A GDYNETS

PUBLICATION
2015, G. DAVID
YAROS. ALL
RIGHTS RESERVED.

Car Collector
Chronicles

Volume VIII, Issue 1

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

GDY Nets
On the Web

Times Are a
Changin

What Hath Time

Wrought?

2015 Events

CCC Forum
EMail:

OldsD88@gmail.com

With my rides all tucked

away, and little-to-nothing
going on, I find the January
issue to be one of the most
difficult to compile. That
being said, I have a few things
to report on this month.
Some deal with upcoming
and past car shows. We
shall also be taking a look
into the future of automobile
transport. While so doing,
one should ask whether cars
will even be considered collectible fifty or more years
from now?
The hot topic as I put
together this issue is Cubas
classic cars. This is because
BRock has taken a step to
normalize relations with
Castros communist island.
Whatever has been done
does not present a lot of
change. By that I mean, try
and book a flight to Havana

without going through some

U.S. government approved
educational group. You may
not do so, yet.

January Automotive Milestones

1-1897: Winton builds 1st car
with steering wheel
2-1923: Chevrolet debuts 1st
air-cooled engine
6-1954: Kaiser Darrin goes
on sale
7-1918: 1st Chevy truck built
9-1926: 1st Pontiac built
10-1979: Last VW convert
14-1954: Nash-Kelvinator,
Hudson merge; form AMC
16-1853: Pneumatic tire inventor, Andr Michelin, born
16-1977: Dodge Omni and
Plymouth Horizon debut
17-1903: Cadillac premieres
at Madison Sq Garden
17-1953: Corvette intro'd at
GM Motorama as concept car
17-1956: FoMoCo goes public
22-1950: Preston Tucker
found not guilty of mail fraud
28-1896: 1st speeding ticket-

8 mph in a 2 mph zone -issued in

England
29-1886: Karl Benz filed patent for
1st gas-driven auto
30-1958: Rambler American debuts

- Stay warm & read a car pub!

GDYNets on the Web

Find GDYNets on the web:

Pics That Caught

My Eye

January 2015

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

Times Are a Changin

[W]e
Americans
tend to picture
Cuban
transport as
frozen in time;
specifically,
1959. The
reality is far
different .

U.S./Cuba relations are a changin. I do not know that the change is a good thing for
lovers of old rides? I suspect that it is not. Why do I say such? Let me plead my case
with the use of this scenario: 1) Hop a flight to Cuba. 2) Find a hidden gem of a ride
and, 3) Bring it on home to the good ol U. S. of A.
First, one needs to understand that the present state of normalization of relations
does not permit you or I to simply hop on a plane or boat and go to the island of Cuba.
To my knowledge commercial flights or boat trips to Cuba originating in the U.S. are not
yet permitted by our government. The travel restrictions imposed decades ago remain
in place. That means one may go only as a member of a state department approved
group traveling to Cuba for recognized educational purposes.
Say, somehow, you do manage to get into Cuba; maybe from Canada or Mexico.
What will you see/find? The fact is, we Americans tend to picture Cuban transport as
frozen in time; specifically, 1959. The reality is far different. Yes, there are more than a
few 50s era cars on the road in Cuba, especially in Havana; reportedly 60,000. And it
is true that the skills of Cuban shade tree mechanics are worthy of marvel by us. However, our view of these old rides is distorted by the lenses of our rose colored glasses.
American cars in Cuba have evolved over 55 years. They had to in order to stay on
the road all this time. While the iron may look American, one needs to appreciate that
looks can be deceiving. Yes, the body (at least parts of it) may have rolled off an
American assembly line. It is doubtful much else on the cars will bear USA markings.
Pop the hood and you are more likely than not to find a Chinese four cylinder gas or
diesel engine powering the automobile. The transmission, more often than not, is of
Russian or Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Korean) origin. This came to be because of a
number of factors. American repair parts are next to impossible to procure on the island. As we know, post-war American iron was not known for its fuel efficiency. The
cost of gas in Cuba is flirting with the $5 a gallon mark. Combine a gas guzzling V8
with the fact the average Cuban earns all of $22 per month and some form of compromise is inevitable.
Then there is the condition of the 50s era
cars. Rather than take my word for it, lets
hear from folks who have been there:

It might have 10 coats

of house paint on it to
keep the rust from
spreading.
Suspension repairs involve cannibalizing train
springs.
Cars are missing lights,
chrome trim and other
smaller parts, and the variety of wheels and seats to be found is enough to
make purist American classic car club members squirm.
Cars ones that would have been crushed in the States years ago are
mended over and over again in Cuba.
Im not sure theres a single car on the road in Cuba you could bring here
and put in a car show, said Tom Wilkinson, a classic car lover from Detroit who recently visited the island as part of a cultural exchange.

Forget all of the above. You got into Cuba. You found an all original hunk of American iron in pristine condition. Juan is more than glad to sell it to you at a bargain price.
There is still 1 major problem. Cuban law prohibits the export of pre-revolution automobiles without a license. You may rest assured that Ral or his brethren are not going to
issue you a needed export license!
So, yes the times may be a changin. However, all is not as it seems. If it seems to
good to be true, it probably is!

Page 3

Car Collector Chronicles

What Hath Time Wrought?

The year 20 and 14 has ended. That it has is cause for pubs to routinely highlight the
notable events that have transpired in the past year. Instead of looking back, which we do
quite often in the pages of CCC, I thought this would be a good time to peer into the
future. This frame of mind came about after reading about the opening of a Honda
Heritage Museum in Marysville, OH. If we are now at the point that Honda offerings are
being preserved, pray tell what does the future hold?
I am not a soothsayer, and have no unique insight into the future. What I do know is that
the future world of auto transport will bear little resemblance to that known in the 20th
century. Style is not in anymore. Doubt the truth of that statement? Just look at the jelly
bean/cookie cutter cars of today. They all seem to follow the same pattern and are hard to
tell apart. If there is a trend emerging, it is one favoring economical transportation.
VW seems to be pushing the envelope in
this regard. It has produced an automobile
which gets a mere 319.9 mpg! The XL1
is powered by a 800cc turbodiesel engine
coupled with a 27 bhp electric motor. The
electric motor runs on a 60 cell, 150 lb., 5.5
kWh lithium-ion battery, which is charged
via a conventional outlet. The car features
lambo doors, flat wheel covers and an underbelly cover to smooth the airflow. It has
a top speed of 98 mph and takes 11.9 seconds to reach 62.1 mph (100 km/h).
Production is being limited to 250 units. The car is only available in Europe. This is
because in limited production it is too costly to meet U.S. safety standards. Even so, as
produced the car costs the equivalent of $146,000 U.S. dollars!
Now, here is one that makes one wonder? The Tata
Mini Cat Air Car is an Indian car thar runs on air!
Compressed air is used to drive the pistions. The air
tank may be filled at home in 3-to-4 hours using the
onboard compressor. It may also be filled in a few
short minutes at commercial filling stations at a cost of
about $2. Once filled, the car can travel 125 miles.
The vehicle is joystick driven. It has three seats. The
rear seat passenger must sit facing backwards. The
body is composed of glued fiberglass panels. The car
has a top speed of near 50 mph. The purchase price
for the vehicle is $8,177.
In January of 2014 the managing director of Tata Motors, Karl Slym, was found dead in
a Bangkok hotel suite. His demise has adversely impacted the intro and sale of the Mini
CAT Air Car. Commerical availability has been delayed.
Meanwhile, Peugeot-Citron says it has its own hybrid version of an air powered car. Its
design uses a hydraulic pump to force compressed air against fluid that drives the wheels
of the car. In air only mode the car is capable of a 43 mph speed. To date four prototypes have been driven over 12,000 miles. Peugeot-Citron states the vehicle should be
on the market in 2016.
Continuing with the air theme, you may reacall flying cars
(AeroCar ) from decades past? Obviously, even though
the cars could, and did in fact, fly, the concept never really
took off (pun intended!).
I recently read about an engineer who has a hover car in
the works. Brent Saxsma is from Cedar Lake, IN. He holds a
degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.
His plan is to take a DeLorean and make it into a true flying

VW has
produced an
automobile
which gets a
mere 319.9
mpg!

Car Collector Chronicles

Page 4;;

What Hath Time Wrought? - Contd.

quadracopter.
I do not pretend to fully understand how it functions. I
only know enough to say the four wheels will go to
horizontal, the spokes will disengage from the rim and
turn as separate ducted fan units, providing both lift and
thrust. The machine is to be powered by a 1,000 hp, 5.3
L, variable valve actuated, V8 coupled to a 6-speed
transmission. The engine is capable of land speeds in
excess of 200 mph.
The vehicle is flown like a helicopter. That means it
possesses vertical take off and landing capability. The
steering wheel controls pitch and roll while the gas and
brake pedals control yaw. Additionally, a motorcycle style
twist lever will control thrust (acceleration/speed). One
may read all the technical details here.
A number of safety factors are built in to the HoverCar. It is capable of flight with only three wheels/
ducted fans functioning. Passengers sit in ejection seats. The DeLorean gull wing doors pop off, like
figher airplane canopies. The doors and car have parachutes to control emergency descent.
The original goal was to have a working prototype on the road/in the air by October 21 of 2015; the date
that Doc Brown transported himself to in the movie Back to the Future. Unfortunately, that deadline will
not be met. From the inventor:

12-18-2014: Unfortunately the project had to be canceled at this time due to some unforeseen legal issues. We are
working to rectify these issues and hope to launch a new campaign sometime in the next 2-3 months. Thanks for all
the interest and support and be on the lookout for the next campaign coming in spring!

We wish Mr. Saxsma well in his endeavor!

2015 Events

For the sixth year running Dave Woodman and like minded folk will take a spin around Indy in their high
performance rides on New Years Day. This spin will be on the I-465 Circle Freeway, not the famed Indy
500 racetrack. Woodman, who shall be driving his 1995 Ford Mustang GT, expects approximately 300
other cars to join him on the cruise. Among the marques shall be Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches to
name a few. The New Years Day 60 mile drive shall also raise funds for a needy Indianapolis family.
Sounds like a fun time and neat event.
Speaking of Indy, sadly I must report the demise of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Celebration of
Automobiles event. After 4 short years, it is no more.
The Mrs. and I were privileged to participate in the 2nd Annual Celebration of Automobiles in 2012. We
can say from personal experience that the IMS knew how to, and did, put on a class event. There were
great cars, great food and the opportunity to mingle with Indy driving legends, past and present. One also
got to take a couple of laps on the famed brickyard oval behind the wheel of their classic ride. A photographic record of that event was made at the time and provided to each participant after-the-fact.
It is a pity the powers that be decided to terminate the event. That they did is somewhat understandable. The reasoning is that vintage/classic cars, are only tangentially related to the focus of the IMS; racing. Additionally, all the activities going on at the track during the month of May make for a scheduling
headache. It would be nice if in the future the IMS could find a way to host the event at some time during
the year other than the month of May.

I have previously noted that the both the Cadillac-LaSalle Club and the Oldsmobile Club of America are holding their
annual nationals event in Milwaukee this summer. Both events shall take place at the Brookfield Sheraton Hotel in
Milwaukee. Actually the locale is Brookfield, but whos looking? The Cad-LaSalle Grand National takes place on
June 24-27. The Olds Nats are July 2126.
The good folks at the Milwaukee Masterpiece Concours have advised me of the 2015 dates. It shall take place on
August 22 & 23 at Veterans Park in Milwaukee. Saturday shall be club day when individuals may display their cars in
a non-judged setting. Sunday, August 23 is concours day. The MM designated charities for this event are Autism
Society of SE Wisconsin, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Meta House. Readers may keep up to date
on MM news by visiting the MM web site .
It looks as though the summer months of June, July and August in Milwaukee shall be active in terms of collector car
activity? I, for one, am looking forward to an event filled Brew City summer.

CCC 2014 Annual Index

I have uploaded the 2014 Annual Index for your perusal. Find it here: Annual Index 14.pdf .

Page 5;;

Car Collector Chronicles

Pics That Caught My Eye

Yes, I realize it is
not a car. Even
so, you have to
admit, it is pretty
neat!

The
at
sea
parking ramp.

Learn more about this watercraft here .

A Corvair?

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 this months issue of the newsletter, if so inclined, like CCC on Facebook by going here
______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE:
TBD