Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Classic American

You may have read at the weekend about a lady from Sheffield who intends to sue Highways England for the death of her husband after he was killed on a stretch of smart motorway on the M1. He and another driver were killed when they were hit by a lorry after stopping to swap details after a minor collision. I have spoken before in this column of my concerns about so-called ‘Smart Motorways’ and that’s not just some hang up of mine – I genuinely think that for owners of classic cars, which are more prone to breaking down than say a brand-new Golf and which don’t have hazard lights, it’s a really, really serious issue – even more so if you have your family in the car too. I…

So, the 26th Mopar EuroNationals has happened, leaving all with very pleasant and enjoyable memories of three days of dry weather – yes it was a ‘good one’ this year and you can read our report all about it starting on page 97 of this month’s magazine. With so many quality muscle cars there, narrowing down my selection to just three has been an arduous, but pleasant task. In order of year, with no other preference here they are: First up is a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX – this was the inaugural year of the Grand Touring Xpress, which was marketed as the “gentleman’s muscle car”. The GTX, based on the Belvedere platform, came with an array of special features including a blacked-out grille, distinctive rear panel, glass fibre simulated…

Column conundrum The time came to try and finally assemble and fit the full steering column on the ’64. As far as I could remember the steering column was one of the few parts of the Chevy left untouched from when it was stripped and repainted back in 2007-8. So you’d think the process would be straightforward, yes? But as trial fitting commenced, that was obviously not the case. The upper end of the central steering column (main shaft that the ‘wheel bolts to) is where the upper steering bearing clamps on to. However this had been coated in POR15 overspray – a paint that was used on the floorpans for its hardness and rust prevention. This meant the bearing didn’t fit. So the first job was to sand as…

Heat winner number five of the Kingstown Shipping & RH Insurance Car of the Year is this stunning 1955 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer, belonging to John Miller, who’s the editor of the Pre-’50 club’s magazine and a real enthusiast of early ‘forward look’ Mopars. With only 10,000 miles on the clock, this Dodge is every bit the survivor car, with immaculate tri-colour paintwork and immaculate interior. The drivetrain is a Super Red Ram 270cu in V8 motor and two-speed Torqueflite auto ’box, meaning it’s no slouch either. The only option added when purchased new was the Kelsey Hayes wheels, purchased by the original owner in June 1955 by Ronald Kukula from Fred Gardner & Sons in Chicago.…

The popular American-themed Autumn Classic returns to Prescott Speed Hill Climb, Cheltenham on the weekend of October 5-6. The annual all-American Stars and Stripes event celebrates everything American and automotive. The action-packed weekend attracts a wide variety of cars competing on the historic hill climb course, with special classes for American cars and hot rods, as well as spectacular American car displays, a dedicated ‘show ’n’ Shine’ area and fantastic USA-themed entertainment from the thrilling Demon Drome Wall of Death to live bands and Vegas Showgirls. The paddock will feature an awesome display of American classics, hot rods and muscle cars, as well as Indian motorcycles and custom choppers and a whole host of other American vehicles, all of which will take to the iconic hillclimb course in a special…

The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, with Discovery, is the event not to be missed for any classic car owner, collector, enthusiast, car club member or anyone with a passion for classic cars. The show brings together the world’s largest gathering of 300 car and motorcycle clubs with more than 3,000 iconic classic and vintage cars and motorbikes on display across seven halls at Birmingham’s NEC, November 8 to 10. As well as admiring these amazing vehicles, you’ll have the opportunity to shop from the UK’s largest indoor autojumble and specialist traders to source parts and tools for your maintenance and restoration needs. There are also plenty of exciting things to enjoy – why not take on one of the driving experiences with HERO Arrive and Drive or Sporting Bear’s…

Concept cars come and go, with only a few earning legendary status. The example pictured here wasn’t among their number, but it wasn’t without influence. The narrative stretches back to 1961 when General Motors shuttered its much-hyped Motorama travelling motor shows. This also resulted in far fewer one-off flights of fantasy being made by the biggest of Detroit’s Big Three. Greater emphasis would henceforth be placed on presenting cars that foretold what would be appearing in showrooms in a few years’ time rather than in another half-a-century. The Oldsmobile J-TR was one such offering. While based on a standard F-85 convertible, it received a makeover under the watchful eye of GM’s styling czar, Bill Mitchell. Distinct from the production model, the J-TR boasted slender front quarter bumpers, and a minimalist…

This 1932 Ford is an original, all steel five-window coupe (you don’t count the front screen) and despite only having been on the road in this guise since 2017, it looks every inch a traditional style hot rod of the Forties or Fifties. Marco Warren of Juarez Fabrication (www.juarezfabrication.com ) was responsible for most of the build. “I did all the metal fabrication, chassis work, axles and got the body mounted and so on for Max Powell from Hampshire,” explains Marco. “He brought me the car around 2014 and I built it for him.” Despite my repeated efforts I never did manage to speak to Max and I understand he recently sold the car, but fortunately Marco was kind enough to fill me in on the important details. “It was…

FantomWorks is one of the biggest, best and most well-known car restoration businesses in the US and is based in a gigantic, near-100-year-old former laundry factory in Norfolk, Virginia. The founder, owner and front man of the TV show is 57-year-old Dan Short, who is a blunt, forthright, no-nonsense sort of guy who runs his workshop with military precision. Like his style or not, at least folk, whether they be customers or employees, know where they stand with him. This becomes totally understandable when you learn more about his background. He told me: “I knew the day I was born I was going into the military. It was pre-destined. I am a fifth-generation combat veteran. My dad, Alexander, was WWII Lancaster bomber crew and I was born in 1962 at…

The winner of the final heat, number seven, of this year’s Kingstown Shipping and RH Insurance Car of the Year competition is this simply superb 1970 Challenger T/A belonging to Gavin Shaw. Featuring a 340 motor with a six-pack and four-speed manual transmission, it’s believed to be one of four black four-speed T/As out of a total 26 black T/As. Well done to Gavin and son Ellis for turning out another stunning Mopar, which will surely turn a lot of heads on the Classic American stand at this year’s Classic Motor Show in November. And if you think Gavin’s name sounds familiar, that’s because he’s had cars in Car of the Year previously: in 2003 with a Dodge Demon, in 2012 with a gorgeous blue 1968 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, which…

OLD AND NEW MAISTO’S MUSTANGS Maisto cars are more difficult to find nowadays, but worth the effort, as they are fun, budget-priced models, which comfortably straddle the toy/model divide. This pair of 1:24 scale Mustangs are typical. The attractive pale blue metallic of the classic 1967 GT Fastback car contrasts nicely with its black interior. Chromed wheel covers and the understated ‘GT’ graphics and stripes are pleasingly subtle. In comparison, the unashamedly loud lime green of the 2014 GT, presumably evoking the ‘tuners’ featured in the popular Fast and Furious film franchise, screams ‘Performance!’, an effect reinforced by its wide racing stripes and polished spoke black wheels. Both models have opening doors and bonnets, with Maisto’s typical one-piece engine bay moulding beneath. Chrome adorns the ’67’s bumpers and door mirror,…

Launching as a 2020 model, with production slated to begin at the Bowling Green, Ky, assembly plant in late 2019, the eighth-generation ’Vette represents a new direction for the original America’s Sports Car. According to GM president Mark Reuss, GM had essentially reached the limits of performance with the traditional front-engine Corvette and in order to move forward, a new direction and concept were needed. “Our mission was to provide a new type of sports car, combining the successful attributes of Corvette with the performance and driving experience of mid-engine supercars,” said Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter. Styling and ergonomics Given its mid-engine configuration, in the styling department, the C8 Stingray looks radically different from any Corvette before. Some will no doubt see Ferrari-esque overtones in the car’s sculpted…

Although new vehicle sales in North America continue to cool, there have been some notable bright spots. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has seen demand for its Ram and Jeep branded vehicles surge in recent months. In fact, during June, Ram sales reached almost 70,000 units – putting the truck brand squarely in Ford F-150 territory. Granted, the redesigned Ram 1500 has been receiving acclaim left and right, with its bevy of technology features appealing to a specific range of customers. But perhaps an even bigger success story lies behind FCA’s sales strategy for the Ram pick-ups – essentially, a two-pronged attack. Alongside the current Ram 1500, dealers are also continuing to sell the previous generation ‘Classic’ model, which in some cases is making up as much as a third of all…

There are all kinds of reasons why one might be attracted to the 1963 Chrysler 300, but for owner Mark Rumble the attraction was simply that the car stood apart from his own previous cars and other people’s. He explains: “I’d just come into a bit of money and fancied something different.” ‘Something different’ accurately summarises most of Mark’s automotive history. His first car was a Ford Escort 100E, which was followed by a chopped Thames 400E van with a mid-mounted Rover V8, then two mild-custom Hillman Minxes – a 1960 saloon and a rare 1959 estate. “My only criterion was that I wanted a V8, but I was really after a British car like a Consul or Zephyr, or maybe a small Yank. Then I saw this Chrysler on…

Having settled into Blenheim Palace over the last several years, it was all change again for the Pre-’50 AAC’s annual Rally of the Giants, as the show site was moved slightly more into the main part of the park to make way for a new Elizabethan theatre in the round. Luckily it wasn’t that far and the only real difference was not having the splendid backdrop of Blenheim Palace. The cars started rolling in early and the Pre’50s’ policy of welcoming all American vehicles seemed to be reflected in the sheer variety of types of vehicle on display. Obviously the club has been well-known as the traditional home of vintage and pre-war cars, but increasingly there seems to be more and more Fifties and Sixties cars attending and even later…

Twenty six not out! The Mopar EuroNats has weathered everything that can be thrown at it over the decades, from the most atrocious summer weather conditions, to blistering sunshine, gales, biblical rain, tornado winds and even a wild wasp epidemic! Yet still it survives and prospers, drawing new enthusiasts into the cult of muscle car madness. This year the power of prayer alone brought three sunny days of uninterrupted Mopar mayhem, with an unrivalled spectacular Show ’n’ Shine and some of the hottest racing that the event has ever seen. The ‘race’ side of the show has always brought out the quickest muscle cars in the UK and Europe, plus with the added attraction of the awesome Pro Mod class cars it made for a spectacular weekend of racing. With…

Do three days of hot rods, ratrods, pick-ups, American classics and great music sound like heaven? If so, then I do hope you were at this year’s NSRA Supernationals for all three of the days. Sunday’s Show-and-Shine of course brings the biggest crowd, and some of the visiting cars are jaw-dropping – but giving yourself enough time to enjoy the full weekend and soak up all the atmosphere/sights/sounds is really essential. As ever, the NSRA staff did an outstanding job, from a slick new sign-in process, and entertainment for the whole family for the whole weekend, to the ever-amusing and eventful quiz/prize-giving on the Sunday afternoon. Not even the occasional rain shower could dampen spirits, especially that of the A602s who were proud to have two of their members among…

Vendor: Martin Stockwell, Sudbury, Suffolk Telephone: 07734 620142 Price: £35,000 A1969 Pontiac GTO convertible is a relatively rare sight in the UK and our Drive-Buy car was imported from the US in 1979. It was originally supplied by Haskell Pontiac, 10101 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California, on April 22, 1969. The previous UK owner had the bodywork bare-metalled and repainted in a Rover colour of Tahiti Blue, which is a dark blue metallic. This was applied 23 years ago and it says much about the quality of preparation and paint, that it remains in overall very good condition today. The previous white soft top was replaced with a black one, which remains in fine order. Vendor Martin Stockwell has owned the GTO for almost 14 years. He has replaced the…