlyte dates from 1961 and, from what I’ve seen, appears to be an accurate replica. Over here, we tend to think of polished aluminium Airstream caravans and Winnebagos as the norm in the States, but that’s far from true. There were and still are a wide variety of manufacturers of such things, all of which have their unique features. Shasta, named after a volcano in California, produced trailers from 1941 to 2004, then restarted production in 2010. They had a reputation for being stylish, compact and lightweight, easy to tow and surprisingly internally spacious for their size. The curious side wings are a characteristic of the Shasta. As often happens, internet sources provide varying data, but the mid-size AirFlyte appears to be between 15ft and 16ft long. It was produced in a variety of colours, including Matador Red, Seafoam Green, Butternut Yellow, all two-toned with contrasting white, several variations of which are available from Greenlight. In 2015 Shasta created a limited number of retro-replicas. With modern conveniences inside, they retain the look of the original with vintage pattern internal fittings and finishes. Check out this website for pictures of the recreation, in the same colours as the model too. http://www.roamingtimes. com/2015/11/10/2015-shasta-airflyte-16reissue-travel-trailer/. The model has an opening door, full interior, with bed, sink, kitchen cabinets, couch, etc. which can be seen by peering through the windows. Outside there’s a gas bottle for cooking and a trailer hitch. It is beautifully finished boxed Expect throughout and attractively boxed. to pay around £30.
SEVENTIES CORONET Whitebox has produced some unusual 1:43 scale die-cast models recently. It takes some courage to offer less iconic cars like this 1973 Dodge Coronet four-door sedan. Hardly oozing cool like its performance orientated coupe and convertible brethren, it’s nevertheless the sort of car you’ll be more likely to see if, like me, you enjoy the old American cop shows of the Seventies. The likes of Kojak, The Streets of San Francisco, Cannon and Starsky & Hutch had streets lined with unmemorable American cars of the period, (and ( d almost l t always l a VW Beetle!), B tl !) mostt off which hi h
are now gone and largely forgotten. The model’s well appointed too, with a gold painted body and what I presume to be a white vinyl roof. The finish is quite subtle, with silver wheels, chromed hubcaps, silver painted side and wheel arch trim, door handles and window surrounds. The bumpers are chromed, as is the driver’s door mirror. Inside, the Seventies look continues with beige seats, though the dashboard is black. One of 1000 in this colour combination, it is attractive and makes a refreshing change from the Sixties muscle cars usually on offer. Obtainable at d £25, £25 it’s it’ good d value. l around
JADA TOYS 1958 CHEVROLET IMPALA To round off this 30-year anniversary selection, we have a more familiar 1958 Chevrolet Impala from Jada Toys. As mentioned earlier, Jada has a reputation for producing outlandish, often cartoonish, model cars, so this stylish Impala in the company’s Showroom Floor series is quite restrained by Jada’s standards. Of die-cast construction to 1:24 scale, this lowered beauty appears to be relatively stock, complete with rear wheel arch spats, which exaggerates its low stance. The wheels have stock appearing covers and wide whitewall tyres, but no operable steering. The bright red paint and contrasting white roof suit this Fifties classic, as does the rear mounted continental kit attached to the extended rear bumper. It is more detailed than some Jada cars, with opening doors, bonnet and boot lid. While at first glance it looks W more complicated, the engine bay is a single chrome plated moulding. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, a little detail painting would further disguise the simplicity of this construction. The boot has just a simple
back plastic liner, and would again benefit from a little paint. The interior has black seats, a chromed steering wheel and rear view mirror. While the external window trim is painted, I was pleased to see that the side mouldings are chromed. The other smaller trim pieces are also painted and emblems are limited to the multicoloured Chevy badge on the bonnet front. The massive, chromed grille has clear plastic headlights. Overall, it’s pretty close to a model you could build with a similarly scaled plastic kit, with all the hard work done for you. It’s an effective crossover between a toy and a model and at around £30 it won’t break the bank.
A wide range of die-cast models and American range plastic kits are available online at competitive prices. However, you should be able to source most of the models reviewed in Scale Autos from www.modelstore.co.uk or see American Classic Diecast at www.american-classic-diecast.co.uk 120 classic-american.com
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Classic American
Reviews Creative Industries of Detroit The Untold Story of Detroit’s Secret Concept Car Builder
£29.99
Author: Leon Dixon Published by: Car Tech ISBN: 978-1-61325-213-0 Price: £29.99 You’d think that new car designs and prototypes would be done in-house, each a closely guarded secret, kept under wraps until the car’s launch. Well despite the dangers of industrial espionage, in 1950s Detroit one company, a conglomeration of several engineering, coachbuilding and design firms, designed and developed innumerable one-off concept cars and prototypes for Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Packard, Lincoln and many others. This new book tells the fascinating story of Creative Industries. Few will have heard of this secretive, innovative and imaginative centre of engineering excellence. With many previously unseen photos, it explains how the company came to be responsible for the manufacture of concept cars and pre-production vehicles for most of the big auto manufacturers, while remaining resolutely under the radar. It seems that for more than 50 years, Creative Industries worked on just about everything, for everybody, until final closure several years ago. Limited space precludes a list of the undercover projects on which they worked, but you’ll be amazed at what they produced and for whom! If you ever wondered how a car evolved from a drawing to the showroom, this book will give you insight on how it was undertaken back in the day.
Muscle Cars in Detail £15.99
No.9 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Author: Mike Mueller Published by: Car Tech ISBN: 978-1-61325-318-2 Price: £15.99 The 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 was one of the most successful volume production muscle cars in an increasingly crowded and competitive marketplace, as explained in this new book in the Muscle Car in Detail series. The first Mustangs, introduced mid-1964, caused a sensation, particularly with young buyers, outstripping anticipated sales several times over. However, within three years, competition from Camaros, Firebirds, Chargers and even the AMC Javelin had reduced sales considerably. Something had to be done to re-energise the Mustang. GT upgrades started the trend and the overall bulkier reboot for 1967 allowed for the installation of big-block V8s for additional performance. The Boss 302 and 429, plus the 428 Cobra Jet were relatively short-run pseudo-race cars, designed for homologation in the Trans Am Racing Series and NASCAR respectively. What Ford needed was something to overshadow the opposition. The 1969 Mach 1 was the answer. Based on the fastback GT, now the SportsRoof, it featured the Grande’s more luxurious interior and graphics. It catered for a wide selection of buyers. Those who wanted the looks opted for the modest
351cu in Windsor V8 with two-barrel carb. For those with deeper pockets and who could handle the grunt there was the tarmac-tearing 428cu in Cobra Jet, with functional Ram-Air bonnet scoop. This strategy paid off with more than 70,000 sales in 1969. The story, with historical overview, a detailed analysis of the many mechanical and visual internal and external options available, plus an extensive Appendix, should provide Mach 1 fans with all the details they need to assess the potential value of these fast-appreciating steeds.
Maximum Performance
Mopar Super Stock Drag Racing 1962-1969 Author: Jim Schild Published by: Motorbooks ISBN: 978-0-7603-5565-7 Price: £16.99 The title says it all! In the golden age of drag racing, Mopar, specifically Chrysler, Plymouth and Dodge, consistently dominated the tracks from 1962 until 1969, with innovative designs, killer engines, superb drivers and a gutsy, competitive streak that yearned to trounce all-comers as often as possible! Containing masses of contemporary photos, the majority as clear today as when they were taken, the story starts during the so-called ‘Exner years’, a reference to supreme automotive designer Virgil M Exner. Dodge and Plymouth both downsized their cars, making them lighter and faster when factory fitted with the Maximum Performance packages. These offered the newly uprated 413cu in V8 engine and other upgrades, which together easily outpaced Ford, Chevy and Pontiac. It was inevitable that with such corporate inducements, the racing community, particularly those campaigning the Super Stock classes, would acquire these street-legal performers and work their magic. The resulting drag strip battles would see Mopars regularly winning the trophies at the weekend, handily translating into sales of new cars the following week.
Here you can learn about the loyal teams who successfully strived to wring the last possible horsepower out of their Dodges and Plymouths. It’s illustrated with copious rare photos, provides the technical specifications for the constantly upgrading performance packages and the many and varied modifications that were undertaken to outwit the opposition, while (barely) keeping within the class regulations. It is a fascinating tale of mechanical innovation and ingenious interpretation of the strict NHRA Super Stock rules, which for several years kept GM and Ford playing catch-up, literally. A good read!
£16.99
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AMERICANA
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BODYWORK RESTORATION SERVICE REPAIR
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Paul Bussey
Drive
buy
1957 DeSoto Firesweep
Vendor: Colin Addington, Braintree, Essex Telephone: 07769 802322 Price: £24,500 ono Words and photography: Paul Bussey
W
ith this month’s Classic American being the 30th Anniversary issue, we’ve got a quintessential classic ‘fins ‘n’ chrome’ car as this month’s Drive-Buy feature: a 1957 DeSoto Firesweep. Regular and eagle-eyed readers may recall, this was the very car that we featured back in 2016 and vendor Colin Addington is scaling down his big boys’ toys, thus the Firesweep has just come up for sale. It’s a car that’s undergone a huge amount of restorative work over the years, notably a bare metal good quality repaint in the mid-2000s, which is looking as good as ever with its turquoise and white finish. There’s hardly a blemish anywhere, other than a slight scratch on the fuel filler cap. The underside of the car is impressively very clean and well protected against the elements. The rear chrome bumper is very slightly patina’d but in good condition, although the front one has almost certainly been rechromed, at a no doubt staggering expense. Also, the brightwork around the headlamps is similarly thought to have been rechromed. Other brightwork body mouldings are also well preserved.
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The Firesweep’s interior has been totally retrimmed, with the seats finished in black vinyl, while the door cards are done in a turquoise and white vinyl, to replicate the exterior paint colours. It looks like the original headlining has been replaced with that of a light beige West of England-type wool material and remains in excellent condition. The trim at the base of the A-post is a little worn and needs sticking back in place. The boot area offers cavernous space for storage and is well carpeted. Vendor Colin has recently painted much of the engine bay in order to tidy it up and make it more presentable, although a serious stickler for originality may well want to return it to its original colour specification. Oh, those fins!
Original service manual.
SPECIFICATION
Engine: 325cu in V8 Power: 245bhp@4400rpm Torque: 320 lb ft@2400rpm Transmission: Three-speed automatic MOT: Exempt Mileage: 39,124
Good points
A full bare-metal repaint to a very good standard is always an excellent starting point when considering a purchase. Good brightwork and an interior retrim (doorcards, headlining, seats and carpets) continue with the plus points, which are nicely rounded off with a professional rebuild of the engine (using a great many new parts) and transmission, plus a whole host of other replacement parts fitted, including a replacement prop-shaft. This Firesweep also comes complete with a spare engine, automatic transmission and radiator, workshop manual and owners’ handbook. Those BF Goodrich 205/75-R14 tyres have plenty of tread remaining and the spare is as new. 245bhp 325 cu in V8 motor.
Bad points
As previously mentioned, the brakes do need looking at and require fine fettling to make perfect, though the drums are new, costing $800, and there are new wheel cylinders too. The original pushbutton radio isn’t connected and it isn’t known if it works or not. The original chrome switch for the windscreen wipers doesn’t work, so has been bypassed by a replacement switch. Another inoperative interior fixture is the front seat manual adjustment mechanism and, of course, the speedometer. So there’s a little remedial attention needed here and there, but the most important things like the engine/transmission, body, paint and interior are all good.
Dual headlamps appeared in ’58.
The Firesweep is equipped with the 325cu in engine and a three-speed automatic transmission, with a push-button gear selector arrangement, located on the left hand side of the dashboard. When we start the engine, it bursts to life immediately and settles into a steady tick-over. Selecting drive and pulling away, one becomes immediately aware of the feather-light power-steering. The engine pulls like a train and there’s a muted, but pleasing, deep rumble from the exhaust system, the rear section being of stainless steel. Testing the brakes, they don’t appear to be too sharp and there’s a slight judder, although they do pull the car up straight enough. We also note that the speedometer is inoperative, though the odometer is working. Niggles apart, this Firesweep does drive and handle well, with its softish suspension and a little body roll, when pushed hard. There are smooth changes up and down the transmission, which has also been fully rebuilt at great expense. Indeed, the body and mechanical refurbishment is all well detailed, with photographs, bills and receipts, both from the US and the UK. It’s a fine example of a fins ‘n’ chrome-era DeSoto and finished in a splendid eye-catching colour combination. ★
Rear view mirror is mounted on the dash.
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64 MERCURY COMET
A TEAM VAN
ASC MCLAREN
BUICK
Calienti 2-door coupe, 260 CI V8, 5-speed, new brakes, suspension, steering, radiater, w/pump, exhaust, tyres, battery, carpets, headlining, Texas car, £15,000 ono Tel. 01394 410507. Suffolk
replica limo, 1982, 5.7, V8 crate motor fitted with less than a thousand miles, new radiator and hoses, new Holley 4 barrel carb, Elderbrock air intake, £14,999 Tel. 07867 805890. Dorset
3.8 ltr, V6, convertible, 2 seat Roadster, one of only nine of its type that was produced by ASC McLaren in 1986, the only one in the UK, owned for over 22 years, £22,000 ono Tel. 07856 855414. Herts
1937 Coachbuilt by Maltbys of Folkestone UK, features Maltbys power roof which they patented in 1934, Tel. Stewart on 07703 606699 for full details. Torbay Devon
BUICK CONVERTIBLE
BUICK LE SABRE
BUICK SPECIAL
BUICK SPECIAL
Coupe, 1937, 2 door with dicky seat, r/h/d, Straight Eight, well maintained, very reliable, £7000 spent recently, drive anywhere, lovely condition throughout, £28,750 Tel. 07876 278841. Wilts
1959, 4 door pillarless flat top, 6 litre V8 auto, 2014 Arizona import, fully rebuilt trans, new stainless twin exhaust, awesome original sun baked patina, fantastic summer cruiser, always garaged, £11,950 ono Tel. 01254 729849 or 07931 688207. Lancs
1955, orange over white matching trim, came from Vanguard Motors USA, probably the biggest Muscle and Classic Car firm in the USA, restored early 2000, may p/x or sensible cash offer Tel. 07514 982851. Lincs
1955, ex Vanguard Motor USA car (Google Buick Special), restored early 2000 shaved firewall de badged electro magnetic locks, stunning cond, show winner, match trim, £32,500 Tel. 07514 982851. Lincs
BUICK SUPER
BUICK WILDCAT
C3 CORVETTE L82
CADILLAC
Owned for 19 years, much admired car, only gets used for one show year, I will be sorry to see it go, in very good condition, £25,000 Tel. 01744 23200. Lancs
2-dr hardtop coupe, 1966, genuine nos matching, one year only 425 Gran Sport, gold beige trim, imported Oklahoma 2013, rare car, £11,000 Tel. 01788 573402 or 07932 568641. Warks
1980 with only 35k, manual trans, fully documented history from original bill of sale to now, mirror T-tops, stainless steel exhaust, sounds fantastic, only £15,995 ono Tel. 07887 680172. Essex
1976, 8.2L, 30k miles, green leather interior, full MoT, new water pump, starter, steering box, radiator, lovely car in excellent condition, £8250 Tel. 07891 730887. Leics
CADILLAC COUPE
CADILLAC COUPE DEVILLE
CADILLAC COUPE DEVILLE
CADILLAC ELDORADO
Deville convertible, 1964, nos matching, white, with new red leather interior, new carpets and fully serviced, 429 V8, all power and everything works, in UK since 1968, last of the fins and stunning, £29,995 Tel. 0208 9544552.
1975, 8.2 ltr, V8, auto, 32k, cream leather interior, MoT and tax exempt, immac cond, original owners manual, £14,950 ono Tel. 07879 692377. Weston-super-Mare
Imposing 1958, reg BSV 958, 365 cu in, V8 engine, 5 new radial tyres, new exhaust, paintwork has been stripped and repainted in 2007, won various awards over the years, an excellent wedding car, has been kept to as near as original as possible, c/w the relevant workshop manuals, £26,500 Tel. 01484 842025; 07974 824361. Email: Peter.seccombe250@gmail.com
1970, 500 CID, olive green, vinyl roof, tan interior, imported from California 2003, orig condition all round, drives smooth, orig license plates, various spare parts and manuals inc, £8750 ono Tel. 07719 887882. Eastleigh, Hampshire
CADILLAC XLR
CAMARO 3.6 AUTO
CAMARO 350
CAMARO Z28
Very rare, 2006, 11,800 miles, Corvette C5 chassis, 4.6 North Star V8, one of only 3 believed reg in UK, MoT, serviced at Cadillac dealer, black with beige leather, £22,950 Tel. 07926 574500. Warks
2012, 328bhp, 0-60 in 5.7 seconds, 158 mph, paddleshift, black leather, bluetooth, air con, tyre pressure monitors, cruise control, MoT June 2019, £17,995 p/x possible. Tel. 07788 100840. Norwich
1969 small block, TH350 3 sp auto, power f/disc brakes, MoT, lots of new parts fitted over the past 17 years, I have owned this car, runs great, sounds fantastic, £24,000 ovno Tel. 07742 201969. Milton Keynes
1999, 5.7, LS1, UK car from new, 63k, vgc, great spec, subtle bolt-on only mods, £££’s spent inc Boyd wheels, Eibach, Bilsteins, too much to list, MoT, £8495 ono Tel. Scott 07919 573543 . Essex
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CLASSIC AMERICAN READER ADVERTS CAMARO Z28
CHEVROLET AD UNIVERSAL
CHEVROLET APACHE
CHEVROLET BISCAYNE
1997, 30th Anniversary, 5.7, V8, MoT May 2019, runs and sounds great, £4995 Tel. 07922 482012.
1930, 2 door coach, recently restored Stovebolt 6 cyl 50hp, nos matching, vintage car, VSCC buff form as std, benefits from numerous Chevrolet upgrades, £15,000 Tel. 07793 090813. Studley, Warks
1958 Fleetside truck, Strong 383, 4 speed Muncie, posi-traction rear end, power brakes, working gauges and heater, new chrome and ignition, metallic paint, great truck, drives anywhere, £16,500 Tel. 07789 484263. Much Hadham, Herts
CHEVROLET C10
CHEVROLET C1500
CHEVROLET CAMARO
CHEVROLET CAMARO
1966, Custom Cab big back window truck, sold with NOVA, 307 CUI V8, 3-speed manual, runs smooth, MoT and tax exempt, does have some rust, £7250 Tel. Ellis 07772 451969 for details. Staffs
Cheyenne, 1991, 4.3, V6, long bed single cab pick-up, lovely condition, 20in chrome alloys, leather seats, metal tonneau on gas struts, twin exhausts, current owner for 14 years, kept in dry, no rust, very reliable, £8950 Tel. 07788 728745. Hants
1995, 3.4L, V6, black with tan leather interior, 107k, good runner daily use, MoT, new water pump and coolant flush 4 months ago, loads of spares, £2350 or best offer Tel. Stu on 07938 770213. N Notts
2000, V6 auto, glass T-tops, recent MoT and full service, 12-stack CD, owned 4 years, AA or RAC test welcome, £4950 Tel. 0208 6931003; 07884 428546. London
CHEVROLET CAPRICE
CHEVROLET CORVAIR
CHEVROLET CORVETTE
CHEVROLET CORVETTE
1993, Classic LTZ 5.7L, V8, 61k, black, beige interior, one owner, includes a range of spare parts, year’s MoT, near mint condition, registration NOT included, £9000 ono Tel. 07768 486927. Harrow, London.
1963 Monza Spyder, rare turbo charged convertible, 4-speed manual, virtually rust free, deserves to be painted but could use as is with ‘patina’, £15,000 Tel. 07798 797262. Cirencester
1976, black Stingray, matching numbers car, 4-speed manual gearbox, car was imported 3 years ago and has had a light restoration, includes new body mount bushes, £15,500 ovno Tel. James on 07768 182937. Norfolk
1990, auto, 75k, excellent condition throughout, black, black leather Quad exhaust, Torga top, s/h, drives beautifully, all receipts, £7250 Tel. 01454 886684; 07875 625461. Bristol
CHEVROLET CORVETTE L83
CHEVROLET HOLDEN
CHEVY BEL AIR
CHEVY C1500
1982, black, 1982, owned by me last 24 yrs, only 61k, good cond, seats black leather, exc engine with Crossfire fuel inj, 4 speed auto gearbox, £14,995 ovno Tel. 07944 606227. Weston-super-Mare
1938, 3.6 Straight 6, r/h/d, rebuilt steering box, radiator, Whitewall tyres, engine stripped and checked, new stainless exhaust, new brake master cylinder, c/w some spares, £17,500 poss p/x WW2 Jeep or pick-up why? Tel. 01797 369048 For more details.. Kent
1955, Sedan, great cond, owned 7 years, 350 block with TH350 box, Edlebrock head and carb, twin stainless system, Mallory distributor, alloy rad, new mini starter, £16,000 ono Tel. 07786 264152. Somerset
1991, 305ci (5.0L) fuel inj, V8 & 700R4 trans, no rust or rot on body or frame, truck rebuilt in 2014, MoT, a/c, 15in 454SS wheels, new tyres, £8750 ono Tel. 07809 538663. Southend, Essex
CHEVY CHALLENGER
CHEVY FLEETLINE
CHEVY G20 DAYVAN
CHEVY PARKWOOD
1992, all original, on board generator, good condition, no leaks, Queen bedroom, on Sorn, £10,000 ono Tel. 01767 640681; 07836 618210 for more details, will haggle. Beds
51 Deluxe, full custom, chopped, fully rebuilt SBC 350 V8, 700R4 box, new paint and interior, £15,750 ono Tel. Gaz 079541 41777. Staffs
1987, own for 21 years, full s/h, new gearbox/MoT until November 2018, c/w drive away awning and loads of spares, £5500 ono Tel. Dave on 07779 521819. W Mids
1961 Station Wagon 348 auto, recent MoT, over £25,000 spent on new parts, £15,999 ono Tel. 01202 678845. Dorset
lovely, 1959, 4-dr saloon in 2-tone silver, Tel. 01202 676281. Dorset
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CHEVY SILVERADO DUELLY
CHRYSLER BUSINESS COUPE
CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE SRT6
CHRYSLER DESOTO
SWB, V8, 454 auto, LPG, 67k miles, huge service history incl gearbox change, MoT 2019, £5995 ono; p/x why? Tel. 07949 868824. Kent
1929, Type 65, desirable 2-str without Rumble seat model, a fabulous example of the marque, subject to £40k restoration completed in 2014, excellent order. Tel. 07960 870446. Lincs
2007, only 105 made, rare and very collectable, s/h, new MoT, 47k miles, 3.2 AMG Supercharged engine, 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, mint condition inside and out, £9000 Tel. Rich 07840 182919. Herts
Firesweep, engine completely rebuilt, virtually new this 1957 car, a dream to drive, mentioned in Classic American December 2016, rare model, £24,500 Tel. 07769 802322. Essex
CHRYSLER LE BARON
CHRYSLER NEWPORT 383
CHRYSLER PT CRUISER
CHRYSLER SEBRING
Turbo 2.2 convertible, 1986, near perfect, rust free body, good interior, recent top, Sorn, engine running issues, £1200 Tel. 07789 938676. Cornwall
1968, V8, absolutely stunning condition, full walk round You Tube video https://youtu. be/61nLPUg78iE £17,000 Tel. 07713 267334. Cambs
Limited Edition, automatic, met red, grey leather,chrome wheels, 44k miles, full s/h, year’s MoT, £650 Tel. 01333 312016 or 07714 263355. Fife
convertible, 1997, white, 2.5 ltr, Florida import, good condition, 69k, MoT til Aug 18, £2400 or offers, p/x considered. Tel. 07746 820268. Maidenhead
CHRYSLER WINDSOR
CORVETTE C3
CORVETTE C4
CORVETTE C6
1948, lots of work and restoration carried out 12v conversion complete interior, great chrome, could do with a respray, hence £19,000 Tel. 07443 564953. Newmarket
1981, 63k miles, true unmolested survivor, never repainted, even cruise works, new tyres, shocks, a/c compressor, car is as it left the factory, £16,750 Tel. 07816 878892. Essex
Totally orig, 300bhp LT1 engine, exc cond, 29,400 miles, MoT, shipped to Dubai in 1994 and displayed on 18th hole at theDubai Classic golf tournament, £9950 Tel. 07411 002436. Derbys
2005, machine silver, black leather, auto, 6 ltr active handling, H.U.D, Bose, sports seats, original unmodified, vgc, all history, £21,950 Tel. Nick 01484 863881. Yorks
CORVETTE STINGRAY
CORVETTE STINGRAY
DESOTO FIREDOME
DODGE AVENGER 2.0 CRD SXT
1968, 427 manual, red, numbers matching, stacks of history, quite a rare car, runs and drives, must be seen, Tel. Simon 07525 627978. Yorks
1976, T-Top Coupe, 350ci 4-speed, silver metallic with black interior, p/s, brakes, windows, a/c, rear luggage rack, just in from Florida, beautiful, £14,750 Tel. 07976 245899. Enfield, Middx
1953, V8 Hemi Coupe, nos matching and all original, low mileage, excellent condition throughout, runs and drives great, serious enquiries only. Can assist with international shipping, GBP, Euros and USD, cash or credit card accepted, £21,000 ono Tel. 07775 582915. Hants
2007, 6 speed manual, fully loaded, my gig entertainment system, leather interior, vgc, very economical, have owned vehicle since Jan 2010, MoT Sep 18, low mileage 78,600 will go up as in daily use, £2750 ovno Tel. 07725 559941. Essex
DODGE RAM
DODGE RAM 1500 SLT
DODGE SEDAN
Pleasureway motorhome 5900cc petrol, good condition, MoT, 126k, self contained with water, gas tanks and own generator inside has sink, £7995 Tel. 07792 889039. Viewing in Birmingham
Lone star, (2017), brilliant black crystal pearl paint, exc cond, recent private US import, already registered, V5C present, 12,481 miles, 5.7 Hemi, £29,995 Tel. 07834 856234. Leyland, Lancashire
1937, 318CI, V8, auto r/h/d, f&r Jag IRS and discs all round, new alloys and Whitewall tyres, recent full respray and new interior, £18,000 Tel. Steve 07899 944054 or 0208 6696315. Carshalton, Surrey stevejontor@hotmail.com
classic-american.com 137
CLASSIC AMERICAN READER ADVERTS ICONIC DODGE VIPER GTS
FORD BRONCO
FORD ECONOLINE F150
FORD F150
Coupe built in 2000, official UK spec car imported by Chrysler Dodge UK, one of last GTS models to be reg in UK (03/2001), same owner since new, 24k miles, 8 ltr V10 engine, 6 sp manual gearbox, MoT til 03-19, £36,666 Tel. 01603 400665. Norwich
XLT EFi, 5 ltr, V8, 5-speed manual, with overdrive, new front brake caliper, new clutch, full service, great, £6950 Tel. 07747 636421. Northants
My pride and joy, a day van with all the usual, elec bench seat/bed, TV, PlayStation etc has been sitting in Kent whilst I have been in Canada, 74,258 miles, £3500 Tel. Allan on +44 7713 270918. Kent AllanBrookman276@BTInternet.com
King Ranch 5.4 auto, 12 months’ MoT, full stainless system by OBX Tony Banks, reliable tidy truck, K&N filter, owned 11 years 2001 model, genuine reason for sale, £7495 ono Tel. 07966 201960. Huddersfield
FORD F150 XLT
FORD F350
FORD FALCON
FORD GALAXIE 500
2016, 5.0 Super cab, personal import, V5C, only 2,200 miles, as new, ruby red met paint, unmarked, chrome arch extensions, h/seats, viewing strictly by appointment £28,995 Tel. Karl on 07834 856234. Leyland, Lancs
Classic white pick-up truck, super h/duty, brand new headlights, grill, been re-sealed, lovely drive, MoT, 170k, diesel auto 6000cc, £14,000 ono Tel. 07944 697846. Southend-on-Sea, Essex holliclifton@hotmail.com
1969, 200ci Straight Six, 3 speed auto, power steering, real good useable car, I use it every day, new brake shoes & wheel cylinders a year ago, elec ign, £5800 ono Tel. 07968 755659. W Mids
1966, in need of restoration, selling due to lack of time and space, 352 V8 auto, engine turns over, but haven’t had time to get it started, needs new interior, upholstery, carpets, headliner etc, needs some body work, mainly rear passenger quarter needs repair, nos matching car, £3900 ovno; but UK registered, but have all the paperwork. Tel. 07879 447561. car in Peterborough.
FORD GALAXIE 500
FORD MERCURY
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
Fastback, 1966, rebuilt big block, detailed engine bay, American equipment wheels, Cooper Cobras, super looking car, must be seen, £21,750 ono Tel. 07719 324797. Worcs
Cougar XR7, Seamist metallic with vinyl roof, 4.6, V8, low miles, Florida car, just serviced, fitted with 4 band new Whitewall tyres, £4300 ono Tel. 07985 411584. W Yorks
65, owned for 20 years, age related condition, brand-new engine fitted Komi shocks, limited slip diff, hasn_t covered many miles but used regular, 4- speed manual, £13,000 Tel. 07710 852136.
Convertible 3.8 auto, 2003, silver, power hood, genuine 20k miles, unmarked grey leather interior, excellent original condition thr’out, runs and drives superb, MoT, £4995 ono Tel. 07494 626118.
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
5.0l GT convertible, 1991, only 21k, c/w 12 months MoT, owned for last 15 years, always garaged and never driven in wet, excellent condition, reluctant sale, £6500 ono Tel. 07909 097341. W Sussex
2005, V6, 4.0, full Supersnake replica body kit, 54k, new nappa leather seats, halo lights, Bullit style grill, euro lights and custom exhaust, MoT, vgc, £14,995 Tel. Ken 07751 799197. Tyne & Wear
1970, convertible, one repaint since new, convertible top recently redone, Tel. 2513718173. USA mariargustafson@gmail. com
Convertible Premium 3.7L, V6, 2014, top spec, UK reg (car is in Ireland can deliver), showroom condition, excellent fuel economy, 30+ to gallon, 31k, £20,000 ono Tel. 00 353 894 811707. Eire
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG
FORD MUSTANG COUPE
Coupe, 1966, rebuilt engine, new interior and headliner, all chrome replaced, sweet 6 cyl engine and auto gearbox, updated lights inc housings, great driver, Tel. 07737 174200. W Mids
1966, Coupe, 4 speed manual, pro-built 302 less than 5k miles old, 4bbl Holley, Edelbrock intake, comp cam etc, no rust, owned 6 years, always dry garaged, £18,500 may p/x why? Tel. 07702 860682. Kent
The 1971 Mach 1 race car in yellow and orange Joey Logano No.22 colours, (yellow vinyl and car can be converted DIY back to Ford Competition Orange). Tel. Marcus on 07748 111444. Chalfont St Giles
1966, 6 cyl auto, real great driver, new interior, sweet engine and box, used regularly, always admired, can deliver, genuine classic any trial. £12,950 ono Tel. 07737 174200.
Upload your advert at www.classic-american.com Private ads appear for 3 months only. To cancel or renew call
01507 529323
FORD ROADSTER
FORD THUNDERBIRD
FORD THUNDERBIRD
FORD THUNDERBIRD
1934, fibreglass replica, r/h/d, 2 ltr Pinto, manual gearbox, Cortina running gear, fully trimmed, MoT, good condition and usable, £12,000 ono Tel. Steve on 07790 930109. Devon
1965, convertible, 390cu in V8 auto, power trunk, soft top, brakes, windows and driver’s seat, Auto park brake release, new tie rod ends, Tel. 07900 251233. algtraining@btinternet.com
1964, 390, nice original car just needs a bit of work, MoT, not been used since end of last year, gearbox works fine and engine sounds nice, £6500 Tel. 07908 736045. Kent
Super coupe, 1989, manual gearbox with supercharger, sounds fantastic, interior vgc, everything works except air con, drives very well, car is nearly 30 years old, will MoT, Tel. 01268 597999; 07423 434487.
FORD V8
GMC DAY VAN
GMC SAVANA
GMC SIERRA 4.3
5 Window coupe, v good condition, full tool kit, show winner, previous owner 28 years, £38,000 Tel. 01526 861114. Lincs
project, r/h/d, sound under body, 5.7, V8, petrol limo conversion, £2500 ono Tel. 07895 531864.
MoT March 19, many new parts inc tyres, 1997 model, £7500 Tel. 0797 7001641 for details.. W Mids
1992, V6 Vortec, 2WD, auto pick-up, ex USAF, 78k, MoT, recent satin black paint, body and chassis rust free, bed liner and tool chest, smooth reliable daily driver, £6750 ono Tel. 07932 757410. Kent
INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER
LINCOLN CAPRI
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL
LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 3.8
S1600 truck, 6.9 ltr V8 diesel, 1987, has removable spec lift and 5th wheel, reg as recovery, 15,400 miles, perfect for showing, recovery or towing, p/x possible, £4500 ono Tel. 07748 978273. Norfolk
1957 2dr coupe, vgc, UK reg, lovely driver, £22,000 Tel. 07443 564953. Suffolk
Town Car, 1979, 6.6 ltr, V8, 3-speed auto, 78k, orig cream paint and padded 3/4 top, tan interior, rust free, new tyres, etc, serviced, MoT Oct 18, imported 2015, £10,850 Tel. 07471 937353. Lanarks
92, V6, with one off paint job in daily use, had lots of work to restore, MoT till 27/11/18, £3750 ono Tel. James on 07766 705022. Essex
MACH I MUSTANG
MERCURY COMET
MOPAR DODGE SE
MUSTANG
Truly like a new car, everything replaced or reconditioned - (new panels not second hand) body - front wings, rear wings, bonnet, boot, boot floor, complete new f&r suspension inc leaf springs and bushes complete custom exhaust system - sounds amazing!! plus many more too numerous to list, over 25k spent bringing this car back to life! Tel. 07818 402651.
imported and arrive in January, one owner car in USA, 260, V8, auto, p/s, p/b, runs great, needs a service, carb has a flat spot, gear stick can jump into gear, worn a-gate, interior is ok, but original seats need to be recovered as do door panels. Tel. 07758 360006. Essex
1974 South African r/h/d, Chrysler 383 big block, Torqueflite 3 sp auto gearbox, 7.25 rear end, MoT, an Australian Chrysler designed car based on the late 60Õs American Mopar A-body, so mechanical parts are plentiful, £14,000 ono Tel. Phil 07845 328632.
1966, recent import, MoT and registered, 3 speed manual, 200 cui 6 cylinder, older restoration, ready to show, £12,995 obo Tel. 07789 765406. Solihull, W Mids
MUSTANG GT/CS
NASH 400
NASH LAFAYETTE 400
OLDSMOBILE ROCKET 88
07, manual with Hurst short shifter, 4.6 ltr V8, 90k miles, 20” wheels, MoT, £12,000 Tel. 07742 384399. Lincs
1936 Sedan 3648, 6 cylinder, almost complete original example, only one known in UK, barn stored, needs full restoration, engine turns, £1995 ono Tel. 07810 202649. Glos
1937, Business Coupe 3712, 6 cylinder, beautiful flowing lines, rare, original car, thought to be the only one in UK, in good running condition. More pics available on request, £17,000 Tel. 07810 202649. Glos
Coupe, 1949, 303ci, amazing cond, car of the year heat winner 2011, v rare coupe version, full rewire, suspension, solid reliable car, £19,995 Tel. Stuart 07849 253139. Sheffield, S Yorks
classic-american.com 139
CLASSIC AMERICAN READER ADVERTS PLYMOUTH FURY III
1971, comprehensive history file inc orig build record sheet, 360 cu ins Chrysler V8 engine, automatic transmission, 96k miles, supported by old MoT’s etc, £11,000 ono Tel. 01359 251051. Suffolk
PONTIAC FIERO 2.5SE
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
1967, 400 cu in, rare 4-dr, bare metal repaint 2011, Cameo ivory, original gold interior, stored since MoT 8/18, new mechanical parts fitted, £14,750 ono Tel. 01202 896522; 07742 435016. Dorset
PONTIAC TRANS AM
1987, Notchback, fully restored, MoT til Jun 19, good runner, £3750 Tel. Gordon on 07770 475048. Banffshire
1977, 6.6, auto trans, p/s, adj steering wheel, 35k, dry stored, Summer use vehicle, arriving in this country from the USA in 2014, recently MoT, tax free. Tel. 07752 598210. Cheshire
PRO STREET 41 WILLY’S
SHELBY TRIBUTE GT350
white, black silver flames, glass car built Stateside, all fresh imported 2014, 3k miles, Chevy BB 502 cu-in, wind tunnel ram twin Edelbrock carbs, £32,500 Tel. 07514 982851. Lincs
all new suspension, f/discs, rear drums and brake lines, engine rebuilt to Hi-Po spec, also rebuilt is the 4 speed top loader gearbox, new Hurst shifter, £36,000 Tel. 07973 224 911. Berks
STEPSIDE CHEVY
STUDEBAKER GRAN TOURISMO
1956, 5-seater crew cab, 350, V8, never seen another one like this, p/s, p/b, tax and MoT exempt, daily driver but does need some work, £12,500 Tel. 0777 1960796. Essex
1964, Hawk, 289, V8, 2 barrel, auto trans, 101k, p/s, f/disc brakes, dual exhaust, tachometer, electric clock (works perfectly), €23,500 obo Tel. (818) 558-1701. S California
TEMPEST STATION WAGON
WILLYS CJ2A
1964, exc cond, fully restored late 90’s, black plate California car imported 2017, 326HO engine (285hp), new s/s exhaust with orig series flowmaster mufflers, £17,995 Tel. 07796 583428. Brighton, Sussex
1946, working fire truck, drives well, 4-wheel drive, includes all fixtures fittings, more photos by email on request, £16,500 Tel. 07932 654290. Lincs Email: beckwalking@aol.com for more info
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
PONTIAC LE MANS
1965, beautiful luxury muscle, lovingly restored (documented), full MoT, excellent condition inside and out, drives beautifully, 20+mpg, £14,490 Tel. 07807 814280. B’ham
Convertible for sale, 1972, 455 cu in, V8, auto, good condition, 10 months MoT, good tyres, garage stored last 23 years, £15,000 Tel. 01283 575292. Staffs
For sale AMC AMBASSADOR Rambler 990, 4-door Sedan, 1966, I am the third reg owner and the car has been in the UK since 1967, manual - 3 on the tree with o/d, 232ci 6, originally purchased by UK Major in Germany, all paperwork/manuals etc, project car- still runs, off the road since 2002- dry stored, part disassembled - loads of parts - some NOS. Manual- 3 on the tree with o/d. Will need some welding but all therestructurally sound, selling with spare 258ci engine, rebuilt, same block/auto box, p/steering, later single piston disc brakes and all running gear stripped from ‘83 AMC Concord, buyer to take all parts, spare doors/some glass and a van full of AMC goodies, will not split, £1000. Tel. Colin 01453 890948; 07729 478496. Glos. BUICK RIVIERA 1965, one year only clamshell headlamp model, genuine nos matching (2x4) 425 Gran Sport, part restored engine/ gearbox refreshed, green, green trim, many spares, £5000. Tel. 01788 573402; 07932 568641. Rugby. CHEVROLET CAMARO red convert, 2000, low mileage, clean and good cond, unmarked upholstery, V6, good driver, low profile tyres, head turner, MoT, £4750 ono. Tel. 01625 524044. Cheshire. CHEVY PICK-UP rebuilt engines, new auto box Mustang, 2 front clip body good cond, new carpet fitted, new power steering. Offers. Tel. 07483 010805. Oxford. FORD MODEL 69C 1946 pick-up, r/h/d, restored 1989 in New Zealand, great old truck, needs some work, lots of history and spare parts, also for sale almost new Ivor Williams 3.5 ton trailer, £14,000 ono. Tel. Brian on 01404 548175. Devon. MERCURY MONTEREY 1958, Pheaton 4-dr pillarless, turquoise with marble white flash, £2500 recently spent, new brakes, new wide Whitewall cokers, new steels, nuts and studs, much spent on 383 cu in motor inc new water pump, one UK reg owner, original; car never welded with orig 49k on odometer, original bill of sale and handbook, lots of history in folder, Merc-omatic push button auto, may p/x up to 5 grand but no Chevrolets. Tel. 075010 84121. Hants.
MOTORBIKES FOR SALE: Triumph Rocket III Touring model, 2008 Ultimate tourer, Harley Davidson Roadking Touring Pack 2000, long ownership, also Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Limited Edition, 2002, low miles, all super condition and will MoT prior to sale, consider all respectable offers, reluctant sale. Tel. 07950 398750. W Mids. SHELBY GT500 Convertible, 2007, 7k miles only, one owner, always garaged, never seen rain! £38,000 ono. Tel. Geoff 07974 381319 for details. Cornwall. PONTIAC TRANS AM 6.6 1977, auto trans, p/s, adj steering wheel, good example of this fast appreciating American classic, dry state car doesn’t show any of the usual corrosion issues associated with this model, body panels are as good inside as they are outside, no signs of accident damage and currently has an odometer reading of approximately 35,000, acquired by me in 2015 and kept dry stored, Summer use only, c/w good history file along with build sheet, recent MoT, no advisories. For more info tel. 07752 598210. Cheshire. SHELBY MUSTANG 350 Fastback recreation, black with gold stripe, 289, V8 with auto box, genuine Shelby rocker covers, sump, inlet manifold, wheels, engine brace, plexi rear windows (as per Shelby) seat belts, new tyres, steering wheel, starter motor, shocks, fuel tank, silencers, a seriously nice car, all good underneath, fully refurbished upholstery and head lining, MoT, £30,500 ono. Tel. 07957 139006. Herts.
Wanted FORD RANCHERO wanted, fibreglass top - candy for 1977/76. Tel. 07746 36421. Northampton. MERCURY METEOR MONTEREY or Marauder, 1966/67, 2-door coupe wanted. Tel. 07946 730286; 0116 2395839 (no texts). WANTED PONTIAC TRANS AM/ FIREBIRD 1994-2002, V8. Tel. Franco 07957 952669. WANTED WANTED WANTED 50s/60s Yank, anything considered, no basketcases or rat rods or dreamers please, pockets full of cash waiting. Tel. Frank 07914 269344; 0208 5046891. Woodford, Essex. frankmiddleweek@gmail. com
Upload your advert at www.classic-american.com Private ads appear for 3 months only. To cancel or renew call FIFTIES CADILLAC WANTED. prefer coupe or convertible but will consider nice Sedan, may consider nice Oldsmobile or Buick or Pontiac or maybe an Impala. Tel. 07836 349356. olds59@btinternet.com WANTED... LINCOLN AVIATOR with reg no SS224, I think the car is in the W Yorkshire area and has been laid up for a while, any info on who I may contact to purchase the car or just the number would be very much appreciated. Tel. Stewart 0788 5059788. Durham. WANTED: BRONCO 1986 E. Buaer type auto, alloys, (will take Lincoln, Ford S/wagon), swap4 Merc 230TE estate auto, 1988, 69k, many new parts autobox, batt, exhaust, brakes, etc. + pro camera items and collection, and/or snap-on tools. Tel. 01277 200530. Essex. WANTED DAY VAN must be good condition, cash waiting for correct vehicle. Tel. 07950 398750 with correct description.
Parts for sale 1950S CHROME RADIO torpedo switches, with trans box, good condition, push bottom, its lovely, v rare, offers over £50 can post. Tel. 07971 687318. N Devon. 1954 TRUCK PARTS brake booster drum/drum/underfloor type, new, £275; wind-up windows, new, £100 pair; small back window, £50; many new parts available. Tel. 07904 154853. Oxfordshire. 1960-70S CHROME FORD LETTERS in Ford box 25, letters, Offers. Tel. 07971 687318. N Devon. 1968 SHELBY MUSTANG factory main mesh grille, unrestored but nice condition, £20; GT350/500 cast aluminium lower air cleaner, base plate, £15. Tel. Alan 07846 861853. Bucks. 1972 CORVETTE V8 350 engine plus auto box, 56k miles, £1600 ono; 1950 Ford 8BA flathead V8 plus man gearbox, engine needs rebuild, £950 ono. Tel. Brian on 01404 548175. 2 OF GIVI SIDE ARMS for top box rack, £30 ono; one pair PLXR450 quick release side pannier racks, £75 ono; all black, vgc, off 2012 Kawasaki Versys 650. Tel. Alan 077150 56674. Leics. 31 AF SPANNERS small and large sizes, open ended and ring +15piece socket set and wheel bolt remover tool, 3 sizes, £28. Tel. 01344 649299. Berks. 4 BOYD CODDINGTONS wheels, 5 x 127 (off Chevy Astro) 16 x 8.5, with 225/50/16 tyres, 5-6+ mm tread, £200; asking £140 for tyres only. Tel. 0151 5122505. Cheshire. ALUMINIUM POWERGLIDE B&M holeshot, flex plate, £650; 1969 Camaro horseshoe shifter and plate, £160; Hurst 4 speed shifter, £70; set of 15x8 minilites, Chevy pattern. Offers. Tel. 07973 219149. London. COOPER LIFELINER CLASSIC tyres, Whitewall 1” 215, 75, 15, good tread, £10 each. Tel. 07549 931707. Lancs.
AMERICAN RACING TORQUE £800 . Tel. 07939 056316. London. CHEVROLET CHEVELLE 1968 or El Camino inner front fender, brand new spare part surplus to my needs, £100 ono; collection only Coventry. Tel. Matt 07810 770882. W Mids. CHEVROLET LS3 flexplate and torque adaptor for a 2012 Corvette, new and unused. I doubt may folks except a Corvette dealer will want this unless their ring gear is chipped or worn so I’m offering it for only £25 ono plus postage or collect. Tel. 07887 420700. London. CHEVY TRUCK 235 cu in engine spares/repairs, bought as as spare parts, only engine, never needed, £175; also running boards for 1954 truck, new, boxed, £440. Tel. 07904 154853. Oxfordshire. CLASSIC AMERICAN MAGAZINES We have 5 magazines from 2004, all magazines (12 per year) from 2005-2016, 10 magazines from January - October 2017. Located Bedfordshire UK. Will need to be collected due to volume and weight. Offers around £50. Tel. 07742 319832. FERRARI F40 NEW OEM wheel set for sale, Ferrari F40 new wheel set, this is a set of wheels for a Ferrari F40, fronts 17x8/rears 17 x 13, these are new and unused OEM parts supplied by Ferrari. Tel. 07415 973943. W Glam. FORD MUSTANG various Mustang wings, 71-73 floor pans, bumpers, new rear quarters, 71-73 260cc motor, loads more Jaguar IRS, Chrysler 383 CI motor. Tel. 07867 791464. Worcs. FLOWMASTER EXHAUST two just taken off my car, £200 for the two; buyer to collect.. Tel. 01744 23200. Lancs. FORD FALCON PANELS 1964, two rear wings, these are usually unavailable, £300; also two front wings, £250 could deliver to London. Tel. 01677 470597. N Yorks. FORD MUSTANG various 71-73 new rear wings, 69-70 new bumpers, floor pans, door skins, 69-70 new inner flitch tower panels, 71-73, new boot floor and more, 260cc Mustang motor, Jag rear IRS complete, LSD in cage, 71-73 complete power steering. Tel. 07867 791464. Worcs. JAGUAR XJS rear axle, complete, low miles, Chrysler 383 motor of rebuild, Ford Mustang full floor plans, 71-73 Mustang new rear wings, new 69-70 front and rear bumpers, triple plate. 260 Cube Mustang engine, other new and s/hand parts. Tel. 07867 791464. Worcs. MUSTANG GT350 No plate 350 MUS, this is for the number only, no car included! very sensible price, £3900. Tel. Rich 07984 072185. Leics. ORIGINAL FOMOCO FACTORY 1967/68 Mustang air cleaner assembly, 4bbl carb fitment, with thermostatic snorkel, excellent correct unrestored condition, £150. Tel. Alan 07846 861853. Bucks.
01507 529323
MUSTANG MACH I/BOSS ‘60/70 rear spoiler and fittings, Text/tel. Michael 0191 5284390; 07895 982832. Sunderland. ORIGINAL FOMOCO tinted backglass (rear screens) for 67/68 Mustang Fastback and 71-73 Mustang Fastback, good condition for age, £60 each. Tel. Alan 07846 861853. Milton Keynes. RANDOM PARTS, VARIOUS PRICES - Chrysler 340 basic engine, Ford 5.0 V8, complete engine, Chev 350 V8 basic engine, 283 Chev cast iron gearbox, rear axles - 71 Mustang Mach 1, 84 Corvette C4, 77 Pontiac Grand Prix, two good Mach I front wings. Tel. 07836 694920. Isle of Wight. ROCKET STRIKE WHEELS set of 4, polished alloy, 5-spoke, Chevy fitment with tyres, all mint condition, wheels are 15x8 with 275 x 60 x 15 tyres on rear and 15 x 7 with 245 x 60 x 15 tyres, came off my 73 Impala, reason for sale Impala now sold, £625. Tel. 01454 324033. nr Bristol. LINCOLN DISTRIBUTOR 340 cu in, 196-S, £25; dynamo, £25; centre track rod, £25; electric wiper, £50; alternator, £30; two bumper jacks, £30; £150 the lot. Tel. 01727 856586. Herts. MUSTANG FASTBACK MACH I, 1972, one pair secondhand seat belts with fixings, black, £20; brand new, boxed, centre console in red, storage comp, plus 2 cup handles. Tel. 01904 788220. York.
SET 4 ORIGINAL 1968 factory Shelby Mustang GT350/500/ KR, 15” wheel covers, unrestored condition but very good, £450. Tel. Alan 07846 861853. Bucks. TALL ROCKER COVERS chrome, for Chevy 350 fitment, like new, £25. Tel. 01454 324033. Yate, nr Bristol. TORQUE THRUST ALLOTS new 15x6 GM application, set of qty 4 with hub cars and wheel nuts, by American Racing, unused boxed, £650. Tel. 01743 718939. Shrewsbury.
Parts wanted
CADILLAC CONTROL ARM new fit, 1988-1993, £80; nalso set of spanners, fit all Yank cars, £25; muscle car DVD’s, £10; also Elvis Presley vinyl, records, books, posters, too much to list. Tel. Rob 07747 585707. S Wales. CORVETTE C3 WHEELS wanted, with or without tyres, steel or aluminium’s, will collect. Tel. 07739 360486. Cambs. CORVETTE PROJECT WANTED Unfinished, rough, out of MoT, will collect any distance. Tel. 07739 360486. Cambs. CORVETTE WHEELS WANTED steels or alloys, with or without tyres, will collect. Tel. 07739 360486. Lincs. FORD GALAXIE Fairlane, 1959 front bumper, any repairable condition, I’m also after tail lights and dash fuel gauge and other dash parts. Tel. Oliver 07876 207654. Huntingdon.
classic-american.com 141
CLASSIC AMERICAN READER ADVERTS
FORD THUNDERBIRD 1966, brake booster, brake booster check valve and front brake pads required. Tel. Ken 07917 337588. Dorset. WANTED 70-73 PONTIAC FIREBIRD/TRANSAM OEM high/ low horns, unpitted rear light surrounds, air filter housing, rocker covers, 400 motor original fitment, set of new or as new BF Goodrich/ Cooper 235 or 245/60/15’s. Tel. Mike 079330 38566. Cambs. WANTED FOR 1968/69 Ford Ranchero fibreglass top - canopy. Tel. 07747 636421. Northants. WANTED ORIGINAL 1970 or 1971 Chevrolet LT1 350CI small block V8 engine, must have factory stamped suffix codes of CTC/CTB or CGP/ CGR. Tel. Alan 07846 861853. Milton Keynes. WANTED TILT STEERING COLUMN floor shift, in chrome with steering wheel and boss kit for a 1966 Chevy C10 Pick-up. Tel. Keith on 01423 866472. N Yorks.
Miscellaneous 32 AF SPANNERS open-ended plus ring, large and small sizes, 1/2” AF drive socket set and sockets, 10” reversible ratchet, 10” flexible ratchet extension, plug socket, wheel nut remover and tool bag brace, £35 ono. Tel. 01344 649299. Berks. FORD MUSTANG GT350 number plate, very sensible price, £3900. Tel. Rich 07984 072185.
AMERICAN CAR BOOKS in colour, 1950s-60s-70s, my collection, can post, all makes, and original American car adverts 1950s-60s. Tel. 07827 954068. N Devon. AMERICAN RACING WHEELS with tyres, Chevrolet/Jaguar pattern, 15 x 4.5J and 15 x 8.5J, Michelin 195/65, DOT 2913, very good tread, BF Goodrich 255/60 DOT 4009 about half worn with the white lettering on the inside, £800. Tel. Michael 07939 056316. S W London. AMERICAN VINTAGE GUITARS for sale, Gretsch 6120 double cutaway, Chet Atkins model, 1969, orange original case, £2550; Les Paul deluxe, tobacco sunburst, original case, 1979, £2750, both fabulous condition can del/post owned over 30 years. Tel. 07737 174200. W Mids. BROOKES AUTOMOBILE HANDBOOK Chicago 1924, 700 pages, £15 inc post. Tel. 01423 709175. Yorks. CADILLAC 1988-1993 control-arm, brand new, also Muscle car DVD’s, also set Yank car spanners, in case, also Elvis Presley records, books, posters, too much to list, all mint condition. Tel. Rob 07747 585707. S Wales. CADILLAC CONTROL ARM 19881993, brand new, also muscle car DVDs, also set Yank car spanners in case, also Elvis Presley records, books etc, all mint. Tel. Rob 07747 585707. S Wales.
CLASSIC AMERICAN MAGAZINES: large amount, going back 20 years, free to collect. Tel. 07511 705671. N Yorks. CLASSIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE No 1 to present month, all in binders, buyer collects, £80. Tel. 07944 574199. Cambs. CLASSIC AMERICAN MAGAZINES large collection going back 20 years, free for collection. Tel. 07516 456411. N Yorks. CORVETTE CATALOGUES visual history from 1953 to 1991 by Terry Jackson, £10 inc post. Tel. 01423 709175. N Yorks. DINKY TOYS: Cadillac Eldorado, No. 175, purple, virtually mint, boxed condition, £75; also Lincoln Continental, No. 170, exc cond, no box, hence £45. Tel. 07504 327299. DINKY TOYS:- Cadillac Eldorado No. 175, virtually mint, in original perspex box, £70; Lincoln Continental No. 170, rarer, blue/ white, exc cond, £50. Tel. 07504 327299. Torquay. JEEP WRANGLER YJ40 1995, black, soft top, excellent windows, no frames, £225 ono. Tel. 0208 6931003. London. JIM BEAM WHISKEY DECANTER in shape of Chevy Caprice police car, 1:18 scale, boxed but sadly empty, hence £60. Tel. 07504 327299. Torquay. KUB 1K UNIQUE NUMBER PLATE for sale it would look amazing on any post 1971 big block cu in car, plate on retention cert, looking for serious sensible offers. Tel. 07774 436271. Herts. LARGE AMERICAN BOOK “American At The Wheel”, 100 Years Of The Automobile in America, as new, from 1993 edition, exc cond. Tel. 01344 649299. Berks. MATTHEW NORMAN CARRIAGE CLOCK Breguet carriage clock, size 71/2” x 41/4” x 31/2”, solid brass, Grande 8 day strike, repeat, alarm, Calendar, moon phase, day-date, new unused, collector’s piece, value £6000 swap for car or m/c, cash e/ way. Tel. 01495 759234. Gwent. MI GIRLS Have you bought your lady the car of her dreams. Show everyone. (M161 RLS). Best offer over £1500 secures. Tel. 01634 251026. Kent. MILLS HI-TOP SLOT MACHINE 1948, one arm bandit, US made, fully restored with some original patina, c/w keys and over 400 sixpences, £1000. Tel. 01254 729849; 07931 688207. Lancs. M/CYCLING MAGAZINE 42 x copies from 1947 to 1954 and The Motorcycle, 83 x copies from 1951 to 1960, £75 buyer to arrange collection. Tel. 079200 18229. Cumbria. POLICE BLUE LAMP + 6 rails brackets + tie downs, £50; bulbs: 100 x h4`s + 270 x 21w`s, £150; USA cammo, £95; jackets, slacks, poncho, sweater, etc. O Green, £75; swap4 d.lewis lightning jacket, Belstaff trailmaster jacket,`86 Bronco manual. Tel. 01277 200530. dcian@fastemail.us
PONTIAC TRANS AM REG Unique no plate 400 TA, would look amazing on a 400ci Trans Am, Offers over £6000. Tel. 07966 334503. PRINTS OF CLASSIC RACERS and Motorcycles, Barry Sheen etc, Manx 7R etc, stock from retired mail order co, 3500 prints 24” x 18” with postage tubes, enabling purchaser to sell by mail order, total RRV £60,000, swap Motorcycle, car or why to value of £3000 offers, or cash either way. Must sell. Tel. 01495 759234. Gwent. ROCKOLA JUKE BOX nice original condition from the sixties, unused for many years but all complete, buyer collects, £4000. Tel. 07798 866071. Middx. TALBOT EXPRESS CAMPERVAN 1990, diesel, 64k, engine rebuilt and little use since, awning, cooker, fridge, TV, dry, clean and tidy, storage units, ideal for rallies or Summer holidays, cheap camper van, £1995. Tel. 07950 398750. W Mids. TWO JUKE BOXES two vintage push bikes, Bennet petrol pump etc, all American. Tel. 01708 446174 for details. Essex. USA NUMBER PLATES: Texas 69, Missouri 76, Washington 84, Tenn 76, Penna 51, Washington DC 70, Ohio 73, Sheldonhurst Gofer WN63, Texas Trailer 77, £80 lot or £10 each. Tel. 07968 659967. Kent. WATERFORD 5” gauge model locomotive, based on No.3310 Badmington Class 4-4-0, coal fired, live steam, superbly built to exhibition standard, fully detailed and test run, engine and tender 62î long, £17,500 ono; Exchange for classic car, motorcycle etc, swap, cash either way. Tel. 01495 759234.
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