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

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.

A very special Father's Day gift

Everyone wants to find the perfect gift for dad on Fathers Day. But what to buy? He has all the ties that he needs. I have a story that just might be the template to follow next year when deciding on a perfect gift for father.

It's pretty universal that most dads like cars, especially the car that they remember from youthful experiences. Who can forget the car they learned to drive in? Or the car they owned when dating their now-wife?

This is a story about a dad in the Twin Cities, who wishes to remain anonymous, who experienced the Father's Day of a lifetime two years ago when his wife and two daughters went to a lot of trouble and surprised him with a gift of the old car of his dreams.

It is a fascinating story, filled with disappointments, surprises and a happy ending. The story starts in 2003 and ends on Father's Day, 2004. The dad in question, a hardworking, A-type, workaholic with a business of his own, had always wanted a 1957 Chevy. He had owned one as a youngster but it was what he called a "dog." The hardtop Bel Air was powered by the old "Stovebolt Six" engine and equipped with the Powerglide 2-speed transmission. This made peeling rubber at the stoplight virtually impossible. He was looking for a '57 Chevy - now one of the most sought after cars of the 50s - and he wanted not the old Stovebolt under the hood, but one with the 283 cubic inch small block V-8 engine with a 3-speed manual transmission.

Knowing all this, his wife set into motion a search for the car of her husband's dreams. She started out by calling Watervliet resident Les Fairbanks, president of the local Southwestern Michigan Car Collectors club. He offered to help. After reading one of my columns about the North American International Auto Show, she gave me a call and asked for my advice.

All of her efforts were fruitless until she began to use the Internet. On the Net she had success in finding '57 Chevys for sale but was startled by the high prices being asked and also didn't have a clue if the cars being offered for sale were decently restored. Then a light bulb went on in her head and she thought of calling her husband's friend Rich Kepner. Rich, known by most old car owners in the region, is the president and owner of Kepner's Precision Auto Krafters located on Nickerson Road in Benton Township.

Rich, an old car collector himself, operates a highly regarded body shop and also is very involved with restoring old cars. Readers may recall an article on a restoration project undertaken by Rich for Lonnie Ali in The Herald Palladium a couple years back. He and his crew totally restored Mohammad Ali's Rolls Royce.

Rich agreed to help find a car. In the months that followed he attended two Kruse auctions at Auburn and followed up on leads around the country. Finally two cars were located by the wife on the Internet that warranted a look-see in the Midwest - one in Illinois and one in Wisconsin. During the search, the wife had decided that if she was going to buy her husband a '57 Chevy V-8, she wanted him to have a convertible. Luckily both of the Midwest cars were convertibles, both had the required 283 engine and both had stick transmissions.

Rich jumped into his rig with the trailer and headed west. The Guerney, IL car had an amateurish restoration and did not meet Rich's minimum expectations. He couldn't reach the Wisconsin owner and returned to Michigan. But a call the next morning to the Brookfield, WI owner gave Rich some cause for hope. The car had all the equipment that Rich was looking for. The California-built, Texas-owned 1957 Chevy was a convertible, it had the Power-Pak 283 4-barrel carburetor V-8 and it had the "three on the tree" transmission. He jumped into his trailer rig again and headed west.

This time he wasn't disappointed. A ten-year old restoration still looked good on the Chevy. The car even had its original floor pan, a good sign of a rust-free car. The only problem was price. The wife had set a maximum price that she could pay and the Wisconsin owner wanted a 20 percent premium over her minimum. Rich made a quick call to the vacationing wife, who was on a ski trip at the time.

The situation put the wife in a very tough spot. She knew her daughters wanted this car as a very special Father's Day present for their dad. While the dad had been a very busy businessman all is life, he had always made the effort to be there 24/7 for them, at school and athletic events, as they grew up. This car would be a perfect gift to show their love and support.

She didn't know where she would find the additional funds, but she decided on the spot to give the okay for Rich to buy the car. The convertible with 60,000 miles on the odometer was on the trailer in no time and heading for Kepner's shop.

The car was in really good shape and it took Rich and his staff only a few months to bring the car up to Concours standards. Then the fun began.

The youngest daughter was to graduate from Northwestern University on Father's Day 2004. Elaborate plans were made to have the convertible delivered to the dad at the graduation party. Because neither daughter could drive a stick shift, they asked their grandfather to do the honor.

Listening to comments from both the wife and from Rich about how the dad responded to his gift from his family was heart warming indeed. A lot of tears of happiness were shed that day, mostly by the dad. The dad himself admits that he cried like a baby for several days after. The wife tells a wonderful story of how the dad, while taking his Chevy on a drive down Red Arrow Highway soon after Father's Day, would acknowledge people's "high fives" with the boastful retort "This is my car!"

As a car guy, I can't think of a more appropriate gift for Father's Day than receiving the keys to a special car. It would be a thrill of a lifetime!

Post Script: Ironically, the car I learned to drive in was a 1957 Chevy. Only my dad's car was not a Bel Air, not a V-8, not a hardtop, didn't even have an automatic tranny. Instead, my high school ride was a lowly 2-door One Fifty sedan. The only option on the car was a two-tone paint job. It was a slug but it would be a hoot to have it sitting in my driveway on Father's Day!