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The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. JournalIssue 244 Electronic Edition March-April 2010 SAH in Paris 2010 The Society’s 15th Annual European Two Awards of Distinction were Meeting convened in Paris on January presented for books in languages 21, as 34 members and guests met for other than English. Adrien Cahuzac, dinner in the Salon De Dion of the of Paris, received an award for www.autohistory.org Automobile Club de France. The date, SIMCA – l’aventure de l’hirondelle, a two weeks earlier than customary, was history of Simca from 1934 to 1987, Inside selected to coincide with the opening and Bernard Vermeylen, a Belgian of Rétromobile, Europe’s largest indoor citizen, accepted one for his book SAH News 3 historic automobile event. Members Voitures des Pays de l’Est, a postwar were present from Finland, Spain, history of the cars of Eastern Europe. Letters 5 Britain, Belgium and the USA, as well Both books were published by as the host nation. Attendees were E.T.A.I. of Paris. All book awards End of Checker Motors 6 welcomed by Kit Foster, and Malcolm were for works published in calendar Jeal, Chairman of the Society of year 2008. Book Reviews 9 Automotive Historians in Britain, gave a brief tribute to the late Taylor Vinson, Rétromobile XXXV Rolls-Royce Post-War Phantoms co-organizer and convener of the fi rst Occurring for the fi rst time in January, 13 Paris meetings. Following dinner, Breaking the Banks in Motor City the 35th Rétromobile was rescheduled several of the Society’s annual awards Editorial 11 were presented. this year as a result of confl icts at the Expo grounds at the Porte de Date Reminders The Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot Award, continued page 2 April 15, 2010 for the best book in the fi eld of Award Nominations due: automotive history in the English Benz, language, was presented to Karl Don Keefe, [email protected] Ludvigsen for Ferdinand Porsche, Cugnot, English, Genesis of Genius: Road, Racing and Doug Leighton, [email protected] Aviation Innovation, 1900 to 1933. Cugnot, Non-English, The book was published by Bentley Bill Kreiner, [email protected] Publishers of Cambridge, Massachusetts Friend of Auto History, USA. The Cugnot Award for the best Darwyn Lumley, [email protected] book in a language other than English Ingersoll non-print, was given to Manuel Lage, a Spanish Arthur Jones, [email protected] member, for 1,000,000: Un Millón de Camiones y Buses Españoles, a history Above: Karl Ludvigsen (r) receives his Cugnot award. Below: La Baleine, by designer Paul Arzens. Named for June 1, 2010 of commercial vehicles in Spain. The publisher was IVECO España. its whale-like shape and grille, it was built in 1938 on a Brigham Award Nominations to 1926 Buick chassis. Photos from Kit Foster. Jack Juratovic, 9501 Bearfoot Trail Brooksville, FL 34613 June 15, 2010 Scharchburg Award Nominations to Bob Ebert, [email protected] June 27, 2010 SAH Literature Faire at Automobile Driving Museum, El Segundo, CA July 31, 2010 Bradley Award Nominations to Judith Endelman [email protected] March - April 2010 1 SAH in Paris from page 1 Award of Distinction winner Adrien Cahuzac, right. Award of Distinction winner Bernard Vermeylen, right. Cugnot award winner Manuel Lage, right. Versailles. Some of the regular manufacturers Peugeot and Citroën was the stand of Motul lubricants, American attendees were not to be had large displays, each hosting a which exhibited La Baleine, French seen, as the new dates confl icted with number of associated clubs, and designer Paul Arzens’ streamlined the annual auction extravaganzas in Mercedes-Benz showed off gull wings concept car. Named for its whale-like Arizona. Many members assembled old and new (under the heading shape and grille, it was built in 1938, for the annual press conference of “portes papillon,” which I believe the same year as Harley Earl’s Y-Job, Fondation de la Automobile Marius translates as “butterfl y doors”). and looks fully as modern. Only a Berliet the morning following the Missing were BMW and Mini, but in look inside reveals its origins; the SAH dinner, and stayed on to enjoy their place was Mazda, exhibiting instruments and controls are those the full range of exhibits. some of their early small cars as of the 1926 Buick that furnished the well as the oft-forgotten Cosmo 110S chassis. The centerpiece of Rétromobile this sports model of 1970. Alfa Romeo, year was “2 siècles de locomotion celebrating a centenary, had a large Rétromobile continues for eleven Urbaine” (two centuries of urban exhibit, too. days, including two weekends. It is transport). Examples ranged from not known at this time whether next a horse-drawn omnibus, with As always, there were plenty of year’s show will again be in January statuary horses, to the modern vendors of restoration supplies, parts, or will revert to the traditional early Citroën Osmose concept. French literature and automobilia. My favorite February dates. —Kit Foster JournalThe Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Issue 244 March-April 2010 Offi cers Publications Committee SAH Journal (ISSN 1057–1973) Susan S. Davis President Thomas S. Jakups, Chair is published six times a year by the J. Douglas Leighton Vice President Christopher G. Foster Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Robert R. Ebert Secretary D. David Duricy Patrick D. Bisson Treasurer Donald J. Keefe Subscription is by membership Steve Wilson in the Society. Board of Directors Allan Meyer Through October 2010 Membership dues are $40 per year. Paul N. Lashbrook Stanton A. Lyman Past Editors Send dues, membership inquiries Judith E. Endelman Richard B. Brigham and changes of address to Through October 2011 Issues 1–29 Sept. 1969–(undated) 1973 Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. John A. Marino John Heitmann G. Marshall Naul 178 Crescent Road David M. Woodhouse 30–50 July 1973–Dec. 1976 Fairport, NY 14450 USA Darwyn H. Lumley, ex-offi cio John Peckham Through October 2012 ©2010 51–59 Feb. 1977–July 1978 Steve Wilson Leslie Kendall The Society of Automotive Historians, Inc. Thomas S. Jakups Walter Gosden 60–87 Nov. 1978–Dec. 1983 Find the Society of Automotive Historians SAH Journal Richard B. Brigham on the web at www.autohistory.org. Allan G. Y. Meyer, Editor, Adv. Mgr. 88–117 Jan./Feb. 1983–Nov./Dec. 1988 P.O. Box 1948 Christopher G. Foster Vashon, WA 98070-1948 USA 118–157 Jan./Feb. 1989–July/Aug. 1995 206-304-3872 [email protected] Samuel V. Fiorani [email protected] 158–194 Sept./Oct. 1995–Sept./Oct. 2001 Copy Deadline for Journal 245 Thomas S. Jakups May 1, 2010 195–236 Nov./Dec. 2001–Sept./Oct. 2008 2 SAH Journal No. 244 Electronic Edition SAH News Jendza to head Leland Chapter Frederick A. Usher, Jr. 1923 -2009 SAH SoCal Chapter At a recent meeting held at the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum and Frederick Usher of Santa Barbara, CA The date for our annual Literature Miller Motors Hudson, the local Henry passed away in April, 2009. He was Faire remains the same (the M. LeLand Chapter of the Society of an industrial designer, automotive his- last Sunday in June, this year the Automotive Historians announced the tory enthusiast, and lover of anthro- 27th) but the location is new. The newly-elected Director, John Jos. Jendza pology, art and music. A full obituary Automobile Driving Museum in El III (Top Hat John) of Mount Clemens, will be published in a subsequent Segundo is the chosen location, Michigan. He is joined by Jim Petersen issue of the Journal. promising cooler temperatures and of Kalamazoo, MI as Associate Director new automotive sights to enjoy. and Victoria Mobley of Harrison Twp, MI as Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Jendza One of the bonus features for our is also a member of the prestigious event is the promise of much cooler Detroit APA-Automotive Press weather than we have experienced Association, SEMA, Hall of Fame North- in the past at locations in the San St. Ignace and NADA old car pricing Gabriel Valley. My guess is that we advisory board member. Well known will experience temperatures about locally as well as nationally, Mr. Jendza thirty degrees cooler. is a long time Detroit area specialty vehicle appraiser, automotive writer/ The ADM is a short distance south speaker and hosts/produces a specialty of LAX, one block east of Sepulveda vehicle television show. Mr. Jendza’s Boulevard. It is very close to the I-105 father, John Jos. Jendza Jr. is the retired Freeway which intersects with all the former Art Director of the famed Fisher north-south interstate and state routes Body Craftsmen’s Guild. Top Hat John west of the city of Norwalk. Once credits his automotive interest to his on the I-105 westbound and at the father’s 40-year involvement in the freeway ending take the Sepulveda, industry and General Motors. south exit and proceed south to the —Victoria Mobley second traffi c light (Maple Avenue) after Imperial Boulevard and turn east (left) one block to Lairport Street his history reveals the then south (right) to the museum T major role played by the located at 610 Lairport. Recently, my automobile industry in the drive time on a light traffi c Saturday 1933 banking crisis and sub- morning from my home in Rosemead sequent New Deal reforms. was forty minutes! —Bob Falcon Spurred by failed decision making and conflicts of inter- est by auto industry leaders, Detroit banks experienced an emergency, precipitating the federal closure of banks on March 4, 1933, the first in a series of actions by which the federal government acquired power over economics pre- viously held by states and pri- vate interests.