December 2017 The Brass Lamp Dodge Had a Winner for 1953 Gerald Perschbacher “Chrysler engineering would build only the very best,” noted Bill Stoeckel in his article, “1953 Dodge V-8,” appearing in a late- year issue of WPC NEWS, Chrys- ler Products Restorers Club, P.O. Box 3504, Kalamazoo, Michi- gan 49003 (Richard Bowman, editor and club president). Mr. Stoeckel does a highly admirable 1953 Dodge Meadowlark job of compiling a multi-page treatment complete with statisti- cal details, history, insights, and single most significant The article pointed out that visuals. change that Dodge made for this design did not offer 1953, and that was the ‘Red space for carbon build-up, “Hailed as the ‘Active Car for Ac- Ram’ V-8 engine. The most thus offering a high com- tive Americans,’ the 1953 Dodge important feature…was the pression ratio “and still op- was offered in three series: Cor- hemispherical combustion erated on regular grade onet, Meadowbrook, and Mead- chamber which placed the gasoline.” That 241.4 cubic owbrook Special,” ran the arti- spark plugs in the center of inch power plant provided cle. The ranges were listed from the combustion chamber 220 foot pounds of torque, top to bottom, and details were Each set of valves required its a very respectable number added on the various body styles own rocker shaft giving these in that era. While more in each. These cars…offered the engines the title of ‘dual rock- expensive to build than en- er shaft hemis.’” gines of wedge design, INSIDE THIS ISSUE Continued on page 3 >>> By the way, this is probably • Dodge for 1953 the same Bill Stoeckel who • Final Automotive Trivia had been an officer of the • William Mitchell HCCM a couple decades ago, • Activities Calendar and was a MoPar man right • Gardner Comes Home to his core. Part One • George Mason & Nash The President’s Joseph F Yochim (314) 602-9498 President Column… By Joseph F Yochim Mark Goldfeder (314) 878-2786 1st Vice President/Programs Al Mercer (636) 928-8672 Holiday greetings everyone! our 75th anniversary year began. In 2nd Vice President/Membership 50 years ago on December 2, 2019 HCCM will be celebrating 75 1967, the huge old river boat the years. I am very excited looking Delta Queen sprung a leak and forward into the 2018 calendar Jackie Allen sank while moored just north of (314) 741-4158 year. Lots of fun activities will take Acting Treasurer the Eads Bridge on the St. Louis place. riverfront. I can still remember Martin L. Hassel standing on Lacledes Landing The last full week of May, I plan to (314-232-5934) staring at the brown swirling wa- do a road trip with classic cars Recording Secretary ter. And the beautiful white Delta down to Lake of the Ozarks. I will Queen riverboat of the bygone have more information and specific era sitting helpless listing in the details at the January meeting. Dr. Gerald Perschbacher water. Many attempts were (314) 849-5249 made to raise the boat that We will also do the Hot Summer Corresponding Secretary turned out to be futile. The high Nights car cruise again in the river levels and the ice took their month of June, along with some Directors toll on the old wooden boat and other surprises that I will divulge to John Clark (2017) buy the spring of 1968 she was the membership. Ron Nelson (2017) declared derelict. Vacant (2018) Thank you to all that came to the David Stephens (2018) Along with that event, I remem- Christmas party. It was a wonderful Kevin Williams (2019) ber how, as a child, each Christ- time at the Glen Echo Country Club. Sharon Mercer (2019) mas back in the old days we Johnny Rabbit did three rounds of would go down town to see the trivia. Some of the questions were Ron Nelson wonderful Christmas window 9826 Affton View Ct. easy, some of those questions were St. Louis, MO 63123 displays along Seventh Street really challenging, even for natives (314) 638-7131 downtown. of St. Louis. The end result was that Brass Lamp Editor everyone had a wonderful time. And 1967 was a banner year for Kevin Williams the city of St. Louis because the Come join us as a volunteer to help (314) 481-9111 Cardinals had just won the World at the St. Louis Auto Show taking Webmaster Series in October. The celebra- place January 25—28, Thursday tion went on all the way to Neal McIntyre through Sunday. Christmas. (314) 494-0346 Special Events Coordinator Looking forward to seeing every- Little did I know that 50 years one in our general meeting on Fri- later. I would become the presi- day, January 19 starting time 7:30 dent of the Horseless Carriage PM. Club of Missouri. As all of you know this will be my third con- From my family to all my car club secutive year as your president. family happy holidays and a happy Ladies and gentlemen, it has New Year! www.hccmo.com been a privilege to serve all of you and be the leader of this or- Sincerely (314) 991-HONK ganization. We are the oldest car Joseph F Yochim club not just in the Midwest, we HCCM President Celebrating 73 Years are the oldest car club in North America. In St. Louis! Last month our countdown to 2 <<< from front page “with reasonable care” the engines “were almost indestructible.” This well-written and finely researched article offers car collectors the opportunity to figuratively kick tires on a make and model they may have a keen interest in investigating. Readers who are so inclined may ask about the supply of top-line Coronets (and others in the line for 1953). Sticking with the Coronet V-8 as an example, Mr. Stoeckel indicated prices and weights for five body styles in that range. The four-door sedan was made in the greatest number with 84,158 heading to buy- ers. Next in number came the Club Coupe with 36,766. Third was the Diplomat at 17,334, followed by the Sierra Station Wagon at 5,400 and, lastly the Convertible at 4,100. When you think about it, if scarcity is what a collector wants, he or she may just as well find a Sierra rather than pay big bucks for a Convertible. 3 Coming Back Home: the Travels of a Gardner Part 1 by Gerald Perschbacher The 1920 Gardner returned to its point-of-manufacture in St. Louis in 2006, having spent most of its usable life in other states. During those “wandering years,” the questions surfaced: where had it been, when, and under whose ownership? That was the mystery that begged to be solved. kota, from where it then traded hands and went to New Hamp- shire where it spent a handful of years as a fun car. It wasn’t restored, but its four-cylinder Lycoming engine performed well, leaking radiator notwith- standing. As time progressed, the fun of ownership wore off and the car went up for grabs “Did you see that Gardner?” a an old car. Yes, some months at Hershey. friend asked. I was examining later the car arrived near my the wares, parts, and automotive home and was safely tucked into Contacting the museum estab- gems at the Hershey Fall meet in storage. The ACQUISITION was lished a firm friendship with 2005 when the encounter hap- sealed. But then came the ques- Dave Geisler, whose family runs pened. “Gardner?” I asked. “No, tions. Where had the car been? the Pioneer Auto Museum and I haven’t seen one. Where? Who had owned it? Being a pre- “auto show” nearly every day of What space?” I countered, realiz- war car made those answers the year. Even so, Dave had ing the only safe way to find a harder to find. Many years had only a sketchy recollection of vendor at the massive meet was passed. the car. That’s because his fa- to know how the space was posi- ther and uncle were establish- tioned by letters and numbers. I’ve owned several old cars pur- ing the collection and, in the chased from original owners or early 1950s, were obtaining “I don’t know, but if you walk their families, and in those in- various unusual and very old several rows over, then head that stances, it’s generally easy to find cars from collectors in key way,” he pointed, “you’ll see it.” paperwork tracing the early years points around the country. of the vehicle. If a vehicle was One of those areas was in Lots of luck! That was my passed down to children or northern Illinois and southern thought. Regardless, I perse- grandkids, they had recollections Wisconsin. “I’m pretty sure vered, covering the general area or articles or pictures or some that Gardner came from some- once, twice, up to five times, other traceable information that where up there,” said Dave, each time widening my scan. On filled in the early history of own- sorry that he knew of no old the second day I found the ership. In some cases, wise col- paperwork that survived the car. “HELLO!” I told myself, walk- lectors were able to obtain the years of museum owner- ing up to the canopy covering canceled, original title of first ship. This matched with the the 1920 Gardner touring car. ownership. But this Gardner had AACA badge affixed to the a difficult history to trace. dash, saying the car had been This isn’t an article about that Word of mouth from Ben, the on a tour in that vicinity during discovery at Hershey, as much as seller, indicated the car had been the 1950s.