Monday, July 30, 2018

HIDING IN PLAIN SITE, GULLWING MOTORS, COOPER CLASSICS, THE TRENDERO, EDSEL FORDS TASTES AND WHAT'S A GLASSIC?


 Several years ago CARHUNTER decided to investigate some collector car spots hiding in plain sight in the NYC area!
Peter Kumar has been seen on TV and this plain little building in Queens is a treasure cove.  
There are many rare and exotic cars packing in here 








A Ferrari hide out









Aston Martins like this could be a half million easy!



Mr. Kumar has an uncanny ability to find some very rare cars! 














The signature Gullwing Mercedes
Millions of dollars so close to each other?













I regret not considering this AAR Cuda at the time


 Cooper Classics in the Village has long been hiding in plain sight!






I got a little surprise that day when I ran into 2 of the rare cars heading to the 1st Classic car Auction at Sotheby's  that coming week. The Lincoln Indianapolis Concept car!   



And this Duesenberg 

You have to laugh at how the big city dealers sardine the classics in! 

If you were stuck in traffic (unusual) getting into the outbound Holland Tunnel you may have noticed this place although it is gone now?
The Classic Car Club was a rather odd little club. 
you joined and based on the level of your membership you were able to "use" the cars from the collection

Use them without worrying about maintenance, insurance and car payments.



Besides the cars it was also a social club of sorts.











This one surprised me several years ago when I was in Chicago, well Volo Illinois at the large museum/dealership not usually known for high dollar treasures.   
The first thing you walk in to a very impressive Duesenberg salon!  








I always sniff out more off the beaten path and noticed some Model A Fords way in the back of the property almost off limits, but it was not?
It was a very period correct old shop within the Volo Auto Museum and specialized in early Ford's 



It was odd, no one was in the unlocked building and it seemed to be open to the public?









 The November day I was there it was so cold my face was frozen as I walked the entire place, but worth it. 




Starts with this magazine on the way to recycle and the amazing world wide interweb as they say has me catching wave after wave!
Rod and Custom June 1989
 
Trend Auto Body Lyons Illinois
Get it Trend + Ranchero = Trendero! 

 Built by Dave Puhl and John Malik
 2002 Mike Moriarity in Minnesota bought it from Malik who flew south to Florida to retire 
Moriarity has a collection of restored Rat Fink cars 
Removed from it's storage, cleaned up and displayed 
The story goes that the Trendero was retired after the 1965 World's Fair, HUH?
I was there, well I was 3 years old so maybe I missed this? 
My mom is no longer with us, dad is almost 90 and never a car guy so I can't ask why we missed this one!!
I actually never heard anyone mention this display of custom cars at the New York Based Worlds Fair! 
 Then again I was only 3!
Hey I missed this too!!!!
 Here is it's retirement home or was!


It was yellow at one point?

Trendero is alive well and restored making the circuit!
 
 
 
Now here is a dilemma are these cars concepts cars or just Henry's son Edsel flexing his muscles with the design guys?
 This one off Model T with a 6 Cylinder for young Edsel
I walked past this car at Amelia Island and then stopped short, a boat tail model A- about face!!   

This one toured the country and I bumped into a few times, the design guys must of hid from Edsel when they heard him coming! 

Edsel really kept an eye on the automotive world and had this dual cowl model A built!
A Ford Town Car with a Brewster grille for the executive Edsel Ford
I bumped into this one and it was another custom built limo for Edsel Ford! 1941 Lincoln years before Edsel brought us the Continental!
While we talking about the famous Ford family;

Any Color So Long As It Is Black- said by Henry Ford or?

Ford’s first prototypes and production models were designated by the letters A to T. They came in many colors. For example:
  • The original Model A 1903-1904 was sold ‘only in red by the factory.’
  • The Model F was ‘rich dark green, yellow running gear’
  • The Model K was ‘Royal Blue’
  • The Model R was red
  • 15 million Model Ts were produced by 1927. This car is green with black trim (fenders and running boards).
 
But that quote is the reason why generations believe all Model T's were black.
Too bad it's not true.
Indeed, Model T's came only in black for 12 out of 19 model years. But in those seven other model years other colors - such as green, bright red, dark blue, brown, maroon and gray - were available.
Black dried quickly
The Model T was introduced Oct. 1, 1908, and through the 1913 model year buyers had a choice of several colors, including black. Then, in 1926 and 1927, colors included green, light blue, brown, maroon - and, of course, black.

Black was the only color the Model T came in from 1914 through 1925, and the reason was economics, not style. Black was the only color paint that could be dried quickly, and speed was important at the Ford plant because of its enormous volume.
THERE IT IS PROOF,NAH!
I like to think he said this one! 
 
The CARHUNTER gets a challenge, well a request for assistance from a gentleman at the Foothills Cruise IN

 
I see what looks like a 1932 Caddy Street Rod, but it is not?

 
It is on a GM frame has a small block Chevy V8 and is very clean although I could not figure out exactly what it was and did find a vin plate that said 173?
Sometimes what this car started as is confused for a Shay Replica licensed by and sold through Ford dealers
On an International Scout Frame, funny the photo point to a V8 labeling it a 4 Cylinder!


  
If desired visit the home of Glassic history!  

I may have found one more car for the registry although it is disguised, it was said it might have been in the witness protection program!  


 
Remember these are real and pasted. It reminds me of the microwave instruction heat, enjoy. Ok OK I will put an engine in and cruise around!



 
THANKS FOR THE GUIDANCE!