Old Cars Weekly July 15, 2022

Most hobbyists are interested in the history of their vehicles, and a lucky few can trace their vehicle’s timeline back to day one. For the past several years, I’ve been hoping to learn the history of “Buck,” the Old Cars 1954 Chevrolet 3800 panel truck. Since nearly seven decades have passed since it was built and sold new, I don’t expect to learn the original owner’s name; I’d be content just to learn about its build after it was purchased for Old Cars, which was around 1990. So far, I have come up dry, even after poring over 50 years of issues in preparation for last year’s 50th anniversary issue. Luckily, I have recollections of past staff members as a starting point. “Buck” was found in Arizona by the late Kenny…

An Allstate addendum This note is an addendum to the interesting “Independents Day” column on Kaiser’s Henry J in the June 15 issue of Old Cars. In 1952 and ’53, Sears marketed a badge-engineered version of the Henry J called “Allstate.” Mechanically, the Allstate differed from the Henry J with Allstate-branded tires, tubes, spark plugs and batteries. Cosmetically, “Allstate” badges replaced “Henry J” badges, and the Allstate sported a different grille. I believe that the interior fitments were also a bit more upscale in the Allstate. Living in Ohio, I never actually saw an Allstate. They were first marketed in a handful of southern/southwestern states, with plans to expand distribution as demand increased. However, after very mild initial demand, consumer interest evaporated rapidly, and the Allstate was relegated to the automotive dust bin…

Carlisle Truck Nationals set for Aug. 5-7 CARLISLE, Pa. – More than 1,800 trucks are expected to gather at the 2022 Carlisle Truck Nationals Aug. 5-7 at the Carlisle (Pa.) Fairgrounds. The event has been celebrating trucks of all shapes, sizes, styles and eras since 1991. The showfield will include lowered trucks, stock trucks, lifted trucks, hot rodded trucks, fire trucks, cool custom vans, big rigs, jeeps, tractors, heavy equipment and monster trucks. In addition, there will family activities such as motorcycle stunt shows, monster truck shows and rides and truck competitions, including the all-new rolling burnouts and donut contest. A 40th anniversary showcase of the Chevy S-10 will be on the menu this year. Dozens of S-10s will populate Building T and will be flanked by another popular Building T staple,…

Pair of quarterly club magazines get high marks Quarterly publications allow car clubs to cultivate a excellent reference articles of long-standing merit. Quarterlies often are kept by hobbyists for the meaty content they include. The Quarterly of the Kaiser Frazer Owners Club International (Jack Mueller, club historian and editor, historian@kfclub.com) brims with grand content, as exemplified in recent Volume 58, Number 1 (www.kfclubmembers.com). The miniscule, bargain-priced Henry J of the early 1950s is featured. Meant to increase sales opportunities, the “J” offered no-nonsense motoring with touches of color and styling to fit fast-paced postwar times. As talk of merger with Willys was on the rise, the Henry J is examined for options offered, pricing (wholesale and retail), Road and Track comments, sub-model variants, visuals, economy runs and internal company communications, plus more.…

There’s probably nobody left alive who saw this ad when it ran in The Horseless Age in January 1917. If you’re aren’t familiar with the Paterson name, you’re not alone. The long-lost orphan marque lasted from 1909 to 1923, and was formed after the company initially found success building carriages. The company was headquartered in Flint, Mich., beginning with two-cylinder motor buggies. It progressed to four- and then six-cylinder models in the later 1910s. The company was eventually sold in 1923 and then went out of business. The original Paterson building in Flint still stands on the corner of Third and Saginaw Streets.…

Q. This is a reply to the question about the X-type frames used by General Motors in the late ’50s and ’60s (Apr. 1). The X-type frames in question consisted of a large center “X” with no middle side rails. The thought behind it was a way to lower the car floor and, thus, the overall height of the car. It was referred to as a tubular frame, and it consisted of heavy box-section members. To protect in side-impact collisions, the floor pan and rocker panels were heavily reinforced, similar to a uni-body car. In my observations through the years, I never saw anything that suggested side impact strength suffered compared to a frame with full-length side rails. The side rails on a traditional frame were often of an open-shaped…