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Bill’s 1949 Ford 128

By billw on March 27, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Convertible, Sedan

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1949: The Model Year That Saved Ford

The late 1940s were not a good time for the Ford Motor Company. Chrysler had overtaken it in the 1930s as the nation’s number one automaker and WW2 had failed to boost its finances. By 1947 the once-mighty firm was hemorrhaging cash to the tune of $10 million a month. Many doubted that it would survive to see 1950.

Then as now the loss of such an industrial giant would have been catastrophic for the US economy, raising the specter of a retreat back into the conditions of the Great Depression. Also, just as in recent times, the company’s woes were of its own making. Ford’s designs and craftsmanship had failed to keep up with the massive strides forward in industrial techniques spurred by the second world war. Its vehicles just weren’t very good.

Seeing the handwriting on the wall, the military granted Henry Ford II, grandson of the company’s founder, an early release from the military, so he could tend to matters at the family business. Henry set about the task with a vengeance, whipping administrative departments into shape, replacing old guard cronies with bright young business school graduates, and persuading Ernest R. Breech to leave his post at GM to come work for Ford.

Then he and his team set about reimagining what an automobile could be. They did away with the antiquated x-shaped frames, replacing them with an improved ladder-shaped one. Obsolete transverse leaf spring suspension systems were junked. In their place came independent wishbone-shaped front suspension components with coil springs. A new transmission and optional overdrive rear axle was also developed.

The body style became shorter, wider, and lower, and flushed fender styling was adopted. Economy and performance was improved by lowering the standard vehicle weight by 500 pounds.

One of the exceptions to the total overhaul was the choice of engines. Henry carried over both the 239 cubic inch V-8 and 226 cubic inch six cylinder from previous years.

The new models were debuted in June 1948, though their model year was ’49, due to the fact that the company was so desperate for sales. Fortunately Henry Ford II’s efforts were not in vain. Sales took off like a rocket, earning the company a 1949 profit of $177 million. Over a million units were built, beating rival Chevrolet by 100,000.

The company offered its 1949 models in four platforms: a standard sedan in either two or four door, a convertible, and a wagon. Prices ranged from $1333 to $2119, ensuring that post-war Americans could buy one that would fit their budget, and that the company founded by Henry Ford would enter the 1950s with a bright future ahead.

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Bill’s 1908 Ford Model T

By billw on March 26, 2012 in Car, Classic, Model T, Sedan

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The Model T: the Mother of All Cars

“I will build a car for the great multitude. It will be large enough for the family, but small enough for the individual to run and care for. It will be constructed of the best materials, by the best men to be hired, after the simplest designs that modern engineering can devise. But it will be so low in price that no man making a good salary will be unable to own one – and enjoy with his family the blessing of hours of pleasure in God’s great open spaces.” – Henry Ford, 1908

It was the first automobile as we understand the term: a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine, manufactured on an assembly line with interchangeable parts, and intended for mass distribution to the public. It was the Model T, the mother of all cars. And it changed the world forever.

On September 27, 1908, Henry Ford watched with pride as the first one rolled out of his factory in Detroit. It had a 177 cubic inch (2.7 liter) engine. The four cylinders were cast in a row from the same block of steel, a major innovation for the time. It got anywhere from between 13 to 21 MPG. A true multi-fuel vehicle, it could run on gasoline, ethanol, or kerosene.

Electric voltage was generated by a hand-turned flywheel magneto. Occasionally the engine would kick back when started, so the person spinning the crank had to be careful not to grab the handle too tightly. Electric starting wasn’t introduced until 1919. Batteries weren’t installed as standard equipment until 1926. Electric headlights weren’t available until 1915. Trips were either limited to daytime excursions or the owner used acetylene lanterns to cast a pale yellowish glow on nighttime roads..

The tank held 10 gallons (38 liters) of fuel. Enterprising farmers often saved the cost of gasoline by brewing their own homemade ethyl alcohol. The tank sat behind the front seat, and gravity rather than a mechanical pump fed it to the engine. Because of this, the Model T would often stall out while going uphill, especially if gas was low. Most drivers solved this limitation by driving up hills backwards.

Contrary to popular myth, the first Model Ts were available in several different shades. The “no color but black” rule didn’t come into effect until 1914. Both open touring car and closed cab versions were available. Base price for the standard model in 1908 was $850.00, roughly equivalent to $22,000.00 in today’s money. But by 1915 that had actually dropped to $440.00, or about ten grand in 2012 terms. An average worker on one of Ford’s assembly lines could buy one with four month’s salary.

Sales of the vehicle were brisk throughout its history. Ford was on hand on May 26, 1927, when the 15 millionth Model T rolled off the assembly line at his plant in Highland, Michigan. Later that year production of the first true automobile ended to make room for newer models. Despite that, the Model T’s place in history was secure. Forevermore it would be THE classic car, and a lasting testament to the genius and vision of its creator.

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Bill’s 1936 BMW 128

By billw on March 26, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Convertible, Sports Car

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The 1936 BMW 328: the Little Roadster that Could

June 13, 1936 was a balmy summer day in the German countryside near the village of Nurburg. Nervous spectators were abuzz with excitement about the International Eifel Race, which was about to begin. The course was one of the most demanding in the world, with over 130 hairpin curves in its entire 28 kilometer (app. 17 mile) length.

It was almost one of the most scenic, as it circled around the ancient Nurburg castle, located in the heart of the Eifel mountains. Famed British driver Jackie Stewart once referred to it as the “green Hell,” both because of its beauty and the immense hazards of trying to navigate a race car through it.

Speculation was running high as to which vehicle stood the best chance of crossing the line first. The favorites by far were the Mercedes-Benz and other models with “kompressor” engines (German for “compressor”), the forerunners of modern turbochargers. Also in the running was a new car from BMW: the 328 roadster. With its small 2 liter engine and lack of compression enhancement few expected it to make much of a showing.

Then the driver, Ernst Henne, get behind the wheel, fired the 80HP dual-cam engine to life, and stepped on the gas. Mouths fell open as viewers watched the tiny car rocket past them, leaving its competition in the dust. Henne was the winner that day, with an average speed of 63 MPH (101.5 KPH), unheard of for the time. His 328 clung tight to curves that sent other entrants spinning out of control, leaving no doubt that BMW was ahead of the pack in technology as well as on the race course.

The 328 had a 120 cubic inch (1971 cc) engine with three carburetors and hemispheric combustion chambers in each of its six cylinders. It also featured hydraulic brakes on each wheel and a four speed synchromesh gearbox. It won several more European races up till 1940, when World War 2 put a stop to such intra-continental events. Approximately 100 of the original 328s are still in existence, however, a tribute to the car’s cutting-edge design and amazing performance for its time.

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Bill’s 1969 Pontaic 128

By billw on March 22, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Convertible

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The Consolation Prize That Could Have Killed the Corvette

It was 1964, and Pontiac had its eye on the future, trying to forecast what sports cars would look like in the years ahead. Their efforts to predict what was to come resulted in a concept vehicle that scared the living daylights out of GM management. They would also go on to serve as the inspiration for one of the most famous muscle cars, the Trans Am.

In ’64 a project known only as XP-833 was going on under tight security at GM’s research facilities. Speculation about its true nature abounded, with some saying it was a plan for a rocket-powered vehicle, and others claiming that General Motors was building a flying saucer. The reality was only slightly less spectacular. The automaker was fashioning a two-seater sports car with a sweeping extended hood and chopped-off rear.

Two different versions were built. One was powered by a straight six engine that would in no way make history. The other, however, was a white convertible with the same motor that drove the Corvette. Especially worrisome for the ‘Vette’s backers was the fact that the test vehicle, known as The Banshee, weighed several hundred pounds less than GM’s premier vehicle.

For John DeLorean, who was head of Pontiac at the time, it was love at first sight. He instantly proclaimed the Banshee “a Mustang killer.” His bosses at GM saw it differently, however. Afraid that it would outperform the Corvette, that had the project shut down.

This infuriated the suits at Pontiac, and the powers-that-were decided to offer them a consolation prize. DeLorean and company were allowed to create a tamer version of the Banshee, one that would appeal to middle class consumers wanting a powerful, substantial vehicle at an affordable price. Named the Trans Am after the famed motor race, it was unveiled
on March 8, 1969 at the Chicago Auto Show.

That first model was powered by a 400 cubic inch engine tied to a three-on-the-floor gearbox. It created 335 HP at 5000 RPM and drank fuel from a four-barrel carb. Hot Rod magazine tried out the Ram Air IV version in April of 1969. It went from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds and finished out the quarter mile in 14.1 seconds at just over 100 MPH.

The Trans Am went through various incarnations until Pontiac pulled the plug on it in 2002. During that time both it and the Camaro often had the same engine as the ‘Vette, but GM engineers purposely powered it down
so it wouldn’t ruffle the feathers in the Corvette division. That didn’t
stop enthusiasts, however, who have turned out many a modified Trans Am since that can leave the average ‘Vette in its dust. The things that could have been…

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Bill’s 1967 Pontaic SKY

By billw on March 22, 2012 in Car, Classic, Convertible, SKY

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The 1967 Buick Skylark: a Sure Cure for Old Age

It’s said that every GM line appeals to a different kind of person. If so, then Buick has traditionally been aimed at older, more conservative buyers whose Hell-raising days are long behind them. But, every once in a while, the carmaker calls on its customers to get in touch with their inner rebel. That was the case in 1967, when the Skylark Gran Sport 400 hit the showrooms.

The Skylark line had been around since 1952, and while stylish it was pretty tame, featuring motors like the relatively staid 198 cubic inch V-6 that powered it from ’61 to’63. As the Decade of Rebellion went on, however, the engines got larger, until in ’67 the GS 400 was released.

Named for the monster 400 cubic inch power plant under its hood, the GS featured a Rochester Quadra-Jet four-barrel carb, famed for its quick throttle response and the way it adjusted the mix when the driver felt the need for speed. Buyers had their choice of the B2 Super Turbine automatic or B3 four-speed transmission. Either would propel the car from 0 to 60 in under seven seconds. The GS created 350 HP at 5000 RPM, weighed in at a ton and a half, and set its owner back $3,000.00, give or take a couple hundred bucks. It could do better than 120 MPH on a straightaway, hardly a conservative speed.

It was a break from the past in terms of its appearance as well. Twin hood scoops directed massive amounts of oxygen to the carb. The rally stripes and aggressive grille design gave it the look of a shark prowling the waters for fresh prey. Chrome plated wheels were available for an additional $70.00. The interior was relatively spartan, with vinyl the only option available. Both coupe and convertible models were available.

Unfortunately for the Skylark GS its reign was limited. Increasingly stringent emissions and safety standards would, in coming years, force GM to tame it down with smaller engines and more co-friendly fuel systems. In its day, though, it served as proof that not only could Buick catch the eye of the older set, it could make them feel young again as well.

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Bill’s 1930 Ford 128

By billw on March 21, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Sedan

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The Story of the Woody

I bought a ’30 Ford wagon and we call it a woody
You know it’s not very cherry; it’s an oldie but a goody
Well, it ain’t got a back seat or a rear window
But it still gets me where I wanna go
-from the song Surf City by Jan and Dean, 1963

America prior to WW2 was a simpler place. The country was still making the transition from horse and carriage to automobile. At points during that evolution, elements of the old ways blended with the new. The wood-sided vehicle, or “woody,” came from that fusion. Though it has been over fifty years since one rolled off the assembly line, they still serve as proof that progress can be beautiful.

Wood-sided motor cars date as far back as 1897, when Alexander Winton made headlines by driving his wood and metal framed custom auto around a one mile track in Cleveland, Ohio, at the then-amazing speed of 33 MPH.

In 1902 the Geneva Automobile and Manufacturing Company released a woody that was 7.5 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 5.5 feet high. It weighed about 800 pounds and had a copper water tank at the rear that held 6 gallons of water for the steam engine. It generated 6 HP.

The golden age of the woody was between 1915 and 1930, when Ford offered wooden siding as an option on its Model A cars and trucks. Buick followed suit with its 1925 roadster and its 1929 LaSalle Series 328.
The Depression put a dent in demand for the vehicles; they were considered upscale for the era. Orders resumed after WW2, however, and lasted into the 1950s, when auto makers stopped offering them due to safety concerns.

Usually, woodies were special orders that required a third-party craftsman to be called in by the manufacturer. The most famous of these men was Joseph Cantrell, who fitted wooden components to metal bodies from 1915 until around 1950. Cantrell was a self-made man in every way. Born in 1875, he quit school after the fourth grade and taught himself engineering, metal working, mechanics and woodworking.

During his career he fashioned some of the most beautiful and enduring examples of wood-sided vehicles, many of which survive to this day in private collections.
Elegant and evocative of another time, the woody deserves its honored place in automotive history.

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Bill’s 1928 Cadillac Town Car

By billw on March 17, 2012 in Car, Classic, Sedan, Town Car

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It was December 7, 1941. Japan had just bombed Pearl Harbor, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt was preparing his speech to Congress for the next day. The Secret Service was getting ready for the brief but potentially deadly ride from the White House to Capitol Hill, worried that Japanese agents might try to assassinate the Commander-in-Chief during the trip.

The Service did have a sedan, but it was far from bulletproof. They thought of securing an armored car, but the government was limited to spending no more than $750.00 on a vehicle (around $12,000.00 in 2012 dollars), far too little for the kind they needed.

Then a quick-thinking agent remembered that the government already had the ideal car for the purpose. It was Al Capone’s 1928 Cadillac 341A Town Sedan, one of 20,001 manufactured that year, but with features not found in any showroom model.

Confiscated from the notorious gangster years earlier, the car had been specially modified to meet the needs of a man whom many wanted dead. It was reinforced with 3,000 pounds of armor plate. The windows were an inch thick and bullet-proof. It had solid rubber tires that could not go flat, and sliding ports were strategically located in the interior from which machine guns could be fired.

Under the hood was Cadillac’s legendary 341 cubic inch L-shaped V-8. It created 90 HP at the vehicle’s top speed of 70 MPH. The first Cadillac designed by Harley Earl, it was remarkably similar in appearance to the 1927 LaSalle. It generated a massive 208 ft.-lb. or torque, making the need to shift the three-speed transmission a rare occurrence.

One might think that a US president would object to riding in a vehicle with such a seedy past, but all reports are that Roosevelt enjoyed the experience. He was even thoughtful about the car’s former owner. “I hope Mr. Capone doesn’t mind us using his car for the occasion,” he said with a smile as he took a seat in it the morning of December 8th. History doesn’t tell us whether the mobster did or not.

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Bill’s 1953 Chevrolet Corvette

By billw on March 17, 2012 in Car, Convertible, Corvette, Sports Car

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One of the greatest challenges in auto design is marrying form to function. Sometimes the former is achieved at the expense of the latter. The result is usually a lovely piece of junk. On the other hand, sometimes the latter wins out over the former. When that happens, the result is a reliable, high performing monstrosity like the Pontiac Aztek. And then, on rare occasions, the two blend together to create a car that is both a pleasure to drive and to look at – in other words, the Corvette.

The king of all American sports cars began in the mind of Harley Earl, head of GM’s design division from 1927 to 1958. He noticed that veterans returning from World War 2 were bringing back European roadsters like the MG and the Jaguar. Their owners treasured them highly and raced them on weekends. Earl decided it was time the US had its own version of these vehicles.

In 1950 he presented the plan to his bosses, who gave it the go-ahead on one condition: the car had to feature standard GM parts. Accepting this as the price of his dream, Earl set to work, designing a vehicle with a light fiberglass body. In 1953 the project was unveiled at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

For auto enthusiasts it was love at first sight. Adoration soon turned to disappointment, however, when they drove the new car. With its 150 HP engine, automatic transmission, and poor suspension, it was anemic in performance, and almost sadistic in the way it bounced its owners around the single seat.

The ‘vette might have been nothing more than a footnote in auto history, if not for a man named Zora Arkus-Duntov. A racer and mechanical genius, he revamped the internals of the Corvette starting with the 1955 model, giving it a capable V-8 and a three speed manual transmission, among other modifications. Soon the Corvette was racing against the MGs and Jaguars. And it was winning.

The Corvette has had a long and honored history since, maintaining its reputation as a symbol of what Americans can achieve when allowed to follow their passions. Looking down from their perch above, Earl and Arkos-Duntov are rightfully proud of this beautiful, capable vehicle.

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Bill’s 1927 Buick 128

By billw on March 17, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Coupe, Luxury

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Art in industry is comparatively new. Only in recent years has the interest of manufacturer and user alike been expanded from the mere question of “Does it work?” to include “How should it look?” and “Why should it look that way?” Appearance and style have assumed equal importance with utility, price and operation. The artist and the engineer have joined hands to the end that articles of everyday use may be beautiful as well as useful. – Harley Earl

Prior to 1927 no one thought of automobiles as works of art. They were seen as machines to get the owner from Point A to Point B, period. So long as they did that, color and appearance really didn’t matter. This attitude was typified by Henry Ford, who said of his Model T “my customers can get it in any color they like, so long as it’s black.”

This began to change back in 1927, when a young upstart named Harley Earl started a new division at GM called “Art and Color” with the single intention of transforming the way cars were built, from a purely utilitarian approach to one that emphasized beauty as much as function.

Earl’s vision was mocked by most of the top brass at General Motors, who thought of him as an eccentric artist who would soon be sent packing. Ignoring his critics, the master designer set to work creating his first masterpiece: the 1927 Buick LaSalle. After its release no one was laughing at him anymore.

The ’27 LaSalle had an overall wheelbase of 185 inches and was powered by a 303 cubic inch V-8 that could do 95 MPH for a sustained period, an incredible speed for a production vehicle of the period.
But what truly set it apart was its exquisite design. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the photos.

Earl went on to a 30 year career with GM, during which time he was largely responsible for turning it into the biggest company in the world. In the early ‘50s he was also the driving force behind another somewhat well-known vehicle: the Corvette. But that’s a story for another post.

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Bill’s 1955 Lincoln 128

By billw on March 8, 2012 in 128, Car, Classic, Sedan

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The Legend of the Batmobile

Anyone who has seen the Batman TV show from the 1960s probably remembers the corny dialogue, silly fight scenes and the less-than-impressive physique of Adam West in his costume. There was another character in the series, however, one that ran on four wheels, cut corners like a butcher slices ham, and was, for car lovers anyway, the real star of the show. I refer of course to the iconic Batmobile, which carried the Caped Crusaders through their misadventures for three somewhat memorable seasons.

The vehicle was actually a concept car that Ford built in 1955 called the Lincoln Futura. Handcrafted in top secret in Dearborn, Michigan, it was a splendid blend of speed, style, and innovation. A total of nineteen feet long, it was driven by a massive 500 HP racing engine. It also featured a twin-bubble canopy top, working rear air scoops that funneled cooling air to the brakes, and a push button transmission.

Though it never went into production, the Futura’s distinctive shape and incredible power garnered it an appearance in the 1956 movie “It Started With a Kiss,” which starred Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford. After that it toured the country as a publicity gimmick parked outside of theaters and displayed at car shows.

The novelty of the unique vehicle eventually wore off, however, and it was shipped back to Dearborn, where it was tucked away in a warehouse and forgotten for nearly a decade. Then, in 1964, a Los Angeles custom car builder named George Barris discovered and purchased it, intending to eventually sell it to a film studio for use in a science fiction movie.

A year later the powers-that-were at ABC announced they were creating a series based on the Batman comic book, and put out the call for a vehicle that could fill the role of the crime fighter’s ride of choice. Barris got in touch with the network and told them that he had exactly what they needed.
The TV execs took one glance at the Futura and looked no further.

Barris had three weeks to change the pearly white Futura into the black, highly customized supercar that the show’s creators had in mind. “I put ten men on the job, set up a double shift, and made the deadline,” he said in an interview at the time, with a note of justifiable pride in his voice.

To give it a sleek, customized look, Barris had the already prominent fins extended to seven feet in length and fluted at the ends to form a batwing shape. He also added a central roll bar and flashing emergency light. The turbine exhaust in the rear and “rocket tubes” on both sides were cosmetic changes purely for show. The jet engine-like sound of the motor revving up was a sound effect added in later.

As the show went on, other features began to appear on the car, such as twin “laser beams” that could melt steel. In one episode a villain stretched chains across the road in front of the oncoming vehicle. In response, heavy-duty slicing blades popped out of the front and cut right through the barrier.

The Batmobile was also equipped with internal fire sprinklers and, in a particularly visionary insight, a wireless connection between the cockpit and the computer in the Bat Cave. There’s no evidence that Batman ever wore a Bluetooth headphone or owned an iPod, however.

After the show ended the vehicle went back into the hands of a private collector. It occasionally makes appearances at public events to this day. The Caped Crusader has been other driving other machines since, including the tank-like one used in the current films. But, for many fans of the series as well as of classic cars, the 1960s version is, and will forever be, the true Batmobile.

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