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billv8

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  1. Having recently attended the Indy Monument Circle Concours, I wanted to contact the directors and judges of the event. The event program is devoid of any contact info so this is my attempt to relay an opinion of the event to the directors and judges; Roger Brummett, Gene Perkins, Turner Woodard, et al. I remember the first (or second?) Indianapolis concours on the lawn on top of the underground convention center. It looked promising as a first event with a very good line-up of capital cars of the true classic variety and a smattering of interesting vintage, antiques and collectibles thrown in. It looked as if the regional enthusiast community had something going that might attract a decent continuing assemblage of true classics and give the citizens of Indianapolis a local educationl opportunity in the art and history of automotive design, etc. I heard through the grapevine that there was some dissatisfaction over the happenstance of some soggy ground and mud on shoes. I'm not certain what has driven the "concours" to the circle, but I question the results. I can no longer consider it anything more than a freebie street fair with muscle cars and a very few classics. Making an event open and free with the addition of very loud obnoxious "music" is a certain formula for attracting the least interested least generous crowd. It is the very opposite of the successful formula of an admissions based event advertised for enthusiast participation. I'm happy to pay a few dollars to have a view of very fine automobiles and a quiet civilized conversation with the owners about their cars and related subjects. I see the same list of classics every year, but fewer of them. More of the sports and muscle car variety taking up the slots in the circle. There may still be time to revise this event and build a true concours following. The central Indiana region is rich in autmotive history but without a decent automotive museum (that I know of), a shame in itself. There must be a thousand true clasics within a single day's trailer pull from indianapolis. Where are we going with this event? Next year - hoopties and 20inch wheels and a rapper? Hondas and an amplified boom-box contest? I would go further. Organize this concours as an international event in keeping with the Grand Prix F1 celebration. Invite ten or twenty fine cars from Europe, offering the owners VIP perks at the GP event, sponsored by local corporate and/or charitable foundations. Make the concours into an attraction for substantial donations to the charities of choice. I would be happy to pay $30-$40 admission to see some real cars, and not have my ear drums damaged. If it is unavoidable, have two concurrent events, modern collectibles as well as classics. Thanks for your kind attention in this matter and I hope for better things in future. See you at the Grand Classics, MBH, Cranbrook, BP Bethlehem, Radnor, Amelia, HH, PB etc. Bill C Nashville
  2. I saw a complaint about a smoking Lincoln V12 on another post. Do you think that the non-ash producing value of synthetic would be worth while using as a stop-gap to a smoking engine with poorly seated rings? I know from experience that using syn in a wounded engine will reduce smoke substantially, at least for a while. In the case of breaking in poorly seated rings, will the syn oil adversely reduce the "break-in"? In other words does syn oil have extra lubricant quality which might adversely effect "break-in"? Some vintage/collectible cars with marginal cooling systems might bebefit greatly from the protection of syn oil (like Jag 120s). Bill C in TN
  3. Scour the used book sites like Abebooks, Alibris or even Amazon for anything like an automotive encyclopedia of the first half century. I found very handy the Consumer Guide's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN CARS 1930-1980 (1984) Beekman House NYC. As I am mostly interested in Classics (post 1925) this is a good resource. Old Floyd Clymer books (Clymer and Bonanza) are of some use IDing antiques. These and other publishers must have printed tens of thousands of similar encyclopedias. The STANDARD CATALOG series of softback references of important American marques (Krause Publications) is very useful. Don't forget the google at your fingertips... Bill C in TN
  4. Congrats on PB invire! I was curious about the French look of the car and discussed it with some friends. One fellow did a search attempting to find a history of J446 and was successful. It is attribution of coachwork to Franay correct? Did Queen Marie purchase the car in Paris? Was the fender modification work in '41 done by B&S? Was the car purchased by the present owner at Christies on 2002? It is a very fine example and the top profile as mentioned before an exceptional design. Are there any plans to return the car to its original fender design? I followed up with some biog material related to Queen Marie and Samuel Hill. I used to live in Boise and have visited Maryhill Museum so I found the Queen Marie connection to the car very interesting. The following are the Christies description of the car, and associated threads linked to Queen Marie of Romania. Samuel Hill (Queen Marie's friend and sponsor), was an attorney for James Jerome Hill, Canadian and builder of the Great Northern Railroad. Samuel Hill was out of Seattle and involved in many enterprises including his monumental philanthropic projects, Maryhill planned community (never built) the better roads program. He built the Columbia River Scenic Highway and possibly other roads at a time when paved highways were rare. He also built a miniature of Stonehenge and a WW1 memorial on his land in Columbia River Valley. When visiting the Northwest do not fail to see Maryhill Museum and Crown Point Tower. The museum has a marvelous collection of rare chess sets, and a fantastic collection of Native American artifacts from many regions. Also fine furnishings and mementos from the reign of Queen Marie and her good friends the Romanovs of Imperial Russia. Christies Auction - Desenberg J446 Franay, Isotta Fraschini 8B The I.F. is NOT the SUNSET BOULEVARD movie car http://www.thecityreview.com/s02ccar.html Queen Marie dedicates Maryhill http://www.washington.historylink.org/output.cfm?file_id=5318 Maryhiill Museum today http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/about.htm Sam Hill's Miniature Stonehenge http://www.travelwizard.com/american-river-cruise/iti-dbd-d7.htm Sam Hill's scenic Columbia River Highway http://www.columbiariverhighway.com/columbia_river_highway_history.htm Biog James Hill Railroad Builder Do not fail to read this. An excellent chronicle of triumph over adversity, business acumen, determination and a dedication to quality and honesty. Well, if not honesty exactly, then sincerity! http://www.fee.org/vnews.php?nid=96
  5. 2nd reply- Consulted with friends who also enjoy ID puzzles and reconsidered the shape of this car and what few details can be seen, it seems more likely it is a late 20/25 HP model, with a slightly unusual limousine or saloon body. It appears there is no division which would make it a saloon. I am told the park lamps on fenders and side trim suggest possibly a Windovers or Alfred Mulliner body instead of PW or Hooper. There is almost no exterior difference between a late 20/25 and 25/30. The differences lie mainly in the engine size 3.7L vs 4.2L in the later 25/30 and other running gear features. The Wraith was a new larger chassis. Hope this helps. You might try the RR club and if you are lucky they might even acknowledge your existence. Bill C, Nashville
  6. More than Machinery 5-2-05 After some absence, I took up reading the various threads on the CCCA forum. I am pleased that they are left intact for some months. Especially interesting to me are questions on the classification criteria and those related conversations. Namely discussions based on postings from J446, JDLEE, Jim Flack, and contributions by Dave Mitchell. I never tire of these diversions into the more philosophical regions of mechanical-industrial history and automotive enthusiasms. It is fully understandable that with close involvement (Might I suggest obsession?) with the restoration, maintenance, and enjoyment of classic cars, some owner/members might loose sight of the larger purpose of the organization. As an outside observer, amateur historian and general automotive enthusiast, I want to congratulate the Classification Committee for holding the rules tightly, applying strict protocols, and not becoming more inclusive on ever widening pretexts. The classic era (If I may borrow the phrase) is not just about the cars. What I am hinting at is the notion of joining a society and having it expand to include my interests, rather than joining in to reinforce the existing philosophy, which in the case of CCCA, is a valuable one. The ownership of historic vehicles defined as Full Classics by CCCA recognizes the lucky few, the enterprising, energetic and successful, as temporary custodians of these great works of rolling art. The end of WW2 and brief postwar period represents a upheaval of history, the further destruction of the old world class system, the end of colonialism, cessation of much of the old world hand craftsmanship, and the explosion in consumer electronics and chemistry and mass produced goods. More specific to the case of our beloved vehicles, the classic period presents the combined best efforts of great craftsmen, the blend of traditional with newly established technologies, the introduction of style as a part of marketing and design and the transition from the horse drawn coach mimicry to the advanced self propelled machine age. The Classic Era is witness to the ultimate freedom and convenience of safe personal ground transport, evolved from the dangerous and uncomfortable to the efficient and pleasurable. I'll reply to your E-mail address with my Essay WHAT IS A CLASSIC. I welcome thoughtful criticism and exchange of ideas. Bill C wmc911@hotmail.com
  7. Looks to be a 25/30, the slightly smaller predecessor to the Wraith. I would guess a Park Ward Saloon, but could be HJM. This body style may alternately be known as a Town Sedan but the Brits would usually call it a Saloon. I have foto of identical car in 6th ed THE ROLLS ROYCE MOTOR CAR (Anthony Bird) pg 287, an invaluable reference. I can forward your pic to my west coast friend who is Rolls enthusiast for verification, but I think I am correct. Sedan deVille is just French for Town Sedan. Sedan DeVille not an RR model name, but a body style. Bill C wmc911@hotmail.com
  8. I attend many Concours every year for the purpose of taking photos and furthering my education on classic and vintage vehicles. Grand Classic and Grand Experience events seem to be relatively sparsely attended by the general public and is almost seems as though I am intruding on a private society. Are non-member photographers and "students" welcome at these meetings? I am so impressed by the dedication, organization and craftsmanship found at these events, I wonder that the general public seems to have little sense of their value. Naturally not refering to CCCA Gilmore events as they are part of the widely known museum and rather well attended. Where exactly in French Lick (what address and meeting place) is the GC to take place? It will be my first visit there. According to my calendar this will be on a Saturday May 21, correct? Tell me again the difference between Grand Classic and Grand Experience Events? Thematic or judging criteria or what? Or point me to the pages on the CCCA web site which explain these and other mysteries. Bill C from TN wmc911@hotmail.com
  9. I recently visited the AACA museum on return from Concours of Eastern USA. I had seen glimpses of the interior in several popular video auto-enthusiast presentations. My frames of reference are the following; Harrahs (before the sale) Reno Nat'l Auto Muse (after the sale), Nethercutt Collection, Otis Chandler Collection, Lemay Collection, Gilmore CCCA, Dearborn Ford, and several lesser institutions. I was impressed by the expensive looking castle, but would have been more excited by the prospect of several large insulated metal barns. That would have indicated to me an emphasis of content over fashion. I was appalled to find much of the interior space wasted by complex dioramas. I was further disappointed to find about half the cars to be post war and not particularly interesting specimens. Perhaps I misunderstand the meaning of the term antique. What I expected was a chronology of automotive engineering, body design, industrial history and principal players. In my travels I have noticed the general dumbing down of once great city museums into pre-school play centers and kiddie museums. Perhaps AACA has take this as a guide line for the future. I certainly wish this had been a museum designed for knowledgeable enthusiasts but perhaps the reality is that it is just a venue for culling quick cash from chocolate bar tourists. I realize there is a very important research library attached and the revenue generated by the museum supports this much more important facet of the enterprise. I would like some feed back as to the intended scope and purpose of the AACA museum. Why so simplistic, so few interesting cars, so little emphasis on exposition of critical detail both historic and mechanical? When I engage in conversation with dedicated antique or classic auto enthusiasts or vintage race fans the conversation turns to details of mechanical innovation, historic events, personalities, industry peculiarities. The subject is rich with possibilities. What happened to that great potential for a rich learning experience at your museum? BC
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