Classic Lines Volume XXXVI January 2012 A PUBLICATION OF THE CLASSIC CAR CLUB OF AMERICA® SOUTHERN FLORIDA REGION DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE If you don’t already know, you belong to one of the most active regions of the Classic Car Club of America®. Last month we had a little picnic at our Naples home. Fifty- three members and guests with eleven Full Classic® motor Southern Florida Region cars ate, traded old car stories and examined each other’s Classic Car Club of America® Classics. The next Saturday, an unknown number estimated Officers and Directors at over one hundred attended the final and exclusive view- ing of the Millhous Collection in Boca Raton. The follow- Director.............................Dan Hanlon ing day, Nancy 330-802-0201 and Corrine Assistant Director.............Mike Dodge B r a n d t c o - 239-783-1864 coordinated the Secretary...........................Ed Miller much herald annu- 239-597-8965 al Christmas Gala Treasurer...........................Ray Kyle Brunch. By the 330-360-1955 time you receive Committees this issue of Clas- Activities...........................Art Polacheck sic Lines maga- Membership/Directory......Lee Smallridge zine, the Ever- Head Judge........................Dick Roach glades Tour will Web Master.......................Mike Dodge be history and you are probably packing your bags for the Projects..............................Phil Rector four day “LOL” Lake Okeechobee Loop Tour co- Historian/Archivist............Dave Salzman coordinated by Roger and Denise Hatton. Sunshine............................Caroline Haire It’s only twelve months since our region sponsored a Nominations......................Ed Miller National CCCA Annual Meeting. We have been requested Regional Awards...............Denise Hatton to sponsor another, again under the leadership of Ray Giu- CLASSIC LINES-Editor….Ed Miller dice. Your Board of Managers has yet to officially commit Editing Proofreader............Joe Malaney to this undertaking. Please direct your opinion regarding Photographers....................Lou Albenga, another National Annual Meeting to your Managers. Your Denny and Lee Smallridge thoughts are valued as this is a significant commitment for Car Show………………....Dan Hanlon our region. Managers Another little undertaking still in the planning stage Corrine Brandt, Gordon Cramer, Mike Dodge, is a car show possibly starting next year. This season isn’t Ray Giudice, Dan Hanlon, Bob Hetzel, Ray over, there will be two more tours and a picnic. Yes, the Kyle, Paul Loree, Ed Miller, Art Polacheck, Southern Florida Region is extremely active, innovative and Dick Roach, Phil Rector, Lee Smallridge just plain fun to be a part of. But I guess you already knew More information at: that. www.southernfloridaccca.com Dan Hanlon Front Cover: Don’t try to take the top down C 2 Director’s Message on this Marmon Sixteen Phaeton as it is a fixed 3 Port Royal Report top. This Marmon has led a pampered exist- O 4 Road Test ence and has traveled only 45,000 miles. If you N 10 Christmas Brunch are ready to go for a ride, turn to page 4. T 11 Millhous Collection Back Cover: There are approximately 372 E 12 Spotlight Full Classic® cars to be found in the garages of N 13 Tech Tip Southern Florida Region members, but not a T 13 Late Breaking News single Hispano-Suiza. This is a French adver- 14 Activities Calendar tisement for the Spanish-Swiss hybrid. S 15 Advertisements Port Royal Report Photography by Mike Dodge and Denny Smallridge Fifty-three Southern Florida Re- gion Members and guests gorged them- selves on food and feasted their eyes on eleven Full Classic® motor cars during the Port Royal Picnic co-hosted by Dan and Debbie Hanlon last December 3. The food was catered, the wait staff exempla- ry and the food worthy of an epicure’s seal of approval. The Classics filled the field. There were almost enough for a Grand Classic®. Say hello to some of the fifty-three members and guests who brought their There were several awards be- Classic motor cars and their appetities to the Port Royal Picnic. Attendees stowed upon our fellow members. Late in were, in alphabetical order: Linda Albenga, Lou Albenga, Fred Allen, Jeanie the morning, Dean Edmonds came rum- Allen, Bev Brandt, Peter Brandt, Robert Briglia, Bob Brown, Diane Brown, bling onto the field with his 1928 Bentley Donna Chesney, Ed Chesney, Frank Childs, Mert Crea, Nick Crea, Mike Blower. He didn’t come far. Dean lives in Dodge, Jack Dunning, Nancy Dunning, Dean Edmonds, Jean Gentner, Jerry Gentner, Barbara Giudice, Ray Giudice, Dan Hanlon, Debbie Hanlon, Denise the Port Royal section of Naples. None- Hatton, Roger Hatton, Chip Edwards, Mary Edwards, Bob Hetzel, Marilyn theless, the committee unanimously se- Hetzel, Diane Kyle, Ray Kyle, Carole Leher, Robert Leher, Ed Miller, Kim lected his British Racing Green monster Miller, Chuck Morgan, Roxanna Morgan, Ann Nau, Gene Nau, Charlie as Car of the Day. Pingree, Dick Roddie, Marilyn Roddie, Denny Smallridge, Lee Smallridge, Participation Award Medallions Bob Steiert, Jan Steiert, Alberta Trebone, Marty Trebone, Alice Wertz, Ron Wertz, Diana Wingard and Don Wingard. were presented to Fred Allen, Jeannie Al- len, Denny Smallridge, Ray Kyle, Alice Wertz, Ray Giudice, Lee Smallridge, Debbie Hanlon, Dan Hanlon, Kim Mil- ler, Ed Miller and Ron Wertz. All were repeat winners. A plaque upon which to affix the medallions are presented to first time winners. The Medallions recognize those members who earned at least 100 points during a twelve month period. Points are awarded based upon your club participation. Ron Wertz accumulated the highest number of points for the year. Ron also received the revolving Morano Glass Trophy in recognition of his hyperactive participation. There are other winners who will receive their me- dallions and plaques during the coming There were both too many people and too many Classic cars to fit in one or two months. pictures. The roll call of Classics left to right starting at the rear: Ed and Kim Several new members made their Miller’s 1933 Packard Twelve Convertible Sedan, Ed and Donna Chesney’s first appearance at a regional function. 1947 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet, Robert and Carole Leher’s 1948 Chrysler They were made to feel as if they had just Town & Country Convertible, Mike Dodge’s 1928 Pierce-Arrow Model 81, 5- passenger Sedan, Dean and Wendy Edmond’s 1928 Bentley Blower, and the returned home to a loving family of old right fender of Dan and Debbie Hanlon’s 1940 Packard One Sixty Convertible car enthusiasts. There are times when you Coupe by Darrin. Front row: Gene and Ann Nau’s 1932 Lincoln Coupe, by don’t want a memorable time to end. Judkins, Charles Pingree’s 1941 Packard One Sixty 5-passenger Sedan, Pete This was one of those times. Maybe that and Bev Brandt’s 1948 Town & Country Convertible and Bob and Diane Brown’s 1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe. Continued on page 15 Road Test #32 1932 Marmon Sixteen Phaeton, body by Waterhouse Unfortunately not every Full Classic® motor car is pleasant to drive. Some of the most beautiful Clas- sics fall into this category. One that doesn’t is the Marmon Sixteen. Skeptical? Here are the keys, let’s go for a ride in a very special Marmon Sixteen Phaeton, body by Waterhouse. Before you peel out leaving black rubber scars on the road behind you. Consider the body, it’s not your everyday 145 inch wheelbase Marmon Sixteen. Our Road Test Classic is a one-off Phaeton with a unique non- removable top. Created by Waterhouse, the body straddles a huge 154 inch wheelbase which is nine inches longer than the typical Marmon Sixteen wheelbase. If it wasn’t for oil and law, this particular Marmon would never have seen the light of day. Our tale be- gins on July 8, 1839, with the birth of little Johnny. The infant would grow and prosper. At the age of twenty- four, Johnny would build his first oil refinery. Whale oil was the best lighting fuel available but the oil was be- coming too expensive for the average family. A new source of fuel was needed; young Johnny was about to satisfy that demand. Within five years young Master John was the largest oil refiner in the world. In 1870, Mister John D. Rockefeller formerly known as little Johnny, created Standard Oil of Ohio. Soon Standard At the bottom right of the engine is a Delco Remy 6-volt generator. It is chain driven under an aluminum cover plate. This dynamo can produce a not very dynamic 20 amperes per hour which was about par for the course in 1932. No other 1932 American made automobile maintained higher oil pressure than the Marmon Sixteen, viz.: 50 pounds per square inch at 50 MPH. Oil, through sharp practices, monopolization and some very good business practices elevated Rockefeller to be- come the world’s wealthiest individual. Every successful businessman needs a capable attorney to handle his legal headaches. Mister Rockefel- ler was no exception. He hired the best, shrewdest, wili- est Chicago attorney in the city, Ezra Parmalee Prentice. Ezra would eventually cement his relationship with Rockefeller by marrying his daughter Alta. Apparently it was not just a marriage of convenience. After thirty-two years of marriage, Ezra bought a pair of Marmon Six- teen motor cars. Both were bodied by Waterhouse on extended 154 inch chassis. His was a seven-passenger Phaeton. Hers was our Road Test Marmon. The proportions of the extended wheelbase do not adversely effect the Marmon’s appearance. Howev- er, the purpose of the fixed top is puzzling. You could have the same effect with a top that could be lowered, just never take it down. Except for the fixed top Alta’s Marmon is a true Phaeton in that it has no windows.