Friend of Drivin’ News Bob Austin derives great pleasure and success in mining estate sales for interesting things automotive, preferably that of the vintage variety. Once he stumbled upon an old Rolls-Royce “out back” at a garage sale. The other day, clutching a stack of vintage magazines to his chest like a school kid carrying books, Bob proudly displayed his latest find. He spread across a table, like-new copies of Hemmings Motor News from the 1970s.

With Hemmings respected as “The Bible” preaching the gospel of classic car enthusiasm, I was drawn to the mid-20^th century publications pages. I found myself time traveling back 50 years to the fertile ground that would spawn the explosive growth producing today’s billion dollar global vintage car community.

So, join me in returning to a time when a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster could be bought for under $10,000 and a Ferrari 275GTB-4 for under $20,000.

Revisiting Old Writings from the Hemmings Bible

In January of 1954 Ernest Hemmings launched the first issue of his eponymous Hemmings Motor News. In introducing his, then, mimeographed magazine he stated its purpose writing, “I hope it will be of real interest to the person interested in older models. I hope that this magazine will grow bigger and better as time goes on and in the future I hope to secure a better printing for it.”

Twenty years later, America found itself hammered by the 1973 to 1974 Arab oil embargo. The price of a barrel of oil had quadrupled to $12 from $3. Gas prices skyrocketed with the price per gallon increasing 35%. Simultaneously new car performance plummeted. Reeling from emissions control choked engines and awkward exterior safety designs, the 1970s inflicted a powerful jolt to enthusiasts bred in the muscle car era. The simplicity of cars produced prior to the wave of government imposed safety and emissions regulations made older cars with their high performance and good looks fertile ground for the do-it-your-self classic car enthusiast. These enthusiasts formed the audience Ernest Hemmings had in mind. By 1974 the Hemmings subscriber base had climbed to 88,100.

While high end European cars such as Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Aston Martins had a following among wealthy “collectors” as did American Olympian cars such as Duesenbergs, Packards and Cadillacs, none had yet begun to climb to the heady […]

Herb Benkel loves cars. Herb loves driving. Herb loves Susan whom he married on November 9, 1968. All would be impacted one week after the wedding when he was diagnosed with cancer. Though ultimately losing his right leg to osteonecrosis Herb never wavered in his commitment to leading a full life that would include a highly successful career as an endodontist, mentoring for the  Amputee Coalition and an undiminished enthusiasm for driving.

Meet Herb Benkel

A Car Guy Offers Life Lessons in Taking Misfortune in Stride

His handsome and immaculate triple black BMW 440i pulls into the parking lot. The driver’s door swings open filling the added space available in the handicap parking spot. Slowly and deliberately Herb Benkel swings his left leg out of the car. With his left leg firmly planted on the ground, he spins his body to the left and manually guides his prosthetic right leg from the car. A marvel of medical technology, it features the world’s first motor-powered microprocessor knee and cobalt chrome construction. It boasts a level of technical advancement on a par with the BMW he drives.

Using two canes for stability as he stands, Herb greets me with a broad smile and laughing eyes. He authentically projects the visage of a man who never has a bad day. In this case the day offers a festival of autumn glory.

Herb’s prosthesis leaves Long John Silver far in the dust with a mobility solution sporting a heavy dose of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator cyborg. He says, “You can hear the device when I am approaching. If you watch the original Terminator movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, you hear the Terminator machinery going Zip, Zip, Zip, Er, Er, Er. Now that’s me. You can hear the motor when I walk. At first, it was really annoying but then I got used to it.”

The leg’s microprocessor delivers a powered motion to actively replicate lost muscle function. State-of-the-art sensors detect his movement thus equipping the knee to anticipate his needs. A powerful motor delivers active extension when standing and controlled resistance when rising. Herb says, “The sophistication of the Ossur Prosthetic is a blessing.” With the Ossur unit, a motor responds to provide active bending and straightening of the leg when walking. Thus the unit automatically returns the lower leg to the natural stance position to promote a more natural gait. […]

You never know what you will discover at the Fall Carlisle Swap Meet. In the case of this year’s event, Elaine and I stumbled across a real find. While seated for breakfast at the historic Carlisle House B&B we found ourselves across the table from Jim Freda and his wife Kim. In a matter of moments Jim and I were confirming a lengthy list of common acquaintances populating the list of respected members of the tri-state classic car community.

Over breakfast in sharing images of custom vehicles he created in his off hours, I recognized both a possible friend and a visionary artist worthy of a Drivin’ News story.

Meet Jim Freda.

Intuitive Genius Wielding a Hammer and Chisel

Jim’s 1962 Cadillac 4-dr. Sedan deVille

I found it inconceivable that of all the completed and striking one-off fabrications arrayed about the courtyard none had come to life with the benefit of so much as a sketch on a napkin. Yet, Jim Freda, in his 60s, retired and a full time artist with old cars as his medium, would have it no other way.

His most recent creation started as a 1962 Cadillac Sedan deVille. His initial vision centered on slicing off the roof and creating a full 180 degree Plexiglas bubble top concept. However, early on, with the roof freshly removed and hanging on straps above the Cadillac’s open cockpit, Jim lowered the roof onto the car to facilitate moving it to another part of his shop. The visual effect stunned him. The impact of the cut roof’s sinister slit-eyed glare sitting low upon the Cadillac’s lengthy swept fin body electrified Jim. With fluid ease, he pivoted to a completely new visual concept that would showcase the chopped Cadillac’s serendipitously discovered alluring menace. More about the 62 Cadillac will come later. This impromptu re-imagining reflects an intuitive genius that Jim employs as a matter of form in all of his creations. Unencumbered by any commitment to a predetermined outcome, Jim simply follows his muse to achieve a final design that pleased him.

As in Jim’s case, intuitive genius describes an innate ability to capture a desired solution in a manner that seemingly supersedes conscious reasoning. For Jim his application of this creative gift comes with the benefit of a personal build philosophy that demands that as Jim says, “If you make a mistake, you […]