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Category Archive
'Microcars and minicars': 316 Posts
Four-Links – Roman holiday, Borgward's Traumwagen, vintage racing games, Darrin's Darrin
* If Ronan Glon's reflections on his recent visit to Rome – and on the Roman old car population – are to believed, we're glad that a) we had a chance to see the autofauna there before it started dwindling away, and b) that he brought back plenty of photos of those old cars he spotted there, including the Chevrolet Blazer.
* Borgward's planning a return, but we can probably only hope that the company resurrects its Traumwagen concept car from 1955 as its new-millennium production car.
* Racing-themed video games played a large part in getting today's emerging car collectors interested in cars, so it only makes sense that nostalgia for Pole Position, Spy Hunter, and other such games would come around, as Petrolicious explored this week.
* The Kaiser Darrin's look changed completely once Dutch Darrin decided to build his own short run of the cars and replace the three-position formal roof with a sleeker hardtop, as Forgotten Fiberglass recently showed us.
* Finally, Group B racing of the 1980s was dominated by amped-up turbocharged four-cylinder hatches, but what would it have looked like if MG's naturally aspirated V-6-powered Metro 6R4 really got a chance to compete? AROnline took a look at the history of the rally special last year.
Bonjour, America! French cars at the Lane Motor Museum
Peugeot was the last French automaker to withdraw from the U.S. market, shutting off the flow of new cars in the fall of 1991. That means that an entire generation of Americans has grown up without French cars – which were never all that common here, even during the heydays of Renault, Citroen and Peugeot.
Under the circumstances, it's not surprising that the history of the French auto industry is not widely known over here. Americans might not be aware that France was a pioneer in automobile production, and was the largest producer of cars in Europe from the 1890s until after World War I. They might not know that the U.S. would not catch up to French production until 1907, and that in the early 1900s, France built more cars than the rest of Europe combined.
Nashville, Tennessee's, Lane Motor Museum is doing its best to spread the story of France's many contributions to the world of automobiles in its new exhibit, Les Autos Francaises: 60 Years of French Automotive History, which opens to the public on Thursday, May 21. About one-quarter of the Lane's 400-vehicle collection are French, and 30 of those have been chosen for the exhibit, which covers the period from 1924 to 1985.
Jeff Lane, the museum's founder and director, explains that France had a number of advantages during the automobile's early years – its roads were far better than other European nations', it enjoyed a high level of technical skill, and it was blessed with able and tireless entrepreneurs.
1959 Citroen ID19 – photo by David Yando, courtesy of the Lane Motor Museum
No company was more successful at introducing technological innovations than Citroen, and that company is well represented in the exhibit, with eight vehicles. Among those, naturally, are what Jeff considers the big three: the Traction Avant, the world's first successful, high-production, front-wheel-drive, unit-body car; the 2CV, the people's car that was a masterpiece of sophisticated simplicity; and the DS, with its otherworldly, streamlined styling and its hydropneumatic suspension that provides a ride that has yet to be bettered, even 60 years later.
Other large-scale manufacturers are represented, such as the more technically conservative Renault, Simca and Peugeot, as well as Panhard, a pioneering automaker whose postwar cars were among the most inventive ever produced. Some less well known, but still highly individualistic, automakers are included, too, makers like Hotchkiss-Gregoire, Matra, Deutsch Bonnet and Georges Irat.
1932 Helicron – photo by Wes Duenkel, courtesy of the Lane Motor Museum
How did the Lane come to have so many French vehicles in the first place? That story begins about 15 years ago, before Jeff founded the museum, when he became interested in a Citroen SM he saw in a Nashville used-car lot. Jeff loved the car's performance, but wasn't impressed with its condition, and so he went looking for a better example. He found one offered for sale by SM expert David Hume in Lexington, Kentucky. "I put 10,000 to 15,000 miles on it that first year," Jeff recalls. "That started my passion for French cars."
That naturally led to an interest in Citroens in general. He bought a 1967 ID19 from a voice coach who had bought it after graduating from college, and had been unable to find anyone to care for it after a much later move to Nashville. (That car, too, was in poor shape; the museum's current ID was bought from a Citroen club member in New York.) Jeff decided he needed a 2CV as well, and bought one – despite a friend's efforts to discourage him. From there, it was only natural that he had to have a Traction Avant as well.
1980 Ligier JS4 – photo by David Yando, courtesy of the Lane Motor Museum
Today, the Lane's 100-strong French car collection includes about 50 Citroens, eight of which will be included in the special exhibit. In addition to the 2CV, the DS and the Traction, there will be a 1924 5CV "Trefle;" a 1938 Berline 11 Gazogene, converted to run on methane gas released from burning coal; the experimental Wankel-powered M35 of 1970, the twin-engine 1962 2CV 4×4 Sahara, and the Maserati V-6-powered SM Coupe from 1973. Renault will be represented by a 1962 Dauphine and the wild, mid-engine, turbocharged Turbo 2 of 1985.
Lovers of the highly unusual will not be disappointed. The one-of-a-kind, propeller-driven Helicron from 1932 will be on display, as will a 1920 Peugeot bicycle that uses a similar propulsion system. There will be an array of microcars, from barely-more-than-bicycles to delivery vehicles to sporting models. A complete list of vehicles is below. Visit the Lane's website for hours and admission.
- 1920 Peugeot Propeller Bike
- 1924 Citroën 5CV
- 1924 Sima Violet
- 1925 Hirondelle Rétro-Direct Bicycle
- 1927 Panhard-Levassor X74
- 1931 Mochet Velocar
- 1932 l'E'clair (replica)
- 1932 Helicron
- 1937 Citroën 7C
- 1938 Citroën Gazogene
- 1938 Georges Irat
- 1938 Peugeot 202
- 1940 Georges Irat
- 1951 Hotchkiss Gregoire
- 1953 Ardex
- 1953 Rovin D-4
- 1954 Citroën 2CV
- 1954 Panhard Dyna Jr
- 1954 Simca Weekend
- 1955 Deutsch Bonnet HBR5
- 1956 Mochet CM125Y
- 1959 Citroën ID 19
- 1959 New Map Solyto
- 1961 Panhard PL17
- 1962 Citroën 4×4 Sahara
- 1962 Renault Dauphine
- 1965 Matra D'jet 5
- 1967 Mep X-2
- 1970 Citroën M-35
- 1973 Citroën SM
- 1975 Matra Bagheera
- 1980 Ligier JS4
- 1985 Renault Turbo 2
- Solex Model 3800 (year unknown)
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1958 ZMC pickup
The idea of mass-production is overrated. In return for expediency, we sacrifice individuality and the hand-crafted experience; in return for amelioration of costs, we sacrifice the tailoring to our specific needs. We've seen a lot of rhetoric about returning to our do-it-yourself roots over the last decade or so, but much of that regards mere baubles compared to this Crosley-chassised, Briggs-and-Stratton-engined 1958 ZMC homebuilt pickup for sale on Hemmings.com. What's ZMC stand for? We have no idea. Who built it? Again, no idea. How many did he build? Probably just this one. It's rough, it's probably slower than a lawn tractor, and it won't win any beauty contests, but at the same time, somebody worked hard to build a car that not only suited his exact needs, but also met all the requirements to be street legal. From the seller's description:
Really neat find from an estate sale. A homemade stake bed truck built on a Crosley chassis with a one cylinder Briggs and Stratton motor and a 3 speed manual gear box with reverse. I purchased the truck from the son of the man who built it, it was built in 1958 to serve as a toy around the house and for use in parades. It was PA state inspected in 1960 and still has the inspection sticker on the window. It has lights, a horn, turn signals- everything to make it street legal. It has not run since at least 1965. I found it in a basement garage, I can get the motor to turn, but not run for any extended amount of time. The wiring needs redone and it at least needs wheel cylinders and a master cylinder to make it stop. It has PA registration stickers from 1962 to 1965. I put a new battery and a new set of tires on it.
Location: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Status: Available
See more vehicles for sale on Hemmings.com.
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1975 Mini shorty
About 12 years ago, Bob Sturges cut two feet from the middle of this 1975 Mini for sale on Hemmings.com. He started out by taking patterns created with the help of a scaffold and designed to keep as many of the original body dimensions as possible, then cut those 24 inches from behind the handbrake and in front of the rear bulkhead using a Dremel and a cutoff wheel (make that a lot of cutoff wheels). He then MID welded the front and rear sections together, reusing the original B pillar and notching out the doors for the rear wheelwell. Still powered by the original 1-liter four-cylinder engine, it's been used as Bob's daily transportation just about every day since, save for the last few weeks. From his description:
Unique and Functional! Original Right Hand Drive! Chopped 24-inches into a 2-seater. You can park it "the other way." Original headroom and legroom. Opera windows custom. This Mini MK3 has been impeccably maintained: no dings or dents, one small rust spot, undercoated. Running gear all good. Current inspection sticker. All lights working precisely except the dome light. Radio-CD added under the dash. No tears or cracks on the seats, and the headliner is like new. Brightwork all excellent. I listed it as Good because the car is perfect in all respects except one: it recently developed a no-spark problem, which has not been diagnosed. This accounts for the attractive price. It will need a little work, but it's otherwise fully restored and not a "project" car needing other parts. I have used it for daily transportation for years, and it has always been garaged.
Location: Christiansburg, Virginia
Status: No Longer Available
See more Minis for sale on Hemmings.com.
Four-Links – mid-engine Mustang, Watson's Space Age, Mathis 666, Volugrafo
* As Mac's Motor City Garage showed us this week, Ford engineers in the late 1960s wanted to see what would happen if they mounted a Mustang's engine behind its seats rather than under the hood. As it turned out, not much – performance and handling remained about the same – so Ford scrapped it.
* Larry Watson never finished his Space Age custom Ford Econoline pickup, but that doesn't mean we can't at least get an idea of what Watson had in mind, based on a batch of photos of Space Age that Custom Car Chronicle assembled this week.
* We've taken a few looks at the Mathis VL 333, but none of the successor car, the 666. In fact, we hadn't yet seen a photo of the 666 until The Petrol Stop this week published several shots and a brief write-up.
* Probably the European equivalent of the King Midget, the Volugrafo 46 Bimbo was intended as an around-town runabout, though apparently a sport version added a second engine (for a whopping two cylinders total). Banovsky's Car of the Day has more on the Bimbo.
* Finally, what do you get when you swap an LS6 Chevrolet small-block V-8 into a Porsche 914? A bull-ridin' rip-snortin' experience, apparently.
Are the days of pole-mounted old cars numbered?
Photo by Don Homuth.
Used to be – back in the days when distinctive vehicles could be had for cheap or free – if you wanted to really attract the eye of passersby to your place of business, you slathered some house paint on some old car, stuck it up on a pole, and became an instant local landmark. But those landmarks are slowly disappearing and it seems we may in our lifetimes see the end of the car-on-a-stick phenomenon.
While discussing the 1955 Cadillac Coupe de Ville that a couple of enterprising restorers had removed from a Texas rooftop last week, it seemed plenty of us knew of a car or truck hoisted up on high decades ago and used as a sign for a local business – sometimes for dining establishments, but more often for junkyards, car repair shops, and other auto-related companies. Regular reader Don Homuth shared the photo of the neon-outlined 1959 Cadillac Series 62 out front of a diner on Market Street in Salem, Oregon, while Scotty G pointed us toward the Porsche 914 advertising a salvage yard in Minneapolis just off I-94.
We've pointed out plenty of similar vehicles in the past – the Crosleyonnastick in Barrington, New Hampshire; the Renault Dauphine in Bowling Green, Kentucky; the pink Avenger kit car in Belleville, Ontario; another Crosleyonnastick in Mechanicville, Virginia; even more Crosleyonnasticks across the country; the Volkswagen Beetle atop Queen Connie in Brandon, Vermont; the Chevrolet DeLuxe Fleetline somewhere in Pennsylvania; the Model A speedster in British Columbia; the Crosleyonnaroof in Tacoma, Washington; the Hupmobile in Queens; and the homebuilt fiberglass car in Saginaw, Texas – and there's a Flickr group dedicated to things stuck on top of poles that details several more, probably enough to start a custom Google Map to keep track of them all.
But as Speedzzter noted in the comments to the Coupe de Ville story, these cars on poles and cars on roofs seem to be an endangered species.
I miss old cars on top of buildings, pylons, and plinths. Modern sign regulations prohibit new installs in most locales. The few that still exist are mostly "grandfathered" in.
It's more than just sign regulations, too. Development threatens many of the cars, such as the Mechanicville Crosleyonnastick, and the constant exposure to the elements will cause many to deteriorate to the point where they have to come down for safety's sake. Meanwhile, plenty of the cars and trucks have become more highly sought after in the years they spent up high than when they were installed atop their poles and roofs – for example, the Coupe de Ville that started this conversation or the AMX/2 pushmobile concept car that once graced a pole in Ephrata, Pennsylvania (and, kind of along those lines, Paul Gorrell's former Crosley sign turned scooter).
It becomes quickly apparent while perusing the photos of the cars still mounted on poles that most, if not all, of them have sat upon their perches for decades, which means that few, if any, business owners are relying on this old gimmick to bring in customers these days. Speedzzter wondered just what modern vehicles would be interesting enough to use for signs ("Who would want to see a minivan or an SUV atop a building or sign in 2040?" he asked), but we have to wonder what vehicles will ever be both distinctive enough and worthless enough to use for signs.
To be sure, some will evade the developer's wrecking ball, and some will be more effort to restore than they're worth, so they'll remain in place for decades to come, maybe with a new coat of paint or a new string of holiday lights, but they'll be the rare exceptions. More will come down, and with them will disappear a little bit more character and color from the American landscape.
That said, let us know about any others we might have missed, whether still up or taken down. Maybe we will put together a registry of sorts for them.
UPDATE: Well, we went ahead and posted a Google Map locator for all the cars on poles/cars on roofs we know about. If you know of any others, tell us what it is and where it is in the comments.
Toon Up! The automotive art of Mark Ervin
"High Flyin' Moon Shot" by Mark Ervin. All images courtesy of Mark Ervin and Art-N-Motion.
What might an animator's dream job be? To work for Pixar or Disney? Maybe Marvel? How 'bout getting to scribble away on the longest-running television show – animated or otherwise – in American history? Such was artist Mark Ervin's lot for 23 years. In that time, he worked variously as animator, storyboard artist, assistant director and director on The Simpsons as well as on Rugrats, Rocko's Modern Life and Futurama, this last, by the way, inspired by the futuristic world imagined by GM mid-last century. But where does a creative fellow go from there? Why, back to the drawing board, of course!
Mark's been drawing since he could hold a pencil, and because he's been a car guy for just about as long, that means he's pretty darn good at doodling our favorite subject. "I no longer have the tongue out, making rev-rev engine noises," he laughs, "I'm more thinking about the technical aspects of the cars." In the June 2015 issue of Hemmings Muscle Machines currently hitting mailboxes and newsstands, we get into Mark's backstory, but here, in the wide-open spaces of the Internet, where there's no such thing as page counts, and everything is in full, luminescent color, we get to dive into his automotive art.
This is how all of Mark's full-color art starts: as a quick "blue-line" sketch, rendered wholly from his imagination and usually in less than an hour. Because he's blessed with what is very nearly a photographic memory, sketching at such a high speed allows him to release the unique essence and energy of each vehicle he draws. "My challenge at the blue-line point," he explains, "is to get all the energy, to get everything out of the drawing as fast as I can… I just keep going fast. I take a breath maybe every 10 minutes."
Though the next phases in the process of rendering a finished full-color work of art are done using an electronic pen and a computer instead of their traditional counterparts in the physical world, the procedure of experimenting with color and line is no less inspired, artistic or arduous than it was when humans began painting on cave walls in France 30 millennia ago.
Mark explains that for years, employing a computer to draw cartoons had been looked down upon, and when people first started using them in that way, he asserted that he would never render on a computer. "It's too fake. It's too easy of a tool." he had thought. "And at that time, I didn't know anything about it." Though he admits now that he had seen "a glimmer of possibility."
Then, while Mark was working on The Simpsons, technology developed sufficiently enough to where it became possible to create images that looked hand-drawn and colored, and, what's more, it allowed animators to experiment in ways that their tight time constraints would never have permitted before.
"When we started using the computer, you could manipulate the positions of the vehicles more easily, and when we were doing the storyboards using the computer, I got good at it… I don't want my drawings to look like Vector drawings [drawings made using a particular piece of graphic software]. I still want them to look like they were done with traditional media."
As you can see in the three images above, a cartoon illustration—both when created in the traditional way or using computer software—is comprised of several transparent layers, or "cels." The quick blue-line sketch, gets traced over in black on another cel, incorporating corrections and refinements informed by studying reference photos or one of his 100-plus models, while another layer is "blocked" ["painted"] with color.
The final, full-color rendering is the sum of countless changes made across the various layers. Even with a computer, this is labor intensive, taking between 40 and 60 hours to complete. Think about it: A single piece of art could require one-and-a-half 40-hour work weeks to finish!
This colorful piece is titled "Henry J's Dream" and is part of Mark's Dreamer Series. It depicts, parked in a used-car lot beneath the familiar glow of an "OK USED CARS" sign, one of the short-run Henry J's manufactured by Kaiser in the early Fifties. Despite having to share the stage with showier, more formidable automobiles, this Henry J isn't downhearted, not by a long shot. Rather, he's dreaming big.
Mark shares the thinking behind the rendering: "So, it's sitting on a car lot, dreaming of being an all-balls drag car. It hits a specific genre: the middle of the gasser time, right as it was going into the Seventies, where those light bodies were getting used less, but the paint was getting more flamboyant… I thought it would be fun to do it from the perspective of this little plain-Jane dude on a used car lot…"
As a professional animator and director creating successful cartoons for television, Mark got very good at being able to tell stories visually. In this blue-line drawing of another work in his Dreamers series—this one, entitled "Wendell's Car"—Mark very economically plants the seeds for an entire narrative:
The greaser, a likable car guy who many of us can probably see ourselves in, has just written a check. He beams as he daydreams about how he will customize his 1949 Merc and cruise it around with pride, showing it off to the guys, maybe taking his best girl to a movie in it.
While the original owner, a kindly old lady, rests her hand fondly on its fender—her face, that unique mix of happiness and sadness that comes from thinking about sweet times in the past spent with loved ones… Maybe her husband (the "Wendell" of the title) of many years who would normally have been the one to do the business of selling the car, but who has since passed… Perhaps children, and, later, grandchildren, kicking the back of the seats in the two-door, as they all rode along the town's tree-lined streets to ballgames, church, amusement parks, graduations, weddings, funerals, births…
See Mark's rare gift? From this one, spare sketch, an entire world—complete with characters, plot, a future and a past—stretches out, and even touches the heart of the audience on this side of the canvas.
There are few car guys who are as omnivorous in their appreciation for motorized wheeled vehicles as Mark, and his galleries prove it. From American muscle cars, station wagons, hot rods and trucks, to sports cars, coupes, sedans and even microcars from all over the world, he loves and draws them all. In doing so, he uses the unique techniques of the cartoon to not only bring out the individual character of a car, but in commissions, to even echo elements of the character of the owner him- or herself in their car.
This isn't quite caricature, but it's related, and Mark takes inspiration for drawing his vehicles and people from a variety of artists ranging from Michelangelo, whose sketches exhibit a flowing energy also present in Mark's blue lines, to pinup artists of the '40s and '50s, like Bill Medcalf and those whose work featured in and Sports Afield and Field & Stream, to Disney cartoonist Fred Moore (who was also known for his style in drawing pretty girls) and Chuck Jones, of Looney Toons fame. The influence of these artists is especially evident in Mark's female characters as in the above picture titled "'62 Beetle." He thinks, "She may be one of the more appealing models I've drawn."
Springing from his own childhood dream of designing cars, Mark's reverence for those who had the vision and the talent to create exceptional automobiles is always present, and few cars can be considered more exceptionally beautiful than the 1931 Cadillac V-12, with its semi-custom body, seen in the early commissioned piece above.
Mark doesn't just appreciate automobiles; he's rather fond of people, too. And with a Midwestern personality that is as easygoing as it is hardworking, Mark seems to have managed to hold onto a childlike wonder and sense of humor. When these traits combine with his sensitivity and life experience, the result is artwork like the one above, called "Norm's Send-Off."
Norm Grabowski, known to many as the "Father of the T-bucket" for his Kookie Car and his influence on the world of 1950s hot rodding, passed away on October 12, 2012. "I did the original sketch," Mark remembers, "the day news was released of his death… After posting it on the HAMB, Norm's niece Mary contacted me and commissioned a finished version … for a show board and his memorial gathering."
Below you'll find a gallery containing a broad selection of Mark's work. Just imagine that the Sunday funnies—or "edumacation" as my dad calls them—came a couple of days late, and spend some of your Tuesday smiling at them. And to prove that great art can be affordable, we're actually going to list the prices right here: Prints begin at around $20 for 14 inches x 17 inches, $35-$50 for larger prints and $140-$150 for limited-edition, signed Giclèe prints. Commissions begin at around $150 for pencil renderings, $550-$1,500 for full-color renderings.
To see more or to purchase, visit Mark's website by clicking here. You may also contact him by calling 402-887-2280.
Hemmings Find of the Day – 1962 DAF Daffodil
While parts for DAFs might not be entirely impossible to find, they certainly aren't sold in every street corner parts store. It's fortunate, then, that this 1962 DAF Daffodil for sale on Hemmings.com appears rather complete and in running shape. Sure, it's going to need some restoration work, but that restoration will be much easier knowing that the whole car's accounted for. From the seller's description:
Manufactured in Holland, the car was first shipped to New York to a DAF Dealership. Shortly after, the car was transported to California and fitted with the classic black and gold California license plates. The current California owner has enjoyed and garaged the car in the State since 1976. With only 58k original miles this mini-car is quite a find. Some restoration work has been completed on the car through the years, but the vehicle remains in overall original condition. The owner has accumulated a three-inch thick folder of DAF literature, invoices and memorbilia regarding the car and the file will come with sale.
Driving this little car is a pleasure (and a bit unique) for you do not hear the car shift. The CVT adjusts engine speed to provide optimal power for acceleration. Powered by the stock 746 cc four stroke, air-cooled two-cylinder engine this car really scoots. I was personally driven in the vehicle and it can certainly keep up with today's touring speeds with remarkable mpg.
The car has some paint issues, chrome pitting in areas and some paint-bubbling was noticed on the back deck lid by the hinge. I did not have the car on a lift, but with my camera's atriculated viewfinder, the undercarriage pans appear very solid as are the inside trunks areas. The vehicle starts, drives, steers and stops wonderfully. For a little car the inside passenger compartment is amazingly roomy.
Location: Santa Ynez, California
Status: Available
See more cars for sale on Hemmings.com.
Collection of Crosley prototypes to go on display at Crosley Nationals
Paul Gorrell's CRAD prototype. Photos courtesy the Crosley Automobile Club.
Attendees at the Crosley Automobile Club's annual national meet have come to expect something different and unusual from Crosley collector Paul Gorrell every year, but this year they'll see something likely never to be repeated again: all nine of Gorrell's pre-war and wartime Crosley prototypes, including the CRAD, the very first Crosley automobile.
"It'll make a good load," Gorrell said. "But they're all fairly small vehicles, so that helps out a lot."
Gorrell, who has been collecting Crosleys since the late 1960s and showing them at the nationals since the early 1970s, lays claim to the world's largest collection of the minicars, a collection that includes one of every type of Crosley built, including some rarities and oddities and many, if not all, of the Crosley-built World War II military vehicles. The rarest and most significant of them all would have to be the CRAD, the car that Crosley Radio's Automotive Division built in 1937 to explore the feasibility of auto manufacturing. Though a four-wheeler, the rear wheels were spaced 18 inches apart to negate the need for a differential and to cut down on costs.
Other prototypes that Gorrell plans to display include his Crosley snowmobile, which used one track and little else to pull the operator behind it on a sled or skis; a couple of Crosley-built tractors, including a two-wheel-drive and a four-wheel-drive version; a Crosley motorcycle, one of five that Crosley built in both two-wheel and three-wheel versions; a Crosley Mosquito, an open-topped scout car that the U.S. Army tested for use in World War II; a Crosley Pup, one of a few dozen four-wheel-drive vehicles that Crosley built to meet the Army's World War II request for an extra-lightweight Jeep; and his latest restoration, a Mule, a single-passenger tracked vehicle about the size of a modern-day ATV.
Crosley motorcycle prototype. Photo by Richard Lentinello.
The only prototype in Gorrell's collection that he won't exhibit at the nationals this year is his Crosley Hot Shot, which he said he's displayed for the last several years. "Every part on it needs replaced, but I won't do that because then it wouldn't be the first Crosley sports car," he said. "So I just fire it up and let it run with one wheel hanging off the trailer."
Gorrell, known for bringing a pair of pet chickens with him wherever he displays his vehicles – which he does on at least 30 weekends every year – said he decided to bring the whole prototype collection because "I just think it would make for a super outstanding display. I try to keep life interesting and have fun with the cars. If I can't entertain people with them, then what's the point?"
He said he does make his collection – housed near Burlington, Iowa, and best known to many as the subject of a segment on the television show American Pickers – available for viewing by appointment.
This year's Crosley Automobile Club Nationals will take place July 9-11 in Wauseon, Ohio, with a special class for special-bodied cars. For more information, visit CrosleyAutoClub.com.
UPDATE (20.July 2015): Photos of the nationals are just starting to appear on the club's website, including these two of Gorrell's collection and his recently restored Mule.
Petersen Museum launches campaign to fund restoration of its 1948 Davis Divan
1948 Davis Divan, from the Petersen Museum's collection. Still grab from video below.
The Davis Motorcar Company built just 17 examples of its three-wheeled cars before production ended in 1948, but the Van Nuys automaker is one of the few that originated in Southern California, making the company of particular interest to the Petersen Museum. The fourth Davis built, long owned by the Petersen, is in need of restoration, and a newly launched Indiegogo campaign hopes to raise the $30,000 needed to restore the car to original condition in time for the museum's reopening in December.
Glenn Gordon "Gary" Davis may have described himself as an industrial designer, but the Indiana native was a born pitchman. To call the Davis three-wheeler his own design is stretching the truth, and by more than a little bit. As Jim Donnelly wrote in the April 2005 issue of Hemmings Classic Car, the forerunner of the Davis Divan, then called the Kurtis Californian, was actually built by Frank Kurtis for Joel Thorne, a wealthy Californian with a passion for driving race cars.
Though many details have been obscured by time, Thorne and Davis met in late 1945, and Davis immediately became obsessed with Thorne's three-wheeled roadster. It soon fell under Davis's ownership, though exactly how is a matter of some debate. What's clear is that Davis wasted no time in promoting the car, now billed as a "Davis" instead of as a Kurtis, and charmed his way into coverage by major magazines (including Business Week and Life) and even a period newsreel. His pitch of a $1,000 automobile attracted investors and dealers alike, and in 1947 the Davis Motorcar Company opened its doors in a 57,000-square-foot factory formerly used to construct military aircraft. The company's first prototype, dubbed "Baby," soon followed. Next came the Delta prototype, with a removable hardtop, followed by the nearly production-ready Divan.
Like the other Davis models, the Divan featured a single wheel in front and two in back. Power came from a 63-horsepower, 162.4-cu.in. Continental L-head inline-four (or earlier, a 47-hp Hercules four), shifted through a Borg Warner three-speed manual transmission. Unlike the Baby, which utilized a tube steel space frame, the Divan used a more production-friendly channel steel frame, wrapped in 11 body panels pressed out of aluminum and zinc and either welded or bolted to the chassis. If its construction was innovative, so was its design: In addition to aerodynamic hidden headlamps, the Divan featured a bench seat meant for four adults, and hydraulic jacks at each wheel for easy servicing.
Davis automobiles under production in Van Nuys. Period photos courtesy Petersen Museum.
To pare back his startup costs, Davis reportedly offered his designers, engineers and employees a deal: work for free during the startup period, and wages would be doubled once sales began. By mid-1948, however, few employees had been paid, and the Los Angeles district attorney began looking into the company, and its proprietor, in early 1949. In May of 1949, workers filed suit against the company, which closed its doors shortly after. Davis's troubles, however, were only just beginning: The company's assets were seized and sold to satisfy tax liens, and Davis was indicted on 28 charges of fraud and grand theft for his misuse of investors' money. Convicted in January 1951, he'd go on to serve two years in a county prison camp.
The Petersen has long had Davis Divan number four in its collection, but the California native is now showing its age. The car had been previously restored in an incorrect color scheme, using incorrect parts; the museum wants to raise the finds to properly restore it and paint it in the original livery. The goal of the Indiegogo campaign is to raise $30,000 to cover the cost of repair, which chief curator Leslie Kendall breaks down as $10,000 for paint, $5,000 for the interior, $7,500 for engine repairs and $7,500 for "other mechanical systems," including the brakes, suspension and transmission. If the costs seem high, it's important to remember that the Davis Divan wasn't exactly a production car, and while some components were purchased off the shelf from suppliers like Spicer or Borg-Warner, much of the car was fabricated by hand.
The campaign has numerous levels of support. Spending $5 gets one an ebook of the Davis Divan's restoration; $10 gets an "I built this car" sticker; $25 gets an "I built this car" shirt; $35 gets an "I built this car" combo pack, with sticker, shirt and ebook; $75 gets a tour of the car under restoration in the greater Los Angeles area (excluding travel); $150 gets a combo pack plus donor's name on a plaque; $300 gets an invite to the unveiling party at the Petersen (excluding travel), plus a private tour with Leslie Kendall; $1,000 gets an invite to the reveal (excluding travel) plus a drive in the car and all perks below this level.
The goal is to have the car restored in time for the museum's December 2015 grand reopening, and the Davis Divan is ultimately set to occupy an honored position in the museum's "Innovation" section. For more information, or to support the Divan's restoration, visit Indiegogo.com.
UPDATE (11.June): The Indiegogo campaign raised $33,681 in funding, exceeding the museum's original $30,000 goal.


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A Pro Football Blog by Roy Cummings and Ira Kaufman
Go behind the scenes with Buccaneers beat writers Roy Cummings and Ira Kaufman as they offer their insights on the latest happenings with the team.
Bucs Talk: Lookahead to Bucs at Saints
Olivia Stacey and Bucs beat writer Roy Cummings preview the Buccaneers' second game of the season against NFC South rival, the New Orleans Saints....
Bucs Bonus Podcast: Tampa Bay drops season opener
Olivia Stacey and Tribune NFL writer Ira Kaufman discuss the Bucs' 42 to 14 loss against the Tennessee Titans, the outlook for Sunday's game against New Orleans and the team's latest move to sign Joe Hawley to help a struggling offensive line....
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Olivia Stacey and Bucs beat writer Roy Cummings discuss how prepared the Buccaneers are to face the Tennessee Titans in Sunday's season opener.
Bucs' female fans flock to RED kickoff
Just days ahead of the Bucs season opening game Sunday at home against the Tennessee Titans, 1,500 women gathered at Raymond James Stadium for the launch of RED, a new campaign aimed to "celebrate the female fan base."
Bucs Bonus podcast: Wrapping up the Bucs' preseason
Olivia Stacey and Tribune NFL writer Ira Kaufman discuss the Bucs preseason, including kicker Kyle Brindza's impressive debut against Miami, the team's faith in a rookie kicker and punter (Jacob Schum), how the roster is shaking out, and other develo...
Bucs' Winston 'accepts the challenge' of opposing blitzes
MIAMI GARDENS — A bystander Thursday against the Dolphins, QB Jameis Winston wrapped up his preseason last Saturday night with an uneven outing made difficult mostly by a steady Browns blitz.
Bucs Talk: Roster cuts; Offensive struggles
Olivia Stacey and Bucs beat writer Roy Cummings discuss the Buccaneers first round of roster cuts and Saturday's 31-7 loss against the Cleveland Browns....
Bucs use abundance of caution in pulling Evans, Winston
Everywhere you look in the NFL, stars are falling.
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Head Coach Lovie Smith speaks to the media following the Bucs 25-11 pre-season victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jameis Winston discusses first preseason win
Bucs quarterback Jameis Winston speaks to the media following the Bucs 26-11 pre-season victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

subset: commoncrawl


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Indiana 79, Purdue 62
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP)—Just one thing spoiled Gene Keady's final game at Indiana's Assembly Hall on Tuesday night.
The Hoosiers won, handily.
Bracey Wright, who missed three of the past four games with an ankle injury, scored 27 points as Indiana beat Purdue 79-62, another defeat in what has become the worst season in the retiring Keady's 25 years as coach of the Boilermakers.
For Indiana, still on the bubble for a possible NCAA tournament bid, the game may have been one of its best.
"It was our best game defensively," coach Mike Davis said. "The effort and the intensity were definitely there. Everybody played well.
"Bracey shot well, didn't force anything and let the game come to him."
Wright, who had 19 points in the second half, led the Hoosiers with seven rebounds and committed only one foul in 37 minutes.
"I felt good," Wright said. "The ankle was holding up. It felt good to see the ball go through the basket like that, especially from the 3. It was all clicking for me."
Wright was 5-of-6 from 3-point range in the second half.
Purdue (7-17, 3-10 Big Ten) stayed close in the first half, even leading early in the game, but Indiana (13-11, 8-5) ran off 20 straight points in the first 8 minutes of the second half, and Purdue never recovered.
Wright had 11 points during that run, including three straight 3-pointers, and the Hoosiers took their biggest lead at 56-32 before Brandon McKnight hit the Boilermakers' first basket in more than 6 minutes.
"They kind of got rattled a little bit and our crowd got into it," Wright said of Purdue's collapse. "Our players really stepped up, especially on defense."
David Teague led Purdue with 26 points and Carl Landry added 20.
Freshmen A.J. Ratliff and D.J. White added 15 and 14, respectively, for the Hoosiers.
The loss left Keady with a 23-27 record against Indiana, 6-18 in Assembly Hall, and fans began chanting "Goodbye, Keady" with about 3 minutes to go.
Before the game, the fans gave Keady a warm, standing ovation as he walked onto the court and he received a parting gift—a portrait of him painted on a section of the Assembly Hall floor—from Davis.
"The ovation was very much appreciated," Keady said. "It's pretty unusual when you have this kind of rivalry. I'll remember that for a long time. But I'll remember the butt-kicking they gave us longer."
The Hoosiers led 34-30 at halftime, and Purdue was still within four points before White started the 20-point run. The next four baskets—interspersed with Purdue fouls and turnovers—were all 3-pointers.
The Boilermakers came within 15 points with 8 minutes to go, but Wright hit two more 3-pointers and the Hoosiers stayed comfortably ahead the rest of the game.
"Both teams played hard in the first half," Keady said. "But you have to take it up a notch in the second half if you're playing on the road. We let them take up the intensity, and that was it.
"They shot well, rebounded, did the things you have to do to win."
The victory gave Davis a 7-2 record against Keady in the 5 years since Bob Knight was fired. Davis said Purdue "has had its struggles this year" but that he hoped Keady would continue coaching somewhere.
"He taught me a lot, just going against his teams," Davis said.


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Pierre & Vacances Residence Le Mont Soleil
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Power in Global Governanceby Michael Barnett
This edited volume gathers together international scholars to reconsider the conceptualization of power in world politics.See more details below
This edited volume gathers together international scholars to reconsider the conceptualization of power in world politics.
Product Details
- 9780521840248
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
- Publication date:
- 03/28/2008
- Series:
- Cambridge Studies in International Relations Series, #98
- Pages:
- 392
- Product dimensions:
- 5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.98(d)
Table of Contents
1. Power and global governance Michael N. Barnett and Raymond Duvall; 2. Power, institutions, and the production of inequality Andrew Hurrell; 3. Policing and global governance Mark Laffey and Jutta Weldes; 4. Power, fairness and the global economy Ethan Kapstein; 5. Power politics and the institutionalization of international relations Lloyd Gruber; 6. Power, nested governance, and the WTO: a comparative institutional approach Greg Shaffer; 7. The power of liberal international organizations Michael N. Barnett and Martha Finnemore; 8. The power of interpretive communities Ian Johnstone; 9. Class powers and the politics of global governance Mark Rupert; 10. Global civil society and global governmentality: or, the search for the political and the state amidst capillaries of power Ronnie Lipschutz; 11. Governing the innocent? The 'civilian' in international law Helen Kinsella; 12. Colonial and postcolonial global governance Himadeep Muppidi; 13. Knowledge in power: the epistemic construction of global governance Emanuel Adler and Steven Bernstein.
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Brawley Chamber hosting clinic
(Cattle Call Queen Clinic)..It will be held Saturday Morning at the Cattle Call Arena.
(Cattle Call Queen Clinic)..It will be held Saturday Morning at the Cattle Call Arena.
(Brawley man arrested for assault)…Brawley were police were called Sunday afternoon.
(43 year old woman arrested at Calipat state Prison)…She is accused of smuggling marijuana into the facility.
(Damage reports greatly exaggerated)…The Holtville fire Sunday completely destroyed one business.
A Mexicali family was detained Saturday when more than 50 pounds of cocaine was found in their car.
(The Holtville City Council meets this evening)…The public portion of the meeting starts at 6:00 pm.
(Friday was Highway Workers memorial Day)…The 2015 edition was marked in Brawley.
(The 4th Annual Children's Art Exhibit)….It is presented by the Calexico Arts Commission.
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