Burton Hall

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Cars We Love & Who We Are #56

Jaguar earned its place in the pantheon of great marques with sports cars boasting an illustrious history of racing success. Jaguar’s high performance road cars featured sculpted often sensuous exteriors with interiors that cosseted occupants with fine leather seating and handsome exotic wood trim. In sum, Jaguar has a history of producing cars possessing charismatic character that punched way above their market share in defining driving pleasure. However, recent times have not been kind. The glorious and storied Jaguar brand has more than fallen on hard times. It has imploded.

A resurrection when in such desperate straits demands a strong vision and bold action. Clearly the bold new brand message set by Jaguar Managing Director Rawdon Glover calls for delivery by a RuPaul band of stoics strutting in a Crayola parade. Its stated intention calls to generate buzz and attract buyers for a new, soon to be revealed EV Jaguar. This new Jaguar sports a price tag double the MSRP of a present day Jaguar. Jaguar’s expressed objective calls for moving up market to successfully battle with Bentley and the like while, at the same time, casting aside anyone who previously had the desire and money to purchase a Jaguar. Initial response would indicate that the latter, casting aside, part of the re-branding has been a grand success. Glover, proud parent of a campaign anchored in ideology rather than marketing savvy, lashed out at detractors decrying their “Vile hatred and intolerance.”

As I do not feel any more vile or intolerant than the next guy, I would like to take a fair look at Glover’s Candy Land campaign.

Jaguar’s Trans-formation into the New Coke of Automobile Re-branding

Historically Jaguar does not stand alone in suffering withering criticism of an automobile branding effort. Nissan’s 1989 introduction of its new Infiniti brand experienced almost universal ridicule. At the top of the complaint list loomed the ultimate sacrilege in automobile advertising. Commercials never showed the car. Like an albatross hung around Infiniti’s neck critics mockingly tattooed the whole effort the “Rocks and Trees” campaign. Word had it that Izusu even considered but never produced an Infiniti parody ad with Joe Izusu perched on a big rock playing a flute while a soothing voice off-camera softly uttered Zen-like reflections on nature. Some say Infiniti has never recovered.

Cadillac that Zigs ad

1n 1997 Cadillac introduced the Catera an entry level sedan intended to compete with the BMW 3 series and Audi A4 using the line “The Caddy that Zigs.” For a brand whose name once stood proudly as the very definition of preeminent quality, the “Zigs” tag line and its accompanying cartoon character suffered harsh criticism. Critics savaged the campaign saying that in striving to be different it came across as giddy and misaligned from the historically cultivated expectation of a Cadillac as a luxury vehicle. A prospective customer’s comment expressed on a Cadillac forum sums up the Zigs campaign’s failure. He wrote, “Cadillac’s stupid Ziggy promotion was embarrassing. I know they wanted to attract a younger demographic, but a cartoon character? It made a joke of the car before it had a chance to establish itself in the market. Not even Cindy Crawford’s ad presence could make up for that. BMW advertised its cars as the “Ultimate Driving Machines”, but GM decided to sell the Catera as “The Caddy that Zigs”? Why would I buy a car that wasn’t respected by its own manufacturer? Why would anyone?” And indeed they did not. Today does anyone even remember the Catera?

The early 1990s saw Subaru car sales stumbling badly. In a plan to reverse the company’s fortunes by moving up market, Subaru hired trendy, award winning agency du jour Wieden + Kennedy. As described in Randall Rothenberg’s excellent book “Where the Suckers Moon” Subaru and the agency  created a match made in anywhere but advertising heaven. Born of this union, the resulting “What to Drive” and “Lack of Pretense” campaign can best be described as an advertising car crash. As Rothenburg in his book pointed out, “What hurt Wieden + Kennedy more than anything else was its collective lack of passion for automobiles. Wieden + Kennedy treated the subject of automobiles offhandedly.” Being tone deaf to the automobile industry the agency created head scratching ads that ridiculed car marketing and presented ads that the agency felt spoke unvarnished “truth.” A TV spot for the Subaru SVX sports car highlighted the car’s 140 mph top speed, but then asked if it mattered in a world with “extended urban gridlock, costly gas at $1.38 a gallon and highways full of patrolmen?” Another SVX spot boasted “You can drive it so fast, you’ll get so many tickets, you’ll lose your license. This one got Subaru unneeded and passionately negative safety activist attention. The final denouement came on Super Bowl Sunday 1993. Possibly the only one who took a bigger beating than the Buffalo Bills in their 52 to 17 loss was Subaru who the USA Today survey of viewer reactions placed its advertising dead last. Subaru fired the agency and instead of competing directly with high volume car makers, it pivoted to focus on marketing Subaru cars to niche groups where Subaru had historically proven to perform best. It has since experienced a strong climb to profitability.

So, as to Jaguar’s latest effort let’s start with a simple question. Does it qualify as genius?

One web maven advocated in favor of the TV spot by invoking the old adage, “It doesn’t matter what people are saying about you as long as they are talking.” Maybe in some context, but certainly not all. Instead I think back to wise counsel afforded me by a high school teacher. The advice? Spend time and effort when writing the introduction to a term paper. He believed that a well constructed introduction can establish an expectation as to what to expect in the subsequent body of work. He posited that a poorly written introduction would leave the reader seeking confirmation of poor quality throughout the rest of the paper. An engaging introduction would leave the reader searching for examples to confirm the high quality of the content. I believe the same holds true with product launches and none more so than a rebranding. I believe the total Jaguar rebranding effort instead of its intention to create a positive buzz has instead planted the seeds of doubt.

Simon Sinek motivational speaker and author of the bestselling book “Start with Why” has gained renown by advocating for a simple belief. He passionately advocates that whether forming a movement or re-branding an automobile the path to success must start with why. Sinek believes that success of a product such as those that Apple sells results from communicating Apple’s “Why” to a sufficiently large market segment that believe the same thing. The product itself then simply provides a manifestation of the shared beliefs. A successful brand represents a promise to be consistently faithful to its “Why.” Muddling the “Why” confuses and weakens a selling proposition. While on the subject of Apple, attention must be drawn to the re-branded Jaguar’s “Copy Nothing” Tag line. Maybe it should read “Copy Nothing, except maybe Apple.”

Apple’s 1984 Super Bowl ad introducing the new Mac Computer stands as one of the top 50 greatest TV commercials of all time. Clearly Jaguar deemed Apple’s “1984” athletic sledge hammer wielding female lead worthy of replication. This time, however, Jaguar chose to employ a sledge wielding androgyne as its champion. Furthermore, Jaguar headline copy such as “Live Vivid” and “Create Exuberant” present further evidence of the Jaguar ad not falling far from the Apple tree. It replicates Apple’s grammatically improper slogan that employed a wildly successful use of an adjective rather than the proper adverb form in its award winning 1997 “Think Different” campaign.

Jaguar 2024/ Apple 1997

Cars for a large segment of the buying public represent an extension of self. A fact especially true in the $100,000 plus segment where the New Jaguar has set its sights. Inn employing another old adage, “there exists but one chance to make a first impression.” Jaguar’s apparent “why” seems to target individuals with a gender dysphoria bias. If that correctly states Jaguar’s intention, so be it. However as a Unique Selling Proposition with the intention of launching a business into profitability it seems deeply flawed. I might even suggest it appears to promote a personal ideology rather than savvy marketing at the expense of brand aspirations.

I might suggest that Director Glover’s venomous response to criticism reflected a personal offense that exceeded even that generated by the most painful criticism of a professional’s creative marketing concept. It seemed to have the wounded passion of an ideologue rebuffed. One must question Director Glover’s “Why.” From the point of view of a Jaguar owner which I am, I can unequivocally say his campaign’s message did not speak to me in any way other than generating a pang of disappointment for a brand I revere.

Some might question what kind of belief system has gone into the creation of a re-branded Jaguar that has so missed the mark. Or conversely, in hitting its intended mark how it has totally misjudged the market. Re-branding campaigns do not formulate over night. In these fast moving times avant garde can quickly morph into passé garde. Such, I believe, represents the case here where the DEI theme and the whole “EVs only” product line has recently lost steam. Unfortunately for this campaign the woke boat has sailed and is taking on water. Interestingly the new Jaguar in seeking to navigate the road ahead may find its hope in roads traveled in the past.

Jaguar might find hope in the 30-year old success story of a small struggling brand seeking direction. That brand, Subaru, had hired a trendy Advertising agency to move it up market. The effort failed terribly. It then re-gathered itself choosing a new path that called for identifying niche groups willing to pay for 4-wheel drive and possessing values consistent with Subaru’s product line. Market research identified five groups that comprised a majority of Subaru’s North American sales. The first four consisted of teachers, healthcare professionals, IT professionals and rugged outdoors types. Interestingly and surprisingly the fifth consisted of lesbians. Research showed lesbians were 4-times more likely to buy a Subaru than the average customer. Subaru set about better understanding the Subaru features that attracted lesbians as a group. Subaru found they closely mirrored those of the other four groups. Subaru then set about crafting targeted ads with titles that played well to straight and gay 4-wheel fans alike. For example, “It’s Not a Choice. It is the Way We’re Built” and “Get Out. And Stay Out” successfully spoke to both fans of Subaru’s 100% rugged 4-wheel drive rough road friendly product lineup and gay identity.

In the end Jaguar’s success will hopefully be determined by the superior quality and desirability of its automobiles. However, being hamstrung by advertising that purposely excludes past customers seems to fly in the face of diversity and inclusion goals not to mention, good sense.

Long live Jaguar.

By |2024-12-04T20:31:09+00:00December 4th, 2024|2 Comments

Conversations With People We Value #56

On a spectacularly brilliant 1970s autumn day my trusty 1963 23-window VW van valiantly labored up Boston’s storied Beacon Hill. My van’s upgraded 40-hp Beetle engine’s twin exhausts saluted the stately townhomes of Boston’s Louisburg Square home to such luminaries as Edward Kennedy, John Kerry and Carly Simon.

Three nurses I knew had accepted positions at Mass General Hospital. I had volunteered to help them move. Now, conveniently parked by their building’s entrance I began shuttling their belongings from my open van into their apartment. Exiting the building for my next load, I did not remember having moved my van. I did remember the man on a ladder painting the trim on an adjoining building. Unfortunately in focusing on his painting, he had not seen the person(s) who had stolen my van. I was devastated.

In the ensuing 50 years automobile crime has done nothing but gain sophistication and grow. Personally experienced thefts still hurt just as much. Luckily law enforcement sophistication has grown as well. Chris Connolly a recently retired 30-year veteran of the New York City Police Department served as the senior member of the NYC Auto Crimes unit. This is one of his stories.

New York City Automotive Crimes and the Man Who Solved Many of Them   Part 1

Chris Connolly with his Hurst Olds

Twenty four-year old Chris Connolly joined the New York City Police force in 1993. As a lifelong car enthusiast it did not take him long to find a natural fit in the NYC Auto Crimes division. Stationed in the Bronx, Chris, over decades, built a reputation as the go-to guy for auto crime investigation and expert courtroom testimony. In 2023 Chris retired with a wealth of experience and a treasure trove of stories. We begin with the “cloning” scam.

Chris prefaces his story saying, “I tell people all the time don’t put your license plate or VIN online. When at a “Cars and Coffee” or such, if the VIN shows through the windshield, black out the last six digits of your VIN.”

With cloning, somebody locates a car they want to steal, in this case a new Mercedes-Benz CL55 sitting on a dealership lot. The thief then assumes the role of the car’s owner, by counterfeiting a fake title, and with faked documents goes to another M-B dealership and orders a duplicate key. Then using a VIN number taken from an identical model (CL55) attaches a fake VIN plate to the stolen CL55. Thus if stopped by police for any reason, the car comes up as clean. Chris at the top of his game encountered, doggedly pursued and ultimately apprehended the mastermind of an very crafty cloning scam.

Being a savvy detective Chris would frequent areas that might be prone to problems. Basically Chris scouted for trouble in high probability locations. The Bronx offered a rich supply. In one particular case Chris says, “I went to an area in the Bronx that had a lot of repair shops, one of which did a lot of work on Mercedes and BMWs. Late-model stuff. It served a lot of people who would buy salvage title Benzes or BMWs, cars out of warranty with owners who couldn’t afford going to a dealer.”

Mercedes-Benz CL55

Chris says, “So my partner and I cruised down the street and out front of this shop sat a Mercedes CL55 AMG. A gorgeous car. This happened around 2004. I recall the car was a 2003.” With a trained eye Chris noticed it had an odd out of state license plate. He says, “It’s one of the states with a lax DMV.” It struck him as curious. Such a relatively new car should have been under warranty and being serviced by a dealer. But Chris checked the VIN number and it did not send up any red flags. He simply left. But he did not forget. That night he went to a local Mercedes dealer.

Entering the service department Chris introduced himself as being from the NYC Auto Crimes Division. Chris says, I asked the guy at the desk to check the VIN number to see if it was a real car. The service writer checked the VIN and tells Chris, “Yeah, it’s a CL55.” Okay, check. He goes on to identify the car’s exterior color, silver. It matched. Check. Next came the interior color, Parchment. Red flag! Chris’s suspect car had a dark blue interior. Chris says, “It struck me as seriously odd.’ It then got much odder. The service guy tells Chris that the car has just been in for service. Chris says, “I asked where and the guy tells me, California.” Employing the benefit of the doubt, Chris assembled a scenario where an owner had replaced the interior of a year-old Mercedes and drove it across the country where he stopped off at an independent service point in the Bronx. Not likely. Then the service writer totally dispelled this benefit of the doubt by identifying the Californian who owned the Benz. The service writer pipes up and says, “The owner’s an anesthesiologist.” Chris placed a call to the doctor.

The doctor says, “I drove the car to work today. It’s in the parking lot outside my window. I can see it.” Considering the mismatched interior and the credibility of the California owner, Red flags started flapping all around the car parked in the Bronx. Chris returned with his partner to “sit” on the suspected bogus Benz. It had not moved. They would patiently wait for the owner, who hence forth will be called “scam man,” to appear. Their patience paid off. Scam man shows up.

Chris says, “This guy comes in. He sees me and my partner in the car and definitely ID’s us as the police. Then he kind of flashes a little smirk in our direction.” The smirk did not go over well with Chris’s partner.” Chris says, “It really pissed off my partner.” Chris as the experienced voice of reason calmed his partner saying, “Don’t worry, we’re good.” Having paid the bill, scam man departed the shop and hopped in the Mercedes. With that Chris and his partner introduced themselves. Chris observes that whenever police approach a person who knows they have a car with a “problem” the person immediately explains that the car belongs to someone else. When Chris questions scam man as to who owns the car scam man says, “This is my friend’s girl’s car.” Chris explains that there may be an issue with the out-of-state license plates. Chris directs scam man back to the precinct. Chris says he never wants to make an accusation of possible illegality until he can actually confirm it.

VIN tag

Back at the station Chris knows where to locate the CL55’s engine number. The number comes back as belonging to another Mercedes CL55 reported stolen out of New Jersey. Chris calls the police in New Jersey. At last the whole story unravels. Apparently scam man saw this CL55 sitting in a New Jersey Mercedes dealership lot and wrote down the VIN number and created a fake title. Scam man then went to another Mercedes dealer with a fake driver’s license bearing his photograph and ordered a key for the new CL55 sitting back in the other dealership’s lot. Is this beginning to sound like “Gone in 60 Seconds” or what? When the duplicate key came in, scam man waited for the Mercedes dealership with the targeted new CL55 to close. He then walked up with the key and drove the new CL55 off the dealer’s lot.

Interestingly, somehow the New Jersey police figured this out when they saw a replacement key was ordered by a guy with a fake license. Arrested and convicted, scam man served time. But the stolen CL55 could not be located. Chris says, “I just happened to lock him up in the Bronx with the actual car.

Chris notes that an important aspect of cloning requires changing the ID plate located by the base of the driver’s side windshield. In this case scam man changed the VIN plate on the stolen car to the VIN number of the anesthesiologist’s car that he had somehow acquired. Possibly online.

Chris says, “Cloners try to get the same font. They try to get the same, glossy Black or matte black finish. Cloners work hard to get it right or someone who knows what they are looking at will spot it right away.”

Interestingly, Chris says, “This guy had all kinds of summons. He’d been stopped multiple times in the car, but if police officers lack an auto crimes background or don’t really know the stolen car game they don’t catch it. This guy had that car for a year and a half. He’d even been locked up but he’s still driving it around.” He would not be driving it anymore.

In describing how he approaches auto crimes such as cloning, Chris says, “I look at a suspect car as a whole.” In this case Chris could tell the car had never been repainted. Chris says, “It clearly did not fit the mold of a salvage that somebody had bought, fixed cheaply and maybe had codes popping up that could be cleared through this independent in the Bronx.”

Chris says, “This Mercedes, to my eye, showed as a perfect one-year-old CL55 that shouldn’t be in a shop in the Bronx.” Clearly this situation glaringly screamed “What’s wrong with this picture?” To Chris’s trained eye the answer came back loud and clear, plenty.

From time to time we will visit with Chris to explore other auto crime topics like how best to protect your car, classic car scams, chop shops, wheels and tires and much more.

By |2024-11-21T22:20:27+00:00November 21st, 2024|4 Comments

Roads We Remember #12

Trim Castle                                                                                                                                                                                                            photography: Burton Hall

Trim Castle looms defiantly as the largest medieval Anglo-Norman fortification in all of Ireland. Dating back to 1179, its grounds have hosted King Richard II and Henry V both noble centerpieces of Shakespearean plays. Centuries later late 20th century audiences around the world would witness its towering castle keep and impregnable walls when featured in the Academy Award–winning film “Braveheart.” Now, this past spring an invitation to a family wedding at Trim Castle presented the perfect opportunity to check a, too long, empty box. I would at last visit Ireland.

Once there, I discovered ancient back roads threaded through the Emerald Isle’s rich culture and glorious natural beauty that posed challenges for the unsuspecting and ill prepared driver.

Now, join me in the left lane as I explore Ireland’s back roads.

The Charming Terror of Driving on Ireland’s Back Roads

 

With a nod to Ernest Hemingway, I have a pretty good crap detector. It goes on alert every time I feel that I am being up sold for no purpose other than the up seller’s benefit. Thus, I found myself poised to reject the suggestion by the Hertz counter person at Shannon Airport to maximize the insurance coverage on my rental, a little Romania-made Dacia (Yes, I never heard of a Dacia before either). Even more off-putting it was a costly increase. Add to that my spotless record of never paying for extra rental car insurance dating back to the Nixon administration. However, something drew me in. Whether it being his kind avuncular demeanor, a projected unhurried sincerity or his Irish

M Motorway

accent I found myself considered his reasoning. Lacking any experience with Ireland’s left lane mandate versus America’s right lane rules, I considered my incident-free rental record stood in greater jeopardy. The punitive financial penalties should an uninsured event occur gave me pause as well. Finally the sage wisdom of my beloved and pragmatic Elaine came to the fore. She said, “Baby, we are spending bags of money to drive the length and breadth of Ireland, the extra cost compared to the total cost borders on insignificant considering the huge peace of mind it affords us in an unfamiliar country.” You got to love her logic. I bought the bumper to bumper coverage. She must have a crystal ball. More about that later.

N National road

Ireland has three categories of roads. “M” Motorways, provide major multi-lane shouldered thoroughfares. Other than their left lane bias they should feel quite familiar to North Americans. Speed limits top out at 120 km/h (75 mph). “N” National roads, offer two facing lanes with a center line and intermittent passing zones. Top speed 100 km/h (62.3 mph). “R” Regional roads, shrink to two lanes with the shoulder consisting of either centuries old stone walls or abrasive brush clawing at the passenger door with both hazards closer than a fast food drive-up window. Such intimacy with roadside destruction provides excellent potential for scaring the crap out of wide-eyed, recoiling passenger-side occupants. Locals quite frequently exceed the posted top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).

R Regional road

The final category of byway noted here does not appear as any official Irish designation because these normally low traffic paths barely qualify as a road. I call these brutally slender rural alleyways “sheep paths.” They feature the same destructive roadside features as “N” roads but possess neither road markings nor sufficient width for two approaching cars to pass. And, they do have one additional feature, free range sheep. Lots of them.

Fortified with our bumper to bumper insurance security blanket, Elaine and I set sail for our Irish adventure. It quickly dawned on me that driving on the left side, at least for me, presents little concern. However, a nerve jangling scream emanating from the passenger seat, alerted me to one thing all the left-lane-o-phobes fail to mention. Spatial awareness would be an issue. A big issue.

Sheep Path

Right lane drivers with the steering wheel on the left, such as Americans, instinctively locate themselves in space with the predominant mass of their car to the right. To their left is a door, no more. However, when driving a left lane vehicle with the steering wheel on the right, the predominant mass of the car extends far out into a space that North Americans instinctively and, In Ireland, mistakenly treat as empty space. Big mistake. Especially on “N” roads and, most certainly, sheep paths this space when not respected can quickly fill up with stone walls, curbs, branches and parked vehicles.

After taking a few left lane practice laps around Shannon Airport in the early dawn light I decide the time has arrived to embrace the task at hand. We set out for our destination, the Corrib House, a charming B&B in the center of Galway. We have anticipated the traditional inclement Irish weather. We have not been disappointed. The rain is heavy, the wind stiff. We set out on the M and R category roads leading to Galway. Left lane driving eases into my conscious awareness. Elaine’s reminders help.

As we approach our destination the journey into downtown Galway affords me an excellent opportunity to hone my spatial awareness in a vibrant urban environment. Said another way, the center of town clearly struggles to accommodate cars, broad beamed transit buses and six-axle semis that loom like Australian outback truck trains. The charming but tightly packed city squeezes this all into a claustrophobic tangle of back alley size streets. Corners and curbs snug up to the road affording little room for error. When walking close to the curb one instinctively ducks from fear of being decapitated by a bus mirror. I am increasingly comforted by our bumper to bumper insurance decision.

Though we arrive well before check-in, the Corrib House staff demonstrate an extraordinary level of service. As housekeeping hustles to get our room ready in advance of normal check-in time, staff brings out coffee and tea to our car. Across our time in Ireland we would find the superior level of hospitality and congeniality exhibited by the Corrib House staff to be in evidence across the vast majority of our journey’s B&B experiences.

With our luggage stowed in our room and a splendid breakfast dispelling our travel fatigue, we eagerly set out in search of adventure. We first headed north to historic Aughnanure Castle and with it an unnerving introduction to Irish back roads. Leading to the castle a lengthy and narrow road acquainted me with a quintessential sheep path. Certainly it would not be the last. Briars and brambles eagerly awaited for me to drift too far off center. Elaine’s not infrequent reflexive screams served as a reminder that I had yet to master an accurate perception of my vehicle’s relationship to the world around me. They reminded me as well of my great relief at having decided on the maximum insurance as the clawing branches attacked my rented Romanian Dacia from both sides. I would soon be even more grateful for my maximum insurance coverage.

Departing the castle after an impressive presentation by Gilles the docent, I again suffered through the same gauntlet of dense clawing roadside branches. To my relief I sensed my driving skills had improved as Elaine’s vocal outbursts have ceased. I felt relieved. My confidence elevated. As I turned to smile at her I realized she had simply clamped her eyes shut to avoid the stress. I drove on.

Roundstone

With the castle fading from view we turned our attention to the delightful Atlantic fishing village of Roundstone, population 231. Cutting a narrow path through the bay side center of town Route R341 offers little in the way of shoulder room for passing cars. So on this day a driver chose to park on the left lane next to the shops and away from the water. Heading east I had to swing out around his intrusion into the narrow two lane. A car quickly approached from the other direction. I cut back in after passing the parked car giving the oncoming car plenty of room and time. My front left wheel however, found a curb that extended out after the parked car. Ka-thump! Up, over and back down. Annoyed at myself, I soldiered on. No harm No foul, I thought. Fwap! Fwap! Fwap. Damn! Flat tire. I limped off the road. Just them a young fellow in an E46 BMW pulled down his driveway to the edge of R341. He left his car, walked over and offered to help. Just then a friend of his pulled up and offered help as well. What great guys. In short order we had the spare on, but no hubcap. That remained long gone back down the road at the impact zone. Elaine was upset. I was annoyed at myself. I pulled over by a stone wall by the left side of the road just to reset.

To paraphrase the movie “Cool Hand Luke. What we had here was a failure to navigate. A centuries old stone wall awarded me a resounding “F” in spatial awareness as my front left fender grazed its ragged face. I now had added a gashed front fender to a brush scared left side and a spare on the front with no hubcap. AHHRRRGGG! I would, now, for the remainder of our journey be condemned to drive wearing the American tourist driver “Badge of Shame.” I felt like Hester Prynne in the “Top Gear” version of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Scarlet Letter.” The only bright spot? Feeling really happy about that bumper to bumper insurance now. Hell, I figured we could go off-roading in the Irish moors and have nothing to lose. Thinking better of the idea, I opted to stay on plan. We spent our final day on foot walking about Galway with our dented Dacia cosseted in an 24-hour parking lot. We toured the magnificent Galway Cathedral. I thanked God for Elaine’s advocating the full insurance coverage. Rain and wind greeted us the next day as we turned our sights on the green fields and ocean views of Killarney in County Kerry.

Heading south, our scarred but intrepid little Dacia performed admirably despite the punishing rain and wind. Considering the wretched weather we thought better of visiting the storied Cliffs of Moher. Enduring buffeting wind gusts while poised at the precipice of towering cliffs seemed neither appealing nor wise. Next stop the lovely and highly regarded Killeen House Hotel, a charming gem of a country retreat on the outskirts of Killarney.

Killarney

Reaching Killarney, breathtakingly beautiful landscapes welcomed us as we departed the main roads. Breathtaking describes as well the narrow country roads snugged up against thick stone walls that have endured centuries of assaults by man and beast. Our valiant but small Romanian Dacia, had no chance in a roadside face off. Elaine again took this opportunity to rest her eyes. Having arrived, we found ourselves welcomed by an absolutely top notch staff. Hotel manager Michael, and staff members Xhirsi (Pronounced “Jersey:) and Egli treat us like visiting family throughout our stay. Resting in our room Elaine and I made the second great out of character decision of our trip.

Dingle Peninsula

The town of Dingle and the Dingle Peninsula rated high on our to do list. However, for some of the more beautiful sights, guide books cautioned as to the challenge of some roads accessing these areas. As it would be near impossible for Elaine to enjoy these world class vistas with her eyes clamped shut, we decided on treating ourselves to an uncharacteristic indulgence. This decision proved as rewarding as our choice of insurance coverage. We parked the Dacia. We hired a driver for the day.

Joseph Long the driver & Elaine

Nine-thirty the following morning Joseph Long cordially greeted us in the lobby. His immaculate black Mercedes-Benz waited outside to take us where Joseph almost psychically knew where we would want to go. Like sucking on a Xanax ice pop, with Joseph at the wheel stress levels plummeted. We explored mountain roads demanding passing cars cling to a hillside to allow others to pass. Like a seasoned race car driver, he has driven this track before and he knew it.

Subsequent days found us visiting castles and manor houses. We took horse cart rides into the hills and stumbled upon seasoned shepherds barking out orders to skilled border collies as they herded the sheep down from the hills to narrow roads leading home there to be sorted and brought to market. The total experience proved glorious and ever so worthwhile. The roads can present a challenge, but they need not. Other modes of transportation and touring are available. Consider Ireland a gift that can be unwrapped in many ways.

Leaving Killarney we headed north to Trim for the wedding. Four hours on M and N roads presented no challenges. Once there our little Romanian road warrior spent the time in the Trim Castle Hotel underground garage. A hotel full of family and new friends provided no reason to roam.

A rainy Tuesday and a traffic jammed rush hour Motorway had Waze redirect us on an alternate route to the Dublin Airport. It afforded us a final taste of all four categories of Irish roads. My driving skills had improved considerably. Elaine quietly watched with her eyes open all the way.

Cecilia, my friendly Hertz check-in girl scanned the car, photographed the damage, accepted the receipt for the new tire, confirmed the full fuel tank and wished me a good day.

Her parting words, “Don’t give it another thought.” I would not. I smiled.

By |2024-10-20T12:48:27+00:00October 20th, 2024|4 Comments

Cars We Love & Who We Are #55

With the point of no return long gone, the all-out effort to successfully produce the nation’s first Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens proceeded at flank speed. Translating “flank” from nautical to automotive speak, the pedal had been firmly pinned to the metal. Thankfully with the help of a deft core of team leaders and a knowledgeable and committed team, the stars had aligned beautifully as the date approached. However, while the stars presented no concern, threatening clouds did. The approaching show date found me pointlessly glued to my weather app, as if my watchful eye could make a difference. I am sure my elevated spirits joined a cohort of September brides as the clouds disappeared from the Sunday forecast. Game on. And what a great game it would be.

A Secret Sauce & Successful Recipe for Mixing Kids and Classic Cars

Isetta microcar delivers maximum fun       (Photo: Tim Schwartz)

Gravel crackled under my 1961 Corvette’s whitewall tires as the, soon to be, show car crept down my driveway. A bright sun waited just below the horizon. Poised to heat the cool moist morning air with a brilliant light, it would quickly wipe dry the car’s veil of dew. Slowly accelerating, I held the 4-speed in first gear just to enjoy the engine’s

Youth judges in action

deep throated exhaust note as I rumbled down the narrow street. The show date had arrived at last. The awakening day felt rich with promise. The fading night’s cloudless sky had wiped the road free of any trace of the previous day’s rain. Free from road spray, my Corvette’s gleaming 60-year old Keystone mag wheels would remain unsoiled. On the road at 6:30am, I felt assured I would be the first to arrive.

Pulling up alongside the beautifully restored expansive white farmhouse that now housed the Hillsdale New Jersey Free Public Library, I paused for a moment to gaze over the large, but very soon not be, empty parking area. I left the rumbling Corvette to move the traffic cones that barred entrance to the lot. Now, having driven down to the lot, I backed into my assigned display location. Just then, the first of my talented team arrived. Chris Connolly, a recently retired lead detective for the New York City Auto Crimes Unit, strolled down the sloping driveway entrance. Moments later the day came to life as a trail of team members followed in his wake. The pace of the day quickly accelerated.

1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen

The charge of excitement built as the show cars began to arrive. Confident that the Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens would be unlike any other car show, all the car owners and staff focused on delivering a hands-on experience to benefit a largely hands-off generation. The goal was to have fun and in so doing develop in our young attendees an appreciation for the innovation, beauty, culture and excitement of what many consider to be the greatest gift of the industrial age, the automobile.

Unlike the mostly passive stroll experienced at traditional car shows, the Hillsdale Library’s Collectible Car Fair, co-sponsored by the Hillsdale Library and the Drivin’ News website (www.drivin-news.com) offered parents and children alike an interactive treat. Those under 18 were welcome to sit in and experience each of the gleaming iconic automobiles as well, benefit from speaking with each car’s owner. These owners, men and women who volunteered their time and vehicles possessed a broad knowledge of their cars and the period in history when each car was new.

Slowly but steadily the field filled with members of a curated list comprising iconic members of the 20th century’s the Golden Age of the automobile. A pristine 1974 DeTomaso Pantera, preceded an all original 1970 Plymouth Superbird. A flatbed bearing a 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 waited its turn while a muscular pick-up truck pulling a large trailer eased across the lot. With its power ramp lowered, the trailer delivered a spectacular Brass Era 1909 Pope Harford and a Mercedes-Benz-built replica of the 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen, recognized world-over as the first automobile. By 8:30 am the full complement of staff and cars had been assembled. By 9:00 am with all cars positioned and all team members comfortable in their roles, everyone descended on the beverage and bagel table. Things had come together perfectly. Interestingly perfection can sometimes produce discomfort.

Rory Sevajian’s 1931 Model A takes a first place from the youth judges

At 9:00 am the team, with everything completed to perfection and with their energy level peaking, hit a wall. Where they asked, was everybody? “Has a party been thrown to which no one will come?” Pumped and ready they stood as relaxed as a distance runner ready for the gun. Then the realization hit. They had been too good, if that is possible. The show would not start until 10:00 am. They would spend the next hour reminding each other of that fact. Most likely, nobody would be coming for an hour. Finally 10:00 am arrived and with it came waves of families with kids and unescorted teens. They arrived in droves. Child attendance ran into the healthy hundreds. Any fears of throwing a party and nobody showing up quickly vanished in a fog of questions and children asking permission to sit in the car.

Checking out a 1909 Pope Hartford

With any creative effort be it a book, song, movie, website or experience you can rarely predict what piece will capture the audience’s fancy. In the case of the Collectible Car Fair, the secret sauce that brought everything to life came in the form of a game called the “Fun Hunt for Car Facts,” a twenty question quiz.” The Fun Hunt posed questions relating to the cars on display. Children who got all the questions correct on a supplied answer sheet would have his or her photo taken sitting in their favorite car by the event photographer. Then, at a later date, the library would present the child with a large poster of that photograph.

In retrospect the Fun Hunt created a spacious open field of beautiful cars surrounded by kids clutching pens and quizzes in hand while flitting from one car and owner to the next like bees in a garden. Children interviewed owners and together with parents bonded into a research team working in search of answers. More than 50 children earned a poster that would capture a moment that could become a lifetime memory. But wait! More opportunities existed to engage young attendees. They could sign up to be a judge.

Backseat driver enjoying the 1965 GTO

The inspiration for the Collectible Car Fair came out of concerns expressed by members of my on-going Collectible Automobiles As A Passion class I began over a decade ago at the Ridgewood, New Jersey Community School. Members of the class expressed a concern about the future of the classic car culture. fueled by their concerns I suggested the Fair. The men and women immediately embraced the idea. Building on the concept the thought of children judging the cars attracted great support.

Bob Austin, a retired automobile industry executive and experienced concours judge who co-teaches the Collectible automobiles class volunteered to hold a class. Children could preregister with the library before the show. On the day of the show they could attend the class and learn the basics of judging. Children who attended the class each received a Certificate of Recognition before an applauding show audience. After the show Austin said, “They learned well, as demonstrated by the competency and focus they showed in selecting the best cars from an impressive field of historic automobiles.

One of 3 youth judging groups with their Certificates of Recognition. (L) Bob Austin (R) Burton Hall

In reflecting on the success of the event, Dave Franz, Director of the hosting Hillsdale Library says, “”I’ve always thought of libraries as ‘share’ spaces, where people pass on their knowledge and skills to others, whether it be books, exhibits, or lectures and workshops. To see the joyful owners of these historic automobiles sharing their passion with the youth of our community is to see the essence of learning in action at a public library. It was a great day.”

As to the vibe created by the event, Valerie Festa a class member involved in managing the Fun Hunt for Car Facts says, “The heartfelt gratitude expressed by the parents was profoundly moving. They were so happy and thankful.”

Dr. Charles Lennon, who brought his 1962 Lotus 7, says “I have judged at numerous concours and shown at many others. I must say, I have never experienced such an engaging opportunity to share the joy of classic automobiles with children. Even my grandchildren came. This event was definitely special for me and for them.”

Youth judges check out 1986 911 Porsche and 1961 Corvette

Betsy Gelotte, owner of a 1961 Triumph TR3A on display, says “The kids and parents were so excited and appreciative. The children embraced the responsibility of judging and the challenge of the Fun Hunt with such great enthusiasm!”

Galen Royer one of three accomplished and seasoned car enthusiasts who supervised a team of youth judges may have made the most insightful comment. While anecdotal, it remains impressive when Royer says, “Other than for taking a photograph, I did not observe anyone using their cell phone.”

In reflecting on what distinguished and differentiated the Collectible Car Fair from all other car shows, two things stand out. One  being the high quality of the individuals who hosted their cars and the individuals who manned the event functions. Secondly a factor unquestionably unique to this show resides in the value of partnering with a respected library featuring a bright and energetic director. When good people work together great things can happen. Clearly the case with the Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens.

Future car guy with 1993 Viper

As to what comes next, my hope is that the Collectible Car Fair idea Johnny Appleseeds its way across the country.” Anyone interested can contact the Hillsdale Free Public Library (info@hfpl.org). I have created a basic production guide describing how to run your own Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens.

 

By |2024-09-19T15:35:53+00:00September 14th, 2024|2 Comments

Cars We Love & Who We Are #54

Brimming with the unbridled enthusiasm of a true believer blind to the many pitfalls that could await, I plunged into the personal uncharted waters of classic car event planning. Together I and my cohort of equally eager enthusiasts, set forth to create a classic car interactive show targeted to those  eighteen years of age and under. This group represented an audience that we believed would be primed to embrace the culture, art and excitement of the  greatest gift of the industrial age, the automobile, if presented properly.

To the best of my knowledge such an event as the “Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens” has never been attempted, at least not in America. And if not here, the world’s most car-centric nation, then where else? As the show date of September 8th fast approaches, an interested observer could rightfully ask “How’s it going?”

The answer might surprise you.

America’s First Car Show for Kids?

1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen

So the phone rings. A gentleman named Joe (Not his real name. I will explain later.) says he heard that I needed a Model T for a Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens. He said he loved the idea of the event and wanted to lend his support. I thanked him but said that I had just found the Model T I wanted the day before. Joe responded saying, “What else do you need?” I asked, “What else do you have?” He answered saying, “I have everything.” My wall clock showed 9:30 am. By 11:45 my car sat in his driveway. Looking up from the engine bay of what I assessed to be a late 1930’s Ford Phaeton, Joe welcomed me. Middle aged with a big frame and friendly demeanor, His warm greeting and extended hand made me feel at ease right away. Shutting off the Ford, Joe, joined by his father, the originator of this stunning collection, directed me inside the building located behind him. Thus commenced a guided tour through multiple buildings.

1908 Pope Hartford

All featured walls and ceilings adorned with a priceless array of vintage automobilia, so tightly packed, it left little wall surface visible. The buildings, themselves, housed a literal Pantheon of early to mid-20th century significant automobiles packed chock-a-block shoulder to shoulder. Indeed for that era, he had everything and they pretty much all ran. Display vehicles included a curved dash Olds, Brass Era beauties, handsome brawny 30’s Packards, Mercedes-Benz 300 SLs and Corvettes to name a few. He spread his arms wide to include vehicles available to be viewed and sat in by the “Kids and Teens.” Joe then said he had a few suggestions, though I could name anything I felt best suited my needs. His suggestions filled critical gaps in a visual telling of 20th century automobile history. He directed my attention to the rear of the large room to present suggestion number one. There stood a Brass Era beauty, a 1908 Pope Hartford. A splendid brass bedecked self-propelled white carriage suitable for Cinderella. Joe said that despite the considerable distance, he would drive His Pope Hartford to the show.

1941 Willys Jeep

After all he would be shipping it to California to participate in a driving tour. His second recommendation offered up a classic firmly planted in American history. He pointed to a perfect and authentically outfitted 1941 Willys WWII Jeep including mounted 50 caliber machine gun, yes the gun has been plugged. Saving the best for last, he directed me to a backroom where stood one of the 70 1886 Benz Patent-MotorWagen reproductions built by Mercedes-Benz to celebrate the first automobile. Thanks to the generosity of Joe and his father all three vehicles will be at the show. Indeed except for the 1886 Patent-MotorWagen, children will be free to sit in and experience these time machines as with all other cars on display. As to Joe’s false name, some degree of anonymity is appreciated when dealing with a collection like his.

Indeed surprises abounded. In calling upon my friend Henry to request he bring his stunning 1933 Packard, Henry politely demurred. He felt uneasy about bringing a car that had not been on the road much lately. He did, however, offer an alternative. He asked if it would be acceptable for him to bring his 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I? Absolutely! I had to remind him having the Rolls on display meant that a child would be allowed to sit in the car. Henry responded saying, “That’s what seats are for.” In the not necessarily unwarranted protective mindset of classic car ownership, the counterintuitive nature of Henry’s response reflected the mindset of the many participants bringing their cherished vehicles to share with new generations of potential car enthusiasts. Participating owner comments seemed to reflect an overriding sense of “passing on a baton” of stewardship that transcended material concerns.

Rolls-Royce Phantom 1

Dean who will be bringing his 1968 Mustang, rescheduled his overseas travel plans to accommodate the Collectible Car Fair date. I believe this depth of commitment to stewardship reflects a widely held concern in the car enthusiast community for the future well being of the classic automobile culture.

Being an event focused on school age children, I felt it natural to reach out to school systems in the surrounding area. Taking the direct approach I walked unannounced into the offices of the Superintendent of Schools for the regional high school district. Sometimes you just get lucky. I happened to walk in with everyone gathered in the conference room for a staff meeting. Inviting myself in, the genial gathering asked how they could be of help. I quickly delivered my best elevator speech. A lovely bright eyed and charming woman offered to be of help. As she directed me into her office I realized that I had just met Sarah Billotti Superintendent of Schools for the Pascack Valley Regional High School District. I quickly laid out my plan. The Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens would be as hands-on as you could get. Children would be welcome to sit in each vehicle on display and experience the living history of the greatest gift of the industrial age, the automobile. Through this hands-on experience students would have the opportunity to better understand the history, character, beauty, and excitement of the iconic vehicles that revolutionized individual lives and forever changed global culture in the 20th century. Our goal: to create fertile ground for promoting probing questions from bright young minds. Ms. Bilotti embraced the idea and directed me to contact the principals at both high schools comprising the district. As I prepared to leave, a very brief but telling experience took place. It would be repeated numerous times in my efforts to connect with people in a position to support the event. As I headed for the door, Ms. Bilotti called my attention to her cell phone. She recalled a great time she had just spent in Paris with her daughters. The picture she shared showed the vehicle in which they toured Paris, a 1970s VW bus.

1993 Dodge Viper

Over the coming week I met with three local high school principals John Puccio, Tim Wieland and Troy Lederman. All three could not have been more supportive. All had stories relating to personal experiences or faculty involved with classic cars. They especially liked the “Careers in Restoration and Related Fields” class we would be holding after the Fair ended. Not very child should go to college and for those who seek a different path, significant opportunities exist. This was highlighted in a recent Wall Street Journal article “Gen-Z Skilled-Trade Workers Are Making #BlueCollar Cool” (June 12, 2024).

Local police have embraced the Fair as a great community outreach effort. Library Director Dave Franz and his staff at the co-sponsoring Hillsdale, NJ Library actively and creatively support the Fair as a means for exposing children to a great resource for discovering and exploring new interests. It is edifying to see how the Fair has captured the attention of these institutions dedicated to the education and growth of the children they serve.

Our efforts have produced an extraordinary curated stable of thirty historically significant cars running the gamut from the aforementioned Benz Patent-Motorwagen to a Ford GT. Equally impressive, the Fair will be staffed by a gifted team of knowledgeable and engaging car enthusiasts.

I must admit that I have not accepted all offers for support. The great folks at Hemmings asked about advertizing the Fair. I declined. Why? As I have explained to all of the team involved in this first effort, in preparing for their first flight Wilbur Wright did not suggest to Orville Wright that they fly to Los Angeles. Getting airborne for 100 feet would be considered a success. I want to get this off the ground for 100 feet. I would then like the car enthusiast community to embrace the idea of the Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens and spread it across the nation.

As I explained to the folks at Hemmings. Rather than invite the world and have it show up like a tsunami of interest, I would much rather publish a story after the event that describes its local success.

By |2024-08-25T12:42:14+00:00August 25th, 2024|Comments Off on Cars We Love & Who We Are #54

Cars We Love & Who We Are #53

Carving a two-lane groove through verdant New England forests and farmland, Elaine and I had a morning’s worth of country miles under our belt. Having departed the Ira Allen House B&B in Sunderland Vt. and with Vermont now rapidly fading in the rear view mirror, a sharp left bend in the road revealed a sight that sent my foot off the gas. I found us fast approaching the tail of an post-war teal blue Studebaker pickup. Standing tall, proud and slow on its skinny bias-ply tires, it provided a window to yesterday on a timeless country road. Being in no particular hurry, I locked on to its 35 mph cruising speed and enjoyed the view. In a decision that would prove to significantly upgrade our planned day’s experience, I followed the truck as it exited the back road for a rural rest stop.

I was about to learn how to correctly pronounce Schaghticoke(?).

Classic Trucks Loaded with Memories

Don Dorr’s 1947 Studebaker Pickup

By the time I had pulled over and exited Elaine’s Honda Ridgeline, the man who I would later come to know as Don Dorr had the Studebaker’s hood up and his head buried in the engine bay. “It’s running hot,” said Don sensing my presence. “I think it’s a loose fan belt. You got a pry bar of sorts in your truck?” Don asked. Sadly, I had to say “No.” Though with the Ridgeline being Elaine’s truck, I did have a yoga mat at the ready if needed. Luckily Don carried a pocket full of wrenches and quickly tightened down the belt.

With the Studebaker returned to proper functionality, I took the opportunity to find out about the man. A spritely 88-years old, Don explained that he had been collecting trucks and cars for over 65 years. He recalled his first truck being a 1935 Ford pickup.

Don Dorr and friend with his Studebaker

Since then entries into his collection have ranged up to B61 and B53 Mack road tractors both of which he restored. In the case of the teal blue Studebaker, he has had it for the last 15 of those 65 years. “Why a Studebaker?” I ask. Don says, “I used to sell Studebakers in the 1960s until they went out of business. I bought this one for old time’s sake and I just like them.” When it comes to the cars Don has collected his tastes  run to the eclectic and clearly not main stream. In reflecting on cars he recalls owning Don says, “A couple of Nashs, four or five Crosleys and a Kaiser-Darrin come to mind.” As the morning sun edges higher in the sky, it’s time for both of us to get back on the road. Shaking hands, I ask his destination. Don responds saying, “The big Uncle Sam Chapter of the ATCA (Antique Truck Club of America) Show at the Schaghticoke (shag-ag-it-e co-kee – don’t think so), New York Fair Grounds. Intrigued, this information reprograms our itinerary. I love trucks, especially old trucks. Macks, Brockways, Whites, Autocars, Internationals, Corbitts, I love them all. I hustle back to the road first to get in front of rather than behind Don’s poky pickup. I am pumped for this country truck show.

I love serendipity. Snaking along back roads to Schaghticoke (sugar-hite-cookie?), Elaine sights a rural farmers market. We stop. Its early. The antique trucks will be in no hurry to leave the Schaghticoke (chuga-ticky?)  Fair grounds . Elaine mentions our truck show destination to a woman vendor. She energetically responds saying, “My girlfriend Tami runs that show.” Can’t make this up. We are on our way.

Rural New York State sits replete with destinations usually associated with the phrase “You can’t get there from here.” This most often translates into patchwork journeys packed with “Go a mile and take a turn” connections. The journey to Schaghticoke (Shaga-hata-coke?) served as the perfect poster child for such back road ramblings.

Elaine checking out the truck show

Not being in a hurry serves well as grease smoothing road trips that could otherwise be described as a grind. Finally the sprawling fair grounds come into view. Home to Stock Car Football Demo Derbies, Farm Tractor Pulls, Lucky E Rodeo and Monster truck events, I have a good feeling as I pull in and pay my four dollar entry fee. I am not disappointed either by the Uncle Sam Truck Show or the gracious and accommodating people involved.

Passing through the fair ground’s entrance gate we had the good fortune to meet the aforementioned Tami, the President of the Uncle Sam chapter of the ATCA. Against a broad vista of mostly pristine and often glistening Class 8 road tractors (Those comprising the pulling component of a semi) I sat down to ask the smiling affable Tami Elise Winch How a nice girl like her got in a place like this? It quickly became evident her answer would be “Just lucky, I guess.”

Tami Elise Winch with her Brockway 776

Energetic and engaging, Tami enjoys twin passions with one being fine art oil painting. Her award winning work employing a photo-realistic style with a wildlife theme has hung in galleries across New York state. Tami’s other passion, proudly on display here in Schaghticoke (shag-cookie?), resides in the promotion and preservation of vintage trucks in general and Brockway trucks, a product of Cortland, NY, in particular. Tami explains her affinity for big truck saying, “As a child my folks owned a truck stop. Big rigs and truckers comprised a large part of my early life experience. Those formative early years hold many good memories.” For good measure Tami’s trucking experience in her adult years has benefitted from her relationship with Andrew Hill, her husband of 16 years. Andrew’s truck passion clearly evidences itself in his role as the National Historian and Archivist for all things Brockway truck. Inspired by his uncle’s fleet of Brockways, Andrew, 54-years old, started researching and archiving Brockway history and reference materials at the age of 10. He has never stopped.

Tami’s and Andrew’s passion for Brockway trucks manifests itself in a collection of five Brockways two very clean restorations ,a 558 and a 776 presented very well at the show.

Tami’s path to the chapter’s presidency really qualifies more as a rescue mission than a coronation. Tami says, “The Uncle Sam Club chapter of the ATCA had been together for 22 years. Andrew had started the chapter in 2002. Unfortunately, the Covid years took a toll on public participation opportunities. Tami says, “It hurt our organization badly.” By 2023 the truck club stood on the brink of folding. Those who had been in charge were aging out of their leadership roles. Tami says, “With Covid and all, you could not blame them.” Timing however is everything. Tami says, ”I had been very active in the Uncle Sam Chapter for quite a while but had taken a few years off. Suddenly faced with the thought of this wonderful organization simply fading away pained me.” Tami decided to fan the embers of commitment that she believed remained. Member response proved her right. Members in rightly recognizing the good thing they had, voted Tami in as president of the Uncle Sam Chapter. Out of curiosity I asked  how did the chapter name “the Uncle Sam Chapter” come about? I expected a simple answer, I got an American history lesson. Uncle Sam, yes, that Uncle Sam really existed  and he grew up in nearby Troy, New York.

Samuel “Uncle Sam” Wilson

Now, boys and girls put on your history hats and prepare to return to the early years of the 19th century and the War of 1812 fought with the British. During that time, Troy native son, the genial Samuel Wilson operated a local meat packing business. It employed many of his nephews and supplied provisions to the United States Army. With meat for American troops in short supply Samuel Wilson packed meat into barrels to be shipped to soldiers preparing for battle with the British troops stationed in Canada. As meat rations were a rare treat, soldiers receiving these most welcome supplies wanted to know who should be thanked. The answer came, “Uncle Sam.” As the barrels of meat had “US” stamped on them, it did not take long for soldiers to joke that the stamped US and Uncle Sam represented one in the same. And so Uncle Sam entered American lore. As long departed radio personality Paul Harvey used to say, “Now you know the rest of the story.” And now we will return to present day events in Schaghticoke (chauta-cookie?).

One of Tami’s first actions called for bringing the Uncle Sam Truck Show to Schaghticoke Fair Grounds. I asked her if she chose the sight because of its ease of pronunciation. Tami, with the feigned countenance of a frustrated teacher addressing a slow student,  says, “It’s pronounced Sha-Tuh-Kuk.” And with laughter in her eyes Tami adds, “It’s easy for folks raised around here.” Ouch! I deserved that.

Tami’s decision to move the Uncle Sam Chapter Show to Schaghticoke hit it out of the park. With 150 registered entries and additional same day show-ups, the 2024 show exceeded all expectations and surpassed any event turnout in the history of the club. Uncle Sam would be pleased. Well prepared by Tami to enjoy the show, I commenced to immerse myself in a bounty of primarily Class 8 truck motor muscle.

Ken Brower’s 1951 Mack A-51

A glistening ruby in the stark sunlight of the clear summer afternoon, a brilliant red 1951 A-51 Mack tandem axle tractor pulling a stainless steel tanker drew me like a moth to a glowing porch bulb. Its brightwork displayed like polished silver in a red jeweler’s case. Simply stunning. Even more astounding, this immaculate muscular gem shining in an upstate New York regional truck show came from North Haledon, NJ. I could not wait to talk to the owner. Sadly, I could not find him. So, Ken Brower wherever you are, You have a great truck. Moving on, I encountered a sight that delivered a double shot of happiness inducing Dopamine.

Tony Papa’s 1949 Mack LJ

Moving down the row a beautifully restored 1949 “LJ” Mack tandem axle tractor dominated my field of vision. To my further delight off in the distance sat Don Dorr’s 1947 Studebaker. No longer overheating, the teal blue pickup had made it to the show. Don saw me and gave a thumbs up.

Returning my attention to the handsome 1949 Mack, I had the pleasure of meeting its owner and restorer Tony Papa. A lifelong truck guy, Tony has been collecting trucks since he got out of high school in the 1980s. Tanned and fit, Tony explained that he had first set eyes on this Mack as it moldered in a neighbor’s nearby field. Only a true car, motorcycle or truck guy can understand the use of “Love at first sight” when referring to a vehicle. For Tony, this Mack pressed all the right buttons. A long running tale of unrequited love, the truck sat loved but unmoved for decades as Tony waited. With his, now, grown children in their pre-teen years the chance arrived. The owner stipulated if Tony could get that tired only Mack running, the owner would sell it to him. Tony did not hesitate. Surprise, he got it running. Shortly thereafter, In 2005, Tony flat-bedded it to his farm. There he rolled it into his 30 ft. by 100 ft. workshop garage and set it on jack stands. There it would reside in various states of condition for years as Tony embarked on a full body-off, chassis-up restoration.

Me, as a car guy who can pretty much physically move most parts associated with a car, I have always wondered how guys restored big Class 8 trucks containing a wealth of parts that could pin you to the mat like a 500-pound sumo wrestler. Tony, who looks like a wrestler, explained saying, “I’ve got a big gantry on wheels. I have two 5-ton chain falls suspended from the gantry.” He rigged up a system using four by fours that went through the cab doors. Rugs provided cushioning for protection. Tony Says, “With everything in position I just lifted the cab right off the frame. I’ve got transmission jacks to drop the transmission. Using the gantry I pulled the motor as well as the rears.”

Before saying good-bye to Tony and ending my time in Schaghticoke, I asked for one of his best memories associated with his Mack. Tony says, “It’s part of the memories with my kids. They helped me pull things apart.” He continued saying, “I told them you can’t hurt it. Just start unscrewing things. We had a lot of fun doing that back when they were young.”

I have read that the difference between pleasure and joy can be found in the fact joy that involves not only pleasure but the sharing of pleasure with other people in a way that produces happy memories. Clearly, for Tony, his Mack truck brings him joy.

Travel notes:

Ira Allen Inn, – Rustic, Historic, Next to Battenkill River, a premier trout stream in VT. nice location, great hospitality.

Look for the 2025 Uncle Sam Chapter Truck Show at Schaghticoke Fair Grounds next summer located a pleasant 40-minute drive from the Saratoga Springs Car Museum .

By |2024-08-01T13:09:15+00:00August 1st, 2024|3 Comments

Cars We Love & Who We Are #52

I am really pleased. My adult school class of car enthusiasts loves the idea of hosting a Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens. A palpable excitement swept the predominantly “Boomer” filled classroom. They embraced the thought of introducing some of the most significant automobiles of the 20th century to pre-teens and early adolescents, a cohort some fear to be oblivious to classic car culture and, worse, much of American history. Yet I believe these youthful digital natives possess an un innate yearning to feed a neglected hunger for positive real life hands-on experiences. The visceral pleasure of the analog driving experience being one excellent example.

Dauntingly, with this task comes the challenge of creating a meaningful and engaging hands-on experience for today’s Generation Alpha Digital Natives (Born after 2010). This latest wave of new born humanity has entered the world after the death of the new car brochure, the ascendance of Uber and the displacement of Henry Ford by Elon Musk as the reigning father of personal transportation. On the positive side  the Wall Street Journal recently reported writing, “Stick shift sales (While still a small percentage) have rebounded over the past three years, fueled by younger buyers.

Making it Happen: Collectible Car Fair for Kids and Teens

 

The profound impact of the automobile’s introduction in the early 1900s manifested throughout the known world but nowhere more so than in a strapping young 20th century America ready to take its place on the world stage. Like a snap shift of tectonic plates, the impact of the automobile’s introduction on global society cannot be overestimated. Interestingly a single word captures the source of power that compelled society’s wild embrace of the automobile. The ground shaking power of this word revolutionized the life of every individual as well as the fabric of modern society in general. That word? Freedom! Freedom as granted by the automobile to all races, colors and creeds of common man, unmistakably represented the Industrial Age’s greatest gift to social mobility, in more ways than one.

Some fear that the appreciation for the awesome privilege of freedom no longer resonates with newer generations. It would seem that boys  and girls have not been raised to appreciate the largess and independence that they largely take for granted. Many of today’s youth experience a life fraught with digitally induced stress and anxiety. Driven to distraction in a social media world of likes and influencers, today’s children too often are in danger of self-sealing into tactile deprivation bubbles. However, all may not be lost. The previously referenced Wall Street Journal article quotes one stick shifting digital native who says, “Computer people are car people. Half of my co-workers drive manuals.”

Children benefit from positive hands-on experiences that address all of their senses. It constructively counterbalances the gravitational pull of the social media consciousness that draws them away from recognizing and appreciating the full mental, physical, emotional and spiritual richness of a life well lived.

For today’s youth a vast informational marketplace offering interpretations of history, experiences and contemporary events resides at their finger tips. However, to what sources do those fingers point? Apparently more often than not the fingers of contemporary youth point to undisciplined sites like TikTok for information. As a highly respected English teacher I once knew preached to her writing classes, “Don’t tell me, show me.” My class agrees. For them a virtual world offers no match for the sensory feast available in the real world. It calls to mind the “feelies” in Aldous Huxley’s literary classic Brave New World. Life in the story’s totalitarian state promotes a soulless world of sizzle, not steak.

In presenting the Classic Car Fair for Kids and Teens idea to Dave Franz the Director of the Hillsdale Free Public Library, I found a supportive kindred spirit and creative resource. Dave says, “The Hillsdale Library strives to provide a place for people to share their enthusiasm and passion. Equally important it equips individuals to expand their awareness of the world around them. This event offers children and their parents the opportunity to interact with people passionate about the history, excitement and significance of classic automobiles.”

With the availability of Hillsdale’s splendid library and its spacious parking made available, we picked a date and a time. The Library would host the Fair on Sunday September 8th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Game on!

HAVE A SEAT – In creating our hands-on event, our intention calls for us to keep it simple. Our goal demands we keep it real. The Collectible Car Fair will be as hands-on as you can get. Children will be welcome to sit in each vehicle on display and experience the living history of the greatest gift of the industrial age. Through this hands-on experience students will better understand the character, beauty, and excitement of the iconic vehicles that revolutionized individual lives and forever changed global culture in the 20th century.

We hope to create fertile ground for promoting probing questions from bright young minds. Such questions might be:

  • What makes this car special?
  • Why is the steering wheel so big?
  • Why three pedals?
  • Why are there crank handles on the door panels?
  • Why did they put fins on cars?
  • What is a Muscle Car?
  • Why doesn’t this car have side windows?
  • What does road feel mean?
  • Unlike older cars why do new cars all look the same?
  • Why does it seem old cars are more fun?
  • When my grandfather was young, why were teenage guys so interested in cars?
  • What is meant by “Freedom of the road?”
  • Why were there songs about cars in the 1960s?
  • What was a drive-in movie?

Event staffing will be by men and women from the “Collectible Automobiles as a Passion” class. These knowledgeable car enthusiasts wearing their GUIDE button own the individual models of well maintained classic automobiles to be displayed. They will be prepared to speak knowingly about their vehicle and the year in the 20th century when the vehicle came to market.  Cars on display will include a 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1, 1970 Plymouth Superbird, 1961 C1 Corvette, 1962 Lotus 7, 1974 DeTomaso Pantera, 1986 911 Porsche, 1956 Thunderbird, 1959 Cadillac and many more. Each car will bear a windshield placard offering selected facts about the vehicle and America in that year. For the 1961 Corvette and 1974 Pantera the placards would read:

1961 Corvette

Staff members can not only discuss the technical and design features of their car, they can explain why this car has special meaning for them.

For children the power of “story” can be profound. Everybody loves a good story. A car someone holds dear often provides a vehicle for relating an important aspect of the owner’s life. For me, I have owned my 1961 Corvette for 57 years. Over the span of my lifetime every meaningful person in my life has sat in that car.

 

 

And for the hands-on experience, just what will the children be putting their hands on? A few examples are:

1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom

1928 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM 1

Representing the finest automobile of its time and the expression of superior quality and luxury that continues to this day. Built by hand

with the finest materials and the most exacting technical specifications. The automobile brand favored by the fabulously rich, the outrageously famous and the most elevated royalty.

 

1952 MGTD

This little spindly wheeled British sports car that came to America right after WWII brought home by American soldiers who had fallen in love with it in England. It created an exciting new class of automobiles in America, the “sports car.” That it had no roll up windows, a frail leaky convertible top and under-powered engine did not matter. America loved it.

 

1963 356 PORSCHE

Nicknamed the bathtub Porsche because of its rounded lines, the 356 took America by storm. A lightweight and nimble-handling, rear-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-door sports car it came as both a hardtop coupé and convertible. After coming to America in the early 1950s this spirited German sports car quickly became a dominant force on mid 20th century race tracks.

 

1963 Porsche 356

1965 PONTIAC GTO

The 1965 GTO belongs to the first generation of the Pontiac midsize 2-door coupe equipped with a high performance V8 engine. Generally recognized as the car that ushered in the era of the American Muscle Car and the associated Detroit horsepower wars.

 

1982 DELOREAN

Most famous for its role in the hit movie series “Back to the Future,” The DeLorean owes its existence to the same man who created the Pontiac GTO, John DeLorean. All DeLoreans were silver due to their bodies being stainless steel as DeLorean did not want his car to rust. Actually the factory in Belfast, Ireland that built the DeLorean produced two non-silver versions. They were gold plated for an American Express promotion.

1965 Pontiac GTO

LEARNING TO JUDGE – Children will also have the opportunity to learn how competing cars are judged at a car show. Children who register in advance with the Hillsdale Library can attend a “How to judge a car” class given on the morning of the event. The class will be taught by experienced concours judge, automotive journalist, past Director of the Rolls-Royce Club of America and friend of Drivin’ News Bob Austin. All registrants who complete the class will have the opportunity to actually judge vehicles on display. All children who complete the class and participate in judging will receive a certificate of recognition.

FUN FACT HUNT –  To further involve the children, a “Fun Hunt for Car Facts” will challenge them to find answers to a list of questions relating to the classic cars on display. Each child finding all the correct answers will win a poster of himself or herself posing with their favorite car.

1982 DeLorean

CAREERS – Closing out the event McPherson College graduate and McPherson student mentor Nicholas Navarro will present on the topic of college degree and non-degree opportunities associated with classic car restoration and automotive technology.

HILLSDALE LIBRARY -A benefit available throughout the Fair will be Dave’s availability to provide information on materials available at the library relating to classic cars, the automobile industry and the car culture. As well, Hillsdale Library offers knowledgeable staff, extensive reading lists, available movies, how to videos and a vast array of materials and experiences accessible through the Bergen County network of libraries (BCCLS).

Hillsdale Library also features a vintage truck enthusiast. That would be Library Director Dave. He and his son are restoring Dave’s grandfather’s 1949 Chevy 3100 pick-up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By |2024-07-11T13:06:54+00:00July 11th, 2024|Comments Off on Cars We Love & Who We Are #52

Conversations With People We Value #55

So the friendly hostess at the Tom Quick Inn in Milford, PA says, “Oh yes, three blocks down, turn right and go a short ways. It’ll be on your left. Mr. Helms sells all kinds of real old cars there.” Her words possessed a genial warmth that clearly communicated this man’s position as a long time and respected member of the community.

With my penchant for exploring blue highways and back roads, a “Sure do” response when asking local folk about knowing any interesting neighborhood car people fires the passion I possess for the car culture and, certainly demands investigation.

Meet Mr. “T,” Dave Helms, a life-long vintage Ford enthusiast and the go-to guy for Germans looking to buy a Model T.

This Mr. “T” Sells 100-year Old Fords to German Car Enthusiasts

Dave Helms with his T Roadster pick-up

In a split second, mid-20th century memories of gas stations from my youth rushed to mind. In pulling into Dave Helms’ Gulf station in Milford, PA, I had crossed over the iconic pressurized black air hose of yesteryear. Its analog age purpose, to trigger a bell alerting a pump jockey that a new customer had pulled in. That bell alert, once a ubiquitous element of Americana, now found itself scarcer than a red, crank “Tireflator” dispensing free air.

Finding a space to park, I pulled up alongside a 1918 Ford Model T Runabout. Apparently in fighting trim, it appeared ready to confidently sputter down the country lane bordering the station.

Inside Dave’s Office

The station’s front glass door hung open propped by a kitchen chair. Positioned to its right stood the cage housing Dave’s prize chicken, Henrietta. I breezed through the open doorway. Henrietta a champion egg layer, pecking for food on her cage floor, seemed nonplussed by any human foot traffic. Through the door and no more than three steps in, I found myself immersed in a living archive recalling 100-years of American car culture.

Clean and organized though festooned with black and white photos of family and yesterday, the office of Helm’s Service Station and Antique Autos clearly reflected the man who built it all, Dave Helms. A spry 75-years of age, Dave’s workday at first appeared to me to alternate between doing paper work at his organized desk, chatting with his many friends and moving with a deliberate pace from behind his desk to pump gas for his mostly local clientele. I would soon come to learn that Dave’s life involved far more than first met my eye. Despite the fact that in Pennsylvania you can pump your own gas, it does not seem that Dave regularly affords many customers the chance to do so at his Gulf station. Dave with his genial nature, retains the personal service ethos acquired in his youth.

Dave’s Grandparents during WWII

Hesitant to speak at first, Dave warmed up to describing various photos displayed around the room. He explained the faded black and white photo of a couple posing by a 1940 White tanker truck. It showed his grandparents when they ran the station during WWII. Though a fuel delivery truck, tires hung draped all over the truck. Dave explained that during the war the scarcity of tires made tire repair critical for the civilian population. Starting in 1942 a civilian could keep just five tires. All others had to be surrendered to authorities. Civilians received stern warnings that no one could trade, buy, or even recap tires. Everyone took great care to routinely inspect tires twice a week or more. People checked air pressure and searched for small “cuts or bruises” in order to immediately repair them before a catastrophic failure. The fuel truck came draped with civilian tires needing repair. To emphasize the point of the photo, Dave’s grandfather has a tire hanging around his neck.

Dave tells the story how the station began in 1930 when a Scranton, PA coal company needed a fuel stop for its coal trucks making deliveries to New York City. Contracting with the coal company, Dave’s grandfather put in a gasoline storage tank to refuel the coal trucks. Diesel was not used as a truck fuel until after WWII. Any time of day or night a coal truck could pull up, toot its horn and Dave’s grandfather would come out to do the refueling. This arrangement lasted until 1932 when Dave’s grandfather after two years of steady requests from locals wanting to buy gas, opened as a retail gas station. Decades moved on until 1969 when, with the passing of first his grandparents and then his father, Dave took over the business. However, five years earlier, 1964 would have seen Dave buy and sell his first old Ford.

Industrious even as a teenager, Dave took on the family business started by his grandparents. In the ensuing years Dave developed two paint and body shops, expanded the gas station, built the used antique car business, bought real estate and worked 362 days a year. On what three days did he close? Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Close, yes, but relax? Not so much.

Dave explains that every Thanksgiving he clears the warehouse storing his vintage car inventory. Once emptied he blows out the building and cleans the cars. New Years Day he picks a random project that needs doing. On Christmas he actually relaxes.

Interestingly only the last ten or fifteen years has seen his Model T business blossom. Even more surprising the driving force shaping his newfound market came from dedicated Model T enthusiasts located in Germany of all places. Dave says over the last decade or so he has sold hundreds of Model Ts, with most delivered to Germany. Now, before exploring the German affinity for Model Ts, a worthy first step begins with the vehicles Dave sells and where he finds them or in some cases how they find him. Keep in mind Dave stocks his inventory with clean vehicles in good running condition. One of Dave’s gifts resides in his ability to find those clean and mechanically sound examples. The Model Ts he buys do not need major restoration. Shortcomings Dave considers acceptable may call for minor mechanical or cosmetic work.

As we arrive at one of Dave’s storage facilities. Doors rumble open. And there it is. If I had a spare garage, this one would go in it. Standing front and center, a 1926 Model T Roadster Pickup simply screams, FUN! Understandably, limited by a comfortable top speed of 35 mph and an uncomfortable one of 38 mph this little gem has few places to call home on modern roadways, but still for $7,900? I move on.

So what other gems does Dave have in stock and where did he find them? Dave says, “For most of these Model Ts and some Model As, owners come to us. People with these cars know about us. For instance, let’s say you inherited a very clean Model T with your father’s estate and want to sell it. Many people don’t want to place an ad because they don’t know who’s going to come to their house. So they’d sooner come to us.”

Model T Tour in Utah

Dave’s inventory presently has 20 cars including ten Model T’s, four Model As, six mixed makes and one 1925 Model T snow mobile with skis and tank treads. A very cool feature for the ski chalet crowd. Dave also possesses a very large German fan base which includes a robust 350 member Model T club. Over the past decade Dave has shipped many Model Ts to enthusiastic club members. Membership enthusiasm reached a point where, four years ago, the club planned for what some might consider an insane transcontinental adventure. A group of Germans would come to America, buy five Model Ts on the east coast and drive them, without a chase car carrying spares, to California. They would begin their cross country Model T tour in, where else, Milford, PA. There they would buy the five model Ts from Dave Helms. Dave did all he could to get the seven men and three women (wives of three drivers) as prepared as possible to deal with the unexpected.

Map of tour path

For two years in advance, Dave had his regular good spot at the Fall Hershey show and, on his truck, he mounted a sign announcing the German Model T Club plan to cross America. Dave says, “We had a map of the route they intended to take. We asked if you or your car club would offer volunteer help for breakdowns in your area. After Hershey I started getting phone calls. So based on generous offers of help, the Germans re-routed as much as 100 miles off their first planned rout just to connect with the volunteers.” In one case the Tour re-routed to an airplane hangar in Michigan. There they met 30 members of a Model T Club. Some volunteers had taken days off from work. The volunteers changed oil and tires. Dave says, “We hooked up with Snyder’s Auto Parts in Ohio. The volunteers would call Snyder as they used a part and Snyder would over-night the part to the Tour’s next location. Everything worked fine. It was a beautiful thing”. It all ended well with the Germans reaching California and shipping their Model Ts back to Germany.

Now, what next for Dave as he enters the fourth quarter on life’s gridiron? Having come to know Dave, a safe bet would be more of the same with a caveat. Our interview reached a conclusion decided by Dave’s appointment with his mower and the large grounds that needed to be tended with him responsible for the tending. Dave acknowledges the inevitability of change looms. He noted that the market for his primarily century-old specialty is aging out of the culture.

Dave Helms

Dave says, “We used to sell almost 100 cars a year, you know back 20 years ago. Now it’s less every year. Last year we sold eight cars. People who like these cars are selling. They’re not buying. They’re going to nursing homes or moving to Florida.” He also attributes the decline of his market to the large television presence of live auctions. He sees them as a major force in promoting muscle cars and restomods. With a wry smile Dave says, “I think a lot of people pay too much for cars at those Mega-events. I’m sure they get home and get thinking about it.”

Clearly Dave recognizes the diminishing presence of his peer group. As a result he will reduce his inventory. Equally clear Dave has no intention of voluntarily succumbing to a diminished embrace of life’s labors and associated joy. With his two paint and body shops humming, he has a few projects on the burner.

If you have the itch for a worthy road trip, a good choice will have you hugging the Delaware River on Highway 209. It will take you through Milford on the way to Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Small town Milford possesses a great vibe, live music and excellent dining. August 3rd they are having the Apple Valley Rock and Road Car and Music Festival. Spend a night at the Tom Quick Inn and stop by Helms Service Station and Antique Cars. Drive over the bell hose and meet Dave at the pump.

By |2024-06-20T19:28:23+00:00June 20th, 2024|Comments Off on Conversations With People We Value #55

Conversations With People We Value #54

A passionate car guy with a generous heart, my friend Bob never can seem capable of saying “no” when a friend needs a hand. Though he may not admit to it, I feel comfortable saying that Bob brings a wealth of knowledge and savvy to the table thanks to decades in automotive public relations, marketing and wrenching as well as years as a respected concours judge. Recently a friend reached out to Bob for help in creating an online listing for a vintage Jaguar. Being comfortable with the process as Bob had listed other cars before, he dove right in. Within 4 weeks of posting the ad on Hemmings Auctions the Jaguar had sold…but on eBay. Unfortunately Bob had never listed the car on eBay.

Bob’s distressing experience provides a painful cautionary tale for online sellers and buyers alike.

 

When Car Rustlers Stalk eBay, What Does eBay Do?

Bogus Jaguar Mark V listing on eBay

Striking in its subtle two-tone grey livery, this 1950 Jaguar Mark V Drophead Coupe did not project the conventional vintage Jaguar image of the lithe 2-seat English sports car proudly boasting seductive feminine curves that cloaked the power and speed of a jungle cat. Not so this Jaguar. Stately and elegant with seating for five, this finely finished Mark V screamed (Assuming one can scream with quiet dignity) high end motoring luxury ideally suited for cruising along country lanes in transit from the townhouse to the country manor. Powered by a 6-cylinder engine of pre-WWII design delivering 126 horsepower, its performance, though not spirited, could be described as adequate.

The Mark V’s handsome upright stature draped with voluptuous fender lines and rear fender spats would fit easily among spirits of ecstasy and flying Bs of the period. Its handsome presence would attract more than a few admiring glances.

Its three-position drophead convertible design allowed the car  to be driven with the top fully erect, fully stowed or partially retracted to expose the front seats like a sedanca. A lavishly trimmed interior featured a full gauge array set in a highly polished burled walnut dash. As well, burled walnut trim adorned a warm and inviting interior bedecked in rich Connolly leather and deep wool Wilton carpet.

Treasured for many years, the time had come for the Mark V to change hands.

Charged with the responsibility of its disposition, Bryan who had serviced the car had been called upon by the Mark V’s octogenarian owner to arrange its sale. Bryan, with decades of Jaguar experience operated of one of the most respected Jaguar restoration and repair shops in the country  While gifted with exceptional restoration and technical skills, Bryan did not claim the same mastery with the writing and photography skills necessary to properly market the vintage Jaguar. He wisely reached out to his long time friend and fellow car enthusiast Bob. With Bob’s extensive experience in photography, copy writing and sales, he gave Bryan a high level of comfort and rightfully so. October 2023 witnessed Bob enthusiastically embark on the requisite preparation to list the Jaguar.

Having enjoyed prior success with Hemmings Auctions, both felt comfortable in trusting the sale of the Jaguar to the online arm of America’s car bible, Hemmings Motor News. While a later entry in the online marketplace Hemmings with its legions of trusting followers built over decades quickly gained momentum and market share. With the car being shipped to Florida for its owner’s use over the winter, Bob and Bryan acted quickly to prep the Jaguar for creating a full battery of images to provide a comprehensive photo profile detailing all features of the Jaguar.

Bob says, “We selected carefully from the wealth of images taken.” He continues on saying, “Buying decisions are often made based on the high quality and comprehensive nature of the photography. A buyer may never see in person the car on which he is bidding.” As well as capturing the beauty and craftsmanship evident in the car, Bob made a great effort to highlight the sound nature of certain features under the car that serious prospects would want to see, would need to see, if they harbored intentions to buy this vehicle. Bob also points out that showing everything ranks high on the must do list. He says, “As well, showing deficiencies goes a long way towards ensuring a seamless sale.” Little did Bob suspect what lay ahead. How could he? Confidently he moved forward.

Bob says, “We wrote up all of the car’s critical specifications.” He actually wrote all the necessary copy right up to the ad itself.” By November everything needed to launch sat ready. Being pre-holiday November Bob decided to go live on Hemmings Auctions after the coming seasons collector car winter kick-off with the big auctions in Kissimmee, Florida and Scottsdale, Arizona. Bob’s ad would go live on March 1, 2024. With a time frame set they reached out to the good folks at Hemmings.

Impressed with Hemmings professionalism Bob moved deliberately through the listing process. With an established reserve agreeable to both parties and a document confirming the agreed upon reserve signed, Hemmings accepted the photography and copy. With materials in hand the Hemmings staff selected images, edited Bob’s copy and created the ad that would appear on the auction site. Bob felt comfortable thanks to their thoroughness. He said, “Hemmings even asked to see a copy of the title, both the front and the back to confirm it was clean

Mark V listing on Hemmings $63k

and to corroborate the name of the owner.” What could possibly go wrong? Indeed. March 1 the ad went live on Hemmings Auctions.

One of the benefits when listing with Hemmings Auctions comes with the provision that if your vehicle does not meet the reserve in the two weeks of bidding the seller can, at no cost, switch to the Hemmings “Make Offer” site. Over the two week auction listing the bidding got close but did not meet the reserve. Bob, then chose to list it on the “Make offer” site. After about a week or so with offers closing in on the reserve Bob heard from a Hemmings’ Auctions bidder.

In a private email a party interested in the Jaguar stated the following,

“I see your Hemmings ad and I think you have a lovely car. I could be interested in it. But I have a question for you. And the question is I saw a car that looked exactly like yours and had exactly the same photography on eBay. It was on eBay for like three days in March after your ad (in Hemmings)turned from an auction to a “make offer” around March 23rd. Now, I see that that car was sold on eBay. Is that your car? Was that your car? Is your car still for sale? And what’s the story on that eBay ad?”

Gobsmacked by the message, Bob knew nothing of an ad placed on eBay. He never placed it. But when he checked eBay he found his car, his photos and his copy and the car listed as “sold” for $35,677, a fraction of its legitimate Hemmings reserve. Something had gone wrong. Very wrong and potentially very damaging to the market value of the Mark V.

Very damaging because though no one had taken possession of the Jaguar Mark V, this bogus transaction with its false lowball sales price had been archived by eBay. This false data point presently stood as part of the Mark V sales history and would corrupt value estimates forever if it could not be removed.

Bob says, “At this point the next time anybody looks up the value of a 1950 Mark V Jaguar in the way people do when considering purchasing a similar car, this false data point will put downward pressure on the Mark V’s perceived value.” Equally disruptive for professional collectible car publications and sites that track pricing trends, this false data point corrupts the accuracy of their reporting.

Bob found it infuriatingly distressing that, unlike Hemmings, eBay posted the ad without any ownership paper work or authorization to sell the car. He now set about to contact eBay. A daunting task as Bob would soon find out.

Initial eBay response

In discussing his effort to contact eBay Bob says, “First of all, it’s not that easy. In trying to communicate to eBay that you have a problem realize that eBay avoids human contact at all costs. eBay has a system that basically connects you to a computer.” Completing the online form requires the transaction number, the ad number and so on. Bob says, “On the form you describe your problem. When you have finished, you hit submit.” Shortly thereafter a cheery computer message thanks you for submitting your claim. I found it less than comforting when receiving a quick response stating, “’We will review this and we will get back to you.”’ Not exactly a confidence building interaction. But Bob had faith and gave them time to respond. Two months to be exact.

When asked as to what Bob has heard after two months, Bob responds, “Crickets.” He has heard absolutely nothing. To say Bob calls eBay’s response, or lack thereof, disturbing does not scratch the surface. Bob says, “Due to their lack of due diligence there is now a documented history for a fraudulent transaction that can have a negative effect on the value not just of the car that I am trying to sell but of essentially all 1950 Mark V Jaguars because it shows that one sold for $35,677. Which it did not. But that uncorrected error will compromise the average value of everyone’s Jaguar Mark V. I find it personally shocking that eBay has such little regard for the people who trust it as a worthy means for offering large ticket items for sale.” That eBay clearly does not care became evident to Bob while subsequently teaching a class on collectible automobiles.

Bob says, “After this all came down my first assumption was how could I possibly be the only person in the world to be so unlucky and have a problem like this on eBay. I figured there could be no arguing considering eBay’s success. Then during a class that I teach on collectible automobiles I shared my eBay experience. Most people in attendance sat there slack-jawed, completely stunned by what had happened. Then one guy raised his hand and said the same thing happened to him.” The possibility that the only two guys in the world victimized by this eBay-based scam would be sitting in the same classroom stretches credulity beyond the breaking point. It seems clear eBay has a big problem that it refuses to address.

How does the scam work when the scammer has no car to sell? It seems hard to believe that a buyer would fork over $35,677 without proof of ownership, but you never know. For some trusting people being instructed to ship twenty pounds of CVS gift cards to Bucharest may not raise concerns. More likely a buyer may have responded to a request for a deposit or maybe the scam facilitates money laundering.  No matter, there clearly exists some scam-worthy payoff to be had.

Sadly eBay refused to respond to complaints much less do basic due diligence, such as confirming ownership by a seller. Apparently as eBay suffers no loss, it could not care less. eBay did not even respond when Hemmings reached out.

For now, the octogenarian Jaguar owner still wishes to sell the car. To this day Bob and Bryan have never heard from eBay. Interestingly though, while no follow-up response has ever come forth, the latest check of eBay “Sold Items” reveals that the record of the fictitious sale has disappeared. So in a quasi happy ending, Bob and Bryan have gotten what they wanted with removal of the scam eBay ad. However, eBay has done nothing to demonstrate that they have tightened up their listing requirements. Happily Bob will be relisting the Mark V on Hemmings Auctions this month. The striking British beauty will return to the marketplace unsullied by a false history.

In reflecting on his experience with eBay Bob says, “Will I ever do business with eBay? Probably, but you can be sure that I will limit it to low dollar items. I am changed forever as a result of this incident.” For Bob, when it comes to high ticket items eBay has poisoned its own well.

By |2024-06-06T13:23:00+00:00June 6th, 2024|8 Comments

Roads We Remember #11

Like a tour in a time machine through a beautiful natural yesterday, traversing the Blue Ridge Mountains and its foothills presents a calming feast for all the senses. Years back Elaine and I favored including the Blue Ridge Mountains as part of our backroad adventures. Some years later, during Covid, Elaine had the opportunity to acquire a secluded deep forest retreat in Nelson County, VA just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway. It presented a once in a lifetime chance to stop and stay for a while rather than grabbing the fleeting glimpses captured during past drive-bys. Located on 16 wooded and isolated acres it promised a full immersion into the magnificent beauty of the Blue Ridge. Three years later we love the Blue Ridge and we are leaving. Why?

Loving but Leaving the Blue Ridge

Loading up and leaving

Rattling down, the rolling cargo door slammed shut triggering the clatter of the self latching lever. With a reassuring snap a keyed master lock secured the load. Packed to the gills the U-Haul box truck stood ready for the journey home.

Bird songs filled the air. The surrounding paulownia trees brimmed with pale violet springtime blossoms. Nestled amidst the beauty, the U-Haul truck packed with belongings presented a seeming anomaly in this bucolic wonderland destination. Counter intuitively to what one might expect, Elaine and I had opted out of this woodland adventure in paradise that resides in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

At the Blue Ridge Parkway’s northern origin the picturesque 105-mile Virginia Skyline Drive concludes at Rockfish Gap. There it tees-up the Parkway’s 485 miles of glorious natural beauty, rich vast forested expanses and breathtaking views. Situated at the southern terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway resides America’s most visited natural destination, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Rockfish Gap overlooks the rushing Buffalo Creek that traverses the soon-to-be sold 16 acre spread. It lies no more than 10 minutes from where the Blue Ridge Parkway and Virginia Skyline meet.

View from Rockfish Gap

A great place to be a horse

Gravel crackled under the heavily laden truck as it eased forward in a slow descent from the elevated perch where the recently sold home sat. In the meadow below, the midday sun illuminated a broad field of brilliant yellow buttercups. The ever present song of the Buffalo Creek’s fast rushing waters supplied its soothing background soundtrack.

Closing would be in a week. We chose to simply look ahead. No need to look behind.

Having spent most of my life in the New York metropolitan area, land of rapacious overdevelopment, I fear for Nelson County’s survival as a place of natural beauty and agrarian character. To its credit Nelson County features a largely agrarian society with cattle and horse farms and an appreciation for what they have. I also believe the county offers the potential to be the Napa Valley of the east. Presently the region features numerous vineyards and wineries in this the heart of Virginia’s nascent viticulture efforts.

12 Ridges Vineyard off the Blue Ridge Parkway

In Nelson County a handshake means something.

Largely a family oriented community, it features individuals skilled in both trades and survival. It has been said that at its simplest, peoples’ occupations can be divided into two groups. The difference being whether you shower before work or after. Nelson County definitely features an after work shower character. Whoa there! Is this some kind of an elitist cheap shot remark? Far from it. I believe if things ever, God-forbid, went sideways, the residents of Nelson County would fare far better than members of our “shower before work” urban latte, Uber eats crowd. Build a house, fix an engine, drill a well, farm a plot, can for winter, make cheese, raise livestock, hunt for food, butcher what you catch, it is all part and parcel of life in Nelson County.

Elaine and I enjoyed the good fortune of meeting many trades people in the process of upgrading the home. As well, our volunteer work at the Rockfish Community Center together with quality time spent at the local farmers’ market and the well attended monthly Rockfish Community Pancake Breakfast afforded insights into local life about which we would otherwise have been ignorant. While being a skilled plumber, electrician, tree surgeon, well driller, etc. locals would simultaneously be raising and butchering livestock, running a saw mill or farming a plot. One heavy equipment operator shared with us the sausage that he produced on the side from his own pigs. Delicious!

A great Farmers Market

 

Pancake Breakfast with Elaine serving

While local folk seemed friendly by nature, we found most socializing limited to family and friend-based home activities. For me that explained why few local venues existed for evening entertainment gatherings. One friend, Wild Man Dan, owned a B&B&B. Yes, Dan offered a unique Bed and Breakfast and Brewery experience. A skilled brew master, beer judge and host, Wild Man Dan said that for most businesses targeted to entertainment and socializing the locals did not represent a large part of the business. Dan said, “Local folks pretty much socialize within their circle of family and friends.” Considering the tight social circles and a population of 14,700 in a 472 square mile foot print, the county did not provide a significant home market from which socializing venues could draw. This brings us to our decision to leave.

At the outset of this story I used the phrase immersion into the beauty of the Blue Ridge. Another way of saying that might be drowning in a sea of trees. Located at the dead end of a half mile dirt road, the only traffic past the house consisted of the postman’s jeep, period. One can use words like, sanctuary, retreat, hideaway and, yes, I know it did wonders for Buddha. Buddha, however, did not have to spend all his time rebuilding the banyan tree.

Burn pile seen from space

We committed to making the house the best it could be. That said to do so proved to demand our constant undivided attention. Built into a granite hillside that had been blasted out to make room for the house, the property had more connecting decks than a cruise ship. It had a separate two-story carriage house with an upstairs apartment also set into the granite hillside. Together everything took on the character of the world’s largest tree house. In so doing, its intentional integration into the surrounding environment appeared to pose a blunt challenge to Mother nature to reclaim what once had been hers alone.

Nature proved to be a possessive lover determined to prevail at every turn. We fought back. We rebuilt. We replaced. We trenched. We sanded. We stained. We repainted. We rewired. We built and burned mountainous brush piles that could be seen from space. We never stopped. Elaine is a talented interior designer with a great eye for what works. I am an engineer that needs things to work properly. With this 16-acre piece of paradise in Mother Natures backyard, we had found ourselves in a sadomasochistic home owning relationship with Mother Nature and Mother nature held the whip. Tree debris fell everywhere. I carried a chainsaw like a six gun. It seemed we only left the house for trips to the hardware store. Then an innocent comment by one of our friends drive this point home like a mule kick.

Local tradesmen Dave McGann and son Willard became good friends

In casual conversation, our friend Willard, while enumerating some of the many local natural wonders that should be seen, quizzed us as to which we had visited during our time there. The bright light of realization authored our pained response, “Few if any.” We had been buried alive in a forested work camp. Basically we had been starring in “Cool Hand Luke” surrounded by a seductive beautiful forest rather than a cruel prison camp. Clearly we had bitten off more than we could comfortably chew and found ourselves choking on it. At a time in life when we should have been stopping to smell the roses, we had unwittingly taken on maintaining a sprawling rose nursery. Thanks to our friend, his observation cured a failure to communicate. We got the message.

Frankly, personal isolation loomed as a problem as well. Elaine and I brought no family with us. Back home our dear friends were our family. However, the family-centered nature of life in Nelson County severely disrupted out social dynamics comfort level. In modern life having no neighbors is a blessing except when it is not. When new to an area, building true friendships takes time and proximity. We had no neighbors in sight of our home. Such seclusion presents no challenge when nearby places to socialize exist. However in our neighborhood, good luck going out to dinner after 6:30 pm. You would find the food truck closed.

Dining at the Wood Ridge Farm Brewery food truck

Two of the three main restaurants in the local very quiet county seat just closed. A formal night out (Translation: maybe a collared shirt) meant a trip over the mountain at Rockfish Gap to Waynesboro. I do not mean to imply that no places are open. Wineries are aplenty. Unfortunately, local laws mandate that they must close by 5:00 pm. However, even when open, few offer food other than snacks. A plenitude of cideries and breweries exist. However, if your tastes do not run to hard cider or beer you feel like a martini glass in a longneck world.

In an experience worthy of a Seinfeld episode, a recent New Year’s Eve delivered the knockout punch to any dreams we had of local opportunities to expand our social circle. In Early December, notices appeared announcing a local New Year’s Eve bash at a venue in the county seat. Excellent! Even better, it would be a roaring ‘20s themed costume affair. Game on! All in, we drove to a renowned vintage clothing store in Richmond. Elaine scored with a glorious perpetual motion flapper dress and accessories. I got what I needed. I just wanted to be period correct because no one would be looking at me anyway.

Elaine, ready for a Roarin’ 20s New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve arrived. We decided that entering at 10:00 pm would allow for a crowd to have gathered affording us the opportunity to blend into the ongoing festivities. We had correctly assumed that the crowd would have assembled by then and they had. All twelve of them. None in period costume. All smiling and friendly people but barely enough to field a softball team much less reach critical mass to ignite a rocking New Year’s Eve bash. Then with a wincing realization we suddenly felt like we had just joined the exclusive gathering of the only other people in Nelson County who lacked a family event to attend.

With no close neighbors and only a few friendships having been established, the absence of a community of friends offering meaningful social contact proved troubling. Strong family ties grew deep and strong in the area and shaped the nature of social interaction. Possessing no local history or family left our fledgling societal roots stunted.

We found so much to like in the verdant hillsides and good people of the family friendly Blue Ridge foothills. We simply had not planned for too much of the former and too little of the latter. The combined effect of choking on forest and starving for social contact put us in a U-Haul kicking up dust and heading out that dead end dirt road. For good? Can’t say. At least for now.

By |2024-05-19T14:10:19+00:00May 18th, 2024|8 Comments
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