Yesterday, April 28, 2008, will be a day that goes down in history as the first day of Challenger production. The cars are being built at Chrysler LLC's Brampton, Ontario, plant where Chargers and Chrysler 300s are currently being built.
Mark your 2009 calendars for April 28 -- a day I will refer to as official Challenger Day!

The life of an editor is filled with many torments, not the least of which is how to properly spell words. It’s also important to note that the first lesson of journalism is to spell names correctly, but in an area like the old-car hobby, there are a lot of things that cannot be found in a dictionary. If an editor does not know the proper spelling off the top of his or her head, we have to turn to factory literature. Luckily, the Old Cars Weekly archives are filled with good material to prove that LaSalle should be spelled as one word, while De Soto is actually two words, though you don’t always see these two marques spelled this way.

While editing Geoff Stunkard’s upcoming column “From the Musclecar Files” for the May 8 issue, I noticed Mr. Stunkard used “hemi’cuda” when referring to a 426-cid-powered 1970 ‘Cuda.
This spelling is used on the car’s Shaker hood scoop (by the way, “Shaker” is one of those words capitalized on some cars, not capitalized on others), but it’s not a spelling often seen. Even though Stunkard is a very well-known writer and is the former editor of a Mopar muscle car magazine, I figured I would double check his spelling since we usually use “Hemi ‘Cuda” as two capitalized words when referring to these powerhouses.

I remembered the OCW archives contains Chrysler and Plymouth data books from 1970 and later so I looked up Hemi ‘Cudas in the data book. The data book always refers to both the Hemi and 'Cuda in lower case. I couldn't believe 'Cuda should be spelled " 'cuda" in lower-case form and went to look for an original ad. In the ad I found, 'Cuda is capitalized, as is Hemi, and the ad calls the car "Hemi-'Cuda" with a hyphen. So, since Mopar spelled it however it wanted to do it, we will too!

As a national publication, Old Cars Weekly covers a lot of the spring’s “firsts.” First car shows, first swap meets and first auctions. As I write this, Auction and Technical Editor Ron Kowalke and I are preparing to leave for our “firsts” of the season. For Ron, that is Spring Carlisle Collector Car Swap Meet & Corral in Carlisle, Pa. For me, that “first” swap meet of the season is the Spring Jefferson Car Show and Swap Meet in Jefferson, Wis.

I’ve been attending Spring Jefferson for many years now, and I always come back with my arms full. Last year, I found several Ford factory photos of 1930s, 1940s and 1950s models, and some of them have appeared in Old Cars Weekly. I’ve come home from Spring Jefferson with Cadillac parts, which any Cadillac owner will tell you is difficult to do at nearly any swap meet. Several years ago, I owned 1968 and 1969 Buick Skylarks, but found it difficult to find parts for these cars and gave up looking. It became clear that looking for Cadillac and Skylark parts was like looking for a radiator on VW Beetle — it wasn’t going to happen. However, had I been to Spring Jefferson and seen all of the 1968 and ’69 Skylark parts for sale there, I would never have sold my Skylark.

Some of my friends have even benefit from my trips to Spring Jefferson. One year, I brought back a door for a friend’s 1976 Pontiac Trans Am. Another year, I had a solid lead on a 1961 Chevrolet Impala “bubble top” for a friend, but it didn’t pan out. However, I did have success with a 1989 Chevrolet Caprice ex-squad car lead — retired Old Cars Weekly Editor John Gunnell ended up buying it for his collection.

When it comes to the 2008 Spring Jefferson swap meet, I anticipate the same success as I have had in the past. And I think my friends hope I do, too.

If you’re attending Spring Jefferson, be sure to stop by the Old Cars Weekly booth in the Jefferson County Fairgrounds’ main building. While Advertising Sales Representative Michelle Kraemer and I are taking subscriptions and offering books, you can tell us about all of your Spring Jefferson swap meet finds.

I drive from the Old Cars Weekly office in Iola, Wis., to St. Paul, Minn., frequently to see family and friends and to return to some of the car shows I've been going to as a kid. I also drive an old Minnesota state Caprice, and as an old car lover, I found it interesting when the AP reported that Minnesota State Patrol's squad cars are getting a retro look.

According to the AP, the new squads will have maroon bodies with white doors, similar to how they appeared from 1960 to 1991. Currently, Minnesota State Highway Patrol squads are solid maroon with a gold stripe on the side.

The new look is intended to enable motorists to recognize troopers better, thereby enhancing officer safety. The change is also intended to make squad cars stand out from other vehicles.

Professional vehicle collectors already know there's a trend towards cities returning to black-and-white squad cars, usually from all-white schemes, in attempt to emphasize the authority of officers. Is this change to the "retro-style" of Minnesota State Patrol cars in the same flavor? I doubt we'll ever find out for sure.

Either way, I say, bring back the patrol cars of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, if they want to go completely retro. I'd be happy to pay a ticket to an officer behind the wheel of an old Monaco!

The Old Cars Weekly staff has been making the 2009 Old Cars Weekly Collector's Calendar, and there are some fantastic cars. In fact, there are more than 13 fantastic cars (one for each month and the cover), and we already know we won't be able to use them all.

So, we're doing the next best thing -- we're using the cars in the calendar as feature story subjects, so regardless of whether your car was selected for the calendar, you may be getting a call from an Old Cars Weekly editor to talk about your car!

2008 Treasure Hunts
Hot Bird, #05/12; Collector #165/196; #M6971
This casting takes even a young punk like me back to his youth. When I was a kid, every kid had one of these in their Hot Wheels Collector’s Case, along with a Sheriff Patrol car and a ‘57 Chevy. These Smokey and the Bandit-era Firebirds were only slightly used cars, but cool ones at that, especially given the bulk of uninspiring new cars offered in the early 1980s.
Although an old casting, the 1979 Trans Am-based Hot Bird has been given a fresh place in the spotlight as a 2008 Treasure Hunt. It has also been given a shimmering gold paint job worthy of its name and status as a long beard in the Hot Wheels line. In addition to its gold paint, the body sports black stripes starting between the T-top openings and down to the deck lid, ending just before the spoiler. There are also stripes outlining the character lines of the body sides, stretching between the wheelbase. And, of course, there’s that screaming bird spread out across the hood and wrapping around the Shaker hood scoop. Hot Wheels designers used a little creativity here while maintaining the integrity of the famous bird -- they designed a black panel with the bird cut out of the middle, leaving the winged creature to be the color of the body. This trick makes the hood appear blacked out while keeping the feathers from being ruffled on the famous source of the Firebird Trans Am’s power.
The crowning touch is the big, red-colored tail lamps, and best of all, the casting retains its all-metal construction. I can’t think of a better addition to the Treasure Hunt series. Welcome, Hot Bird!

Not only does the Old Cars staff get questions about old car values on the phone all day, we sometimes get them from our co-workers. In our Iola, Wis., office, there are about 250 employees working on books and magazines, and not just in the car hobby. One of those co-workers, who I see every Tuesday when we send Old Cars Weekly to the printer, came up with a question about the value of her fiancée’s “old car.”

Apparently, my coworker’s fiancée inherited an old car from his cousin some years back and had been offered money for this car, even though it wasn’t for sale. I was expecting it to be a used car or, at best, a 1970s Chevelle or a 1957 Chevrolet. I was shocked when she told me it was a “Dodge Coronet with a 436.” Well, or course, my jaw dropped because I knew she probably meant it was a 426, which would make it a Hemi!

Another co-worker who’s a fellow gear head had seen pictures and confirmed the car was a Coronet R/T with a Hemi, but he had seen the pictures so long ago he could not remember if it was a 1967 or ’68. The car was portrayed as a good original with 55,000 miles, but I did not see it in person.

Apparently, the fiancée had been offered $80,000 for the car, and she wanted to know if it was worth selling. I, of course, told her not to sell it, but we looked at some prices as a point of comparison. Here’s what I found for 1967 and 1968 Hemi Dodges:

1967 Hemi Coronet R/T selling prices:
1. $200,000 - Four-speed car, Old Cars Price Guide No. 1 condition, Feb. 2007 RM Auctions sale
2. $75,000 – Automatic car, Old Cars Price Guide No. 2 condition, Jan. 2007 Barrett-Jackson sale
3. $87,000 – Four-speed car, Old Cars Price Guide No. 2 condition, modified, Fall Kruse 2006 sale
4. $85,000 - Automatic car, Old Cars Price Guide No. 2 condition, Fall Kruse 2005 sale.

1968 Dodge Hemi cars
Note: Coronet R/T’s with Hemi engines were few and far between in the database. With the hot new Charger, it’s my assumption most Hemi buyers went for the Charger, rather than the Coronet R/T. Since selling prices were rare, I threw in a few Coronet Super Bee and Dodge Charger R/T prices.

1.    $102,500 – Automatic Super Bee, Old Cars Price Guide No. 1 condition, Mecum High-Performance auction Oct 2006
2.    $40,250, four-speed Coronet R/T hardtop, Old Cars Price Guide No. 2 condition, Mecum Kansas City 2002 sale
3.    $117,500 – Automatic Charger R/T, Old Cars Price Guide No. 2 condition, Barrett-Jackson 2007 sale.

Old Cars Price Guide does not offer values for Hemi cars at the moment and labels them as “inestimable.” And you can clearly see why: values are all over the map, and comparing cars becomes almost impossible. It does appear that people are willing to spend the extra money on four-speed cars, which is not surprising.

Do I think $80,000 is a good offer for the Hemi Coronet R/T owned by my co-worker’s fiancée? If it’s a 1967, that sounds like a fair price. If it’s a 1968, I think it’s a little low considering most people consider 1968 Coronets more desirable than 1967 models. I hope my coworker and her fiancée hang on to their prize and enjoy it for a few years before selling it.

Those of you who read Old Cars Weekly and this blog probably remember the one-of-tree 1956 Imperial convertible rusting away in my coworker’s backyard. Upon learning there is a hidden Hemi car also parked in my coworker’s garage, I’m beginning to wonder what other treasures are tucked among the trees of the isolated Iola community! Hopefully, we'll get some pictures of the car that I can share in the future.

As promised, here are some 1956 Cadillac price observations:


1956 Cadillacs:
Current OCPG values:
Series 62 two-door hdtp: #1 41,000; #2 28,700; #3 18,450; #4 8,200
Series 62 Coupe deVille: #1 42,000; #2 29,400; #3 18,900; #4 8,400
Eldorado Seville coupe:  #1 47,000; #2 32,900; #3 21,500; #4 9,400
Series 62 convertible:      #1 87,500; #2 61,250; #3 39,380; #4 17,500
Eldorado convertible:      #1 118,500; #2 82,950; #3 53,330; #4 23,700
Series 62 Sedan deVille   #1 35,000; #2 24,500; #3 15,750; #4 7,000

It takes a novice Cadillac fan to tell the difference between a 1955 and 1956 Cadillac. It takes an expert to tell that those differences are more than subtle. Although 1955 and 1956 Cadillacs are very similar in appearance, only the roofs and doors are interchangeable. The inner body structures are nearly identical, if not completely identical, but the outer metal is vastly different. From 1955 to 1956, decklids, front fenders and rear quarter panels, as well as the bumpers, are completely different (I haven't been able to confirm whether or not hoods are different, but I'm fairly certain they are, too). Cadillac collectors who choose one model year over the other do so more out of personal preference than any other reason. The sheet metal changes to 1956 Cadillac intend to make it look lower and longer. Some Cadillac collectors prefer this look to that of 1955 Cadillacs, while 1955 Cadillac fans will tell you these changes make the 1956 look heavier than the 1955 models.
Under the hood, 1956 saw an increased bore and stroke to its overhead-valve V-8, and displacement went from 331 cubic inches to 365 cubic inches. A revised Hydra-Matic transmission was also implemented in 1956. Some 1956 Cadillacs experienced lifter problems with the 365-cid V-8, as well as problems with the revised-for-1956 Hydra-Matic transmission. Of course, many Cadillac owners experienced neither of these problems, though the cars gained a reputation as being mechanically troublesome, whether they deserve it or not.
As collector vehicles, these problems, whether relevant or not, have little reflection on the values and preference of 1955 to 1956. So, that leaves collectors to selecting a 1955 or 1956 Cadillac to their personal taste. Regardless, 1956 Cadillacs were showing higher prices in the past, but it does not appear to be the case any longer.
Data for 1956 Cadillac Series 62 coupes includes only one sale for a No. 3 car in 2007 at $21,000. Three sales in 2007 for No. 2 Coupe deVilles showed values of $22,000, $20,700 and $20,000 for an average of $20,900. That seems like a steal. Two No. 3 1956 Cadillac Coupe deVilles sold for $15,000 and $26,000 last year, the higher-priced car selling at a televised Arizona auction in January. Given the publicity surrounding the $26,000, No. 3 Coupe deVille sale compared to the sale of the three No. 2 Coupe deVilles and the remaining No. 3 Coupe deVille, the televised sale is not an accurate reflection of the marketplace.
When it comes to drop-top 1956 Cadillacs, the status quos appear to have been maintained, unlike in 1955. Eldorado convertibles retain their price advantage over Series 62 convertibles. Examples include No. 2 Eldorados selling for $76,000, $79,000 and $101,000 are recorded for an average of $85,000. No. 2 Series 62 convertibles are limited to two cars at $50,000. A No. 1 Series 62 sold for $72,500, and a No. 2 Series 62 convertible sold for $52,000. This is right on target for Cadillac value hierarchy, but much lower than current Old Cars Price Guide values.
Sedan deVille prices also appear to be a little down. While Old Cars Price Guide values show No. 3 cars to be in the $15,750 range, actual sales show prices in the $10-12,000 range.

Conclusion:
Prices for 1956 Coupe deVilles are down slightly, and have been passed by comparable 1955 Cadillac prices. Unfortunately, the lack of data on Series 62 coupes does not allow us to compare the trend of seeing higher prices of Series 62s to Coupe deVilles as can be seen in 1955. Convertible Series 62 and Sedan deVille prices also appear to be down, while 1956 Eldorado prices seem to be on target with OCPG, if not a bit higher.

Ain't this a great old photo? I'll take the green Series 62 coupe, and the red Coupe deVille, and the pink Series 62 convertible, and the Biarritz. Oh, and that green Seville would like nice in the garage, too, as would that black Series 75 sedan (if there's room). Can't leave that Series 62 sedan by itself, either...

My family's 1955 Cadillac Series 62 coupe parked in front of the SS Spartan in Ludington, Mich., after ferrying across Lake Michigan on the SS Badger. Except for a repaint of the black top, this car is all original and AACA HPOF-certified -- and I love it! (Photo courtesy George Cuhaj)

I always like to learn the backstory behind a car, so when I was surfing the net last weekend and found a link to Cadillac Ranch that explained the back story behind each Cadillac. I'm not real fond of some of the comments as they relate to newer Cadillacs, and other Caddy fans won't want to find out what the builders did with an "extra" 1959 Cadillac that wasn't used in the construction of the monument.
Enjoy!
Cadillac Ranch

(If the link above doesn't work, paste the address below:
http://www.libertysoftware.be/cml/cadillacranch/ranchcars/crabcars.htm )

A friend is looking at buying a 1950 Cadillac, so I checked prices in Old Cars Price Guide, as well as the Old Cars Price Guide database, which includes auction results from more than 100 auctions each year. While sifting through the results, I noticed some interesting trends in 1950 and 1955-’56 Cadillacs. For this blog, I'll address what I found in the database in regards to 1950 Cadillacs.

1950 Cadillacs:
I was checking out these prices for a friend who is looking at a Series 61 coupe. Here are the prices currently in Old Cars Price Guide:

Series 61 two-door hardtop: #1 36,000; #2 25,200; #3 16,200; #4 7,200
Series 62 two-door hardtop: #1 30,000; #2 21,000; #3 13,500; #4 6,000
Series 62 Coupe deVille:     #1 42,000; #2 29,400; #3 18,900; #4 8,400
Series 62 convertible:          #1 85,000; #2 59,500; #3 38,250;#4 17,000

1950 Cadillacs: 2007 and 2006 coupe database results:
There’s not a record of a Series 61 coupe selling at auction in 2007, but a couple Coupe deVilles popped up in No. 3 condition for 37,000 in 2007 and 27,250 in late 2005. Independently, there isn’t enough information here to draw a solid conclusion. However, a No. 2 Series 62 coupe sold for $33,000 in 2007 and a No. 3 Series 62 coupe sold for $27,250 in 2006, giving a good indication that there is an upward trend in values to hardtops.

1950 Cadillacs: 2007 and 2006 convertible database results:
Oddly enough, when it comes to convertibles, the trend appears to be going the other way. There are an astounding four 1950 Series 62 convertibles in No. 2 condition listed in the database from 2007 alone. These four cars fetched between $45,000 and $51,000. A fifth convertible, in No. 3 condition, was listed as selling for $49,500 at a 2007 January Arizona auction (this alone is good evidence why the January Arizona auction results are rarely considered in Old Cars Price Guide updates). These prices tell me that the No. 2 price is approximately $10,000 too high, which will affect other Cadillac prices across the board. (If a No. 2 price has gone down, then the No. 1 and No. 3-No. 6 prices should go down, too.)

Conclusion:
1950 Cadillac hardtop prices are likely up, while convertible prices are down. We'll have to watch this trend unfold and see if it continues.

While fellow OCW staffers Ron Kowalke and Meredyth Albright were out in Arizona, covering the Scottsdale-area auctions, I stayed back, manned the phones, answered the e-mails and somehow found time to prepare the latest issue of Old Cars Weekly.

While here, I received periodic updates from Old Cars Weekly asking, “Did you see what this XXX sold for?” and “Can you believe XXX sold for that much?” Through these updates, and following Ron and Meredyth’s return, I was able to piece together a few observations about what cars people are spending their money on.

One of the first calls I received was on a 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo with a 301-cid V-8 that sold for around $70,000, and a 266-mile 1974 Chevrolet Spirit of America Impala two-door hardtop that fetched $30,000. Since the Chevy had such low miles, I’m not surprised by the dollar amount. Low-mileage originals continue to get big bucks, and probably always will, just as it should be. But the T/A is surprising. It’s good to see “later” muscle cars getting these kinds of dollars, but before you start complaining that price guides have your circa-1980 Firebirds undervalued, realize that not EVERY 1980 Firebird is worth this much. These cars (and by “these cars,” I mean 1970s and early 1980s muscle cars) have been undervalued for some time, so we may see the level of attention being paid to these cars escalate as the teenagers who enjoyed them in the 1970s and ‘80s get more disposable income and start shopping for a collector car. If you’ve got one, hang on to it. If you’ve always wanted one, now’s the time to buy.

When it comes to pure muscle cars, and by that, I mean 1960s and early 1970s GTO’s, Super Bees, Challengers and Mustangs, the market has clearly regained its sanity. Half-million-dollar Hemi ‘Cuda coupes are no more, and that’s the way it should be. Bidders were clearly overpaying for these cars at more than half-a-million bucks, and only the brave admitted that in public. (At Barrett-Jackson’s 2006 January sale, a Hemi ‘Cuda fetched $650,000, and two other Hemi ‘Cudas were in $400,000-500,000 territory.) These days, the cars are trading for around the $150,000 mark, and that seems fair. And ignore those panic-inducing journalists just looking to create waves when they cry, “The muscle car market is dead!” It’s not, and they’re morons. Muscle cars possess the universal combination of features collectors of every era look for, and will always look for: performance, beauty and rarity. As long as people are refining dead dinosaurs into fuel, you’ll never be able to buy a Hemi “anything” for $10,000 again. But you probably won’t lose your shirt if you drop your life’s savings of $150,000 or less on a Hemi Challenger.

If you’re an investor, the Arizona auctions did show you something to fear: clone prices are collapsing. I say “Amen.” These cars should NEVER have been worth six figures. Ever. So, put down your torch and leave the original 396-cid V-8 in your Chevelle or 340-cid V-8 in your ‘Cuda, because your Hemi or SS-454 clone will never be worth as much as your car was with its original smaller-displacement muscle car engine. Want proof? How about a $68,000 1970 Hemi Challenger clone at this year’s Barrett-Jackson sale? I thought so. And if you ask me, that’s still at least $28,000 too much. Or, ask Drew Alcazar of Russo & Steele, who noticed the downward trend of clones in early 2007, if not earlier.

Truth be told, clones were already coming down last year. At the January 2007 Barrett-Jackson auction, a 1970 Challenger R/T SE Hemi clone fetched $115,000, showing how much clones were already coming down from the $150,000-plus range.

If muscle cars are down, where’s the money, you ask? Classics with a big “C.” People looking to spend big bucks on old cars must have finally pulled the switch and seen the light bulb turn on. While many people were drinking and bidding on muscle cars, Classics were fetching the same kinds of dollars some muscle cars were getting at the “pre-market correction” peak.

Most knowledgeable car collectors never agreed with the idea that a mass-produced car with a performance engine (think Hemi ‘Cuda) was worth as much as a Classic car, especially those with hand-built bodies from renowned coachbuilders on performance-oriented chassis (think Duesenberg). And while some muscle cars go back to more realistic prices, many Classics have continued to rise in value.

Since I’m a Duesenberg nut, some examples are Duesenberg sedans for around $250,000 to 500,000, depending on body style, coachbuilder and provenance. In 2008, we’re seeing starting prices for sedans in $500,000 territory, and up. Want examples? At Gooding Co.’s January sale in Arizona, $1 million even was paid for a Murphy Clear Vision sedan. At the 2007 Kruse fall sale in Auburn, Ind., a Rollston sedan fetched $875,000 on the block.

Packards are another good example. At the widely attended Otis Chandler sale in Oct. 2006, the money was flying in a fashion that can, at the very least, be called “insane.” There, Chandler’s 1934 Packard Twelve Dietrich coupe sold for $1 million. At RM Auction’s January 2008 sale, one of the few other matching 1934 Twelve Dietrich coupes sold for $1.8 million.

Before you go out and find of the other 1934 Packard Twelve Dietrich coupes of the handful built, stop. Think. Remember, investing in cars is just as risky as investing in the stock market. Perhaps even riskier. My advice is this: buy something you like, and something you can afford. Study values of your car in price guides (like Old Cars Price Guide), other publications, classified ads, auctions prices, etc., before you write the check. This way, your risk is greatly reduced. And don’t buy a car because it may be worth more in the future, buy it because you want to have fun and meet people.

Many of the people I know with million-dollar cars didn’t buy them because they wanted to make money, they bought the cars because they liked them. And they still do. When it’s time to sell, they’ll make out very, very well. But that’s the furthest thing from their mind. And when you’re behind the wheel of your car, its value should be the furthest thing from yours, too.

J-149, chassis number 2174, a LeBaron phaeton, at the RM Auctions sale in Scottsdale. It fetched $1.7 million. (Meredyth Albright photo)




J-334, chassis number 2302 (with bellhousing J-281), a LaGrande phaeton, at the 2008 Barrett-Jackson sale. It fetched $1 million. (Meredyth Albright photo)

Some readers of this blog may already know that I collect vintage photographs. Many of these are used in Old Cars Weekly and some of my book projects. Generally, I look for photos with fun compositions that include interesting cars from the late 1920s through the 1960s. 

Any photo with interesting cars catches my eye, but generally, I look for photos with Cadillacs, Willyses, Fords and "big C" Classics, such as Duesenbergs and Lincolns. To find these photos, I scour swap meets, the classifieds in Old Cars Weekly and peruse a few Web sites to discover such treasures. In the course of such hunts, I run across other cool items that aren’t necessarily what I collect, but are fascinating nonetheless. One of those items that I recently ran across was a new, in the box MotoMeter for a Duesenberg Model A that sold for $2,200! Since it’s an item that you don’t see everyday, I thought I’d post it here.

The item was found on eBay, and since the auction ended, you’ll probably have to be signed in to eBay in order to view it.

If you're into old pics, too, watch this blog ... you never know when a few of them will show up on this page!

What do you think about this press release stating certain luxury car owners get special parking privileges at a sports arena? Is it unfair to other car owners? Is it the wave of the future? There was a period when Cadillac owners received special treatment without a corporate buy-in. My, hot times have changed.

PRESS RELEASE:
LEXUS CUSTOMERS NOW HAVE RESERVED PARKING AT WACHOVIA CENTER IN NEW DEAL WITH COMCAST-SPECTACOR
 
(Philadelphia, PA – December 10, 2007) Lexus drivers in the Greater Philadelphia Region now can have priority parking at the Wachovia Center as part of a new sponsorship package between Lexus and arena owner Comcast-Spectacor.
 
“Lexus continues to be a great advertising partner of ours,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “As we continue to look for new and exciting opportunities for our fans and our sponsors, Lexus remains a terrific partner.

“As a result of this new arrangement, we’re able to offer our customers who drive Lexus cars an opportunity to park in a specially designated space with other Lexus owners.”
 
As part of the new three-year advertising and sponsorship package, Lexus drivers can park in a designated Lexus parking spot in either of two lots in the Wachovia Center (C-Lot and E-Lot). Additionally, these new parking sections will feature Lexus advertising prominently featured on the light polls.
 
The new sponsorship package also includes advertising signage inside the Wachovia Center where Lexus already owns the naming rights to the arena’s private, exclusive courtside club. Lexus commercials will also air during Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers broadcasts on Comcast SportsNet. Additionally, Comcast SportsNet will now air a Lexus sponsored “Sports $ense” segment regarding the financial sports news.
 
Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company which owns the Philadelphia Flyers (NHL), the Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), the Philadelphia Phantoms (AHL), the two arenas in which their teams play, the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum, four Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and hockey rinks and Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia. In addition, Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the fastest growing firm in the public assembly management field with more than 70 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage service provider; New Era Tickets, a ticketing and marketing company for public assembly facilities; Front Row Marketing Services, a commercial rights sales company; and 3601 Creative Group, a full-service in-house advertising agency. In a partnership with Disson Skating, Comcast-Spectacor annually produces 10 nationally televised figure skating spectaculars on NBC.

Recently, I was forwarded a link to a CNN article featuring famous musician Neil Young and his plight to install an electric/biodiesel powerplant in his 1959 Lincoln.

Apparently, the car’s 430-cid V-8 gets 10 mpg, and Johnathan Goodwin, who is yanking the engine in order to install the hybrid engine, says the new power source will get 100 mpg. He expects the change to take 45 days.

Now, I’m all for doing things to make sure our kids have as clean of a place to prosper as we did (I’m an Eagle scout who has planted more trees and picked up more garbage than there are old-car fallacies to be shared), but this article used Young’s project as a chance to attack the old car hobby. Phrases written or quoted by author Sean Callebs include “gas-guzzling,” “big polluter,” and “old, inefficient,” and, like many other who make similar assumptions, infers that American cars are gross polluters.

American cars are not necessarily gross polluters. I don’t keep up on modern cars, but even I know that, since at least the early 1990s, Ford has been selling cars that run on E85, and GM has been experimenting with electric cars on the road for years. And Honda, Toyota and Nissan all offer large SUVs, some even big trucks with “gas-guzzling V-8s,” to people just interested in driving them only to pick up kids from soccer practice or fetching basil from the local Piggly Wiggly. Why aren’t these companies considered guilty of offering “gross polluters?” If these companies are so good, why can’t they offer a car that gets the kind of 50-mpg-range gas mileage that Geo Metros offered in the 1990s? People who make the assumption need to visit more than a Honda or Toyota dealership to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the modern automotive market.

But I digress. Our old cars are not used frequently. Therefore, the amount of fuel they actually burn and the pollution they create is negligible. I seriously doubt Young is driving his Lincoln enough to worry about the amount of fuel it consumes.


Also, car collectors keep their cars in a finer state of tune to better preserve and enjoy them. And good running cars get better gas mileage and spew less emissions. Many non-car people treat their cars like appliances and don’t do preventative maintenance. Their cars only go in the shop when there’s a problem or their cars stop working altogether.

And when it comes to being gross polluters, I’m not sure this is true, as I have never seen an emissions test for a 1959 Lincoln, Model T or 1965 Corvette. My personal emissions test experience is limited to a 185,000-mile 1978 Chevrolet Malibu Classic coupe with a 305-cid V-8 that always passed with flying colors. At the same time, I knew many people with much newer four-cylinder cars that struggled to come under the limits dictated by the test.

Furthermore, re-using old cars instead of using new energy to build new cars saves energy. Even crushing cars takes energy, not to mention the power used in processing the metal.

There are many collector cars that get good gas mileage, and by that, I mean fuel ratings in the 20 mpg range or better. Corvairs, Ramblers, Model T’s and A’s, and even many big, six-cylinder-powered 1950s and 1960s sedans can get good gas mileage.

So let’s stop letting uneducated citizens make assumptions about old cars. In today’s dark, political climate when everyone’s rights can be robbed by a loud but influential minority, give people the facts and call them on the carpet when they abuse them.

After giving a presentation last weekend to the Minnesota Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America, I noticed that the interest in auctions seems to be growing even more. I'll credit that to the televised auctions that have been cropping up with increased frequency. From my experience this weekend, I can only assume that the interest is wide-spread, so I figured readers of this blog would be interested in the press release I just received and posted below:

Russo & Steele's Monterey sale will be aired on ESPN Classic beginning tomorrow, Nov. 20, at 10 pm EST. It looks like the auction has been cleverly broken up into themed episodes, including "fast Fords," "Super Shelbys," "Chevy Performance" and "Mopar Mania."

I've always advised people to attend a couple auctions before bidding just to see first-hand how it all works, and this is a good way to get a primer before buying a bidder's pass and raising your hand in the air. Of course, there's no replacement for being there in person, either.

If you check out this televised auction, let me know what you think!

After a two-year hiatus, I’m looking forward to walking the newly remodeled fields of the Antique Automobile Club of America Eastern Fall Meet at Hershey. When I’m not combing the grounds for Cadillac parts, I’ll be looking forward to meeting readers at our spaces in the Orange Field (spaces 24-28) and the Green Field (spaces 1-2). I hope to see many great car parts for our Swap Meet Showdown contest and hear great tales of car part conquest. Several contributing authors to Old Cars Weekly will also be meeting at the Old Cars Weekly spaces at Hershey, so if your timing is right, you may get to meet one of your favorite authors.

But there’s more to Hershey than walking through acres of parts and cars for sale and taking in the Saturday-only car show. There’s also The Hershey Auction at the Giant Center by Kruse International, which will be held Oct. 11-13 to benefit the AACA Museum. A new RM Auctions sale at The Hershey Lodge and Convention Center on Oct. 11-12 will offer an additional opportunity to check out great cars, and in a dry setting if the weather at Hershey follows its regular wet pattern.

If you’re still looking for more action at Hershey, you’ll be happy to learn the Blackhawk Exposition Sale has returned to Hershey. Rob Williams will be setting up some of the collection’s finest automobiles in the Great American Hall of the Hershey Lodge. Many of the hobby’s most important figures gather around the spectacular cars of the Blackhawk Collection to socialize and gaze on beautiful metal, and to contemplate the prospective purchase of one of these fine cars. This display will be open evenings Oct. 11-13. You can bet I’ll try to attend all of these great events at Hershey, and if I’m lucky, I’ll do it with a Cadillac part in one hand and a Hershey bar in the other!

While at the Barrington concours in Barrington, Ill., last weekend, I encountered several examples of a feature that drives me absolutely nuts: club award badges drilled into the firewalls and cowls of vehicles.

The cars being drilled into aren’t just daily drivers – they’re pristine show cars that have been judged among their peers as top-flight examples of their kind. Often times, they are also very valuable cars, in both the historic and financial sense. For the quality of their restorations, cars and their owners have been rewarded with a tiny badge, which is great. But permanently affixing them to the body of a car is not the way to preserve that car for history.

I’m not going to mention the specific club badges I have seen through the years affixed in this manner, because many well-respected clubs are “guilty” of producing these badges.
In earning these badges, the club is rewarding the owner for bringing the car back to its original configuration. All of the wires must be of the correct type, the interior fabrics must be of the original style and the appearance must be as it was in the period the car was built. But adding one of these badges, which were not created in the time period the car was built, is adding a non-original feature. So, by judging a car as being so correct, isn’t it hypocritical to add an item that detracts from the car’s correctness? If it were a non-club badge permanently drilled into the car or even bolted on, wouldn’t the car be docked points for this feature?

I’m not fortunate enough to own a high-point car, but even I have an issue with drilling parts into my daily car or even modifying its appearance or mechanical function in even a temporary way. When I see it on a Classic car or other high-point car, it blows my mind.
Am I overreacting? I don’t think so. What do you think?