THE ELEGANCE AT HERSHEY PART TWO AND WILLY'S TOO!

We continue sharing The Elegance 2015
and if you like it or not you gonna learn something this week!

 It's a 1953 Paxton Phoenix, but of course you knew that!

 Robert Paxton McCulloch

 Yes him!

Yes him!

Paxton superchargers powered factory Ford NASCAR entries and Studebakers!

Long sold off Paxton ran through ownership of Studebaker and still exists today 

He built helicopters for a few years as McCulloch Aircraft Corp.

An airline first named McCulloch,then Vance. 

And now;

McCulloch purchased, disassembled,shipped and reassembled the London Bridge in Lake Havasu Arizona as part of a planned community he built. He also founded several other cities in Arizona,Colorado and California

He married Barbara Ann Briggs, yes daughter of Briggs and Stratton co-founder

 Finding cars like this are my ultimate reward, this car is not restored and all original

 Steam power was the plan, but the car wound up with a Porsche Boxer engine out back

The hardtop slides in those tracks via cables over the trunk and sits on rubber stoppers!!

 It seems many of the early automotive pioneers had visions of building their own cars, many attempted, few continued. The spirit and drive (pun intended) will never be seen again as men like this seemed to only have existed in our past. I know not one of these early automotive pioneers were politically correct nor bleeding heart liberals. If this attitude existed during the early days of the automotive industry we might still be working on the wheel!
These Captains of Industry were not going down with anyones ship!
Besides being a very unusual and attractive car, it represents something very important or something that WAS important!

 Yes this Minerva is leather covered over a wood body! 

 A one of none! K.T. Keller appointed as President of Chrysler by Walter P. Chrysler having had Keller under his belt when Walter P. was president of Buick with the desire to have him "with us and not against us"

 Keller was responsible for the 3 Parade Phaetons 

After the re-body project of the cars he commissioned his own personal little version, Chrysler never built another convertible on this body!

 The car even had a prototype fuel injection in 1955, who knows where that wound up!!

 Chrysler shipped convertibles off to Ghia in Italy where custom body panels were fabricated 

 Only 17 Crown Imperial Limos built in 1960, only one with this formal roof treatment

 The car is not black,but a custom hand rubbed Burgundy which was the color for this famous owners family limos- NY Governor Nelson Rockefeller   

 The 1907 Buick was used by the Erie Railroad President who instructed his staff to make the car appear more like a locomotive 

 The grille/radiator shell was cast in aluminum - the car was placed in a rail box car in 1941 where it remained for many years! 

 This 1952 Allard J2X is from Jim Taylor's collection, if I remember this car was out the day I was there?

 British car American Engine!

 Many Cadillac engines were used, but a 331 dual 4bbl HEMI from Chrysler looks fast parked!

 I do not think the intensity of this red is clearly transmitted in the photos, but I have never seen a hue  this unique before!

 I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Alley for awhile about this fantastic 1909 Packard

 BRASS 

 288 Cubic Inch 4 cylinder!

Who would you want to sit back here? It's called a mother in law seat, really! 

 Only 390 were built and 2 still exist today

He owns several other fantastic classics too.

 WOW all original, this Maserati was owned by Wes Farrell (married to Tina Sinatra), then sold to his father in law Frank Sinatra, then George Hamilton and finally Dave Thomas of Wendy's 

Corvette engined Bizzarrini 

This started as a 1932 Ford, but has been "messaged" so it looks like a fine sports car of foreign heritage!

Scat Pack is Back

 A Triumph Italia, we all wanted an Italian Sports car I guess?

I had to add this one in as it was built by the students of a Brooklyn NY school

I always scan the areas I travel to and if I see a car show near by I will check it out

 I always find something in the back roads of Pennsylvania!

 A MOPAR guy to boot!

 Having been a Jeep parts manager 100 years ago I was ready to stop by the Willy's Picnic at the old Kempton Train Station

 As expected Military vehicles led off

 I have an affection for the old M715 overhead cam 6 and based on the J series civilian Pick ups

 I remember finding an Army Surplus new engine packed in cosmoline for a customer of mine in Africa who blew up his engine in his M715 chasing an Elephant off his ranch, really!

 Jeep and Mini Jeep

And Jeeps/Willy's as we all know them

 CJ= Civilian/ CJ3-- Jeep M=military M38A etc..

So many aftermarket roofs were made

 CJ6 long body originally built for military ambulance field use to hold a stretcher

A DJ3 Surrey -DJ-Dispatcher Jeep the basis of all those 2wd Postal Jeeps - these brightly colored numbers were targeted for resorts and hotels,even rentals so the guests could wander the resort area!

 Man we had all this stuff in my old dealership, it was the first Jeep dealership in NY State and is long gone now!

Late 40's Jeepsters were Willy's attempt at a sports car

The owner of my dealership had 2 and I had the honor of driving one of them when I was a young buck!

Willy's Trucks had a bunch of crazy configurations

 Not with a small block Chevy though

This mainstay Wagoneer stayed to the end as the Grand Wagoneer and Cherokee Chief line

 An early Detroit Diesel swap

 Yes Willy's made cars and trucks, the only Willy's non-Jeep at the show and rare to see a stock one

FC 150 remember the Forward control Blog?

 I have mentioned them and here is a rare factory Perkins Diesel

 A tow truck to boot!

They even had a dirt course for the mudders!

 So close to fadders day,lol!