Cars We Love & Who We Are
More than the polished parts and hard to find pieces, the special interest vehicles people collect embody the character of each owner. “Cars We Love & Who We Are” profiles individual special interest vehicles and the proud owner committed to its preservation.
Conversations with People We Value
Talking with skilled professionals who support our passion for collectible automobiles.
Roads We Remember
Some roads discovered far from home reward us with a once in a lifetime driving experience. Others are old friends revisited to elevate our spirits and celebrate the joy of life behind the wheel.
In Search of the 7th Royale Series – All the Episodes Here
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Here’s this week’s question:
In the 1960s what company produced and conducted the only consumer test of gas turbine powered cars?
Answer to last week’s question:
In what state is Pikes Peak? – Colorado
About the blogger
Burton Hall has written for an automotive client list that includes Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Maserati, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Peugeot and Volvo. He has also written for The Washington Post, AutoWeek, Corvette Monthly, Jaguar Magazine, BMW Magazine, Hemmings.com, Hagerty Magazine and numerous auto restoration buff books.
He is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians and the Historic Vehicle Association.
As a classic car hobbyist, He owns a 1961 Corvette that he bought in 1967, a 1953 Jaguar XK120MC Drophead Coupe that he restored after finding it in a barn in 1980, an original 1953 Golden Anniversary Ford F100 pickup that he purchased from the original owner and a 1951 MG TD that presently serves as a planter and centerpiece in his garden. All are great drivers, except the MG which has a few bugs.
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