Tactical to Practical – has the advantage that the pilot's eyes do not need to refocus to view the out- INSIDE THIS ISSUE Automotive Innova- side after looking at the optically near- • President’s Column tions Which Changed er instruments. This device emerged • The ...Precursor to the World – Part I from fighter aircraft and enabled the the El Camino pilot to avoid looking down as they • Tactical to Practical...Automotive By Larry Hassel pursued an adversary. Innovations...Part 1 Although they were initially devel- • Father’s Day with Class—A oped for military aviation, HUDs are Recap now used in commercial aircraft, auto- • Among the Largest Special Order mobiles, and other (mostly profession- al) applications. Vehicles...Gray Line Tours his morning I got into my T2000 Corvette (an 18-year-old ) I got to thinking about other technolo- • Activity Calendar and looked across the windshield at gy that had emerged over the years. the head-up display (HUD). A HUD is Next, we see navigation by Global any transparent display that presents Positioning System (GPS) satellites. data without requiring users to look We must go back to “Sputnik” where system to become available. It was away from their usual viewpoints. The we can find the origins of this technol- first launched in 1978 and was com- origin of the name stems from a pilot ogy. Scientists were able to track a prised of 31 Satellites in orbit at ap- being able to view information with satellite with shifts in its radio signal proximately 12,540 miles in space. It the head positioned "up" and looking known as the “Doppler Effect.” We gives an accuracy of around 5 meters. forward, instead of angled down look- saw a super secret program developed Just try to find a road map or get an ing at lower instruments. A HUD also by DoD to enable a robust navigation AAA Triptik…you have to go online nowadays and most everything is elec- tronic and largely GPS driven. Now, as you drive down the highway, there is an application called “WAZE” which provides ongoing GPS naviga- tion that works on smartphones and tablets with GPS support. It provides turn-by-turn navigation information and user- submitted travel times and route details such as accidents, road con- struction,

continued on page 4 1 Officers/Directors The President’s Column… President By Joseph F. Yochim (314) 602-9498 Joseph F. Yochim

1st Vice-President/Programs Mark Goldfeder Happy Fourth of July, Independ- (314) 878-2786 ence Day and the Start of a Hot

2nd Vice-President/Membership Summer!!! Al Mercer (636) 928-8672 I ndependence Day is perhaps our nation’s Treasurer oldest celebrated National Holiday. Congress made July 4th a na- Jackie Allen (314) 741-4158 tional holiday on June 28, 1870. The city that claims to have the oldest consecutive Fourth of July celebration in the entire nation is Recording Secretary Pekin, Indiana. They will be celebrating their 188th consecutive Sandy Neal (314) 368-1345 Fourth of July celebration. Wouldn’t it be awesome to be able to look back at some of the vehicles that traveled up and down Main Corresponding Secretary Street during 188 years of Fourth of July celebrations? Russell Neal (314) 368-2001 June Recap:

Directors June 12, 2018 was the junkyard tour! For those of you that were un- Andy Dorris (2020) Vacancy (2020) able to attend it was a trip back in time through some rusty history. Kevin Williams (2019) As I had posted in the newsletter, our group met at Cracker Barrel Sharon Mercer (2019) restaurant for breakfast and there was approximately ten of us. After Vacancy (2018) David Stephens (2018) a hearty breakfast we made our way down Highway 44 to just be- yound Union, Missouri. There we found an old salvage yard no The HCCM Publication Committee longer open to the public. “Huxels” is what the sign said and that Larry Hassel (Interim Acting Lead) sign advertising this facility was no bigger than an 11 x 14 yard 646 Woodhill Estates Drive sign. As you begin to walk down the hill the first vehicle you will Ellisville, MO 63021 see is a 1941 Chevrolet “COE” ( engine). I’ve never 636-484-0227 seen one of these up close; just over from that 41 Chevy was a 1946

Webmaster Chevrolet school …all original and virtually untouched. Next to Kevin Williams the is a 46 Chevrolet with two engine blocks (314) 481-9111 chained to the front bumper for counterweights. The 1941 Chevrolet COE truck is his every day driving work truck. Special Events Coordinator Neal McIntyre As you start to walk down the hill it's like you're walking back in (314) 494-0346 time. Over to the right under a tree I see a group of ’s. There is a 1963F 85 two-door , a 1960 Oldsmobile 98 four- Special Liaison and Parliamentarian door and a 1967 Oldsmobile 98 four-door . The 1967 is Gerald Perschbacher just like the one my father had. Just down the hill from the Oldsmo- Easter Show Chairs biles I see a 1962 work truck. As we go down the hill it’s a walk Michael and Susan Ebert back in time. So I walk a little further down the hill and here is a Car Show and Swap Meet Chair Elliott Cytron 1962 two-door. Continuing to follow the trail of breadcrumbs, I see www.hccmo.com a 1962 Pontiac Tempest two-door with the factory LeMans package. (314) 991-HONK Close by is a 1971 Pontiac Catalina with the legend- Continued on page 3...

2 ary 400 V8. Over to my left is a “bowtie man’s Holy The Annual Picnic… Grail.” It is a 1963 Chevrolet Caprice two-door with The HCCM Club Picnic is on Sunday, August 19, the SS package. Here is a 1958 Chevrolet Biscayne 2018. Our location is once again at Blanchett Park in station wagon right next to it. Next to the station wag- Shelter #2 (looks for the signs, please). St. Charles, on is several of the tri-five Chevys. We see numerous Missouri. The time is11 AM until 3:00 PM. Impalas and several Novas; there is a 1957 Chevrolet “Sugarfire Smokehouse BBQ” will be provided at 12 Apache and, a 1952 . o’clock (Noon) - Please RSVP to Joe at 314-602-9498 These are just a few of the vehicles that stood out and so we have enough great BBQ for everyone. Entrée were pretty much completely intact. So much interest items will include Smoked Brisket, Smoked Turkey was generated by this event that we’ve planned to Breast, Pulled Pork, sides consisting of baked beans hold another fall junkyard tour sometime in the month along with macaroni and cheese. Attendees are asked of October or perhaps early November. to bring a side dish or dessert. Hot summer nights car cruise! Our next general monthly meeting is scheduled for We had 35 people show up for the meeting. I quit Friday, July 20, 2018 with a regular starting time counting at over 20 cars…ran out of fingers and toes 7:30 PM location Logan University. Unfortunately I actually. Everyone that attended had an awesome will be unable to attend since I will be in beautiful time. The weather was a bit warm; However, it is downtown for the Postal Carrier’s Convention. summertime in the State of Missouri…blistering Larry Hassel has a great program for you on how to temps and unrelenting humidity! take Great Photographs of Automobiles. He just did Upcoming… the program for the BMW CCA St. Louis Chapter with an inspiring reception and lots of enthusiasm. We The HCCM Tour and Display to the North have lots of fun things coming up in scheduled events County Veterans Home on Sunday, July 15, and please see my articles with in this month’s news- 2018! Come join us at the Veterans Home 10600 letter. Lewis and Clark Boulevard (North Highway 67) St. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the club Louis, MO 63136 time 11 AM till 2 PM. The Horse- picnic Sunday, August 19! Remember - please let less Carriage Club of Missouri and friends will dis- me know how many people you are bringing so play vehicles to honor our veterans. that we have enough food and refreshments for You will have an opportunity to meet and greet everyone. Until then…Happy Trails to You! George Carper, one of the last two surviving Tuskeg- Sincerely ee Airmen living in the St. Louis Area as he cele- brates his 95th Birthday on this day as well. George was not only a P-51 pilot/mechanic in WWII, but a Joseph F Yochim drag racer and race car driver at the old Walsh Sta- dium here in St. Louis. He has great stories… HCCM President We will be served a complimentary lunch – free to all members displaying their vintage vehicles. Last year we had 22 vehicles on display my personal goal this year is for 30 vehicles to put smiles on the faces of the vets living here. We have approximately 14 people who have volunteered to date. If you can attend, please contact myself or Russell Neal at 314 368 2001. Everyone, this is near and dear to our hearts, so Remember to RSVP for the Picnic so we can get let’s have a great turn-out to honor our veterans! plenty of great BBQ!!! 3 Continued from page 1 traffic delays in general – all sorts of hacking into computer systems, loss of In 1901…The Olds automobile factory real-time traffic and road info. Anoth- jobs in the transportation industry, in- starts production in Detroit. Ransom E. er technology item which has creased suburbanization, random Olds contracts with outside companies emerged…Automotive Night Vision! threats to defeat autonomous systems, for parts, thus helping to originate Automotive night vision systems use a etc. Personally…I’m not ready for this mass production techniques. Olds pro- thermographic camera to increase a and I don’t look forward to it either…I duces 425 cars in its first year of oper- driver's perception and seeing distance enjoy driving and I jokingly refer to ation, introducing the three- in darkness or poor weather beyond the my Corvette with manual and having a horsepower "curved-dash" Oldsmobile reach of the vehicle's headlights. Such strong anti-theft device – six manual at $650. The car is a success; Olds is systems are offered as optional equip- gears and something called a clutch. I selling 5,000 units a year by 1905. ment on certain premium vehicles. The recall the first time I drove a car with Those are the “Brakes.” Think technology was first introduced in the paddle shift required some quick in-car about stopping a horse drawn car- year 2000 on the Cadillac Deville. coaching as to what to do. It might not riage or wagon…largely the horse Some systems use passive infrared sys- have helped that the car was 3.9-liter did the work! tems to capture thermal radiation. twin Turbo V-8 that produces 552 bhp Again. We look back to the military at 7500 rpm with a 7-speed dual clutch 1902 gave us better brakes…Standard aircraft industry for this technology… gearbox. No Dorothy, this isn’t Oz — drum brakes are invented by Louis something called IRST (Infrared - this wasn’t Mr. Pifer’s Driver’s Ed . His brakes work by using a Search and Track) which enables a jet Class in High School with simulators cam to force apart two hinged shoes. to approach a target without the need that emulated a “Fisher-Price See Drum brakes are improved in many to light up radar and minimize detec- and Say” toy. It was a $203,000 Fer- ways over the years, but the basic prin- tion. rari. OK, it was a bit underpowered ciple remains in cars for the entire 20th as Ferrari motorcars go, but I still felt century; even with the advent of disk Now the big question…Are you ready like the village idiot learning to drive brakes in the 1970s, drum brakes re- to relinquish your human input con- this beast...a red tiger by the tail!!! main the standard for rear . trol of your car to an autonomous system (known as driverless technolo- Production begins to jump and the automobile is being taken seriously gy, self-driving car, and robotic car)? Getting Back on Track…The Past!!! Autonomous cars combine a variety of as a form of transportation… Let’s take this segment of this article techniques to perceive their surround- Jumping to 1908… begins to see how we evolved in the begin- ings, including radar, laser light, GPS, making the Model T. First-year pro- nings of the automotive age…and eve- odometry, and computer vision. Ad- duction is 10,660 cars. Cadillac is rything had a practical purpose. vanced control systems interpret senso- awarded the Dewar Trophy by Brit- ry information to identify appropriate Telescoping Shocks… ain’s Royal Automobile Club for a navigation paths, as well as obstacles We escaped that buggy ride in 1901 demonstration of the precision and in- and relevant signage. Certainly there terchangeability of the parts from are potential benefits. With an in- with telescoping shock absorber devel- opment. Someone by the name of C. which a vehicle may be assembled. crease in distracted driving (cell Mass production thus makes more phones and texting as the two major L. Horock designed this nifty device which used a piston and cylinder fitted headway in the industry (with the issues), the technology might have Model T of course). benefits. The technology is being inside a metal sleeve with a one-way “sold” as potentially reducing traffic valve built into the piston. As air or oil Sometimes one can get a little collisions and resulting injuries. The moves through the valve into the cylin- “cranky,” but the consequences can prediction is that there can be in- der, the piston moves freely in one di- result in broken bones...there has to creased traffic flow, enhanced mobility rection but is resisted in the other di- be a better way: rection by the air or oil. The result is a for children, elderly and disabled, low- Charles Kettering introduces the elec- smoother ride and less lingering er fuel consumption, significantly re- tric starter. Until this time engines had bounce. The telescope shock absorber duced need for parking spaces, reduced to be started by hand cranking. Critics is still used today. crime, sharing economy…certainly a believed no one could make an electric vast disruptive potential of an emerg- Mass Production (and not Henry starter small enough to fit under a car’s ing technology to change the way we Ford just yet…) hood yet powerful enough to start the live. There are many downsides… engine. His starters first saw service in

4 1912 . Brakes continue to improve…with a little help from my friends… Early automation continues to ad- vance… The , made in Indianapo- lis, Indiana (before moving to Auburn, In 1913… devel- Indiana to E. L. Cord’s facility), is the ops the first moving assembly line for first American car with four- automobiles. It brings the cars to the hydraulic brakes, replacing ones that workers rather than having workers relied on the pressure of the driver’s walk around factories gathering parts foot alone. Hydraulic brakes use a and tools and performing tasks. Under master cylinder in a hydraulic system the Ford assembly line process, work- to keep pressure evenly applied to ers perform a single task rather than each wheel of the car as the driver master whole portions of automobile presses on the brake pedal. The same assembly. The Highland Park, Michi- principal continues to be used today! gan, plant produces 300,000 cars in Good ideas remain relatively timeless! 1914. Ford’s process allows it to drop the price of its Model T continually In the next Brass Lamp I will contin- over the next 14 years, transforming ue to show the evolution of the auto- cars from unaffordable luxuries into mobile and we’ll address some addi- transportation for the masses. tional ideas which originated in the tactical world. Wood Gives Way to Steel… In 1914 introduced the first car body made entirely of steel, fabricated by the Budd Company. The Dodge is made in Hamtramck, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit (Dodge Main Plant until demolished for a GM plant in 1981). Congratulations to Wayne Nolan!!! A recent show was held in which Wayne took top honors...a lot of HCCM participation...Ken Crowd- er helped organize and participa- tion by Charles Gallagher, Elliott Cytron and others at All Souls Catholic Church in Overland, MO. Living right gets you trophies with Better Brakes…Yes, We Finally Get the man upstairs!!! a “Brake”… The year of 1919 provided better brake development with the Hispano- Suiza H6B, a French , which demonstrated the first single foot pe- dal to operate coupled four-wheel brakes. Previously drivers had to apply a hand brake and a foot brake simulta- neously to stop effectively (hmmm… did that really occur?).

5 A Father’s Day Car with modified a coupe with a smoothly integrated loadbed.” He thus made a vehicle that could be used to go to school, Class – My Fascination with church, or deliver goods to market in style. “This created the coupe-utility which remains a popular body style a Certain Ranchero… known simply as the “” in .” (Photos by Gerald Perschbacher and Peter Bitzer) This 1957 Ranchero, as seen at the show, is owned by David and Betty Zinn and was saved from the salvage

yard in 1974. When the Zinns purchased the vehicle it he 2018 Edition of Father’s Day, Car’s with was missing the engine and . With some Class show turned up the usual heat for the very slight modifications, this Ranchero has been loving- day. If it were not for a gentle breeze the show ly restored and the Zinns enjoy taking her to shows be- T would have been akin to a walk across the Sa- cause of the “double-take effect” of a rarely scene vehi- hara. Hot asphalt can be unrelenting but sometimes it is cle. It is an extremely fine example of the Ranchero mod- worth it to try to endure. As I strolled the show field el that has a long history running from somewhat humble among the stately Brass Era and Classic Cars to near beginnings in 1957 to its production conclusion in 1979. “modern” vehicles (1980s), I came up- The Zinn’s 1957 on what I initially Ranchero is a perceived as a first generation “mirage.” Right production mod- “smack-dab” in front el. The first Ran- of me was an inter- chero was actual- esting Ford product ly introduced in that we don’t ever December 1956. ever see at our The Ranchero shows (at least I was based on the can’t remember one) standard (and …a pristine example new-for-1957) of a Ford Ranchero. full-sized Ford You may wonder platform, specifi- what a Ranchero cally the short- even is. If I had said Cus- “El Camino,” you tom , two- would have known exactly the type of vehicle I was look- door Ranch Wag- ing at or referring to. The irony is such that Rancheros on station wagon, and utilitarian Courier sedan delivery. roamed the earth well before an El Camino ever existed. Essentially a Courier with an open, reinforced bed, its This one was a very fine example of a 1957 Ranchero, the own unique rear window and integrated cab and cargo first production year, and yes clearly far and away the box, the Ranchero was initially offered in two trim levels, predecessor to the . and throughout the model run, was built on the corre- Introduced in December of 1957, some months after tra- sponding automobile assembly line, but sold as a truck ditional September launch of new models. Ford’s desire through Ford's truck division. An extremely basic stand- was to start a model based its existing full size platform. ard model was marketed to traditional pickup truck buy- ers such as farmers, and the Custom picked up most of I’d be willing to bet that even you old-timers probably the options and accessories available on the Fairlane line, didn’t know that the roots of the Ranchero go all the way including stainless steel body side-moldings and two-tone back to the ? Well that is a relatively true paint. Upscale models were badged both as a Fairlane and statement in a sense. Ford Model T and A were Ranchero, with a stylized representation of a Longhorn as really not much more than a sedan body that was cut be- the symbol for the model located on the tailgate. Indeed, hind the front seat and a cargo box was then added for print advertising of the time played on the theme of the utility purposes. However, the real look of the Ranchero American Southwest that the Spanish model name and was created when “’s designer, Lew Bandt,

6 Longhorn symbol were meant to evoke, showing artistic representations of the vehicle being used in ranching and outdoor activities, proclaiming it as "More Than A Car! More Than A Truck!" The Ranchero was a hit with both the automotive press and the buying public, filling an un- tapped market niche for vehicles with the utility of a light pickup and the ease of operation and riding characteristics of a car. In fact, the Ranchero had a marginally higher car- go capacity by about 50 lb (23 kg) than the half-ton F- Series pickup. Both standard and Custom could be ordered with any engine available for Ford cars, all the way up to the 352 cu in (5.8 L) "Thunderbird Special". In Canada, the Ranchero was also available in the line-up. Seat Thunderbird which all have interchangeable front end parts belts and padded instrument panels were optional. that easily bolt into place. The 1958 version remained largely unchanged under the Increasing Governmental Restrictions skin save for the new front sheet metal (shared by the big In the late 70s and early 80s, cars were already becoming '58 Ford and inspired by the Thunderbird) and its new four- smaller and increasing government restrictions placed stag- arrangement. gering fuel mileage, emissions and safety requirements on a The 1959 model was built with the same 118 in car-based pickup truck made such a vehicle less and less (3,000 mm) wheelbase as all 1959 Fords, giving the Ran- attractive from a manufacturing perspective. Meanwhile, chero the advantage over its predecessors of a new, longer purpose-designed light trucks had to meet much less strin- bed. However, this would be the last time the vehicle gent requirements for emissions and fuel economy. Ford would grow either in size or trim for several years to come. saw the way the market was going and decided small light The windshield was also 25% larger. Seatcovers were vi- trucks were the wave of the future, beginning with the nyl or "woven plastic,” while the spare tire was located be- -built Courier pickup. This vehicle would be transi- hind the passenger seat. The Custom Ranchero was the tional during which time Ford would develop their U.S. only model marketed in 1959, and was offered in 26 colors built replacement, the successful Ranger smaller pickup (11 solid shades, 11 two-tone combinations with white on truck platform. top, and four other two-tone choices). It’s interesting to note that “Ranchero” production didn’t There were seven generations of Ranchero produced before really die in 1979. Often vehicles live on in other parts of production finally ended. The vehicle went through many the globe. From 1973 to 1991, Ford Motor de- design changes over its’ lifespan…some good; some not so veloped and sold a utility version of its own good such as the switch to a Ford smaller Ford Falcon plat- called the Ford Ranchero. The first generation sold very form in the early to mid-1960s. well, and in 1974, exports began to Cuba. Later that year, it became the best-selling car in Argentina, with a total of Final Curtain Call… 110,382 sold between 1973 and 1978. Production of the With the Torino ending production after 1976, the Ranche- second-generation model lasted from 1978 to 1982, and ro was restyled with the Ford LTD II appearance as the mid production of the third generation lasted from 1982 to -sized car line which replaced the Torino but utilizing the 1987. In 1987, the fourth and final generation was released same platform. The same three models available since 1968 and in 1988 a diesel model was added to the Argentinian were still offered and the Ranchero could be ordered in a lineup for the first time, but it was discontinued as of 1989. luxurious form. Production officially ended in 1979 with, Production of the fourth-generation Argentine Ranchero among the traditional choices, a commemorative "1979½" ended in 1991. model. Although the LTD II-based Ranchero was not pro- duced for many model years, this body style with stacked rectangular is among the most popular among collectors. This generation of Ranchero is often customized by swapping onto it any front end clip from a 1972-76 Mer- cury Montego, 1974-79 Cougar or 1977-79 Ford

7 Father’s Day – “Cars with Class Bob Gasoline Alley Tour 2018” and Such…Musings and On Sunday, October 14th 2018, we are planning a tour to visit “Bob’s Gasoline Alley” for a bit of automotive nostal- Meanderings gia and the best part, Sunday dinner. The cost for the din- ner will be $15.00 per person and that includes beverage A Report by and homemade desert. This event is open to all members Joseph Yochim and other clubs as well. We need a minimum of 30 people to make this tour and dinner happen. The plan is to meet at I-44 and old Route 66 in Eureka, Missouri at 11 AM on Sunday, October 14, 2018. For those who wish to take the s the intense Sun beat down brightly in the sky, scenic route to Bob’s in Cuba, Missouri we will leave at Asixty-six cars glistened at the Museum of Transportation approximately 11:15 to give us plenty of time to arrive at for this 2018 celebration of Father’s Day. For the first time Bob’s by 1 PM. In addition to the $15 dinner cost, there is in several years, HCCM actually made money at this event, a $3.00 dollar fee admission to the museum. It will be the designed as a break-even show! Some of the individuals best three dollars you spent in a long time - be assured that and vehicles in attendance this year included Wayne and you’ll see a nice collection of memorabilia (automobilia). Melba Nolan who brought their 1919 Dodge Police car; 30 mph tour! Gene Dressel had “Little Lou” at the show (was formerly Lou & Jackie Allen’s 1927 “Apple Green” Model T). We Here is an update on the tentative message which appeared had an exquisitely restored 1915 blue Overland Touring in the last issue of “The Brass Lamp: we are planning to do Car, a first for our show! Andy Dorris brought his K-4 this event sometime in the Fall of if weather does not per- 1908 Dorris truck while George Dorris III and George the mit us, will for sure do this in the Spring time. As the Pres- 4th (and also young George the 5th) had a partial “stable” ident of HCCM, I reached out to the model T club to ex- of Dorris touring cars on display. Mike Ebert brought the tend an offer of participation. The Model T club was unre- “Back to the Future” DeLorean minus the flux capacitor ceptive to participating in a brass era vehicle tour. With which enables time travel. We celebrated 10+ decades of that said and after doing some research, I am officially motoring and we had a great variety of vehicles from all 10 changing this to the “25 Mile per Hour Tour.” I do not decades that our club now represents. own or operate a brass era vehicle and as such, I was com- pletely unaware that 30 miles per hour is going downhill A Highlight!!! with a stiff breeze at your back in an early T. So the 25 We were honored once again to have a very special car and mile an hour tour it will be. The tour will also include a person at our Father’s Day event. That was Doug Mason place to stop for food and refreshments along with a emer- with his 1911 little red Maxwell. Doug and his father were gency “Sag Wagon” support vehicle, (a.k.a. big truck with long time members of HCCM and they rarely missed an a trailer). The one thing that we have as a resource to make event, together. They loved to polish brass and that little this event happen. I shall quote one of the board members Maxwell glowed to perfection. Doug’s dad passed away “cell phones”. In today’s world when you run into trouble back in 2016. Doug was depressed with dad now gone and all you have to do is pull out your phone and call for help we never thought we would ever see Doug or the car again. unless you are already “hearing strains of Banjo music.” For a period of time in was unclear if the Maxwell would even remain in the family. So, it was especially exciting to see the little Maxwell roll off the trailer. The car was dis- played with a lot of photos and memorabilia of the years in which Doug and “Dad” brought the car out. It was déjà vu to see this beautiful car on display and to talk with Doug once again. We hope to see more of these two at future events, especially “Brass and Nickel.” It was certainly a wonderful experience to catch up on events with Doug. It was as if a couple of years evaporated. So glad to have Doug back!

8 Photos by Gerald Perschbacher and Larry Hassel

9 tion was destined to grow as the demand for personalized motor transport likewise rose. From 1910 through the 1920s, Americans discovered travel and the nation would never be the same, thankfully. The Gray Line vision was masterminded by Louis Bush who took an old Mack Truck chassis and made something special of it. He limited sightseeing trips to the Washing- ton, D.C., area, and decided to paint the unit in blue and by Gerald Perschbacher, LL.D. -- all rights reserved gray, colors popularized in American history during the Civil War. It wasn’t long before 1926 beamed its light and other large cities were added to the touring list. There was New York, a magnet for eastern travel. In the Midwest, cast its spell and the automotive capital of Detroit was hardly far behind. New Orleans catered to the south while Los Angeles and San Francisco motioned for tour- ists to realize their spell. Add international sites such as Toronto and Havana, and you get a better picture of the meaning behind wanderlust. The demand for custom de- signed was on the rise. All this continued to mature as Harry J. Dooley took the reins of leadership in a postwar economy and boomed even more. He earned the accolade as “father” of the sightseeing industry. To capture the feel of this advancement in the 1920s, let’s hitch a ride hither and yon. For the novice, custom ap- pointments were conducive to touring. An exterior view of the landscape was shrouded by a canopy and trimmed with decorative railing as if an observation deck on the rear car of a train. Curtains with pullbacks graced each side-window post as open windows beckoned scenic scents to invade the lives of passengers. The busses were more than transportation. Those were magic rides to vistas unknown to many travelers. That was a time when travel was an opulence, but one which more and more people ome of the most opulent vehicles made by man were discovering. Swere the carriers of the wealthy and adventuresome. We Sidemounted spare tires added a classy air to the bus’s could elaborate on the virtues of Pierce-Arrows, , exterior and large whitewall tires dressed up the affair. A and endearing Peerless cars with custom workmanship. wide range of stops enticed travelers. On a motor tour to We could linger on the special-order designs for Cadillac San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley, visits were made and Lincoln, Stearns and Stutz, and a rafter of other names to Muir Woods, San Quentin, La Honda, Stanford Univer- that have traced the advancement of motoring. We would sity, the Petrified Forest, Santa Cruz, and Del Monte. additionally pontificate on the results exquisitely executed There were deluxe versions of western tours and smaller by specialty design houses of absolute character. We ones. For example, the Golden Gate Park, Cliff House, could envision the one-offs, true sole creations and rare and Presidio or “Thirty-Mile Drive Tour De Luxe” offered survivors collected covetously today. We could add the magnificent views of San Francisco from the summit of multi-million-dollar motorcars that furthered the cause of Twin Peaks. In 1927, it was a mere $2.50 fare. Passengers motor creation. Even if we mentioned all these, we would were picked up at and returned to hotels with no extra still be remiss by neglecting mention of the largest classy charge – quite a value in the Roaring Twenties. customs ever to take to the road. The bus-building business had become a notable aspect of Hence, this installment. motorized progress. Magazines were issued on the sub- In 2011, The Gray Line of motor tours reached its century ject, travel guides were released, and design work gained mark. Its humble beginning began in March of 1910 at a momentum. Not all buses were brimming with ultra- time when the roads of America were rough at best, basic comforts, but (as in the more recent age of custom and rutted in general, and at times impassable. But a fever and motor homes) builders and designers wanted a little had caught ahold of Americans. It was a wanderlust, an extra they could offer customers to such a distinct ad- inner desire to see the land, to see what lay beyond the vantage that business swung to the makers which were sunset and on the other side of the mountain. That tempta- most energetic.

10 Building on the best of tour destination was the Santa Rose encouraging tourists to partake of rail tour in a deluxe par- and Petrified Forest Tour, called Trip #6 in a 1927 booklet lor car with “individual arm chairs seats, reserved for the by The Gray line. Fare was $10.50. This tour appealed “to entire trip, with hotel and meal accommodations at the fin- the true lover of Nature” once the half-hour drive over the est hotels on the pacific Coast.” Golden Gate had been accomplished. Areas rich in orchard For thousands of early travelers, The Gray Line was their and vineyards beckoned. “Here is the Valley of the Moon,’ first experience in long or short tours. made famous by Jack London,” said The Gray Line copy- writer. “It was in this region on June 14, 1846, the famous The experience on buses designed to provide a degree of Bear Flag was raised proclaiming the California Republic.” comfort and ease of mind was a strong taste of the luxury car field that was maturing and how, when income allowed, Less we forget, farmers liked to take tours. To see Sonoma it was in the minds of many to renew their discoveries in County’s rich poultry area (that in 1927 was producing classic custom settings, at the steering wheel of their own more than $6 million in poultry income annually) had to automobile. trigger new ideas among those touring farmers. It was site to the largest hatchery in the country, “one incubator plant Once people took to touring, there was no stopping the rush hatching 165,000 chicks at one time.” of innovation of vehicles with classic custom design. On the lesser side of cost was a “See Chinatown After Dark” tour for an affordable $1.50. Near the top end was a fare of $12.50 to see Santa Cruz and Del Monte, two-day excursion by bus. Even more could be seen on a three-day $47.50 plan including meals as riders explored major lengths of California. The Gray Line was shrewd in cou- pling with the Railroad Commission of the state by also

Caption: The Gray Line offered convenience with a touch of class to riding comfort.

11 HCCM Activity Circa 1948...Courtesy of Geroge Dorris...

12 A Bargain Opportunity...Join the National HCCA Organization for the First Year at $19.95! This is for real and a great publication whether you own a or Not!!!

13 14 THE PUBLICATION OF THE CLUB OF MISSOURI, INC. Activities Calendar

2018 Club Events Calendar July 15 11:00—2:00PM Vet. Home Display on N. 67 July 20 7:30 PM General Mtg. at Logan U. Aug 19 11:00 AM—Annual Picnic at Blanchette Park Sep 16 HCCM Car Show and Swap Meet—Hollywood Casino Sep 22 Brass and Nickel Show at MOT Oct 19 6:30 PM White Elephant, Logan U. Nov 16 6:30 PM Chili Cook-Off, Logan U. Dec 2 TBD Tentative Date Holiday Party at Glen Echo Country Club

Don’t forget to RSVP for the Picnic!!! We need a head count. ...We also need help at the HCCM Car Show and Swap Meet in September!!!

Information in this calendar is summarized. See flyers for upcoming events Alert!!! Please check the club website and check the HCCM website. For flyers and events, check periodically at www.hccmo.com for up- www.midwestswapmeets.com dates to notice of club event cancella- 2018 Swap Meets, Car Shows, etc. tions or changes in times or location due Jul 15 First Annual Car Show—Wildwood Historical Socie to weather or other circumstances. ty 11:00 to 4:00 PM, $20.00 Donation Highway 100 just West of Stovall’s Grove—Call 636-458-4350 for info. Volunteer Reminder and Benefits… Jul 29 All Ford Show, McDonnell Park St. Louis

Remember, volunteering to work at the Sep 9 Wheels in Motion, Westport Plaza Easter Concours and /or the September Sep 29 AAA Auto Show (Peter Bitzer Chair...314-607-3100) Swap Meet and Car Show earns credit Car cruises and other events can be accessed at https://www.hemmings.com/ clubs/ towards free admission to the annual Holiday Dinner and Party.

The Brass Lamp is a monthly publication of The Horseless Carriage Club of Missouri, Inc. Copyright—2018 All Rights Reserved. Material from this newsletter may be reprinted or shared by our club members with proper citation and written consent from the Publications Committee.

15 Neal and Kyle McIntyre love their fire engines and this is a great example!!! It is a 1964 Mack C-85 FC (Fire Custom). It is the only Mack in existence with Towers Fire Apparatus instead of Mack proprietary equipment. It served with Crystal City, MO from 1964-2016 actively. This one was sold by longtime

Mack truck salesman, Tracy Shade...a late personal friend of the Editor since childhood.

The Brass Lamp

A Publication ofPublication A Club of Carriage Horseless the Missouri, Inc.

www.hccmo.com (314) 991-HONK

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