Entering Ed Jurist’s Vintage Car Store in Nyack, New York offered a visual wonderment of not only vintage automotive but, as well, vintage aircraft art and artifacts. A 12-cylinder Merlin engine, the type famous for powering the P-51 Mustang, sat proudly cradled where it could be viewed through the building’s large front window that faced the street.

On this day in 1982, I had originally strolled in to interview Jurist about a Sherman tank he had sold to a Hollywood rental business years before. As the interview wound down to allow Jurist to depart for dinner, the topic of vintage aircraft surfaced. Suddenly dinner could wait as an animated Jurist held forth on his experiences purchasing vintage war planes from around the world. While the tank story was written and published, the telling of Jurist’s vintage war plane exploits never made it to print, until now.

Buckle your lap belts and hang on for the story of the sputtering Mosquito and the Virgin Loretto.

The sputtering Mosquito and the Virgin Loretto

DeHaviland Mosquito

Though pilot and copilot alike had faced death before while flying bombers in WWII, concern tinged their voices as their eyes flicked across the dead black skies above the jagged, unforgiving and equally black Pyrenees mountains somewhere below. As to how far below, they could only venture a sweaty guess. Spotting a light, any light filled the content of their unspoken prayers as an engine of the vintage WWII DeHaviland Mosquito twin engine bomber sputtered and coughed in what portended to be a death rattle if the plane could not find a place to land and land soon.

Jurist was never a stranger to aircraft adventure starting with his exploits as a wartime B-17 bomber pilot with the Eighth Air Force. Shot down over Nazi Germany, Jurist actually escaped from the Nazi prisoner of war camp where he had been held. In later years Jurist set up business in an old Cadillac dealership built in 1927 that was home to his Vintage Car Store. There, in addition to travelling the world in search of rare and valuable automobiles, he dedicated himself to finding and preserving vintage aircraft, primarily of the military variety. Jurist during his years of searching out vintage war planes brought in more vintage military aircraft to the United States than any other single private individual in America.

Hawker Sea Fury

In 1979 when Iraq was upgrading its air force to jets, Jurist arranged a deal with the Iraqis to purchase 24 of the propeller-driven Hawker Sea Fury fighters being retired. Jurist virtually lived in Baghdad to shepherd the deal. He oversaw the negotiations, watched the planes loaded onto a freighter and, once arriving in America, unloaded at Cape Canaveral.

It was in 1971 that Jurist located a WWII Mosquito fighter bomber. Purchased from its owner in England, the Mosquito, which had appeared in British films, had been maintained in flight worthy condition.

Known as the “Wooden Wonder,” the Mosquito began life as the subject of ridicule primarily because many viewed its wood construction as unworkable. Predominantly made of plywood, Its fuselage consisted of a frameless shell of balsa wood pressed between sheets of birch. However, the shortage of the light metal alloys required in airplane construction made the Mosquito’s reliance on wood a major advantage leading to its acceptance by the RAF. That decision proved to be a very good one for the RAF. By the end of war, the Mosquito’s speed, rate of climb, versatility and durability had made it one of the most respected and admired war planes of WWII. As a testament to its durability, elusiveness and ruggedness, the Mosquito experienced the lowest loss rate of any aircraft in the RAF Bomber Command Aircraft.

Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquito had a maximum speed of 415 MPH that made it the fastest aircraft on either side during much of the war. It had a range of 1,500 miles with the ability to carry a bomb load of 4,000 lbs. That bomb load equaled the capability of the four-engine B-17 flying fortress. With a crew of two consisting of a pilot and navigator/bombardier, the Mosquito filled a broad range of roles including bomber, fighter and special operations specialist. One wonderful Special Ops example highlighted the Mosquito’s ability to execute high speed, pin-point, low level attacks. It took place on the morning of January 31, 1943 at a parade in Berlin billed to feature an address by Hermann Goering. As head of the Luftwaffe, Goering had boasted that no enemy aircraft could fly unscathed over Berlin. As Goering prepared to present to the assembled crowd, a squadron of Mosquitoes appeared out of nowhere and effectively put an end to the morning’s festivities. Later that afternoon a second squadron of Mosquitoes  put an exclamation point on the RAF’s refutation of Goering’s claim of enemy free skies when a second parade intended to feature a Goering address received the same treatment as the morning festivities.

Squinting into the darkness blanketing the Spanish mountains below, the glorious history of the Mosquito ranked very low on the crew’s thoughts. One of the high performance 12-cylinder Merlin engines spewed bad noises that reflected declining performance. Though brave and stalwart men, the point of furrowed brows and sweaty palms had been reached. Almost like a cross between a curse and a prayer, Jurist recalled barking out in frustration, “There has got to be a God damned town somewhere down there.” At this point their greatest hope resided in finding a space big enough so they could crash land with some possibility of surviving.

With both hope and eyesight strained to the limit, Jurist spotted a faint blur with the luminance of a distant star. No doubt existed in either crew member, their fate would hang on the ability of that distant blur to be their salvation. The faltering engine would not tolerate a plan B.

As the Mosquito limped on above the unseen but none the less foreboding mountain peaks below, the dim blur began to acquire definition. Initially unsure of what they saw, it became shockingly evident that the character of the dull blur now taking shape came from two rows of torches that framed the full length of, unbelievably, a runway.

Jurist set the faltering Mosquito down squarely on a remote mountain airstrip at the center of a joyous celebration. As the crew left the ailing Mosquito and surveyed the robust life and jubilation that surrounded them, their abilities to comprehend were sorely challenged, and then the priest appeared.

The priest welcomed the unexpected visitors to the festival where the Aeroclub of the  village of Vigo, Spain was celebrating the Feast of the Virgin Loretto – The patron saint of pilots.

As joyous celebrants encircled the Mosquito crew someone placed a Virgin Loretto metal around Jurist’s neck. For the rest of his life Jurist never took off that metal.

A side note:

Hanging on the wall by the front door of the Vintage Car Store was a very large framed photo of the Mosquito crew, the priest and a few villagers in front of the Mosquito. I have never been able to track that framed photo down. I believe it was sold when the stores contents were auctioned off in the 1980s. If anyone has any information relating to that photo please let me know.

All Americans had been warned. No meaningful correspondence should be tossed into a hotel waste basket. Assume that your room has a listening device. Any private conversation should be held outdoors in the open square. These warnings were to be taken seriously when working behind the Iron Curtain during the cold war. So recalls Patty Moore a member of a unique team of exceptional design talent assembled by 20^th Century industrial design icon Raymond Loewy. Talented and brash, the team faced the daunting challenge of creating a world car for the Soviet Union to market around the globe in the 1970s.

Though an American citizen, Mr. Loewy was French by birth and thus acceptable to the Soviets. However, the small team he assembled to create the design was 100% American.

For American and Soviet alike, pronounced egos and sharp elbows bruised at every turn. Conflicting creative styles and attitudes born of clashing ideologies destined the project to be equal parts car story and John le Carre novel.

In the early 1980s, I had been in contact with Mr. Loewy as well as members of his design team. I have taped interviews conducted in 1982 with design team members as well as what may be the only existing images of the concept car.

What follows is the birth story of the ill-fated Moskvitch XRL.

Raymond Loewy’s 1970s Soviet world car adventure

Initial version of Moskvitch XRL

For the Soviet Union in the 1970s, it was a bold undertaking. The Soviet plan called for producing a family sedan, the Moskvitch, to sell in the new car showrooms of the western economies. To pull it off they reached out beyond the Iron Curtain to a Frenchman by birth and a naturalized American citizen by choice. He would be the man bold enough to succeed. He was Raymond Loewy, father of industrial design, creator of the Avanti, Studebaker starlight coupe, Shell logo, modern Coca-Cola bottle and hundreds more cultural icons.

Early Moskvitch sketch

In this era of Nixon and Brezhnev, Détente was in bloom. This warming of relations coincided with a Soviet 5-year plan that emphasized aggressively marketing consumer goods to the West. The red stars had aligned to create a profound need for a serious upgrade of Soviet consumer product aesthetics.

Loewy anticipated the extraordinary opportunity. As the creative genius who fathered the field of industrial design, he enjoyed a good relationship with the Soviets that dated back to the early 60s. The Russians liked and respected Loewy. Loewy had cleverly positioned himself to achieve something no one had done before or would do again.

Signing of 5-year agreement with Dr. Jermen Gvishiani of VNIITE

In signing an historic design services contract with the Soviet Union, Loewy stands as the first and only person to direct a design exchange between an American company and the Soviet Union. In his own words Loewy called this design exchange, “the most important achievement of my long career.” In addition to the Moskvitch, the contract called for the design of a broad spectrum of products including clocks, cameras, motorcycles, hydrofoils and more.

1974 witnessed Loewy assemble a unique collection of gifted American designers in their 20s and early 30s to create the Soviet dream car, the Moskvitch XRL (X – experimental, R – Raymond, L – Loewy).

Team members included Patricia Moore, then in her early twenties, and responsible for the interior. Moore would go on to be named the Most Notable American Industrial Designers in the history of the field. And in 2000, was honored as one of The 100 Most Important Women in America.

Raymond Loewy and Yuri Soloviev

Syd Mead served the team by creating contextual visualizations of the Moskvitch design. Mead would later become famous as a neo-futurist concept artist who visualized environments for science fiction films such as Alien, Tron and Blade Runner.

Though well respected by the Soviets, Loewy held no great admiration for their political system. Loewy’s impressions from his Soviet experiences where sharp and divided. He had great respect and admiration for many of the individuals and professionals with whom he dealt. Yuri Soloviev the Director of VNIITE (The Soviet All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Industrial Design) was one. However Loewy felt nothing but loathing and contempt for the communist system of governance. In a letter to partner William Snaith following Loewy’s first visit to the USSR in 1961, Loewy wrote, “In spite of the wonderful welcome, we returned more than ever convinced that communism is the greatest hoax in the history of the world. I cannot tell you the dreariness, the gloom of life under this system.”

Loewy after signing of 5-year agreement standing with iconic Avanti designed by Loewy

When worlds collide might best describe the cross cultural interactions between the two decidedly different cultures.

It evidenced itself dramatically when a young Patty Moore took a team of six visiting Soviet Project Managers and a Soviet psychologist on a walking tour of Manhattan. The Psychologist viewing the experience from a psycho-social basis was interested, intrigued excited by everything.

The Soviet engineers and scientists, however, displayed the attitude that the Soviet Union unquestionably stood superior to America. They clearly viewed America as the enemy and a competitor.

As the late afternoon sun lengthened shadows, the Russian Managers crossed Manhattan’s 5^th Avenue. Like Darwin first touring the Galapagos, they faced a world both foreign and fascinating. They swam through waves of American culture swirling in the canyons of New York City. High heels, long legs, bell bottoms and bright colors. Late summer of 1975 greeted them. They had come to see the automobile that Raymond Loewy, iconic father of industrial design has created. They ended up getting much more than they ever could have dreamed.

During the walking tour the Soviet psychologist would frequently become excited and animated at the New York experience. His exuberance would be quickly and consistently squelched by senior officials sharing the tour. In Russian he would be directed to refrain from speaking in such positive terms.

Final Version of Moskvitch XRL

American team members when visiting Moscow had significantly different but equally telling experiences. Never relaxed, team members would purposely leave important looking but useless documents in their hotel trash cans. Conversation outside of buildings enjoyed a significantly different flavor. Inside meeting rooms, positive comments highlighted deadlines being met and schedules moving according to plan. Conversations in open air parks revealed a totally different truth comprised of missed deadlines and poor follow-up. Still, under Loewy’s stern and sharp oversight the Moskvitch XRL concept itself moved on as promised.

Loewy, both confident in and adamant about his vision of the world car his team would create for the Soviets, envisioned the Moskvitch with wide tires and a wide body with flush wheels set out at the corners and a low beltline with a forward slanted body silhouette. However, having provided that direction he said, “Let’s see what the kids have on their mind when given leeway.” Those “kids” were his highly talented team of youthful American designers in their 20s and early 30s all who would speak  deferentially of Mr. Loewy throughout their lives.

Loewy, with steely conviction, directed the final concept accented by a color pallet featuring gold and a signature sharp slash at the “A” pillar. Loewy envisioned the driver’s seating position as a cockpit, executed in darker richer leather. In his mind the driver’s seat would be a throne superior to the other seating positions.

While delivery of the completed Moskvitch XRL concept received a warm welcome from the approving Soviets, it coincided with a perfect storm whose winds blew no good for the future of Loewy’s concept.

Moskvitch XRL Interior

As Loewy noted in a discussion of Soviet manufacturing capabilities, “In nucleonics, rocketry, steel plants, and heavy machinery, they do outstanding things. Consumer goods on the contrary are terrible, only fit for a captive market.”

Stated simply, the Soviets did not presently possess the ability to build Loewy’s design. The Loewy team had designed a dream for the Soviets which they were incapable of making. At the same time a new Soviet 5-year plan with a reduced emphasis on foreign markets now held sway. Loewy’s Moskvitch XRL would not be built.

Loewy’s greatest professional achievement proved to be his final professional achievement. Financial problems had surfaced with maintaining such a large operation on multiple continents. By 1977 Raymond Loewy International had filed for bankruptcy.

In retirement Raymond Loewy and his wife Viola moved to France where they continued to live an active life where all was art. Raymond Loewy died in 1986 at the age of 92.

After Loewy’s death two of his former associates wrote in the New York Times saying, “Raymond Loewy altered the look of American life by bringing his streamlined style to nearly every aspect of our lives.”

Loewy at the age of 82 boldly sought to do the same for the Soviet Union. While his designs for the Soviets did not make it to the marketplace, Loewy profoundly advanced the field of industrial design in the Soviet Union by introducing a new language of design and fresh insight into the importance of user-friendly solutions.

For decades Rosell’s Auto Repair has been a Muscle Car eye candy treat that snapped you to attention, compelled you to slow and maybe linger a little too long as you digested the visual feast, and only then, to move on. The small neat structure sporting two bays housed in an immaculately maintained shop, sits on neatly groomed grounds populated by an ever changing eclectic assemblage of really interesting special interest automobiles. Solid examples of rust prone mid-fifties Detroit iron, such as 1957 Fords and Forward Look Plymouths often grace the grounds as do hot rods, tweaked Model Ts, Mopar muscle, Corvettes, 442s and Pontiacs, lots of Pontiacs. The owner is a classic as well, he is as genuine a New Jersey product as Taylor Pork Roll and Bruce Springsteen. Meet Al Rosell.

90 GTOs, 30 Corvettes and counting

If there can be a middle of nowhere in Northern New Jersey, Rosell’S Auto Repair can be found in it. Like a collectible car oasis situated in a wooded sprawl of forest and fine homes, Al Rosell’s four acres of automotive finery, years ago, served this once rural area as an off the beaten path, back road Citgo Service station. To this day no other commercial property exists for a mile at least in any direction.

Raised in Westwood, New Jersey, Al harbors a real passion for Pontiacs. It all began at the age of eleven in 1974 when his sister’s boyfriend, now husband, blew the engine in his 1965 GTO and parked the dead Pontiac in Al’s family driveway where it sat all summer. Throughout that summer young Al could be found sitting in that GTO for hours at a time stoking the fires for his future Pontiac passion.

At the age of sixteen Al bought the first of his 90 (and counting) GTOs, a 1966 hardtop with no drive train. He swapped in a Chevy V8 by himself with sufficient expertise that he enjoyed driving that car for a year until someone offered to buy it for twice what Al had in the car. Sold! In that same year young Al started pumping gas at a local service station. Within a few months the skilled beyond his years teenager had been taken inside to apply his considerable talents to ever increasingly demanding projects. A few years passed and Al moved on to a repair shop with higher level challenges including electrical trouble shooting, air conditioning and some custom work. With a few more years of experience under his belt, Al knew the time had come to go out and run his own shop. 1n 1996 Al purchased the little back woods Citgo station in River Vale, New Jersey. While having  high hopes Al had no idea of the bright future in store for the little gas station as a classic car Mecca.

Given the opportunity to buy all four acres surrounding the station, Al jumped at the chance. He knew this would afford his business the opportunity to grow. Grow it did, but never to where it lost the appeal and high octane charm of Al’s small “can do” performance boutique dedicated to delivering a very personal and consummately professional experience.

Brokered car off to buyer

Rarely if ever caught without a lit Marlboro wedged between index and middle fingers, 58-year old Al, now a seasoned and gifted classic car technician and shop owner, moves through work areas cleaner than most kitchens with the poise of a relaxed predator scouting for a target. In Al’s case he stands ready to contribute to the efforts of his two expert mechanics Greg Martino and Scott Jodzio.

Al’s approach to business has earned him the respect of the classic car community as both a skilled resource and an honest partner in advocating for what he sees as the proper course of action even if it means turning the job down.

Al notes that less and less of his shop’s clientele involves the traditional everyday work associated with keeping the family vehicle running. With his reputation for skill and ease with conquering high performance and vintage vehicle challenges, the working lifts in his bays most of the time serve a second purpose as classic car display pedestals.

“We do everything except body and paint”,” says Al. Rosell’s Auto Repair eagerly accepts power train and chassis challenges. Al says, “We do new engines, great motors for speed, a wide range of conversions, suspension upgrades, disc brake work, all of that kind of stuff. We also do interior work.” In describing his favorite work Al says, “I love doing engines. We will pull an engine, rebuild it, dyno tune it, detail it and if the customer wants, we incorporate chrome touches to whatever degree desired. When finished, that engine stands out as a work of art that can smoke the tires through all the gears.”

In observing the state of the performance shop industry, Al bemoans the relentless disappearance of the machine shops, true auto parts stores with knowledgeable staff and the expert craftsmen that reside at the heart of custom performance solutions. Al says, “These guys are the very soul of the business. I am watching their numbers melt away without any replacements.” He also notes that the really good auto parts stores are disappearing. He says, “There is no money in it. Nobody has bearings pressed on and off anymore doing U-joints and such.”

1965 Bonneville 421 cu. in. tri-power 4-speed

In recent years Al has expanded his services to address the desire of classic car owners to separate themselves from the sale of their vehicles.

Al  says, “I have found myself selling more and more collectible cars for people.” Unlike earlier times when car guys bought and sold their cars, a new generation of owners don’t want to be troubled. They have the money to buy what they want. When they grow tired of it they want somebody else to deal with the inconvenience of its disposal.  Al says, “People with money come in expressing an interest in having me assume the process of selling their classic car. The reasons are always the same. ‘I don’t want people in my house. I don’t want to deal with scheduling. I don’t want to negotiate.” For Al it offers a double benefit. He brokers the deal and becomes the “Go To” guy who people come to rely on when they look for their next collectible car. Al says, “It’s like an annuity. Some people develop a pattern of short term fascination with a classic car and then quickly tire of it. I can benefit on both ends of that romance.”

One significant trend that Al has observed over the last few years is the ascendance of the restomod as a preferred choice by many enthusiasts versus the traditional classic car with its original equipment.

Pointing to a nice mid-sixties Corvette Al says, “If you took this car and put an LS motor in it, it would increase its value by $50,000. More and more that is what the new generation buyer wants today.” Many, now in the market, instead of seeking originality want reliability, handling, comfort and air conditioning. Al says, “They don’t want the old stuff. People are different today. They want all the creature comforts of their new car, but the look of the old. The demand is there.”  When asked when the market changed  Al indicates that the change in priories became evident about five years ago.

When asked about interesting cars that came out of his shop, Al recalls a 1930 Model A. He ripped out the original drive train and replaced it with a Ford Pinto four-cylinder motor with a C4 transmission. He used the same rear, put in an adapter kit and got rid of the torque tube. Al says, “Car’s phenomenal 90 horsepower versus 40, electronic ignition. Thing runs beautiful.”

Two very interesting cars reside in a special place in Al’s heart. In 2015 an older gentleman approached Al describing a 1966 Corvette that had been in his garage since a bad accident in 1971. Al saw the car. It rested under a deep shroud of dust. Al bought it. He did a complete frame-off restoration. Al says,  “Every piece of the car is new except the antenna and the grill. “The  Nassau Blue beauty sits proudly in Al’s personal two-bay garage he built on his 4 acres. The other bay holds the subject of a love lost and found.

In 1996 Al bought a 1970 Orbit Orange Pontiac GTO Judge. He then sold it to a friend who had it for fifteen years. It was sold again with the next owner keeping it for 7 years. When it went up for sale again Al bought it back. Since he first sold the car, the two subsequent owners had driven the car a total of two times. Of his 90 GTOs the Orbit Orange Judge ranks at the top.

In reflecting on his years running Rosell’s Auto Repair, Al displays a balanced perspective. He says, “I have a great group here. I love my business. I even still have 30% of my hair.”

Nowadays conversations about things that have traditionally mattered to those having the discussion often deteriorate into a bemoaning of the unchecked disappearance of the topic of interest in question. Whether products displaying exceptional craftsmanship or the skilled craftspeople possessing the ability to produce the superior product, both seem to live in the crosshairs of a culture fast losing its appreciation for hand crafted excellence.

In the face of such a perceived depressing trend, a rare feel good story came out of the pandemic that featured a world-class company renowned for producing premium trade show displays.

Though suffering a considerable loss of work from Covid-19 cancellations, the business, with a belief in better times returning, turned its attention to ensuring that it retained its staff of highly skilled craftsmen. With great hope for a better future when the world would return to normal, they allowed their imagination to stray way outside the box. Their brainstorming gave birth to an inspired plan to keep their highly respected craftsmen working, preserve a part of iconic Americana and possibly creating a new market opportunity. They would turn their craftsmen loose on restoring and updating vintage Airstream trailers.

Meet Dimensional Worldwide.

An inspired venture to preserve American craftsmanship and vintage Airstream trailers

Unbeknownst to all involved, the actual seminal moment for the vintage Airstream venture came when Dimensional Worldwide executive Lee Martindell asked Company President Doug Fixell if, during the Covid downturn, he could employ the company’s presently underutilized stable of skilled craftsman to rebuild his personal 1959 Airstream trailer. Martindell says, with the great skills our guys have, there was no reason our guys could not do the whole thing.” Fixell agreed saying that hours would be logged and Martindell would be billed. The agreement poised to unleash a torrent of talented carpenters, cabinet makers, metal workers, electricians. painters and printers on Martindell’s 1959 Airstream.

In recognizing the potential of this suddenly activated high quality Airstream restoration juggernaut, Martindell’s imagination took a leap. He approached fellow company executive Karen Samnick with one of those “this may be crazy but, what do you think” blue sky thoughts.

1936 Airstream trailer

Historically the original brainchild of Oregon native Wally Byam, Airstream trailers always had a following dating back to Airstream’s beginnings in 1931. They originated with a DIY Popular Mechanics article written by Byam on how to build the trailer. Soon people asked him to build the trailer for them. Airstream as a business came to life.

Since the beginning, Airstreams have earned an extraordinary reputation for longevity built on the quality of their materials and construction. Byam’s design focused on function with aerodynamics and low weight being critical design objectives. Airstream’s signature steel frame featured a riveted aircraft quality aluminum hard shell ensuring Byam achieved his desired superior strength and light weight.

Martindell suggested to Karen, “What if we went down the rabbit hole and restored vintage Airstreams as a business?” Initially aghast, Samnick’s says, her first thought was, “We are going to search for and work on trailers that have had more mice in them than people in the last, you know, decade or two?.”

However, Samnick quickly warmed to the idea as Airstream owner Martindell’s deep affection for Airstream trailers and the associated culture of quality and commitment that surrounds them took hold of her imagination. Samnick says, “So I am listening to Lee tell the story of why people like these trailers and what this world of Airstream people is really like. Then, the next day we are going to a meeting out in Montauk. We pass an RV trailer park, and there’s literally a bazillion Airstream trailers. I do a little quick research and find that you can’t even get a reservation. It’s all booked.”. That was enough for Samnick. She was sold on the idea.

With Karen on board Martindell pitched it to President Fixell. Without hesitation Fixell’s replied, “Great let’s do it.”

However, Martindell and his team quickly realized that the search for a solid east coast trailer would closely parallel the search for a solid vintage car not riddled with damage and deterioration. That said, the Airstream aluminum body represented a significant plus.

While being very particular in the quality of the trailers selected, success was realized with three being purchased. (1968, 1975, 1978)

At this point President Fixell had an epiphany. Fixell realized that it did not make sense for Dimensional to sell the trailers. They needed to establish a brand. They needed to create an entity dedicated to marketing and selling the restored Airstreams. Thus, Rivet Custom LLC came to life as the home of high quality restored vintage Airstream trailers.

As the Rivet vision morphed into reality the wisdom of its creation quickly displayed itself.

Martindell says, “We knew that even with no work in the shop or on the horizon, these guys were so talented, so special, that if we laid them off we were not getting them back. Not only are they skilled craftsman but, they are also really good people. The kind of quality individuals you want as the foundation of your organization.”

Fitzroy Hutchinson

Craftsman Fitzroy Hutchinson says, “ With the Covid lockdown we were all scared that we would lose our jobs.” Hutchinson’s last employer closed for good in 2009 when the economy took a nose dive. Hutchinson had worked there for 17 years. Being laid off deeply concerned all of the Dimensional staff.

Plant manager and super skilled craftsman Jerry Cardillo says, “As to Lee’s crazy Airstream plan, needless to say it excited the guys to have an alternative to having no work.” Initially some of the guys had known about Airstream trailers, other guys had no clue.

Hutchinson ads, “We quickly got the hang of it and, then, the fun began.” The Airstream adventure brought an added source of pride to already highly accomplished craftsman. Hutchinson says, “The guys love it because it’s like bringing a classic car back to life. Cardillo laughs saying, “Maybe we can get our own TV show, Trailer Tales.”

Jerry Cardillo

It soon became evident that the Airstream project not only provided meaningful work, but work that inspired already accomplished craftsmen with an elevated sense of purpose born of preserving recognizable and treasured pieces of American camping and highway history. And while the focus had been on preserving jobs, It became evident that Rivet may have stumbled upon a concept with significant sales potential.

Right now there is a two-year waiting list for a new Airstream. At this time Rivet can provide a totally rebuilt vintage Airstream for about half the cost.

A well spring of curiosity has bubbled up from commercial interests. Martindell with a smile says, “We would like nothing better than an order for a half dozen custom Airstreams from Corona Beer or a similar number from a glamping site looking to permanently station them for nightly renting.”

Each one of the Airstream trailers provides Rivet with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to preserve the past and at the same time introduce new families into a brand new “vintage” camping experience reflecting a past distinctively American lifestyle. Martindell says, “We believe Covid sensitized families to the value of being together.” He sees a real interest for the unique combination of high quality and the more traditional character of Revit Airstreams.

Martindell goes on to say, “I’ve got hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of TVs in inventory. None will go into a Rivet Airstream as a standard install. We have the ability to give you Wi-Fi so that the kids can have their iPads and their iPhones. Our Airstreams will have none of it. We believe Rivet Airstreams offer people a unique opportunity to personally reconnect with each other. I believe in these times it is a most worthy goal to pursue.” If people request an Airstream to be equipped a certain way, Rivet will of course integrate a quality installation.

Martindell’s own experience illustrates the powerful attraction of vintage Airstream ownership. He says, “With log books often available, we would love to provide new owners with a diary of the journeys experienced by the original owners. We want to  share the lives these trailers have already lived as part of the Rivet vintage Airstream experience. Connecting with the people and experiences once enjoyed paves the way for a new round of adventures and delivers a powerful emotional connection across generations.” Rivet offers products with the exceptional and unique power to generate fresh memories for a family afforded the joy of continuing in the spirit of the earlier family’s wanderlust.

Martindell personally owns a 1959 Airstream that came with a log of the campgrounds that the prior owners visited. Martindell says, “This September I’m intentionally taking the trailer back to Maine to the same camp grounds that they had visited in 1961.

Right now there is a two-year waiting list for a new Airstream. Rivet can presently deliver a totally rebuilt example for about half the cost. Examples will be on display May 22^nd At Dimensional Worldwide in Mahwah, New Jersey.

Rivet’s motto  says it all, “preserve the past, plan for the future, build for now. But above all enjoy the journey.”

Covid has not so much made time stand still as it has made everybody and every event stand down, nowhere more so than in the crowd oriented classic car venues. Car show after car show, concours upon concours, swap meets and cruise nights all fell victim to pandemic panic.

Like the freak year-long winter of 1816 caused by the eruption of Mount Tambora, the 2020 classic car season fell victim to the icy chill of pandemic fears. Now in 2021, like a green shoot in early spring, the Korzinski family of Paul’s Motors in Hawthorne, NJ boldly struck a blow for a return to normalcy when they hosted the April 10^th Man Cave Garage Sale.

Man Cave Garage Sale unmasks covid boredom

With a vigor just short of children departing school to start summer vacation, car enthusiasts eagerly flocked to Paul’s Motors’ Man Cave Garage Sale to experience, after more than a year long drought, an honest to goodness car event. Granted, masks adorned every face, yet it had a familiar social feeling that felt so good.

96-year old Paul Korzinski with daughter Diane and son Paul

Adding to the upbeat atmosphere was the opportunity to spend time with 96-year old Paul Korzinski whose father started Paul’s motors 101 years ago. Daughter Diane Korzonski says, “My grandfather began the business as a repair shop in 1920. My father took over after the end of WWII. He has worked here all his life.”

In 1957, the first year Volvo came to America, Paul took on a Volvo franchise. He liked Volvo because of its concern for safety. In a sign of the times, Paul’s Motors turned in its Volvo franchise after 60-years in 2017 as the corporate franchising demands placed on the small family run operation made for a money losing proposition. Always known for high quality used cars Paul’s Motors continues to be the go to place for a used vehicle.

The inspiration for the early season sale came out of a conversation between Diane and big time car enthusiast Bob Austin.

Diane says, “Bob and I were talking about how we have collections of things. As I showed him a great anvil and an old scale from one of our shipping containers, I mentioned that we’ve been here for a hundred and one years. We have a lot of old stuff. So Bob said, well, I have a lot of old stuff. Maybe we should have a Man Cave Garage Sale. What a great idea, I thought.”

While clearly car flavored, various vendor offerings provided an eclectic array of goods. Man Cave organizer Bob Austin says, “We had some interesting vendors with everything from gumball machines to airplane propellers and fur coats.” With a good size crowd throughout the day the feeling was festive and the selling was brisk. A smiling Austin says, ”Absolutely a fun day and for some of us it afforded a great opportunity to reunite with friends that we haven’t seen for the better part of the year.” As for Covid concerns, with a good breeze and everyone wearing a mask confidence ran high.

Vendor Rocco Scotellaro was clearly happy to be at the Man Cave sale. When asked about being there, Rocco said, “Excellent, historically as a vendor I usually do about two or three shows a year. Last year I did none. It’s great to be back in business.” When asked to evaluate buyer action, Rocco quickly offered that the show was much better than he expected emphasizing that the turnout was quite good. Rocco says, “A major challenge for vendors like me is deciding what to bring. It’s always a guessing game.” Sporting a big smile, Rocco went on to say, “I guessed right for the Man Cave sale and did very, very well.

Clearly people savored the opportunity to share space and time with others in a non-Zoom real world environment. Diane commented that, “I think a lot of people came in looking for something free of Covid gloom, something to make them happy. We’ve all been kind of cooped up all winter. Watching the news certainly hasn’t helped.”

Jaguar Land Rover Archivist Fred Hammond brought a treasure trove of classic car models and automobilia. Fred says, “The Man Cave Sale has been a tremendous success in so many ways. I mean one can put it in the context of saying that I sell stuff. Yeah, you bet. I sold a lot of things but the real enjoyment here was seeing friends, fellow car enthusiasts and talking to people sharing the joy of being outside with others, at last. Everyone seemed to be  basking in the joy of feeling a kind of normalcy.”

Pieces, parts and even a very clean 1996 Mustang Cobra changed owners thanks to being on display at the Paul’s Motors event.

Clearly, everyone has suffered through serious cabin fever with a nasty Covid hangover and could not wait to rub elbows with their fellow man. If the Man Cave Garage Sale represents any indicator, social distances show every sign of shrinking as humanity pokes its collective head out from under the Covid rock.

In retrospect, Ed Jurist’s Vintage Car Store clearly stood way out ahead of its time in the 1960s and 70s. Unlike today when a sprawling worldwide collectible vehicle business pretty much blankets the globe, the Vintage Car Store in Nyack, NY ranked as one of few top tier go-to places for connoisseurs seeking high quality classic cars. Ferraris, 4½-liter Bentleys, Rolls Royce Town Cars and Maseratis mingled with a 12-cylinder Allison air craft engine on display and striking transportation themed wall art. However, even in this rarified atmosphere of vintage collectibles, Jurist’s exterior display area featured a real show stopper, a 1943 M4A3 Sherman Tank, for sale.

A Sherman tank’s incredible journey from Nyack, NY to the final episode of M.A.S.H.

Bill Wahnish in his Sherman tank

Note 275 GTB for $35,000

While sitting in Ed Jurist’s cozy almost cramped Vintage Car Store office in the early 1980s I noticed a brass ring mounted on a wooden plaque. Inquiring of Jurist, I learned that this treasured artifact had been attached to the ripcord of a parachute that had safely floated him to earth after his WWII B-17 bomber had been shot down over Nazi Germany. Taken prisoner by the Germans, Jurist subsequently succeeded in escaping his captors. This pretty much tells you all you need to know about Jurist the pioneer classic car and vintage military aircraft aficionado. After taking ownership of the Vintage Car Store in 1961, Jurist traveled all over the world seeing South America, India, Europe, Middle East, Far East and Australia to set up agents and ferret out salvageable military equipment and locate desirable classic cars.

When I spoke with Jurist in 1982 the tank had been sold two years prior (February 1980) to Bill Wahnish, a gentlemen with a large film industry car rental business (Bill’s Car Rental) in Hollywood. In  1979 Bill had flown back east slammed a hatch or two, kicked the treads and said, “I’ll take it.” It would be two almost three months before Bill would take delivery in Los Angeles.

For Jurist selling a 73,000 pound Sherman tank with a seized engine is one thing. Moving it is quite another.

Jurist laughed when recalling and said, “It’s not like the town will let you drag it through the streets or over the sidewalks.” Transporting the M4A3 would require winching the tank onto a low flatbed. Jurist said, “That may sound easy, but how do you get that low bed into position? The flatbed is a huge trailer. It would require the street to be blocked off.

This operation called for serious planning, coordination, wide load clearance and timing. Local Nyack Police, NY State Police and NJ State Police stood poised and ready in the dark early morning of February 29, 1980.

Quiet streets allowed the loading to proceed smoothly though achingly slow. Once loaded, the flatbed with Sherman tank firmly lashed in place moved through the silent streets with all the dexterity of a house being relocated.

After slowly creeping towards and across the New York/New Jersey state line, the heavily burdened flatbed then made its way to a Paterson, NJ, rail head. As the railroad lacked the equipment to lift the tank, the Sherman had to be positioned on the loading platform so that the railroad flatcar could receive the beast.

With the tank loaded and firmly secured including the turret which had to be turned around to face backwards like a catcher wearing a baseball cap, the tank would head west. What could possibly go wrong? The answer, plenty, as time would show.

One day into the journey from Paterson, the tank broke loose. It took another week for riggers to lash it down again. After just ten miles of its rail journey to Chicago, it broke loose again. Another week’s delay. Just outside of Chicago, the tank came loose and was almost sideways on the flat car as the freight train rumbled towards the Windy City. Conrail was traveling west but the tank was facing south. Finally Santa Fe sent out a crew to lash the tank down once and for all. This added one more week. Lashed properly at last, the tank arrived three days later in the Los Angeles Rail Yards.

Bill Wahnish a warm and friendly bear of a man began in Hollywood as a truck driver for the movie studios. By 1980 Bill and his wife of 42-years Beverly had been restoring old cars as a hobby for over 25-years. During that period Bill’s collection of cars had attracted the attention of the film industry. By the time the tank arrived that hobby has morphed into a full time car rental business for the film industry with credentials that including the contracts to supply period vehicles for films like “Chinatown” and “Day of the Locust.” Bill’s Car Rental now had over 130 vehicles available.

When asked about the tank Bill said, “I have wanted to restore a tank for over twenty years.” At that time probably no more than a half dozen Sherman tanks could be found in the country that ran. Bill said, “I just wanted the feeling of accomplishment that I had restored one.”

Bill first set eyes on his new purchase as he drove down the Long Beach Freeway and saw it in the rail yard from an overpass. With the tank loaded by railroad crane onto his flatbed the tank began its journey to Bill’s storage lot. Crowds formed as the flatbed bearing the tank slowly navigated its way.

With all hands on deck the restoration took about 6 months. Happenstance and good fortune certainly helped in speeding the restoration. Job one for Bill? He needed to replace the seized 1100 cu. in. 500 horsepower Ford V8 that propelled the Sherman up to 24 mph.

1100 cu. in. Ford V8

Bill thought he would get some tips from his friends down at the local Fred George Military Surplus store. Indeed he did. When he asked a counterman for any suggestions, the counterman called to the back asking, “Do we still have that rebuilt 1100 cu. in. Ford V8 in the crate back there.” “Yes,” came back the reply. Clearly with the wind to their back, Bill’s dedicated team of employees and volunteers poured an enthusiastic 2,000 man-hours into the restoration.

Interestingly, Bill had never driven his completed tank. Bill said, “I just love to look at it go.” When I got my own opportunity to ride in the tank, it would be driven by, then, 23-year old Craig Michelson. Craig’s father, Donald Michelson founded the American Society of Military History Museum which gave young Craig incredible access to and experience with military vehicles of all types.

Craig Michelson at controls

Craig arrived and climbed up onto and down into the Sherman. It fired up with an angry growl. That served as my invitation to climb aboard. Bill’s storage lot provided a large open area for my test drive. Poised at the open turret hatch, I had a General George Patton-like vantage point to savor the opportunity to take a spirited ride in military history. The best part came when the Sherman under Craig’s capable control stormed up to the end of Bill’s property and pulled alongside the McDonald’s parking lot bordering Bill’s property. He locked up the tank to an abrupt stop and rotated the decommissioned 75-mm turret gun towards the parking lot with the customers munching away in their cars. You had to see the looks on their faces. Priceless.

Sherman in one of many feature film appearances

Bill’s Sherman had made many appearances in feature films but its most famous appearance resulted due to a serious forest fire in the Malibu hills where the M.A.S.H. set was located.

Much of the final episode had been shot for the 1983 finale. In the episode, a Chaffee light tank has been driven into the camp by a wounded soldier. With the tank in the M.A.S.H. camp, enemy mortar fire begins to rain down on the medical facility. The shot that had not been filmed before the forest fire required images of the tank being driven out of the camp by Hawkeye. However, not only was the M.A.S.H. set destroyed, which could be rebuilt, but so was the Chaffee tank. A call went out to Bill’s Car Rental and Bill and his Sherman tank answered the call. If you ever look at a rerun of the final M.A.S.H. episode take notice that the tank driven into the camp is not the same one driven out. Did not catch that the first time did you?

My footsteps echoed off the walls of the long, mostly doorless hallway. Aged large format black & white action photos of vintage sports cars lined the walls and whet my already eager appetite for the experience that awaited. As a car guy and owner of a 1953 Jaguar XK120 my destination held great fascination for me. Summer of 2012 blazed outside as I came to make a pitch for the contract to digitize the thousands of original photographs, slides and films housed in the Jaguar Land Rover North American Archive. I would be meeting with Jaguar Land Rover Archivist and retired import car industry public relations legend Mike Cook and Assistant Archivist Fred Hammond.

Jaguar Archive – Preserving the soul of the brand

Mike Cook approached me flashing a ready smile and a genial demeanor as I entered the Jaguar Land Rover North American Archive. Mike could not have been a more gracious host as he guided me through the rows of files, shelves and cabinets. During my tour Mike took the opportunity to, in one single action, indelibly impress upon me the rich historic value residing within this treasure trove of 20^th Century British automotive print, film, photography and documents.

Fred Hammond      Mike Cook

As a side note, while Land Rover is included in the Archive title, it has a significantly smaller presence than Jaguar as it was only added to the Archive around 2008. From here on Jaguar will be the focus.

Turning to the large open floor of the archive’s main room, Mike spread his arms open to the room and instructed me to pick any cabinet, open any drawer, pull out any file and remove any document and then said, “tell me what you found.” I did just that.

With the resulting file in hand, I removed two slips of paper.

Inspecting the first slip of paper revealed a letter written around 1957 from Sir William Lyons to another “Sir” explaining his great relief that “this unpleasant business” of wresting control of Jaguar distribution in America from Mr. Hoffman, referring to the notorious Max Hoffman, had been concluded.

The second slip of paper could not have been more historically significant. It was a telegram sent from home office shortly after the tragic events at the 24-hours of Le Mans in 1955, which Jaguar won. It instructed the North American office that Jaguar would neither promote nor advertise its victory at Le Mans.

Both documents, though brief, delivered powerful insights into life in the mid-20^th century North American automobile business and powerful reminders of real life events in the automotive world that possessed industry and international significance. Wow, all in just one folder.

1948 New York Auto Show First U.S. showing of XK120

Viewing its rows of closed drawers and shut cabinets made clear that an archive differs significantly from a museum. Rather than an interactive visual display, an archive offers a thoughtfully curated comprehensive brand reference resource. It offers a place to conduct research and disseminate information. Jaguar’s North American Archive contains documents, data and materials all designed to provide a detailed and nuanced understanding of the company from its introduction in the North American market in the late 1940s through the current day. Its second component, a huge technical reference library represents a priceless resource for maintaining, servicing, preserving and restoring Jaguars. The archive gets calls from repair shops looking for specific information. A shop undertaking a ground-up restoration may need to know at what VIN# a change was made. A hobbyist doing his or her own work may want to know if the engine in an E-Type could be removed without the transmission. FYI: the answer is no.

As I witnessed when watching Mike and Fred in action, calls to the Archive were warmly received, treated with a sincere commitment to provide a correct answer, and, the conversation is free.

Having been awarded the contract, I enjoyed the opportunity to explore and marvel at the Archive contents for years and subsequently become a friend of the Archive. In my involvement, I found equally impressive the encyclopedic automotive knowledge of Mike and Fred, not just for Jaguar, but for the industry as a whole. At times I would be present when they would get into recalling the fine details of automotive or racing events in witnessed in their teenage years from 40 or 50 years prior. No archive much less a Jaguar Archive could be in better hands than those of Mike Cook and Fred Hammond.

Group 44 jaguar XJR-5

In 2018 Mike, then in his mid-80s passed away. A bright, fun loving car enthusiast with an acknowledged special love for all things Triumph brought an enormous knowledge of the British car industry in North America to the Archive. He started in the British car industry in the mailroom of Standard Triumph in 1958. He retired as Vice President of Public Relations for Jaguar Cars in 1990. He became archivist for Jaguar in 1990. In 2017 Mike was inducted into the British Sports Car Hall of Fame.

Fred Hammond who succeeded Mike as Jaguar Archivist holds Mike in very high esteem. Fred first met Mike when Fred, fresh out of college in 1973, began working at British Leyland Motors. In recalling the qualities Mike brought Fred says, “Mike was a mensch, honest, giving, caring, smart, reasonable and sincere. And the Archive reflected his personality, serious but not taken with itself.”

Today, Fred brings those same qualities in keeping the Archive active and available despite Covid restrictions. Fred with his vast wealth of product knowledge and commitment to the Jaguar brand and the Jaguar owner has kept the Archive active and available to all requests even when required to work from home. Fred says, I believe it is imperative that the marketplace and especially our owners have confidence in our presence and know that, even in these challenging times, the flag is still flying.”

Fred points out that a significant difference exists between the North American Jaguar Archive and the Jaguar Heritage Trust in the United Kingdom. Fred says, “The UK archives specifically focus on what happened in the UK in the home market at the factory. In North America Jaguar served as a marketing arm with enormous freedom to create our own advertising, literature, public relations imagery. Our focus targets preservation of that body of work.

1962 New York Auto Show U. S. reveal of E-Type

A legion of users take advantage of the Jaguar Archives easy access and vast resources. Owners of individual vehicles, all forms of media, buyers and sellers even the police turn to the Archive.

Fred says, “The most consistent requests we get revolve around histories of individual vehicles.” Having a chassis number, an owner will call looking for the vehicle build date. Others call seeking to identify the proper engine or transmission number.”

A gentleman in Texas has six huge barns filled with Jaguar bits and pieces, chassis, engines and transmissions. He tries to reunite cars with their correct individual components after having been acquired dismantled. He will call for information on a specific chassis number or with just an engine number. The Archive can then provide the other corresponding numbers. Fred says, “We are pleased to respond to these requests. That’s why we are here.”

If someone is buying a Jaguar or looking to sell a Jaguar they may call to confirm that the car has matching numbers.

First customer D-type arrives at Idlewild Airport New York

Demands by various media play an increasingly growing source of requests. Fred says, “These days with the exploding number of platforms some people want still images, television may want moving pictures and internet requests look for everything.”

As to being contacted by the police, Fred says, “I think the most interesting one was a recent inquiry about an XK 140 that had been stolen back in the very late 1950s. The car had just disappeared and when the serial number came up decades later, it came up as a stolen vehicle.” After the caller confirmed his identity as a police officer, Fred provide not only the vehicle numbers but the original owner’s name and address.

In summing up the critical importance of a manufacturer’s archive Fred says, “Essentially a quality archive details the story of where you, the company, came from. It paints a vivid picture of your history. Our Jaguar Archive assures that future generations of the Jaguar family will have an understanding of where the company came from and what that imparts to our product.” Fred believes whole heartedly that preservation of history provides the foundation for appreciating the soul of a brand. Fred says, “If you don’t have that brand identity you reduce yourself to the level of commodity. And as a commodity the only motivation for a customer to walk across the street to buy your product is a lower down payment and less per month. That does not bode well for a profitable future.”

Considering Covid, sheltering in place, social distancing and a steady diet of heavy snow, the attraction of distraction cannot be underestimated. And the explosive growth of online activities clearly leads the pack in the distraction derby. However, when it comes to winning the “selling winter coats in Miami when the temperature plunges” sweepstakes, nobody has been better positioned to benefit from social isolation than Bring-a-Trailer.com.

For an insider’s look at the Covid fueled Bring a Trailer online marketplace phenomenon, we reached out to Matt Maisano, classic car broker and owner of Motorcar Manor a premium vehicle storage facility in Ramsey, NJ.

Carried away by Bring a Trailer

Matt Maisano of Motorcar Manor

For car enthusiasts what began quite humbly over a decade ago has become an obligatory hour lost each day to ogling an eclectic and glorious array of exceptional vehicles from around the world being auctioned in real time. Matt Maisano, with a shrug, concedes, “It’s highly addictive for sure, but it’s a great tool for understanding the market, far better than Autotrader or eBay and if you’re looking to kill an hour of Covid boredom. BaT is for you.”

True to its name, Bring a Trailer began in 2007 as pretty much a car enthusiast website for selling incomplete project cars and race cars incapable of being driven home. Then, in 2014, based on the evolving culture and expanding community of Bring a Trailer, co-founders Randy Nonnenberg and Gentry Underwood took what would be a tentative and ultimately profoundly disruptive step impacting the business of collectible automobile auctions. They launched BaT Auctions.

Nonnenberg grew up as a kind of millennial version of older car guys like many of us. The type who in days past would be at the newsstand waiting for delivery of the WantAd Press. How about that for a blast from the past? Or the type who would follow the NY Times delivery truck to its next stop on a late Saturday night to get first crack at the automotive classified section in the Sunday Times. Yes, I did that.

Born out of Nonnenberg’s passion for all things automotive, Bring a Trailer came to life and evolved into what, in the time of Covid, ranks as the dominant classic and special interest vehicle auction venue.

Bring a Trailer’s very first auction on July 23, 2014 offered three cars, a 1970 “Boss” Mustang, Nonnenberg’s own 1991 BMW M3 and a 1964 Alfa Romeo coupe. Today BaT has over 300 cars auctioning at any one time. The total number of listings per month exceeds 1400 with a sale rate of approximately 80%. Vehicles sold on BaT include vehicles ranging across the full spectrum from category 5 “full restoration needed” to absolutely top tier classics. Six-figure sales are common place with seven-figure sales of a 1957 M-B Gullwing and a 2007 Saleen S7 LM on record. Among the cars Matt has sold on BaT, a 1972 Ferrari Daytona went for mid six-figures.

MG TC non-running project car

BaT’s community comprises a vast population of informed and engaged members. While the number constantly spirals up, BaT’s knowledgeable community exceeds 450,000 users and over 200,000 registered bidders. Matt when asked as to who the bidders are blurts back, “With Covid everybody has become a bidder on Bring a Trailer.” Since Covid came to town the concept of the typical BaT bidder has gone out the window. Matt says, “I’ll have guys – who’ve been dedicated sideline watchers of BaT but who have never purchased anything. Next thing, you know within three months time they’ve purchased two cars from BaT.”  Matt confirms that he knows guys during this pandemic who have gone nuts buying cars on BaT.

At this point BaT enjoys a backlog of over 5,000 cars waiting patiently for their turn to cross the BaT online auction block.

Bring a Trailer’s success has not gone unnoticed by big business. Just recently Nonnenberg and his partners sold BaT making it part of the Hearst multinational mass media empire. Nonnenberg will continue to manage it.

A visual and content rich feast for the car enthusiast, each vehicle being auctioned features high quality photography, driving videos and succinct and detailed descriptive copy. Matt says, “BaT really upped the game for photo quality from the craigslist days of ‘here’s a wheel’ and ‘here’s a bumper’ to BaT’s current comprehensive photo profile of easily 100 or more pictures.

However, it is the “comments” section that stands out as a key measure that enhances the total BaT experience and clearly distinguishes and differentiates its offering from others. Matt says, “Aside from the friendly, ‘I had one and loved it’ comments, real value exists in the pointed and technically astute insights in the comments section.” Matt strongly recommends that anyone in the market for a  specific vehicle take the time to monitor the comments offered by knowledgeable people in reference to the same type vehicle. Being an informed bidder can save a great deal of buyer’s remorse. This clearly helped a personal friend considering a BMW Z3. The comments section offered great insights such as lifting the trunk carpet to check the condition of the spot welds anchoring the rear suspension. Broken spot welds would indicate hard driving and necessary repair.

Want to be a registered BaT user? Simply go to the BaT homepage, go to “log on,” click “register and provide your email, a user name (What people will see if you comment or bid) and a password. Done.

Itching to place a bid? First thing, understand the costs involved. Compared to what many see as the usurious 10% buyer premium charged by the in person auction houses such as RM, Bonham’s, Barret-Jackson, Gooding to name a few, BaT maxes its buyer fees at a pretty painless 5 percent up to a maximum of $5,000. Matt says, “To become a bidder the steps are clear cut. Create a login name, register by completing some agreements and provide BaT with your credit card information. Bidder credit card info must be on file. The reason being that when you place a bid, BaT immediately puts a hold on your credit card for 5% of the bid.

Unlike eBay, BaT does not permit sniping. Sniping refers to a common practice on eBay where a bidder waits to the last second to place a hopefully winning bid while leaving no time for another bidder to counter. BaT, however, prevents sniping by adding an additional two minutes to any last second bid. Matt points out that the two minute extension can actually draw a bidder in and overwhelm the bidder’s better judgment. Matt says, “It gives other people time to jump in. Acting on behalf of a client and under the client’s direction, I found myself in an online bidding battle. Someone else REALLY wanted this car. It got to the point where the bidding had gone far beyond reason. Someone would be paying way over its true value. I had to pull my client back and say this is crazy.”

Have a car to sell? Matt says, “Initially you must provide your name, your email address, your vehicle description and pictures. You don’t have to submit all 100 pictures, but definitely give them at least 20 picture so they can get an overall sense of the vehicle.” In a process BaT calls “curation” it subjects your vehicle to careful scrutiny that it meets its standards including repair records, ownership history, accurate mileage and special features. BaT always demands to see acceptable proof of ownership. Listing a car on BaT carries a fee of $99.

While BaT clearly stands as the online auction big dog, it also makes an attractive target. Competitors have begun surfacing intent on carving out their niche. Gaining in popularity, online auction site “Cars and Bids” features its founder, Doug DeMuro, an engaging, knowledgeable and opinionated automotive journalist and You Tuber. Focused on cars of the 1980s,’90s and newer, DeMuro puts a distinctive and personalized stamp on the vehicles auctioned on his website. DeMuro’s popularity grows as does the “Cars and Bids” community.

Additional BaT competitors include pcarmarket.com specializing in Porsches, the mbmarket.com a Mercedes-Benz only website, Hemmings online auction and, coming in March, radforsale.com offering just cars from the 1980s and newer.

Clearly the affinity of Millenials and Gen Xers for all things digital makes online auction sites a natural draw for those demographic groups. Matt says, “Online definitely attracts a younger community compared to in person auctions. I mean granted I recently sold a Ferrari Daytona online to a 75-year old gentleman. But definitely the online community is more youthful. Look Gen Xers and Millennials are just more used to doing things online.”

When asked if older buyers are waiting for the in person auctions to return, Matt responds without hesitation. Matt says, “Oh without a doubt. First of all, it’s a destination. They want an excuse to get out of their homes. As well, the older buyer wants to touch, feel, smell and experience the car they intend to buy. Buying cars online is still a really weird place especially if you are not a digital native. In addition, older buyers are much more concerned about getting screwed on a car. For some reason Gen Xers and Millennials are a little bit more forgiving with an attitude of ‘oh it is what it is.”

Matt also believes that the traditional auction houses, while most have ventured on line with some success, yearn for a return to in person events. Matt says, “Online you lose out on the whole live theater experience. Live is where a bidder can seize the moment. Bidders get caught up in the atmosphere. Your buddies pump you up and cheer you on. Whether it’s peer pressure or booze pressure, chances are enhanced that you’re going to keep buying and that’s what the auction houses want. You don’t get that on line.

Totally unplanned, it proved to be one of the more entertaining days of my life. Business had brought me to Burbank California. A friend in the film industry had taken me on a tour of the movie studios and, seeing that one sound stage had activity underway, he brought me in. By sheer luck we would be the only two non-actors ever to see an hysterically funny full cast rehearsal for the wedding dance in the Taxi episode “The marriage of Latka. ”What could possible beat that? Shortly I would find out when my friend introduced me to 92-year old Hollywood dentist and movie car legend, Dr. George Schweiger.

Hollywood dentist Dr. George Schweiger’s fantastic stable of future classic car rentals

Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable “Boomtown” with mud and tire chains

Pacific Auto Rental Catalog

Driving to meet Dr. George Schweiger on a late summer morning in 1982, my friend Bill Wahnish alerted me that the somewhat curmudgeonly good doctor was a man of few words and had never been interviewed. This would be a first. Pulling up in front of an unremarkable but large one-story warehouse with huge sliding doors, Bill informed me that this was but one of three large facilities used to house the roughly 300 vehicles held by Schweiger’s Pacific Auto Rental business.

1931 Duesenberg Model J and Jayne Mansfield

A practicing and well-to-do Hollywood dentist in the time of silent films, Dr. George Schweiger possessed a great passion for interesting automobiles. As the 1920s came to a close, Schweiger had amassed a sizeable collection.

When the “Roaring 20s” disintegrated into the deep Depression. Schweiger decided he wanted some amusement in those dark times. His solution called for turning his car collection into a stable of vehicles available as rentals for the Hollywood movie studios. Schweiger’s breathtaking personal museum of future classic cars included numerous Rolls-Royces, Packards, Cadillacs, Mercedes-Benzes, Isotta Fraschinis and Duesenbergs including a 1931 Duesenberg Model J ‘Disappearing Top’ Convertible Coupe by Murphy that in 2015 would sell for $3,520,000.

Schweiger met us out in front of the warehouse. Spry and sharp, sporting suspenders and a dress shirt, Schweiger agreed to speak with me before departing for his usual afternoon tennis match.

Following Schweiger through the entry door, I found myself in a dimly lit cavernous space tightly packed with classic vehicles of all stripes and sizes. High end sedanca devilles of the 1930’s, ‘40s and ‘50s on trickle chargers lined the length of one wall. A far corner was thick with late ‘30s and ‘40s trucks, some military, others commercial canvas top 5-ton stake jobs, the kind seen careening down a dark road in chase scenes from 1940s and ’50s serial adventures.

Against a back wall resided a 1924 Model T taxi that frequently appeared with Laurel and Hardy. Stationed to its immediate right sat a 1922 Maxwell made famous by comedian Jack Benny and his chauffer Rochester. Menacingly stern and next in line, was a 1939 dual-wheel Mercedes-Benz staff car custom built for Nazi general Erwin Rommel and bought by Schweiger in 1950. It would later be made famous on “Hogan’s Heros.” Most conspicuously and proudly displayed in the center of the warehouse floor were the Duesenbergs. Dominant in their presence and perfection, this proud assemblage of American automotive royalty included the future multimillion dollar 1931 Model J Convertible Coupe.

Our conversation would be held in Schweiger’s office. Directed to my left, we approached a classic glass pane and metal panel factory floor office. It displayed all the patina one would expect after spending over forty plus years in a vintage vehicle storage facility. Pacific Auto Rental had moved there in 1940. During that time Schweiger’s original partner had passed away in 1943. Shockingly for Schweiger, his sixty-year old son predeceased him some years back and forced the doctor to resume control of the business. Considering the impressive size of his collection, the minimal nature of the Pacific Auto Rental support staff came as a shock. It consisted solely of a postman who worked part time and a young man with learning disabilities. Everything else was left to the studio renting the vehicle and specialists on the other end of a phone call.

Reticent to say much at first, Schweiger initially deflected questions saying that he could not remember much. However, with a little encouragement, recollections began to flow with greater speed and amazing accuracy.

Philion Steamer

Schweiger first recalled his good friend and favorite trading partner Bill Harrah who passed in 1978. Owner of Harrah’s Hotel and Casinos, one of the most influential figures in gaming history and at one point the owner of the largest collection of classic vehicles under one roof, Harrah and Schweiger had a great relationship. Harrah’s favorite motorized possession, a Philion Steamer came in a trade with Schweiger. Harrah loved the little steamer. Built in the late 1890s by French circus showman Achille Philion, the coal burning steamer successfully served to call attention to Philion when he paraded it down main streets of America to announce that the circus had come to town.

Schweiger rolled right into the backstory of Samuel Goldwyn of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer renown. As Schweiger starts the story, Samuel Goldfish has not yet changed his name to Goldwyn. A Polish immigrant, Goldfish in 1909 started out in Manhattan as the owner of a long and narrow novelty store. With the movies entering popular culture as a new form of entertainment, venues to show films were in great demand. Goldfish’s long narrow storefront suited the need perfectly. Within a few years Goldfish had progressed into movie making by entering into a partnership with the Selwyn brothers, Archibald and Edgar. To name their partnership they chose to combine their last names. Goldfish liked the name Gold-wyn so much so that he legally adopted it as his own. It also seemed a far more appealing combination than Sel-fish.

1931 Duesenberg Model J

As Gary Cooper’s mother lived on the same block as Schweiger, Cooper became a close friend and would stop by Pacific Auto Rental at times with his Duesenberg SSJ, the same Duesenberg SSJ that in 2018 would be sold by Miles Collier for $22 million. Hollywood’s A-list members possessing a love for Olympian automobiles apparently found Schweiger a kindred spirit and would visit Pacific Auto Rental to sell a car or just to hang out. Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Tyrone Power and others would casually while away time in Schweiger’s little factory floor office. Years later a 20-something Elke Sommer would stop by to sell her 1957 Rolls-Royce.

A smile flashed across Schweiger’s face as his experiences on the set of the 1930’s Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable movie “Boomtown” came to mind. He recollected the heavy rains and deep mud that required putting tire chains on all 50 of his cars being used in the filming. He laughed in recalling how he crawled around in the deep mud affixing the chains so filming could proceed.

Rental car with chains

Schweiger, now fully engaged with his past, brought to life a wonderful freewheeling first person journey through the history of early Hollywood seen through the windshields of iconic vehicles that appeared in films America loved. Then, the clock struck twelve, literally and figuratively. I realized that time had melted away leaving me painfully close to missing my return flight home.

With many thanks, smiles and handshakes, I promised to continue the interview in the future. Back home I sent out query letters to a variety of magazines. A few months passed until  one day when four related letters arrived coincidentally. Three of the letters were responses to my magazine queries and expressed interest in the story of Dr. Schweiger and Pacific Auto Rental. The fourth letter came from my friend Bill. The single sheet of paper read, “Doc passed away. Thought you would want to know.” It would appear I had the honor of benefiting from the only personal recounting of Dr. George Schweiger’s remarkable Hollywood history.

I had been told that Schweiger’s only relative, a niece, possessed absolutely no interest in his collection other than its value. A few months later I learned that the physical assets of Pacific Auto Rental had been sold to the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas.

That said, I retained Schweiger’s priceless recollections. Some shared here with you.

Like pearls on a fine necklace, the vivid memories string together as bright as if they happened yesterday. However, it was September of 1986 and the events came courtesy of a Volvo press event led by Volvo PR guru Bob Austin.

To introduce the new Bertone designed 1987 Volvo 780 Luxury Coupe, Volvo flew a premier selection of North American Journalists to Monaco. There, cosseted with no expense spared, the journalists would sample the new Volvo luxury Coupe on the narrow corniches (a road cut into the edge of a cliff running along the coast) clinging to the mountains of southern France high above Monte Carlo. My job was to capture it all on film.

And then, Nuccio Bertone signaled for his personal Miura

Display of Bertone concept cars

View from Lowes Hotel

Disembarking from the 747 jumbo jet, we arrived sleepy eyed in Nice on the first day that France required visas from all travelers entering the country. Terrorist bombings in Paris had spurred the French to respond with severely tightened security measures. Wearily pushing a dolly piled with luggage and camera gear we searched for customs. To this day I have no idea how, pushing our dolly piled with large black boxes, we found ourselves in the terminal with no memory of passing through security.

Tightly packed in our generic European rental, my director Jeff and I wove through the French Riviera high above a glistening Mediterranean on our way to Monte Carlo. Our arrival predated that of the journalists to allow us a few days to scout locations for filming. On our way we took a turn and pursued a long decent towards the sea in search of an old fort. Climbing the long and steep hill as we returned from our search we spotted a soccer ball hugging the curb as it accelerated down to the sea. In the passenger seat, I swung my door open. As we slowed, I scooped up the soccer ball. I knew this story would have more to tell. After continuing up the winding hill a young, I suspect, mother appeared in hot pursuit. As we approached her, I extended my arm out the window proffering the runaway ball. Her glorious smile and relieved expression lit up the street. I believe this serendipitous encounter blessed the coming days with good fortune, good will and good work.

Corniche

Unlike the often spartan quarters allocated to a film crew, we would be enjoying the same luxury accommodations as the journalists. Majestically situated on muscular pillars at the water’s edge, the spectacular Lowes Hotel in Monte Carlo visually promised and totally delivered sumptuous luxury for the rich, the famous and, on this day, for Jeff and me.

Having upgraded to one of the Volvo 780 press cars, Jeff and I ventured out early the next day in search of beauty and drama on the twisting switchbacks above and beyond Monaco. Carved into mountain sides populated with single lane tunnels, these roads hugged towering cliffs on one side while featuring precipitous drop-offs on the other. Any concern for the absence of guardrails drew troubling substantiation from the still visible slide trails of vehicles lying crumpled hundreds of feet below.

Peille

Properly exploring mountain roads that make Big Sur feel absolutely urban required advanced meal planning. Planning that we did not do. Mid-day found us hungry with no place to eat. Ahead, the road followed the towering cliff wall and bowed to our right. In so doing it revealed a small and visually striking assemblage of red tile roofed stucco homes blindingly white in the baking sun. Affixed like a wasp nest to the side of a cliff, the sleepy mountainside town of Peille greeted us. Driving through, the town emoted a timeless authenticity. Then suddenly, Jeff swore we had just passed a restaurant sign. We stopped. Moseying down charming and immaculate cobble stone alleyways we found La Feniere (translation, the hay loft), a tiny charming restaurant with maybe five tables. We were saved.

Sitting in her rocker like “Whistler’s Mother” and peacefully waiting for her bread to bake, the proprietress reacted to our entry with a start. We quickly realized that she spoke no English. As for us, other than bonjour, we were at a loss for words. Somehow the international language of pointing resulted in a glorious lunch of tomatoes, Cheese, fresh bread and Perrier. We departed having made a friend.

Filming would begin before the journalists arrived allowing us to shoot running footage of the 780s on the mountain roads. My good fortune continued with the arrival of my Volvo supplied film crew from Sweden. Talented and professional, they quickly bonded with us to form a strong personal and professional attachment. That bond would soon save lives when a crew member sacrificed his body to prevent a deadly accident during shooting.

Filming on narrow mountain roads

Using a Volvo 740 wagon as a camera car to shoot the hero 780 required frequent readjustments of the camera mounts. A steep cliff on one side and precipitous drop on the other left no place but the skinny corniche roadway itself to set up each shot. Walkie talkies and few automobiles made controlling traffic flow quite manageable. French motorists seemed delighted to be witnessing film production. However, not every driver felt obliged to calmly wait. For one particular shot, a blind curve separated the stopped traffic and the crew members setting up the next shot on the roadway.

Screams and blaring horns yanked my attention from my notebook to see my Swedish assistant director draped on the hood of a BMW clutching the windshield wipers as the car came to an angry halt. The impatient BMW driver who had bolted out of the waiting line had come to rest just before taking the turn and plowing into the defenseless crew.

On a lighter side while prepping a shot by another sharp turn, I was approached by a tourist who had just pulled over. ”Does anybody here speak English,” He inquired. I indicated that, yes, I did. He asked, “Is this the place where Princess Grace died?” Now, I was blessed with a crew with two Swedes, Pelle and Rune, both of whom displayed a wicked funny sense of humor. Below the curve at the bottom of the hill lay a few wrecked Renaults. They begged me to say yes just to see the guy go down and try to rip a souvenir off a car. I would have none of it. I explained our purpose for being there. He thanked me and went on his way. A few days later I learned that that specific curve possesses a bad reputation that earned it the name, the “Devil’s Curse.” And, yes, Grace Kelly’s accident occurred there. Sorry Mr. Tourist.

Interviews at Chateau Eza

With the journalists having arrived, work for the crew really dialed up. With a trip to the spectacular Chateau Eza for lunch and interviews, plenty of footage to be shot with the journalists interacting with the 780 and, of course, more driving footage B-roll, it created very long days for the crew. This in turn created a very interesting interaction in the Lowes Hotel lobby. Returning from the road in the evening, the crew, looking very much the part of a grunge band, would arrive in the lobby about the same time the black tie crowd departed to enjoy their rich and famous lifestyle. Oh, when worlds collide. Basically their response resembled stepping on roadkill with a bare foot, until. Until, the glitterati spotted the 35mm Panavision film camera and trappings. Le Cinéma? Postures firmed as soft smiles filled the room.

With gear packed tightly in our 740 wagon, we departed leaving Monte Carlo in our taillights. Next stop Turin and Carrozzeria Bertone where we would meet Signore Nuccio Bertone himself.

Discovering break-in at hotel in Torino

Leading our film crew caravan to our next stop in Turin, I had the wheel of a red 780 press car. I have never been to Italy. In this pre-GPS age, I have simply pointed my 780 in the direction of Torino and hit the gas.

With an incredible stroke of luck, upon entering downtown Torino I looked to my right and saw the Hotel Jolly Ligure, our destination. Pretty beat from the day, our ragtag film crew staggered in to the hotel to get some rest for the big day tomorrow.

Broke into what? Awakened by a knock, I heard the news that our 740 wagon parked at the front door of the hotel loaded with a six figure camera kit had been broken into. Yes, in retrospect it was clearly a mistake to leave it in the car despite the desire for an early getaway.

I hustled down to discover that the crafty thieves broke in, crawled over $100,000 plus of Panavision equipment and, and stole the radio. I am not saying this in any way represented a karmic payback related to the soccer ball incident but I am not saying it did not.

Nuccio Bertone has his Miura brought out

Arriving at the bright and airy Carrozzeria Bertone Studio nestled against the foot hills of Torino, we were greeted by a display of iconic Bertone designed concept cars. As my crew went about setting up for interviews, I grabbed the opportunity to wander alone among this breathtaking collection of automobile artistry. As I slowly moved through the collection, an older Italian gentleman stood quietly at the far end of the semi-circle. I greeted him. I spoke no Italian. He responded genially but spoke no English. I smiled and said with a shrug, “No Miura.” With that my genial companion called out in a firm tone. His voice brought hustling workers on the run. Shortly thereafter a yard tug pulled out an immaculate orange Miura. I had just met Nuccio Bertone who would become a friend.

Nuccio Bertone and yours truly, 1986