Inside Thought Process Had Left Off Inevitably, I Would Tell Him, "Very Good, Charlie, but It Needs an Ending

ourna The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Issue 211 July-August 2004

5 james Bond Investigates the German Grand Prix Racers by Charles W Bishop www.autohistory.org Th e late Charles Bishop contributed a number of articles to SAH publications over the years. - Several of them anived while I was editing SAH j ournal and Automotive History Review. Editing Charlie was always an adventure. His stories tended to stop abruptly, just where his Inside thought process had left off Inevitably, I would tell him, "Very good, Charlie, but it needs an ending. How about something like ... "and I'd suggest a way to get out of the story "Okay," he would always say, and then he'd go off in another direction entirely It usually Editorial Comment 2 took about three or Jour times back and forth to get a manusc ript we both liked. Thi s was his last submission to the journal. It arrived in 1993 and had the usual prob President's Perspective 3 lem: no ending. This time, however, fate intervened, and before he could make his fi rst try at a proper ending he suffered a strok e. For a tim e, his wife, Mari on, and I hoped it would serve as SAH News 4 intellectual stimulation for his recovery, but he co uld neve r make the words come out right. To belatedly mark his passing it seems appropriate to publish what is probably the last of Charlie's distinctive pros e, and to leave it as it came: without an ending. Whatever conclusion Obituaries 4 we might editorially supply wouldn't have passed muster with him anyway Charles W Bishop Readers with knowledge of Grand Prix ca rs will notice an apparently anomaly. Th e H. judson ''lud" Holcombe Cisitalia and BRM were decidedly postwar, circa 1949. Th e Cisitalia is prominent in the report, which, despite its title, must have been written about that tim e. -Kit Foster Book Reviews 7 orne fifty years ago, during a sojourn in Sicily courtesy of the U.S. Government, American Cars, 1960 to1972: a British Intelligence report (British Intelligence Objectives Sub-Committee Overall Every Model, Year by Year SR eport No. 21. Th e Motor Car Industry in Germany During the Peliod 1939- 1945) Dirt Track Racing 1919- 1941: crossed my desk and was referred to casually-one might even hazard desultorily-as A Pictorial History was the operative word to my boss, the G2. Our big boss, General Patton, kept one horse busy, but it seemed unlikely that the 645 horses of the 1937 Ml25 Mercedes would Ford: 100 Years awaken any interest so the report found its way into my possession, leaving the 7th Army when I did. Letters 8 Its attraction was simple: the subject matter was familiar. We frequented Roosevelt Raceway at the edge of The Billboard 11 New York City during the carefree years before peace was achieved in our time, watching the duels be tween Germany's two stars Also Inside (three-pointed star and Bios of Board of Director Candidates four circles?), Mercedes 2004-2007 an d an Officia l Bal lot Benz and Auto Union. Deadline for ballots is September 1st. Mercedes-Benz Ml25 Registration for Ann ual Banquet at Grand Prix car developed Hershey-Deadline for reservations 645 hp. is Septe mber 30th. continued on page 6 01' Nat Had It Right

the journal this month was a bit of a slog. would like to see about 300 items. So I want to thank all the "Old Reliables" check your libraries for dispensable items who contributed to this issue. You light and send them in. ened the load considerably I received an excellent response to Thomas S. Jakups, Editor I want to re mind everyone that this my call for bbOk reviewers in the last issue contains the Hershey registration journal, and I'm sorry I had to disappoint h, these lazy, hazy, crazy days of form, which must be mailed in by so many members who had strong back summer. Seems like only yester September 30th, and the ballot for Board grounds in the subject matter of the A day I was at the Auto History of Director candidates, along wi th biog books to be reviewed. l hope these mem Conference in Dayton and now this issue raphies of the candidates, which must be bers wi ll submit reviews on their own for contains a registration form for the Annual postmarked by September l st. (Along future issues. Awards Banquet in Hershey These are with the front and back covers, this It was sad for me to publish the busiest months for my car appraisal busi makes three reminders-there is no belated obituary of Charles Bishop. It is ness and with summer in the Northeast excuse for any late entries.) unfortunate that Dr. Bishop's passing comes the car show and cruise season. I also want to remind the members escaped the notice of the membership for Oh, and what's that, honey7 No, I haven't that next issue wi ll contain the Silent so long. I chuckled a few times reading forgotten that li ttle vacation you planned Aucti on catalog. Leroy Cole tells me that his Page 1 article. Yes, Kit, editing Mr. for us away from cars. "So what?" you the donations for the auction are down Bishop's prose may have been challenging, may say OK, this is just my way of saying this year. There are currently some 240 but probably also quite enjoyable. that fo r your harried editor putting out items entered into the catalog and Leroy -Tom]akups

J Q!J.rn~.lIssue 211 July-August 2004 ~ Officers Publications Committee .SAH Journal (ISSN 1057-1973) Joseph S. Freeman President Christopher C. Foster, Chair is published six times a year by the Michael L. Berger Vice President Taylor Vinson · Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Darwyn H. Lumley Secretary Thomas S. Jakups Christopher C. Foster Treasurer Michael Lamm Subscription is by membership Beverly Rae Kimes in the Society. Board of Directors Through October 2004 Membership du es are $40 per year. Michael L. Bromley Paul N. Lashbrook Past Editors Send dues, membership inquiri es Leroy D. Cole Richard B. Brigham and changes of address to Through October 2005 Issues 1-29 Sept. 1969-(undated) 1973 Susan S. Davis John A. Marino Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. C. Marshall Naul Arthur W . Jones 1102 Long Cove Road Through October 2006 30-50 July 1973-Dec. 1976 Cales Ferry, CT 06335-1812 USA Samuel V. Fiorani Robert R. Ebert John Peckham Patricia Lee Yongue 51-59 Feb. 1977-)uly 1978 ©2004 Walter Cosden The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. SAH Journal 60-87 Nov. 1978-Dec. 1983 Thomas S. Jakups Find the Society of Automotive Historians Editor, Adverti sing Manager Richard B. Brigham on the web at www.autohistory.org. 37 Wyndwood Road 88-117 )an.jFeb. 1983- Nov.jDec. 1988 West Hartford, CT 06107 USA Christopher C. Foster 860- 236-0125 Fax 860-232-0468 118-157 )an.jFeb. 1989-)uly/Au g. 1995 Copy Deadline for Journa/212 emai l: journal@a utohistory.o rg Samuel V. Fiorani August 31st [email protected] 158-194 Sept./Oct. 1995- Sept./Oct. 2001

2 SAH Journ al No. 211 Rolling Sculpture Joseph S. Freeman, President

ere in Boston we recently had an But the whole idea of cars as art the potential buyer's cultural and styli sti c interesting announcement for and cultural representation strikes me as preferences' Why would someone want H auto enthusiasts. Our Museum one of the most interesting parts of our to preserve and treasure it7 lt gets to be of Fine Arts is to mount its first special hobby. Now that we are in the midst of kind of a game and invariably brings up exhibit in 2005 devoted entirely to the the season , we all know the huge num questions which owners are usually automobile , specifically some of the great ber of meets, tours, shows and cruises delighted to answer. While there is no cars in the collection of Ralph Lauren. All which take place almost every day dur accounting for taste in automotive histo of these machines will be from the very ing the summer, not to mention the ry, there always seems to be an interest pinnacle of design and engineering of weekends. What's particularly fun about ing twist in almost every car a proud their era, primarily focusing on high per this plethora of events is the enormous custodian brings out to show. formance marque of the 1930's: Bugatti, va riety of ve hicles that appear. With a The point l'm trying to make here Mercedes-Benz, Alfa Romeo, etc. ln a little effort the enthusiast can see every is that some of the best fun at any event way, for our fie ld it will be somewhat of a thing from the absolutely gigantic tour is the study and thought about cars as a breakthrough: the recognition by a major ing cars from the prosperous (and not so historian and cultural anthropologist. American art museum that automobiles prosperous) years of the 'teens, '20s and After all, anyone can ogle shiny paint per se are not just four-wheeled imple '30s to the tiny little micro-cars pro and fancy add-ons. For those of us who ments of transportation, but true repre duced by manufacturers working in an are willing to open our eyes and turn sentations of the art, style and culture of impoverished and gasoline starved post on our minds there are some wonderful their era. war Europe. stories out there waiting to be learned Now of course for most automotive Of course, l will have to admit to about all manner of vehicles. Thus, histori ans this is entirely "old hat." Any a certain level of personal snobbery in while 1 will no doubt be ecstatic about one who has attended a major concours or what grabs my attention on the field. the cars that are exhibited at the even a mall local car show will have seen Rows and rows of shiny '50s and '60s Museum of Fine Arts, l will also always some machinery that really catches the mass-produced sedans and convertibles have a place in my heart for all the other eye. After all , it's hard to walk past that don't rate very high on my list, while much less heralded bits of historic gleaming Ferrari Lusso, Duesenberg Model just about any racing car will get the "rolling sculpture." They will never be j , Pierce Great Arrow or Mercer Raceabout juices flowing. However, in recent years, ranked with the Rembrandts, Renoirs without a second look. Nor is the muse as president of the Larz Anderson Auto and Picassos of the vehicular world, um in Boston anything close to the first Museum and of SAH, l have come to much less see the inside of an art muse "Art Museum" (with the emphasis on the realize that variety really is the spice of um, but they are worth our attention capital "A") to have exhibited beautiful life. Now when l look at something that and respect nonetheless. automobiles. For example, in 1951 the would have left me cold a few years ago, So after you are finished with the Museum of Modern Art in New York l go through a kind of mental historical exotica, take a look at some of the sup broke the ice with a very famous show quiz about the four-wheeled object that posedly run-of-the-mill stuff too. You entitled "8 Automobiles" and less than ten is in front of me. Who designed and may surprise yourself. As the French say years ago the Montreal Museum of Fine made this car' What kind of innovations "Vive Ia difference!"-and this from a Arts put on a magnificent display entitled or individual peculiarities does it have' guy who owns a 1955 Messerschmidt "Moving Beauty," the catalog for which is a Who bought it and for what purpose/ and 1923 H.C.S.! masterpiece in itsel f. How does it represent its own era and -joe Freeman july-August 2004 3 the annual awards dinner in Hershey, their prizes will be presented to them at SAH:S annual dinner in Paris in February 2005.

Leland Chapter Meeting Michigan:S Leland Chapter of the SAH. met May 22nd for their spring activity. The members met at the Blackhawk Bar &: Grill in Richland and after lunch David Lyons gave an excellent presenta tion on the cars of Kalamazoo. The meeting moved to the Gilmore Car Museum a few miles up the road and Dunwoodie Archives The Dunwoodie Archives represent a to the CCCA Bam and Archives. SAH laced at AACA Library significant adjunct to the books, maga immediate Past President Dale Wells , the As voted by the SAH directors at the zines and manuals already in the archives "librarian," gave us a tour of the March meeting, the research archives of Library's holdings . facilities and gave us a peek at an Olds the late Ralph Dunwoodie have been The Ralph H. Dunwoodie Auto Family Album. Olds historian Helen placed on permanent loan at the AACA motive Research Archives will remain Early was impressed with the rare old Library and Research Center in Hershey, the property of SAH. The collection is photos, as were we all. We continued Pennsylvania. available to researchers during regular our tour of the rest of the museum The Dunwoodie Archives were hours of the AACA Library, 8:30 AM to which included the new Pierce-Arrow compiled over several decades of Ralph 345 PM Monday through Friday. The Building. The Gilmore Museum is Dunwoodie's career as an automotive Library is located at 501 West Governor expanding, offering a place where auto researcher. They consist of seventeen file Road, Hershey, Pennsylvania, adjacent to mobile clubs can house their collections cabinets of material on automobiles from AACA National Headquarters. and headquarters. 1895 to 1985 and marques from A to Z. The Dunwoodie Archives were -Leroy Cole In addition, there are several topical files transported to Hershey in mid-june. A for on engines, coachbuilders and some mal dedication is planned at a later date. associated information on aircraft. -Kit Foster SAH voted to acquire the collec tion to enable it to remain intact, and it Nominations for Non-English sought a partnership with a "bricks and Language Cugnot Prize mortar" institution in order to make it and Award of Distinction accessible to the general public. The Four books have been nominated for the directors found the proposal from AACA best book in a language other than to be the most advantageous out of five English for the year 2003, announced received. the chair of the awards committee, Ralph Dunwoodie, a founding Taylor Vinson. member of SAH, was for many years chief Two of the books are in French: of research for William Harrah at the Har Trintignant-Wimille: un champion et son The Leland Chapter meeting provided an rah Collection in Reno, evada. After maitre, by Maurice Louche, and Renault opportunity for these three former SAH Harrah's death Ralph continued his re en Afrique: Croisieres automobiles et raids presidents to get together. (1-r) Dale search in private practice until his passing aeriens 1901-1939, by Marie-Christine Wells, Leroy Cole, Sinclair Powell in March 2003. He was named a Friend Rouxel. The remaining two are in Ger of Automotive History in 1989. man and Polish respectively: BMW Obituaries The AACA Library and Research Automobile, by Halwart Schrader, and Sto Charles W. Bishop Center is a separate corporate entity Lat Polskiej Motoryzacji, by Stanislaw (1909-2000) from its parent organization, the Antique Szelichowski (1 00 years of the Polish The Society has recently learned of the Automobile Club of America. It is like motor industry). passing of founding member Charles wise a separate activity from the new The members of this year's awards Wakefield Bishop, who died on March 29, AACA Museum. The Library welcomes committee are Dr. Frank Gump, Beverly 2000. A long-time resident of New all researchers to its facilities and also Rae Kim es and Matthew Sonfield. Haven, Connecticut, and more recently handles research requests by mail. If the winners are unable to come to of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Charlie was

4 SAH Journal No. 211 present at the creation of SAH on Oct projects would follow, including several setts, where he volunteered. It was here ober 11 , 1969 and remained active until stints abroad, until we both left GM. that many of jud's friends gathered on a suffe ring a stroke in the mid-1990s. After GM j ud worked for Lockheed bright and cool june day this year to be A graduate of the Hoosac School and later Booz All en Hamilton in Bethes with him and celebrate his li fe. and Yale University, his particular interest da, Maryland, where he met his bride-to jud was an investo r. He invested was cars of the fin de siecle era, especially be , Sharon, and offered me my first free himself in helping other people- as an in France. His book La France et !'Auto lance job. It was as my contract engineer almost fulltime fa ther of Lindsey and mobile was published in France, after he that he found Dave Anderson's Elkridge, Leslie, as a helpmate to Sharon, as the obtained his doctorate from l'Unive rsite Maryland, fiberglass shop in which to financier and produce r of my French car de Lyo n. Written in French, the book was build our solar golf cart proto type. The book, Classics on the Street. He was one of the first winners of the Cugnot fac t that this shop buil t custom street involved in dozens of projects with me Award. It has never been translated into rods was a pleasant dive rsion for jud. and his many other friends. English. He also contributed many articles Living so close our friendship flow He loved people and cars. He was to Automoti ve History Review, of particular ered. We went to Hershey, Carlisle and an early member of the Sports Car Club interest "La Voiture a Vapeur de Cugnot," Detroit car meets, Macungie, Allentown of America, the ociety of Automotive on our "patronal machine" in No. 2l and Dunn Loring toy vehicle meets, even Engi neers, the Society of Automotive (despite its title, written in English). Oshkosh, Geneseo and Wilmington avia Historians, the Larz Anderson Automo In his yo uth, Charli e was an inve t ti on meets. Finally we did the big one and tive Museum and, in France, the Salmson erate tinkerer, and he built four automo hit Retromobile in Paris-three times. Club. His stories of rebuilding his biles, each an evolution of its predeces jud bought a fixer-upper with a Salmson and rallying with it in England sor, that he badged "CWB" after himself. barn on a patch of land in New Hamp and France could fi ll a book. Had he He liked long whee lbases, cantilever shire, close to his now former wife, lived longer his next real-li fe adventure springs and right-hand drive, all of Sharon, and their two daughters, Leslie would have been rallying through France which appeared on one car or another. and Lindsey It was also close to some in a Model T Ford to re-enact a book he He is perhaps the only member to rate auto racing tracks and the Larz Anderson enj oyed. A busy guy A bunch of laughs, his own entry in the Standa rd Catalog of Auto Museum in Brookline, Massachu- and generous. That was jud. American Cars 1805-1942. -Bob Straub Charlie's wife, Marion, passed away on December 13, 2003. There are The Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild: no known survivors. - Kit Foster An Illustrated History. by John L. Jacobus THIS IS THE ONLY DEFINITIVE WORK ON THE HISTORY OF THE FBCG! H. Judson Holcombe ISBN:0-7864-1719-6 • 336 pages • 150 photos, charts, index, (1930-2004) appendices, bibliography, hardcover, 7x10" • $49.95 + $4.s/h H. judson "jud" Holcombe died on june The Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild was a national auto 23rd in Milford , New Hampshire. design competition sponsored by the Fisher Body Div. jud came to General Motors of General Motors for teenagers to compete for college Styling (now Design) in the mid-1950s. scholarships by designing and building scale model I came in 1959. We both worked in the "dream" cars. Held from the 1930s through the 1960s, Research Studios under Bob Mcl ean for it helped identify and nurture a whole generation of most of our GM careers. Most of us re designers and executives. vered Bob and we had fun, too, design ing very advanced concept cars and com ponents, such as the Monza GT Corvair coupe. j ud designed the frame, suspen sion and control systems, Larry Shinoda, the exteri or styling, and I and an assis tant, the interior and ergonomics. After others had go ne home, j ud and I worked many nights folding foamcore to build an [email protected] EXPECTED FALL 2004 interior/frame from which many of the Author: FBCG Friends & Assoc. • 10103 Gates Ave • Silver Springs MD 20902 real parts would be molded or shaped. McFarland & Co., Inc. PRE-ORDER ONLINE: www.mcfarlandpub.com From jud I learned cooperation with MAIL PRE-ORDER: Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640 • l-800-253-2187 • Fax 336-246-4403 expediency and it was fu n. Ma ny more July-August 2004 5 James Bond continued from page 1 A pleasant relationship with the director, resemblance of todays formula cars to Still vivid in my mind is the immediate whose name is now forgotten, led to the vacuum cleaners. Auto Union was my reaction of the Auto Union cars when acquisition of complete sets of that won preference, and in the detailed analysis of their rea r engines were goosed into an derful annual Rapiditas. The first few the cars in the text no mention is made excited scream as the motors came to years had simultaneous English, French of the unhappy history of its drivers. li fe. Todays spectators are probably blase and Italian texts; later years were slightly Onl y Bernd Rosemeyer escaped, and he as the technique is no longer novel. less elegant, but had the virtue of large only fo r a time. The authors of the report were actual photographs of the races and rac Earls assessment of the merits of Maurice Olley, then chief research engi ers tipped in. What a wonderful source the two designs cites problems that each neer of Va uxhall , and Cameron C. Ea rl , of illustrations for articles and books I manufacturer met by modifyi ng suspen director of Automotive Patents Ltd. A complete set we nt to my lamented sion, but assigns superiority to neither. Ac tuall y, Earl was the author of the sec friend of forty years, Peter Heick, who My fondness for trailing-arm front sus tion on German racing cars 1934-39. channeled other sets to other enthusiasts. pension enforces my preference for Auto An interesting disclaimer on the inside 1 do not reca ll selling my last set, but it Union, and I found particularly interest iront cover says, 'The opinions expressed seems to have disappeared . Other treas ing the comment " ... the established fact in the Report are those of the Authors ures from this period included a silk Oag, that both Mercedes-Benz and Auto Uni on and should not be regarded as any about a meter square and embroidered would not adopt any feature of design, statement of Government policy." Some with the seal of the Club, and an assort although technicall y superior to their of our readers may have authored a ment of badges, including one engraved own, if firmly associated in the public study not consonant with organization "Campione d'Itali a." I failed to negotiate mind with the rival organization in each policy. Armed with sufficient standing to the purchase of two large F Gordon case. As an example of this can be quoted avoid a veto they will recognize the Crosby paintings. The director was a statement by Uhlenhaut (chief engi neer phraseology. amenable, but our High Command had of the Me rcedes-Benz racing department The opening paragraph offers an put into effect laws that prevented the from 193 7 to 1940) to the effect that interesting comment: 'The trade secrets transfer or sale of art obj ects. Mercedes would not contemplate the use it was hoped to learn were not learned. The illustrations in the report are, of a trailing-arm front suspension system They did not seem to be there. They with one exception, of Auto Union and on account of this being an accepted existed largely as 'know-how' in the Mercedes Grand Prix cars, and they give Auto Union design feature." minds of individ uals, and were not com an understanding of the development, A sleeper in the report bears on the municable." In trying to encapsulate the the quality, the perfection of the concept. Cisitalia being worked on at the time by essentials of the Report we seem to have To me it is purely personal, idiosyncratic, Dr. Porsche and Professor Eberan, which, gotten a little heavy, but the authors have satisfying- what a racing machine ought despite fina ncial problems, was expected done a remarkable thing: forty- five pages to be. Old men have their limits, but it is to provide effective competiti on for the are given ove r to a resume of the Ge r of no consequence to me that a NAS CAR new 1. 5-li ter BRM . man car industry, all classes of vehicles, racer can go faster, nor can I shake the continued on page 1 0 and a glance at the autobahnen, and only twe nty-five comprise the "Racing Car Section," but the fourteen photographic plates are of the racing cars- and only the racing cars. I did not know these authors, but I feel a kinship with them, based on a pre sumption that they were part of the Intelligence, that their talents were not totall y absorbed while they were there and that Cameron Earl's research on German race cars was given a top-dress ing of serving as guidance for the British Left, top: Author Bishop liked Auto Union's motor industry after the war. It so hap trailing arm front suspension. pened that my talents were not totally Above: Auto Union's rear engine made an absorbed either, and after our Sicilian "excited scream." victory I spent a happy day in the Auto Left: Mercedes used A-arm front suspen mobile Club of Palermo, sometime head sion. Trailing arm would have been "too quarters for the famous Targa Florio. Auto Union." 6 SAH journal No. 211 America as well as in Europe, the origin of auto racing is inextricably bound to the bil lows of dust that the first mighty monsters of the road stirred up to create a firmament at once dangerous and distinctive. If the American cowboy astride his galloping horse, kicking up swirls of dust, marks the origin of a culture hero, the early auto racer is his direct descendant. In fact , as Rad Boo I< bruchs book proves, cowboy and auto racer evinced their real and symbolic rela Revie\Ns tionship during the some thirty years they shared the countless "bullrings" and horse racing tracks at state and county fairs. American Cars, 1960 to 1972: Every This book is highly recommended Don Radbruch professes he merely Model, Year by Year by]. "Kelly" Flory, to everyone with even a modicum of makes "a dent" in the 90 percent of Jr. 2004, ISBN 0-7864-1273-9. Hard interest in the cars of this era. Kelly is an information about pre-WWll American bound, 8.5 by 22 inches, 944 pages, SAH member. On a per onal note, I can't dirt-track racing that has gone unac 1,018 photographs. McFarland & begin to tell you what a thrill it is for me knowledged. uch a "dent," however, Company, Inc. , Box 611,jefferson, C to see so much fabulous automobile his would cost the car owner a bundle at the 28640, 800-253-2187 $65 .00, 69.00 tory being written by the Society that has body shop. Dirt Track Auto Racing metic postpaid www.mcfarlandpub.com long been so close to my heart. ulously retrieves that lost history from -Beverly Rae Kimes myriad small town newspapers, race pro I love this book. I've been writing largely grams, team records and especially from about pre-World War ll cars for a long marvelous private photo collections and time, so long that a lot of the cars that were Dirt Track Auto Racing 1919- 1941: scrapbooks-such as those belonging to new when I began have become history A Pictorial History, by Don Radbruch, the racer Fred Horey's family, to vintage since. Its about time I learn more about 2004, I BN 0-7864-1725-0 oftcover, racer joe Freeman and to enthusiastic them, and this is the perfect book for me. 330 pages, 605 photographs McFarland spectator Larry Sullivan. Sullivans exten That the author is a technical & Company, Inc. , Box 6ll,jefferson, C sive collection, for example, contains accounting analyst shows in the splendidly 28640, 800-253- 2187. 39.95 over 5000 photos. Radbruch also draws well-organized presentation of this vol upon the memories and knowledge of ume. Finding a reference is super easy Don Radbruchs third book, Dirt Track Auto technical history of the few remaining Listings-literally "Every Model, Year by Racing 1919-1941: A Pictorial History, cele racers, like himself, and upon published Year"-are impressively complete: body brates an era and genre of American motor accounts in hidden auto racing history styles, base prices, engine and transmis sports that together celebrate the very sur gems like Phyllis Devine's little monthly sion choices, power ratings, standard face upon which the automobile first flexed journal, The Alternate. equipment, major options with prices, its muscle: good, old-fashioned dirt. In cmrtinued on page 10 9 curb weight, dimensions interior and exte rior, paint choices, changes from model previous, sales figures , assembly plant WANTED: L locations. More than a thousand photo 1900-1975 graphs provide visual documentation. AUTOMOBILE ITERATURE The '60s and early '70s represented I buy sales brochures, repair & owner's manuals, books, significant change as well as both consoli showroom items, artwork, models & toys, posters or any items dation and proliferation in the automobile pertaining to automobiles, trucks or motorcycles ... industry A lot of people call the period the I travel to purchase collections. "muscle car era," those rambunctious years when horsepower was king before the gas Walter Miller crisis hit with a reality check. Obviously]. 6710 Brooklawn Pkwy. "Kelly" Flory, Jr. loves these cars. His enthu Syracuse, NY 13211 USA siasm shines through in the introductions 315-432-8282 fax 315-432-8256 preceding each model segment, which are e-mail: info@ autolit.com written with authority and clarity

July-August 2004 7 Luth, the Olive Wheel Company and Autoville, Inc. l hope that one of these companies might have some records. -Colin Bruder

New Is Old and Old Is New While culling an old copy of Town & Country (1923) for car ads for my collec tion, l came across this notice of electric taxicabs for New York City. ln this day of interest in hybrids, I thought it might be of interest to SAH members. /llllllllllll/lllttr ... -Macdonald Leach Letters Birthdate Needed for Holley small brass plate pinned to the right l am the proud current custodian of a hand wooden side member of the engine Holley Auto buggy. (l hate to say compartment. "owner" as no one really "possesses" a A 1970 letter from Burke indicated piece of automotive history-we can at that he he had purchased the vehicle best only look after it temporarily!) from an old gentleman who stated that The Holley has an original Holley he had owned it for over 40 years and The new electric taxicab. Something new Tricycle engine fitted into an 1850s that it had been made in a blacksmith on the crowded streets of New York is horsedrawn buggy. The Veteran Car shop in New York (Olive Wheel the fleet of electrically operated taxicabs made by Rauch&: Lang, Inc., well known Club of Great Britain confirmed after a for many years as producers of electric detailed examination that the carrriage passenger vehicles. was originally horsedrawn. No carriage maker's plate could be found, yet The Queen Learns About SAH according to a file on the car such a The high point of my recent visit to plate was present when the car was in London was the garden party at Buck the possession of a previous owner, C. E. ingham Palace, observing the 250th Burke. This plate indicated the makers anniversary of the founding of the Royal to be Lauerman & Luth of Storrs, Ohio. Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Below the slatted radiator screen is Manufactures, and Commerce (RSA) to pinned a disc carrying the embossed leg which I belong. The Queen is the Patron end "New York Motor Vehicle Law" and Company of Syracuse, New York?) of the RSA, and Prince Philip succeeded the number 33679 stamped diametrical Although the car sports a 1905 her as President 52 years ago. ly. lt has been established that the disc New York registration disc, it probably Shortly before leaving the States, I was issued in cl905. The only other pre-dates this as I believe that registra had been notified that I would be one of number found is "233" stamped on a tion only came in in 1905. lf that$ the those presented to the Queen as she went case, we might be talking about one of to her tea tent. l have no idea how I was the earliest examples of a four-wheeled, chosen. We were arranged in groups, and combustion powered vehicle produced each of us had given our group leader in the United tates. ln 1971 Burke. some brief bio information which he had president of Autoville, Inc., transferred put on white index cards. As my tum title to what is referred to in the bill of carne and she extended her hand, our sale as a 1896 Holley Autobuggy to leader read from his palmed index card Am power Corporation, of New York. that "Taylor Vinson is a [past] president of The Veteran Car Club of Great the Society of Automotive Historians. Britain is unable to date my Holley with "What's that7" she asked firml y, out some documentary evidence as to its looking at me as straight in the eye as provenance. l am looking for informa anyone ever has. Not being prepared for tion, such as addresses for Latterman & that question, I punted: "We exist to

8 SAH Journal No. 211 promote automotive history, and we cor by its four wheels. and the gearshift is operable. Paul even rect errors where we find them. We have It comes complete with a detailed included a carving of the pencil his 100 members in the U.K. and Lord 235-cubic-inch, six-cylinder engine, an father had kept over the sun visor and Montagu is one of them." exhaust system, brake lines and cables, the drive-in speaker that his dad had "I don't doubt it," she said, laugh steering linkage, leaf springs and axles. inadvertently driven off with years ago. ing. "He's a good man at that." Then we Interior features include a dash The project took Paul, than a parted and she went on her way greeting board with radio, workable glove com student at Indiana University in others. partment, ignition with key, ash tray and Pennsylvania, 500 hours to complete -Taylor Vinson defroster and heater knobs. The steering and cost $500 wheel turns, the doors open and close - Nelson Bolan Now Here's a Woody Your request in journal 210 for one-of-a kind items reminded me of a truck a college student built out of wood. As a semester art project, Paul Alberth, of Ellwood, Pennsylvania, built a full-size wooden replica of a 1957 Chevy pickup truck, modeled after his father's truck. According to a Chevrolet press release , no metal was used anywhere. More than 60 major pieces and count less knobs and hinges fit together to form the vehicle, which can be taken apart for transporting. All that holds the truck together is about 900 feet of dow els. The truck is completely supported Paul Alberth's one-of-a-kind wooden replica of a 1957 Chevy pickup

tTfie ~ Story- Prom ~e8innin8 to ~nd by Bill Cuthbert Deadline to pre-order the Commemorative Edition is September 15, 2004

The Hupmobile Story - From Beginning to End is an The H upmobile Story - important and comprehensive study of a significant niche of Qty Price Total American automotive history and thoroughly describes a marque From Beginning to End which heretofore has not been adequately covered. This volume Genuine Bonded Leather Edition $74.00 provides an in-depth look at this once-important contributor to Deluxe Standard Edition $34.95 automotive excellence. Over 400 illustrations, taken from original sources made Embossing- $6.00 per book* $6.00 Postage and Handling: $6.50 for fir t available during the life of the Hupmobile, erve to complement Shipping the detailed text and to depict the gradual evolution of this power book, $4.00 fo r each additional book ful and styli sh automobile. Specifications, serial numbers and Indiana residents add 6 o/r sales tax to Tax wiring diagrams provide additional aid to the restorer wishing to total of books plus Postage & Handling. va lidate his own Hupmobile. The first 500 copies pre-ordered will contain a printed (•Due to limited resale ability, embossetfbooks TOTAL personal note from Bill Cuthbert and be numbered to enhance the cannot be retunu.>dfor a refimd.) book's col lective va lue. Commemorative Edition will be added to the cover design to distinguish the e copies from the standard I I I I I I I I I I : I I I I I I i I I l I editions. It is antic ipated the post-production price will be Name( s) to be embossed (Limited to 24 spaces per book) approximate!y ii2iiO!i~io iii. ?.;;r::::=~ The Hupm obil~ Swry For credit card orders ca ll From Begin11ing to End 1-888-263-4702 a me Snul orr/..,.fon/1 wuiJHI\ " "''" to M .T Puhl1,hmg Compan). Inc. Address P.O . Box 6802 Evansville. I 47719-6802 City StalL' Zip ( 8 1::! - ~6 8-80::!::! . 1-888 - :!6 3- ~ 70::! T elephone 11 11 11 mtpuhlish111g .com

July-August 2004 9 Radbruch well negotiates the Index, and Ac knowledgment pages that of manufacture. These things happen and I difficulty of separating formulaic "hype" testify to his considerable research make think we are all aware of such examples. from fac t and of determining which for pleasurable reading and scholarship. On the brighter side of Ford histmy it contemporary motorsport journalists -Pat ricia Lee Yongu e can cite with pride the millions of Model T were reliable. Similarly, the proliferation Fords and the (second) Model "A" plus the of race venues, "Special" cars and driv swing into the great V-8s of the 1930s. ers, some of which and whom lasted Ford: 100 Years, by Michael Mueller. When 1 was a young boy, Model Ts abound only one or two races before they disap 2003, ISB 0-7603-1580-9. Hard ed, priced within reach of the working man, peared, suggests important facets of cul bound, 10.5 h x 1l.75h, 192 pages, 450 readily repairable and in many places out tural and technical history but proves a photos, 50 color. MBI Publishing Co., selling all other makes of cars combined I challenge to historians that Radbruch 380 j ackson St. , St. Paul, M 55101 othing could be truer than the fact that effectively meets. 800- 826- 6600 $29.95 "Henry Ford put America on wheels" and Repeating a strategy of his first www.motorbooks.com that was an understatement. The same two books, histories of America's "roar could apply anywhere in the world . ing roadsters," Radbruch employs a geo This could truthfully be described as a The color photography in Ford .· 100 graphical organization , moving from "coffee table" volume, but only if the cof Years is outstanding throughout, and cov west to east and finally up into Canada. fee provided is Starbucksl For it is much erage extends beyond the cars. For here we What he creates is a moving, three more than that and presents the reader find the Ford badge on trucks, tractor-trail dimensional map filled with a populace with a rather good capsule description of ers, minivans, SUVs, racing cars, jeeps and enthusiastic about auto racing, whether what Ford is and has been for the last airplanes. And don't forget the "Fordson" as participant or spectator, whether at century of car building. name on tractors. We can also see and read Legion Ascot Speedway in Southern Starting with a brief rundown of its about the '57 Mercury and '79 Mustang, California or at the Ruskin Track , a mile experimental days, Mueller then explains which served as pace cars in the Indiana oval in use from 1914 to 1931, in what Ford has been all about from its (first) polis 500 races those years. Forestburg, South Dakota. Noted racers Model "A" $850 runabouts of 1903 to the In a good many texts accompanying like Rex Mays, Ralph DePalma, and current Ford GT40, at $100,000 apt com the featured cars one can read the specifi John Gerber are flanked by hundreds of petition for the Dodge Viper! Between these cations of the cars plus their model avail less-known drivers like AI Gasta and two series there is a remarkable assortment ability, production statistics and prices. Leo Young. Radbruch also includes of makes and models produced over the Ford: 100 Years may be fine on a cof chapters on women racers such as years under the Ford umbrella. Cars such as fee table, but it should be watched as it is a Elfreida Mays, minority racers such as the Lincoln, Mercury, Thunderbird and "keeper" for any good automotive library Rajo Jack and an all-but-forgotten color Edsel (named for Henrys son) which turned Cast your eyes on a copy I think you'll want ful figure of Ameri can cultural history, out to be the wrong car at the wrong time a copy of your very own. I'm keeping mine! the race promoter. Radbruch's congenial, and was, I thmk, chastised to death by the - Keith Marvin often anecdotal style, and his Contents, auto buying public during its short period

]ames Bond continued from page 6 A paragraph on chassis layout and weight distribution brings to mind the Most literature is eventually destroyed. memorable performance of Peter Ustinov in his one-man enactment of Grand Prix When it is no longer of interest it often deteriorates in attics, basements and garages. racing: the French pits were offering Why store it when you can sell it? cognac to visitors, while the Germans Let other collectors enjoy your literature. very methodically explained how bal We preserve it in our climate-controlled building. ance was achieved by having the driver No collection is too large. do a split, with one leg forward and one Contact the world's top buyer of all types of automotive literature. leg back. The trigger phrase in the report was "Efforts were made to centralize the ROBERT C. McLELLAN fuel load as much as possible in the case of the later Mercedes machines ... by SAH Member #1011 (1984) the addition of a 'saddle' tank mounted Mail: 9111 Longstaff Drive, Houston, TX 77031 under the scuttle, surrounding the dri E-Mail: [email protected] ver's legs. " Of course the saddle tank Phone: 713-772-3285 Fax: 713-772-3287 obviated the split. • 10 SAH Jo urnal No. 2 11 produced from the 1920s to the late 1990s. Paul G. McLaughlin, 2 720 Tennessee NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, 505-296-2554, [email protected]

Material Wanted Does anyone have a spare copy of the errata and supplemen tal notes which were issued as a separate 16-page booklet in 1984 as a supple ment to the original edition (1981) book The Miller Dynasty, by Mark L. Dees, or would anyone be prepared to lend me For Sale 1. photocopy of complete set information on principals involved in one7 l will take very good care of it. or CCA newsletters 1952-1958; financing, engineering and design of l have the book but do not have this 2. photocopy of complete set of SCCA these cars, V-12s in particular. Photos or supplement. Any help would be very Trans-Am results each race from 1966 information on extant examples. lam much appreciated. Bill Cummings, through 1979. 3. photocopy of complete positioned to buy or trade from my orig 19 Myrtle Close, Alphington, Exeter, set of SCCA F-5000 results for each race inal Pathfinder material. Fred Summers, EX2 8UX, Devon, England 1968 thru 1976. $40 for each set or 8032 Park Drive, Richmond Heights, [email protected]. uk. $105 for all three, includes postage. MO 63117-1434, 314-645-3576 Mille Martin, 5533 Mutiny Sands Rd , For Sale More of my extensive collec Freeland, WA 98249 Photographs Wanted Vintage photo tion of car books (classics, foreign, sports [email protected] graphs of Ford medium duty trucks (1112- cars, antique, technical, etc.) Send SASE to 2-ton rated) for a book project l am for all new 4-page list. Bemie Weis, 135 Coauther Wanted With japanese and working on. The book will cover trucks Edgerton Street, Rochester, NY 14607 English language skills to work with me in expanding the brief Mitsubishi history which l presented at the recent Automo his is an exhaustive reference tive History Conference into a fuli T to American automobiles of Oedged book, perhaps encompassing the the muscle car era, 1960-1972. entire scope of Asian industrial develop Organized by model year and make, it provides a ment. Thomas E Saal, 1488 West yearly update on each make's Clifton Blvd. , Lakewood, OH 44107 status and production figures, then 216-521-3588, [email protected] details all models offered for that Editor's Note: Tom has a new e-mail year. address so replies to his ad in journal Model listings include body 210 may not have reached him. styles, base prices, engine and transmission choices, power rat Material Wanted Original automobile ings, standard equipment, major manufacturers stock certificates to add options and their prices, curb weight and dimensions, paint to collection. Unissued, issued, cancelled choices, changes from the previous in good condition. Send description or model, and production figures. copy with price. Ken Yerama, 221 Also provided are assembly plant Freeport Drive, Bloomingdale, IL 60108 J. "Kelly" Flory, Jr. Editor's Note: A couple of key words $65 hardcover (8'h x II ) were dropped in Ken's ad in journal 210 0-7864-1273-9 2004 so it is being run again.

Material Wanted On Pathfinder Company, Indianapolis, Indiana 1912- I McFarland 1917. Looking for original literature of Box 6ll Jefferson C 28640 · Orders 800-253-2187 · FAX 336-246-4403 • www.mcfarlandpub.com any kind or photocopies; pictures and July-August 2004 11 FIRST CLASS PRESORT U.S. Postage Q.IJ.rn~,l PAID J Issue 211 July-August 2004 Hartford , CT The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Permit #75 1 37 Wyndwood Road West Hartford, CT 06107

Inside Bios of Board of Director Candidates 2004- 2007 and an Official Ballot-Deadline for ballots is September 1st. Registration for Annual Banquet at Hershey-Deadline for reservations is September 30th.

YOU DRIVE, Sheila, I'm too wired. This photo is captioned on the reverse, "Chrysler robot, Nov. 1960." Does anyone with a Chrysler engineering background remember coming across this gentle man? The nameplate on the "brain" reads "Instrumentation Research" and carries the Forward Look logo. Kit Foster collection