ClassicistTheColorado

Spring 2017 Published by the Colorado Region Volume 64 Issue 1 Club of America Here are a couple of snaps John Milliken sent of his 1941 Series 61 Coachcraft woodie. The top one is at the Coachcraft plant in Hollywood just after it was finished and the bottom is as it is today. This is the only Series 61 to attain Full Classic status. John is the Director of the SoCal Region of the CCCA. Photos are from an article in The Sidemount Mirror, Issue 1, 2016

Front Cover The hood emblem of a 1930 Back Cover Cadillac V-16 is shown There must be against the background of a “car-guy” a pasque flower heralding gene. the advent of spring in the Colorado mountains.

2 The Colorado Classicist

The Established 1954 Colorado Classicist Published by the Colorado Region of the Classic Car Club of America

The Colorado Classicist is published by the Colorado Region, Inc., of the Classic Car Club of America as an informative Table of Contents publication for its membership. Message from the Director Page 4 The Colorado Region was chartered as a Message from the Editor Page 5 Region Member of the Classic Car Club of America in 1954. The Colorado Re- Colorado Regional Events Page 6 gion, Inc., of the Classic Car Club of CCCA National Events Page 6 America was incorporated under Colora- do State law and granted a charter by the Letters & Regional News Page 6 Classic Car Club of America in 1990. Joe Pirrone’s 1932 Cadillac Page 8 The Classic Car Club of America is a Cadillac’s Golden Age Page 9 non-profit organization incorporated in the State of New York. The Club seeks to Detroit Goes to Sea Page 14 further the restoration and preservation of distinctive motor cars manufactured from Terry Johnson’s 1941 Cadillac Coupe Page 16 1915 through 1948, to provide a channel of communication for those interested in Don Braden’s 1941 Cadillac 60 Special Page 20 such cars, and to bring together in good Rod Brewer’s 1941 Cadillac Page 22 fellowship all who own or admire these finest examples of automotive craftsman- Arizona Concours d’Elegance Page 26 ship. The sole requirement for member- ship is a demonstrable interest in Classic Tech Tips Page 29 cars. National Club membership is re- Mystery Photos Page 31 quired to become a Regional member.

It should be noted that this publication is about the events and correspondence for 2017 Board of Managers Colorado Region CCCA the membership of the Colorado Region, Director Joe Pirrone 970 686-9291 [email protected] Inc., and may include some technical ar- ticles and other articles of automotive in- Assistant Director Davis McCann 303 841-9265 [email protected] terest. The correctness and applicability Secretary Frank Keller 303 972-6420 [email protected] of the information contained in the arti- Treasurer Phil Doty 303 798-1707 [email protected] cles is the sole responsibility of the au- thor of the article. The Colorado Region, Membership Chairman Davis McCann 303 841-9265 [email protected] Inc. is not responsible for the content of Other Board Members such articles or problems that may arise Ron Damiana 303 985-4149 [email protected] from following the information in the ar- Lonnie Fallin 303 904-8080 [email protected] ticles. Tony Ficco 303 431-6492 [email protected] Full Classic® is a registered trademark of Tom Goyne 303 478-0068 [email protected] the Classic Car Club of America. In this publication a car named as Classic or Full Terry Johnson 303 761-2444 [email protected] Classic is a Full Classic® as recognized Web Site Master Shiela Koppenheffer 303 457-3821 [email protected] by the Classic Car Club of America, how- Classicist Editor Tom Goyne 303 478-0068 [email protected] ever, some cars depicted herein may be non-Classic. Collector Car Council of Colo Rep Bill Hunter 303 986-1458 [email protected]

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 3 Message from the DIRECTOR Joe Pirrone

s I am sitting down to write the 2Q 2017 Director’s mes- sage I have realized that spring is but a short few weeks Aaway. How could have this happened? The last time we met was at our annual year-end celebration and I hope everyone and their family and friends enjoyed a safe and pleasant holiday season and that all continues to go well for everyone.

Our board met in early February and has established an initial activity agenda for the 2017 season. Please remember that while driving a Full Classic is encouraged and is super great, it is not a requirement for participation (with the exception of the Mini CAR- avan) and every member is welcome to attend with or without a Classic. Notices of upcoming events will be sent out to everyone in advance so that you can add them to your calendar. [The list of events is shown on page 6 so you can get them on your calendar now. -ed.]

During my initial address at Cherry Hills I talked about what we could do collectively to obtain greater participation from the membership and to make the club’s functions have broad-based appeal. For those members who were not able to attend I encouraged everyone to submit their ideas for club functions whether or not they would be able to organize and lead the event. Good ideas are always welcome and the board will do its best to make the event happen. While the initial agenda has been established which includes some long standing favorites, please feel free to call me at 970.686.9291, or email me at [email protected] with your suggestions.

Members are also encouraged to attend our club meetings to share their thoughts on any subject that affects our club. The next meeting will be held on Thursday April 27th at 3965 S. Lipan St., Englewood, CO 80110. I hope to see or at least hear from everyone in the near future.

Joe Pirrone, Director

At the Annual Meeting of the Antique Automobile Club in Philadelphia this winter it was announced that Joe won the Joseph Parkin Award for his 1931 Waterhouse convertible victoria shown at right. Congratulations, Joe! -ed.

4 The Colorado Classicist Message from the EDITOR Tom Goyne

ouring season is coming up quickly. Our first one is the pe- rennial favorite, Terry Johnson’s Spring Garage tour, being Theld this year on April 22nd. Terry will undoubtedly have a great group of collections for us to see. We just hope the weather is the usual Colorado perfection rather than the cold and rain of last year. But that didn’t keep anyone away, as I remember.

The other big tour we have this year is the Mini-CARavan to Tel- luride to see the Colorado Festival of Cars and Colors. It is only in the planning stages right now, but it looks like we will be able to participate in a good portion of the parades, shows and the con- cours d’elegance. It will be September 22 - 24, a prime time for Colorado’s golden aspens. There is a good web site describing the Festival at carsandcolors.com.

Other tours for the year are listed on the next page. Note partic- ularly the June 11th and August 26th concours. The first is the Ability Connection Colorado charity concours at Arapahoe Com- munity College and the other, the Morgan Adams charity event at Centennial Airport. Both are well attended and worthy of your attendance. Quite a number of us are planning to enter our Classics in these shows. If you are interested in entering yours in the ACC concours, call Stim Kennedy at 303 478-9494. They are having a nice Full Classic group this year. Also note the June 4th Boettcher Mansion tour. This is a one-day drive up Lookout Mountain to the recently restored Boettcher mansion. It will include a lunch stop.

About the time you are reading this issue of the Classicist, I will be at the CCCA Annual National Meeting in Reno, which this year is being held from March 29 through April 2. I have heard through the rumor mill that your Colorado Region may take some awards. I will report on them in the next issue.

This issue of the Classicist continues the series on Cadillac from the last issue. There are three 1941 cars featured: Terry Johnson’s 1941 all-original coupe, Don Braden’s 60 Special, Rod Brewer’s convertible-sedan. Then I continue the history of Cadillac leading up to the 1941 model year with an article entitled “Cadillac’s Golden Age,” which is a discussion of the extraordinary engineers and powerful managers who built Cadillac after its founder, Henry Leland, left in 1917. And finally, I included an offbeat article on “Detroit Goes To Sea,” which gives a glimpse into the lifestyle of these powerful men and their families. We begin with Joe Pirrone’s 1932 Cadillac. I hope you enjoy!

Tom Goyne, Editor Proofreader: Joe Malaney

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 5 Colorado and Regional Events The Board of Managers generally meets on the third Thursday of each month. If you are interested in attending please call one of the Board members for exact time and location. April 22 Spring Garage Tour June 4 Day tour to Boettcher Mansion on Lookout Mountain with lunch June 11 Ability Connection Colorado Concours d’Elegance at Arapahoe Community College August 26 Morgan Adams Concours d’Elegance at Centennial Airport September 22-24 Mini-CARavan to Telluride for the Colorado Festival of Cars and Colors November 16 Annual meeting at Romano’s Italian Restaurant. Free Pizza! December 10 Christmas party

National Events Check your Classic Car Bulletin or classiccarclub.org for the latest details May 12-21 Nordic CARavan in the South, St. Louis to New Orleans May 12-13 Grand Classic, Auburn IN (Joint CCCA/AACA meet) June 3-4 CCCA Museum Experience, Hickory Corners, MI June 11 Grand Classic, San Marino, CA June 24-25 Grand Classic, Sequim, WA July 7-8 Grand Classic, Dearborn, Michigan October 14-22 CARavan, Arizona Region October 27-29 Grand Classic, Texas Region

Letters to the Editor and Regional News I was intrigued by the 1932 Auburn article [in the Autumn Today Road and Track, Dan Neil (at WSJ), et al, refer to a Classicist and November Bulletin, but] there is no such town “flat crank.” All seasoned automotive technicians and afi- in Vermont as Paultney. It is probably Poultney. Nobody cionados understand, however, that “flat crank” refers to the but a long time resident of that state would pick that up, but wear pattern on crank throws due to power and compression I’m a nitpicker. Bob Wagner, Palm Springs, CA loads concentrated in a specific area. Today the single-plane ____ crankshaft is of renewed interest for firing order and reso- nant manifold considerations. Modern pistons weighing but Thanks for the terrific ‘41 Cadillac article. I eagerly antici- a fraction of traditional designs, plus higher operating RPMs pate the next installment. allow this.

There are two points that invite comment. First, the term Next, the reference to Cadillac carrying GM in the early “split crank” suggests the crank was built in separate piec- years is incomplete. The Model 10, introduced in es...not the case. The manufacturing technique utilized inter- 1908, like ’s T, was quite profitable and brief- mediate twisting operations to properly configure the forged ly was the world’s highest production car, until Henry fully billet prior to machining. The proper term for this is “two- accelerated his assembly line, as originated by R. E. Olds plane crankshaft.” The two-plane crankshaft eliminates an for his Curved Dash models. The Buick 10 was a fine and unbalanced moment couple inherent in single-plane V-type sophisticated OHV jewel for its time. Don Leach engines. Other manufacturers, notably the Lincoln Model L, adopted alternative approaches to alleviate symptoms. Thanks for the comments, Bob and Don. There is a lot more on Cadillac and GM in this issue. -ed.

6 The Colorado Classicist February 2, 2017 and it will be the planning meeting for Annual Membership Meeting events for the 2017 year. All members were encouraged Reported by Frank Keller, Secretary to attend as this is probably our most important meeting of the year. The 2016 Annual Membership Meeting of the Colorado Re- gion of the CCCA was held on November 17, 2016 at Roma- The meeting was adjourned at 8:35. no’s Italian Restaurant in Littleton, CO. Sixteen members ____ and guests attended and enjoyed pizza and drinks, the piz- za being courtesy of the Club’s treasury. Director Lonnie Fallin called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM. Hunting in Canada

Roll Call - Board members present were: Lonnie Fallin, An Excerpt from Ron Damiana, Tony Ficco, Joe Pirrone, Tom Goyne, Phil The Antique Automobile, Sept/Oct 2016 Doty and Frank Keller. Davis McCann and Terry John- son could not attend. Bill Hunter, our representative on the Old Car Council also could not attend. In addition the following club members were present: Tom Kostelecky, Tom Carlisle, Don Braden, Art Cutler, Tim Gilmartin, Don Leach, Doug Carlson and Shiela and Kent Koppenheffer. Lonnie announced that Fred Norman had contacted him and requested to be removed from the Board due to health reasons.

Financial report - Phil Doty presented the financials and reported that as of October 31, 2016 the club was in good financial shape with $63,792.85 in assets, but during the prior 12 months, expenses exceeded revenue by $4,590.53.

Classicist report - Tom reported that he was working on the next edition of the Classicist and was anticipating mail- ing it to members during the first week of January, 2017. In addition Lonnie presented Tom a Special Achievement Award from CCCA National that recognized the Classicist This newspaper clipping showing a 1927 Cadillac is from as one of the top regional publications within CCCA. the November 22, 1929 East Hampton Star, a Long Island, New York publication. It shows the result of a successful Event planning - Lonnie reminded everyone that the annu- hunt in New Brunswick, Canada: a 400 lb bear and a buck al Christmas party was to be held at Cherry Hills Country roped onto to the car’s front fenders, and another 250 lb bear Club on December 11 at 6 PM. Phil reported that he was on the trunk rack. On the left is Felix Dominy, Colorado mailing the announcement of the event to all club mem- regional member Tim Gilmartin’s great-uncle. Tim says this bers with a request to make reservations and send payment about him, “My father spoke highly of him, and of his hunt- by December 7, 2016. He also reported that the club was ing and fishing exploits. He died in 1935 while ‘up north’ subsidizing the ticket price of the event and that the price hunting. My father said Uncle Felix was found frozen solid was $40 per person. Lonnie discussed the fall tour that was so his hunting companions strapped him to the front fender held on October 2, 2016. 32 people participated in that and drove him back to East Hampton! As a young kid, I be- tour and seven members drove their full classics. lieved my father at that time.” As you should, Tim. -ed Election of members to the Board - Phil Doty reported that Lonnie Fallin, Frank Keller, Phil Doty and Tom Kost- elecky were all elected to the club’s Board for three year Thanks to our sponsors terms. Then Joe Pirrone was unanimously elected as the club’s Director for 2017. The club’s other officers for 2017 To place an ad here will remain the same as 2016. call or email the editor

It was decided that the next Board meeting will be held on

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 7 1932 Cadillac V-12 370B Town Sedan

By Joe Pirrone

Our new regional Director sent in this article on his 1932 Cadillac Town Sedan. It is a nice, mostly original car that Joe has had for many years. Here’s what he says about it...

his is a recent snap of my 1932 Cadillac V12 Model 370B Town Sedan (aka club sedan or close coupled Tsedan) that I have owned since 1982. It is an AACA HPOF car, and with the exception of the 40 or 50 year old 25-foot paint job, it is pretty much the way it left the Clark Ave Cadillac Plant in May/June 1932 before being shipped to the Don Lee Cadillac Agency in downtown Los Angeles.

That wonderful Art Deco building was still a working Ca- dillac dealership up to 1989 when the property was sold. I don’t remember the exact year but we had an AACA tour there so the car went back home some 55 years after it was sold. Above is the Saturday The previ- Evening Post ad in the colors the car ous owner was repainted. acquired the Left is the real thing car in 1963, at Joe’s home. painted it but did not color sand, buff or put In the case of Cadil- the chrome lac there were three back on. paint options beyond When I the standard offerings. bought it, They were: 1. For it was not an additional $15.00 running but you could have the after some car painted using any basic work I color from the Cadil- got it to my lac color pallet dating home on back to 1903. 2. For one bank of six cylinders. an additional $25.00 you could get any color that could be formulated. 3. For an additional $35.00 you could get any The car was originally black and was repainted to match the color that could be formulated including the chassis/under- colors shown in an ad in the Saturday Evening Post (shown carriage. ■ above). As with all luxury cars of the day the manufacturers had “standard” colors but for additional cost the customer Joe showed the car most recently at the 2016 AACA Western Fall could specify just about anything. Meet in the HPOF (Historical Preservation of Original Features) class.

8 The Colorado Classicist Cadillac’s Golden Age The Men Who Made Cadillac Great By Tom Goyne

Information taken from a Nov/Dec 2016 article by Rich Ray in Torque, the CCCA Michigan Region’s magazine, and from GM Heritage Center sources

In the last issue of the Classicist we featured Cadillac, and in par- turmoil as well. Collins and the engineers were out within ticular the 1941 Cadillac, the most popular year/marque car in two years, though it is reported that Collins sold his stake the region. The lead article was “A Cadillac History,” and dis- in Peerless for a nice profit. Most of the engineers returned cussed the early years of Cadillac under the leadership of Henry to GM and were given a new project called Pontiac. This Leland. This article continues with the post-Leland period from turmoil in the industry was not uncommon; engineers and 1916 through the end of the Classic era, 1948. During these years managers moved where the money was, and opportunities became the world leader in automobile manufac- ture, and Cadillac flourished as the top-end brand. This story is abounded for talented people. The effect on Cadillac, how- not so much of the events, but of the much more interesting one of ever, was serious. These departures essentially decimated the strong and talented general managers and engineers who made Cadillac’s managerial and technical leadership capabilities. Cadillac great, Larry Fisher, Nick Dreystadt, and most importantly Ernest Seaholm and the creative engineers he supported. Herbert Rice replaced Collins as Cadillac’s general manag- er, but was soon replaced by Larry Fisher (of n 1917, Henry Leland, the founder and guiding light of fame). There is a legend that all seven of the Fisher brothers Cadillac, left Cadillac and General Motors in a dispute had filed into Rice’s office to complain about his manage- Iwith GM founder William C. Durant over producing war ment, prompting him to resign. matériel during World War I. Cadillac had been asked to build Liberty aircraft engines but Durant was a pacifist and LARRY FISHER refused. Leland took some of Cadillac’s engineers with him Fisher Body’s beginnings trace back to a horse-drawn car- and started the , later purchased by riage shop in Norwalk, Ohio, in the late 1800s. Lawrence P. Ford. Leland got a $10 million government contract and be- Fisher and his wife Margaret Theisen had a large family of gan building the Packard-designed V-12 Liberty engine. The eleven children: four girls and seven boys. All seven sons contract was canceled at the end of the War and the compa- would become part of the Fisher Body Company. ny was reorganized to manufacture a new luxury automobile which was, of course, the Lincoln. In 1904 and 1905, the two eldest brothers, Fred and Charles, came to Detroit where their uncle Albert Fisher had estab- Leland’s 1917 departure from Cadillac was followed by Cadillac’s general manager, Rich- ard H. Collins, who left in 1921 to promote his own car, the Collins Six, and subsequently to buy into Peerless. He took with him Cadillac’s chief engineer, Ben Anibal, who had succeeded D. McCall White as chief engineer of Cadillac in 1918 when White had resigned to form the Lafayette Company. A group of Cadillac engi- neers also quit and followed Anibal and Collins to Peerless.

This didn’t last long at Peerless; they were in The Fisher brothers in 1922. Larry is on the right

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 9 lished Standard Wagon Works during the latter part of the as a spendthrift and a playboy. He has always had plenty 1880s. The brothers found work at the C. R. Wilson Compa- of money to spend because of the success of Fisher Body, ny, a manufacturer of horse-drawn carriage bodies that was and with the sale to GM, he had a 15% ownership stake in beginning to make bodies for the automobile manufactur- that giant corporation. He took over Cadillac’s reins with ers. With financing from their uncle, on July 22, 1908 Fred gusto and remained there through 1934. He was brought in and Charles Fisher established the Fisher Body Company. primarily to make the Cadillac division profitable. He spent Their uncle soon wanted out and the brothers obtained the GM funds lavishly to do that, determined to make Cadillac needed funds from Detroit businessman Louis Mendelssohn the best of the luxury brands and in particular, to gain control who became a shareholder and director. Within a short pe- of the luxury market from Packard. He largely succeeded riod of time, Charles and Fred Fisher at this through two avenues, top-notch brought their five younger brothers into styling and advanced engineering. These the business. attributes came from two men, the styl- ist and the engineer Ernest Prior to this, Fred Fisher had built the Seaholm. body of the Cadillac Osceola at the C. R. Wilson Company. (The Osceola ERNEST SEAHOLM was the first production closed body One young and very talented project en- automobile built in America.) Starting gineer was left at Cadillac when the chief in 1910, Fisher became the supplier of engineer quit in 1918, Ernest Seaholm, all closed bodies for Cadillac, and also and he de facto took over the job of built for Buick. chief engineer. An article by Rich Ray the editor of Torque, the CCCA Michi- In the early years of the company, the Ernest W. Seaholm gan region’s publication, tells us about Fisher Brothers had to develop new Ed Cole, his former employee and lat- this almost forgotten man, the extraordi- body designs because the horseless car- er President of GM, described Seaholm nary engineers he hired and his next boss, riage bodies could not stand up to the as “responsible for bringing up more Nicholas Dreystadt. vibration in the new motorcars. They top engineering talent than any man successfully did this and by 1914 their I know [and] is one of the men that “Seaholm graduated from Mechanics Art operations had grown to become the really put the character in the Cadil- School in Springfield, Massachusetts in world’s largest manufacturer of auto lac...one of the most significant men in 1905 and joined Cadillac as a designer in Cadillac’s engineering history.’’ bodies. One reason for their success 1913. He was at the bottom of the totem was the development of interchange- pole and never met Leland, but was in- able wooden body parts that did not require hand-fitting, as stilled with Leland’s high mechanical standards and crafts- was the case in the construction of carriages. This required manship. Seaholm said of this time [after Cadillac’s man- the design of new precision woodworking tools. agement and engineering staff had departed for Peerless] that ‘all the leaders from the top down were gone and those In a 1919 deal put together by GM president William C. of us left were confused and anxious.’ When new manage- Durant, General Motors ment arrived at Cadillac, bought 60% of the Fish- Seaholm became their er Body Company. The ‘go to’ guy for techni- Fisher company pur- cal issues. After two chased Fleetwood Met- years of this informal al Body in 1925, and relationship, he became in 1926 was integrated Cadillac’s chief engi- entirely as an in-house neer in 1923 even though coach building divi- Seaholm later said that sion of General Motors. he ‘was never designated Eventually, all but one of chief engineer...in time, I the Fisher boys became found myself in charge. GM managers. This went on for twenty years.’ Seaholm admit- Nick Dreystadt, Ernest Seaholm and Owen Nacker, with significant Lawrence P. Fisher, the ted later in his career of help from Harley Earl, brought into being the mighty V-16. This middle son, was known Madam X model is in Australia. being intimidated at the

10 The Colorado Classicist time with the responsibility of following in the footsteps of and Oliver Kelley, began development of a 2-speed “shift- Leland and Kettering. less” transmission. During 1934, the Cadillac transmission group had developed a step-ratio gearbox that would shift “[One of Seaholm’s most important early] developments automatically under full torque. This group of engineers was was the improvement of dynamic balance of Cadillac’s then moved into “Boss” Kettering’s GM Central Research, 90º V8 engine by setting the building pilot transmission crankshaft throws at 90º inter- units during 1935-36 which vals rather than the “flat” 180º were then handed to Oldsmo- throws. This offset the second- bile for testing. The Automat- ary forces by placing them in ic Safety Transmission was an opposition and eliminating the outgrowth of this work. It was annoying vibrations at the crit- a semi-automatic transmission ical speed of 2000 rpm or 40 using planetary gears and a to 50 mph. The primary forces conventional friction clutch, were eliminated by very com- requiring the driver to use the plex counterweighting of the clutch to shift into or out of crankshaft requiring advanced gear, but not between the two forging and heat treating tech- forward gears. Oldsmobile niques. The result of this joint offered the AST from 1937- mathematical and engineering The primary patent drawing for an “Automatic Gear 1939, and Buick offered it in effort, including Kettering’s Shifting Mechanism for Sliding Gear Transmissions,” as 1938. GM Research organization, Earl Thompson called Synchro-Mesh in 1922. was a big improvement in the Earlier in the decade at the Lon- smoothness of the Type 63 Cadillac V8 introduced in 1924.” don Motor Show, Seaholm saw the Daimler “fluid flywheel” which he purchased for analysis by Cadillac engineers. This EARL THOMPSON gave Thompson new ideas on an automatic transmission The Torque article continues, “In 1926, a young California leading to what became known as Hydra-Matic. It was de- engineer by the name of Earl A. Thompson showed up in signed to combine hydraulic operation of a planetary gear- Seaholm’s office doorway driving a Cadillac (his brother, a box (allowing much shifting to be automated) with a fluid west coast Cadillac dealer, accompanied him) with his pat- coupling instead of a friction clutch, eliminating the need for ented synchromesh transmission concept. de-clutching. The transmission would have Although the design was very complicated, four forward speeds plus reverse It incor- Seaholm recognized the potential. He ini- porated a parking pawl which was engaged tially referred Thompson to the corporate when the shift selector was placed in reverse technical committee which gave Thomp- with the engine off. son the runaround. Afraid the corporation might miss this opportunity, Seaholm hired The result went into production in May Thompson and promoted the concept over 1939 for the 1940 model year Oldsmobile. corporate indifference. It took ten different Oldsmobile was chosen to introduce the designs and testing over 1.5 million miles Hydra-Matic for two reasons: economies of in 25 cars at General Motor’s new proving scale—Oldsmobile produced more cars than grounds in Milford, Michigan to commer- Cadillac at the time, thus providing a better cialize the feature. Introduced in all 1929 test base—and to protect the reputation of and LaSalles, it became an instant Earl A. Thompson Cadillac in case of a market failure of the hit by making driving dramatically easier. new transmission. Advertising proclaimed The relatively high cost of the design meant it “the greatest advance since the self-start- that it would not migrate to lower priced cars for another er,” and despite the marketing hype, that was largely true. four years. [Many competitors, including Packard, paid roy- In 1940, the Hydra-Matic was a $57 option, rising to $100 alties to use the design in their cars.]” for 1941. In 1941, it also became an option on Cadillacs for $125. Almost 200,000 had been sold by the time passenger In 1932 after the successful introduction and refinement of car production was halted for wartime production in Feb- the synchromesh transmission, Earl Thompson under Er- ruary 1942. Hydra-Matic was the engineering coup to end nest Seaholm and with engineers Ed Cole, Owen Nacker, all coups and set up Cadillac as America’s premier luxury

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 11 automobile for many decades in the future. No competitor to Cadillac people since he had spent considerable time had anything like it, nor would they for many years. Other at Cadillac engineering soliciting help in adapting Rolls- manufacturers scrambled to catch up after the War, but it Royce cars to American road conditions. With the collapse took time. already had Fluid Drive; Buick got Dy- of Rolls-Royce operations in Springfield, Olley was unem- naflow in 1947, Packard in 1949, but they were ployed and he approached Seaholm with a letter of introduc- perceived as not as good as Hydra-Matic; smoother, but tion from Seaholm’s sister whom he knew. This somewhat slower. Lincoln, notably, bought Hydra-Matics from GM unorthodox approach worked as Seaholm hired him on a from 1949 onward. Kaiser, Frazer, Willys, Hudson, Nash probationary basis to develop Cadillac’s suspensions. Olley and even Rolls-Royce used them. built an experimental long called the ‘K2 Rig’ with movable weights to allow a variety of ride OWEN NACKER conditions. This testing determined that the best subjective Continuing the Torque article by Rich Ray, “Owen Nacker ride was with front springs softer than rear which achieved was a well regarded engineer who had worked for Buick and essentially “flat ride”; in other words, the vehicle did not Brush and as a consultant to T. P. Chase, one of Kettering’s top pitch over a bump, but remained flat. However, soft front mathematicians at GM Research. Seaholm hired Nacker as springs resulted in a lack of handling stability and front end chief engine designer in 1927 and was immediately assigned shimmy that could only be overcome with an independent to what front suspension. GM President Alfred Sloan had brought became in Andre Dubonnet to develop the “knee-action” type sus- the V16 pension while Cadillac’s engineers had developed their own engine short- and long-arm coil/wishbone front suspension. A year project. of development and testing took place to eliminate shimmy Nacker’s including steering gear redesigns. The result was one test engineer- car with the Dubonnet concept and another with the short/ ing anal- long-arm design. The project was expensive with Larry ysis de- Fisher accusing Seaholm and Olley of being the first men termined in General Motors to ‘spend a quarter of a million dollars to This is Maurice Olley’s independent front that a build two experimental cars!’ In March 1933, the two cars suspension as used on Cadillac (plus Buick, V16 con- were demonstrated on a 70 mile test drive from Detroit to Oldsmobile and later Pontiac and Chevrolet). figuration Monroe, Michigan with Sloan and the GM General Techni- It was introduced on Cadillac in 1934. It has a would... cal Committee. Fortunately for Seaholm and Olley they saw long lower arm and a short upper arm to elim- fit into Sloan was smiling within the first two miles. Dick Grant, inate tire scuffing. The Delco shock absorber the ex- GM Vice President of Sales, said that at a cost of $15, even acts as the upper arm pivot. isting V8 in depression year 1933, he would ‘find the money some- chassis how’ to get that ride. Both concepts were approved for the with no 1934 model year: the short/long-arm design for Cadillac, change in transmission and drive line. Lawrence P. Fisher, Buick and Oldsmobile and the Dubonnet for Pontiac and president of Cadillac, was looking for an ultra to Chevrolet (which switched to short/long-arm design two try to wrest leadership in the luxury segment from Packard. years later). Chrysler introduced independent front suspen- With a 12 cylinder having been done before, the concept of sion at the same time as GM allegedly with the help of a a 16 grabbed his interest. Nacker was given a team of peo- former GM engineer who arrived with a box of GM engi- ple to design the engine with assistance from GM Research neering drawings.” with valve adjuster and crankshaft harmonic balancer devel- opment. Prototype V16 engines were installed in two oth- NICK DREYSTADT erwise production Cadillacs for on road testing including a Rich Ray in Torque goes on to say, “The arrival of Nick vacation trip to Florida by Nacker and his wife. They were Dreystadt as Cadillac general manager in 1934 after Fisher not allowed to open the hood under any circumstances. The left created a new challenge for Seaholm. [He] was quoted engine proved to be completely quiet and fast. as saying that ‘we had never worried about costs at all - or very much anyway.’ Dreystadt was the complete opposite MAURICE OLLEY of Fisher; a conservative family man who had worked his In the early ‘30s, Seaholm focused on solving automo- way up the Cadillac organization after starting as a mechan- tive suspension problems. Rich Ray in Torque continues, ic. Seaholm described him as a ‘real hustler, tough, and “Maurice Olley, chief chassis engineer for Rolls-Royce of didn’t make many friends, but he really lined us up where America in Springfield, Massachusetts, was already known cost was concerned. Nick made us look closely at every-

12 The Colorado Classicist thing…if someone else made a part for two dollars, why did cars were made. ‘Quality is design and tooling,’ he said, ‘in- ours have to cost three or four?’ spection and service; it is not inefficiency.’ He was willing to spend money on superior design and better machine tools. “...because Cadillac still sold for luxury prices despite its He was willing to spend even more on quality control and drastically reduced production costs, it had become Gener- top-notch service departments. He was not willing to spend al Motors’ most profitable car per unit. In still-depressed money on production itself...In less than three years, Cadil- 1937 more Cadillacs were sold than in roaring 1928. It is lac’s production costs were no higher per car than those of ironic that 20 years later Dreystadt’s first employer, -Mer the low-end Chevrolets.” cedes-Benz, would use his technique of applying mass pro- duction to luxury automobile manufacture to transform it- FINAL NOTES ON ERNEST SEAHOLM by Rich Ray self from a marginally profitable boutique operation into the “When he was complimented on his ability to develop peo- very model of the modern luxury car maker. ple, Seaholm said ‘there was no training - I just turned them loose. I didn’t make them, they made me.’ This modest man “But Nich- lead Cadillac’s development from the relatively crude open olas Drey- cars of the 1920s to the smooth riding, reliably advanced stadt would cars of the 1940s. He quietly worked among the more out- never know going personalities around him in the Cadillac and General that irony. Motors organization that are much better known today. In His aston- 1943, at 56 years of age, Ernest Seaholm retired from Cadil- ishing turn- lac, well short of normal retirement age. He and his wife had around of no children of their own, but had adopted four, and he want- Cadillac ed to spend his time with family, civic and religious duties. put him on His philosophy was that the time to step out was when you track for are at your peak. In 1927 when Larry Fisher became general big things manager of Cadillac and brought in Harley Earl, Seaholm at General completed the youthful triumvirate (Fisher was 37, Earl was Motors. In 34 and Seaholm was 40) that pushed Cadillac to the top of 1946 he was the luxury field. After 22 years as Cadillac’s chief engineer, Nicholas Dreystadt made head he served on the Birmingham [MI] school board, [and] a of Chevrolet high school was named for him. Seaholm died in 1977 at and was far and away a major contender for GM’s presiden- age 90.” ■ cy in a few years, but just two years after moving to Chevro- let, he succumbed to throat cancer at the age of 58.” I am indebted to Rich Ray, editor of Torque for allowing the use of his article in the November/December 2016 issue of the magazine. Forbes magazine in a May 1, 2009 article says this about Hydra-Matic and other information is from various GM Heritage Center publications. Dreystadt, “He proceeded to revolutionize the way luxury

This dealership has just the 60 Special you want and it is immediately available. These are 1:24 Danbury Mint models in Joe Malaney’s col- lection. Two more of his 1:43 models are at the right.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 13 Detroit Goes to Sea The 1929 race to get the most lavish yacht By Tom Goyne

The Olive K, “Boss” Kettering’s 172 foot yacht built in 1929

ig money, big boys and big toys. Detroit’s finest went in for signed and built for him by the same two firms that Olds yachting in a big way in the twenties. There seemed to be used, a 114 foot yacht named Rosewill II. The yacht had a Ba race among the richest to get the biggest and most lavish unique low sleek design, in order to insure adequate bridge yacht in town. Here are a few of the stories... clearance for Intercostal Waterway navigation on the fall trip from Lake Michigan to Florida where the boat was wintered. Ransom E. Olds was an avid yachtsman and had begun sail- The cost was $29,500, not including engines, generator, fur- ing as early as 1907. In 1924 he took delivery of his fifth niture and upholstery or electrical equipment. Rands sold yacht, Reomar III, a 97 foot vessel made for Great Lakes Rosewill II in 1937. cruising. The yacht was designed by Cox and Stevens of Detroit and built by Ross W. Judson was president of Continental Motors Cor- Defoe Shipyards of poration, a company which he had founded in 1903. In May Bay City, Michi- 1927 he took delivery from Defoe yards the 140 foot Como- gan. Olds and his co and slid out onto the Saginaw River. By October 1927 wife used Reomar the Comoco left the lakes and sailed out the St. Lawrence III extensively; to the Atlantic Ocean. during the 1925 Early in December season he put some Defoe met with Jud- 2,500 miles under son in his Detroit of- her keel and it is fice to discuss some said used some 2,000 gallons of fuel. He kept this yacht un- problems with the til 1931 when it was sold to a former governor of Michigan. vessel. Judson said She is still afloat and available for charter as theCelika S. he was considering selling the Comoco William C. Rands was president of the Motor Products as she was, and build- Corporation, a major supplier of stampings to the industry. ing another yacht 15 Rands was also one of the original founders of the Automo- feet longer. Before the end of 1927 he had done so and had bile Club of commissioned a new vessel. Judson had the new 165 foot Michigan Comoco built by a different yard and she was launched in and held card 1929, at Neponset, Massachusetts, reportedly at the cost of number three. $525,000. The first Comoco was renamed Caronia by her He contract- second owner, James Whitin, a Massachusetts cotton mill ed in 1927 owner, and later served in WW II as a patrol vessel. She to have de- burned and sank in 1956 at Canton Island in the Pacific.

14 The Colorado Classicist Charles F. Kettering, vice-president of GM Research Corp for Detroit’s biggest and most lavish; contemporary publica- bought the 97 foot yacht Luanco in 1928, seemingly on the tions described them as “palatial.” Their cost was in excess spur of the moment. He hired of $1 million each. Fisher and a crew of seven men to take Briggs used their boats often, over the vessel and renamed mostly on the Great Lakes and her the Olive K after his wife. occasionally to Florida. Sloan Within three months, he con- sometimes loaned Rene to the tracted with Defoe yards for a Duke and Duchess of Wind- new $300,000 172 foot Olive sor, but mostly it just sat, an- K, (pictured on the previous chored off the Shelter Island page) which was launched Yacht Club at the end of Long in 1929 and was used by Island. He sold the vessel to the Ketterings on the Great the Maritime Commission Lakes. The vessel was even- in 1941 for $175,000, which tually sold in 1940 to the New converted her to a patrol boat, York United Sandy Hook Pi- Beryl PY-23. She had quite lot’s Association. This is the luxurious owner’s stateroom on Olive K a far ranging war career, ex- tending from South Carolina Alfred P. Sloan, Chairman of to Midway in the Pacific. Af- GM, Walter O. Briggs, pres- ter the War, she was sold to ident of Briggs (body) Manufacturing Company and Fred the Maryland Pilots Association, which had her converted to Fisher, president of Fisher Body Division of GM, each con- a pilot boat, renamed Baltimore, and brought to Cape Henry tracted with the Pusey and Jones shipyard in New Jersey at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. It is interesting to note for essentially equivalent 236 foot yachts designed by Cox that all three yachts found similar naval service in World and Stevens. All were launched just before the stock market War II, and that the Nakhoda also became a pilot boat, the crash in October 1929. These three ships clearly win the race New York, for United Sandy Hook Pilots. ■

On the right, the 236 foot Nak- hoda, Fred Fisher’s yacht; Cen- ter, Cambriona, Walter Briggs’ yacht; and Right, Rene, Alfred Sloan’s yacht. Photo taken at the Pusey and Jones shipyard in New Jersey October 15, 1929 just after their launching.

Left is a GM engineering con- ference aboard Rene. Alfred Sloan is stand- ing on the right, Above is the Nakhoda after the navy acquired her in 1940. Ernest Seaholm, She was recomissioned the USS Zircon PY-16, and served the extraordi- patrol duty along the Atlantic seaboard from Newfound- nary Cadillac land to the West Indies. The Rene and Cambriona served engineer dis- similar duty during the War. After the War, each had a cussed in the previous article, standing second from left different life, but none returned to luxury yacht duty. and C.F. Kettering seated third from left. The time for such grandiose yachts had passed.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 15 16 The Colorado Classicist Terry Johnson’s 1941 Coupe

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 17 in the hood paint. I also saw some minor lead crazing in the Cadillac back. It truly is an amazing original. Terry just had it de- tailed and the 75 year old paint gleamed like new. Series 62 Coupe Terry let me drive it around the neighborhood. This early By Terry Johnson as told to Tom Goyne Hydra-Matic is different from later ones, and I think the rea- 1941 son is Cadillac had not adopted the torque converter yet; a Terry Johnson has had this black coupe for only about three years, fluid coupling is used instead. These do not have the torque but says that he likes it better than any of his other cars. He says it multiplication of a torque coupling so the initial take off drives better, is quieter and smoother than any old car he has ever seems a bit slow. I’m not saying that it is anything like a had. I asked him what he planned to do with the car and he said Buick Dynaflow or Chrysler Fluid Drive. It is just a little that it would stay with him forever. And from Terry, that is saying different from the later Hydra-matic. something. He buys and sells cars pretty regularly. I asked him if he would sell it to me and his response was silence. I guess I will Terry tells the story of his infatuation with the 1941 Cadillac, have to put out a hit squad to get it... “When I was 5 years old and not yet in school, every noon I

This photo is taken in Terry and Kay’s front yard. The bronze lion in the foreground was done by their daugh- ter, a highly accomplished wildlife sculptor.

his coupe is as original as they get. It has only 39,000 would walk with my mother from our house to my father’s miles on it and the interior is almost as good as the service station to deliver his lunch. One day we got there Tday it left the factory. It runs smoothly, quietly and and he was circling a 1941 Cadillac muttering about not be- without hesitation. The Hydra-Matic shifts smoothly and ing able to find the gas cap. I followed him around a couple it rides like a dream. The exterior is perfectly straight and of times and could not find it either and was genuinely puz- the paint is mostly original although some areas have been zled. Finally, he stopped at the left rear taillight and said, touched-up. The hood and cowl vent are beginning to show ‘Oh, here it is, under this chrome reflector’ and lifted it up to their age, but only in a minor way...the primer shows through show me. I’m sure he did this just to tease me. on the leading edge of the cowl and there are tiny bubbles

18 The Colorado Classicist “I still remember the looks of that car. My father let me sit just before the US entered into the War. He shortly there- behind the wheel to look at the chrome dash and the beauti- after enlisted and was sent off to fight in Europe. Sadly, he ful woodgraining and to peer out over the hood. That image never came back. The car was in dry storage for the War’s remains with me to this day. This is why I love 1941 Cadil- duration and for many years afterwards. It was not until lacs.” the eighties that someone from his family started driving it, and then only sparingly. It was sold to collectors after that. The coupe has an interesting story, although, as Terry warns, It has had excellent care for its entire life and it certainly “it is only a story.” A young man purchased the car new shows. ■

The black paint gleams because Terry just had it detailed. At the right you can see some places on the cowl vent where it is starting to bubble. The three piece rear window was a signature Cadillac feature. The driving lights are not commonly seen; usually these accessory lights are yellow fog lights.

Above left is the op- tional run- ning board. Right is a factory locking gas cap. The two photos below show the pristine upholstery.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 19 Cadillac It was built on a 127-inch wheelbase, three inches longer than the standard Series 60 cars. The new Sixty Special uti- lized a unique “X” frame underneath, which allowed the Sixty-Special 4,170 lb car to sit within its frame. This gave the new Ca- dillac the stiffest chassis on the market, and it was also three Sedan inches lower than other Cadillacs with no sacrifice in head- 1941 room. The disappearance of running boards along the side By Don Braden and Tom Goyne and its lack of belt-line trim made the sleek car appear even lower. More important, it allowed shoulder and hip room to increase by over five inches without an increase in overall The Sixty Special is a long-lived series designation within the Ca- width. When combined with the brand-new column-mount- dillac Division of GM. It began in 1938 just after the introduction ed shift lever, the cars offered true six passenger comfort. of the mid-priced 60 Series. It was designed under the direction The car was powered by Cadillac’s standard 130 hp, 346 cu of Harley Earl, the longtime head of the Art and Colour Division, in V-8 engine. the styling arm of GM, and was an immediate hit. It was stylish, powerful, and reasonably priced. The combination couldn’t be In its debut year, 3,703 Sixty Specials were delivered, at a beat and it sent others, notably Packard, scrambling to come up with competitive models. The car featured here is Don Braden’s base cost of $2,090 each. The new Sixty Special outsold ev- 1941 60S. ery other Cadillac model in its first year accounting for 39% of all Cadillacs sold. or 1938, under the guidance of Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell designed the Sixty Special. It was added be- Starting in 1940, and for the remainder of its existence, the tween Cadillac’s lowest-priced line of cars, the Series Sixty Special would be Fleetwood marked, enjoying high- F er-priced molding, trim and upholstery like the Series 75 and 60, and the Senior Cadillacs. All first-generation 60 Specials were built at 90. It would be the Fleetwood Cadillac’s most Plant. luxurious own- er-driven mod- The new four- el, a role it kept door sedan, through 1976. which Mitch- ell designed to 1941 was the look like a con- last year of vertible sedan, Harley Earl incorporated and Bill Mitch- trend-setting ell’s original features. The Sixty Special most signif- design, as an icant were: all-new 1942 a complete- model was ly integrated, in the works. coupe-like Many consider trunk (which Don Braden and his 1941 Cadillac 60S on tje road the 1941 to be launched “three-box” sedan during the 2008 Montana CARavan the most beautiful of this se- styling); no running boards ries, though Mitchell himself (which all makes soon followed); two-piece, convert- favored the clean lines of the original 1938 model. For the ible-style doors (Bill Mitchell called the ‘38 60 Special “the first time, Cadillac had its own front end design—the “tomb- first hardtop”); a “four-window” canopy with more glass stone” grille with a high center section flanked by lower side area than any Cadillac before; a steeply-raked windshield sections—that would identify Cadillacs for years to come. and four front-hinged doors. Contrary to what was then the The new face blended well with the original body, and the trend in luxury automobiles, the new Sixty Special was in- rear fenders now held full skirts. For 1941, the wheelbase tended as an owner-driven car, rather than a chauffeur-driven was reduced by one inch, down to 126 in. Sixty Specials one. showed a $105 price increase (for the first time) to $2,195. Power was still supplied by the same 346 cu in Cadillac en-

20 The Colorado Classicist gine as before, but was now rated at 150 hp. Production to- in tatters, but there was enough of it left for patterns. Don’s tals for the 60S include 3,878 Touring sedans (including 185 restoration took many years. In fact, he just last year felt that with a sun roof option), and 220 Imperial sedans (now priced he can call it done. He showed it in 2016 at the Wheels and at $2,345). Only one Sixty Special Town Car was made this Wings show at Vail and it was a hit. year and it was used on the auto show circuit before being purchased by film director, Cecil B. DeMille. Featuring a Don learned when he bought the car that the front fenders leather-covered roof, it was the last town car to come from and hood came from a donor car, which was from San Ma- Cadillac-Fleetwood. All told, there were nearly 17,900 Six- teo, California. Curiously, the donor car had a hitch attached ty Specials made from 1938 to 1941, including about a doz- which Don guessed was to pull a horse trailer since San Ma- en custom bodied versions. teo was home to Bay Meadows race track. And it seemed logical to Don that the horse hauled around with a nice Ca- Don Braden bought this car from Alan Anderson of Salem, dillac must have been famous, perhaps Sea Biscuit. Unfor- Oregon in the eighties. It had been partially restored and tunately, there is no confirmation of this.■ sported a new paint job (which it still wears...it was well done) and a rebuilt motor (which was not well done...Don Information on the early 6o Specials is from Wikipedia, “Cadillac had to have it and the transmission redone). The interior was Sixty Special,” 2016.

The interior shots show the handsome gray broadcloth upholstery. At the left is the hidden gas cap and the controls for the heater/defrost- er, fog lights “F” and backup light “B.” Center is a correct accessory backup light and the rear seat courtesy light.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 21 Cadillac a pittance of the 60,000 cars Cadillac sold in 1941, so it is no wonder that they decided to not offer that body style for 1942 and post-war.. At $1,965 suggested retail price, it was Series 62 the most expensive Model 62 in the lineup by far, a full $300 (15%) over the convertible coupe. It was also the heaviest 1941Convertible Sedan of the 62 Series at 4,320 lbs. By Tom Goyne It is unlikely that Cadillac executives pondered the idea that the ’41 convertible sedan would be the last one the company I met Rod Brewer and his son Rod at their warehouse on West would produce for the next 3/4 of a century (and counting), 44th Avenue on a gray, cold, rainy day. The younger Rod (who, but the 1941 model year was a time of big change at the incidentally is the Region’s newest member...Rod, Sr. gave him company. LaSalle was discontinued and it was replaced by a full membership as a Christmas present) had the previous day reviving the Series 61 (nc) designation. That series offered

pulled the ‘41 Convertible Sedan out from behind another car in the lowest priced models starting at $1,345 for a 5-passanger the warehouse and was trying unsuccessfully to get it started. The coupe. A new touring sedan made up the single-model Series three of us fiddled around with it for a while but were generally 63, and a pair of huge 139-inch-wheelbase Fisher-bodied se- stumped. Rod had put a jump-start battery on it but it still would dans were also unveiled and given the Series 67 designa- not turn over. In fact, the starter solenoid wouldn’t even click. We thought perhaps the solenoid had failed, but I put the jump-start tion. The Series 75 with a 136 inch wheelbase continued and cable directly to the starter terminal and still nothing. Finally, one model, the 7-passanger formal sedan became Cadillac’s though, Rod decided to go down to NAPA and buy a new battery highest priced non-custom offering at $4,045. Lastly, the and after it was put in, the car started right up and ran great. We Series 90 V-16 was dropped. determined later that the jump-start battery which Rod had recent- ly bought at Costco was defective. Doesn’t it always seem that Rod bought this car at a Kruse auction after failing to get there are always two things that go wrong at the same time? But it privately some time earlier. Rod says, “the owner was the good news was that by the time we had it running the rain had asking a ridiculous price and wouldn’t come down, so I said quit and we could take it outside for a photo shoot. no.” But then he heard that it was coming up at the auction and that Terry Johnson was going to that auction. Rod had 941 was the very last year Cadillac offered a convert- Terry bid on it up to a limit, and happily, he won the auction. ible sedan and there were very few made; 400 is the 1production number generally accepted, and there are It was a California car and had been restored there quite a only about two dozen left in working order. This is only few years before, but maintained well. The paint is still very

22 The Colorado Classicist Left and above, the top mechanism is complex as you can see, but it does allow that very large top to fold flat into its small storage well.

Clockwise from the right, it really only takes one person to low- er the top, but three makes it easier. The rear door panel. The concealed runningboard. The highly chrome plated dash with its optional radio.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 23 good and the chrome is nice as well. The interior was redone in the original pattern but in vinyl rather than leather. The bright work in the interior is all very nice and appears to be all original, attesting to the car spending most of its life in sunny California. The top is obviously not new...it is cotton rather than one of the more modern synthetic materials, but as you can see from the photos, it still looks pretty good.

Rod, Sr. doesn’t drive this car anymore as it is a stick shift and he doesn’t like clutching, but Rod, Jr. likes the car and hopes to drive it more in the future. (We hope you will, Rod. We would like to see more of this car on tours! -ed.) ■

24 The Colorado Classicist Rod, Jr, his wife Andria and Rod Brewer are standing at the left. Check out Rod’s “Brewer Classic Cars” shirt.

Note the gold-tinted anti-glare rear view mirror in the interior shot to the right.

The photo below shows just how sleek the convertible sedan is with the top down.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 25 Steve Kreisman and Jane Billings with a 1953 Cadillac con- Arizona vertible in the Iconic Post-war American Class. Our Packard won a Class Award in the American Open Concours d’Elegance Class, and Steve’s Cadillac won Best in Class in the Iconic Post-war American Class. By Lonnie Fallin There were several stunning Bugatti and European Prewar Classics on the field and the Best of Show was the 1936 his is the fourth year for the Arizona Concours d’El- Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic from the Mullin Collection in egance which raises money for the Make-A-Wish Oxnard, CA. TFoundation. It is held at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix. There Registration was were over 80 cars Friday and Sat- judged or dis- urday. Saturday played in various evening there was Classes including welcome reception American Classic and dinner for en- Open and Closed, trants, judges and as well as Antique honored guests. autos, European Women race car Classics, Iconic drivers Janet Guth- Post-war American rie and Lyn St. Cars, European and James along with American sports team owners Chip cars, race cars, etc. Ganassi and Bobby The cars of Ettore Rahal gave after- and Jean Bugatti noon talks relating and Lincolns of the Photo: Mark Clayton, RestoreCars.com to the time when Classic Era were they were involved the featured cars. in Indy racing. Above, Fred Norman and Mark Clayton showed their 1934 Lincoln Brunn Con- The judging was vertible Victoria in the Classic Era Lincolns class. Below is Steve Kreisman Sunday, January and Jane Billings in their sleek Best-in-Class ‘53 Cadillac (nc). For those of us who 15th, and there was wanted to drive our the Arizona Tour cars, the Arizona d’Elegance the fol- Tour d’Elegance lowing Monday, was held on Mon- the 16th, for the day. The 75 mile people who wanted route went from to drive their cars, the Biltmore in and all the Colo- the busy morning rado people drove traffic in northern theirs. Phoenix to the far Colorado Region north east moun- members with cars tainous area of to be judged in the Scottsdale where event were: Betsy we stopped at the and I with our 1934 collection of John Packard 12 Dual and Sonia Breslow. Cowl Sport Pha- . eton in the American Classic Open Class, Fred Norman and Mark Clayton with a 1934 Lincoln 12 KB Brunn Convert- This collection of over 100 cars is housed in a spectacular ible Victoria in the Lincolns of the Classic Era Class and garage which was at least 50 yards long and 15 yards wide.

26 The Colorado Classicist The interior finish This concourse is becom- was pristine and the ing a popular event. The cars were displayed judges are knowledge- so there was plenty able, and the setting at of room around each the Biltmore is beautiful. of them. The collec- Entry onto the show field tion was eclectic and was in order by a number had everything from placed on the head light an old London taxi to of each car. There were modern sports cars, many volunteers to guide but was lacking Full us through the grounds of Classics. We were the Biltmore, and since asked not to take any we went in numerical or- pictures in the garage. der, there were no long lines waiting to get the From there we drove car in the correct position through residential on the field. and mountainous ar- Lonnie and Betsy Fallin above look happy with their trophy for the eas to our next des- ‘34 DC Phaeton. The people in the Arizo- tination in Old Town na region do a great job Scottsdale. We were of organizing an under- greeted by a bagpiper and lots of tourists and local folks taking of an event. They only sell a certain number of tick- who really enjoyed seeing the cars. We had a special area ets for spectators and when they are sold out, that is it. The reserved for us to display ours cars on the Scottsdale Water- crowds are reasonable. There is plenty of room to view the front South Bridge. cars, and there are not a lot of people trying to surround the cars all the time. Two white wooden chairs for the entrants We had a group lunch at an area restaurant reserved for our are placed at the back of each car. Therefore you don’t have group while the cars were left on display until 2:00. After a lot of lawn chairs scattered all over the place. ■ lunch our final destination was back to the Biltmore.

Photo: Bob Golfen KRB Imaging

The three photos give some indication of the range of fine Classics displayed. Left above is a 1932 Duesenberg J Vic- toria Coupe; left below a 1937 Lagonda LG45 Rapide; and right above a 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Atalante.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 27 UPCOMING COLORADO REGION EVENTS

Two of the participants on last year’s Mini-CARavan An featured guest was among Bob and Kitty Wilson’s to South Dakota collection at last year’s garage tour

28 The Colorado Classicist hold a cigarette lighter under the lug nut and a candle over Tech Tips it. Allow the melting candle wax to drip onto the threads of the bolt and nut. Keep the lighter on the threads long enough Here are tips on lubricants from Art Cutler...For my ‘31 Ca- (30-60 seconds) so that the wax will wick into the threads. dillac steering box, Penrite Steering Box Lube was recom- Before the rusted nut cools, put a wrench to it and it should mended to me by a fellow member of the Cadillac Club. It is come right off. You can see a video of the technique on You 1200w, heavy enough so it won’t leak out of units that have Tube by searching for “removing rusty lug nuts.” marginal seals, yet light enough to provide good lubrication. It will meet all the ’31 Cadillac steering box lubrication re- quirements. Your editor has used an even heavier Lubri- plate 1500 weight “semi-fluid grease” in a leaky antique car differential with good success, and both Lonnie Fallin and I have used it in Packard steering boxes as well.

The ’31 Cadillac manual calls for calcium soap grease for the water pump. Lubriplate No. 115 is a calcium grease called “the ideal water pump lubricant” in the Lubriplate literature.

Lubriplate and Penrite products are available from Resto- ration Supply Co www.restorationstuff.com in Escondido, CA. ______

This from John Washburn, Davis McCann and Frank Keller...A very effective trick in removing rusty lug nuts is to

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30 The Colorado Classicist MYSTERY PHOTOS

Here are photos of two nearly identical1930s Cadillac town cars with famous people standing beside them.

Tell me the year and model of each and who the beau- tiful women are. The bot- tom car is now in a museum in New Zealand but I don’t know where the top one is. If you know, tell us.

Send your answers to the editor, [email protected], or by any other way you can think of.

Colorado Region Classic Car Club of America 31 Who sez there is no “car-guy” gene?