Classic American - November 2015 - preview

SURFERS PARADISE Retro-chic ’55 chevy

WIN! WIN! The UK’s Number 1 for 27 years

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picking the

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pairs ticketss

Project Pony hits the road!

No.295 November 2015

Pre-war pre-eminence

By imperial command

Chrysler’s luxury offering for 1968

£4.40

packard v12

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Ben Klemenzson

Viewpoint

Scandal The recentt VW W emissions scandal got me thinking about what a straange world we live in and how on Earth did we get here? I don n’t mean in the more cerebral ‘Why are we here?/ what’s the meaning of life?’ type thing, more along g the lines of ‘wh hat a weird and wacky place the world off selling modern motor cars has become...’

Dial bacck the time machine to the early- to mid-Sixties and it was the large swathes of smog that regularlyy lay over Los Angele es and other major metropolitan areas of California that kicked d off the formation of the California Air Re esources Board (CARB), which was signed into existence by Governor Ronald Reaagan. The legislation was draconian, but successful in reducing g emissions, so much so that manufacturrers effectively had to produce two sets of vehicle drivettrains: one set forr California and another for the rest of the e country.

That’s often why when you look at period brochure es, you’ll often see asterisks next to drivetrain options, with the words ‘except Caalifornia’ next to them…

A lookk in th he engiine bay off th hese cars th hat were sub bject to the first emissions regulations can be quite an eyyeful, as manufaccturers rushed to install all sorts of clunkyy Heath Robinson-ttype quick-fixes to meet the new emissions requirements: jumbles of hoses and air pumps, air injectors, gas recircu ulation systems and of course later on, cattalytic

converters. The Americans – or more specifically the Californians – can be rightffully proud of making our cars cleaner and by extension making the world a better place from the point of reducing g air pollution.

But has it gone too far? The fact that one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world has decided it’s easier to cheat and devise a comple ex computer programme to avoid detection during emissionss testing, rather than build cleaner diesel engines, would sugg gest that could be the case. After all, it’s not possible to get pure air out of a tailpipe, even if that’s what’s legislated fo or. You might laugh, but don’t forget that in 1990 California legislated that by 2003 10% of all vehicles sold in that state should be zero-emission. A lofty, and some would say noble, aim – but ultimately an impossible one. Interesting gly, this ‘dirty’ European cars in America scandal has just co oincided with its mirror image here: ‘unsafe’ American cars in Europe (see News page 6).

Coincidence? you to b be the Coin n d ? I’ll ’ll leave l h judge d off that… h

Ben Klemenzson, editor ditor bklemenzson@mortons.co.uk co.uk k

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Contents November 2015

Regulars

Features

06 12 14 16 18

23 1962 Ford Thunderbird 29 Early Thunderbirds (1955-1957) 34 1965 Ford Mustang Project Pony 41 Packard V12 Dual Cowl Phaeton 46 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 51 1968 Chrysler Imperial Crown Convertible 59 Classic American People - Bill Mitchell 64 Export or Die! British cars Stateside 71 Goodwood Revival 76 Beaulieu Autojumble 79 Silverstone Classic 82 Cars & Stripes, Rockingham Speedway

20 34 56 85 86 90 95 104 106 110 122

News Letters Across the Pond Muscle Car Files From Here to Obscurity Subscription Offer Project Pony Club & Events News Reviews Discoveries Behind the wheel Rear Window Drive Buy Service Directory Private ClassiďŹ eds Next Month & Credits

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Classic American

FOOTMAN JAMES

News CAR OF THE YEAR

GRAND FINAL

FOOTMAN JAMES CAR OF THE YEAR FINALISTS 2015 1. 1970 PLYMOUTH ’CUDA

HEAT: WHEELS DAY, RUSHMOOR ARENA, HAMPSHIRE The winner of our first heat of the Footman James Car of the Year competition was this stunning 1970 Plymouth ’Cuda 440 Six Pack, which belongs to Steve Hurd from Essex.

Despite awful weather, Steve braved the Wheels Day show in the Plymouth.

The clocks are ticking… it can only be a few weeks away… yes, it’s that time again – the Footman James Car of the Year Grand Finals! Taking place on the Classic American Stand over the weekend of November 13-15 at the Classic Motor Show, NEC, we’ll be assembling what we consider to be the finest American automobiles in the UK. We’ve been trawling up and down the UK all summer long holding heats of the Car of the Year competition at the UK’s biggest American car shows. The final heat took place at the Pre-’50 AAC’s Rally of the Giants, held at Blenheim Palace at the beginning of July, and now it’s time to pick one overall winner.

Classic American will once again be the cornerstone of the American section at the Classic Motor Show, an event that for many is the last big show of the season. So make sure you don’t miss it and check out these truly amazing cars. Who will be the winner? All will be revealed on the afternoon of Sunday, November 15!

For more information, ticket prices or to book call the ticket hotline on: 0871 230 1088 (outside of UK +44 (0) 1142 249 774) or see: www. necclassicmotorshow.com

3. 1966 FORD MUSTANG HEAT: AMERICAN SPEEDFEST, BRANDS HATCH, KENT

This 1966 Ford Mustang fastback belongs to Ken Bargh from Ashford in Middlesex. This Mustang is a genuine factory GT and features the desirable A-code four-barrel 289 V8 motor. He’s owned the car for 16 years and it’s driven a lot by Ken, which is great to hear.

2. 1960 CHRYSLER 300F

HEAT: ATOMIC, SYWELL AERODROME, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Mark and Jude Sumpter are the proud owners of the second of our Car of the Year Heat winners, a magnificent 1960 Chrysler 300F. It’s the kind of car we all dream of finding, as not only has it had just two owners, but it was actually off the road from 1970 to 2008, with the third owner eventually selling it literally in boxes of bits!

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4. 1968 BUICK ELECTRA 225

HEAT: FOOTMAN JAMES BRISTOL CLASSIC, SOMERSET The winner of the fourth heat of the Footman James Car of the Year competition is this magnificent 1968 Buick Electra 225. It’s the kind of all-original, time-warp condition car that every classic American fan dreams of acquiring.

Owned by Nigel Perring, the Buick has only 13k miles on the clock and was bought new from Ramme Buick in the evocatively named Coal City, Illinois.

Obviously it has a thing for coal country, as it now resides in Abergavenny, Wales.

5. 1964 FORD THUNDERBIRD

HEAT: STARS & STRIPES, TATTON PARK, CHESHIRE Stephan Longworth’s 1964 Ford Thunderbird actually has under 15k miles on the clock and represents probably the nicest Thunderbird of this era in the UK, in immaculate original condition.

It’s a very heavily optioned car, with ‘Powerlift’ windows, power seats, a rare reclining passenger seat option with a headrest, tinted glass, Kelsey Hayes wire wheels, leather upholstery, an AM/ FM radio, a tilt steering wheel and of course power steering and power brakes as standard.

 Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6LZ

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6.1970 PLYMOUTH GTX

MOPAR EURONATS, SANTA POD, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE This year saw Bill Billadeau rightfully become the Classic American Car of the Year heat winner with his 1970 Plymouth GTX. A car that has manifested itself in many guises, but none better as a stock appearing B-body – congratulations to him and all his hard work. We look forward to welcoming Bill and his beautiful GTX on the Classic American stand this November!

7. 1937 PACKARD 120 CONVERTIBLE COUPE

HEAT: RALLY OF THE GIANTS, BLENHEIM PALACE, OXFORDSHIRE Bob Mitchell’s 1937 Packard 120 Convertible Coupe (16th series) is a truly outstanding example of the marque. Often reckoned to be more sophisticated and luxurious than even Rolls-Royce or Bentley, Packards were the top of the American automotive pile before the Second World War. Bob owns three magnificent Packards and this is his latest acquisition from the United States.

CHOOSE THE WINNER! As in previous years, we’re offering readers the chance to vote for the car they think should win the hallowed title of Footman James 2015 Car of the Year. The votes will only count for a proportion of the voting process, but it means you can have your say about which car you think is a worthy winner. Simply go to www.classicamerican.com and cast your vote online!

WIN TICKETS TO THE CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW! It’s the biggest indoor classic car show in the UK and it’s just around the corner!

The Footman James Classic Motor Show takes place at Birmingham’s NEC over the weekend of November 13-15 and to celebrate, Classic American has got together with the organisers to offer readers the chance to win one of 10 pairs of tickets to the event. Taking centre stage on the Classic American stand will be the seven Footman James Car of the Year finalists who will be battling to win the title of Footman James Car of the Year.

To be in with your chance of winning, turn to page 56, answer the tie-breaker, fi ll in fill the form and send it to the address indicated (you can also enter online from October 29th at www.classicamerican.com. For more information, ticket prices or to book call the ticket hotline on: 0871 230 1088 (outside of UK +44 (0) 1142 249 774) or see: www. necclassicmotorshow.com Remember, the entry form is on page 56!

classic-american.com 7

Classic American

News ‘The motor industry has been accused of withholding a report that reveals US cars are substantially less safe than European vehicles – for fear that the findings would hamper the drive to harmonise safety standards as part of the controversial Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal.’ So wrote Paul Gallagher in an Independent newspaper cover story published on September 24, 2015. Naturally we at Classic American were concerned about the possible ramifications of this and sought further information.

The report in question was commissioned to show that existing EU and US safety standards were broadly similar. Gallagher writes: ‘The research actually established that US models are much less safe in the event of front-side collisions, a common cause of accidents that often result in serious injuries. The findings were never submitted – or publicly announced – by the industry bodies that funded the study.’ He goes on to say: ‘Safety campaigners said the research showed that trade negotiators could potentially be putting lives in danger by allowing vehicles approved in the US to be sold in Europe and vice-versa.’

Hot on the heels of concerns over the Volkswagen emissions figures this seemed like a big story. However the study – which is freely available online at the time of writing – also reached a further conclusion that as yet has not been mentioned. The report concludes: ‘Vehicles meeting EU standards offer reduced risk of serious injury in frontal/side crashes and have driver side mirrors that

New US vehicles ‘less safe than European models’ reduce risk in lane-change crashes better, while vehicles meeting US standards provide a lower risk of injury in rollovers and have headlamps that make pedestrians more conspicuous.’ That positive rollover conclusion, incidentally, was the same even if the occupants were unrestrained by seatbelts, while the pedestrian data was unchanged by the accident occurring during the day or at night.

The industry had wanted to use the report’s findings to help harmonise vehicle safety standards on both sides of the Atlantic.

Current cars sold globally must be re-engineered multiple times – at considerable expense – to satisfy crash-test standards around the world. The 90-page report was based on accident data gathered in Europe matched with comparable data from America; it did not directly compare or crash specific vehicles directly to examine any difference between, say, a new Focus or Challenger sold in Europe with one sold in America.

The report results were based on calculating likelihood against predicted injury risk and cite several instances ‘where further research may be needed’ concerning figures offering ‘the best estimates of risk differences’ between population groups. The Washington-based Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and European car lobby the ACEA sponsored the research, which was carried out by experts from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute and the SAFER transportation research centre at Chalmers University of Technology

in Gothenburg, Sweden. Experts in France and at the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory were also involved. “ACEA remains confident that regulatory convergence can be achieved in TTIP while maintaining the current high level of safety performance in both the EU and the US,” a spokesperson said. He also called for ‘additional efforts to harmonise the US and EU databases to improve the reliability of the study.’ Co-author András Bálint told the Independent: “The results of our study indicate that there is currently a risk difference with respect to the risk of injury given a crash between EU specification cars and US models.

The potential impact is difficult to quantify because it depends on a number of other parameters.”

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), the independent organisation that advises the European Commission and the European Parliament on road safety, said the research was ‘an important warning that vehicle safety standards cannot be included in TTIP at this

stage.’ It called for a halt to proceedings so further analysis could be carried out.

Classic American asked Charles Partos of 51st State Autos (01992 651704, www.51stateautos.com) for his thoughts. He said: “I am not an engineer and cannot really assess the risks, but I would say the report is welcome and anything that leads to greater driver and passenger safety in European or American vehicles is highly desirable. Each new iteration of the models we supply seems to come with more and more safety features; inflatable rear seatbelts, cross path detection systems and blind spot awareness alerts being just three that undoubtedly improve overall safety. Our understanding is that the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards requirements are extremely thorough, but obviously there should be no complacency and harmonising standards will only improve overall safety standards.

Certainly I have a complete faith in the safety and quality of the American vehicles I supply.” MR

Looking for a mint Cadillac CTS? Classic American was recently contacted by the widow of a former reader, Alan Rogers, who had sadly passed away from cancer. Alan was well known to the magazine and we even featured a couple of his cars in the mid-Nineties as they were in such superlative condition.

Alan was a real American car enthusiast and it showed in the fantastic condition of all the cars he owned. His last was a 2007 Cadillac CTS Sport Luxury which was bought brand-new here in the UK. Fitted with a 3.6-litre V6, the car boasts a tan leather interior and all the bells and whistles you would expect on a modern Cadillac. Crucially

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it has a full service history (and has just been serviced and MoT’d by West Midland American) has been kept in a garage from new and has only 30k on the clock.

We’ve actually seen the car and reckon it’s probably the nicest example we’ve ever seen in the UK, with totally unblemished paint and an unmarked interior. Similar examples, with higher mileage, are going for around £6000 on Auto Trader, which makes the asking price of £6k seem very reasonable, if not a bit of a bargain. Classic American has agreed to act as a go-between for the vendor, so any serious

buyers potentially interested can e-mail: editor@ classic-american.com or call 07843 632 558.

1 owner, 30k miles, FSH and garage kept.

 Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6LZ

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One-millionth Corvette resto' completed

On February 12 last year, the one-millionth Chevrolet Corvette built, a white, LT1-powered 1992 roadster with a red interior, fell into a sinkhole beneath the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The car suffered significant damage and a pledge was made to restore it. In September 2015 the restoration was finally completed and a special ceremony took place at the museum to mark the occasion.

John Cafaro, executive design director, Global Chevrolet Design and David Bolognino, General Motors’ Global Design fabrication operations director, unveiled the refinished ‘Vette at the ceremony.

In order to return the car back to its factory condition, Chevrolet assembled a team of 30 technicians and craftspeople and the car was shipped from Bowling Green to the GM Technical Center in Warren, Michigan for the work to begin.

Since the car was autographed by every worker on the line that built it back in 1992, a major challenge was preserving as many of those signed original parts as possible.

In the end, those components that had to be replaced consisted of the car’s fibreglass hood, front valance and lower front fender panels. These parts were sourced from a near identical white 1992 Corvette in order to maintain authenticity.

Although damaged parts such as the rear fascia and exhaust system

could have been replaced, the team elected to repair them in order to preserve the signatures on these parts.

The windshield header was also repaired and new “1,000,000th” decal from the original computer graphic file was fitted to the replacement windshield.

“Its preservation was important to us as the designers of the vehicle – and as Corvette enthusiasts,” said Ed Welburn, vice president of GM Global Design.

The one-millionth Corvette was one of three prized Corvettes to be resurrected following the sinkhole, the others being the 2009 ZR-1 Blue Devil prototype (which received minor damage) and a 1962 solid-axle Corvette that also underwent restoration.

Five other museum Corvettes damaged as a result of the sinkhole – the '84 PPG Pace Car, '93 ZR-1 Spyder, '93 40th Anniversary Corvette, '01 Mallet Hammer Z06 and '09 1.5-millionth Corvette – will remain in their as-recovered condition to preserve their historical significance. HE

IN EVERY ISSUE: restoration tips, romantic wrecks, ads from the archives and news from the burgeoning UK scene.

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Classic American

News

Obituary: Bill ‘Maverick’ Golden 1933-2015

Another legendary drag racer from the vintage years has passed away. Bill “Maverick” Golden died September 14, 2015 leaving an almighty legacy.

A Midwesterner by birth, he settled in California following his 1956 discharge from the United States Marine Corps. He attained his “Maverick” nickname from drag race pioneer C J ‘Pappy’ Hart due to racing a 1958 Dodge Custom Royal with a 361cu in four-barrel engine. Back in those days the Strips were full of Chevys and Fords with very few Mopars on the scene.

He is of course remembered for driving the entertaining WheelStanding A 100 truck, but before that he was a conventional racer.

In 1962 Golden defeated ‘Dyno’ Don Nicholson at the AHRA Winter Nationals in a 413cu in powered Dodge Dart 330. His NHRA pinnacle came when driving a 1963 Dodge 330 called the ‘Yellow Cab’ due to its black and yellow paint scheme.

He posted 11.55 sec @ 125mph

in the 426cu in Max Wedge car winning the ’63 Super Stock Championship in Martin, Michigan.

Golden is credited with helping change the focus at Chrysler Corporation from drag racing its cars with threespeed manual gearboxes to developing factory Torqueflite auto transmissions.

He was also involved with preparing the two Dodge Chargers match race team

fielded by Dodge Public Relations. This led to him driving the Little Red Wagon as a further PR exercise, his most remembered ride. In 2003 Bill Golden finally retired the Little Red Wagon to the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. And so another superstar of the ‘Golden’ era of drag racing leaves us a gift of fond memories and hot Mopars – the one and only Bill Golden. (Image courtesy of the NHRA Museum). TO

H&H Auction

Subscribers – get your skates on and you could make it along to H & H’s Auction at the Imperial Museum, Duxford which is being held on October 13 and 14. There’s a healthy, if eclectic, selection of American vehicles up for grabs, including a 1953 Hudson Hornet, 1904 Rambler, 1943 Sherman tank, 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT, 1913 Willys Overland and 1957 Thunderbird.

For morre informattion or to register to bid se ee www.classic-auctions. com or call 08458 8 334433.

Obituary: Dick Guldstrand 1928-2015 We are sad to report that Dick Guldstrand, often referred to as ‘Mr Corvette’, passed away on September 2, aged 87, at his North Hollywood home. Dick, the son of an engineer, grew up in Southern California and while still at school, he built and raced hot rods. He then studied electrical engineering at UCLA. He took up sprint car racing on dirt ovals, served a spell in the Army and then worked for an aeronautics firm. He started sports car racing in a 1956 Corvette and showed immediate promise, attracting sponsorship from California’s Hermosa Beach Baher Chevrolet dealership. This enabled him to soup up his ‘Vette with fuel injection and the latest performance parts and he started winning. At the end of 1962 his sponsors bought him the latest new Corvette and he never looked back, winning three consecutive Sports

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Car Club of America’s Pacific Coast Championships and in ’64 being named their Driver of the Year.

In 1966 he won the GT class in the Daytona 24 hours, finishing ninth overall and raced the legendary Corvette Grand Sport for Roger Penske at Sebring in ’66 and ’67. He also raced a Corvette in the 1967 Le Mans 24 Hours sharing with Bob Bondurant. They actually drove their Dana entered red, white and blue ‘Vette on public roads from Orly Airport near Paris to the track 120 miles away. Although fastest of the big GTs, and leading the class for 13 hours, the engine finally let go. The following year he set up Guldstrand Engineering Inc. in Culver City and in 1969 he won his class in the Sebring 12 Hours and clinched the South American Championship in a Camaro Z-28.

By the early Seventies, nearly three-quarters of the Chevy

powered road racers on the West Coast were prepared by Guldstrand’s company. Dick himself was closely involved with the development of Corvette’s new ‘85 C4 model, his cars setting several track records and finishing first and second in the Mid Ohio 24 Hours and also the Willow Springs 12 Hours, thus ending Porsche’s long-term race track

 Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6LZ

domination. Dick also developed his own Corvette-based supercars, the GS-80 during the Eighties and the GS-90 in 1994. He was inducted into the Corvette Hall of Fame in 1999 and continued working on Corvettes well into his eighties. He will be remembered as an excellent racer and engineer but above all, a true Corvette enthusiast. SH

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Classic American

Mail

STAR IMPORT-ANT

Dear Classic American, I really enjoyed reading Steve Miles’ article on how he imported a 1951 Packard from the US. It very much echoed my own experience, when last year I purchased and imported a 1949 Ford.

I saw the Ford advertised at a Minnesota classic car dealer, Silver Creek Classics, and found the sales manager Nick Gruys both helpful and patient. He was also able to arrange shipment to my port of choice at a very reasonable rate.

I used Classic American to help me find a shipper, and after obtaining several quotations chose RJJ Freight who could ship the car from New York to Southampton.

One of the key decisions here is how to ship? Roll-on roll-off is cheapest, but the possibility of damage and theft is greater.

Sharing a container is about mid-way on price, but I opted for a single dedicated container for my baby – most costly, but least risk! And so it proved, with the car arriving intact and undamaged. RJJ were terrific at keeping me informed throughout the transportation process of where the car was, and they handled the disembarkation and import paperwork too – a very efficient professional service.

The one big problem I had was payment for the car. I discovered that the US banking system is many years behind that of Europe. There are many local banks, and they are not on a single, computerised network. I foolishly attempted to transfer the $11,600 electronically from my Santander account, using the bank codes that Nick had provided me. There was not space on the electronic form to enter all the numbers, and like an idiot I just entered the first two numbers. Of course, the third number was the one that would direct the money to Nick’s

actual local bank, rather than leaving it stuck at a regional clearing bank...

Consequently, Nick contacted me to say that no money had been received, and Santander contacted me to say that they had been unable to complete the transfer. To add insult to injury, the money had been converted from sterling to dollars, then back to sterling again to return it to me, and the loss on exchange rates was nearly £600! Ouch!

I then used a different bank – Halifax – which had space for ALL the numbers on its form, and contacted the manager of Nick’s local bank to ask them to look out for the transfer coming their way.

After a nail-biting couple of days, I got the news that the transfer had gone through smoothly. I would advise anyone making an international money transfer to the US for the first time to actually visit their bank, and ensure that the proper protocols are followed. I complained to Santander, but they said that the responsibility for directing my money to the intended recipient was entirely mine. Harsh but fair I suppose, and an expensive lesson.

Anyway, the car was trailered back to Anglesey, with the aid of a friend, and my local garage checked out and MoT tested the car. After a small amount of haggling

with DVLA – additional proof of age and purchase were required – a registration number was issued.

My number is similar to Steve’s; they are agerelated previously unissued numbers from the Middlesbrough area. His is WXG, mine is YXG. The car is great – it turns heads and looks cool, but it is understated by American standards. The V8 has oodles of torque, and the column shift is way better than I was expecting. The steering and brakes are a little ‘antique’ – but then again at 66 years of age I guess it’s entitled to be a little vague! Maybe I will get something with a bit more ‘bling’ next time, and at least I know the pitfalls to avoid. Overall, by using specialist shippers and a dealer with export experience, the process was reasonably straightforward, occasionally stressful, but worth it in the end.

Michael Hooton Holyhead Anglesey And there is a very expensive lesson to be learned from that story – thanks for sharing that experience Michael, which apart from the banking fiasco, sounds a thoroughly satisfactory one. We couldn’t help noticing the jump start pack in front of the Ford, which is another vital item to take if you’re collecting your car from the port: a spare battery!

IN EVERY ISSUE: restoration tips, romantic wrecks, ads from the archives and news from the burgeoning UK scene.

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Letter

DAYS OF FUTURE PAST Dear Classic American, The ’57 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser was always a favourite of mine, so it was nice to see a feature on one. The styling was so wonderfully over the top and so typical of the era and influenced by the jet age. Wayne Harrison thinks it may be the only one in the UK. I enclose two photos a ’57 Commuter ‘Wagon from 1991 and a ’57 Turnpike Cruiser taken in 1992. Wonder if they still exist?

Cruiser in the British Isles! Having said that, has anyone else seen this particular car in the last 23

years? We reckon it’s probably been sold and now resides overseas. But then again, we could be wrong.

B. Byson Huddersfield West Yorkshire As always we knew we could rely on our readers on coming up with another sighting of a Turnpike

PARTICULAR PACKARD

Dear Classic American, In the October 2015 issue Steve Miles talks about a 1954 Patrician in Kent that he was interested in. I bought that car and it sits on my drive as I write this. So far I have replaced the fuel tank fuel lines and water pump. I’ve also replaced the tyres. The engine oil and filter had turned to sludge and so I have changed that too. I have the fuel pump and carb to rebuild yet. I have removed the interior for renovation and have sourced replacement side glass and headlamp switch.

I intend to carry out welding repairs to the floor and boot floor before a complete repaint. The rear window and windscreen are to be removed. The engine has been dosed with MMO and left in an effort to free off the hydraulic valve lifters. If not I have the gasket set and valve adjustment tool. Steve is wrong when he says the auto transmission was removed, it was never fitted to this car as it is Cavalier specification.

The car has power brakes and steering. It also has electric front seat adjustment and electro-hydraulic window operation. I am replacing all the cylinders and pipe work and overhauling the bulkhead mounted pump. This will then run on ATF instead of brake fluid. At present it is 6v, but I’m converting it to 12v with a Ron Francis step down for the instruments, pump and window valves… then I can hopefully fit a 1955 or 1956 Chevy wiper motor. Plenty to do!

MODERN AMERICAN RELIABILITY Dear Classic American, Thanks for the great magazine; the Eighties edition was smashing, I’ve owned two third generation Camaros in the past and they were fun cars to own and run. I was just wondering why you never do any features on American car reliability?

All mine have been brilliant and you can find some cars in the States with mind bogglingly high mileages, on Chrysler’s website ‘Allpar’ they have a list of 5000 Chrysler/Dodge products that have an average 270,000 miles between them, if Clarkson and co (ref Facebook feedback) tried actually owning or using American cars they would be blown away how well built they are.

It’s funny that the UK doesn’t like American cars and yet everybody drives a ford Focus or Mondeo, both ‘world cars’ from American Ford. I

have a Caliber at the moment and put 16k miles a year on it, despite it being eight years old, it has a bulletproof reliable 2.0 petrol motor and like most Yanks the level of equipment is better, (it’s just a shame Chrysler didn’t try harder with the plasticky interior). Incidentally, couriers use Calibers in the States and put 100k miles a year on them with very little problems, the one mentioned in the title above is on YouTube.

Jonathan Scott Daventry Northants Ah, the Dodge Caliber, a bit of a Marmite car if ever there was one and sadly now Dodge has quietly shut up shop and moved out of the UK market altogether. That being said, these could be quite the daily driver bargain, with cars on Auto Trader for as little as £3450 for a car with 50k miles, auto and alloys and top level SXT trim…

Technically though, they are Mexican cars!

Nic Jervis Wolverhampton West Midlands Well Nic, what a car! We hope you’ll get in touch with us again when it’s finally on the road, sounds like you’ll be having a busy winter fettling!

 Classic American Magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs, LN9 6LZ

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classic-american.com 13

Huw Evans

Across

the

pond

1957 Chrysler.

S

Forgotten four-doors

Evans asks why two extra doors can mean a huge difference in desirability when it comes to classic-era American vehicles in the US.

tateside, it often seems that four-door cars tend to get shunned by enthusiasts and collectors. With a few exceptions, almost every era of classic cars, particularly from the Thirties through the Nineties, will see twodoor coupes, hardtops and convertibles attract significantly more interest (and money) than their four-door counterparts.

Go to any auction, from biggies like BarrettJackson’s Westworld in Scottsdale, Arizona, to small regional buy and sells – heck, even classified ads – and in many cases you can pick up a four-door model of just about any particular vehicle for a fraction of its two-door counterpart (including things like Tri-Chevys, 1959 Cadillacs and just about any full-size or intermediate example of Detroit iron).

Perhaps it’s to do with the fact that having two extra doors somehow dilutes the mystique of a particular model, emphasising the practical, family nature of a sedan versus the sporty exclusivity of a coupe or convertible. There is of course a downside to this, the fact that this perceived lack of desirability of four-door American cars as classics means that despite being produced in far greater numbers than their two-door counterparts, the former tend to be much harder to find today.

Thirty years ago, it was still easy to find a clean, usable four-door Detroit sedan from

the Fifties, Sixties or Seventies, but that onetime abundance, lack of collector interest and desirability among the demolition derby set, hot rodders and even restorers meant that many classic era four-door cars either ended their days on the banger circuit or as parts donors for two door coupe or ragtop projects that needed a driveline or other valuable components.

In many ways it’s a shame but when it comes to classics, no matter how high the production volumes were, once the last example has rolled off the line there’s always a finite number of cars to go around and as the years pass, in many cases those numbers tend to thin out. Which is why today, whenever I go to a cruise night or car show over here, I make the effort to seek out the four-door pillared sedans, hardtops and station wagons, since these were the cars that most people bought and drove.

While a freshly restored or original, highly optioned convertible or coupe is nice, if you really want to understand what most North Americans actual drove during Detroit’s golden era, a 1957 Chevrolet 210 or Ford Fairlane fourdoor sedan with a base V8 engine and perhaps a three-on-the-tree is far more representative than a Bel Air convertible or Skyliner retractable.

There are perhaps a couple of exceptions where four-door cars actually might come close to matching their two-door equivalents

in desirability today and that concerns vintage police cars and station wagons. Interest in both these types of vehicles is growing and from some angles there are arguably few things cooler than a monster engine police interceptor such as a Dodge Polara 440 or a 429-powered Ford Custom 500.

Wagons are also an interesting one. Viewed as passé for much of the Eighties and Nineties, these family haulers are starting to enjoy a bit of a renaissance with survivors – even those massive behemoths from the Seventies – witnessing a significant increase in demand in recent years (a low-mile 1974 Ford Country Squire recently sold for $42,900 at Auctions America – unthinkable even a decade ago).

As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats and as the interest in classic cars continues to grow and proliferate, perhaps four-doors will finally start to get the recognition they deserve. So the next time you’re trolling a classified site and come across a good deal on a solid four-door 1962 Chevrolet Bel Air sedan, 1970 Chrysler Newport or Mercury Montclair, perhaps consider snapping it up. Whether it will appreciate significantly in value or not, the fact remains that you’ll have on your hands a nice, usable time capsule – one that paints a real picture on to the window of America’s golden age of motoring.

Huw Evans – news & views from North America

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classic-american

Tony Oksien

Muscle

car files

1970 Dodge Coronet R/T

Tony takes a look at the 1970 Dodge Coronet. Its double loop front bumper may not be to everyone’s taste, but there’s no arguing with its performance credentials…

T

he Mopar Euronats, which is held annually at Santa Pod Raceway on the last weekend of July, often throws up some very interesting muscle cars and this year was no exception. Along with the Hemi and Six Pack cars, there were numerous 1970 Coronets and a very rare white convertible dealer promo car made an appearance as well.

Often overlooked, the 1970 Dodge Coronet took mother Mopar to its design and technology limits in no uncertain terms. One thing for certain is that you will never lose a 1970 Coronet in a crowded car park; the distinctive front end treatment makes the car stand out a country mile among its contemporaries; however, the styling was not to everyone’s taste and the Dodge posted disappointing sales figures for that year.

Designed by Chrysler stylist Diran Yazejian, a graduate of the prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, the bumper looks like two separate components, but is actually one continuous stamping. This aggressive nose continues up the hood with a ‘gorilla’ fresh air scoop mimicking an aircraft air intake; for sure the ’70 Coronet ruffled a few feathers in the Chrysler design camp. Over the years enthusiasts have been split about the shape, however I like it as the model is full of character and very much an endof-the-Seventies creation.

As with previous years the Coronet also provided the platform for Dodge’s all-out muscle inspired Super Bee. The Coronet R/T was equipped with more comfort and luxury, including a deluxe vinyl interior with carpeting, new hi-back bucket seats and a centre console. The entry level R/T had as standard the 375 horse 440cu in Magnum, with options of the triple Holley carburettor set

up for the 440 – known as the Six Pack – and the elephant motor 426cu in Hemi, of which only 13 were built. Transmissions available were either the trusty A727 Torqueflite automatic, or the row-ityourself four-speed manual, with a nifty-looking Hurst pistol shifter to grab the gears.

The fresh air needed for the optional engines came via a twin scooped hood which complemented the dummy side scoops located on the rear quarter panels showing R/T emblems either side. A really neat option was the hood tachometer which made the car look like it had come directly from the track and a ‘Go Wing’ pedestal-mounted rear wing spoiler available on the Challenger, Charger and Super Bee too.

In the looks department the car had a distinct advantage over its predecessors, as Chrysler released a number of high impact paint colours that immediately drew attention to the ‘Scat Pack’ models. So you could easily order your Coronet in FC7 Plum Crazy purple, FJ5 Sublime green, EK2 Go Mango orange, GY3 Citron Yella or even FM3 Panther pink! To make the Dodge really stand out a rear ‘Scat Pack’ stripe wrapped around the tail gave the car a further presence. Rear light panels differed through the range and the R/T had a unique multi-light tail section with an R/T emblem attached in the middle. Full-on side marker lenses/ lights were returned to the 1970 cars.

As for the 1970 Coronet R/T (WS23), the car could be had with a whole host of performance upgrades and if you wished, even as a convertible (WS27), if you dared shy away from the two-door hardtop base. Along with three engine and two transmission options the car mechanically could be beefed up beyond belief, with standard heavy

duty sway bars, shocks and disc brakes. The ‘Track Pack’ and ‘Super Track Pack’ gave you a Sure Grip Dana instead of the adequate 8¾ axle, available in a whole host of rear differential ratios. Dual exhaust systems were also included exiting via neat chrome tips.

Dick Landy, fabled drag racer, tested an optional multi-carburettor Six Pack and had this to say: “The swingin’ Six Pack setup: three mind-blowing two-barrel Holley carbs on a new high-rise manifold bolted to the 440 Magnum engine. The biggest problem was getting off the line without smoking it – feather foot definitely required! The hood has hinges this year (’69 Six Pack B-bodies had a fibre glass lift-off hood) which is nice when you check the oil and the scoops feed directly into the Holleys…”

The last year for the Coronet R/T happened to be 1970 with only 2,319 built. It is difficult in retrospect to see where Dodge was able to pitch the car as buyers had the sibling Super Bee to choose from also, although at a reduced price, well over 15,000 Bees were produced.

Tony Oksien – CA’s resident muscle car guru

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classic-american.com 17

Early Ambros racing in historics.

Richard Heseltine

From

here to

obscurity

AMBRO Think that kit cars are a uniquely British invention? Think again, the Yanks were doing DIY motors as early as 1961…

T

he kit car is widely considered to be a British invention, but America wasn’t far behind. The Ambro is a case in point.

Designed by Minnesota partners William AldrichAmes and Dewey Brohaugh, the prototype was created in 1961. Both were experienced racers with several successful seasons under their belts in Sports Car Club of America championships, although much of the physical design was the work of Jim Carter. A specialist in new-fangled wonder material, glassfibre, he created the prototype’s body and subsequent body moulds.

The styling was unquestionably inspired by contemporary sports racers such as the Maserati Tipo 61, but there was more than a hint of the all-American Scarab in there, too.

The production bodyshell was made of 1/8inthick glassfibre and moulded in six panels. The nose and tail sections were separate pieces, as were the doors and lower ‘roll panels’. It was designed to fit proprietary chassis, with wheelbases ranging from 88 to 102in, and weighed just 80lb if the factory’s PR material is to be believed. There was, however, nothing in the way of bracing although its makers recommended mounting the body on an inner structure made from conduit tubing.

Widely regarded as being one of the better kit cars of the day (which in itself isn’t saying a great deal…), the first car was powered by a Triumph four-banger, but subsequent cars were often based on running gear made closer to home, not least modified 1955-57 Chevrolet platforms.

Among the better-known Ambro cars was a very successful Ford V8-engined machine campaigned

by Oklahoman Jerry Dewelle, while an example powered by a Nailhead Buick bent eight and dubbed ‘Mustang’ did the rounds in several magazines in period.

There was, however, a slight problem in that the whole profit-making aspect didn’t appear to

have been factored in. In 1964, the two partners sold out to Jerry Scrabeck of Rochester, Michigan after around 40 bodyshells had been sold, with one heading as far afield as the Rock of Gibraltar.

Scrabeck made a further dozen or so bodies before moving the project on to another wouldbe motor mogul who broke the moulds when prising out his first ’shell.

The story didn’t end there, however. Serial car builder Bill Bonadio Jr was too young to buy an Ambro first time around, but in the early Seventies he located the first car made following a long search. Later that decade, he was able to buy the car and set about researching Ambro history. He was able to track down Bill Ames to Elizabethtown, New Zealand, who in turn wanted to buy it back. Bonadio didn’t want to sell, so Ames

located an old, unused bodyshell in Minnesota and set about creating new moulds with a view to reviving production. He came close, too, but the realities of being a car manufacturer of pensionable age ultimately kicked in so he decided instead to sell the project rights to Bonadio Jr. In 1990, Bonadio reworked the body to accommodate a tubular frame and 302cu in Ford V8 power. What’s more, the renamed Dio 61 is still available if you ask Bonadio nicely.

Ford 302cu in V8 powered.

Richard Heseltine's weird and wonderful American cars from the past.

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