Old Cars Weekly

As a longtime member of several national car clubs, and having attended many car shows, I have the occasional honor of serving as a judge at some concours and national club meets. The best part of being a judge is meeting the owners and learning how their car or truck survived the decades and became a show vehicle on a prestigious field with other beautifully restored or extremely well-preserved iron. And, of course, the up-close look at the vehicles themselves is a fantastic experience. My annual travels also take me to auctions across the country where I must assess a vehicle’s condition, and then assign it a No. 1-6 Old Cars Report Price Guide condition rating. After the vehicle has crossed the block, the selling price is recorded and reported on…

It ain’t easy being a green Cad After all the Christmas festivities, I finally read my Jan. 1 Old Cars from cover to cover. I just had to comment on the photo of the ’58 Cadillac in the Bill Miller auction captioned, “It’s not easy being green.” I think I know just how that car looks in-person. In 1957, my parents ordered a big 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special to be delivered as soon as the ’58s came out. My mother chose a nice green from the small color chips she had to work from. When the car was delivered, we saw what seemed like acres of yellowish-green paint that we all came to refer to as “ookie” green. We never did get used to that color. They couldn’t have sold many…

The identity of the elegant woman striking a pose for this photo may be lost to time, but the unique hood panels positively identify this coupe as an unforgettable 1934 Plymouth Deluxe (Model PE). The combination of angled vertical hood louvers and horizontal ventilation doors on the hood panels were a very individual feature limited to Plymouth Deluxe models in 1934. Plymouth Deluxe models were built on a 6-inch-longer wheelbase than Plymouth Standard (Model PF) body types, but both lines were powered by a six-cylinder engine and had independent front suspensions and hydraulic brakes — innovative features for a low-price make. The rumble seat makes this Deluxe one of 15,658 such coupes built by Plymouth that model year.…

Mysterious street legend up for bids INDIANAPOLIS — The legendary 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T-SE, known as the “Black Ghost” in the Detroit street-racing scene of the 1970s, will be the headlining consignment for Dana Mecum’s 36th Original Spring Classic, which will be held this May 12-20 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. Godfrey Qualls, a Detroit police officer by day and mysterious street drag racer by night, dominated the Motor City power scene with his black 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger R/T-SE adorned with the “Gator Grain” roof treatment and white tail stripe, and powered by the 426 Hemi engine. After serving in the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, Godfrey ordered the car new at Raynal Brothers Dodge in Detroit, with it arriving on Dec. 5, 1969. He put it to good…

“I’ve watched this [1956] Cadillac deteriorate since 1970 — looked roadworthy at that time — when the owner purchased it for parts for the 1956 Cadillac that he had on the road,” reports reader Andrew Rygel. “I just recently caught someone at home to inquire about its history. The gentleman said it was his grandfather’s. He purchased it a few years ago, after his grandfather passed away, in hopes of making it into a ‘rat’ rod. He said his mother inherited the 1956 Cadillac that her father had on the road and takes it out occasionally. So it continues to deteriorate into the driveway.”…

Trace your old car’s history. It can be fulfilling tracing the timely tire tracks of a collector car — and sharing that research. Case in point: a recent issue of Torque Tube II (’36-’38 Buick Club, BCA, Matthew Hinson, editor; 718 Woodlawn Ave., Wilmington, N.C. 28401; www.3638buickclub.org). It was 1979 when Jesse Cahue discovered a 19-year-long sleeping “Rip Van Winkle” situation with a 1938 Buick Special trunk back (Model 48) two-door. A week after he saw the car, Cahue became its second owner. He finally did a detailed restoration on the car in 1995, receiving an award the next year at the Buick Club of America national meet. Cahue found and preserved many original papers and support literature on the car. Each item is a bit of car history tied to the…