CLCPR.1503Newsletter - CLC) Potomac Region · Brodsky. Chuck also announced that the Potomac Region and Valley Forge Regions have signed a contract to co-host the 2017 Grand National

Cadillac & LaSalle Club Potomac Region Caddie Chronicle

March 2015

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE BY VINCE TALIANO

2017 CLC Grand National to be held at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner, Virginia! That’s right, it is official. The event will be co-hosted by the Potomac Region and the Valley Forge Region, and will be held July 31 – August 6, 2017. Ronnie Hux will serve as Chairman of the event with Scot Minesinger as the Potomac Region Lead and Jack Hotz as the Valley Forge Region Lead. If members are interested in volunteering to help with the pre-event planning and/or help during show week, please let us know. This will be the first time in the 50+ year history of the CLC that a Grand National will be held in the Potomac Region!

Vince Taliano

2015 OFFICERS:

REGIONAL DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER EDITOR WEBSITE MANAGER VINCE TALIANO

ASSISTANT REGIONAL DIRECTOR CAR SHOW COORDINATOR DAN RUBY

NATIONAL DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST JACK MCCLOW

SECRETARY ASSOCIATE NEWSLETTER EDITOR VALLEY FORGE REGION LIAISON SANDY KEMPER

TREASURER HARRY SCOTT

ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST R. SCOT MINESINGER

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORS CENTRAL VA REGION LIAISONS NEWSLETTER COLUMNISTS CHUCK & DEBBIE PIEL

OTHER KEY POSITIONS:

SUMMER PICNIC HOST J. ROGER BENTLEY

AUTOMOBILIA AUCTIONEER GEORGE BOXLEY

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST RITA BIAL-BOXLEY

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST CHRIS CUMMINGS

PHOTOGRAPHER RANDY EDISON

AUTOMOBILIA AUCTIONEER DERRICK FISHER

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST LYNN GARDNER

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST JIM GOVONI

CAR SHOW SPONSOR AND HOST DANIEL JOBE & CAPITOL CADILLAC

NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST TOM MCQUEEN

HONORARY MEMBER NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST VERN PARKER

CAR SHOW MASTER OF CEREMONIES NATIONAL CLC ADVISOR NEWSLETTER COLUMNIST RICHARD SILLS


March 2015

Visit us on the web! www.clcpotomacregion.org

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

February 2, 2015 I liked your article on the D.C. Cadillac dealerships a lot, and it helped me with some dates and Mr. Foss’ name. Thank you for writing and publishing it. As a couple of your illustrations showed, Col. Albert Augustus Pope of the Pope Manufacturing Company (pictured right) was apparently the owner of the first Washington, D.C. Cadillac agency. In 1899, 42 bicycle manufacturers, including Pope, merged to form American Bicycle Company, with Pope as one of the directors. Soon afterwards American Bicycle also acquired auto makers Lozier and Waverly. Pope was trying to create a bicycle monopoly and was reentering the car business. He became overextended. Possibly hoping to foil its creditors, on December 21, 1901 American Bicycle transferred its assets to its subsidiaries, of which American Cycle Manufacturing Company was one. American Cycle was then operating Columbia bicycle stores to retail some of the eight remaining brands of American Bicycle, including the Columbia. American Cycle itself became insolvent in August 1902 and a court appointed Col. Pope one of three receivers in September to restructure. (This was not so different from today's Chapter 11 reorganization.) Winfred J. Foss had been manager of the Columbia bicycle stores shop in DC since 1897. Cadillac sales manager William Metzger also had experience managing a bicycle shop. At the New York Automobile Show in January 1903, Metzger was launching Cadillac and Pope was introducing the Robinson, Hartford, Toledo and Waverly. It is not difficult to imagine people from the Pope booth walking over to the Cadillac booth to ask Mr. Metzger for the Cadillac line for their retail stores. The apparent strength of Pope may have helped American Cycle to get the Cadillac agency in DC, and Tim Pawl's research indicates that two to three months after the auto show, American Cycle Mfg. Co. received its first Cadillacs, numbers 22 and 29.


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At the time of those deliveries, Pope was restructuring his bicycle and automobile businesses under the name of Pope Manufacturing Company. The D.C. Cadillac agency's marketing did not call the public’s attention to American Cycle Mfg. Co., which was being liquidated in the reorganization. In July 1903, a court enjoined American from continuing the bicycle and automobile businesses, but it was permitted to resume them at the end of August. In October 1903, American Cycle transferred all remaining assets to its creditor, the rubber trust known as Rubber Goods Manufacturing Company, and went out of business. (The Cadillac agency contract probably could not be transferred to the rubber trust.) The reorganized Pope Mfg. Co. and Mr. Metzger agreed that Pope would represent Cadillac in D.C. for 1904, and a 1904 Cadillac catalogue lists Pope Mfg. Co. as the agent. It was not to be a long relationship. The Motor Age for March 24, 1904 reported that the “Pope Mfg. Co. branch” in D.C. was showing the full Pope line,

including the Toledo, Tribune, Hartford, Waverly, plus the Rambler motorcycle and the Cadillac. Mr. Metzger may have felt Cadillac was not getting enough attention. He found other representation for DC for 1905, The Cook & Stoddard Company, as your article showed.

D.C.’s first Cadillac salesperson, Mr. Foss, was Pope’s agent or employee, but I suspect he was the Cadillac agent only for advertising purposes. The March 1903 ad you showed (pictured left) puts him in the Pope Building. Foss moved to Rhode Island by mid-1904 to help manage Pope operations there, and soon afterwards transferred to the Pope factory in Boston. He resigned from Pope Mfg. Co. in 1905. He must have made a good impression on William Metzger; Mssrs. Foss and Hughes obtained the Cadillac line for themselves in Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware for 1906. They ultimately added Baker Electric and Pierce-Arrow. As noted in your article, because of his notable success in marketing Pierce-Arrows, Foss was selected in 1915 by the Pierce-Arrow Company of Buffalo, New York, to serve as Executive Officer and assistant to Colonel Charles Clifton, the company treasurer. Best regards, Tom Hall

Long Beach, California

Col. Albert A. Pope 1843 – 1909


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February 1, 2015 I loved the article about the history of Washington Cadillac dealers. I recall Dad bought our first (of three) 1965 Cadillacs at Capitol in 1966. I still have the brochure. Those 1965 Cadillacs were great cars. Dad and I put put all kinds of miles on them with only minor maintenance needed. The first one went to 100,000 miles in three years and the second one was sold with 150,000 miles both still running well. I now have a ‘68 convertible and am a member of CLC's Vertical Headlight Chapter. It was nice to see the archived advertisements of the dealers and to see how the ownership changed and services expanded over the years. I was surprised at their offer to store a car so many years ago for travelers. I found the Blackie's House of Beef connection very interesting. I remember dining in the restaurant back in the late 1970's. It was a big operation with a large dining room for the restaurant and had separate areas for the bar and dancing. I think the bar/dancing went by a different name with an entrance around the corner. I wish you the best and thank you for the newsletters. Regards, Trent Plungas Torrance, California

Capitol Cadillac-Oldsmobile circa 1966


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December 22, 2014 I am having a difficult time in trying to locate a key for this wire wheel lock on my 1977 Cadillac Limo. Can you post the picture and/or drawing of the lock in the newsletter in hopes that a member may have the key? Thank you in advance for your time and consideration. Phil Calder Tamarac, Florida


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FEBRUARY 15, 2015 MEETING MINUTES

BY CHUCK & DEBBIE PIEL AND SANDY KEMPER

PLACE: Olive Grove Restaurant, Linthicum, Maryland TIME: 3:00PM PRESIDING: Chuck & Debbie Piel, Membership Directors ATTENDANCE: Bill Anderson, Jack McClow, Rick Menz, Ron Renoff, Ruth Synodinos and Christopher Winter DIRECTOR’S REMARKS: Chuck thanked everyone for attending. Also he thanked Scot Minesinger and his family for making the arrangements and hosting the Region’s annual Holiday Party that was held last month. The event was underwritten entirely by the generosity of Mark Brodsky. Chuck also announced that the Potomac Region and Valley Forge Regions have signed a contract to co-host the 2017 Grand National at the Hilton in Tysons Corner, VA. The event will be co-hosted by the Potomac Region and the Valley Forge Region, and will be held July 31 – August 6, 2017. Ronnie Hux will serve as Chairman of the event with Scot Minesinger as the Potomac Region Lead and Jack Hotz as the Valley Forge Region Lead. If members are interested in volunteering to help with the pre-event planning and/or help during show week, please let us know. This will be the first time in the 50+ year history of the CLC that a Grand National will be held in the Potomac Region! SECRETARY’S REPORT: The Minutes from the November 2014 meeting were not read since they were published and distributed to all members in the December newsletter. TREASURER’S REPORT: The 2014 Calendar Year End Financial Statement, summarized below, was presented. It shows the Total Income, Expenses and Liabilities for the past four years.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT: Chuck reported that our current 2015 membership total is 179 members. Welcome to our latest members: Christopher Winter, Catonsville, MD and John Henry King, Bowie, MD. Christopher is currently restoring a 1967 Sedan deVille that will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Caddie Chronicle. John Henry is the owner of a 1993 Allanté. Welcome!


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ACTIVITIES REPORT: The following activities were discussed: 1. Recent PR Events:

Holiday Party, Springfield (VA) Country Club, Jan 25. Thanks to Scot & Carolyn Minesinger for hosting another fine Holiday Party. Over 40 members and guests attended. The event was underwritten entirely by the generosity of Mark Brodsky. The festivities included a silent auction, many items of which were generously donated by Roger Bentley.

2. Upcoming PR Events:

Spring Driving Tour to USA Parts, Kearneysville, WV, Sat, Mar 7, 10 am-2 pm. Scot Minesinger has arranged for another tour at USA Parts. There will be knowledgeable personnel employed by USA Parts Supply along with club members that may be able to help diagnose any problems with members’ Cadillacs. In addition, USA Parts Supply will offer club members discounts on parts (excluding kits such as engine re-build kits) from 5% to 10% and there will not be any shipping or handling costs. Several meeting attendees had praise for USA Parts, especially “Larry”, who frequently takes orders. To help prepare for the event, club members planning to attend will need to RSVP by Tuesday March 3rd to Scot Minesinger at 703-283-2021 or [email protected].

Annual Spring Car Show & Automobilia Auction, Capitol Cadillac, Greenbelt, MD, Sun, May 3, 9 am-3 pm. The show flyer will be published by early March.

3. Other Upcoming Events: The following events were mentioned:

42nd Annual Atlantic City Classic Car Show & Auction, Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, NJ, Fri-Sun, Feb 27-Mar 1. This show is all indoors.

Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Amelia Island, FL, Fri-Sun, Mar 13-15. 42nd Annual AACA Chesapeake Region Parts Meet, Howard Co Fairgrounds, West

Friendship, MD, Sat, Mar 14. This parts meet is attended by many PR members. 45th Annual AACA Sugarloaf Mountain Region Parts Meet, Carroll County

Agriculture Center, Westminster MD, Fri-Sat, Mar 27-28. Third year in this location. NEW BUSINESS: Bill Anderson, CLC National Chief Judge and PR member, informed members on the updates being made to the CLC National Judging program, including a judge’s training workshop that will take place in Chicago on April 11, 2015. There are extensive changes being proposed to the CLC National Judging Program that will be published in The Self-Starter as well as Bill’s blog on the CLC website. Bill also provided the latest information on the CLC Museum and Research Center, which opened in 2014. He mentioned that the building came in $5,000 under budget, but that fund raising is an on-going concern to help meet operational costs as well as retire a $200K loan required to finish the facility. The CLCMRC will also host a “Fall Festival” again this year in September which will include points judging of participating cars. As such, the CLC will now have two annual National events at which a car can be judged. NEXT MEETING: SPECIAL NOTE: Saturday, March 7, 2015 at USA Parts Supply, Kearneysville, West Virginia during our tour and visit; meeting start time to be determined. ADJOURNMENT: Meeting adjourned at 4:20 PM.


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2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION CONTACT INFORMATION

Feb 27- Mar 1

Fri-Sun

42nd Annual Classic Car Show & Auction

Atlantic City NJ Convention Center

G. Potter King, Inc. at 800-227-3868 or

www.acclassiccars.com Mar 7 Sat

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Potomac Region Visit to USA Parts Supply

USA Parts Supply Kearneysville WV

R. Scot Minesinger at 703-283-2021 or [email protected]

Mar 14 Sat

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

42nd Annual AACA Chesapeake Region Antique Auto Parts

Flea Market

Howard County Fairgrounds

West Friendship MD

Tom Young at 443-744-6338, [email protected] or www.chesapeakeaaac.org

Mar 27-28 Fri-Sat

Doors open at 8:00 am

45th Annual AACA Sugarloaf Mountain Region Annual Antique

Auto Parts Meet

Carroll County Agriculture Center Westminster MD

Robert Clubb at 301-831-0300 or [email protected]

Apr 20 Mon

7:30 pm – 9:30 pm

Potomac Region Monthly Meeting

Capitol Cadillac Greenbelt MD

Vince Taliano at 301-258-8321 or [email protected]

May 3 Sun

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

24th Annual Capitol Cadillac Spring Car Show/ Automobilia

Auction

Capitol Cadillac Greenbelt MD

Car Show: Dan Ruby at 301-894-8026 or [email protected]

Automobilia Auction: Vince Taliano at 301-258-8321 or

[email protected] May 9 Sat

8:00 am – 4:00 pm

57th Annual AACA Apple Blossom Meet

Jim Barnett Park Winchester VA

Duane Catlett 540-533-7376; [email protected]

May 16 Sat

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

CLC Central PA Region's 26th Annual Spring Show

Kelly Cadillac Lancaster PA

Art Archambeault at 717-557-6974 or [email protected]

May 17 Sun

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Spring Spectacular Car, Truck and Tractor Show

Fauquier High School Warrenton VA

Chris at 571-437-3752 or [email protected]

May 18 Mon

7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Potomac Region Monthly Meeting

Silver Diner Merrifield VA

Vince Taliano at 301-258-8321 or [email protected]

Jun 21 Sun

10:00 am – 3:30 pm

42nd Annual Father’s Day Antique and Classic Car Show

Sully Plantation Chantilly VA

Bill Worsham at 703-250-5474, [email protected] or www.gwcmodela.org

Jun 24-27 Wed-Sat

CLC Grand National Meet Hosted by the Badger Region

Brookfield WI http://www.badgerclc.com/nationalevent.php#hotel

Jul 11 Sat

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

9th Annual CLC Inter-Regional Meet

AACA Museum Hershey PA

Art Archambeault at 717-557-6974 or [email protected]

Jul 26 Sun

10:00 am – 3:00 pm

12th Annual VCCA Free State Region's Annual Car & Truck

Show

Meadowbrook Regional Park Lutherville MD

Hank at 410-499-6196, [email protected] or [email protected]

Aug 11-15 Tue-Sat

CLC National Driving Tour Hosted by the Motor City Region

Greater Detroit MI Metro Area

Bruce (Chip) Iceman at [email protected] or 248-703-2119

2015 CLC-POTOMAC REGION MEETING SCHEDULE Please note that meeting dates, times and locations are subject to change.

Be sure to check the “Calendar of Events” in the newsletter or on the Potomac Region website; http://clcpotomacregion.org/eventslisting.htm

DAY DATE TIME LOCATION

Sunday Jan 25 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Springfield Country Club, Springfield, VA Sunday Feb 15 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Olive Grove Restaurant, Linthicum, MD Saturday Mar 7 11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. USA Parts Supply, Kearneysville, WV Monday Apr 20 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Capitol Cadillac, Greenbelt, MD Monday May 18 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Silver Diner, Merrifield, VA Monday Jun 15 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. IHOP, Rockville, MD Monday Jul 20 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Silver Diner, Merrifield, VA TBD Aug TBD (to be determined) Snyder’s, Glen Burnie, MD Monday Sep 15 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Capitol Cadillac, Greenbelt, MD Monday Oct 21 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Silver Diner, Merrifield, VA Monday Nov 16 7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. IHOP, Rockville, MD

Dec NO MEETING


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On Saturday March 7, 2015 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Potomac Region members are invited to our USA Parts Supply in Kearneysville, West Virginia. USA Parts Supply is one of the preeminent Cadillac parts suppliers in the country. When USA Parts Supply was first started in 1990, they were the only company to offer a complete and comprehensive Cadillac Catalog. They’ve grown a lot since then, but they continue to be a one-stop source for classic Cadillac parts and accessories, or as they say it, "From Bumper to Bumper, We've Got What You Need!" There will be knowledgeable personnel employed by USA Parts Supply along with club members who may be able to help diagnose any problems with members’ Cadillacs. In addition, USA Parts Supply will offer club members discounts on parts (excluding kits such as engine re-build kits) from 5% to 10% and there will not be any shipping or handling costs. To help prepare for the event, club members planning to attend will need to RSVP by Tuesday March 3rd to Scot Minesinger at 703-283-2021 or [email protected].

Visit http://usapartssupply.com or call 1-800-872-2013 for directions to USA Parts Supply.


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PROTECT-O-PLATE PRIVATE EYE

STORY & PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER WINTER Anyone who has watched Antiques Roadshow on PBS knows the importance of establishing an antique's provenance. “Provenance” is the history of an object, from its origin to its current state. In the case of an expensive painting, knowing and authenticating the painting's provenance can often validate a lofty price tag. For owners of the class of industrial art known as the Cadillac Motor Car, establishing a car's provenance can likewise be useful in establishing a car's value. Some of you are aware that as the value of certain model Cadillacs has soared past $100,000, a few unscrupulous characters are trying to cash-in by altering parts of one model to make it appear as if it were a more valuable model. Also, many examples of “original” cars show up on-line that appear to have parts that are not original for that car. Thus, the importance of establishing a car's provenance! This involves some detective work. I wish my Cadillac was one of those six-figure models, but my story is much more pedestrian. In November of 2014, after several months of looking, I purchased a 1967 Sedan DeVille hardtop (pictured right). The car is white with a black vinyl top, just like the one I drove in high-school 45 years ago. The fellow from whom I purchased the car, John Douglass (all the names in this article have been changed to protect the individuals' privacy), had owned the car for about two years. He was able to tell me what he had done to the car, and a little about the previous history of the car. I took careful notes. The car was in reasonably good condition. It had a little rust in the typical areas, but the interior was in excellent condition, and it was a running, driving car. I purchased this car because I thought it was in the best condition for the money than any car I had looked at previously. The condition of the car was intriguing. I knew that Mr. Douglass was not the original owner, but the car was in such good condition after 47 years, I knew I needed to research the car's provenance. How many owners had the car had? Where was the car kept? I noticed that the car had been repainted. Had the car been in a minor collision? The frame and body panels appeared straight, but I wanted to be certain.


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Mr. Douglass lives near Hagerstown, Maryland. He told me he bought the car from the family of an elderly gentleman in Pennsylvania. The elderly gentleman, Mr. Edward Johnson, was in a nursing home at the time, so Mr. Douglass never actually met Mr. Johnson, but transacted the sale through a friend of the Johnson family. As far as Mr. Douglass knew, the car had been a company car at one time, and Mr. Johnson acquired it sometime after it had been a company car. If this information was correct, it would appear I am the fourth owner (company, Johnson, Douglass and me) in 47 years. Some people would be satisfied at this point, but I wanted something more definite than Mr. Douglass' story – with documentation. I did not have much information to go on, but what little I had was better than nothing. Once you are in possession of a Cadillac of unknown provenance, the best place to start researching is with the car itself. Of course, if you can start researching a car's provenance before you actually own the car, so much the better. It should go without saying (but I am going to say it anyway) that you should verify the vehicle identification code or Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the car matches the title or bill of sale. You should also visually inspect the code or VIN tag to see if it looks intact and original. Although useful, the VIN does not necessarily help establish a car's provenance, but it is a legal basis for ownership. If, ultimately, you are unable to establish a car's provenance prior to your ownership of the car, the correct code or VIN will at least establish provenance starting with you. If a Cadillac is stripped of everything, it will still usually have a body tag that contains some useful information. The body tag information can confirm (or deny) original features like color, trim, model or series, and accessories (pictured right). If the body tag indicates the car was not originally equipped with power seats, and your car has power seats, you may want to investigate when the change occurred, and who made the change, since a change like this involves more than just the seats. A closer check of the body tag compared to the car suggests the car has not been altered much (or at all). This may make establishing the car's provenance a little easier. Cadillac body tags however, may not be as helpful as body tags found on cars made by other GM divisions. Due to lower production totals, and only three assembly plants prior to the 1990's, it is more of a challenge to use Cadillac body tags to correlate an assembly plant with where a Cadillac was originally sold. A Cadillac originally sold in Portland, Oregon is probably as likely to have a body tag indicating it was assembled in Detroit as to have a body tag indicating it was assembled in South Gate (Los Angeles), California. A Chevrolet originally sold by a dealer in Danbury, Connecticut, is more likely have a body tag showing that the car was assembled in North Tarrytown, New York due to the greater number of Chevrolet assembly plants and production numbers. Up through model year 1954, you can obtain a copy of the Cadillac factory record that shows the original destination of the car. The record will not show the original retail customer (see the CLC website for more information).


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The point is the body tag can help tell you how close to original a car is, and the factory record through 1954 can tell you where the factory originally sent the car. Both the body tag and the factory record are clues and can be helpful in establishing a car's provenance. The body tag and the factory record are not the final word, so you will have to continue investigating. Few of us purchase cars that are completely devoid of any information. The opposite is sometimes the case – we often buy cars that are rolling wastebaskets. Since one man's trash is another man's treasure, a good avenue of investigation is to find and save every scrap of paper in the car. Look everywhere: under the seats, in the seats, above the sun visors, under the carpet, in the glove box, behind the glove box, in the trunk. Even if something appears to be insignificant, like an old matchbook, save it and consider it a piece of your puzzle. My car's interior is in excellent condition, but I still found wads of paperwork in the glove box. The glove box also contained the first solid piece of evidence: the original owner’s manual with the Protect-O-Plate. The Protect-O-Plate is a thin piece of metal embossed with information about the car in which the Plate came. A dealer would usually affix an embossed piece of plastic to the Plate with the name and address of the original retail buyer. The Plate would be presented to the dealership by the buyer whenever warranty work was done on a car. If you look at the photo on the previous page of my car's body tag, it indicates accessory codes E, N, Y, S, M, K. My Protect-O-Plate has embossed on it accessory codes X, N, Y, M, U, Q, C, 2, K. Even though the Plate is missing the codes E and S, which are on the body tag, the Plate identifies more of the accessories actually on the car than does the body tag. I have to guess that in the days before sophisticated computerized inventory control, some last-minute changes may have occurred as the car came down the assembly line. More important than an accessory code anomaly, my car's Protect-O-Plate was embossed with the name of the Pennsylvania Tool Grinding Company (PTGC – this name is also contrived for this article). This was the company that originally purchased the car from a dealership in a small Pennsylvania town less than 100 miles from Hagerstown, Maryland. Company cars are often purchased for salespeople, staff, and executives. Since the car is a Cadillac, I conjectured that the car was most likely bought for an executive of PTGC, but for whom exactly?


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The glove box turned out to be a treasure trove containing additional vital information. There were two thick stacks of registration and insurance cards showing that the car had been registered and insured in Pennsylvania by Mr. Johnson from 1979 through 1999. The cards showed Mr. Johnson's address, for all 21 years, to be in the same small town in which PTGC was located. So now I had documentary evidence of the cars original owner (PTGC) and the subsequent owner, Mr. Johnson. The car's provenance was now documented from 1967 through 1999 (or so I thought!). I was assuming that PTGC sold the car to Mr. Johnson as this was the gist of the story I got from Mr. Douglass (who sold the car to me), and the documentary evidence seemed to support this. But what about the period after 1999? Why was there no evidence that the car was registered or insured beyond 1999? Additionally, I did not have any documentation of the sale between PTGC and Mr. Johnson. Did this take place in 1979 when the registration cards appear with Mr. Johnson's name? At this point, I was assuming this to be the case, and you know what happens when we assume! The sheer bulk of the stacks of registration and insurance cards overwhelmed the other scraps of paper in the glove box, one of which was a pink carbon copy of a form from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with Mr. Johnson's name on it. At first glance I thought this one bit of paper was just additional registration information for the time period 1979 through 1999. However, since it looked official, I examined it more closely. The form turned out to be a record of the transfer of registration of the car to Mr. Johnson from a couple by the name of Howard and Harriet Lester. Since the form was dated February 5, 1979, and Mr. Johnson was indicated as the new registered owner of the car, I had to conclude that the Lesters owned the car prior to Mr. Johnson. But who were the Lesters and from whom did the Lesters purchase the car: PTGC or still yet another party? I was disappointed for two reasons. I found myself further removed from the original owner of the car, PTGC, and I had to track down who the Lesters were and whether or not they bought the car from PTGC or someone else. I found no other documentation in the car pointing to the Lesters or from whom the Lesters may have bought the car. Nor was there any other information about what happened to the car between the time Mr. Johnson stopped registering it in 1999 until it was sold to Mr. Douglass in 2012. There were a few gaps in the car's history that I needed to fill. So what did I have to go on? I had the name of the original owner, PTGC, from the Protect-O-Plate. I had the names of three subsequent owners prior to me (Lester, Johnson and Douglass) from the pink carbon copy, the registration and insurance cards, and my transaction with Mr. Douglass (Mr. Douglass had the Pennsylvania title signed by Mr. Johnson I used to title the car in my name). I also knew that the car had been originally sold in Pennsylvania, that Mr. Johnson lived there, and that Mr. Douglass (from whom I bought the car) bought the car from Mr. Johnson in Pennsylvania. Since all the documentation and clues I had pointed to a small town in Pennsylvania, I focused my attention there. Using the Internet, I was able to research the company, PTGC, and its importance to the economy of the small Pennsylvania town in which it was located. I did not know if there was any connection between the company and either of the last names Lester or Johnson, but I used the Internet to see if anything might be discovered. Searching for anything relevant to PTGC/executive/Lester resulted in an obituary for a woman in upstate New York. The obituary said she had been the daughter of the late Howard Lester, president of PTGC, located in the small Pennsylvania town where my car was sold. Bingo!


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The obituary also said the woman was survived by two brothers, one in Connecticut, and one in Texas, and the obituary listed the brothers' names. The Connecticut and Texas towns in which the brothers resided were identified in the obituary, so I searched for their names in those towns and I was able to get telephone numbers. Sometimes, the Internet is like one of those obscure Kent-Moore tools – it is the perfect tool for the job and does the job fast. I telephoned both of the brothers and they were most gracious with their time. The brother in Connecticut, James Lester, had a better recollection of the car than did his brother in Texas. James remembered the car. It was purchased by PTGC for use by his father, Howard, President of PTGC. James said his father was born in 1911 and that he retired from PTGC about 1976. At his retirement, the company either gave or sold the car to Howard Lester. James Lester remembers his father selling the car in 1979 to Mr. Johnson who lived on the same block as the Lesters in the small Pennsylvania town where PTGC was located. This was great information. I had started to document the car's provenance for its first 12 years. The car was essentially owned/driven by the same person. My next step was to see if I could contact the next owner, Mr. Johnson. An Internet search for that name (remember, it is not really Johnson) in the small Pennsylvania town resulted in a few names, one of which was an Edward Johnson Sr. whose address was the same address as was on the registration cards I found in the glove box. Bingo again! Mr. Johnson's age was listed as 88, and I was not too sure how he would react to a random phone call from someone asking about a car he owned decades ago. Fortunately, there was another listing for an Edward Johnson, Jr. I phoned him and he turned out to be the son of the Mr. Johnson who was the second owner of the car. Not only did I have a good chat with him, but he gave me his father's phone number and said at age 88, his father was still mentally sharp. I called Mr. Johnson, Sr. and he told me about how he came to buy the car from Mr. Lester. The Lesters and the Johnsons lived at opposite ends of the same block. Mr. Lester became aware that Mr. Johnson admired the Cadillac and during a subsequent conversation Mr. Lester inquired if Mr. Johnson wanted to buy the car. Mr. Johnson said he would love to, but he could not afford to, whereupon Mr. Lester made Mr. Johnson an offer he could not refuse, and sold the car to Mr. Johnson for $800 (in 1979). To this day Mr. Johnson remembers “the rich guy at one end of the block selling a Cadillac to the poor guy at the other end of the block”. Mr. Johnson also recalled that he had the car repainted (the car was originally Persian Ivory, but was repainted white). When he picked the color sample it was a cloudy day. He thought he had picked a closely matching color, but when the car came out of the paint shop on a sunny day, Mr. Johnson realized that the colors were not close, but he resigned himself to live with his white car. Mr. Johnson also told me about the time he and his wife took some relatives to Niagara Falls. He recalled five adults and their luggage fitting comfortably into the car.


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I asked Mr. Johnson if the car had ever been in a collision. He said that it had not been in a wreck, but his driveway has an odd incline and he did remember scraping the front right fender and door (the fender is dinged as are the wheel opening and front door moldings – see photo). Mr. Johnson also confirmed that 1999 was the last year he registered the car and he put it in his garage until he had a heart attack in 2012. He then had a family friend sell the car to Mr. Douglass (from whom I bought the car). Mr. Johnson recalled that PTGC had a garage for Mr. Lester and the car, and that Mr. Lester had a garage at home. Apparently the car has been garaged until now (Mr. Douglass also garaged the car – I am the only owner without a garage into which the car will fit). I enjoyed speaking with Mr. Johnson, and I hope he lives a few more years as I would like to give him a ride in his old car when I bring it back to its former glory. So, the car was in the possession of Mr. Johnson for 33 years. Now its first 46 years of provenance is documented from when it was sold in 1967 through 2012 when Mr. Johnson sold it! Mr. Douglass, from whom I bought the car in November 2014, never titled or registered the car in his name. He bought the car for his wife, but when she lost her full time job, the Douglass family had to tighten their belts so they sold the car to me. Since the car was not registered, Mr. Douglass could not drive very far on public roads. He did clean out the fuel tank. He also installed new fuel lines, a new fuel sending unit, a new fuel pump, and a new fuel filter. He also had the carburetor rebuilt, and replaced the rear wheel brake cylinders. Mr. Douglass works for a large international firm and he has a terrific three-bay workshop with a pit and a gantry. I was comfortable with his mechanical ability as evidenced by the antique diesel trucks he was restoring in his workshop. I did not make a copy of the Pennsylvania title with Mr. Johnson's signature that I submitted to the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration when I titled the car, but I do have a copy of the on-line advertisement Mr. Douglass placed that originally caught my eye. January 31, 2015 marked the date of the 48th anniversary of the car's original sale. I feel confident that I have established, with documentary and first-person evidence, the provenance of my car going back to its original sale date. Using the documentation at hand, a little deductive reasoning, the search capability of the Internet, and a few good-old-fashioned telephone calls, I was able to metaphorically follow the road my car traveled from the day it first rolled off the dealer's lot in that small Pennsylvania town almost a half-century ago. I consider myself, from a practical standpoint, to be the third owner of my 1967 Sedan DeVille, as I plan to make this car road-worthy and drive it again (something Mr. Douglass was, unfortunately, not able to do). Serendipity may have played a part in my research, and I realize that not everyone will find it as easy as I did when trying to establish their car's provenance. But I urge you to make the attempt to not only to satisfy yourself, but to maintain the integrity and continuity of the CLC, and to honor the legacy of Henry Leland and The Standard of the World.


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A PUDDLE OF LIGHT

STORY & PHOTO BY CHRIS CUMMINGS ILLUSTRATION BY EMILYANN CUMMINGS

There are still folks living among us who experienced the cars of the Classic Era as everyday transportation, people who rode in the cars when they were brand new or nearly so, who drove them more extensively than on and off a show field or on exercise runs. These people got to know Marmons, Duesenbergs, and classic Cadillacs the way that people today might know their Corolla or Enclave or Explorer. I have a friend whose father bought a 1930 Cadillac V-16 sedan new, and it became their family car. As a boy, my friend would ride in the sumptuous back seat and would watch the world go by from that vantage point. He remembers watching out the back window as a speeding train roared through the grade crossing that the car had just negotiated, while his mother and aunt in the front seat kept up their conversation unaware. From time to time the family travelled to visit relatives in another state. My friend recalls watching the scenery go by past the window next to him as dusk faded into night and his father switched on the headlights and taillights.


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Each taillight had a round clear lens in the side of the housing, marking the aft end of the car for those looking at it from the side (rather like an early precursor of the side marker lights that have been mandatory on new cars since 1968). As my friend gazed out his window, the clear lens would throw a puddle of light on the ground next to the car, just about where the pavement ended and the shoulder began. The little light pool would slide along the ground just as quickly as the car, climbing over rocks and vegetation, and wiping along the side of other cars or roadside objects. I own a car nearly identical to the car my friend’s father owned, and it never occurred to me that the side lens on the taillight would make a spot of light that would fascinate and entertain a small boy. But it makes perfect sense. When my friend related the reminiscence, it made me wonder how many other interesting ways these cars affected people when they were new and regularly used.

When I am driving my car and the sun is just right and at my back, I can see in the shadow of the car on the road before me the silhouette of the hood ornament, framed by the shape of the back window. It’s just a little thing, but it’s unique to the moment and to this special car. If you know someone who knew these cars when they were in current use, get them talking and remembering. You’ll both be surprised by what gets recalled. And neither of you will regret it.

1930 V-16 taillight, showing the small, clear side lens


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CADDIE CLASSIFIEDS

Cars For Sale

NEW ARRIVAL 1947 Series 62 convertible – Excellent condition – Dark blue with a tan convertible top and beautiful red leather interior – 346 V-8 engine – Exceptional ride on immense 129-inch wheelbase – Harley Earl designed "Torpedo" styling, which commenced in the 1942 models and continued thru 1947 models – Equipped with power windows, seats and convertible top – Asking $109,995 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1947-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-12165161.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Brentwood, NY

NEW ARRIVAL 1953 Series 62 convertible – Frame-off restoration – There is not a single blemish, chip, or defect anywhere! – Mechanically the car is as perfect as it gets! – Power steering, top, seat and windows – VIN# 536227664 – 68k miles – Asking $185,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1953-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-13250356.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Colorado NEW ARRIVAL 1954 Series 62 convertible – Older restoration – Paint, chrome, top, interior all done – 365 V-8 engine rebuilt - Asking $65,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1954-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-12955902.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Chicago, IL

NEW ARRIVAL 1956 Series 62 convertible – Bought at a estate sale and has been restored – New paint and chrome – 350 V-8 engine – Car is beautiful but it does need a few minor things – Drive anywhere – Asking $45,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1956-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-13137266.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Colorado NEW ARRIVAL 1957 Coupe Deville – Asking $39,995 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1957-cadillac-deville-for_sale-used-12041260.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Erie, CO

NEW ARRIVAL 1957 Eldorado Biarritz convertible – Recent four year ground up restoration – Completely taken down to bare metal & repainted – Show quality restoration down to the smallest details – Rebuilt engine & trans – All new suspension – All new glass – Every chrome piece re-chromed and/or reproduced – Front grille is not original however original is available – Grille reproduced in high grade stainless steel – Sabre Wheels were restored – List goes on and on – Car has travelled a couple thousand miles since finished and drives like a dream – Asking $189,995 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1957-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz-used-12856917.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Adelaide, Australia

NEW ARRIVAL 1957 Eldorado Biarritz convertible – Numbers Matching – 72k original miles – Car runs great but needs work on the following: 1) rear bumper ends, 2) convertible top, 3) windshield, 4) passenger door glass, 5) window frames, 6) weather-stripping, 8) front seat and 9) power seat switch – Asking $85,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1957-cadillac-eldorado-biarritz_-used-13259843.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Colorado

NEW ARRIVAL 1959 Eldorado Seville – Only 975 built – 78k original miles – Persian Sand paint good - Burgundy vinyl top very good – Burgundy interior excellent – 390/345hp V-8 tri-power engine completely rebuilt – Power windows (including vents), brakes, steering, and six-way seat – New Coker 4" WWW tires w/12K miles – List goes on and on – Asking $75,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1959-cadillac-eldorado-seville_-used-13225309.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Colorado

NEW ARRIVAL 1960 Series 62 convertible – 100% original – 18k miles – 390 V-8 engine – Fully optioned with A/C - NADA high retail is $81,070 – Asking $57,000 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1960-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-12950093.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Chicago, IL

NEW ARRIVAL 1960 Series 62 coupe – Only 51K miles – Beautiful white exterior with black & white interior – Real straight body – Paint and interior were redone 15 years ago – Super clean underbody & engine bay – Power steering, brakes and windows – Dual exhaust – Asking $30,995 – See pictures at http://www.webeautos.com/detail-1960-cadillac-series_62-for_sale-used-10496524.html – For more info, contact Michael at [email protected] or (O) (631)328- AUTO(2886) , (O) (631)339-0399 or (C) (516)729-2003 – Car is located in Freehold, NJ

Wanted to Buy Tires – Four gently used 235-75-15 steel belted radials for ’61 Cadillac – For more info, call Jerry Gordon at 410-484-1299 – Baltimore, MD


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2015 OFFICERS

NAME

POSITION(S)

PHONE NUMBER

EMAIL ADDRESS

Vince Taliano

Regional Director Newsletter Editor Website Manager

301-258-8321 [email protected]

Dan Ruby Assistant Regional Director Car Show Coordinator


Jack McClow

National Director Newsletter Columnist


Sandy Kemper

Secretary Associate Newsletter

Editor Valley Forge Region Liaison


Harry Scott

Treasurer


R. Scot Minesinger

Activities Director Newsletter Columnist


Chuck & Debbie Piel Membership Directors Central VA Region Liaisons

Newsletter Columnists


Documents

CLCPR.1503Newsletter - CLC) Potomac Region · Brodsky. Chuck also announced that the Potomac Region and Valley Forge Regions have signed a contract to co-host the 2017 Grand National