Monterey is already a beautiful place, but throw together nearly a dozen automotive events into one long weekend, and Monterey becomes even more beautiful with lush automotive scenery.

 

At least for the weekend, Priuses along Central California’s coast cities have been supplanted by what looks like the United States’ entire population of red Ferraris and black-and-gold Hertz Mustangs. And that’s a wildly cool thing.

I started off the Monterey weekend registering for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and at several of the auctions. While getting all of the press credentials out of the way, I had a chance to check out some of the sweet machines already at these events. Here’s what I like so far:

 

Concours d’Elegance

-The Blackhawk Expo was already raring to go. The expo was set up with loads of Classics (including the Judkins coupe I like so much) and several really sweet street rods. I was also impressed with a 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Seville with quadruple headlamps. Richie Clyne and Don Williams of the Imperial Palace Auto Collections and Blackhawk Collection were tearing around the grounds on a Duesenberg chassis, and obviously had a good time doing it!

 

Russo & Steele auction

There’s lot of great muscle and 1950s cars at Russo & Steele’s sweet spread, but the event’s kickers are a 60-mile Boss 429 (yup, that’s less than 100 original miles!), the First Shelby King of the Road and a 1957 Eldorado Brougham in black – the best color to dress these suits. There’s also a resto-modded 1937 Lincoln-Zephyr coupe with a modern powertrain but a stock look. All tasty, and all available.

 

RM Auctions

Again, some of the best of the best are presented here. Surprisingly, there were lots of street rods in the RM Auction area, including the Khougaz 1932 Ford roadster featured earlier in Old Cars Weekly, and the Tommy Lee roadster with the Cord-style front end, soon to be featured in Ken Gross’ “Speaking of Hot Rods” column. There were also several historial race cars, including a Penske 1969 Camaro, which was rumbling around RM Auction’s outdoor display while I walked around, and not one but two Matranga-style Mercs going up for auction.

 

Gooding auction:

I like Classic Cadillacs and Duesenbergs, but the coolest things I saw at the Gooding auction were a six-cylinder early-1930s Alfa Romeo roadster in unrestored condition and a likewise original Ferrari transporter that appears to date to the 1960s. These finds were so sweet, I almost missed the V-16 Cadillac aerodynamic coupe!

 

This is all just the start. The finale will be Sunday, during the concours, but before that happens, there’s a lot to look at every where you turn. I’ll keep you posted!

If you remember my blog from several weeks ago shunning fender skirts, particularly on 1955-57 Chevrolets, I have an update for you.

More information came in the mail today when we received a copy of "Generator and Distributor," the publication of the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, at the Old Cars Weekly office. According to Gene Schneider's article "A Little History about Fender Skirts," 1955-'66 Chevrolets were not available with fender skirts. Period.

Schneider noted that since many 1955-'57 Chevrolets, in particular, are fitted with fender skirts, that many people (including myself) believe fender skirts were a Chevrolet accessory. However, Schneider said they were not a Chevrolet accessory. Rather, every set was an aftermarket accessory during the period from 1955-'66. Schneider also notes that skirts should be removed for VCCA judging on 1955-'57 Chevrolets (and, presumably, 1958-'66 Chevrolets).

The article covers 1949-'77 Chevrolet fender skirts (or lack thereof) and is extremely informative, whether you like fender skirts or not.

Find out more about the VCCA and its club publication at:
VCCA Membership Secretary
PO Box 5387
Orange, CA 92563-5387

-OR-
Click on one of the links above.

I was shuttling around car parts between my home and a storage place in Iola, Wis., last night when I heard the rumble and saw the high headlamps of what had to be a military vehicle. There were two in tandem, and I still am not sure what they were, but it made my heart skip a beat. At first, I thought the U.S. military was preparing for an invasion in the little village of Iola. After the shock passed, I realized, they were going to the Iola military vehicle show!

Here's the official word on the military show from the editor of Military Vehicles Magazine, Old Cars Weekly's sister publication:

The Iola Vintage Military Gun Show with Vintage Tractors and Equipment is occurring this weekend (August 11-12, 2007) on the Old Car Show grounds. Collectors will display an array of heavy iron including WWII jeeps, deuce-and-a-halfs, amphibians, tractors and even antique “hit-and-miss” stationary engines. WWII reenactors create scenes of camp life, displays of Vietnam MASH units, radio-controlled airplane acrobatics and parades of vehicles complement the more than 150 vendor booths and gun show.
    Staff from Military Vehicles Magazine and Military Trader will be active all weekend in the re-badge Old Cars trailer selling subscriptions and gathering video, audio and print resources for our readers.  The show is open to the public 8-5 on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children, 6-12.

There was also a special military issue of Old Cars Weekly to commemorate the event. Does your interest in vintage vehicles extend to military vehicles? Do you like military vehicles? Let me know what you think!


The photo below by John Adams-Graf, editor of Military Vehicles Magazine, was taken of a few jeeps from Old Cars Weekly founder Chet Krause's jeep collection. These beaut's showed up early, allowing John Adams-Graf to shoot them before the crowds showed up. Enjoy!

Recently, someone asked where all of the brass-era cars are in Old Cars Weekly, and I shared a little secret with that reader that I figured I would post on my blog: I am working with one of our contributors on a regularly appearing BRASS-ERA car column.

Obviously, it’s getting more difficult to find cars that are built during this era to write about, as fewer of these cars are present at shows. But we haven’t stopped looking for such cars to write about.

Old Cars Weekly has always covered the entire hobby, which is growing wider as more cars pass the 25-year-old mark. Also, from our "Reader Wheels" department, it appears most readers have Corvettes and Mustangs and 1950s-1970s cars. (If you have a prewar car, however, we'd love to hear about it.) However, we realize they not only want to see coverage on the types of cars they own, but older cars as well.

Old Cars Weekly was founded on the early cars, and we will not forget them. But we'll also welcome the younger collector cars to the hobby.

A few weeks back, I decided to take my 1985 Caprice Landau coupe on its first long journey since I had its front-end damage repaired.

Before I go any further, I should note that, in all my years of entering several cars in car shows, I’ve only won a single trophy. While judges and spectators may not love my cars, animals sure do. Deer, in particular, love my cars. These beasts always want to get a closer look at my cars, and usually leave a trophy of their own behind after getting up close and personal.

It was one such Caprice-deer introduction that caused the car to be laid up for several years. This 1985 Caprice had actually replaced a similar ’84 Caprice coupe that had been rear-ended the fall before. After owning the ’85 Caprice for only a few months, the deer struck and I left the car mostly parked while I hunted for parts, saved for the body work and found the time to get it all back together.

After four or five years, I finally put the ’85 Caprice back together last fall and figured I’d drive it around this spring to sort out its issues. So in July, I took the car up to watch my friends’ band (Mezzoforte) play near Ladysmith, Wisconsin, for an extended weekend.

The trip wasn’t without its bumps. A rocky road wasn’t kind to the inner front fenders I had recently spent hours sanding and repainting, and a downed birch tree on the long driveway to my friend’s cabin threatened to stop my progress. (They figured the tree had fallen only minutes before I arrived. I’m going to blame the wildlife around the tree.)

After a fun weekend, I figured I’d head over to my parents’ home via Highway 8 in Wisconsin. Because of my vehicles’ interactions with animals, I spend a lot of time watching the ditches. But while cruising down Highway 8, I saw a shadow over the car and slowed the car down. You never know – maybe deer can fly now.

I found out in short order that the shadow wasn’t from a flying deer after all, but a bald eagle flying down to scoop some roadkill from the center line of the highway. Luckily, I had slowed down so I had plenty of time to avoid the eagle, which quickly and efficiently scooped up its next meal, flapped its wings a couple of times and then rose back into the sky. It was quite a sight!
 
Automotively speaking, the trip wasn’t without its fine sights. I spotted a lineup of old cars and trucks at an antique store in Weyerhauser, Wis. Had I had time, I would have stopped to see what kind of automotive treasures, other than the cars themselves, lie within. (pictured below)

I also noticed a 1956 Olds 88 four-door hardtop for sale not too far west of Weyerhauser. It had a $5,600 price tag and just a little rust in the rockers. It, too, is pictured below.

The rest of the trip went by without a problem. I can tell the car needs brakes, and my wallet senses a transmission rebuild in the car’s future. But I didn’t hit another deer. At least not yet.

We're preparing a special issue of Old Cars Weekly that will be sold only on newsstands, and I figured the publication's readers are the best people to ask. So, I'm looking for feedback. What are the best stories to put in this special magazine-sized issue of Old Cars Weekly? To get you thinking, here's a preliminary list of stories we're planning for the issue:

Gregg D. Merksamer's Pennsylvania Turnpike story
A drive in a Duesenberg
Autronic Eye repair story
Matt Ross' coverage of the northwest's Pig-n-Ford races
Unrestored 1941 Willys coupe feature
VW drive in California
Stories from the Highway Patrol
JFK hearse story...

and what else do you think?
Let me know!

Recently, someone asked me if his one family-owned, 40,000-mile 1985 Chrysler LeBaron GTC was not given collector status, and if the $5,000 “default rate” collector car insurance coverage was enough insurance. He asked his question of me since I own a 1981 Chevrolet Impala coupe that I treat like a collector car, and I thought my reply would be of interest to.

Personally, I consider any car that is special to a car enthusiast, and treated as such, to be a collector car. That could mean a pampered 1996 Buick Riviera or a 1986 Corolla (if anyone does such a thing) that are only driven in nice weather.

When it comes to values, the market determines the price a car is worth. The large bulk of the market for many 1970s cars and nearly all 1980s and later cars is made up of people who regularly buy and sell cars of this era as used cars for transportation, so as a 1980s car collector, you are in a large minority (as am I with my 1981 Impala coupe). As an example, most people who own ‘57 Chevys use them as collector cars and few, if anyone, still uses a 1957 Chevy as daily transportation while disregarding its collectability. Most people who own 1981 Impalas and 1985 LeBarons use them only as daily transportation without ever considering their future or present collectability.

Since an insurance company needs to follow the market when determining prices, it cannot change prices for specific cars and owners (i.e., it’s bad business for it to give you more than the market value of a car because you treat your car better than 99 percent of those out there). And right now, our cars are at their lowest values they will ever be at.

It’s not all bad, however. Since most people treat 1981 Impalas and 1985 Chrysler LeBarons as “used cars,” and have done so since they began driving off the dealership lot, our very nice cars are in a shrinking minority. Attrition has set in, and there are far less mint models like ours than there were when they were new. Therefore, we have cars that can only grow in desirability.

God forbid, if your car does need to be replaced, you should be able to find another one in the $5,000 price range. It won’t be the same car, of course, since you can’t turn back the clock to 1985 and buy a brand new one. Also, it will be difficult to find another low-mileage 1985 Chrysler LeBaron GTS, but they’re out there. You just have to look. I would never want to try to find another 1981 Impala coupe to replace mine because I know how long it took to find the one I did, but they’re out there, and right now, that difficulty in searching for one does not carry a very high price tag.
 
The people who began collecting Duesenbergs in the 1940s and 1950s were picking them up for $250 to a few thousand dollars. Of course, those cars are now worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Our cars will likely never be worth that much, but now is the time to invest in cars that we feel will appeal to future car collectors. LeBarons were popular and attractive when they were new, and so it’s likely a market will grow for them.

The first Impalas were two-doors, and my Impala is from the last year  a two-door Impala was built. Therefore, I feel that, although my car is valued only at around $5,000, it can only go up from there. And by purchasing the car now at a relatively low price, I got in at the ground floor, like those insightful Duesenberg owners.

My suggestion to you is to keep up with the market values and prices for cars like yours. If and when you see cars sell for more prices than your car is insured for, contact your insurance company and get a recent appraisal from a qualified appraiser to reflect the value gains.

Gorgeous weather, an overflowing show car field and a sold-out swap meet appear to have made this year’s Iola Old Car Show the biggest yet. For me, it may also have been the best.

With all of the guests we welcome at the show, I enjoy spending a lot of time talking to Old Cars Weekly subscribers and usually run out of time to meander through the gigantic swap meet. (I’ve never seen the whole thing). However, I found several treasures in the swap meet this year, including the Kidillac pedal car I mentioned in my editorial following last year’s Iola car show. I didn’t let it get by me again and scooped it up this year.

I also purchased a spare dual-snorkel air cleaner for a 1955 Cadillac and 1962 Cadillac wheel, but my biggest score was a solid 1955 Cadillac back bumper, complete with nice bumper ends. Each year, I make it a point to stop in at Cadillac and Ford collector Jim Huotari’s swap space in search of Cadillac parts, and every year he has a surprise for me. This year, he had the best surprise of all. Now I can end my 15-year search for a 1955 Cadillac rear bumper, thanks to Jim.

The show concluded by helping nearby car collectors Dave and Marlese Lindsay return their collection of Full Classic Packards, as well as their Duesenberg, to their home. Dave handed me the keys to his 1934 Packard Super Eight convertible Victoria. Packards from 1934 represent my favorite year of Packard production, and driving the car was absolutely magical. Thanks, Dave!

Such a wonderful and huge event as the Iola Old Car Show cannot happen without the efforts and expense undertaken by people like Dave and Marlese Lindsay; the family of Jess Ruffalo, who brought their recently deceased father’s collection of finned Mopars and ’50s trucks to the Iola Old Car Show one last time; Bob Schmidt, curator of the ’57 Heaven museum in Branson, Mo., who, after showing his 1957 Belvedere at the Tulsarama! activities, brought his car to the Iola Old Car Show; the hundreds of “Coming Up Sevens” theme tent and Blue Ribbon Concours exhibitors; prewar, postwar and modified show car owners who drove their cars to the event; thousands of swap meet vendors; and the people offering more than 1,000 cars for sale in the car corral.

To everyone who came to Iola, Wis., for the Iola Old Car Show, I offer a giant Iola-sized “Thank you!” The show is one of the best in the world because of you, and we hope to see you next year.

At 3:01 on July 11, the Iola Old Car Show staff waved the checkered flag so that vendors, many of whom had been waiting since last weekend to enter the grounds, could run to their vending spaces and set up their wares.

These photos were taken at about 5:00 on July 11, so you can see how quickly the parts started pouring out of truck beds and off of trailers. In the first half hour I was on the grounds, I was able to spend $100. I bought a rusty Kidillac I saw last year and scooped up a spare dual-snorkel '55 Cadillac air cleaner.

If you aren't here, I figured I'd also post a few of the sweet deals you're missing!
The '57 T-Bird is a bit rough and is priced at $15,900 (if it's still for sale), and the 1970 Chevelle now has a 350 V-8 and a four speed with a price tag of $6,950.

I've also run into Dave and Marlese Lindsay, who brought their Duesenberg Model J convertible sedan and several Classic-era Packards, and George Collar and Bob Brown, who have several finned Mopars on display next to Ruffalo's cars.

If you're not here yet, you've got three days left to enjoy the sweet swap deals, the beautiful cars and all the cheese curds you can fit in your stomach!

I thought you'd enjoy these pics of the Iola Old Car Show grounds (and the building surrounded by the grounds) before the vendors start rollling in. These pics were taken July 10 (last night), and vendors will begin setting up after 3 p.m. today, July 11.

All of the "used cars" in the parking lot will soon be replaced by show cars and rusty parts!

By the way, the building is where Old Cars Weekly and Old Cars Price Guide are published.

See you at the show!