Summer 2014 1 OREGON REGION The Classic Car Club of America is a non- CLASSIC CAR CLUB OF AMERICA profit organization chartered in the State of Oregon Region New York for the development, publication Board of Managers - 2014 and interchange of technical, historical and other information for and among members Director John Mitchell and other persons who own or are interested Asst. Director Bill Jabs in fine or unusual motor cars built between Secretary Larry Cox and including the years 1925 through 1948, Treasurer Howard Freedman but including cars built before 1925 that are Membership Chair Bob Earls virtually identical to 1925 Full Classics® Members at Large Larry Schick and distinguished for their respective fine Activities Director Georgia Cacy design, high engineering standards and Mitchell superior workmanship, and to promote social Publication Editor Jeremy Wilson intercourse and fellowship among its members; Webmaster George Potter and to maintain references upon and encourage Tour Director Chris Cataldo the maintenance, restoration and preservation Advertising Howard Freedman of all such Classic Cars. Club Historian Mona Marsh Club Librarian Mona Marsh Sunshine Report Evelyn Freedman The purposes for which a Region is chartered www.oregonccca.com by the National Club are: The furthering of the ideas and ideals reflected by the By-Laws of the National Club in a specific regional area and to provide regional activities for the members in The Hood Release is the official publication of the that area. Oregon Region CCCA. Permission to reproduce material contained herein is granted provided that proper credit is given to the author and The Classified Advertising in The Hood Release Hood Release. Every effort is made to publish and our web site is free to all CCCA members. accurate information and recommendations. All such advertising must relate to Full Responsibility cannot be assumed by the club Classics® or Modified Classics® as defined by editor or any member in event of claim of loss or the CCCA. damage arising from a recommendation.

Editor Display Advertising is available on a prepaid Jeremy Wilson basis. Please contact: 10035 NW Skyline Heights Drive Howard Freedman Portland, OR 97229 503-234-8617 [email protected] [email protected] Moving? Membership Information Be sure to advise the membership chairman of the new address. Bob Earls 14104 SE Oatfield Road Sunshine Information Milwaukie, Oregon 97267 Evelyn Freedman 503-786-1606 503-246-5667 [email protected] Oregon Region CCCA 2014 Calendar of Events

January 8 CCCA Annual National Meeting in Naples, Florida*

February 9 Valentine’s Tour & Brunch at Multnomah Falls*

March 22 Day Cruise nearby Portland*

April 4-6 Portland Swap Meet

25-27 Three day, two night tour – Route & Destination TBD*

May 10 Papa’s Toys Cruise – Davis Family Collection near Forest Grove

Party at Dave & Jeanette McCready’s house after the cruise*

30-1 CCCA Museum Experience in Hickory Corners Michigan

June 21 Strawberry Social*

July 20 Concours d’Elegance – Forest Grove, OR

August 3 Concours d’Elegance – Fort Vancouver, WA

17 Lake Oswego Car Show

September 6-14 Oregon Region Fall Mini Tour*

October 3-5 Concours d’Elegance - Lake Chelan, WA

10-12 Pumpkin Tour – Hood River Aeroplane and Automobile Museum*

26 Halloween Party at Freedman’s Garage*

November 2 Annual Meeting & Dinner*

6 Planning Meeting for 2015*

December 7 Holiday Party at Lake Oswego Heritage House*

Monthly membership meetings are 6:30 PM the first Thursday of each month, January-October, at O’Connor’s Restaurant in Portland.

* Denotes a CCCA or Oregon Region CCCA sanctioned event. Director’s Message

The “Strawberry Social” featured delicious strawberry shortcake from Ernie Spada’s United Salad, and was enjoyed by 36 members and guests. Seven Full Classics® were brought by the Coxs, Eddys, Freedmans, Fosters, Gilmans, Mitchells and Wilsons. The short tour took in Dale Matthew’s Memory Lane Motors, and the Rhodedendron Gardens en route to Willamette Park. This was a very successful result of our efforts to have “More FUN” and “Get more Classics on the Road”. By the time that you read this, we will have completed two retirement home visits, the Hayhurst School Year-end Party, and a short tour to the Oregon Lavender Festival. All of these being opportunities to drive your Classics on short tours that do not take you too far from home. Watch the “Brake Cables”, our website oregonccca.com, and our Secretary Larry Cox’s reminder “Blasts” for information on future events. Sixteen cars and 33 members and guests have registered for “Howard’s Tour” (September 6th-14th), to Victoria, BC with some very interesting “FUN” stops and activities along the way. I hope to see you at Monthly Meetings and in your Classic on the road. John Mitchell Director, Oregon Region, Classic Car Club of America

Editor’s Notes

The CCCA Oregon Region has been busy. Just writing up our social activities nearly maxed out this issue’s page count. In these pages you’ll find articles on the 2014 CCCA Museum Experience, the Hayhurst School Car Show, the Pacific Northwest Region’s Coming Out Party, the Regency Park Car Show, the Long Beach Tour, the Strawberry Social, feature stories on two of our member’s cars: Bill Price’s 1936 Eight 1401 Coupe Five Passenger and Rodger Eddy’s 1934 Auburn 8, 850Y , and a technical article on 1941 Cadillac choke stoves. Please notice that the two car shows mentioned above were not run-of- the-mill cruise-ins, but events engineered to include both ends of the age spectrum, school children and retired citizens with limited mobility. Looking forward, we have four car shows, two tours, and two parties, and more is being planned. So get out there, have some fun, take photos, write a paragraph or two, and email them to me for the upcoming issues! Jeremy Wilson Publication Editor

2 The Hood Release Richard and Leanne Zapala’s 1935 LaSalle Convertible Coupe (NC) The Experience 2014

A Little “News” from the National Front The combined efforts of so many people led by our Executive Director Katie Robbins made this year’s Experience a tremendous success. We had wonderful weather (in the mid-eighties all three days), a tremendous collection of fine automobiles on the field both days, and our Grand Marshall, Chris Bock, to help us lead the parade. Evelyn and I drove from Portland to Kalamazoo, via Minneapolis to spend an evening with newly married Grandson Ben and his wife and then on to Manitowoc, Wisconsin for a four-hour, coal-fired, steamship ferry boat to Ludington, Michigan and then on to Hickory Corners. We spent more than five days at the Museum. It is the only way to get substantive action on the many initiatives we have working to enhance the quality of our building and displays. So many people make up the hardworking team that supports this facility and our events. Space limits my recognition of these wonderful people so I hope they forgive me for not mentioning them, each and everyone for their contributions, both physical and financial, to make us what we are. I even convinced two couples from Portland to come this year and little did they know; they worked their way all the way; one couple doing a complete cleaning and polishing of a major miniature car collection in our building and the other couple worked hard to count heads, money, and lots of other chores. I may have worn them out for the future but they earned their salt this time.

Summer 2014 3 Photo by David Charvet Our silent and live auctions headed by Chris Snyder were well received and many of our guests showed the spirit with their “buys” at write in and certainly when our auctioneer David Charvet worked the audience for the live action. Their contributions help to further fund our activities and events. We met with our architect to get some ideas for doing a much more inviting entry into our building; a more formal, but period-tasteful addition that will showcase the wonderful displays inside. By Experience time next year; the weekend of June 5, 6, 7, 2015, when we will be celebrating PACKARD as our feature car, you will see a dramatic change upon arriving at our building. And whether you drive a Packard or not, please consider attending the Museum Experience next year. It is on the Gilmore Car Museum campus where you can visit eight automotive museums for the price of one and see more than four hundred collector cars—perhaps more than at any other museum destination in the United States. And if you haven’t yet, take a look at this year’s Experience coverage on our website at www. cccamuseum.org. There you will find complete reviews with abundant photos of the fine display of automobiles at our Grand Classic® on Saturday and our Experience on Sunday. You will be amazed at the quality of the wonderful collection our members and friends brought for our enjoyment.

Howard Freedman Treasurer, Classic Car Club of America President, Classic Car Club of America Museum

4 The Hood Release Hayhurst Hullabaloo

Another Great School, Another Great Show by Victoria Wilson

This year’s June school car show entries made the Hayhurst School parking lot look really classy— excuse the pun! I speak the truth however, as the CCCA Oregon Region members once again rose to the occasion and allowed the school’s students and family members an “up close and personal” look at these automotive works of art. As you can see, they really enjoyed this opportunity. Where else can you get behind the wheel, or up in the rumble seat? Our members are more than generous in allowing access to their vehicles; we know this is what people (especially the young ones) remember. We hope

Summer 2014 5 these positive memories inspire an active interest in classic car preservation down the line. Larry and Pat Cox (and Charlie!) brought their beautiful 1938 Oldsmobile (NC), Howard Freedman (newly returned from the CCCA Experience weekend in Michigan) drove a charming gray Hillman (NC), Matt Hackney brought his eye-catching butter-yellow Packard 1938 , Jeremy Wilson brought Brett, Wiley, and his 1946 Packard Super Clipper, Robert and Frankie Douglas displayed their shining silver 1938 Packard 120 Sedan (NC), Chris Cataldo parked his flamingo pink- and-white 1956 Packard 400 Hardtop, and the Eddys showed us their open-top 1934 Auburn Eight Convertible Sedan, which many of us hadn’t seen before. Bill Jabs drove a beautiful Model A (NC) and a fellow Model A club member brought a two-door sedan (NC). The weather was perfect June, the event (the school’s annual end-of-year social) was well attended, and school principal Deanne Froehlich was thrilled to host the club. “I thought the cars were fabulous! Their presence really added to our event and we really appreciate the club members taking time and effort to bring their special, historic cars to our school. The feedback on Monday morning was all positive!”

6 The Hood Release Pacific Northwest Region “Coming-Out Party”

by Jeremy Wilson

Eight Full Classic® automobiles were cloaked in canvas and secrecy at a “Coming-Out Party” hosted by the Pacific Northwest Region of the Classic Car Club of America. The biannual event took place on the evening of April 19th at the Lynnwood Convention Center, in Lynnwood, Washington. In attendance from the Oregon Region were Howard and Evelyn Freedman, John and Georgia Cacy Mitchell, and Jeremy and Victoria Wilson. One by one, owners of the mystery cars would take the stage and describe the background of their newly restored or purchased cars. Each owner, in closing, would then announce their vehicle’s make and model triggering its unveiling. Preceding each presentation, the program coordinators showed a video of a well-known car salesman, such as Cal Worthington. The owner was then required to wear a hat or other costume device in the spirit of that salesman, which made the event all the more interesting and definitely amusing.

Summer 2014 7 All of the cars were standouts but several deserve special mention: Al & Sandi McEwan’s 1930 Hispano-Suiza H6C Convertible Torpedo was driven on the 2013 fifteen-hundred-mile Pebble Beach Motoring Classic and won first place at Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the Preservation Class.

Kim Pierce presented his newly acquired 1936 Alvis Sports Tourer.

8 The Hood Release And fellow Oregon CCCA member Brad Ipsen showed his breathtaking 1938 Series 90 Cadillac .

The final presentation was David Smith’s 1938 Alfa Romeo S 11 Corto Spyder Speciale. What a story he had to tell! David started with just an Alfa engine. But not just any engine. It was offered to him by an Italian broker and was one of the three S 11 V-8s made in 1938. David wanted to put the engine on the road, but to do that he would need to have a chassis. He then bought a 1938 6C 2300 B Series 2 Coupe Corto in Switzerland and had it shipped to the United States. Now that’s a story in

Summer 2014 9 itself, but the body is where it really gets interesting. Smith lofted a Touring-bodied 8C2900B Alfa roadster belonging to another collector. That’s “lofted,” not “lifted.” Lofting is a computerized process that allows you to capture the shape of a body in a digital three-dimensional form. From that digital blueprint, a plywood form with many dozens of ribs was made, which allowed fabrication of the aluminum sheet metal body panels. Using many parts from the 6C 2300 B, and parts left over from other 8C restorations, David’s Romeo S 11 Corto Spyder Speciale was born. And what a beauty it is!

10 The Hood Release Regency Park Car Show

by Robert Douglas

July 9th not only brought beautiful summer weather but it was the second of four retirement home car shows put on jointly between the Oregon Region of the Classic Car Club of America and of Oregon. The first one was put on in the Hillsboro area at Rosewood Park on S.E. Century Boulevard

Tom Taylor readies for the onslaught of questions when the residents come out to look at the cars.

Summer 2014 11 and was set up by Matt Hackney. The Regency Park show was the second, with participants from both clubs showing cars. The cars on display were Thomas Taylor’s beautiful 1953 Convertible (NC), Chris and Yoshiko Cataldo’s spacious 1966 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham (NC), Howard and Evelyn Freedman’s sleek 1937 Cadillac Opera Coupe (NC), a non-club member, Marlo Edman with his beautiful 1935 Dodge Brothers Pickup Truck (NC) and Robert Douglas with his and Frankie’s 1938 Packard 1601 Touring Sedan (NC) and their 1935 Glen Pray Auburn Speedster (NC). The residents and staff really enjoyed the show and loved the cars, talking with the owners and sharing stories of their experiences with similar cars when they were new. Some of us learned a lot about our

12 The Hood Release cars from those that had lived with them when they were everyday commuters! It was a lot of fun for everyone, it was not raining and in Oregon what more can you ask! There are two more shows coming up this summer, one at The Robison Home located at 6125 S. SW Boundary St Portland, OR 97221 on 30 July from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and the other at Courtyard Village 4875 SW 78th Ave Portland, OR 97225 on the 13th of August with the same time frame. They are a short time commitment, generally two to three hours and are a lot of fun. So please try to join your fellow club members at the next two events and share your cars with those who knew them very well, you will have a great time and so will the residents!

Summer 2014 13 Saturday in Long Beach, Washington

by Sylvia Potter; photo by George Potter

By Saturday morning, April 26, word had gotten around about the yummy breakfast at Laurie’s and several of our members enjoyed their breakfast there while the rest of us had continental at the hotel and called it good. We left about 9:45 a.m. and after a quick gas stop we were off like a herd of turtles. First stop was Jack’s Hardware in Ocean Park where everybody had a great time. They had merchandise from kitchenware to hunting gear and everything in between. Afterwards we toured up the peninsula to Oysterville. There we did a tour of all the historical homes along the water on the east side of the peninsula. We had a really good time in the Oysterville Store. Bill Jabs bought a very old wicker chest with a divided galvanized liner for carrying block ice. No one had ever seen anything like it. Next stop was Oysterville Oyster House where we bought smoked oysters, smoked salmon and locally grown cranberries. Bill even bought a bag of oyster shells for his chickens. The classic and vintage cars caused quite a stir everywhere we went. Saturday night none of the restaurants in town could take our whole group for dinner so we split our group up and George and I and several others went to the Pickled Fish at the Adrift Hotel and Spa. They could not seat us together and it took a while to get us all in but it was worth the wait, George and I got a table with a beautiful view of the ocean and the food, although a bit expensive was delicious. After dinner we were ready to get some rest after our full and fun day of touring Long Beach, Washington.

14 The Hood Release Saturday in Long Beach, Washington

by Larry Cox; photo by George Potter

The unexpected happened. We started our tour with sunshine. We met at Montgomery Park on Friday, April 25, in the parking lot with our donuts and coffee and the great sunshine. We pulled out as planned at 9:30 am with nine cars and heading west on Highway 30 through Scappoose and St.Helens. Along the way we made a quick stop to pick up Jan and Roger Eddy’s grandchildren Justine and Phillip, followed by a little side trip in Columbia City along the river to view some lovely homes. Onward to Rainier where we picked up Bhagwan and Gail Mayer and Mary and Bill Jabs. Would you believe neither was driving one of their beautiful classic cars. Good reasons for both but I know they would have rather been in one of their classics. We pulled into Astoria for lunch at Baked Alaska Restaurant, which offered by far the best clam chowder that I have had (even Larry had his spoon dipping in my bowl). Jan and Bob Newlands joined us at the restaurant. We then headed off to our destination, the Super 8 Motel in Long Beach, where we pulled in our last driver Quentin Robbins. During the course of the afternoon the Newlands ended up with the blooper flag hooked on their Packard. I think they learned you don’t want to pull any pranks on Howard. Evidently the Newlands had put a note on Howard’s car stating it was too long to be parked in the spot he was in. Of course, Howard moved his car so he would not get a ticket. Howard learned later it was Jan and Bob who put the ticket on his car. Needless to say Howard pulled his blooper flag out of his car and attached it to their car. Moral of the story, don’t pull any pranks on Howard as he carries the blooper flag. With happy hour at 5:00 pm and dinner at 6:30 at the Crab Pot Restaurant our day came to an end. The sun stayed with us the whole day. Good thing, as the Mitchells, Coxes and Potters were having issues with their windshield wipers. It was a well planned day, thanks to Chris.

Summer 2014 15 New Members

We are proud to welcome three new members to the Classic Car Club of America this quarter. Carl Fielding who resides at 106 NW 101, Seattle, WA 98177. 509-607-1546 ▪ [email protected] Alex Haugland of 84800 S Willamette Street, Eugene, OR 97405. 541-484-3066 (H) ▪ 541 520 8143 (C) ▪ [email protected] Michael Galvin, P.O. Box 95, Lowell, OR 97452. 541-937-2393 (H) ▪ 818-209-5520 (C) ▪ [email protected] ▪ 1940 LaSalle

In Memoriam

Contributed by Rodger Eddy

Martin Mueller, a former long-time member of the CCCA Oregon Region, as well as several other clubs including Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg, died May 20, and five local chapter members attended the Christian funeral services May 24 at Resurrection Lutheran Church in NE Portland. Martin restored and owned a superb cigarette cream 1936 Cord phaeton among numerous other collector cars, and hosted a visit to his home and garages a few years ago following the annual Valentine Brunch. Martin’s wife, Marian, died in 2001, after 50 years of marriage, but their five children and 10 grandchildren survive. Martin was an orthopedic surgeon for more than 50 years, helped design the Gresham surgical suite, assisted several surgeons following his retirement at age 58 until his final retirement at age 89. He was born March 9, 1925 in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was graduated from Creighton Medical School in 1948, and after returning to Oregon settled in the Gresham area. His hobbies were woodworking and car restoration. A doctor acquaintance who visited Martin’s home years ago, admired a sixties Cadillac, and asked Martin how many he had. When the answer was “80,” the doctor challenged him with a $50 bet. A subsequent visit to Martin’s storage facility at an abandoned chicken farm stunned the friend with facing rows of neatly organized Cadillacs, and Martin received $50 on the spot from his friend, who later worked closely with Martin on surgeries.

16 The Hood Release The Strawberry Social

by Jeremy Wilson

The CCCA Oregon Region ushered in the first day of summer with its annual Strawberry Social at Willamette Park. Preceding the lunchtime get-together was a “pre-tour” originating 9:30 a.m. at Dale Matthews “Memory Lane Motors.” As usual, there were no high-pressure salesmen— just the usual friendly greeting: “Feel free to look around—take your time!”

Although the majority of cars displayed at Memory Lane are not Full Classics®, they have plenty of interesting makes and models. My favorites were the 1953 Skylark Convertible ($139,500) and a 1940 Packard 110 Coupe ($22,500). At an even more affordable level, there was a one-owner, restored 1952 Studebaker Champion for only $12,500.

Summer 2014 17 18 The Hood Release Summer 2014 19 On our way out John Mitchell tracked down Dale to let him know the group was leaving and both paused for a great photo.

We then drove up Holgate a couple of blocks and down 28th to the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, which was jointly established in 1950 by Portland Parks and Recreation and the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. The seven-acre garden contains an outstanding collection of rare species and hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, and many companion plants and unusual trees. There are many paths that lead to three waterfalls, two picturesque

20 The Hood Release bridges, and the spring-fed Crystal Springs Lake. The lake surrounds much of the garden, attracting countless waterfowl which nest and feed in this natural habitat.

The final leg of the pre-tour took us south to Tacoma Street, across the Sellwood Bridge, and then north on Macadam Avenue to Willamette Park. Howard Freedman had arrived ahead of time to guide the cars into parking spaces—and kindly paid the meter fees for all the Full Classics®. Thanks Howard!

The weather was cool under the shelter, but it was a dry

Summer 2014 21 day and warm out in the sun. Members from the CCCA Oregon Region, Packards of Oregon, and the Mount Hood Region Cadillac and LaSalle Car Club enjoyed casual conversation and picnic lunches, followed by fresh Oregon- grown strawberries with shortcake, whip (or ice) cream served by Howard Freedman, Robert Douglas, and John Mitchell. Summer plans were shared, the mild sunshine put everyone in a good mood, and even the club mascots (Lucy, Charlie, and Wiley) agreed: Saturday in the park was a great idea!

22 The Hood Release 1936 1401 Coupe Five Passenger

An Invaluable Birthright

by Jeremy Wilson

In 1936 Packard chose two advertising themes for their Senior lines. The first employed titles like, “Pasadena prefers Packards,” “Grosse Pointe prefers Packards,” and so on (see back cover). Each ad connected Packard automobiles to the very wealthy, showing mansions with captions such as “The residence of Mr. and Mrs. C. Matthews Dick of Washington and Newport. Mr. Dick has owned Packards for twelve years.” The second theme comprised ads with one-word titles like “Solitaire,” “Sacrifice,” and “Birthright.” These drove home the fact that Packard was the market leader and stated “In 1935 Americans purchased almost as many Packards as it did all other fine cars combined,” and “More large Packard are in use in America than any three other fine cars combined.” “Solitaire” as with jewels implied that Packards need no flattering setting. “Sacrifice” was a reference

Summer 2014 23 to Packard’s program that snatched cars from the delivery line to be tested on the proving grounds. The “Birthright” ad spoke of traditional quality and began with “EVERY PACKARD you see carries a priceless birthright.” As a rule “priceless birthright” is a fine phrase, but in this Packard’s case “invaluable birthright” might be more apt, considering the owner is Bill Price. Bill bought the car nearly 30 years ago when he was living in Seattle. He knew he wanted a Packard because a family friend worked in the local Packard agency in Pasadena where Bill was born and raised. “When I was a kid we lived on a busy street and I would spend hours watching cars go by and remembering their makes and models,” said Bill. A classic Packard was always a favorite. This was not uncommon in the early 50s and I knew I had to own one some day.” When the time finally came, Bill chose one of the most dignified Packards ever produced and has handily met his subsequent objective: A Full Classic® restoration with a subdued presentation.

24 The Hood Release However, things did not go smoothly at the outset. “I really liked the body style of this particular Packard but did not realize that it was in as bad a shape as it was,” said Bill. “It was running when I bought it but just barely. So I started the restoration process in the late 1980s by sending the engine to Ed Edwards, a prominent engine rebuilder in the Seattle area. “The car then sat in Seattle while I moved first to New Orleans and then to Portland in 1990, working as a consultant all over the country. When I bought the car I didn’t know that every single piece of wood needed to be replaced. It was a pain to do, but a friend of mine and I spent two years working nights to fabricate all new pieces using ash. Fortunately, one side or another was good enough to use as a template. And because the left pieces were mirror images of the right, and most of the pieces had right angles, you could draw patterns on most everything. The only thing you could not draw a pattern on were the pieces that go from the top of the windshield along the roofline back to the trunk. They had multiple angles and were the most difficult to do, although by far not the largest. They had multiple curves and angles so you could not duplicate them by clamping one to the other. A local guy then fitted the wood in the body and I put it into storage for a while because of family demands.” A couple of years later, Bill met the restoration specialists who would resume work on his Packard. “I was working in Geneseo, Illinois and met a guy by the name of Dave Mitchell and his shop foreman Terry who were, and still are, quite prominent in classic car circles. I shipped the car to Dave and Terry in the late 1990s and they worked on it between their other projects, both their own (the Bohman and

Summer 2014 25 Schwartz), and other customers. It took about ten years. “Terry is quite the craftsman. Several of his and Dave’s restorations have won best in class at Pebble Beach, including a car they restored that has the same paint color and same upholstery fabric as mine. Dave and Terry pride themselves in obtaining materials from non-traditional sources and the fabric was no exception. It was from a mill in England and had been ordered by Nissan Motors in a large quantity and then cancelled. It is what Dave used both in his 1941 Packard Bohman and Schwartz and in my Packard. You won’t find it in any other Packard restoration and it is quite striking. The upholsterer in Davenport, Iowa did a masterful job with it.” As with many restorations, the sheet metal was in worse shape than originally thought. “Terry did the single-stage paint and the bodywork, which was considerable. In fact, the car was almost beyond restoration. The running boards were Swiss cheese, and it had obviously sat outside for a number of years. The original fenders were so bad that I bought a different set with fender mounts. And those weren’t great but they were the best that I could do.” One of the most time-consuming tasks of a restoration is locating replacement parts. But fortunately the restoration shop had its own inventory. “Dave Mitchell has barns full of old Packard parts and parts cars so every time I called him he would say something like, ‘You know, I had a nicer gas pedal than yours so I just swapped it out.’ Or, ‘I had a really nice taillight lens so I just swapped it for yours.’ It seems like anytime I needed a part he’d say, ‘I have to go out to the barn to see if I have one.’ And he would inevitably come up with it.”

26 The Hood Release Summer 2014 27 “The wood graining was done by a gentleman in Florida who does all of Dave Mitchell’s work.”

“ The rear side window trim was missing so they were fabricated from a five-window and spliced.”

The 1936 Standard Eight running board moldings are unavailable. Northfield Forming only makes them for Super Eights and Twelves so Bill purchased a set that Dave and Terry modified to fit. See how the machining of the ribs at the rear end is virtually indistinguishable from the front.

28 The Hood Release In 2009, Bill’s Packard was finally complete! “The car arrived as it is now, although Dave McCready talked me into a Cormorant hood ornament. I was very reluctant but Dave was correct, it really makes the car look good. Mike McCready did an excellent job getting it running in top form after it had sat for so many years. The brakes needed to be gone through—not that there was anything the matter but there was just a lot of dirt and dust and adjustments needed. And the same in terms of getting it running properly. Mike has it tuned just beautifully and I installed a high-speed rear end so it cruises the freeway quite nicely without needing an overdrive. “The only thing I did not do was rebuild the transmission, because they did not have the bearing set at the time, but it is quiet and does not need it. I recently bought a rebuilt transmission, so if I need one I have it.” “And because the car’s original data plate was blank I entered Bush-Morgan Motors, the Packard dealer in Pasadena in 1936 as the delivering dealer, and my birthday and the year 1936 for the delivery date.” For the first few years Bill drove the car very little, but did take it to the Forest Grove Concours d’Elegance where it won first place in its class. “I sent the trophy that I received to Terry and I said, “You are the one that earned this, not me!” Bill’s Packard is special because 1936 was the last year for Bijur lubrication system, wire wheels, painted bumper inserts, the solid front axle, suicide doors, mechanical brakes, and for “Ride Control,” which sets the shock dampening effect to soft or firm. “I didn’t think much about it until I was driving on the freeway. The car was rocking a bit and I pulled out the ride control to make it a little firmer and then it was fine.” Bill is understandably very happy with this Packard. It has been restored in a tasteful manner and is quite rare to boot.

Summer 2014 29 “I wanted this Packard to be a very subdued car. I have opted for no beauty rings and purposely chose a quiet color for the pinstriping,” said Bill. “For my year and body style (1936 Standard Eight 1401, model 917) I only know of four that exist.”

Bill is in excellent company. Here is Bob Hope with his 1936 Packard 1401.

30 The Hood Release 1934 Auburn 8, 850Y

58 Years of Good and Bad Times with this Beautiiful Convertible Sedan by Rodger Eddy

My plans often “gang aft agley” as the Scottish poet said, and that’s the story with my 1934 Auburn convertible sedan. Back in 1956 my daily driver was either a 1936 Cord phaeton or my more recently acquired 1948 Studebaker Commander convertible with customized “smoothing” of the front end by removal of the hood and fender ornaments. Taking some vacation time from my reporter/photographer job at the weekly Gresham Outlook newspaper, I decided to Studebaker south to Los Angeles to visit a high school buddy there, look at some cars that had been advertised in CCCA and hobby publications, and visit my girl friend in Berkeley attending University of California. Some excitement was added to the trip when I encountered record flooding in the LA area, and detoured around and through many water-covered roads. I declined my friend’s offer of a trip to a fancy new park called Disneyland, but we did test drive some new cars that he liked in Newport Beach—a Porsche Speedster and an Austin-Healey, nearby to his home on Lido Isle. Also along the way I checked out several vehicles that had attracted my attention (even though I had no

Summer 2014 31 place to store another car): a 1939 Studebaker President convertible sedan near San Francisco, a 1933 Lincoln convertible coupe, a 1935 Auburn supercharged convertible coupe in the Central Valley, and a 1934 Auburn convertible sedan in North Hollywood. All were priced at under $550, the absolutely top figure I could consider. I decided to dream on and think about them, and motored back north to Berkeley. As the bad luck...or was it good luck?...would have it, Thursday found my trusty Studebaker (that just never gave me trouble) conked out on the Bay Bridge and ended up at the Oakland Studebaker dealer that could fix the faulty transmission...but not until Monday. My limited budget and thrifty proclivity presented to me a choice: rent a car for what seemed like a waste of money, or make arrangements to buy one of the cars that I had scoped out. My first choice was the Studebaker convertible sedan, because a couple of years previously in Portland I had checked out a matching car, or perhaps the same one because there were only a handful made; besides the car was close. But my lowball offer was refused, so I called North Hollywood and my lowball offer was accepted for the Auburn there. But it was 450 miles away, and what to do? Call Greyhound, and buy two overnight tickets on a double decker to LA. Much cheaper for bus, gas, and purchase price than to rent a car, and I would end up with another car. Sunday morning found us in LA, and on a local bus to North Hollywood to acquire the Auburn from the widow of the guy who had driven it. Sunday evening found us along the coast and having belt and heating trouble. After some repair stops and some beach time, we were back in Berkeley where my Commander was ready to drive. I parked the Auburn at the

32 The Hood Release girl friend’s house lot, and headed home for work. Some months later I took the train to Berkeley to pick up the car, which had been serviced in the meantime by Bill Craig who eventually worked for Harrah’s restoring cars, whom I met through the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Club. About 50 miles north of Berkeley, a rod bearing started to thump miles from any town, and it was decision time again. Stop and call for help from a passing motorist and face towing charges, storage problems, transportation problems, time problems...or slow down and limp in to somewhere. The latter choice was made, and I slowed to 25-30 miles an hour and in about 10 miles found a service station where I could solve my low-oil problem since the engine was leaking from a seal. Service stations in those times often offered two-gallon cans of oil, so I purchased two and used most of one to fill the crankcase, and motored on. When the rod thump grew more pronounced I stopped and added more oil, and then moved on at 25 miles an hour. Many service stations offered bulk oil from a big tank as well, and I not only filled my two cans, but bought more cans, so that I carried six two-gallon cans, and could stop for refills where a sign indicated bulk oil for sale. I continued to crawl on until a little after midnight I was stopped by a state patrolman in Northern California, who told me the stop was because often drunk drivers crawl along at 25 miles an hour in their stupefaction. He understood my plight and let me drive on. I somehow stayed awake. Progress seems a struggle at 25 miles per hour for 650 miles. Traffic was light until Salem, where the still two-lane 99E led on to Portland. I pulled over occasionally to let the

Summer 2014 33 hell-bent drivers pass me at 55, and then resumed my snail’s pace until traffic piled up behind. I was home Sunday afternoon on NE Siskiyou Street, tired, and having consumed 88 quarts of oil on the trip. The poor Auburn was repaired at a Studebaker dealership just in time to bring it home to a completely unseasonable and overnight early and sustained freeze that cracked the block, and ended my plans to start driving it regularly. I moved the car to Dee Wescott’s body and custom shop in Damascus, Oregon, where I had met him while doing a story for the Outlook newspaper. I located a replacement engine in Milwaukie that I had rebuilt at Bearing Service and Wescott installed while doing some minor body work. The car was stored there until 1976 when Dee got tired of looking at it and trailered it to Aurora where I operated a newspaper, the North Willamette News. We worked on it there and at Lone Elder where some Studebaker mates and I had purchased a storage property. I made another mistake then of doing a ground-up restoration on an original car that simply didn’t need it. I regret taking the body from the frame, because both were virtually perfect. I had the car painted to its original two-tone blue, and left the worn and ripped interior, and removed all of the tattered top and rusted top irons, which I had replated. Since in the meantime I had acquired the historic Auburn Hotel and was visiting Auburn every fall for the ACD Labor Day reunion, I decided to trailer the Auburn back to its home to be present for the annual festival, probably around 1988. Back there the interior was done in correct dark blue leather to the original pattern, and a body shop tenant of mine decided to repaint the car to his standards, which were very high. The car locked magnificent finally, and still looks very good after many years of annual storage and Labor Day weekend show and parade outings. The car probably has about 800 miles of usage since 1956. More bad luck this year—a planned caravan home to the Northwest was due for three Auburns from their original production point. One of three—the one bearing an experienced and qualified Auburn mechanical expert—was suddenly out due to a health situation. The second, fearing the loss of the expert on tour, opted to rent a truck and trailer and headed for home. What to do with the Eddy Auburn, just refitted with a rebuilt carburetor and fully greased? We had planned to bring home the trailer that had carried the Auburn back to Auburn, hauled behind the Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon, so the logical answer was to load the Auburn on the trailer again, and head home with two grandsons as copilots. Forty seven and a half hours of road time found us all safely at home in Portland, with the Auburn resting safely in the Lovejoy Street carport. I’ll take from all of this that bad luck can often be turned into good luck, provided that you have the patience, and maintain your optimism...and have good friends, and a sympathetic wife, Jan.

34 The Hood Release The Replacement of a 1941 Cadillac Choke Stove

Reprinted with permission from the Hoosier Horn, May June 2014

by Jeff Shively

The carburetor choke heat stove on my 1941 Cadillac was looking quite sorry after 73 years. The original thin steel was in poor shape prior to the rebuild of the engine in 2010. A good sanding and repainting only bought a little time. Fortunately, the Michigan Region sells a replacement made of stainless steel. The price of $45 seemed a little high for a small piece of stainless, but I ordered it anyway. When the kit arrived, it included the stove, two stainless steel screws, two drill bits, and an instruction page. The replacement is designed to work on the majority of 1937-1941 Cadillac engines. Post-war manifolds are very different than their pre-war predecessors, with part of the stove cast as part of the passenger-side manifold. The first step is to remove the old stove. As it is located on the passenger side exhaust manifold, the job is much easier if plug wires #2 and #4 are removed and pulled back out of the way. Using a ½ inch line wrench, loosen and remove the nut holding the choke tube to the choke. Pull the tube out of the stove. The stove is held to the manifold by two slotted fillister-head screws. These are often very stubborn to

Summer 2014 35 The original stove with the new kit. remove and will break off inside the manifold. In this case, they will have to be re-drilled and tapped with a ¼” -20 tap. Luckily for me, these were drilled out when the engine was rebuilt and small bolts were used instead, making the job much easier. The kit includes a pair of “Killer Force” brand drill bits (1/4” and 1/8”) treated for drilling stainless steel. Locate the hole on the top of the old stove where the tube entered it, measure its location from the front end of the stove, and mark this spot on the new stove. This location varied from model to model, from year to year. Start with the provided 1/8“ drill and make a pilot hole in the new stove. It is best to clamp the part in a vise so that the force of the drill doesn’t rip the part out of your hand and injure you. Once the pilot hole has been made, use the ¼ “ bit to complete the job. Test fit the choke tube and enlarge the hole if necessary. Using the stainless steel screws included in the kit, carefully attach the new stove to the manifold. The screws do not have to be very tight, just enough so that the stove is snug to the side of the manifold. Insert the tube into the hole on the top and tighten the nut to the choke. Reattach #2 and #4 plug wires and the job is done. The Cadillac should start just like it did when new. Of course, the shiny stainless steel points out the need to re-porcelainize the manifolds. That is a project for another day.

Full Classics® and Cadillacs and LaSalles through 1962 on the field at this year’s Experience.

36 The Hood Release