AUGUST 2008 (Newsprint Version / Without Graphics)

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AUGUST 2008 (newsprint version / without graphics)

1 President's message

Upcoming Events

2 Tubing Trip & Collector Car Pool

3 August Cruise-In at PW's

4 Beach Ball 2008

click --> Beach Ball 2008 Registration Form

Recent Events

5 Pool Party

6 July Cruise-In

Feature Articles

7 Champagne Wishes, Javelin Dreams by Ed Lefkovitz 8 Where are the Great Automotive Designers Today? by Milton Stern

News Briefs

9 Straight Eights ZAZZLE! (stuff for sale on line) 10 AutoWeek's 50 Best Driving Routes 11 Club Member featured in Collectible Automobile by Lou Vecchioni

Member Interests

12 Join the Board 13 Web Site and Newsletter HELP Needed!

For ALL features of the newsletter, including a wealth of great “visuals”, please visit the Straight Eights member web site … http://www.straight8s.net

Classified CAR ADS AVAILABLE NOW

http://straight8s.net/member_cartalk_2008/classified/classified.htm

PRESIDENT’S BRIEFS

As with many of us, I knew that gas prices were destined to rise, but I never imagined that the day when it would cost $60 to fill a Subaru with regular gasoline would come with such alarming swiftness. And, as the proud owner of one of Detroit’s most unforgivingly fuelish luxury cars, the spike is all the more jarring. But, while I don’t drive as much as I once did, I have continued to drive, and so have our members, making for not merely “strong” but in some cases “record attendance” at Club events. For that commitment and show of support – which is now something of an ‘investment’ – we are grateful.

Over the last several months, I’ve been startled at the regularity with which one does still see collector and vintage iron on the road. Moreover, I’ve been heartened that I’ve seen and heard very little negative reaction from pedestrians and fellow drivers. Frankly, onlookers seem all the more enthused to see these “artifacts.” A pleasant reminder of a more innocent age, perhaps? Echoes of an era when it was assumed that gasoline was going to flow forever? It’s a nice dream, and our cars still bear witness to that “dream.”

This issue of Car Talk is full of dreams, new and old! BEACH BALL 2008: South Pacific is drifting our way. And with registration forms mailed nationally in each issue of “DriveShaft,” inquiries have been coming in from across the country. Read about many of the new features of Beach Ball in this issue! Looking for a new ride for the event? There are a number of very interesting vehicles for sale in our classifieds section! Member Ed Lefkowitz has written his SECOND feature for Car Talk, which we greatly appreciate. We continue to encourage each of you to consider sharing your stories, as we are blessed to have an enthusiastic editor who is happy to help guide you through the process.

We are especially glad to announce a brand new line of STRAIGHT EIGHTS LOGO ITEMS that are for sale at the Website www.zazzle.com/straighteights . Thanks to newsletter editor Milton Stern and several members of the Board, you can now purchase numerous varieties of T-shirts, mugs, magnets, key chains, and other logo items in a range of price points that you control. The beauty of it is that each item is ordered individually, with no upfront investment from the Club, no supply or storage issues. You can read all about it in this issue.

High gas prices or low, the Straight Eights is rolling forward into the future. Be assured: we WILL see you, OUT … On the Road!

Jim Byers

President

Straight Eights Join 3 GLBT Groups for the Tubing Trip & Collector Carpool(w/ Gas Assistance) Saturday, August 16 – Limited Space Available!

Here’s a great opportunity to expand your social circle and stay cool in the heat of summer! For our August event, the Straight Eights will join 3 other GLBT social organizations for a group Lazy River Tubing Trip (flatwater) on the Shenandoah River at Harpers Ferry! It will take place on Saturday, August 16. For this event, you’ll need to RSVP and buy tickets early! With four GLBTQ groups co-hosting, this event may well sell out! RSVPs for this special event should be emailed directly to Neil, at: [email protected].

DC Ice Breakers, a popular GLBT social group started by Straight Eights Member Neil Schuldenfrei, has coordinated this event with three other DC GLBTQ groups –Adventuring – Regional GLBT Outdoor Group, NOVA GLBTQ Professionals, and us – the Straight Eights Car Club!

COLLECTOR CARPOOL w/ Gas Assistance: Interested participating Straight Eights members are asked to consider “drive-vintage/exotic/sports/special-interest” and offer CARPOOL RIDES for members of the other participating groups. In turn for the unique riding experience, members of these other organizations are being advised to assist by chipping-in for the cost of gas. The idea has been met with initial excitement!

IN YOUR RSVP, PLEASE INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE INTERESTED IN PROVIDING “SPECIAL INTEREST/SPORT/VINTAGE” CARAVAN TRANSPORTATION FOR THIS EVENT, OR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO RIDE WITH SOMEONE ELSE AND CHIP IN FOR GAS.

Over the last several years, the Straight Eights enjoyed a number of tubing trips before deciding to temporarily “park” the event. This allows us to offer a wider-variety of events. The intention was always to reintroduce the activity eventually, and this new twist provides a fresh, interesting way to do so!

The four groups will converge at the Shady Grove Metro parking lot (There will be an email notification about the exact location) on Saturday, August 16, at 11:15 am, and depart at 11:30 am sharp. From there, we'll head to River & Trail Outfitters near Harpers Ferry, WV, where we'll start with a picnic lunch (bring your own), and begin check-in at 1:15 pm for our 2:00 pm tubing event.

COST: $24.77 + tax/fees, and includes deluxe quality tube with seat bottom & life vest rental, and shuttle from river pullout point. Pullout is at approximately 4:00 pm. We'll arrive back at the Shady Grove Metro area around 5:00 pm, and those interested can meet for drinks/early dinner at a restaurant near there (location TBD). Bring water, lunch, swim suit, towel, sun screen, change of clothes, and footgear to wear while in the creek. River & Trail Outfitters will provide us with several free floating coolers for snacks (no alcohol is allowed).

Again … Please RSVP Early as Space is limited – please plan to purchase your tickets at least one week in advance to ensure your spot. Contact Neil Schuldenfrei by email at: [email protected] to RSVP, and to receive instructions for purchasing tickets.

This is a great opportunity to enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the Shenandoah, while meeting new people from a variety of GLBTQ social groups! Check out the other partnering organizations at these websites: www.DCIceBreakers.org, www.adventuring.org, and http://gaypros.meetup.com/208/.

July Cruise-In Collects a Bundle for WARL, and the Tradition Continues in August

By Milton Stern

On Sunday, July 20, the Straight Eights held a very successful “Cruise-In” at PW’s Sports Bar and Grill. The donations for the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) poured in and filled the entire hatch area of my AMC Spirit with eight bags of treats, peanut butter, and blankets, and some members even donated money, so I could buy even more peanut butter and milk bones, adding four more bags of goodies. I delivered everything on Friday, July 25, with my Scion xB as it has more space in the rear (now I have an incentive to buy a 1983 AMC Concord station wagon).

WARL really appreciates all we have done for them and asked that I express their gratitude to all the members of the Straight Eights who help them with these much needed supplies. We also received a great big “woof” and “meow” from our furry friends!

If you are looking to adopt, they just took in a number of dogs from a puppy mill, as well as several other dogs and cats from shelters around the country, who are in need of a good home. There are also dogs and cats who have been surrendered by families who have lost their homes and moved into apartments as a result of the mortgage crisis, many of whom are mature and house-trained – as I am.

On Sunday, August 17, at 3:00 pm, the Straight Eights will hold their fourth “Cruise-In” of 2008 at PW’s Sports Bar and Grill parking lot (www.pwssportsbar.com), 9855 N. Washington Blvd., Laurel, MD, 20723. (301-498-4840). The “Cruise-Ins” will continue on the third Sunday of every month, weather permitting.

To make this and all Cruise-Ins special, the Straight-Eights will continue to hold the monthly “Pet Treat and Creamy Peanut Butter Drive,” benefiting the Washington Animal Rescue League (www.warl.org). Any kind of treats for cats and dogs from Snausages to Milk Bones are appreciated, however, they do ask that we do not donate rawhide chews as they can be problematic for canine digestive systems. Cat and dog toys are also welcome as are towels and blankets. If you don’t want to shop for treats, bring a jar of creamy peanut butter. The peanut butter is us used to fill “Kong” dog toys, which keep our four legged friends occupied for hours. They are not in need of dog or cat food as the good people at Science Diet provide our furry friends with their meals.

Straight Eights go SOUTH PACIFIC for BEACH BALL 2008

Thursday through Sunday, September 25–28

Rehoboth Beach , Delaware

The Straight Eights region celebrates another year of cars and camaraderie with this year’s annual BEACH BALL Invitational for LCCI members and their guests! Thursday through Sunday, September 25–28, 2008 ! Once again, we'll be headquartered at the commodious Atlantic Sands Hotel , directly on Rehoboth Beach, among the premier Gay-friendly resort towns on the East Coast!

Enjoy nightly receptions at Rehoboth's top night spots: Blue Moon (Thursday) and Aqua (Friday)! Following a new full, hot breakfast at the Hotel on Saturday morning, the Saturday Car Show & Picnic at Grove Park this year takes place after lunch at 2:30 pm (soft-drinks only will be provided).

The subsequent Awards Banquet at the Sands is going to sweep you away with the South Pacific theme. This year’s gala includes a Silent Auction and entertainment by song-stylist Cathy Gorman. And, then there's the always strikingly-scrumptious Farewell Buffet Brunch at Celsius restaurant on Sunday morning! Watch for additional activities and details in future emails and Web updates!

REGISTRATION involves just TWO SIMPLE STEPS :

1. Beach Ball Registration Form & Fee (4-days): $140 per person (due by September 17) Check payable to "Straight Eights", mailed to: Tom Lalley, Treasurer 7102 Charles Spring Way, Baltimore, MD 21204

2. Atlantic Sands Hotel Registration: call toll-free at (800) 422-0600.

Ask for Straight Eights/Lambda Car Club Rate (discount guaranteed only through August 21).

Discount Rates (per night):

Thursday rate = $105 for Ocean View or west wing suite; $134 for Ocean Front or Suite

Fri & Sat nightly rates = $125 for Ocean View or west wing suite; $153 for Ocean Front or Suite

Drawing just shy of 100 vehicles and 156 attendees from as far away as California last year, we're proud that our BEACH BALL Invitational has earned a national reputation for consistent quality and hospitality. This year promises to be one of the best BEACH BALL celebrations ever!

We can't wait to see you there!

Record Numbers Make a Splash at Club Dive-N-Drive Pool Party!

With the spike in gas prices, we wondered how that would have an impact on the turnout as we returned to the Kingsville, Maryland, home of Board Member Ken Smith and partner Billy Burke for our July Club Pool Party. What a delight to welcome 45 members and guests, besting by 10 or so the number of attendees for our last visit there in 2006!

And, quite a splash was made, too! To mention but a few, new member Mark Peleschak and his partner certainly wowed the crowd with their positively “cherry” orange 1971 Volkswagen Type III Squareback two-door wagon! Also bringing back memories and making its Club debut was newsletter editor Milton Stern’s newly acquired 1982 AMC Spirit DL Liftback! Bill McLin and Mac McKeon whirled up in their still avant 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado!

Robin Tabor’s fab 1965 Pontiac GTO hardtop coupe made the trip up from Richmond! Fly boy Rob Neighbour “swooped in” with his 1965 Chevrolet Corvair convertible. Mark Sleith took his top off again on his 1986 Mustang GT convertible. Chuck O’Bryan and Club President Emeritus Chris Martin arrived in style in Chuck’s 1985 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz! Deciding to leave their vintage rides at home, Allen Smith and Bruce McCracken broke-in Bruce’s new, blue ’08 BMW 530xi sportwagon (which coordinates beautifully with Allen’s lovely green ’07 at home). Of course, our hosts’ fascinatingly finned 1959 DeSoto Firedome station wagon was a delight to the eye!

On top of everything, Treasurer Tom Lalley pulled a “Claudette Colbert,” causing a passer-by to screech to a halt and inquire about the cars. As it turned out, the driver was “family” who had been meaning to contact the Club! We’re sure to see him at upcoming events.

Fabulous food, fantastic setting, and fast friends made for a great afternoon where people stayed right up until the end! Our thanks again to our gracious hosts for their hospitality!

JULY CRUISE-IN RECAP!

Resuming after a one-month hiatus (due to our presence at Capital Pride in June), the Straight Eights resumed our monthly GLBT Cruise-In’s at PW’s in Laurel, Maryland. In so many ways, the Cruise-In was so much more than expected.

The Club turn-out was great, with well over 50 members, friends and prospective members turning out. Judith Reiter, President of the Citroen Club of North America, came with her 1970s vintage Citroen 2CV van, and we hope more members will come and spend the day with us at future “Cruise-Ins.” Even so, the monthly Cruise-In format proved its mettle once again in attracting a wonderfully diverse array of vehicles that had members salivating and passers-by screeching to a halt to take a closer look.

Witness Bill McLin and Mac McKeon’s (who attended both the Cruise-In and the Pool Party the day before). On Sunday, however, they changed automotive outfits and arrived in their luscious lemon chiffon 1941 Studebaker Commander Skyway four-door sedan! Not to be outdone, Rich Domros’ lemon meringue 1950 Oldsmobile 88 four door was itself a tasty morsel! As ever, Mike Tyre brought some muscle to bear, with his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro convertible. A number of prospective members came to check us out, including Denise Ammaccapane, whose Chrysler PT Cruiser was a stunner in shades of ecru and chrome.

Like Bill and Mac, mentioned above, several other members came out for a second consecutive day! Bruce McCracken brought out his pert 1964 Rambler American 440 convertible this time. Rick Capek also did two in a row, returning in his 1955 Ford Thunderbird! Not wanting to be seen wearing the same year again, Tom Lalley traded in his ’55 Oldsmobile for his sensational ’07 Saturn Sky in sparkling silver. And spending the weekend in the area, Richmond’s Robin Tabor came out again with his ’66 Pontiac GTO! Chuck Koster also returned with his sweet sixty three Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass convertible! Mark Sleith went formal this time, bringing his lovely white 1976 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham hardtop sedan.

Also returning was Milton Stern in his 1982 AMC Spirit DL Liftback, which came in handy as he collected a particularly generous amount of donations for Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL), our 2008 Cruise-In Charity (see related article in this issue).

We’ll keep on Cruisin’ and collectin’ on behalf of WARL in August (keep the anti-rain dances going)!

Champagne Wishes, Javelin Dreams

By Ed Lefkowitz

During most of my childhood, my father worked as a route salesman for General Cigar Company. These were the sixties and early seventies. Cigarettes were making their way to pariahville, but cigars weren’t quite on the outs, yet. While Dad had a desk at home for his evening paperwork, his “office” was his car, courtesy of General Cigar. I have fond memories of Dad and me waiting in anticipation when the Cigar gods deemed it was time to replace his current “office” for a new model. I also remember the letdown when the car actually arrived. As I recall, he was given three choices of make (not model); Chevrolet, Ford or Plymouth (not Chrysler, not Dodge) and always the base model of the trio. Our 1965 Ford Custom 500 (not Galaxy, mind you – that would’ve been too posh) was a dismal failure never to be repeated. Ford was a brazen choice for our family, anyway, since Henry Ford was apparently anti-Semitic and more often than not, eschewed by Jews like us. Chevy was the overall favorite choice though both a blessing and a curse. Like the Galaxy class of Ford, the Impala was not on my father’s available list of choices. No, the rolling office would invariably be the Bel Air. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with that, it’s just that this stripped- down version of the Chevy Impala always seemed to wear its heart on its tattered sleeve … or backside in this case.

Up until the late 1950s, the Bel Air was at the top of the Chevrolet model line. In 1959, the Impala would usurp this throne, which in turn would be overthrown in the late 1960s by the more luxurious Caprice. Beginning in the 1960 model year, the Bel Air and her even less opulent sister, the Biscayne, could easily be identified by their use of two taillights per side.

The upscale Impalas (and later the Caprice) had three taillights per side positioned either above the bumper, as in the early and mid-sixties models, or embedded into the bumper itself, witness the 1968 and 1973 model year. The Bel Air and its Biscayne stable mate were primarily marketed to automotive fleet customers. However, the Bel Air remained available to private customers who sought a basic, no-frills, full-sized car that was slightly better trimmed than the low-line Biscayne. Looking back, I suspect that the company car choices might have been a tad plusher had my father’s place in the corporation been a bit higher. I’m sure my sideways glances at those two-by-two taillights and implied embarrassment of our family car that screamed fleet (read “poor”) did wonders for my Dad’s ego. But, I just knew those three-by-three butted Impalas were just looking down their tailpipes at our Plain-Jane Bel Air as we drove by!

Given that one “member” of our two-car family was always a rather dull and somewhat dim foster child, it’s no surprise that Dad focused his automotive dreams, desires and wallet on the car he actually owned. Sadly, his ultimate champagne dream machine, a Cadillac convertible, could never be afforded by his beer pockets. But, if it was to be beer, it could at least have a little more zest than Pabst Blue Ribbon. It happened that on a family trip to Miami in the winter of 1967, we rented a brand new 1968 AMC Javelin. It was new; it was sporty and had a cool name. As so often happens when one basically test drives via car rental, a few months later, a bright red AMC Javelin became the family car. It helped that a high school chum of Dad’s, the late Paul Bisson, owned a Rambler/AMC dealership – Bisson Motor Sales in Rockaway, NJ. This car dealership remains in business to this day and is still family-owned. Considering the history of Rambler/AMC, it’s not surprising that it’s now a Chrysler/Jeep dealer.

In 1968, the Javelin was introduced as a relatively tame sport coupe. Tame enough to serve as my Mom’s primary weekday vehicle and with enough zip and style on evenings and weekends to help chase away the Bel Air doldrums for my dad. Tame would not be the adjective one would use to describe the Javelin’s “Cousin Serena”; AMC’s version of a hot-rod introduced in tandem with the Javelin – the AMX. At the time, this two-seater was more likely to be seen on race tracks than on Main Street. Personally, the pre-1970 AMX didn’t win my heart. I’ve never been big into muscle cars and the 1968-70 AMX clearly fits that category. According to ArticBoys American Motors website, today the 1968-70 two-seater AMXs are the most collected and respected of all the American Motors cars (the most valuable also).

By 1971, this once AMC answer to the “General Lee” would evolve into a sexier sportier model of the Javelin itself also having grown a rear seat – albeit one better suited to little people than adults. By late 1972, the “come hither” of that sexy, almost shark-like Javelin AMX began to work its magic on my father, no doubt intensified during service visits to Bisson Motors for our now 5+-year-old original red Javvie. It wasn’t long before a brand new cocoa brown 1973 Javelin AMX appeared in our driveway. Where her predecessor spoke in dulcet perky blond tones, the new girl in town was a whiskey-throated hussie! You could just tell by looking at her that she meant business, dressed in a huge white T-stripe extending down the center of her oversized hood then fanning out on each side above her nose and flipping back ever so slightly above those “Jaws-eyed” headlights. And, let’s not forget that seductive rear spoiler swooping up above her tight little tush! Oddly enough, the taillight assembly was two on each side. But she was no fleet Bel Air. Then there were her inner assets. Tan vinyl low slung buckets and that automatic shifter reminiscent of a commercial jet throttle.

“Oh, you need an accessible compartment for those little white gloves, do you? You’ll take a little square box chisled into the side of the dash console extension that shared its limited space with the ashtrayinternals and be happy with that!” “Looking for an elegant wood trim framing the dashboard displays? Do I look like a Cadillac to you? Bask in my brushed steel appointments and give thanks.” For me, it was love at first sight. For my mother, who would again be its principle driver, it was fright at first sight! Plus a “What the HELL were you thinking?” glare at my dad. For her, coping with the bucket seats in the ’68 red Javelin was adjustment enough (bench seat fancier that she was) but as with the car itself, they still had a somewhat “girly” feel. This new “girl” was a dominatrix.

First impressions aside, the proof of the Javelin AMX was in the power. How my mom managed to tame the 304 V8 in this beast is beyond me. I know it didn’t get driven much in the northern New Jersey snowy winters with its overpowered rear-wheel drive. I, of course, have fond memories of this car since about a year after my Dad bought it, I got my driver’s license. It would be at least another six months before I was permitted to drive our “bad girl” solo, but boy when I finally did earn that prize, whoo hoo! In truth, I always took special care with the AMX when I drove her on my own. The implied threat of death at my father’s hand was obvious, but the sheer power of this vehicle to bring both pleasure and pain was ever present. I recall taking the AMX on one of the NJ interstates. As I was entering the highway and preparing to accelerate, I noticed I had slightly misjudged the distance between me and the 18-wheeler barreling down on my ass. I floored the gas pedal, was pressed flat to the vinyl bucket seatback and, through my rictus-like grin, observed in the rear-view mirror a cloud of dust where the 18-wheeler’s grill was only seconds before.

Yes, our dominatrix AMX had overdrive to spare. Unfortunately, she also had quite an appetite; somewhere between 8 and 10 miles-per-gallon as I remember. While this was three decades before the $4.00-plus per gallon gasoline horror we’re living in today, the mid-seventies had a gas crisis of its own. An ugly one, as many will recall, that involved shortages and lines. My father’s poor timing in upgrading our relatively economical ’68 Javelin with the hungry beast coupled with the sheer impracticality of it led to its early trade-in demise. Even the second-hand 1974 Pontiac Bonneville that replaced her got better mileage. But as classic as the ’74 Bonnie remains, my heart still belongs to Javvie.

Where Are the Great Automotive Designers Today?

By Milton Stern

The other morning, I was walking down 16th Street on my way to the gym, and I noticed a line of mid-size cars parked in a row. All of them were either silver or charcoal gray, and although they were different makes and models, they pretty much looked alike – with one exception. Right in the middle of the row, was a silver 1975 Ford Granada, which in its day was considered a compact car. Also silver, but with a gray vinyl roof, the Granada stood out with its blade-like fender lines, white-wall tires, and mock-Mercedes grille that was quite in vogue during the mid-seventies. The Ford Granada holds a special place in my heart, and I am not embarrassed by my affection for these mundane people movers. It goes without mentioning that I am weird, and my taste in cars, even weirder – so get over it.

Picture it: Newport News, Virginia, 1975. A strange young boy sees a commercial for an upscale compact car that dares to compare itself to a Mercedes. Even this impressionable young man doesn’t believe that the young couple on the television screen cannot tell the difference between a $24,000 and a $4,100 car. However, he turns to his mother, and says, “Mommie Dearest, can we go to Aunt Fran’s Ford dealership and see the new Ford Granada tomorrow?” After beating him with a can of Bon Ami, she acquiesces, and the next day, they buckle up in her 1972 Mercury Comet and head for Center Ford on Jefferson Avenue.

At the time, the young man did not understand what it meant to get wood, but upon seeing, touching and sitting in the many Ford Granadas in the showroom – especially the Ghia two-door coupe with those oh-so-fashionable opera windows and vinyl half-roof – he experienced his first of many automotive-induced erections. A love affair had begun.

Originally designed to replace the Maverick, after the energy crisis of 1973-74, the Granada found a new place in the Ford line-up as an upscale compact. Underneath, it shared just about everything with the Maverick, including a 109.9-inch wheelbase and untidy handling and ride; however, you shouldn’t laugh because Ford sold 1,573,583 Granadas from 1975 to 1979. And, if I had been old enough to buy one, they would have sold one more green, Ghia coupe with a green vinyl half-roof and matching interior. Barak Obama’s first car was his grandfather’s Ford Granada. So there!

Although, I could talk about the Ford Granada for hours (and everyone of a certain age knows someone who owned one), what struck me most about seeing that car in the middle of a row of nondescript, mid-sized sedans, was the how much automotive design has changed.

Before I continue, I want you to know that I am not one of those “they don’t build 'em like they used to” types. I am thankful cars aren’t built the way the used to be. I’m glad my car has airbags, antilock brakes, stability control, traction control, and crumple zones. The old cars may have withstood an impact with little damage, but after an accident, they pretty much hosed off your remains from the dash and sold it to the next guy. I am happy to know that I will not have to rebuild my car at 40,000 miles or tune it up every 6,000 miles. There is a sense of security in knowing that my car won’t be a rust bucket in five years. I like not having to add a quart of oil every 1,000 miles as the owner’s manual in my antique car informs me. And, most of all, I truly enjoy my automatic transmission, air conditioning, power steering, brakes, door locks and windows, CD player, and remote control rearview mirrors although I still need to have Smitty install the cruise control, which will make my life so much easier. Cruise control will also enable me to paint my toenails while driving down to Newport News to visit my family.

However, as a fan of weird, unusual, and sometimes hideous automotive designs, I do miss the days of the designer when cars were a work of art. I have no idea who designed my Scion Xb or if it was just stamped from an enlarged toaster mold. I dare anyone to name one famous automotive designer today. I can’t, and that is why I want to step back to a time of metal dashboards, protruding knobs, scary manual drum brakes, motors that smoke, swinging suspensions, bias-ply tires, and rusty fenders. It was time of function following form, and what form they had. It was a time of planned obsolescence, when this year’s car did not look like last year’s car. Fashion designers like Dorothy Draper chose the fabrics for your car’s interior, and Oleg Cassini designed his own version of an AMC Matador coupe. Remember when the brochure actually showed more than two color choices for the interior? And, although the designers featured below gave us some of the most beautiful cars on the road, they each had their blunders from bullet noses, fiberglass fish-mouth grilles, toilet seats on trunks, and a small car that was as wide as it was long, just to name a few.

Dutch and His Timeless Clipper

The 1930s brought streamlined design to the automotive world as a result of a wind-tunnel tests that revealed how the cars of the 1920s were more aerodynamic when going in reverse. The 1940s brought us a time of transition from streamlining to the beginnings of envelope bodies as fenders blended into the doors and running boards became hidden. In 1941, famed custom designer, Dutch Darrin, with the help of Werner Gubitz, gave us the Packard Clipper. It was like no other car on the road.

After having designed custom bodies in Europe for over a decade, Darrin had returned home in 1937 to set up his own studio in Hollywood.

The Packard Clipper featured a single piece of seamless steel forming the roofline from windshield header to deck- lid; the floor pan was comprised of only two separate pieces welded longitudinally. Instead of the traditional three- side-window format, Clipper used pivoting ventipanes built into the rear doors. Unfortunately, the Clipper was introduced just before the United States entered World War II, and although continued after the war, Werner Gubitz turned it into the “pregnant elephant” in 1948. For the record, I like the pregnant elephant Packards, but that should not surprise you.

The Frenchman and His Bullet Nose

Raymond Loewy found work in the United States as a window designer for department stores, including Macy's, in addition to working as a fashion illustrator for Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In 1929, he received his first industrial design commission, modernizing the appearance of a duplicating machine by Gestetner. Further commissions followed, including work for Westinghouse, the Hupp Motor Company (Hupmobile styling), and styling the Coldspot refrigerator for Sears-Roebuck.

In 1937, Loewy established a relationship with the Pennsylvania Railroad, and his most notable designs for the firm were their passenger locomotives. He designed a streamlined shroud for K4’s Pacific #3768 to haul the newly redesigned 1938 Broadway Limited (also by Loewy). He also designed the experimental S1 locomotive, as well as the T1 class.

Broadening his horizons, Loewy also designed the new Hoover and Studebaker logos.

Loewy began his work with Studebaker in the late 1939 and redesigned their entire line and introduced two-toning with the 1941 Champion, which featured a contrasting side-panel from the hood to the rear. Because Loewy's firm operated independently from Studebaker, they were not hampered by wartime restrictions on automotive design, which made it possible for Studebaker to be “first by far with a post-war car.” The 1947 Studebakers with their “which way is it going” look were two years ahead of the "Big Three." The Loewy team developed an advanced design, featuring flush front fenders and clean rearward lines. They also created the Starlight body, featuring a rear window system wrapping 180 degrees around the rear seat.

Did you know that Loewy’s team also helped design the 1949 Ford?

Things would have gone more smoothly had Studebaker waited a year or two, but by 1950 the design had grown old, and the bullet nose of 1950-51 didn’t help. For 1953, the fresh Studebaker line was highlighted by the Starliner and Starlight coupes, which were publicly credited to Loewy, although they were actually designed by Virgil Exner.

Fortunately, Loewy does not get blamed for the fish-mouth PackardBakers of 1958 as that honor goes to Duncan McRae.

In the spring of 1961, Loewy was brought back to help energize Studebaker's soon-to-be released line of 1963 passenger cars with a new fiberglass sports car to attract younger buyers. He agreed to take the job, despite the short 40-day schedule allowed to produce a finished design and scale model, and the Avanti was born. And, Loewy also designed the Coca Cola bottle. While Loewy’s team was busy with the Avanti, an industrial designer was brought in to freshen up the rest of the Studebaker line-up.

From a Wienermobile to a Lark

Brooks Stevens’ designs in home and kitchen appliances were popular, and he is recognized as initiating the robins- egg blue phase of 1950s kitchen appliances. He also designed the Miller Brewing logo. As an automobile designer, Stevens was responsible for the Studebaker products from the 1962 model year until Studebaker ceased production in 1966. After that, he designed the classic Harley-Davidson motorcycle. All Harleys since, including models in production now, are based on Stevens’ body designs.

Stevens also designed the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, engines for Briggs and Stratton and Outboard Marine Corporation, the university logo for the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and the post-war Skytop Lounge observation cars for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad's Hiawatha passenger trains, and Stevens founded, ran, and designed all of the automobiles for the Excalibur Motorcar Company.

From the Forward Look to Toilet Seats

Virgil Max "Ex" Exner, Sr., first worked for General Motors, where he was hired by GM styling chief Harley Earl. In 1938, he left to work at Raymond Loewy Associates. In 1949, Exner started working in Chrysler's Advanced Styling Group, where he partnered with Cliff Voss and Maury Baldwin. There he also worked with Luigi "Gigi" Segre, of Italian car company Carrozzeria Ghia S.p.A. The alliance produced the Chrysler Ghia designs, such as the 1952 Chrysler K-310, as well as the Chrysler d'Elegance and DeSoto Adventurer.

When Exner joined Chrysler, the car's body was fashioned by engineers instead of designers in the now famous three-box designs of the early 1950s. Exner fought to change this and get control over the design process, including the clay prototypes and the die models used to create production tooling.

Inspired by the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, GM's Harley Earl had incorporated small fins on the rear fenders of the 1948 Cadillac. Exner saw the design detail and made it his own by enlarging the fins and making them a more prominent feature. Exner believed in the aerodynamic benefits of the fins and even used wind tunnel testing at the University of Michigan to prove his point. They first appeared on the 1955 Chryslers and grew to prominence with the 1957 full Chrysler line.

By 1960, Exner’s designs were becoming cartoonish, especially the 1960-61 Plymouths with pinch-nosed grilles and bullet tail lights. The 1961 Imperial had distended fins and free standing headlights, and who can forget the toilet seats on the trunks? After creating the ill-timed downsized Dodges and Plymouths of 1962, Chrysler realized Exner’s time had passed, and they looked to a Ford designer for help.

He Loved is Chrome-trimmed Fender-lines

Elwood Engel’s design team was instructed by Ford President Robert S. McNamara to add two more doors and two more seats to their design for the 1961 Thunderbird, thus creating the timeless and beautiful 1961 Lincoln Continental.

When he was passed over for a promotion at Ford, Engel replaced chief stylist Virgil Exner at Chrysler. Engel generally delegated the majority of the work to his design teams. Then, he would fine-tune the clay models. Colleagues said he had an uncanny eye for the "commercial viability" of designs. His first job at Chrysler was to clean up the Exner designs, and no car displayed his talents better than the 1964 Imperial.

However, Engel's design philosophy was perhaps best exemplified in the 1965 Plymouth Fury, which heralded the return of full-size cars to Chrysler’s low-priced division. His influence over all Chrysler products created a line that by the mid-1960s had shed the excesses and adornments of the Exner era and returned Chrysler to cleanly styled, elegant cars from their compacts to their luxury models. The mid- to late-1960s Chryslers are among my favorites, especially the 1965-67 New Yorkers.

He Gave Us Fins

Harley Earl owned Earl Automotive Works, which was bought by Cadillac dealer Don Lee, who kept Earl as director of its custom body shop. Lawrence P. Fisher, general manager of the Cadillac division, was visiting Cadillac dealers and distributors around the country. Fisher met Earl at Lee's dealership and observed him at work. Fisher, whose automotive career began with coachbuilder Fisher Body, was impressed with Earl's designs and methods, including the use of modeling clay to develop the forms of his designs. Fisher commissioned Earl to design the 1927 LaSalle. The success of the LaSalle convinced General Motors president Alfred P. Sloan to create the Art and Color Division of General Motors and name Earl as its first director. In 1937, the Art and Color Division was renamed the Styling Division.

Harley Earl authorized the Frank Hershey design for the 1948 Cadillac, which incorporated the first automotive tailfins. The style caught on throughout Detroit and eventually led to competition between Earl and Virgil Exner over the size and complexity of tailfins, which was won by the 1959 Cadillac.

Influenced by the English and European sports cars being raced on road-racing circuits after World War II, Earl decided that General Motors needed to make a sports car, and design work began in secret on "Project Opel." He first offered the car to Chevrolet general manager Ed Cole, who accepted it without hesitation, and the car was offered to the public in 1953 as the Chevrolet Corvette.

Harley Earl retired from General Motors in 1958 after overseeing the design of the far-out, outrageous or spectacularly beautiful (depending on your point of view) 1959 models of which the Buick is my favorite. He was succeeded by Bill Mitchell.

It Looked Good from Any Angle

Bill Mitchell said that he often prepared himself for Harley Earl’s retirement because he hated all the chrome, the fat fins, and the excesses, yet he is credited with some of the wildest American designs to hit the road. On the 1959 model program Mitchell urged his designers to “go as far out as you can go” and he was the one who wanted to “outfin the Chryslers.” But he also talked about the “Sheer” look and of “Flair,” and with the 1963 Buick Riviera and later the 1967 Cadillac Eldorado, he introduced the origami look in cars, inspired by some coach built, razor edged Rolls-Royces he had seen.

Bill Mitchell was not a car designer, but an engineer, when he submitted some of his car sketches to Harley Earl in 1933. He was inspired by the trade-ins his father brought home from his Buick dealership, well-engineered cars like Stutz, Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, and Isotta-Fraschini.

In 1935, he became an employee at GM's Art and Color Section. Six months later, at age 24, he was promoted to head of the Cadillac studio. One of his first designs showed a coupé that looked like a drophead. It didn’t last long until he removed the B-pillar, too, and “invented” the hard-top coupé.

After Earl’s retirement, he introduced tape drawings, eliminating water color, paint, colored pencils or pens. After five years, the Chevrolet studio alone produced more designs in one year than all the studios had done together under Earl’s most productive times.

Earl felt that “a car should look like it’s going like hell, just sitting still,” and this was most exemplified in the 1963 Corvette Stingray. One of his best designs was the 1965 second generation Chevrolet Corvair with flowing Coke- bottle lines that looked good from any angle.

But, the 1970s spelled the end of Earl’s career with an emphasis on engineering rather than design, and by the end of the decade there would be only one well-known 1950s designer still employed.

Putting the Fenders Above the Hood

The Nash Metropolitan was one of the few U.S.-designed subcompact cars to make it into serious production. The Metropolitan began as a concept car in 1951, the NXI (Nash Experimental International) during a time when U.S. car designs were getting bigger and bigger. Although a subcompact, thanks to William J Flajole, the Metropolitan introduced a concept that influenced car design for decades. Flajole lowered the hood and raised the fenders, and for the first time, drivers knew were the front wheels were in relation to the curb when turning and especially parking their cars. Before the 1954 introduction of the Metropolitan, Nash designer Edmund Anderson applied this concept to the 1952 Nash Statesman/Ambassador and the 1953 Ramblers. Even though Nashes wore Pinin Farina badges, Anderson was their true designer. But, the second generation Nash Healy was a Pinin Farina design.

Anderson designed the all new 1956 Ramblers, and the revived 1958 American as well as the 1963 line of Ramblers that won the Motor Trend Car of the Year. However, Anderson was not without his blunders, and the 1956-57 Hudsons clearly illustrated what happens when a designer goes too far with too much chrome.

He Survived Them All

In 1948, Richard Teague accepted a position in the General Motors design studio that was headed by Edmund Anderson. He started as an apprentice stylist and eventually graduated to the Cadillac advanced design group. Teague also worked on the famed 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket. During the 1950s' outlandish use of chrome on cars, Teague described how two sets of overlay designs were made for Harley Earl to choose. Both chrome trim sets had been put on one Oldsmobile prototype by mistake. Earl saw it and ordered it produced that way although the stylists were horrified.

In 1951, Packard Motor Corporation recruited Teague and promoted him to Chief Stylist following John Reinhart's resignation. The restyled senior Packard line for 1955 was the first example of Teague’s ability to produce significant changes to a car’s look based on limited budgets. The facelift made Packard’s 1951 body shell look almost new, and Teague would be asked to do this again and again and again.

By 1957, the entire Packard styling team moved to Chrysler Corporation. Consequently, Teague became chief stylist of Chrysler's studio. However, because of management conflicts, Teague decided to work elsewhere.

Richard Teague joined American Motors Corporation as a member of Edmund Anderson's design team in 1959. When Anderson left AMC in 1961 (after designing the 1963 line), Teague was named principal designer. The first cars influenced by Teague's styling were the 1964 Rambler Classic and Ambassador and his clever adaptation of the Classic body for the all new compact 1964 Rambler American. Teague was promoted to the post of Vice President in 1964. He held that executive position until he retired from AMC in 1983, and at his retirement, Teague joked that the only Detroit auto company he had not worked for was Ford.

Teague was often quoted as referring to his many years at AMC as "Camelot." But, at AMC he faced very stiff budget restrictions, and Teague worked miracles for "the little fourth that could." He was a master of designing many variations of automobiles from a very limited number of basic stampings. The front and rear bumpers on the 1970 AMC Hornet were interchangeable, as they were for the Gremlin and later the Pacer, Concord and Spirit.

With the 1970 Gremlin, Teague created a subcompact from a compact (see Car Talk, Hey Lady, Where Is the Rest of Your Car? March 2008), but Teague was not immune to blunders. Exner had toilet seats, Anderson had V-line styling, Earl had enormous fins, and poor Richard Teague had the Pacer.

It is difficult to understand how the man who gave us the beautiful 1955-56 Packards designed the Pacer, but one should give him a break. The Pacer was designed to meet all federal safety standards of 1980 (standards that were later reversed or revised), to have a rotary engine designed by GM (which was cancelled after the first energy crisis), and rumored to have front wheel drive. Was it years ahead in design? Probably, since the cab forward look, begun by the Pacer, was adopted by Chrysler when they used actual AMC Pacer floor stamps for their LeBaron, Stratus and Breeze automobiles and continue to use them for their full-size cars today (how many times have I said this?).

Despite the Pacer’s reputation, Teague stayed on at AMC through 1983, where he worked more miracles by transforming the Hornet into the Concord in 1978 and the Gremlin into the Spirit in 1979 and both lines into the Eagle in 1980. The Concord alone saw an increase of almost 60 percent in production over the Hornet during its debut year and even better numbers in 1979.

I know I say a lot of nice things about Nash, Hudson, Rambler and American Motors, but now there is a reason. Although it had been over sixteen years since I had owned an antique car, a little over a month ago, I took the plunge – quite by accident when I became the highest bidder on a car that should have sold for hundreds more, and with the purchase of my 1982 AMC Spirit DL with a baby-blue corduroy interior, I am proud to say that my car was designed by Richard Teague.

If Richard, Bill, Raymond, Virgil, Edmund, Elwood, Duncan, Werner, and all the others I have mentioned or failed to mention were around today, no one would ever lose his car in a parking lot again. Interiors would be available in colors other than tan and gray, and a Cadillac would be available in aqua or pink. They just don’t design them like they used to!

Straights Eights Apparel and Other Fun Stuff Now Available

Did you ever wonder what T-shirt to wear to the monthly cruise-in? Is your apron becoming threadbare? Do you need another magnet for your refrigerator or perhaps a beach bag?

Well, the answer to all your problems is just a click away. The Straight Eights now has its own storefront on Zazzle, and the best part is the Club earns 10% of every purchase with no upfront costs. The store is located at http://www.zazzle.com/straighteights, or you click on the link on the Straight Eights home page.

You can order magnets, key chains, mouse pads, aprons, beach bags, travel mugs, and three different styles of T-shirts. Yes, there are three different styles of T-shirts, which include the large Straight Eights logo on the front, the large logo on the back, and the Thurston Howell version with the small logo over your breast, or you can order a hoodie, sweatshirt or baseball shirt by scrolling through the various styles available.

But, wait there’s more! Also, when you order a beach bag or several of the other items, you have many styles and colors to choose from, so don’t let the one design on the home page fool you. You can pick from many fabulous colors and sizes to fit your fabulous figure and complement your lovely complexion. And, those beach bags are going to be a hit when you go to the pool, and they are big enough to hold your bathing cap, Harlequin Romance, and Copper Tone as well.

So, buy some cool stuff and support the Straight Eights at the same time.

AutoWeek Magazine Selects America’s 50 Best Driving Routes

With the average price of gas exceeding $4.00 a gallon and bumper-to-bumper traffic throughout most of America’s cities, most drivers in the United States are feeling more pain than pleasure behind the wheel. This begs the question: Can driving still be fun? In celebration of AutoWeek’s 50th Anniversary, North America’s only weekly automotive-enthusiast magazine is bringing the joy of driving back to the roads with its selection of “The 50 Best U.S. Driving Routes.” The list covers AutoWeek editors’ picks of the most scenic, beautiful and open roads from across the country, just in time for those end-of-summer road trips.

Highlights from the AutoWeek’s “50 Best U.S. Driving Routes” include:

1. CALIFORNIA: Those in-the-know eschew the Pacific Coast Highway and do this instead: Take the 5 south, exit at Route 74 at San Juan Capistrano, and head east. This road goes all the way through Hemet and up to Idyllwild.

2. FLORIDA: Florida’s roads are as varied as its landscape. AutoWeek suggests a nice loop in central Florida that starts in Wesley Chapel and ends up in Clermont.

3. TEXAS: The Texas hill country is chock full of good driving roads and RR-47 between Utopia and Bandera could serve as the poster child for the region.

4. MICHIGAN: Upper Peninsula offers some great driving and spectacular views. Heading east on Hiawatha National Forest, routes take you through scenery that looks like locations for the Discovery Channel’s “Sunrise Earth” series.

5. NEW YORK: Drivers can pick up Taconic State Parkway about an hour north of the city in Westchester County. Narrow lines are bordered by Armco on one side, and granite walls on the other.

For complete details regarding the best driving routes, check out AutoWeek’s 50th Anniversary issue (copies available by contacting 888-288-6954) or visit http://www.autoweek.com/50roads. Don’t see your favorite stretch of road on the list? Go to AutoWeek.com and post your favorite U.S. route.

Club Member’s “Royal Coach” Featured in Collectable Automobile!

By Lou Vecchioni

I was at Barnes and Noble tonight perusing the magazine section, and I picked up the October 2008 Issue of Collectible Automobile, which has a feature called "1964-66 Imperial: Engel's Entree"

Lo and Behold, on page 50 there is a nice green '66 Imperial. I thought to myself "Wow, that looks just like NEAL'S car. His would look just as good there."

Then I noticed DC plates on the car, and I read the caption. "A split bench front seat with a passenger-side recliner was new in four-door models like the Crown hardtop sedan (Owner: Neal Herman)."

Nice to see a friend and fellow club member in such a magazine!

Note: Thanks to member Lou Vecchioni for taking a moment to write up this thoughtful notice. We’ve discovered (often after the fact) that there have been several members featured in regional and national publications, and we’d like nothing more than to feature them! But your humble editors can’t do it all and need your help! We’d welcome a volunteer reporter to keep tabs on such news items to keep the membership up to date. See the notice elsewhere in this issue to see how you can help!

The Straight Eights Board of Directors Needs You … Or at least Eight of You!

Have you enjoyed all the wonderful and fun-in-the-sun events the Straight Eights have planned this year? Are you looking forward to Beach Ball? Did you get enough to eat at the holiday party? Are you glad we are partnering with the Washington Animal Rescue League to help our furry friends?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you have the Straight Eights’ Board to thank for preparing, planning and approving all these events. And, now it is your turn to step up and help keep up the wonderful pace set by this year’s Straight Eights’ Board. As a matter of fact, eight of you are needed to fill out the slate of fine officers who will guide the Club’s direction and activities.

The Straight Eights’ Board meets every other month or as needed when special events, such as Beach Ball, are in the planning stages. They usually have been meeting at PW’s, with meetings only lasting a couple of hours. Quite a bit of Board business can be handled by email as well.

Duties of Board members include: helping run the club and attending the board planning meetings; meeting and greeting new members; recommending and planning new adventures; being on basic duty by making yourself known and visible at events; and helping run and take charge of events with your own group of little or big helpers.

The Straight Eights Board positions are:

President Vice President Treasurer Recording Secretary Membership Chair and Board Members At-Large

For information about the open positions and what they entail, email [email protected] . 13

ISO… Web Savvy Members to Assist Web Master!

Sit back, RELAX, and enjoy some vintage “WHINE”, “straight” from the webmaster himself ……

OK, guys, here’s how it is! As much as I LOVE and ENJOY the tasks and responsibilities of being your Webmaster, it’s sometimes a “lonely” job. I could use some HELP! Although the Web pages and the monthly newsletter are full of great content (in fact, some say maybe TOO MUCH so), I feel that we could use some creative “flair” in the design of the site – overall organization and display of all that content, choice and placement of pictures, etc., etc.

And, I could also use a bit of technical assistance with the process of image editing (i.e., pictures that are sent to me for inclusion in the site need various modifications with regard to things such as dimensions and file size) It’s not all that difficult a task (even a cave man could easily learn how to do it), but it does take a fair amount of time. To be “straight-up” with you, it’ll just make the work involved a bit easier and even MORE fun if I had some willing and able helpers to do it with. All it’ll take is some motivation and a few hours of time every month. And if you are totally unfamiliar and inexperienced with image editing and graphics, but are interested in learning some of it, I would be happy to assist you in that regard.

So, if you even THINK that you MAY be interested in helping with the Web site and newsletter publishing, please get in touch with me so that we can discuss the options. My email address is [email protected], and you can reach me by phone at 202-544-6244.

Thanks for your consideration,

John