I visited the AACA Fall Meet in Hershey and spotted these great automobiles.

This pretty Mercedes had a wood IP!

A classy Mercedes

This 1958 Dodge Sierra wagon was for sale and the price was right.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the first time a two-tone paint stripe was ringed by chrome trim.  I've read that Virgil Exner, Sr. was responsible for this colorful option.

An Exner-designed 1961 Chrysler New Yorker convertible. 

I've always loved gold nomenclature on a white painted automobile.  A 1962 Chrysler

Pretty pre-War Cadillac with two-tone paint.

I've always loved pastel pink and white paint jobs, especially on the 1958 Edsel Citation.

Only Cadillac could get away with offering fins like this and find so many buyers.

Most people like the fastback version of the 1967 - 69 Barracuda.  But I like the coupe look too.   The concave rear window was very unusual for a low priced car.

Gorgeous custom interior on 1966 Corvair 4-door Monza

Prettiest fins on the market.  1959 Buick LeSabre

Unusual trim piece on the 1962 Dodge Polara 500

Virgil Exner seemed to love placing headlights in unusual places.

Wish today's cars could be optioned with these colors.

(Re) Introducing the Lincoln Motor Company

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On everyone's list of great Lincolns is the first Continental, the 1939 Mark I.   Edsel Ford wanted a special car to drive to Florida to show off friends on his annual winter break.   Working with designer Eugene T. "Bob" Gregorie, the two of them starting with an already great looking Lincoln Zephyr and created the formal and grand Lincoln Continental Mark I.  So popular with his wealthy friends in Florida, Lincoln immediately put the car into production.

It is no secret to those who follow the auto industry to notice that Ford Motor Company’s Lincoln brand is in deep trouble.  One only needs to read monthly sales figures to see that during the current auto industry sales recovery in the United States, the once powerhouse luxury brand from Ford is having a rough time keeping up.

Sales of Lincoln vehicles are down 15 percent for 2012.  Only about 70,000 units have been sold.    That paltry figure compares to the high water sales mark of 230,000 enjoyed by Lincoln back in 1990.

While Lincoln falters, its luxury brand competitors, especially foreign-based Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus are selling in near record or record numbers.   Long time domestic competitor Cadillac is also struggling but the recent introduction of two all-new models this past summer is pushing the once “Standard of the World” sales upward and a recovery seems to be underway for the once mighty GM brand.

So what happened to Lincoln, and is Ford doing anything about it?  As with the story of any entity that takes a mighty fall, there is no one answer to the question.   Lincoln, founded in 1917 by Henry Leland has had a history of ups and down, not unlike nearly all the automakers.

When Henry Ford bought Lincoln from Leland in 1922 it fit nicely into the Ford family.   The Model T attracted folks in need of inexpensive transportation and the luxurious Lincoln appealed to the moneyed crowd.

Henry’s son, Edsel, 24 years old at the time of the Lincoln purchase, was given the responsibility to make something of Lincoln.  The appointment was a good decision by the old man because his son is recognized today for having a good eye for fine design.

I could write pages and pages of the many fine Lincolns that were crafted by Ford Motor and brought to market.  Edsel showed his genius as a man with a keen eye and a man of good taste when he oversaw the creation of two popular pre-war models that are highly coveted by collectors today. 

Working with designer Eugene T. “Bob” Gregorie, Edsel introduced the streamlined and affordable Zephyr in 1936 and the elegant and striking Lincoln-Continental in 1939. 

Lincoln managed to thrive even following Edsel’s untimely death in 1943 at the age of 49.  Notable Lincolns were introduced in the post-war era.  Popular with collectors were the first all-new models since WWII introduced in 1949 in two-sizes – one based on the mid-sized Mercury.

It wasn’t until 1956 that Lincoln made a concerted effort to compete more directly with Cadillac, its long time nemesis.   In 1956 Lincoln brought to market a luxury car that was an equal match to Cadillac – in size and in style.   Sales still were only a third of Cadillac’s but Ford Motor made it known Lincoln was now a serious contender.

It took until the 1970s before Lincoln started to really thrive and challenge Cadillac in sales supremacy.   But it was the 1961 model year when Lincoln offered a new car that set the tone for how the marque would look and be marketed for a decade to come.

The 1961 Lincoln-Continental was a landmark vehicle for Ford.  Not a big seller at first but the beautifully designed and executed down-sized sedan and convertible, both with “look-at-me” suicide-style rear doors, were a slam dunk design home run and caught the public’s fancy.

The Lincoln-Continental looks hardly changed for 5 years and subsequent new models favored the severe but elegant look of the original and sales started to climb. The introduction of the Thunderbird-based Continental Mk. III in 1968 enriched the luxury brand’s lineup and pushed Lincoln to sales of 230,000 by 1990.

Then, with stiff new competition from Asian brands in the luxury market (Acura, Lexus, Infiniti) and the continual sales success of the Euro big three – Mercedes, BMW and Audi – Lincoln lost their way.

Perhaps Edsel Ford II, Edsel’s grandson, said it best on a recent television program about Lincoln’s plight when he said, “We took our foot off the accelerator.”  Sad to say, in the last two decades Lincoln has faded away.

So what to do?  If you’ve been reading the paper or watching television, you know that a plan to revitalize Lincoln is underway – big time.  The company announced just last week in a full-page ad in USA Today a name change and a game plan.  Gone is the old Lincoln/Mercury Division.  Now it is The Lincoln Motor Company, just like in the beginning. 

A new team is running Lincoln.  Ford Marketing Chief Jim Farley is now Lincoln’s top executive.  It has been announced that over the next four years four entirely new Lincoln’s will be introduced. 

In 2014 the brand will enter the Chinese market for the first time.  Says Matt VanDyke, Lincoln’s global head of marketing, sales and service, “Ford has been completely re-invented and now it’s time to do that with Lincoln.”

Lincoln now has its own styling studio and heading it is former Cadillac chief designer Max Wolff.  Max’s first effort for Lincoln is the MKZ reaching dealers this month.  Like before, this entry-level Lincoln is based on the Ford Fusion.  But unlike the last MKZ, you’d never know it.  It shares the Fusion platform but all exterior sheet metal and all interior surfaces is uniquely Lincoln’s. 

In addition to the full-page print ads in national publications, Lincoln has introduced a brand new website and produced three new television ads.   Ford has purchased a 1-minute Super Bowl ad to re-introduce Lincoln as a viable and exciting new luxury choice – hoping to reach all the buyers out there who haven’t given a moment’s thought of considering Lincoln for purchase.

So will new executives, new designers, new name, new product and new emphasis on service by dealers (a concierge-type service provided by Lincoln dealers has also been announced) help pull Lincoln out of the sales doldrums? 

It’s not an easy task.  Just ask Cadillac.  GM has spent billions of dollars in the past 10 – 15 years trying to return Cadillac as a worthy contender in the cutthroat luxury car business and the jury is still out.

Certainly those of us who are still mourning the loss of Oldsmobile, Plymouth, Pontiac and Mercury are pulling for Lincoln.  It will be nice to see the 95 year old marque rise Phoenix-like and be a major contender in the market in the years to come.   Fingers are crossed.

Few luxury brands can match the beauty and elegance of the then all-new 1961 Lincoln-Continental.  Reduced in size and designed using simple shapes and forms, the car helped establish Lincoln as an important new player in the luxury car class.   As new Lincoln design chief Max Wolff and his styling crew work to create a new exciting generation of Lincolns, finding inspiration from the '61 Lincoln-Continental might be advisable.

Lincoln got serious in its battle for sales leadership with Cadillac by introducing the beautiful, all-new 1956 model.  The car's dramatic-looking front end was derived from the 1955 Futura dream car (which later was transformed by customizer George Barris into the infamous Batmobile).  Sales rose dramatically and the 1956 Lincoln remains a favorite of Lincoln collectors.  This car, formerly owned by Al Dickerson of South Haven, was exhibited at an early Concours d'Elegance car show in St. Joseph in Lake Bluff Park.

 Following are photos of a variety of beautiful Lincolns that graced our highways in the past.  Enjoy.

 1961 Lincoln Continental 4-door convertible

Rear quarter view of 1961 Lincoln Continental

1956 Lincoln

1965 Lincoln Continental 4-door sedan

1957 Lincoln

Capturing the art of the auto

  

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The tail fin defined the Cadillac during the fifties and none shouted Cadillac like the P-38 Lightning aircraft-inspired tailfins found on the 1948 – 1956 models.  A close-up shot of this 1955 Cadillac Eldorado iconic fin best personifies the luxury brand’s tail fin legacy.

I’ve been eyeballing automobiles since 1954.  Regardless of where I am – in a parking lot, on the freeway or on Niles Avenue – my eyes screen each car that passes by.   I can’t help it.

In the 58 years since my automotive awakening I’ve acquired a fondness for a number of the older cars once spotted on the highways.  Of late I have made an effort, when attending car shows, to capture images of these favorites with my camera at car shows.

With some cars, I like only a portion of the overall design, like the grille or the rear taillight.  So over the past many years, I’ve been drawn to photograph only a section of the vehicle in an artistic fashion.   Some have actually come out pretty nicely and can almost be consider works of art – at least to my eyes. 

I was pleasantly surprised recently when someone visited the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan’s Facebook page and wrote a complimentary remark about a photo I had posted of a 1955 Cadillac Eldorado rear quarter fender view.  I had used this particular photo when I announced the recent decision by the Concours National Advisory and Executive Boards that the Cadillac would be the featured marque in 2013 to commemorate the luxury automaker’s 110^th anniversary.

The Facebook visitor’s comment, “This picture in undeniably beautiful” made my day and got me to thinking about some of the other photos of cars that I’ve taken over the past 10 – 15 years. 

So I opened my iPhoto album – now filled with 5,452 images – and looked for my favorite pictorial “car parts,” so-to-speak.   I found a number that really ring my bell.

The aforementioned 1955 Cadillac photo is at the top of the list.   If you want a photograph of GM’s luxury division that say loud and clear “I’m a Cadillac,” then I feel this photo accomplishes the task.   I only shot the tail of the car and from slightly above.  The famous P-38 Lightning aircraft-inspired tail fins were used on the Cadillac from the 1948 original until through 1957 model.

This picture resonates even though the trunk on the vehicle in the photograph isn’t completely closed.  The strong sculptural statement of the finned taillight simply carries the day.

Another photo that garners comments when I share it is one I took many years ago while visiting Carlisle, (Pa.) Chrysler Nationals.  I’m a huge fan of Virgil Exner, Sr.’s 1955 cars that featured the “Forward Look.”  But what makes my photo of this particular Dodge notable isn’t the car’s handsome grille, but rather the dramatic effect caused by reflection in the chrome trim from the overhead stripped canvas tent.  It reminds viewers of peppermint candy and makes the photo memorable.

I often discover that shiny car surfaces make great mirrors for self-portrait.   In 2009 at Hershey, Pa., I came across a really nice black 1954 Buick Special. 

In 1954 GM introduced all-new Olds, Cadillac and Buick models.  I liked the cars a lot because they all featured the first mass-produced wraparound windshields.  Of the three GM luxury cars, I have always favored the Buick and its rear subtle fin.  When I spotted the black 1954 Special at Hershey, I had to take a photo of that fin.  The self-portrait was just a bonus.

I’m not savvy enough to use PhotoShop.   I take a photo and if it turns out great, it’s pure luck.   I attended the since-discontinued Venetian Festival car show some years back and took a photo of a nice two-tone 1955 Chevy Bel Air.  

This image isn’t quite a work of art but it captures perfectly the essence of the new, clean styling of the popular Chevy.  Most folks seem to like the 1957 Tri-Five Chevy better than the initial ‘ 55, but I’ve always been won over by the clean, pure lines of the original.  

Few cars are introduced that are perfect in every way.  With the ’55 Chevy I wouldn’t change a thing.  The 1955 Chevy is one of those perfect cars, in my opinion, and this photo shows why.  This cleanly designed, unadorned beauty represents the very best from GM’s top designer Harley Earl.

I admire all classic Packards and can understand why the luxury brand remains a favorite of serious collectors.  At Hershey this past fall I spotted a beautiful roadster from afar.   I wasn’t drawn to it because it was a Packard, but because of its beautiful color.  It shouted, “Look at me!” 

On closer inspection, I became enamored by the beautiful wheels on the 1929 automobile.   Disc-like, they were painted the same color as the car’s body.   Most importantly, in the wheel’s center, was the traditional Packard red hexagon.  This photo captures flawlessly the combination of colors and shapes that work beautifully together and pleases the eye.

Great art?  No, but it reveals perfectly the elegance of the era.

If you would like to see my photos that I’ve mentioned in today’s column in high definition, please visit my blog site at http://darscars.blogspot.com/.  I will post all the photos that I’ve mentioned.  I also welcome your comments on my blog. 

By the way, if readers use Facebook and have not yet visited the Concours d’Elegance of Southwest Michigan Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ConcoursSWMI), please do so.   And while on your visit, please “like” us.   It will keep you connected with the many activities of the fundraising event.

 Take a shiny, curved chromed surface and add color stripes from an overhead tent and you have a dramatic photograph.  This 1955 Dodge Royal Lancer was snapped by Dar at a Carlisle, Penn. Chrysler National show a few years back.

Whether up close or from afar, an automobile painted a gorgeous color will capture attention.   And none did it better than this 1929 Packard at Hershey.  Dar snapped the automobile’s wheel, capturing both the elegance of the wheel design and the stunning turquoise and red color combination.

 A 1954 black Buick Special rear fender makes for a perfect mirror to caption a self-portrait.  This photo may not be great art, but it speaks to the writer because the ’54 Buick is a favorite of his.

Both Dar’s grandfather and brother owned a 1955 Chevy.  The all-new car was one of Chevrolet’s most significant models, as it introduced not only its famous small block V-8 but also fresh, clean new styling, as shown in this rear quarter view that still looks fabulous 57 years later.

         

Dowagiac duo's dynamic car

With a thorough restoration completed the day before the Concours car show, this beautiful 1932 Auburn Speedster Boat Tail roadster won the hearts of both judges and visitors by winning both the Big Boy Restaurant Best of Show trophy and the Corvette Central People's Choice trophy.  Fewer than 75 Speedsters were built in 1932 and owners Don and Joan Lyons of Dowagiac bought their automobile from an owner in Grand Rapids.  Photo provided by Mark Parren

At last summer’s Concours car show, one automobile truly stood out.  It was such a standout that it garnered both the affections of the public and winning the People’s Choice trophy as well as the heart of the judges in receiving the Best in Show trophy.  Rarely does the same vehicle earn that dual accomplishment.  I’m speaking, of course, about Don and Joan Lyons’ 1932 orange and black Auburn boat tail Speedster.

Before I share Don and Joan’s story on how they acquired and restored the rare Auburn, I’ll share a little history about the Auburn.  The Auburn Automobile Company was founded in Auburn, Indiana as the Eckhart Carriage Company in 1875.  Experimenting with automobiles early on, by 1909 the company had absorbed two other failed automakers and had moved into a larger plant.  The plant, after limited success, was closed during World War I due to a materials shortage.

Following the war the Eckharts sold out to a Chicago investment group who revived the business but met with little financial success.  In 1924 the group sold the automaker to Errett Lobban Cord, a highly successful auto salesman who then went on to aggressively market the company’s unsold inventory.

In 1926 E. L. Cord expanded the Auburn Company by partnering with the Duesenberg Corporation, an automaker famous for its racing cars.  The year 1929 also saw the introduction of a third model, a front-wheel drive car that E. L. put his own name on, the Cord L-29. 

Unfortunately, the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company offered fabulous but expensive vehicles in a depressed market severely beaten by the Great Depression.  Sales plunged and the A-C-D Company went bust by 1937 but not before a number of outstanding vehicles were designed and built.   Those include just about any model of the mighty Duesenberg, the stunningly beautiful, Gordon Buehrig-designed 1936-37 Cord 810/812 and any number of fabulous Auburns including the Lyons’ beautiful 1932 Auburn Speedster that was designed by Alan Leamy.

The automobile that garnered nearly all of the votes in the People’s Choice balloting at the Concours was a product of the E. L. Cord years.  The Auburn Speedster (we only later stuck the Boat Tail label on the car) was a car frequently seen in wealthy communities like Hollywood and Palm Springs.

What attracted wealthy buyers to the Auburn was both stunning looking vehicles and powerful performance.  The 1932 Auburn Speedster provided a fast ride by offering a 268 cu. in./4.4-L straight eight that boasted 100 bhp.

A few years back I wrote a column about Don Lyons and his extensive automobile collection.  He has owned a number of fabulous vintage cars and, like his father before him, did a lot of the restoration and mechanical work himself.  

Folks in Dowagiac know Don as Mayor Lyons, a position he has held for the past 15 years.  Though now retired, he continues to serve as chairman of the board of Lyons Industries, Inc., a manufacturer of plumbing fixtures located west of Dowagiac on the city’s edge.  He also remains active with the Heddon Museum in Dowagiac, which chronicles the many contributions of the Heddon family to the Dowagiac area, especially their fishing tackle company.  Readers wanting more information about the museum may either visit www.heddonmuseum.org or call 269 782-5698.

One of my first questions to Don when I interviewed him for this column was how he managed to acquire his rare Speedster.   He didn’t attend the Scottsdale, Arizona auctions; rather he found the car in Grand Rapids.  He had known of the car for a number of years and in 2009 he convinced the owner to sell.

According to Don, there were three series of Auburn Speedsters:  those built in 1928-29, those produced in 1931-33 and the last batch in 1935-36.  There were no Speedsters built in 1930 or 1934. I was amazed to hear that in total only about 75 1932 Speedsters built. Don’s favorite is the 1932 model and that’s the one he and Joan bought.

Once the purchase was made, the Speedster’s next trip was a visit to Bill Godisak’s Sun Ray Restoration in Dowagiac for a complete restoration right down to restoring each facet on every nut and bolt in order to preserve the original old style fasteners.  Ultra-Tech Racing Engines in Mishawaka, Indiana rebuilt the car’s motor.    The Ultra-Tech team put in new bearings, bored out the cylinder block, fitted new pistons and rings and ground the valves, which resulted in a “better than new” motor. 

While the Auburn Speedster would look sensational in bare steel, it looked downright ravishing in a striking black and orange paint job.   Don says that back in 1932, for $50 extra, Auburn would paint your Speedster any color you wanted.  I’m sure glad black and orange was selected.   It has a look-at-me effect on his Speedster.

Speaking of paint, I was told by Don that the restoration of the Speedster was completed at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 3.  That was the day before the St. Joseph Concours’ event!  Thank you, Don, for getting the job done on time.

I asked Don if he had plans to show his Speedster at other Concours.  None are planned at the moment but he is thinking of nominating the automobile for the Concours d’Elegance of America car show in Plymouth, Mich. (formerly the Meadowbrook Concours) held each July just prior to the St. Joseph Concours.

Happily, I learned that Don still has a few vintage cars in his collection.   He has a 1932 Packard Super Eight 7-Passenger Sedan and a 1925 Dodge panel truck, which sports an original advertisement for the James Heddon and Sons fishing tackle company.   He also is currently restoring a 1910 Stoddard-Dayton Model K that has been languishing on the back burner for over 35 years.  Those of us on the Concours team are hoping that Don and Joan bring the newly restored Stoddard-Dayton to a future St. Joseph Concours and the Dodge panel truck to the 2014 event.   The planned Concours’ featured marque for 2014 is Dodge.   The Niles-based Dodge Brothers started the Dodge brand in 1914.

I’m writing this column on Halloween day.   I can’t think of an automobile more appropriately painted to drive to a masked ball at the Ritz than Don and Joan’s black and orange Speedster.   Maybe they’ll loan it to me next year.  You think?

Longtime automotive enthusiast and collector Don Lyons and his wife Joan stand before their trophy winning 1932 Auburn Speedster Boat Tail roadster at the 2012 Concours d'Elegance of Southwest Michigan automobile show last August 4.  The newly renovated black and orange vintage car drew rave reviews from all who saw it on display in Lake Bluff Park.  The restoration of the Auburn was completed at 5:00 p.m. on the day before the car show.  Photo provided by Jim Meister

Shown with Dar and his 2013 Buick Verano at the Orion Assembly plant in Michigan are (l. to r.) Steve Brock, Plant Manager; Matt Purdy, GM Vehicle Performance Manager for Small, Compact and Mini Cars and Carter Sperry, Quality Operations Manager.  The 1,824 workers at the Orion, Michigan auto plant assembled Dar's Verano on October 30 and Dar toured the plant and checked out his new car on November 1.

 GM gives Dar a royal welcome

There is nothing like a visit from Santa to lift one’s spirits…and boy, did I have a Christmas morning experience on November 1.  My “little boy” eyes opened wide and they stayed that way for two hours when at 10:10 a.m. I arrived at the expansive GM Assembly Plant in Orion Township, Michigan – just off I-75 in Lake Orion, north of Detroit - and began an experience of a lifetime.

Readers following this column know that back in September I finally ordered a new car to replace my now-sold Neon.  The process for me to decide which car to buy was a long and arduous journey.  Buying a new car is a pretty big deal for most of us but especially for someone like me who loves cars and buys them infrequently.

When it became known that I had settled on the American-made Buick Verano, I was given a tip from friend Steve Purdy of Williamsburg, Mich., a fellow auto journalist (he’s the Detroit Editor of TheAutoChannel.com website) and a charter member of the local Concours car show, that I should get in touch with his nephew Matt.  

As it turned out, Matt holds the title of Vehicle Performance Manager: Small, Compact and Mini Cars at General Motors and he helped oversee the development of the Verano.

I did contact him, and often.   The really kind man had to put up with me over a number of months as I emailed innumerable times to check on things.  I wanted to know what new colors would be added if I waited until the 2013 model year to order my Buick.   Would the 2013 model have a backup camera, I asked?

A most important question that I asked Matt was whether it would be possible for me to be at the plant when my new car was being assembled.   It has always been a dream of mine.  He wasn’t sure but he promised to check.  

Soon I heard from Phil Colley at Buick Communications and then I heard from Plant Communications Manager Kevin Nadrowski.

It wasn’t long before Kevin sent me a schedule.  The Verano build date would be just before or on Thursday, November 1 and I was to arrive at 10:10 a.m. on that date for a tour.

I’ve mentioned before that my son-in-law Tom Burch is a GM employee with an office in the corporate headquarters at the Renaissance Center in Detroit.  He, naturally, asked if he could accompany me on my visit.

After arriving at the Orion Assembly Plant on Giddings Road in Lake Orion, Tom and I were shown a short safety video in the plant’s lobby.  Soon after we were joined by Nadrowski and Purdy.  Next we were introduced to Tony Hufford, the UAW Local 5960 Communications Coordinator, and were given the required safety gear.

It was a good thing I had Tom along.  We walked along the floor of the 4 million-square-foot factory, and I had become completely mesmerized by the whirl of machine and man busy building an automobile.  I had forgotten that I had brought my camera and wanted lots of photos.   Tom took charge and took 74 photos.

With Kevin as our guide and Matt as an escort, Tom and I were given a thorough tour of the plant.  We were impressed with how efficiently the plant was laid out and how clean the site was.  Kevin pointed out the many changes at the plant that improved working conditions and added equipment that upgraded the quality of each car assembled.

As we concluded our walking tour, Kevin arranged for me to meet both Plant Manager Steve Brock and Quality Operations Manager Carter Sperry.  They took time and explained all that GM and the Orion management and labor team has done and is doing to build the best automobiles in the world. 

Carter, who is responsible for every vehicle that comes off the production line, patiently explained to me that GM and Orion have established clearly identifiable standards to meet so that dependable cars are built consistently.  And it’s his job that those standards are followed.  I was very, very impressed and have complete confidence that my Verano will be a car to be proud of.

Orion was opened in 1983 and has 1,824 hourly and salaried workers.  Over its lifetime it has built everything from luxury cars like Cadillac and Olds 98 sedans and mid-size models like Malibu and Pontiac G6.  Workers at Orion have built 4.6 million GM vehicles. 

Workers and management are proud of a safety record:  10 million man-hours of operation without a lost workday.  The plant also was the first GM facility to receive the Clean Corporate Citizen designation by the State of Michigan.

Following a massive, $545 million retooling in 2010, the plant now produces the Chevrolet Sonic sub-compact hatch and sedan and the compact Buick Verano.  Using a combination of up-to-the-moment modern robotic equipment and the deft hand of highly trained workers, Orion assembles 825 vehicles a day, one third being Buick Veranos.  The plants annual capacity is 160,000 units with workers presently putting in four, ten-hour shifts weekly.  That schedule will change early next year when the plant goes to a more traditional five day/eight-hour schedule.

Then – there it sat in a well-lighted space. My new Buick beckoned.  The GM team gave me plenty of time to examine and admire my new car.  I was introduced to Gary Jager, the team member who had just completed giving my car a thorough Global Customer Audit including a dynamic 15-mile road test, an eight-minute soaking in the water test and a 3-hour top-to-bottom examination. 

The final surprise?  Carter invited me to take my new car for a drive.  A quick spin on public roads near the plant in my new car was the final highlight of my visit.  I was very aware that this courtesy was a rare gift and I enjoyed every moment of it.
  
I was incredibly impressed with the GM team that met with me.   I’d need pages of space to write all that I want to share about my experience as a guest of these professional and committed GM employees.

We hear so much negative stuff about how poorly our domestic auto industry have done in the past.  What we don’t hear is news about how well the industry is doing today.   Gone are the days when management and unions were at loggerheads.  Today is a new era in union/management cooperation and the positive results of this development are American-built automobiles that are equal in style and quality to any vehicle built in the world. 

The men and women who now design and build cars for the Domestic Three automakers have a crystal clear vision of what needs to be done to succeed.  I’ve never been prouder of the accomplishments of our American workers, designers and engineers and know that my new Verano is well built and will provide me with years of dependable and satisfactory service. 

I can’t wait for it to arrive in my hometown for delivery. 

Big grilles, side sweeps and fender jewelry

The current "hot" automotive design trend used by designers is the sculptural side sweep.  Utilized successfully on the Hyundai Sonata, the design device gives a vehicle the appearance of being longer and in motion.  In addition to sedans, coupes and convertibles, the side sweep is also found on a number of crossovers and a few minivans.

Auto News trade journal writer Lindsay Chappell wrote a column a while back on auto design.  He started his article with this statement:  “When it comes to designing a new car, it’s really, really hard to do anything new.  Disassemble the pieces of the coolest new designs, and the chances are you’ll have the funny feeling that you’ve seen them all before.”  I can add an amen to that!

Oliver Stefan, head of design for the Volkswagen brand, explained to Lindsay that auto designers using the same design elements on different models around the global industry can’t be helped.  Stefan explains, “I have been working on new design ideas before and I will go to a motor show and look around.  And I will see the same idea already showing up in other cars there.   It’s a remarkable thing.”

According to Stefan, designers from around the world read the same car magazines, go to the same movies and they see the same technologies.  He says similar design cues are not the result of corporate espionage but “just…the same ideas floating up in different places.”

Chappell then goes on to list the long list of auto design elements found on a large number of vehicles worldwide.  Let’s start with one that has been with us the longest, the stylized side vent on the front fender.   I don’t recall who started this practice on a family sedan or SUV, but in the old days they were only found on roadsters. 

Today, you find the chrome pieces on everything from the most expensive SUV (the Cadillac Escalade is a good example) to an inexpensive sub-compact like on the little Ford Fiesta.  But the trend is fading and fewer vehicles use the useless design device.

The current “big thing” design element is the use of a noticeable accent line along the side of a vehicle.  It’s hard to find either a car or crossover without one.  It has become so prevalent on the smaller crossovers that this writer has a devil of a time telling them apart, as they all look the same. 

The ubiquitous accent line can be seen on dozens of vehicles with the Hyundai Sonata being the poster child of the marque using it early and with great success.  According to designers, the angled line, starting high at the rear fender and “lunging” forward and downward to the front fender, give the impression of motion.

Another universal adaptation of a design element mentioned by Chappell is locating the radio antennae on the top of the roof back by the rear window.   According to Chappell, Volkswagen had the clever idea of offering this feature on several models several years ago.  Now the design cue is found on nearly all models of vehicles, from stately luxury sedans to minivans.  According to Chappell, the stubby little radio knob on the roof gives vehicles “ the personality of a remote-controlled toy racer.”

I’m sure most readers have noticed the increase use of LED “eye lashes” on the front-ends of a number of vehicles on sale today.   Chappell shows a photo of an Audi as one of the first to using this design element across all of its models.   In effect, the bright line of lights serve as both a clever and distinctive design cue and also effectively serves as a bright daylight running light.   While not all of the American brands have embraced this newest look, it probably will only be a matter of time before the trend is more widespread.  The all-new Cadillac ATS and XTS have the feature, as does the refreshed Chrysler 300 and 200.  Even Ford has joined the parade and offers the LED lights on a number of new models including the Escape.

Car nuts reading this column are probably familiar with the 2002 BMW 7 Series and its controversial “Bangle Butt.”  Devotees of BMW who didn’t like the new look gave the derisive term to the car.  They weren’t happy when BMW head designer Chris Bangle opted to use a larger and higher rear end than previous generations. 

Well, observers may have not liked the new look but BMW buyers did.   That generation of the 7 sold better than any other.  In the ensuing decade a number of luxury automakers have adopted the look as well as others, including GM with the re-skin of the Chevy Malibu.

Other styling trends mentioned by Chappell that seem to have caught all designer’s fancy include the roof spoilers on crossovers that extend over the rear window.  The Civic CR-V and the Chevy Equinox are examples.   Oversized radiators are the rage with many brands.  Probably the biggest advocate of the big grille is Audi on the car side and GMC with its Terrain and Ford with the Super Duty on the truck side.

I’ve complained in a previous column about poor visibility in current vehicles.  It seems that all the automakers have followed the recent trend in putting really thick “C” and “D” pillars on cars and crossovers/SUVs.   This look is cool but I hope it only stays popular for a short time. 

So there are a slew of auto design elements that seem terribly derivative.   Auto News’ Lindsay Chappell asked, “Why is that.”  Clay Dean, former executive director of GM’s global design and Cadillac design director, told Chappell that there are two primary reasons why this has happened between competitors.   Says Dean, “We have crash standards and pedestrian protection guidelines that tell us what we have to do”  “How far can a hood deflect before it hits the engine?  Those issues affect what the front of a car looks like.”

Dean also adds, “If a design shows up at an auto show today and people like it, you’re going to see those same trends on other concept cars within the year.  I’m not sure that’s a good thing.” 

So will we ever see a huge departure in how a vehicle looks in the foreseeable future?  Sadly, it doesn’t look that way.   For cars and trucks to sell well, you have to please the masses.  Taking chances on a bold, new, never-before-used automotive design is a risk few, if any, automakers are willing to take.

Remember the delightful DeSotos?

Owners George and Nancy Wuszke of Southwest Michigan own probably one of the finest and most beautiful DeSotos ever assembled.   Designed under the leadership of Chrysler VP of Design Virgil Exner, Sr, the 1957 DeSoto Adventurer was the ultimate DeSoto and highly collectible today.

In auto columns past, I have shared with readers my favorite models produced by GM's Chevrolet and Oldsmobile divisions, Ford Motor Company's Mercury and Ford Division and Chrysler Corporation's Plymouth.  I came across a stunning photo of a mid-fifties DeSoto the other day and it reminded me of how much I miss that great American automobile brand.  Methinks it is time to pick my favorite DeSotos and share my reasons for my picks with readers.

DeSoto was introduced as a new marque, along with Plymouth, by Walter P. Chrysler in 1928 just four years after he had founded Chrysler Corporation.  The Spanish explore Hernando de Soto was the inspiration for the new car's name.   The new DeSoto was created to provide competition in the mid-priced class.

In a spasm of corporate expansion that year, Walter P. also acquired the Dodge Brothers operation.  In one swell swoop, the still wet-behind-the-ears Chrysler Corporation had grown almost overnight from a one car operation (Chrysler), created from the ashes of the Maxwell Car Company, to a successful and bona fide multi-divisional competitor to the mighty General Motors.  It has been reported that if the Dodge brand had been purchased earlier in 1928, DeSoto would never have been introduced, as the two models filled nearly the same sales niche.

DeSoto's success was immediate.  It's first year sales totaled over 81,000 units and the new brand became the most successful new car ever introduced up to that time.  Following its initial success just before the Great Depression, DeSoto went on to become an important part of the Chrysler Corporation team, especially in the late 40s and the 50s when sales sometimes were equal to those of sibling Chrysler. 

I first took note of DeSotos when the all-new models were introduced in 1955 along with the other 'Million Dollar Look' Chrysler Corporation vehicles designed by Virgil Exner, Sr.  It was a beautiful automobile.  The advertising jingle created for DeSoto and heard on the popular Groucho Marx show "You Bet Your Life" really hit the spot.  The DeSotos of that era were delightful and they were delovely.

At the time, as a junior high kid, I had no idea that the popular and catchy DeSoto jingle of "It's Delightly, It's Delovely, It's DeSoto" was taken from a Cole Porter song written for the popular 1934 Broadway play "Anything Goes." (Note:  Ironically "Anything Goes" is back on Broadway in 2012)

The quickness of DeSoto's demise in the fall of 1960 after being a huge sales success in 1957 still astounds me.  Who would have guessed in 1955 - 1957 when Desoto sold very well in the mid-priced field that the brand would be gone in three short years?  Its demise can be attributed to a number of factors: the Eisenhower Recession in 1958, an overcrowded mid-priced field, highly publicized quality issues and car buyer's shift to economical and smaller vehicles at the end of the 1950s.

The all-new and highly successful 1957 finned DeSotos were rushed into production and had significant quality issues.  When the little changed 1958 models were introduced, a severe recession caused sales to plunge by more than half.  With times tough, car buyers started ignoring the large-sized DeSoto (and other mid-priced brands like Buick, Olds, Mercury as well) and started buying smaller and more economical imports and models from AMC and Studebaker.  It didn't help either that DeSoto and Chrysler models were nearly exactly the same car except for different bumpers, grilles and taillights. 

Following the poor sales performance in 1958 and 1959, DeSoto never recovered.  By the1960 model year only two series with limited number of models were offered.  The plug was pulled on the once robust brand on November 30,1960 after only 3,034 units were built of the 1961 model.

DeSoto is no more, but during the brand's hay day a number of memorable cars were built. The pre-war DeSotos that catch my eye at car shows are the controversial and poor selling but influential 1934 - 36 Airflow and the 1942 model that was fitted with powered pop-up headlights (advertised at "Air-Foil" lights "Out of Sight Except at Night"), a first for a North American mass-production vehicle.  The 1936 - 37 Cord 810/812's hidden lights preceded DeSoto's but were mechanical and operated by hand with a crank.

The DeSotos following WWII were conservatively styled until Exner's all-new1955 models appeared.  Then for the next few years, DeSotos were styling homeruns.  I'm especially keen on the 1955 hardtop cars with the three-toned paintjobs.  The all-new (again) 1957 DeSotos, with bodies featuring the best expression of Exner's finned look, are still considered design benchmarks.  There is not a contrary line on that breathtakingly beautiful automobile.

To address and hopefully correct the severe quality issues of the beautiful but poorly built 1957 - 59 cars, Chrysler Corporation in 1960 introduced all-new "Unibody" construction across the line (excepting Imperial).  DeSoto new body was great looking and was again shared with sibling Chrysler.  Unfortunately a combination of little styling differentiation between DeSoto and sibling Chrysler and persistent rumors in the press of its demise, the brand's sales fell again, to under 30,000. 

The suits at Chrysler did what had to be done.  Despite an improving economy and a noticeable sales up tick by buyers of middle priced, large cars, the writing was on the wall.  After 32 years, the once successful and popular DeSoto brand was discontinued.  Alas, after sales of over 2,056,000 vehicles during its lifetime, another great American marque had bitten the dust.

The choice: 1959 Buick vs. 1960 Dodge

I get asked a lot of car questions.  Some via email, some by phone and some by folks on the street.  Yesterday a bride-to-be emailed me to ask if I could help her locate a vintage car to transport her and the groom from the church to the reception hall.  No stretch limo for her, she wants a 1965 Mustang like the one her husband once owned.

Unless I know the owner of a specific requested model, I usually forward the request on to Ned Wollengslegel, president of the local Southwestern Michigan Car Collectors car club, hoping that he can be of assistance.

Another often-asked question is to name my favorite vintage car.  Over the many decades since I became enamored with automotive design, the answer to that question changes by the week, sometimes by the day! 

For the longest time my favorite cars were the 1957 Chrysler Corporation finned cars created under the direction of designer Virgil Exner, Sr.  One week my favorite would be the Desoto, only to be replaced by the Swept-wing Dodge.  And the 1957 Imperial has appeared at the top of the list many times. 

I’m also a huge fan of the dramatically new1959 GM models that were rushed to market in response to the overwhelming success of the 1957 Chrysler Corporation models.  All five GM models were redone that year with the wild bat-wing Chevy at the bottom of the rung and the iconic “spaceship” finned Cadillac at the top.  I like them all but my favorites have always been the Delta-winged Buick and Linear Look Oldsmobile.  Pontiac with its all-new split grille was easy on the eyes too.

The car that ultimately bumped the 1957 Chrysler Corporation offerings from the top of my Mopar list was another Exner effort that came out in 1960 to replace the by-then dated 1957 Chrysler models.  As I wrote a few weeks back in this column, I was never a big fan of the 1960 Plymouth until recent years, but I really loved the 1960 Chrysler and especially the Dodge Polara/Matador offerings from the get-go.

One only has to attend a vintage car auction to discover the fact that American-built cars from the mid-fifties to the early 70s are favorites of collectors.  And why not?  During that brief 15 years some of the most flamboyant and powerful autos ever to grace a dealership showroom were designed, produced and sold.

Not before and not since have the automakers produced a more varied assortment of models that delighted the eyes with stylistic features (fins, retractable hardtops, tri-tone colors, etc.) and affordable performance (GTO, Roadrunner, etc.)  It certainly is my favorite era of automotive design, bar none.

On my recent Great Smoky Mountains family vacation my daughter asked me to name my favorite car.  Brain freeze prevented me from picking a favorite from my top two picks:  the 1959 Buick and the 1960 Dodge Polara/Matador.  To me, they are both automotive perfection.

It is very rare that a new car comes along that is designed so perfectly (to my eyes) that I wouldn’t change a thing.  I saw the Buick months before its introduction in a summer parade in downtown Flint.  GM held a parade to commemorate it’s golden anniversary. 

The 1959 Buick was on a float and my eyes couldn’t believe that this beautiful car with the canted headlights in front and delta-wing fins in back belonged to a Buick. It look nothing like the bulbous and chromey 1958 model.  I was ecstatic when later that fall my uncle who resided across the road bought a 4-door Special.

Designer Virgil Exner, Sr. had his work cut out for him when he had to replace his successful 1957-59 Chrysler Corporation models.  By 1959 his highly recognized finned look had become passe.  What do you do for an encore?

Exner stuck with the fin look one more year and again produced some spectacular vehicles.  I’ve always loved the Chrysler and DeSotos of that year and I’ve grown to appreciate the Plymouth but I’ve always been gaga over the premium large Dodge Matador and Polara.

Dodge also built a full-size Dodge Dart in 1960 but on a slightly shorter wheelbase.  It shared the Polara/Matador front fenders, roofline and doors but received smaller fins out back and had a cheaper looking grille and was built on the Plymouth platform.  By the way, a nice 1960 red Dart convertible will be in this summer’s Concours d’Elegance in Lake Bluff Park.

The Dart is nice but its bigger brothers, the Matador and Polara, are way better.  That’s because Exner attached two beautifully proportioned and integrated fins on the car’s rear quarters.  Then he topped the new look off by putting gorgeous rocket-like taillights at the rear and a rich-looking grille at the front. A perfect looking car.

I simply can’t decide which I like best.  Guess I’ll have to buy both and get rid of my Neon…after winning the lottery.

Mopar heaven in north Indiana

Virgil Exner, Jr. (right) and Monte Gillespie (left)

I learned a long time ago that not everyone is crazy about automobiles on a level equal to my passion.  So when I do find an automotive kindred spirit, it is a treat indeed. 

Finding a true kindred spirit is not easy.  My first kindred spirit discovery happened back in 1964 in my junior year at Michigan State University.  On a warm spring evening I had left my dorm room open for ventilation.  Walking by was "floor-mate" Cliff Ghetti of Belvidere, New Jersey.  He, also a car nut who would go on to become a designer at Chrysler, noticed my car photos that I had taped to the dorm room wall and poked his head into my room and asked, "So, you like cars?" or something similar.  The answer was yes and we stayed up most of the night sharing car stories.  We've shared car stories ever since and remain good friends.

That special "car connection" with Cliff was my first encounter with a genuine kindred spirit.  There have been a few since, the most recent happening this past fall at the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend.  Following an afternoon symposium on automotive design in which I was invited to participate, a gentleman named Monte Gillespie came up to me and introduced himself. 

Almost immediately, Monte, an AM General retiree, and I discovered that we had a common passion for Chrysler Corporation cars; especially those designed by Virgil Exner, Sr. A kindred spirit!

I discovered that Monte not only had a passion for Exner-designed Chrysler cars, but he also owns a 1962 Dodge Polara 500 convertible - probably one of my all-time favorite vehicles.  Monte and I exchanged email addresses and as I departed I asked if he would mind if someday I could stop by and see his Polara.  I had hopes that he would bring it to the 2012 Concours d'Elegance in St. Joseph.

It wasn't until later that I realized that Monte's and my path had crossed some years back.  In 2008, when the featured car at the then-Krasl Concours was all of the Chrysler 300 letter-series models, Monte had sent an application to show his 1960 300F convertible.  Unfortunately mechanical problems prevented Monte from bringing his red "Beautiful Brute" convertible to the car show. 

As I began to plan my meeting with Monte, who lives in Granger just northeast of South Bend, it occurred to me that retired Ford designer Virgil Exner, Jr., son of Virgil, Sr. lives only a short distance away in South Bend. I knew that not only was Monte a huge fan of Virgil Exner, Sr.'s automotive design work, he also had written a number of articles on the Chrysler 300s and had accumulated a great deal of Exner Sr's memorabilia.  I wanted Virgil to meet Monte.

How great would it be if the three of us could all meet at Monte's house?  It would be a perfect trifecta moment: I would enjoy seeing a vintage Dodge and getting Virgil, Jr.'s impression of the car; Virgil would get to see a car his dad had a hand in designing and Monte would have the honor of having the son of his design idol at his house.

Virgil accepted my invitation to join me on the visit and a meeting time was set.  My expectations were high when I picked up Virgil on a sunny afternoon from his lovely home in northeast corner of South Bend.  We both were looking forward to seeing the vehicles that his dad had overseen the creation of back in the 50s and 60s. 

We were not prepared, however, for what we saw after driving down a long driveway and rounded the corner to Monte's garage.  Sitting on a concrete driveway and bathed with the late winter sun was a gloriously red and shiny 1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200 two-door hardtop!  I thought Virgil, Jr. would hurt himself as he hurried out of the front seat of the Neon to get a closer look.

Neither Virgil nor I had an inkling that Monte had any other cars in his collection other than his 1960 300F and the 1962 Dodge Polara 500.  It was literally a breathtaking surprise to see the Valiant, both for the son of its designer and for me - a hopelessly devoted Mopar fan.

Monte had been waiting for us and was standing by the Valiant with a big smile on his face.  He knew that the Valiant was a special and important car for the senior Exner, as it was the designer's first effort at creating a new long hood/short deck look for Chrysler vehicles following the successful finned era that had brought Chrysler such success in the mid and late 1950s.

Virgil later shared with me that he "was struck by how beautiful the Valiant still looked" after all these years.  He hadn't seen one in a long time.  He added that his dad was "anxious to do a small car" and the senior Exner was "so proud of how the Valiant had turned out."

After spending a long time walking around and admiring the Valiant, Monte then invited us to see the rest of his auto collection.   Behind the Valiant stood a large garage with multiple doors.  Behind the first door was the 1962 Dodge Polara 500 convertible.  Obviously from first glance, it is not ready for a Concours car show.  But, using needed pieces off a nearby "parts" car, he has every intention to have it ready for show in 2013.

Next to the Dodge sat a beautiful 1956 Chrysler 300B in black.  A rare car - one of only 31 built - with the stick shift.  Beside the B stood an un-restored but whole 1936 Chrysler Airflow C-9 waiting to be put together and be a fabulous addition at any vintage car show.

Then, in another nearby garage, Monte showed us his aforementioned 300F convertible, a 1957 Chrysler 300C two-door hardtop and a 1972 Imperial LeBaron two-door hardtop.

Monte's most recent automotive acquisition is a 1963 Studebaker Lark 2-door sedan.  As a devoted and frequent volunteer at the Studebaker National Museum, Monte thought he ought to have at least one Studebaker in his collection.  It awaits a minor restoration effort before being ready for show time.

Those readers who are either Mopar or Exner fans will be pleased to learn that Monte plans to bring his Valiant Signet to the Concours in St. Joseph on August 4.  Be sure to stop by and say hello.  Tell him Dar sent you.

Travels with Dar (John Steinbeck’s Charley-style)

In mid-winter I got a call from daughter Carrie inviting me to join her and her family for an April school-break road trip. With pleasant memories still fresh from a trip to the East Coast a couple years back, I accepted with enthusiasm.
This time the Burch family itinerary included nine states in our country’s mid-section.  I decided on this trip to take a page from John Steinbeck’s 1960’s book, “Travels with Charley”; and keep a travel log and record my thoughts of the sites and sounds that came our way on our family journey.  On April 9 we hopped into the Burch family’s trusty Pontiac Montana minivan and headed south.
Day Number 1:  Southern Indiana’s Jeffersonville, just outside Louisville, was our first destination.  We elected to skip the quick, all-freeway trek on I-65 and opted for the slower route on US 31 that starts from South Bend and meanders down to Indianapolis through cities like Kokomo and Peru.  Our first destination was a lunch date at the Abe Martin Lodge in Nashville, Indiana located in the beautiful Brown County State Park.
It made me smile to see the parking lots full of worker’s cars at the many automotive parts and transmission plants as we passed through Kokomo.  It could have been so different if GM and Chrysler had not survived the economic crash of 2008 and 2009.  It made me feel confident that the US auto industry is back on track.
Kokomo has a number of used car lots along US 31.  It was a treat and a surprise to spot a very nice and rare1964 Imperial two-door hardtop with a for sale sign in the window.
Day Number 2:  If in Kentucky, drink bourbon, right?  We departed Jeffersonville early and headed south to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail area.  We skipped the better-known distilleries like Jim Beam and Wild Turkey and headed instead to Loretto, Ky., home of son-in-law Tom’s favorite bourbon, Maker’s Mark.  In a gorgeous hilly setting with landscaped lawns and tasteful old buildings, we enjoyed and were educated on a 30-minute tour and had a sample taste.  I’ll stick with raspberry tea.
Besides the bourbon tour, it was treat to see a vintage fire truck on the site.  The fire apparatus was built by Bickle, a Woodstock, Ontario, Canada-based company.  I was unable to identify the truck brand used as the chassis.
Next stop was Bowling Green and a return visit, for me, to both the Corvette assembly plant for a tour and the National Corvette Museum for a visit.  Did you know that only 80 Corvettes are built daily at the large, Corvette-dedicated assembly plant?
Day Number 3:  My oldest grandson was feeling puny at daybreak, so we postponed our departure time for the trip to Chattanooga until late morning.  To satisfy my son-in-law’s love of trains, we ended up at the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, located in the once abandoned but still impressive Central Railroad Terminal Station.
On the road I saw a number of abandoned cars in folk’s backyards.  Seeing the old cars reminded me of the Car Spotter feature in Collectible Automobile magazine.  Several times I was tempted to ask Tom to stop the minivan so I could snap a photo.
Tom pointed out, as we drove by on the freeway, the shuttered Doraville, Georgia GM assembly plant that in better days had built the Montana minivan we were riding in.   We ended the day in Greenville, S.C., after a quick dash into Alabama and Georgia on the way.
Day Number 4:  If it’s Thursday, a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is on the docket.  The Foothills Parkway beckoned first and the beauty of the mountain-filled vistas enchanted us.  A quick stopover in Gatlinburg gave us a lunch stop at Johnny Rockets for burgers, then on to The Great Smoky Mountains National Park for more spectacular scenery and a long arduous hike up to the impressive Clingmans Dome observation tower at 6,634 feet elevation – the highest point in the whole park.
Day Number 5:  We depart the Deep South and head for home.  The route selected by my son-in-law took us north into North Carolina where we spent about ten miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  With ticket prices of $59 per person, for economic reasons we had to skip the Biltmore Estate tour.
A visit to the new Blue Ridge Visitor Center afforded my grandsons an opportunity to learn about the history of the area.  The national parkway system was created to provide families the opportunity to “auto tour” and see America’s abundant and scenic outdoors. A delightful treat for me in the display area was black and white photos taken during each decade showing cars of the era.
Remember the1958 B-58 Buick Caballero hardtop wagon?  A photo showed one loaded down with camping gear.  Another photo showed a parking lot full of cars from the fifties.  I could identify a 1956 Imperial, 1959 Ford, early fifties Chevy sedan, 1959 Dodge and a 1959 Pontiac wagon.  It was fun to identify the cars for the benefit of my grandsons.
We ended the day driving through the Cumberland Gap region and ended up in Cincinnati for the night.
Day number 6:  On our final day, I awoke before the others, dressed and took a morning walk.  Spotting a few new cars across a wooded berm surrounding the motel, I continued my walk in that direction.  Little did I know that beyond the “few cars” behind the trees sat an enormous paved lot filled with hundreds and hundreds of new vehicles.  Eureka!  Nirvana!  Turns out it was the back storage lot for the local Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Chrysler, Dodge, Ram and Jeep mega dealers.
I’ve never experienced a dealer’s lot with over 100 examples of the same model, in the case of the Honda Civic.  There were also huge inventories of Accords, CR-Vs, Mazda3s, Chrysler 200s and Jeeps.  Amazingly I found a dozen Jeep Compass cute-utes in a row.  At smaller dealers finding a sample of two or three is a lot.  This was a real treat and a nice ending to the trip.
I was engrossed in the car lot for so long, my daughter felt the urge to cell phone me and see if I was still alive.  We headed for home soon after.  Seeing all those brand new models in huge numbers was a delightful ending to a great vacation for this car guy.  Can’t wait for next time.