The Society of Automotiver Historians, Inc. Issue 218 September-October 2005
Writing the History of Our Hobby 7 By jim Crabtree
he job of a historian is twofold. The first is to document facts: names, dates, www.autohistory.org places, etc. The second and perhaps more important job is to interpret those T facts. A transcription of history really doesn't do anybody any good. The real value of history is the lessons that it can teach to future generations. To not study history Inside is to be condemned to repeat the same fai lures and to be unable to replicate the recog nized successes. Good history is written from a distance in time because it is only from that perspective that the lessons become clear and an interpretation of the facts becomes Editorial Comment 2 possible Great men throughout the ages have all understood that their true legacy could not be written until long after their deaths. The Society of Automotive Historians is sup posed to be populated by historians, but are we fulfilling our duties and responsibilities President's Perspective 3 to the present age and to those not yet born? Reviewing the written works of automotive historians 1 would conclude that, yes, the first responsibility of an historian has been fu lfilled admirably I have yet to meet an SAH News 4 automotive historian who was not a collector, carefully buying, cataloging and reviewing brochures, dealer albums, advertisements and the like. Automotive historians have writ ten many excellent books that very skillfully document numbers, codes and model iden Book Reviews 7 tification. In fact documenting these isolated facts seem to be our strongest trait, but is it Karosserien nach Mass our best? Wend/er-1923-1963 As much as I love cars I actually have become tired of reading carefully researched historical reviews about an automobile that was produced in the early 1900s by an Vintage American Road Racing undercapitalized manufacturer who was only able to turn out one prototype and four Cars 1950-1970 production models of which none are known to exist today Yes, this is history, but writ Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque ing this does not fulfill our real role as historians. It is time that the work of automotive historians rises to the next academic level and makes comments about the facts , distills the lessons learned and concludes our writings with historical morals that are applicable Letters 10 to the future .
Historical hobbyists? Billboard 15 This historical writing that does seek to extrapolate lessons has appeared in some well-writ ten books and articles. Most especially it is those that cover the saga of the American auto motive industry as the tide of imports engulfed it in the 1970s. But this critique of histori cal events does not appear in most other works. Perhaps the reason that we are not as criti cal of people and events as we should be during our research is that we are really just his torical hobbyists and not academes. We seem to be just too emotionally attached to our cars and our collections, and perhaps it is too painful to conclude through historical study that the cars we love the best are the ones that should never have been produced. Every SAH member is thoroughly familiar with the stories about gas guzzling, over-chromed, over-powered, wooden bodied, two passenger, impractical examples of road an that con stantly fill our hobby publications. These articles are not real historical study Had the lessons of history related to automotive design and development been continued Olt page 6 I'm Lovin' the Buzz
And speaking of letters, I am particular brands to the exclusion of always gratifi ed to hear from you lt everything else. In their "not seeing the shows you are reading the journal and forest for the trees" they are cheating you find it worth your while to add your themselves out of the rich heritage of the knowledge to the mix. This issue's mail automobile, in Detroit and throughout bag contains more on ale in cars, an the world. admonition to never stop asking ques I wonder if there is a correspon tions and a lengthy "setting the record ding myopia when it comes to automo Thomas S. Jakups, Editor straight" that should provoke a few com tive history: an interest in only certain ments. All in all , an issue with a certain periods of history- "the history of your his issue was fun for me to put buzz. Thank you, members. youth"7. That, too, would be very limit together. lt is chock full of good l am also happy to announce that ing. T stuff-Hershey and next spring's my call for articles in the last journal did l just want to take a moment to say History Conference, the upcoming World not go unheeded. I have already heard a few words about my colleague on the Forum, chapter news, a member advanc from several members and their works facing page. For the past two years l have ing in his career and another completing will grace the front pages of upcoming had the pleasure of talking to and listen a most worthwhile project. issues. I still need book reviews. ing to joe Free man at Board meetings and And that's just the "SAH ews." As the summer winds down l start history conferences and have always jim Crabtree makes some excellent points to ref1ect on the latest car show season. come away impressed with the depth of in his front-page article "Writing the His At show after show l have witnessed his knowledge about cars and his exuber tory of Our Hobby." I look forward to a what jim Crabtree calls that "phenomena ant love for the Society. Thank you, joe, continuing discussion of our role as auto of being interested in only the cars of for your contributions to these pages. motive historians in upcoming issues. your youth." I see people taking it fur Don't be a stranger. l can see the letters being written now. ther by zeroing in and identifying with -Tom)akups Q.tJ.fll~ , ~ J Issue 218 Se ptember- Octobe r 2005 Officers Publications Committee SAH Journal (ISSN 1057- 1973) Joseph S. Freeman President Christopher G. Foster, Chair is published six times a year by the Michael L. Berger Vice President Taylor Vinson Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Da rwyn H. Lumley Secretary Thomas S. Jakups Christopher G. Foster Treasurer Michael lamm Subscription is by membership Beverly Rae Kimes in the Society. Board of Directors Through October 2005 Membership dues are $40 per year. Susa n S. Davis John A. Marino Past Editors Send du es, membership inquiries Arthur W. Jones Richard B. Brigham and changes of address to Through October 2006 Issues 1-29 Sept. 1969- (undated) 1973 Samuel V. Fiorani Robert R. Ebert Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Patricia lee Yongue G. Marshall Naul 1102 long Cove Road Through October 2007 30-50 july 1973-Dec. 1976 Gales Ferry, CT 06335- 1812 USA Michael Bromley Paul N. Lashbrook John Peckham Stanton A. lyman 51-59 Feb. 1977 - july 1978 ©2005 Walter Gosden The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. SAH Journal 60-87 Nov. 1978-Dec. 1983 Thomas S. Jakups Find the Society of Automotive Historians Editor, Advertising Manager Richard B. Brigham on the web at www.autohistory.org. 37 Wyndwood Road 88-117 jan.jFeb. 1983-Nov.jDec. 1988 West Hartford, CT 06107 USA Christopher G. Foster 860-236-0125 Fax 860-232-0468 118-157 jan.jFeb. 1989-julyjAug. 1995 Copy Deadline for Journal 219 email: [email protected] Samuel V. Fiorani October 31st [email protected] 158-194 Sept./Oct. 1995-Sept./Oct. 2001
2 SAH journa l No. 218 Swan Song
life can no longer be ignored, and I am cooperation lie at the heart of our work. proud to be part of a group of folks, both From our magnificent members' list and amateur and professional, who under resource directory to our semi-annual stand that fact and take its promotion conferences and gatherings both in the very seriously. United States and abroad, we exist to Second on the list is our dedication unite interested parties. I sense that to quality. In earlier messages I have noted some years ago the field of automotive history was a somewhat fragmented Joseph S. Freeman, President that as our field grows and matures we have been exposed to more and more activity with a few well-known authors ean hardly believe that two years well-written, superbly documented and publishing recognized works and most have passed so quickly as your beautifully illustrated works, including everyone else either toiling in obscurity l President, and that this will be my films, television productions and museum or collecting material without much last leader's message for our journal. exhibits. l would like to believe that in knowledge of others sharing their pas My first order of business is to our own way SAH has played a significant sion. I feel that has definitely changed, thank you for allowing me to serve at the role in this movement, not only through witnessed by dozens of specialty pub head of such an interesting, diverse and our awards and assistance to one another, lications, periodicals and the steady dedicated group of people. It has been a but also through our collective buying growth in our own membership. privilege and an honor, as well as ex power and, at least in one instance, our Another example might be our tent at tremely rewarding. l have sincerely efforts to publish a neglected but valuable Hershey, the excitement of which you enjoyed meeting many of you and shar work. This quality and a commitment to have to witness to believe. ing your intense enthusiasm for the truth based on solid evidence are at the In sum, l carry a very strong sense automobile, its history and the people heart of what we stand for and allow us to of pride in being a pan of the Society. We who made the industry. lt has also been hold our heads high in any gathering of have strong traditions of open communi wonderfully educational for me because historians. cation, inclusiveness, recognition of if l began with my own particular pas Third is the great diversity we rep excellence and encouragement in further sions, I have certainly been challenged to resent. "Never was a car somebody didn't ing and improving our fields of endeavor. broaden my own definition of automo love" is a quote I often hear at shows and With more than thirty-five years of our tive history and "world view" of motor flea markets, and it really is true. From own history to look back on, I feel we ized vehicular transportation. On this Duesenbergs to dump trucks, limos to are poised for a fine future, with many note, l would be doing our Society a dis lemons, Templars to Trabants and ACs to exciting new associations, discoveries service if l did not try to sum up a little Zlls, someone among us has doubtless and much increased recognition ahead of what I have learned or come to value dug up significant facts about the devel of us. most in our association. You certainly opment, design and production of these I can also assure you that I will be know by now that I am a bit preachy, vehicles, not to mention the geniuses or part of that future, if not as your Pres but if you will bear with me for just one charlatans present at their creation. As I dent. l eagerly anticipate taking on some more time, you can get out the tar and mentioned in another earlier piece, there of the tasks that I have not gotten to in feathers when I leave office. are also lots of different sorts of "automo the last two years. The expansion of SAH First and foremost, l value the sig tive history." An enthusiast who cranks a outside the United States as well as the nificance of what we as historians do. wrench may know just as much or more creation of a section or chapter dedicated Academicians and professional historians than the fellow who collects literature or to automobile racing history are high on are only just now beginning to recognize who has a shelf full of books on a partic my list. So too are our continued efforts that the field of "automotive history" is ular subject. or do automotive archae to reach out to the world of academic not just some asterisk to the study of the ologists and academicians have to dis historians. wars, politics and scientific advance agree. It's all "neat stuff," and I revel in Once again , I want to sincerely ments which have marked the latter part the extraordinary breadth of our interests thank you for allowing me to be a part of of the 19th and most of the 20th cen and activities. all this. It is a high honor to be "educated turies. The social, economic and artistic Fourth, the opportunities we as a by the experts." See you all at Hershey! importance of the automobile in modern Society offer for communi cation and -joe Freeman
Septe mbe r- Octobe r 2005 3 Bring Some History to Hershey The new expanded History Tent at Hershey gives us an opportunity to showcase what we do best, researching and interpreting automotive history. Stan Lyman has had some Automotive Hist01y Review covers enlarged to poster size in order to display the Society's publishing prowess, but we'd like to trumpet what our members have been up to. If you've had a book published late ly, whether by a commercial publisher or a private venture of your own, bring a copy for display. Having brochures or order forms on hand may generate business. Artwork, too, is welcome, or samples of SAH Election Results SAH Banquet magazine articles you've had published. The results of the SAH election of officers Attn: Kit Foster We 'd like to celebrate our role as inter and Board members is in from Election 1102 Long Cove Road preters and broadcasters of history, not just Central in Goodrich, Michigan. The fol Gales Ferry, CT 06335-1812 USA consumers of curious and arcane facts. lowing officers were elected to serve until Banquet hot line (860)464-6466 The History Tent will be open from October 2007: President Michael Bcrgc1; (until October 3rd) Thursday morning until Saturday after Vice President Da~wyn Lumley , Treasurer To reach the Hershey Lodge from noon. Come on by, and don't come Cl11istopher Foster and Secretary Susan S. downtown Hershey, take West Chocolate empty-handed. Davis. Avenue (US 422) west to University -Kit Foster Elected to the Board of Directors to Drive (near the Medical Center). The serve through October 2008 were Arthur Hershey Lodge is at the corner of West Papers Sought jones, john Marino and joe Malaney. Chocolate and University. for Sixth History Conference Deadline Extended Annual Meeting The History Tent Grows Up to October 31st and Banquet October 7th Meet and Greet at Hershey The Sixth Biennial Automotive History The 37th SAH Annual Meeting and WAY 11-12 conference, jointly sponsored by SAH Awards Banquet will be held on the A common lament at Hershey is lack of and the ational Association of Auto Friday e\·ening of Hershey weekend, room in the History Tent, no matter mobile Museums, will be held April 6-8, October 7th, 2005, at the Hershey Lodge whether the sun shines or rain cascades. 2006, at the Studebaker National and Convention Center, West Chocolate With the availability of two adjoining Museum in South Bend, Indiana. The Avenue and University Drive, Hershey, spaces this year we've been able to order Studebaker Museum, whose mission is to Pennsylvania. This is a new location, a larger tent-over twice as large, in fact. preserve the heritage of South Bend's occasioned by construction at the History Tent committee Paul Lashbrook industry spanning the transition from Hershey Country Club, our long-time and Stanton Lyman are planning to have horse power to horsepower, will open a dinner venue. this spacious home furnished and deco new facility in October. Members and guests will gather for rated to suit our mission. They need Entitled "Engine of Change- the Startix social hour at 6:30 PM and your help, however, to keep it staffed The Automobile and its Influence," the dine at 7:15. The Society's annual publi and serving members and visitors Society's program will feature presenta cation and service awards will be pre throughout the weekend. tions and panels emphasizing not only the sented after dinner. While at Hershey, make it a point role of the automobile in world society Menu for the evening will be the to stop by WAY ll-12, for your own but ways in which historians can help traditional three-entree Great Eight respite and refreshment and to help the interpret history. though museums, for the Buffet, with beef, chicken and flounder Society greet the public. Please contact public. To this end, there will be one or entrees and all the fixings at the all-in Hospitality Chair Paul Lashbrook at more plenary sessions for all conference one price of $44.00 per person. [email protected] or (954) participants. Successful museum programs Reservations with payment should be 587-5785 to sign up for a two-hour shift. in local history will be described, and pro made by September 30th to -Kit Foster posals made for new types of programs.
4 SAH Journal No. 218 Other potential topics of interest Monterey in 1953. Bill went on to com with a major focus on people, products could include automobile manufacturing, pete in many races through 1958, and in or events in California. directed marketing, design evolution, 2002 he was reunited with the restored - Bob Ewing motor sports or the future of the self-pro Allard at the Monterey Histories. Director; SA H Southern California pelled vehicle. Proposals are invited on Louise Ann Noeth had been hon all these topics. Proposals should include ored before by her fellow SAH SoCal You "Auto" Be in Detroit the title of the submission, names and members when she was awarded the for 2005 World Forum affiliations of presenters, chairs, partici Va lentine for her book on the Bonne The 2005 World Forum is coming to pants etc., together with addresses, ville Sa lt Flats in 2002. Known to her Detroit Sunday, October 9th to Friday phone/fax numbers, e-mail addresses of readers as "Landspeed Louise," she October 14th. contact personnel, proposed format became the first recipient of the award More than 20 session speakers (paper, panel, workshop, etc.) and a one to be honored for both a book and an from Australia, Brazil, England , Germany, page abstract describing the content of article in a periodical. "What's an FIA japan and throughout the United States the presentation. The extended deadline World Land Speed Record Wonh7", will be on hand. forf>roposals is October 31 , 2005; notifi which appeared in the Goodguys Good We'll visit more than a dozen auto cation of preliminary acceptance is antic tim es Gazette in October 2004, recounts museums and heritage sites including the ipated by ovember 15th. Proposals her efforts to spur the FlA, which is new GM Heritage Center, Henry Ford should be submitted to nominally responsible for land speed Museum and Walter P Chrysler Museum. Christopher G. Foster, Program Chair record keeping as well as other aspects World Forum delegates will get to 1102 Long Cove Road of motor sports, to officially recognize see first hand a collection of hot rods, rat Gales Ferry, CT 06335-1812 USA the efforts of competitors before they rods, customs, resto-rods, tuners and Telephone +l (860)464-6466 passed away. blinged vehicles. It's a new exhibit called Fax +l (860)464-2614 She was particularly interested "Hot Rods & Cool Mods" opening in email
September-October 2005 5 Writing History continued from page 1 even begun to provide an appropriate This brings up another lesson: What can identified, taught and implemented earli building for their display. How did this be lea rned about how to properl y break er, perhaps the corporate paradigm shifts happen and what are the implications up a museum1 There have been many of the 1970s and 1980s to catch up with and lessons here for eve n smaller collec marve lous auto museums over the yea rs Toyota could have been avoided. But this tors1 such as Henry Austin Clark's Long Island is really just water under the bridge as Here is a lesson from coll ecting Auto Museum and Ca rs of the Stars and those historical lessons have already gone history, Isabell a Stewart Gardner was a Pioneers of the Road in Cali forn ia. When unlea rned. major art collector in Boston. Upon her museums like these close, not only are As an example of how historical death in 1924 she deeded to a founda the cars dispersed but many times thei r texts can influence corporate behaviors tion the collection, the building she research libraries are dispersed , too. consider what happened at Saturn. erected in 1903 to house it all and an From the perspective of 30 or 40 yea rs Gayle Warnock was head of Public appropriate amount of cash to support it. what can we learn about the historical, Relations for the introduction of the Today her coll ecti on remains intact and educational and cultural value of an Edsel. He authored a book entitled The on public display. In her bequest she automotive museum1 Could a we ll -writ • Edsel Affair. Written for nothing more even demanded that the art displays not ten historical discussion about the histo than the purpose of telling the Edsel be changed from how she arranged the ry of car museums influence somebody story, Gayle's book identified everything pieces and hung the paintings on the in the future who just wants to "buy a that went wrong with introducing a new wall during her lifetime. This is certainly bunch of cars and open a museum"1 make of car. When GM introduced the type of planning that neither Harrah Barney Pollard was probably this Saturn as a new marque, copies of Th e nor Lemay ever considered. Perhaps if nation's first car coll ector. (lf he wasn't Edsel Affair were distributed to all the top they had learned from Ga rdner how to then who was1) He amassed a tremen Saturn executi ves. They were told to read properly provide for a collection, the his dous number ·or very early horseless car the book, learn its lessons and ensure tory of what has happened to their col riage type cars. Even he never really that history was not repeated. lections would have been different. knew how many he had. He had them Many times a significant collection hanging from their bumpers in three big Needed: a review of our hobby ends up on the auction block, either sold sheds. He started coll ecting in 1939. In But there is another place that is begging by the heirs or by the coll ectors them what was an overtly unpatriotic act, he for us historians to focus our talents; selves just to pay bills. During these squirreled away cars and cheated the another place where we need to interpret transactions history always takes a back World War ll scrap drives of a lot of the past and prepare for the fu ture. I am seat to money. While there are many badly needed metal. But he also saved talking about our own automotive hobby. examples of collectors privately choosing from destruction a lot of artifacts related I know of no written comprehensive his new, caring homes for their automobiles to United States industri al history that torical review of the car collecting hobby. irrespective of money, this never happens today might be called national treasures. Oh sure there have been reminisces and in an auction. At the time of an auction From the historical perspective of the fact reviews published about the history the high bidder always wins and many 21st century was his car sequestering of major events (such as Pebble Beach) times the cars themselves lose. The new appropriate1 An article about how his and major coll ectors (such as Bill owner of a particular car is not really the car hoarding possibly affected wartime Harrah), but perhaps it is time to review best one and history in the forrn of a pre production could address the issue of and interpret what has happened within served artifact is forever lost. Perhaps how the needs of the present conflict the car hobby so that we may help our digging out and airing the stories about with the needs of the future. Another selves to prepare for the future I believe what has happened to cars after a dispo issue in this story is how a government that it is time for historians to extract sition sale could provoke an awareness of could possibly take collector cars away some lessons so that history wi ll not be the responsibilities that come with own from a private owner for a perceived repeated. ing a large number of cultural treasures public good . What lessons need reviewing1 How as compared to dispersing sterile invest about an historical evaluation of the life ment portfolios. Our job is to promote The future of the hobby of a large automobile coll ection1 Bill the history of the automobile. We should What about the future of the car hobby Harrah and Harold Lemay both assem leave the investment aspects of cars to itself/ Where will our hobby institutions bled extremely large automobile accumu the value guide people. be in 40 or 50 years1 Are there lessons lations. But upon their deaths there was residing in the past that should be no provision made by either coll ector for Breaking up can be hard to do extracted as morals for the future1 The supporting his handiwork. Harrah had Harrah's and Lemay's collections have subscriber numbers for Hemmings Motor not mentioned the vehicles as a separate managed to remain at least partially News have decreased significantly from entity in his estate and Lemay had never together and in a museum type format. continued on page 9
6 SAH journal No. 218 cedes-Benz, mainly on the 220 chassis, rece ived custom-built Wendler bodies of pleasing design. For several companies, such as VW, Porsche, Gutbrod and Brutsch, Wendler produced prototype bodies. Small seri es, sometimes up to 25 cars, were made on Fiat 11 00, VW, MG, and Pan hard frames. Perhaps the most Boo I< famous Wendler bodies of the period were fitted to the Porsche RS 550 Spyder. Later on and up until the present Revie\Ns day Wendler has specialized in armored bodies fo r various heavy limousines. Karosserien nach Mass- Wendler- photographs. There are high-class cars, With short, ill ustrated chapters on 1923-1963, by Ralf J F Kieselbach , 2nd li ke Adler, Benz, Bugatti , va ri ous Horch commercial ve hicles and cars, which Ed ition 2001, no ISBN number. Hard and Maybach but al o many lesser mar were fou nd by coll ectors and restored, a cover, 172 pages, 226 black/white ill us ques such as Ford, Opel, NSU, Fiat, useful ti me schedule, a bibliography, trations, text in German and English. Steyr, small Me rcedes-Benz, Hansa and acknowledgments and a portrait of the Published by Pgam High Performance Brennabor. Open tourers and still very author the book closes. Products GmbH, Am Heilbrunnen 135, box-like sedans and li mousines are fol Ralf JF Kieselbach is a well-known D-72766 Reutlingen, Germany. Price in lowed by the first convertibles with author, having published various books Germany approx. 45 plus postage/ smoother lines. and articles on streamlined cars and packing. The classics of 1931-1939 on a buses as well as car design. Every enthusiast interested in large variety of chassis we re mostly pleas The book is very neatly produced coachbui lding in Europe will be deli ght ant and sometimes very beautiful con with a modern lay-out, high-quality ed to have this new edition of the famous vertibles with a sprinkli ng of noble lim paper and solid binding. With the wealth Wendler book. Contrary to most other ousines and coupes on the big German of hitherto mostly unknown pictures it books on European coachwork, its great models by Maybach and Horch. A sub will be a treasure for any historian and advantage is that the text is also in stantial number of BMWs, including the enthusiast of automobile design and English. sporty Type 328, obtained Wendler bod coachbuilding. The company originated in 1840 ies. Several Mercedes-Benz 170, 230 and -Ferdinand Hediger when Erhard Wendler founded a coach 320, and at least one Wanderer W25, building enterprise in Reutlingen in were delivered to a sophisticated clientele Southern Germany. After World War l a in convertible and coupe form. ln the Vintage American Road Racing Cars talented young man, Helmut Schwand 1930s Wendler began using aluminum 1950-1970, by Harold W Pace and ner, was hired by Adolf Wendler, then for the bodies. Mark R. Brinker, 2004 ISBN 0-7603- boss of the company. He would remain The next chapter is most important 1783-6 Hardcover, 304 pages. Motor responsible for the automobile body as it deals with the development between books International, St. Paul, M 60 designs for many years. It was Schwand 193 7 and 1944 of various aerodynamic ner himself who provided the author bodies especially on the BMW 328 chas It's exceedingly difficult for me to under with much of the inside information on sis. The world-record diesel racer by stand how a book so wonderfully com the development and construction of Hanomag and the experimental cars by prehensive can be so very entertaining. Wendler car bodies. Professor Kamm were also bodied by How could such a book crammed with Every known car is illustrated and Wendler. The designs were by Schwand hard facts and cold figures and exact the short text informs the reader about the ner, who is pictured together with the measurements be such a magic carpet specifications of the chassis and details of aerodynamic specialist Freiherr Koenig ride back to the halcyon days of the body construction. Whenever possible Fachsenfeld. American road racing7 I'll just answer my the customer is also mentioned. The Wendler bodies made from own question if you don't mind: "Let The book is sectioned into various 1945 until 1963 are shown in the chap Harold Pace and Mark Brinker loose to chapters. Thirteen pages tell the history ter "Pontoon Era. " ot less than three of research and write Vintage American Road of the Wendler company. The early mod the rare BMW 335 chassis of pre-war Racing Cars 1950-1970 and you have a els of the years 1923 until 1930 are days were fitted with two coupe and one real masterwork." shown in ve ry good period black/white convertible body. Again various Mer- This great new book, which took
Septe mbe r- Octobe r 2005 7 this pair just over a yea r to write, is just a above names. Bentley: Fifty Years of the Marque, by sheer joy to leaf through. Within its 304 Adding to the flavor of this multi johnnie Green, Third Edition 2003 ISBN pages th e reader wi ll be reminded of (or layered text are a number of period 1-85443-135-8, Hardbound, 321 pages, introduced to) the days of American rac advertisements clipped from the maga 600 photographs. Dalton Watson Fine ing when average people (all with their zines and brochures of the day Each Books, Deerfield, lL and Sussex, passion gauges pegged) dreamed, recalls those wonderfully innocent yes England. $92/£55 designed, engineered, scrounged, built terdays when a young fellow could and raced their own creations. dream about finding a wrecked TR-4 for When originally published back in 1969, You've heard of many of the pro peanuts, strip the coachwork off and this book instantly became the standard tagonists the likes of Shelby, Gurney, strap a $295 Devin body on it to come pictorial reference work on the Bentley Kurtis, Arciero, Reventlow, Penske and up with his own homebuilt Ferrari marque-and has remained so ever since, Hall-they're all here-but there are over Mondial. Or perhaps bolt a judson or through two reprints and three editions 500 more in herel Names and machines, Sharrock supercharger on his MGA to (the latest the subject of this review). each with a story, each with a reason, give it wings. The ads are more than nos If the original could be criticized in • each a part of the grand tapestry. Read it talgic; they add to the ambiance and any way at all , it was that by covering straight through (one guess on who did reflect the sense of the era when average fifty years worth of production, from that), or pick it up a page at a time; people could build their own racing cars. three different factories, ranging from the either way you'll never cease to be spell From an SAH member's point of two-wheel-braked three-liter of 1919 to bound by the facts of the matter. view, the indexes may well be the most the independently-sprung monocoque T Brightly written, accurate, articu valuable part of this book. In fact, I fore series of 1969, the author was, perhaps, late, this large-scale book is totally see many of our more studious members spreading himself too thin. unstuffy and (as you must have gathered reading this book back-to-front because The new edition of the book has by now) eminently readable. To say the of the way that these authors have cata addressed this particular quibble by book is "well illustrated" might be a click loged the rosters of these machines by employing specialists on the three facto or two too weak. This book is chock-full year of construction, constructor, body ries' products to re-edit the work, revis of great photos that put flesh and bones builder, power plant and racing class. ing and updating the original captions in on the memories of a wonderfully While we're at it, the bibliography in and the light of modern historical knowledge. diverse group of North American road of itself is something of a treasure trove These are, for the "Vintage" (Crickle racing cars. for SAH members who are interested in wood) cars, Peter Hageman, a former These are the true tales of machines this era. It exposes the strong underpin chairman of the North-West U.S.A. that were mostly hand made because nings of this work and offers a multitude region of the Bentley Drivers Club; for their makers had a better idea of how it of jumping-off points for further individ the 1930s (Derby) cars, Bernard King, should be done. Of particular interest are ual research and study U.K. author of several Rolls-Royce and the mini-interviews that this book is sea This book is an exceedingly accu Bentley books in the Complete Classics soned with. The authors tracked down rate "reverse roadmap" to a time when so series, including the Derby Built Bentleys; many of the men who built the cars and many of us were simply having far too and for the 1946-1969 (Crewe) cars, asked them some of the questions that we much fun to pay really close attention. Martin Bennett, editor of the Rolls-Royce all would like to know The results are How would I know that the clapped-out Club of Australia's journal Praeclarum insightful and now (thanks to Hal P and Dane Formula 3 car that I bought for and author of Rolls-Royce and Bentley Doc B. ) part of the permanent record. $650 was the ONLY one that Stu Dane the Crewe Years inter alia. These notes personalize and humanize ever built. (It's now on a wall in a paint Moreover, expert consultants in the the book and it's heroes all that much store in Arizona, Hal). U.S .A and the U.K-one of them a for more. From Aardvark to Zink, with mer archivist of Rolls-Royce Motors, As for the photos that we men Scarab, McKee, Beach, Morgensen, Crewe-have reviewed the drafts and tioned earlier, these are the shots of the LeGrand, Pink Elephant, Chapparal, made a number of important contribu grea ts: Kuhn, Friedman, Lyons (both Eisert, Reynolds Wrap-Zerex-Paper tions to them. In addition, the rather Pete and father, Ozzie), Batchelor, Iron Mache Specials, Zeitler, Genie, Begra, confusing single index of the original has lone and other shooters of the day, all Devin, Dane, Dolphin, Eagle, Kellison, given way to four new indices which carefully chosen and crisply presented on Tatum, Turner, Echidna, Monsterati, cover photographs used in the book, page after page. Augmenting those Platypus, Thundermug, jomar, Bangert chassis numbers, registration numbers acknowledged masters' lenswork is the and Bobsy in between; this is truly a and·proper names (a ll of which make the modern day photography of author work of love, great effort and amazing latest edition very much more user Harold Pace, whose work is very much scholarship. friendly as a historical reference. in keeping with the standards set by the -Doug Stokes Although somewhat constrai ned by
8 SAH Journal No. 218 layout and space considerations, the new their survival. Perhaps an evaluation and America! How did this happen in our editors have added considerably to the study of the car hobby and hobbyists hobby7 Is it better to unite as a larger interest and appeal of this edition. Here through the eyes of an automotive histo group under a single era or have a small is but one small example. In the section rian instead of a businessman would pro er more focused organization? What les discussing the 3-l/2 liter delivered in vide valuable lessons to the business sons (waiting to be written by an auto 1934 to the Duke of Kent (fourth son of members of our hobby that would motive historian) could a new club learn King George V), we are now told that ensure a healthy future for all of us. from past mistakes7 although the car was fiued with a divi sion, the duke often drove himself to Lessons for car clubs Restoring or destroying functions. Often was the time that when Can car clubs build a better future original cars the rear door was opened for him to by studying the past7 Barney Pollard Another major under-appreciated change alight the duke would appear from the bought the cars he grew up with as a occurred in the car collecting hobby driver's seat to the astonishment of those child . He knew all the various makes, courtesy of Bill Harrah, and the implica there to welcome him. models and equipment. He would have tions of it I have yet to see explored from While the gain in the quality of called the '50s cars that I am most inter an historical perspective. I am referring some of the captions is absolutely ested in merely transportation and would to the friendly competition that occurred beyond doubt, it is this reviewer's opin have had no interest in them. I have no between Bill Harrah, j.B. Nethercutt and ion that the same cannot quite be said interest in '70s Trans Ams or '80s Mus other Pebble Beach exhibitors in the '50s for the quality of all the photographic tangs. The phenomena of being interest and '60s to restore cars to what today are reproductions. The original plates hav ed only in the cars of your youth has referred to as 100- point quality. The ing been discarded or lost, the new long been observed in the car hobby. people who do major rotisserie restora reproductions have had to be based A big topic of discussion today in tions on 1970 Plymouths have Bill upon scanned versions of the reproduc the Classic Car Club of America is how Harrah to thank for showing what was tions contained in earlier editions of the to attract younger members. An historical possible. book. The printers admit, in the book, study of the membership cycles of clubs These standards of perfection have to having encountered enormous diffi that cater to the early horseless carriage given the hobby some marvelous exam culties in this, which is perfectly under type of cars would be of value. To learn ples of the art of a craftsman. However it standable, but their claim to have how they have survived the death of has also elevated the hobby above what improved upon the reproduction quality many older, supportive members while many traditional car collectors could ever of the earlier editions is a little exces attracting new, younger members would afford. I suspect that there exist many sive. Some of the illustrations have that have major implications to the leaders of enthusiastic people who could no longer slightly "smudgy" quality that is so often clubs that celebrate newer models and compete and they just dropped out. But apparent when modern scanning are concerned about how best to plan for can this theory be proven through histor processes have been employed. ln mak their future. ical study7 ing this point, however, the reviewer Other historical research related to The elevated standards of perfec hopes that he will not be regarded as an car clubs is also waiting to be written. tion also saw many very original cars incorrigible technophobe. The darker sides of car clubs would be a restored (destroyed7) for the sole purpose To anyone interested in the Bentley marvelous topic with a lot of lessons to of winning a trophy. Many clubs have marque but already in possession of an be shared. There are instances where only recently realized that the emphasis earlier edition of the book, this revised because of mismanagement treasuries that they previously placed on restoration third edition is still worthy of considera have been stolen, IRS tax bills have has instead wound up illustrating that tion. To anyone with similar interests become due and even lawsuits have been they shamefully abdicated their responsi who does not already own a copy, the six filed . We tend to think of the car hobby bility as protectors of historical artifacts. hundred illustrations and erudite cap as a place where everybody gets along, Many clubs are now changing their rules tions of this new edition surely constitute and the relationships between the people to favor well preserved original cars. a "must have" opportunity. involved is seldom explored. Consider Could this lesson have been learned -james Fach the fact that in the car hobby there is sooner and saved some original cars if essentially one club for each major gen historians were dong thei r job7 eration of Ford cars: Model T, Model A It is my belief that SAH as a profes Writing History continued from page 6 and Early V-8 but when you come to the sional organization needs to give more lead their peak about five to seven years ago. 1950s there are many different clubs: ership and direction to the endeavors of our Other hobby publications have seen sim Crown Victoria Association, The Retract members as they explore their historical ilar declines. These businesses are trying able Club and even one that focuses on a interests based on the important responsi many different promotions to ensure single year model, 1954 Ford Club of bility that historians have in society. •
September-October 2005 9 know if these units were ever scaled down in size to fit automobiles. l do know that at least some if not all of the first NC units tested and used by Pack ard in the 1930 were designed and built by Kelvinator which by the late 1930s was a division of Nash. ash was considered the pioneer of modern car NC units in the 1950s. They were the first to offer a complete NC sys tem with all of the components installed under the hood. living in Texas in the 1950s we were willing to sacrifice some /J/1//IIIIIIIIIII•n". comforts for cool air. However riding in a Nash Ambassador was definitely a step Letters above GM or Chrysler products equipped with NC. ash's competitors had most of Packard's Electromatic Drive fort: Part ll ," by By Mohinder . Bhatti, the equipment mounted inside the trunk. l just received the july-August journal Ph.D. The history was part of a series of There were air scoops on the sides of the and l have to make a quick comment articles written for the ASH RAE journal in car to supply air into these units. There concerning Nelson Bolan's letter about observation of the first century of air were two large ugly plastic ducts protrud Packard's Electromatic Drive. This did conditioning. The article also includes a ing from the shelf behind the rear seat to not eliminate the clutch. lt was still photo of the 1935 Ford with the Houde blow cold air to the front of the cabin. All there. What it did was "eliminate clutch Carner air conditioning test unit and sev of this resulted in noise, impaired rear pedal operation" (Packard's words). eral other illustrations of interest. Al view vision, lost trunk space and front Another ad states, "Automatic clutch cuts though Dr. Bhatti writes that the Ford seat passengers being blasted in the back footwork. " In fact Packards that had the test was carried out in 1934, the car is a of the head with cold air. Electromatic Clutch actually had a red 1935 model. So superior was the ash system clutch pedal. Packard did not have a Dr. Bhatti is listed on the ASHRAE that Cadillac traded two of their auto fully automatic transmission that elimi website as a senior staff research engineer matic transmissions for each NC system nated the clutch pedal until 1949. lt was at Delphi Harrison Thermal Systems, ash would provide them until the GM called Ultramatic. l can't say for Stude lockport, New York. The paper can be transmission plant was destroyed by fire baker or lincoln. viewed and downloaded in pdf format at in 1954. The trunk mounted NC units -Bob Zimmerman http://www.ashrae.org/template/ lasted until about 1957 when other man Aboutlinklanding/category/14 74. ufacturers were allowed to copy the A/C Still a Hot Topic - Terry Boyce ash system. There was apparently an even earlier They may have offered it, but l example of an air-conditioned automo Nash an A/C Pioneer don't remember NC in low-priced cars bile than the 1935 Ford described by Concerning the first automobile air con (Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth or Stude Dave Cole in his journal 217 letter. A ditioning units discussed in journals 216 baker) before the late 1950s. Nash photo and description of a 1930 Cad and 217, l was taught in my college NC Ramblers were the only low-price cars illac equipped when new with a "C&C engineering classes (1950s) that Packard l remember offering NC before 1955. Kelvinator" air conditioning unit may be was the first to offer this feature on pro The first after-market NC unit that found in an excellent treatise on the duction automobiles. As a mechanical mounted under the dashboard that l subject l found on the American Society engineer l concur with the letter from experienced was in a 1956 Dodge and of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Con Nelson Bolan concerning the importance that was about 1960. The 1971 AMC ditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) website. of the electrically overrunning clutch in Ambassador was the first American car According to the ASHRAE report, improving and making popular air con to offer NC as standard equipment, even the system was installed on a custom ditioning in cars. before luxury makes like Cadillac, Im Cadillac built for john Hamman, jr., of l think the issue of who developed perial or lincoln. l would welcome com Houston. The paper, the first of a two the first car NC units should be ex ments/information on which companies part history of air conditioning and heat plored. The letter from Dave Cole states (not necessarily auto manufacturers) ing in automobiles, is entitled "Evolution Carrier developed an air conditioning were early pioneers of NC units for cars. of Automotive Heating-Riding in Com- unit for inter-city buses in 1934. l do not -Ed Hann a
10 SAH Journal No. 218 A Few Points About j217 seats in the May-june SA H joumal drove nameplates Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Three items injourna1217 really stood me to the full version of the Oxford Cadillac, GMC and Saturn. We've seen out for me. The first one is the Beirut to English Dicti onary. Volume IV, page 622 the demise of Oldsmobile already. If the Bagdad ad sent to you by Keith Marvin li sts the foll owing (among many other range has been rationalized into one that appeared on the front cover. I, too, uses): a driver's seat; a rear seat for ser common nameplate, will the disappear have a copy of that National Geographic vants or guards. These uses date from ance of, say, Buick seem any less like fi li ad. Note that there is no "h" in the 1925 1801 and 1803. The London Times of cide' spelling of Bagdad. A much more exten j anuary 17, 1803 writes that the "dickey Brand-letting has been happening sive treatment of the convoys appears in box is now out of date." A motor manual in the industry for years. The Depression chapter 8 of MaUii ce Hendry 's Cadillac, of 1912 describes the dicky (both spel was rife with it , of course, but that The Complete Seventy Year History, ©1973. lings are used) as an extra seat in a involved mostly the failure of whole lt is a truly delightful reading of 1920s two- seater car which can be closed companies rather than corporate consoli adventures in the Middle East with over down. dation. Perhaps the metamorphosis of a dozen photos. It has always surp1ised Another meaning which might be LaSalle into the Series 61 Cadillac was ?ne that someone has not made a movie partly incorporated is the idea of "false " the closest prewar manifestation of the or television se ri es about this. 1 seem to or "for show" as in the dicky being a for phenomenon. It was repeated at recall that M*A*S* H ran about twice as mal shirt-front or a clerical rabat-vest. So, Chrysler in the autumn of 1960, of long as the Korean War. a small seat or temporary seat, with u ages course, when DeSoto was made redun Concerning the 1935 Ford equipped in the English carriage business dating dant by the Chrysler ewport. When with air conditioning information sent in by back to the very early 19th century the PI Cruiser appeared with the David Cole, I can't help wondering if this -Doug Leighton Chrysler name, rather than the heritage was an experimental car or possibly some Plymouth it resembled, it was pretty thing that was never put into mass produc Name That Car a Lost Art? clear that the corporate killers were tion because of mechanical, production or l read with interest the Editorial Com again at work. servicing problems. I can recall hearing ment regarding GM's efforts to increase Furthermore, GM cars are sold in about several ideas, not air conditioning, brand identification (joumal 217) Every other countries under a single badge: that were planned and introduced but with term that I teach a Sociology Introduc Vauxhall in Britain, Opel in Germany, drawn almost immediately, namely c. 1919 tion class I use a video that Bill Moyers and Holden in Australia, although Studebaker with a Ouid Oywheel , 1918 did called "America on the Road ," which Vauxhall has been battered latel y. Their Willys-Knight with a V-8 engine and 1923 was part of the PBS series called A Walk cars are now built in Germany; will it be Chevrolet with the "Copper Cooled" (ai r Through th e Twentieth Century. This series long before they bear the name of a cooled) engine. All the above had some aired in the mid 1980s, but it is the best German sewing machine manufacturer' major Oaw or drawback. One could also simplified overview of America and the If GM's orth American cars are add the 1953-54 Chrysler eight-passenger automobile I have been able to locate swept into a one-badge bin, what name sedan with disc brakes. I am sure the list despite its many errors. will they bear' "GM" seems unwieldy could go on and on. Often in our class discussion of the and confusing. "Come see my new With regard to the trailer hooked film l will ask who knows what company GMI" It doesn't roll off the tongue. It's onto the Model I coupe on the back produces/produced what. Students are also hard to distinguish from the well cover two things stand out: both vehicles usually way off base, and very few of established GMC brand. Should they be appear to have 30x30-l/2 Model T-size them can identify all GM cars or all Ford called "Generals"' That brings to mind tires and the trailer will have to be and DaimlerChrysler cars, much less a taxicab from the 1930s or a kind of unhooked to remove the spare tire on international variations and products. tire: "Sooner or later, you'll drive the coupe With the back porch on the I think the game my generation's kids Generals"' trailer and the fancy drapes at the win played of "name that car" has been lost I think a new GM brand deserves dows my guess would be that this trailer on the last generation or two. Food for to honor a person, someone with impec was store bought. Unless some sort of thought. cable provenance. That leaves out ladder was furnished the step down from -Phil Campbell "Durant," which brings baggage from a the trailer to the ground was very high, failed post-GM empire. With tongue in much higher than from the Model I run What's in a Name? cheek one could suggest "Zarrella," after ning board. In SA H ]oumal 217 our editor ponders the man who brought us all this excess - Nelson Bolan the emergence of a "General Motors" of brand management, but he, too, has brand in advertising for all GM vehicles been given a failing grade. Origin of "Dickey" in orth America. Speculation is building I propose that all GM cars hence Curiosity about the mention of di ckey- that this portends the phasing-out of forth bear the "Sloan" badge. No one,
September-October 2005 11 not Louis Chevrolet, Chief Pontiac, l asked questions l had long ago jotted White's book on the American automo David Buick nor Antoine de Ia Mothe down in my readings of Run Silent and bile industry, Comeback, and recounts the Cadillac (not to mention the planet his other books, and somewhat to my process by which the Ford Fairmont got Saturn), has done more to inOuence the surprise-! didn't think he'd respond to its name. The fun comes from an alter way GM builds and sells cars, even an amateur historian-he graciously nate name that was suggested to Henry today. Moreover, there's a slogan for it: answered all but one. Ford ll; I've always wondered how the "A Sloan for every segment and social ot all history will rise to the level perpetrator's career was affected by his stratum' ' of the events experienced by Captain suggestion. -Kit Foster Beach, but that should be no banier to A name that got away from Ford inquiry. I'm a car styling buff and I've was Futura, first used on a production Asking Questions always been fascinated by the extent to car on the Falcon and now used on Pep It's too late to interview john Z. which stylists seemed to "borrow" from Boys tires. But from his perch in heaven, Delorean now. But if it was possible, each other. Tom McCahill noted this HFll must be amused by Chevrolet's wouldn't you like to have his reaction to years ago, commenting on the similarity hyperbolic misuse of the heading of the 'David E. Davis's acid dissection of him of the nose of the '50 tudebaker to the first chapter of Ford's fiftieth anniversary in Automobile magazine? joe Freeman in '48 Tucker's. When I bought a new memoir, Ford at Fifty. The chapter head? SAH jou rnal 217 lamented "the ones Pontiac Catalina in 1968, l was struck by "An American Revolution." that got away." 01 ' john Z. got away, the similarities, front and rear, to the Gently turning the pages of that surely, before all the interesting ques Edsel, with the Edsel's boomerang tail 1953 book brought much history back into tions had been asked. That's often lights being reversed on the Cat and its focus, with reminders of more questions unavoidable, of course, because infamous horse collar grille filled in with asked In a late '90s letter to the editor of inquiries, however politely put, will a chrome bar on the Pontiac, all to excel Automotive News l wondered if any of the often go unanswered. lent stylistic effect, l thought. Were the young men pictured in the book were still But it is rarely too late to ask. A similarities coincidentaP l asked a GM with us. o word was heard back. The few years ago l finally got up the nerve vet about this but got no response. Does photo of Ford's new-in-1948 Metuchen, to write to one of my boyhood heroes, any SAH member know any mord ew jersey, assembly plant reminded me of retired Captain Edward L. Beach , author Some history is , if not trivial, the sweaty hours l worked there in the of the 1955 novel of submarine warfare downright silly and outright fun. My summer of 1962. I wonder whatever hap in World War !!, Run Silent, Run Deep. favorite example is from Ingrassia and pened to Red West, the genial and helpful
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12 SAH Journal No. 218 foreman I worked for7 radiator and registered number AX 148. Austria were "using scarcely more than Fast forward to the August 2, The first car was registered N-MR-6 , the half-throttle. " But Edward Eves, in his 2005 Wall Street journal 's page one arti local Manchester registration, later book Rolls-Royce- 75 Yea rs of Excellence, cle, and take a quick ride up Route 1 superseded by M612. It had a Oat-top states on page 60 that it was later agreed from Metuchen to GM's Linden assembly radiator beari ng no resemblance to the at Derby that "the cars were actuall y plant. The article describes Chrysler's later famous R-R one, as did Royce's fol working close to their limits. " current efforts "to build three or more lowing two cars. 6. In the material on aero engines completely different models of ca rs in a General Si r j ohn French did not neither Mercedes nor Curtiss is eve r single plant." How new is this effort7 In "start at dawn," in the car shown on page mentioned despite their designs havi ng the '50s, GM Linden was known as the 102; he sent his subordinate Colonel fundamentally influenced the two major "BOP plant." To GM veterans who might Bridges, as contradicted in the text! series of R-R piston aero engines. have worked there: Were Buicks, Olds The Vickers Vimy bomber on page 7. On page 176 the claimed 1928 mobiles and Pontiacs ever made in that 128 was not "first across the Atlantic!" as in cident at Ge neral Motors Milford factory at the same time7 If they were, claimed here (and monotonously in Proving Grounds in which a Phantom l what models and in what years7 British literature). That honor belongs to all egedly embarrassed every American • This kind of history never gets old the U.S. Navy Curtiss fl ying boat NC4 make of car has been fictionalized. This and never ceases to be instructive, as which made the trip the previous month. story is attributed to Maurice O ll ey, a long as we don't stop asking. Incidentall y, it was powered by Packard former R-R of America engineer, later -Pete Whitti er designed Liberty engines built by either employed by General Motors. l knew Ford or the fledgling Lincoln company. Olley personally over a number of yea rs Magic of a Name Both claims are made. Can any reader until his death. On more than one occa Fact and Fiction verify7 sion I raised this very subject with him In my review of Kidnap of the Flying Lady 2. The odds faced by Battle of and he refused to verify it. On the first (journal 217) my comments concerning Britain fighter pilots did not even occasion he replied, "I cannot speak Harold Nockolds' book Magic of a Nam e, remotely approach those claimed on firsthand as I was not there and did not resulted in a number of people asking page 12. In fact , there were some occa join General Motors until two years me to expand on those comments. sions where the Luftwaffe fighter pilots later. " The second time l asked him Magic of a Name was written in were the ones outnumbered. about it at his home in Detroi t he 1938 under Rolls-Royce auspices. Many 3. R-R director Claude johnson's dodged the matter completely. He was reprints and subsequent editions fol battle with Charles Y. Knight of sleeve embarrassed to be associated with the lowed-my own copy used for reference valve fame is quickly passed over as story, and no wonder! is dated 1957, the ninth reprint. Whil e it briefly as possible in the text (page 81) Let me explai n . It is claimed that is very smoothly written-Nockolds was ot mentioned is that the encounter, in no American car-GM or otherwise a professional journalist- and a handy the pages of Autoca1; was absolutely dis was capable of covering more than two chronicle of R-R achievements, it is not astrous for j ohnson. Knight made a laps of the hi-speed test track at full proper history in the sense accepted by complete fool of him. I covered this in throttle without ruining its big-end bear professional historians. It is really a com Automobile Quarte rly, vo lume X, number ings. But when Sam Mclaughlin (GM pany handout-a copy was placed on 4. director of Canadian Buick) arrived with the front seat of every Rolls-Royce car 4. A similar incident involving his new Rolls-Royce Phantom l (bodied sold from then on-and many claims C.S. Rolls and E. R. Thomas of Thomas by Barker and therefore an English-built made in almost every chapter have to be Flyer fame appears on page 60. Nock Rolls), it was capable of lapping at a treated wi th the greatest skepticism. olds misrepresents what happened and steady 80 mph indefinitely. Possibly, There are evasions and coverups of un pretends that Rolls scored over Thomas much to Mclaughlin's chagrin, aft er this pleasant facts , many falsifications, contin in the dispute. I have the actual corre alleged triumph the engine was (suppos ual special pleading and even outright spondence in hand and it is obvious that edly) dismantled to find the "Derby li es! Strong stuff, I admit, but bear with Thomas was the moral victor. Nockolds know-how" with the result that within me as I note them. Even the illustrations denigrates both Thomas and his car but two years every American car had (expertly drawn by the author's brother carefully avoids any mention of the durable big-ends. Roy ockolds) are in several instances Thomas triumph in the New York-Paris I am quoting almost ve rbatim from wrongly capti oned. race the following year. (l covered this in Nockholds' book. At first sight it looks l. Examples of incorrect captions Automobile Quarterly, volume Vlll, num highly authoritati ve- the date, place, can be found facing pages 34, 102 and ber 4.) indivi duals and cars are named as would 128. The "original" Royce car on page 34 5. On page 86 it is claimed that the be required in any court of law. But con was not the one shown featuring the R-R 1912 R-R Alpine team of Silver Ghosts in sider that at the same track, the previous
September-October 2005 13 year, a stripped but basicall y stock These were claims never chall enged by nical assistance give n by General Motors LaSalle roadster driven by Cadillac Rolls-Royce on road or track. Then what to Rolls-Royce behind the scenes testers Gus Bell and Bill Rader had cir rea ll y happened? l thing Mclaughlin between the world wars which subse cled the track at a far higher speed for went to see the newly opened high-speed quently, in the words of R-R chief engi ten hours on end, wi tnessed by a squad loop for himself, as many of his fellow neer Robotham, "enabled us to build of automoti ve journalists invited by GM executives would have done, and arrived much better Rolls-Royce cars." to report the achievement. The LaSalle at a time when such cars as Essex, A hint of this can be found in a averaged 95 mph for ten hours. No Erskine and others not noted for their Buick adve rtisement from a 1940 repairs were required until a fractured high speed stamina (maybe even Chevys) Nationa l Geographic whi ch refers to the oil line terminated the targeted 1,000- were blowing up after a few hot laps, longstanding R-R practice of buying a mile run just short of the target set, as while his Phantom I took things in its Buick every year for technical evaluation. told me by Ernest Seahlolm. stride. It's easy to see how such a story This ori ginally arose from Royce himself This is far from the end of the got manhandled with every retelling until purchasi ng a Buick just after World War matter. There was a similar but much it reached someone like Maurice O ll ey I to base his all -new 20-hp designs on. -earlier performance at the Chicago who was a thousand miles away in This included abandoning magneto igni Speedway back in 1915. This time it was Springfield. tion and adopting the Delco system. to emphasize the outstanding endurance Furthermore, there was absolutely Even though the great W 0. Bentley of the new Cadill ac V-8. Two standard no need for GM men to check out the clearly states in his memoirs that the models, one a "mule" that had been used engine bearings on the Roll s. They were new postwar 20-hp Rolls was "essentially for extended test purposes, the other a still being hand scraped to fit at this a Buick," no mention of this appears in new Cadillac V-8 just off the production time, whereas all top Ame ri can ca rs had ockolds' book line whose mileage was only that diamond-bored bearings which were far I leave readers to judge for them between Detroit and Chicago, were driv superior. (Packard actually covered this selves. en at full throttle around the track for aspect in its "Precision" advertisement -Maurice Hendry 100 miles in less than one and one-half that ran in several publications in 1927. hours, one ca r averaging 71.19 mph, the The ad is reproduced by Dich Langworth other 72.49 mph. o repairs were made in Pachard Cormorant, Spring 1988. to either car. The event was witnessed 8. Setting Nockolds straight regard SAH News continued from page 5 and certified by the Technical Commit ing the manufacture of the wartime Mer Spouses are invited too. Theres tee of the Automobile Club of America, lin aero engi ne by Packard and (English) plenty for them to do if they don't want who confirmed the cars were fully stan Ford and its use in the P-51 Mustang to attend all sessions. The $395 registra dard in all respects. fighter plane would require a full-length tion fee applies for delegates and spouses. Also consider the splendid record article by itself. Contrary to the impres Check the forums website of General Motors Buicks and Cadillacs sion he gives, both Ford and Packard www ExperienceEverythingAutomoti ve. org in the hands of my countrymen the manufacture of the engine were superior for all the latest news and the current Nairn brothers who regularly covered to that of the British makers, including schedule. You can also register online at the 600 miles of the Syrian desert every even Roll s-Royce. this site. week with their famous commercial The U.S. makers actually improved Luiz Cezar Thomaz Fanfa has left service between Beirut and Baghdad, this the Merlin design and performance, but Canoas, Brazil on his two-month driving for hour after hour at "racing speed" (up no credit is given to them here. General odyssey to Detroit in time for World to a constant 70 mph) as shown in the Motors Allison steel-backed bearings Forum. You may remember he is making advertisement reproduced on the cover were used in all Packard-built Merlins the journey in a 1960 Brazilian-made of journal 217. Many more American and under license also by Rolls-Royce. Chevrolet pick-up. His goal: donate the cars other than GM makes put up simi All Packard Merlins used the Stromberg truck to the GM Heritage Center. We lar performances at this time-Stutz injection, anti-G carburetor (standard on plan to keep you informed of his with its 24-hour Stevens Trophy run at the Allison V-1710), which el iminated progress I Indy in 1927, Stutz and Chrysler at Le the R-R Merlin's fatal habit of cutting -Bill Chapin Mans in 1928 , Studebaker and Auburn dead in aerobatics. It was later adopted 313-885-7341 at Atlantic City the same year (both by R-R. And Packard designed a whole chapincol @ao l. com makes certified by the AAA). Henry new supercharger drive far superior to Leland boasted of the new Lincoln V-8 , the R-R one as yet another example. SAH at AHA Convention "You can drive it wide open the first one of this is properly discussed. SAH will sponsor a session on automo mile." This was echoed in Hudson Returning to the automobile side, tive history at the American Historical advertising, "70 miles an hour all day. " no mention is made of the massive tech- Associations convention in Philadel phia,
14 SAH Journal No. 218 j anuary 5-8, 2006. SAH's session will well as a partner (vice president) in the [email protected]. lf you want to take place on Saturday, j an. 7th , and is privately-held company which owns and ord er a CD, please send $10 (no ship entitled, "Making Cars, Making History: operates the 54 year-old California ping charge) and your mailing address to The Automobile's Impact on U.S. motoring landmark. Bud Gardner, 112 Club Drive, Fairhope National Identity." Irwindale Speedway VP/General AL 36532 The session's chair wi ll be Michael Manager Bob DeFazio said , "Doug's our Berge1; and presentations wi ll be as fol fi rst, best, and only PR-Guy at Irwindale. New Museum Exhibit lows: David L. Lewis, "The Public Image of He's been here since day one and we're Alai n Cerfs Tampa Bay Automobile Henry Ford: A Twenty-First Century very pleased that this new position will Museum has a new addition , a 1926 Perspective"; Michael L. Bromley, "The all ow him to continue a close association Hanomag 2/lOPS coupe, a car which Socialization of the Automobile in Satire with the Speedway. He's going to contin earned the nickname "Kommissbrot" in the Early Motor Age "; Craig Pascoe, ue to interface regularly with me and the (army loaO. As repon ed in journal 214 "The Small Automobile Manufacturer and Speedway staff as well as being onsite at the museum contai ns more than two the National Marketplace: The Anderson all of our upcoming national events." dozen ca rs which exhibit advanced engi Motor Company, 1915-24"; and Deborah neering fro m the 1920s and '30s, most Clarke, "A utomoti ve Ci tizenship: Ge nder, Just Out being fro nt-wheel-drive or rear-engine Ethnicity, and American Identity." Bud Gardner's CD titled Encyclopedia of designs. The coll ection includes such - Michael Bromley Eights is finished and avail able. lt pro makes as Tatra, Ci troen, Mercedes, Aero, vides an introductory discussion of the Adler, Tracta and Ruxton. Member in the News evolution of eight-cylinder automobile For informa tion about the muse On August 19th Irwindale Speedway engines and provides 65 pages of charts um, visit www.voitures-d-ingenieurs.com announced that the track's director of listing and describing "all" V-8 and or telephone (727)578-5000 communications, Doug Stokes, would be straight eight engines and the models joining the staff of the Autobooks-Aero powered by them from 1903 to 1955. books bookstore in Burbank, California. There are over 300 entries! Doug would become general manager as E-mail questions about the CD to
his richly illustrated T book presents the his tory of the Fisher Body Craftsman's Guild, from its inception as a philanthropic project by the Fisher family during the Great Depression, 1926 Hanomag 2/lOPS to its expansion overseas, and finally to its end in 1968. Many former participants in this famous model building and design competition share their memories and photographs of their models, some of which are startlingly inventive even when viewed today.
359pp. $49.95 hardcover (7 x I O) 171 photos (41 in color), tables, Information Wanted On any material appendices, notes, bibliography, pertaining to '70s cars that were convert index ISB 0-7864 - 1719-6 2005 ed or customized to "Superfly and/or pimpmobiles." Also Chicago Auto Show programs from the 1960s and 1970s. McFarland ]ames R. Smith 3545 N. Orange Ave Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640 • Orders 800-253-2187 • FAX 336-246-4403 • www.mcfarlandpub.com nue, Chicago, IL 60634 smitydog2 @wmconnect.com
September-October 2005 15 FIRST CLASS PRESORT U.S. Postage .. PAID J Q1JIssue 218 September-October,~I1 ~ 2005.1 Hartford, CT The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Permit #75 1 37 Wyndwood Road West Hartford, CT 061 07
The exact date on this photo is not known. Lawrence Levering Beckel, who is behind the tiller, died March 3, 1909. He was a machinist at the family business: Beckel Foundry, Bicycle &: General Repair Shop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. otes on the back of the photo indicate that the Beckels had the first "regular repair shop" for horseless carriages in the city and that this classy motor ized buckboard, which one suspects Lawrence made himself, was also Bethlehem's first. The photo was taken at his home on Church Street between High and Linden. It was sent to Beverly Rae Kimes by antique car modele.r Hank Lafferty of Bethlehem, who received it from a neighbor who is a descendant of Lawrence Beckel. Beverly Ra.e Kimes collectiOJJ