Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i Classic American

We went to print just days before H&H’s auction at Pavilion Gardens, Buxton – a shame as it would have been interesting to know if someone got their hands on a bargain or not. This particular 1969 GTO Judge was the American star of the show and has had a somewhat exotic existence, apparently arriving in the United Kingdom very shortly after manufacture, and is believed to have resided in France at some stage since, reputedly while in the ownership of Argentinian footballer Javier Pastore during his time at Paris Saint-Germain FC. Finished in the signature colour combination of Carousel Red (which appears more orange) the interior has been retrimmed in black leather. The auction house says the Pontiac underwent an extensive restoration and upgrade in 2000, with the cost…

The Ford Mustang II was once considered something of a leper in the model’s long and often distinguished history. It represented the Blue Oval’s response to the 1973 Oil Shock, and its anaemic performance, regardless of engine, upset the muscle car faithful. However, there was always the aftermarket. The car pictured here was variously a promotional weapon and a magazine project vehicle. It also employed body panels made by a third party that were inspired by contemporary racing versions. It also roused a legion of copyists. Behold, the mighty Monroe Handler. The car was created as a means of promoting the new line of Handler shock absorbers, Monroe joining forces with Hot Rod to build a show car. That said, this was to be no mere trailer queen, the magazine’s…

Lowriders appear odd to the uninitiated, there’s an emphasis on looks and showmanship beyond the point of practicality with over-the-top paint and stunning interiors. The sheer amount of work involved means few have been built in the UK; you need skill and an artistic eye. That’s where Maxime Xavier, who put together this Buick, has a distinct advantage given that she’s a talented artist and an airbrush expert. “I’ve always been into cars,” explains Maxime, “my dad George Cox worked for Harold Radford Coachbuilders constructing Peter Sellers’ Minis and even did cars for royalty, meaning I got taken to motor shows and met people such as Pininfarina. Later when I made bronze sculptures, Dad made stands for me on his lathe. I was brought up around his workshop and the…

When Dutch Corvette enthusiast John G Van Meewuen hankered after owning one of the most distinctive of all the mid-year Corvettes, the 1963 rear split-screen coupe, he decided to contact Alan Faulkner-Stevens at Dragon Wheels (www.dragonwheelsrestorations.co.uk) to see if he could source him a suitable car. John had already got to know Alan quite well as he had previously restored his 1962 Corvette, and it wasn’t long before the right car came along. Purchasing a car with some provenance is always more desirable than something completely unknown, and a friend of Alan’s was selling his car which he imported into the UK with history from the US many years ago. Built in November 1962, this particular car was one of the earliest split-screen coupes to roll off the production line…

This year’s Classic Motor Show felt like the first ‘full fat’ event since 2019 – there was no show in 2020 because of Covid and the event last year, while it did go ahead, felt like a quieter affair as the shadow of the pandemic still hung over things. We didn’t run Car of the Year during 2021, as at the start of the year the country was still in lockdown and it was unclear whether shows would be back to normal or not by the summer. Indeed, the year’s inaugural event, Wheels Day, wasn’t held in 2021 and early summer events like the Beaulieu Rod and Custom Show saw participants coming out, masked-up and blinking in the light, like troglodytes mixing with other humans for the first time in…

News There was an air of inevitability about it, but ultimately it was Steve Sullivan’s 1958 Cadillac Sedan DeVille which was crowned king at the finals of this year’s Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year competition. All weekend long Steve engaged with members of the public who crowded around the car like bees around a honeypot and many of the finalists who had opined that it would almost certainly be the winner were proven to be correct. This year’s judges included Rob Woodall, who won car of the year 12 years ago and has gone on to restore a number of cars featured in the magazine, as well as provide technical features for Classic American, while judging in every Car of the Year competition since 2010. As in previous years,…

News Okay, so this wasn’t an official White House fleet car; however, this 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible was sold new to the LBJ Co of Austin, Texas, and was used by President Lyndon B Johnson at his central Texas ranch. It appeared for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction website and sold for a remarkable $172,000. The convertible is finished in Arctic White over beige leather upholstery and powered by a 430cu in V8 paired with a dual-range three-speed automatic transmission. Equipment includes a power-operated white convertible soft top, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, air conditioning, vacuum-operated door locks, rear-hinged rear doors and an AM/FM radio. The car reportedly underwent refurbishment work in the early 2000s, and its previous owner acquired the car in 2016. This Continental shows 16k miles…

Across the pond A few issues back, I talked about the growth in popularity of General Motors’ 1973-87 (’91 if you count the heavier-duty and SUV variants) Rounded Line full-size pick-ups, affectionately known as square bodies. Well, it seems like their successors, the GMT400 trucks, manufactured for model years 1988-98 (2002 for heavy duty and SUV versions), are also gaining in popularity. Logically, it makes sense. These were the next evolution of the General Motors full-size pick-up, known as the Chevrolet C/K and GMC Sierra. They featured an all-new, fully boxed frame; smoother, more aerodynamic styling; facilitated by greater use of computer aided-design technology, better ergonomics, better rust protection (galvanised lower bodies) and improved handling and ride (thanks to an updated independent torsion-bar front suspension on 4x4 versions –…

Mr Fast N’ Loud himself, THE Richard Rawlings, was the headline celebrity flown over to be one of the main draws for this year’s event, (as per 2021 – but who’s a bigger draw in the American classic car world?). It was also possible to meet Mr Gas Monkey if you paid for a meet and greet, but I spent a great deal of the weekend following him around the event and he didn’t refuse a picture or autograph request once. There were other special guests who popped up on the gigantic stage, too: football’s Harry Redknapp and former sprinter Iwan Thomas made cameos. The super-talented Helen Stanley of TV show Goblin Works turned heads all weekend but this year YouTube megastars Tavarish and Rob Pitts were also flown in…

February 24-26 LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOW Olympia, London. The London Classic Car Show is making a welcome return to prestigious Olympia in Kensington, West London in 2023. Staged between February 24-26 and entering its ninth year, the capital’s premier celebration of automotive culture and history will again be the must-attend season-opener to the year’s flourishing classic car scene for all classic car owners, collectors, experts and enthusiasts. Olympia is steeped in motoring history having hosted blue-riband automotive shows for more than a century. The spectacular Grand Hall was home to the International Motor Exhibition from 1905 to 1936 and has accommodated an array of similarly distinguished car-themed events ever since… most recently The London Classic Car Show in 2020. With restrictions on indoor venues, the show was forced to innovate…

Oulton Park hosted its inaugural US Auto Show in August. A bit like the successful Speedfest that motorsport organisation and race circuit operator MSV has been running at its Brands Hatch circuit, this event aimed to bring the razzle dazzle of that American-themed event to Oulton Park, presumably for a more northern-focused audience. Attractions included headline racing from Bernie’s V8s and historic outlaws, plus a grid of muscle cars. There were 30 genuine NASCAR racing cars on display and the BRISCA heritage stock cars did a demonstration circuit too. Needless to say, the turnout of American cars on display created quite an attraction (drivers got in free if booked in advance, with 50% off for one passenger) plus there was a funfair, live music and trade stands too. No word…

News The organisers of a new show have been in touch with Classic American to introduce the Festival of the Dead, a new event for 2023. Presented by ClassicLine Insurance and car care advisers MoreThanPolish.com, Festival of the Dead is a celebration of car marques no longer with us. A charity event taking place on Sunday, July 2 at Burghley House, Stamford, Festival of the Dead will bring together an amazing selection of vintage and classic, retro and everyday, and custom and exotic cars to celebrate the marques that are no longer in manufacture. Classic American marques such as DeSoto, Hudson, Nash, Oldsmobile, Packard, Plymouth, Pontiac, Studebaker and Willys will be able to come together with a host of classic British marques no longer with us for a truly unique…

With a history dating back to 1922, the Checker cab is an American automotive success story which was started by an immigrant, Morris Markin, who had come from Russia in 1913. From that beginning until about 1940 the Checker factory built speciality cabs with unique features, specifically for the people transport business. However, when America went to war, all civilian car production was suspended and Checker (located in Kalamazoo, Michigan) joined the other American auto manufacturers in making war equipment. Company founder Markin donated his taxicab bodies from the factory to the war effort, and also did prototype work on four-wheel-drive Jeep-type vehicles (which were equipped with four-wheel steering) for consideration by the government. While it didn’t get that contract, Checker did build other military equipment for the government, including…

Brooklands’ annual American Day came around quickly this year. The Mopar Muscle Association had a club stand once again, with around 35 MMA members as well as the ever-growing Surrey Mustang Club which had around 40 cars on its club stand. We arrived at Brooklands early to prepare and were given instructions on how they wanted us to park and which area we were in. Bradley, one of the Brooklands volunteers, assisted us too. The gates opened early as the queue outside was getting too long and causing congestion on the main road. Car after car came rolling in and we just knew it was going to be a busy day, not just for us with the MMA but the whole event. We had some very special cars rumbling around…

1. Prior to 1955, Imperial was Chrysler’s luxury model, but then in an attempt to up the competition with Cadillac and Lincoln, it became a brand in its own right. This would be the case from 1955 to 1975, and then again from 1981 to 1983. Judging by the small tailfins on this Californian example, it’s a 1956 model. It’s been pretty much stripped of every useful part and has since been crushed. 2. Here’s one that probably won’t set your heart racing. It’s a 1975 Oldsmobile Starfire, and it was photographed at Arizona’s Desert Valley Auto Parts earlier this year. I know I’m showing my age here, but I still consider this to be a modern car, but in reality, the latest versions are 42 years old now! The…