A GDYNETS

PUBLICATION
2016, G. DAVID
YAROS. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.

Car Collector
Chronicles

Volume IX, Issue 3

Exploring:

Ca

Car Collecting Today

High RPMs

Classic Rides
Reports From the Field
Oldsmobile (1897-2004)
Cadillac (1902- )
Allant (1987-1993)

Corvair (1960-1969)

= Clickable Link

IN THIS ISSUE:
High RPMs

Dissecting the
Desert Doings

Muscle Cars

Olds Oddities

Late February in SE WI
means it is cold, and with no
snow on the ground the
environs are dirty and depressing. There is little to
do here but wait and hope
for the arrival of spring.
My recent trolling on the
net brought home to me the
realization that a similar
mindset is not shared by all
car owners. Far from it.
My daily driver is a truck, a
2002 Ford F-250 Super Duty
V-10. On the Ford Truck
Enthusiasts Forum I ran
across this: My truck (2014

system instituted
04-1902 AAA organized
05-1929 David D. Buick died
06-1896 Chas. B. King 1st to
drive a car in the Motor City
08-1969 Pontiac Firebird
Trans Am introduced
09-1901 Fire destroys Olds
Motor Works factory in Detroit
11-2009 Toyota sells one
millionth hybrid car in US.
12-1831 Clement Studebaker born
16-1958 Ford produces
50,000,000th car
18-1947 Wm. C. Durant,
founder of GM, died
18-1858 Rudolf Diesel born,
Paris, France
F250/6.2L Super Duty) sits 18-1927 Sir Henry Seagrave
because I bought a 2003 Cadil- breaks 200-mph barrier
lac to beat around in for winter. 18-1933 Studebaker goes
This saves miles and salt expo- into receivership
sure on a truck that I've got
19-1952 -Kelvinator and
some years of payments left on.
Only a truck owner would HudsonOne millionth Jeep
produced
view an 03 Cad as a winter 19-2005 John DeLorean died
beater vehicle!
20-1928 Jas. Ward Packard
March Automotive Milestones
died
02-1925 US Hwy numbering 24-1954 Nash merge

CCC Forum
EMail:

OldsD88@gmail.com

25-1920 Walter P. Chrysler quits

his job at GM.
26-1932 Henry Martyn Leland
died
30-1947 Tucker announced concept for a new automobile
31-1932 Ford unveiled its "V-8"
engine

- How long until spring? -

GDYNets on the Web

Find GDYNets on the web:

The Green Thing

March 2016

CCC -THE FORUM -A web

site to discuss the newsletter,
the hobby and our cars.
Car Collector Chronicles
Saved 62 -Our 1962 Olds
convertible, Ransom Eli Olds
and things Oldsmobile related
web site.
The Gray Lady -1955 Cadillac
Coup de Ville web site.

SAVED 62: A website devoted

to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 convertible. The site

also has a lot of information on
Oldsmobile cars and the company founder, Ransom Eli Olds.

THE GRAY LADY: This website features our 1955 Cadillac

Coup de Ville, lots of Caddy
information and an extensive
repair library.

DAVES DEN: -A site devoted to a myriad of interests.

Foremost is extensive information on the Steel City of Gary,
IN. There are also offerings on
steel making, U.S. Steel-Gary
Works, U.S. Marine Corps, M14
assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and the tragic story of the
murder of Gary, IN Police Lt.
George Yaros.

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 2

Dissecting the Desert Doings

Although it
may not seem
to be so, the
Arizona
happenings
are impacted
by, and do
mimic,
somewhat, the
goings on in
the real
world.

The 2016 Arizona extravaganzas have concluded. I must acknowledge that I did not
follow every minute of every auction, as I have been known to do in past years. What I
watched seemed more like a minute of auction sales wedged between 5 minutes of
commercials. I have to wonder whether Barrett-Jackson gets a cut from the advertising
revenue? I suspect it does. All the advertising mandates that the coverage be viewed
on a delayed basis. Doing so permits one to fast forward through the ads. Trust me
when I say that is the only way to go!
An item of interest with respect to this annual exercise in pretentious pomposity is the
impact of the current economy on the events. Does the state of the economy have any
bearing at all on the decisions made by buyers and sellers in the desert?
Although it may not seem to be so, the Arizona happenings are impacted by, and do
mimic, somewhat, the goings on in the real world. Witness the fact that notwithstanding
more cars crossing the block in 2016 than 2015, total sales were down a whopping 40
million dollars! The depressed sales contributed to the average car sales price being
reduced by $15K or 13%.
Of all the auction houses operating in Arizona every winter, only two were able to better their sales figures over those attained in 2015. They were Russo & Steele and Silver Auctions.
In 2015 the Arizona auctioneers managed to get 34 individuals to pony up a million or
more for a single ride. This year they could only coax 25 persons to reduce their liquid
holdings by six figures. Hey, when times are tough, we all have to sacrifice!
Of those willing to shell out the
bucks, one RM Sotheby buyer
coughed up a mere $9.9 Million for a
1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special
Roadster
At the opposite end of the spectrum,
Silver Auctions hammered a 1999
Cadillac Eldorado at all of $600 when it
reached the block! I cannot help but
wonder if the buyer just so happened
to be a Ford truck owner looking for a
winter beater?
The consensus of opinion seems to
be that astronomical auction prices paid in recent years have brought more sellers into
the market, looking to cash in while the iron is hot. This surge has yielded an oversupply of cars. The oversupply, combined with the fact the cars now coming to market are
less than top tier has resulted in lower prices. That should be good news for you and
me, right?
Being a former Cadillac owner,
here is a sale that caught my
eye. I would also note that at a
mere $1,430,000, comparatively
speaking, it was a veritable bargain: a 1953 Cadillac Series 62
Coupe by Ghia.
Even though I deride the desert doings, I cannot deny that it
would be fun to be present and
take in the happenings, albeit as
a spectator. I am certain it
would be a fun (in the sun) time!

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 3

Muscle Cars
My intent here is not to define the term, or to argue which car was the first muscle machine. In that regard we all know that the 1949 Oldsmobile Rocket V8 holds that distinction. Right? Case closed! Rather, this article shall make note of some interesting aspects
pertaining to muscle cars.
Muscle car popularity increased significantly precisely because baby boomers financially
positioned themselves to acquire the rides they coveted in their youth. While they could
only dream of owning one of these cars in the 1960s, in the 21st century they possessed
the wherewithal to actually acquire them. Folks who worked hard all their lives made the
conscious choice to turn their dreams into reality.
That desire translated into demand. Demand drove the prices up, up and up. Consequently, it was not at all unusual to see what may only be characterized as ridiculous
prices being paid by willing buyers for muscle iron. Moreover, at the time doing so did not
seem particularly foolish dollar wise. Especially when one compared continually rising
muscle car prices to returns obtainable in the poor performing stock market.
That same poor performing market has contributed to stagnation in the current muscle
car market. Boomers need funds going forward to keep a roof over their head and food on
the table during the next 25-to-30 years of retirement. They cannot live in, or nourish
themselves on, their muscle cars. So what do they do? As they age, more and more
boomers convert their collections into readily available funds to use for other purposes.
While there is still a pool of boomers willing to buy, the numbers are on the decline. It
does not take an economic genius to figure out the consequence of reduced buyer numbers and more muscle on the market. At present prices are holding their own. Soon they
shall begin to turn downward. When the baby boomer generation has passed on, it is not
likely that the Gen Xers or Millennials will develop a passion for muscle era cars such that
they shall be willing to spend their money for the privilege of parking a 409 in their garage.
What spurred this train of thought was info I stumbled upon about the Muscle Car Museum in Sevierville, TN. Sevierville is the gateway to the Smoky
Mountains and all the surrounding tourist attractions.
The museum promotes itself as the home of the muscle car collector Floyd Garrett, displaying over 90 cars.
One of those cars is a 1962 409 Chevrolet. Another is
a very early Hemi-powered Dodge.
Of note is a 1962 C1 Z06 Corvette on loan to the
museum from Tom McNeal of North Carolina. What
makes this particular Vette stand out in the crowd is
that its 327 c.i, fuel injected engine has never, ever
been fired up . The backstory is that the car was
shipped to the purchaser unassembled. The drive
train was to be installed by the owner, who was a
racer. That never happened. It was the second owner
who put all the pieces together. When he did, he
ended up owning a brand spanking new, used car. I do have to ask myself why anyone
would have a car that has never been run? Having asked the question, I must also acknowledge that I do not have the answer.
Back to the theme of this article: The life cycle of the muscle car museum parallels that
of the muscle car market. Floyd Garrett reached the point and age in 2010 where he
wanted to liquidate his muscle cars and sell the museum. While the museum may display
90 + cars, Floyd has managed to reduced his personal holdings to as few as 10 cars.
Whether or not he has been successful in selling either the balance of his collection and/or
the museum, I have not been able to ascertain. The museum is still open. Floyd Garrett
is still affiliated with it. All indications are that he has yet to find a buyer. That he has not
tells me the muscle car market has peaked.

[B]aby
boomers
financially
positioned
themselves
to acquire the
rides they
coveted in
their youth.

Page 4;;

Car Collector Chronicles

Olds Oddities
I come across more than a few automobile photos while trolling the net. If they happen to strike my
fancy I save them for possible later use. Being an Oldsmobile admirer, a lot of the pics I save are of Olds
cars. I thought this issue would be a good time to present some photos of Oldsmobile vehicles that are,
shall we say, a bit odd. These cars never rolled of an Olds assembly line. They are all the product of the
imaginations of the owners. Some are quite intriguing, while others are just ? Here we go:
Whatever floats your boat?

Have to admit, these Shriners have taste! -

Anyone besides me notice something wrong here?

Liftoff, we have liftoff

A camping we shall go!

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 5;;

The Green Thing, by Debbie Donivan

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the elderly lady that she should bring her own
grocery bags, because plastic bags are not good for the environment. The woman apologized to the young
girl and explained, "We didn't have this 'green thing' back in my day."
The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our
environment for future generations." The older lady said that she was right -- our generation didn't have the
"green thing" in its day.
The older lady went on to explain Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to
the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the
same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the "green thing" back in our
day.
Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags that we reused for numerous things. Most
memorable besides household garbage bags was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our
school books. This ensured that public property (text books provided for our use by the school) was not
defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But, too
bad we didn't do the "green thing" back then.
We walked up stairs because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to
the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300 h.p. machine every time we had to go two blocks. We didn't
have the "green thing" in our day.
Back then we washed baby diapers because we didn't have the throw away kind. We dried clothes on a
line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts. Wind and solar power really did dry our
clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always
brand-new clothing. But your are right young lady, we didn't have the "green thing" back in our day.
Back then we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small
screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the
kitchen we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us.
When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not
Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the
lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go
to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But youre right; we didn't have the "green
thing" back then.
We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of instead of grabbing a plastic bottle of water
every time we wanted a drink. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blade in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the "green thing" back then.
Back then people took the streetcar or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service in the family's $45,000 SUV, van or car. A vehicle that costs what
a whole house did before the "green thing." We had one electrical outlet per room, not an entire bank of
sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal
beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have
the "green thing" back then?
Please pass this on to other selfish old people who need a lesson in conservation from a smart aleck
youngster. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to tick us off Let alone a tattooed, multiple pierced know-it-all who can't make change without the cash register telling them how much!

Ok, Ive had my say for the month. Now its your turn! I invite/encourage submission of
your comments, opinions and article contributions. I also ask that you please help spread
the word about our publication. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissions should be sent to CCC at OldsD88@gmail.com.
Now that you have finished reading the newsletter, if so inclined, like CCC on Facebook by going here. To UNSUBSCRIBE send an email to ==> OldsD88@gmail.com
_______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE:
TBD