Hello everybody and welcome to the Newsletter! (This one is BIG with even BIGGER articles!!) Sorry for the time-gap between the last issue and this one. I have been inundated with various things that have kept me from getting this out. People have sent many e-mails wondering where the last issue was and lamenting its absence!

Without getting into much detail, some causes for the delay have been job-related (extra hours, nights, and weekends), injury (back and neck), and the big one was that my house got flooded back in mid-March during that huge storm. It has taken my wife and I the better part of the last two and a half months to clean up, clean out, and redo!

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So here we are – smack dab in the middle of May with car season going in full swing! Cruise nights are up and running, you will see them in the list a few sections below. I need your help out there -------------- some of the places are not run by any organization and I have not received information if they are still viable. If some of you can send me e-mails and let me know if they are running and NOT IN DANGER of being cancelled for whatever reason. This way I can get them all listed in the next edition of the Newsletter. (Which I plan to get out very soon!)

THANKS!

I need one of two things: either more time, or less work and stuff to do!

Being that God made time the way it is, I doubt any hours will be added to the day (I’d be too tired to do anything with them if they were), so I will have to go the other route. I need to shed the amount of work and stuff I have to do!

I would love to retire – how many others out there feel the same way? I haven’t even taken my cars out yet! I haven’t had the time!

Well, retirement isn’t something that is doable yet either. Hopefully (and prayerfully) it won’t be too far off! But in the meantime, (there’s that key word again – time) I need to cut back on my endeavors and enjoy life more.

I want to go to the car shows, cruise nights, work on my cars – they all need something, and of course spend more time with my kids! I remember back in my teens and twenties – even with school and work, I still had or made time to hang out, work on the car, drive the car, play sports almost daily, watch TV, go out, (didn’t study much). I don’t know how I did it all and I wasn’t even tired!

Ahhhh youth!

My Charger R/T must feel neglected. It has sat in the garage since November without so much as a key turning in the ignition! Maybe next week I’ll get it out. I am scheduled to finally have two days off so that should help!

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Have you all noticed the car market has softened to a point we haven’t seen in years?! Cars aren’t changing owners as frequently and the driver-condition vehicles are bringing prices we haven’t seen since the late ‘90’s! That’s GREAT NEWS if you want to get out there and buy now! With the recession still in swing, people need cash. They are hanging on to what $$ they have. So when cars are put up for sale (usually by someone else who needs cash) the asking prices and resulting offers are far lower than at anytime this past decade!

I have read so many reports from various sources that corroborate what I am saying. Asking prices are way down and so is the amount of vehicle sales and the amounts they are selling for. Conversely, interest rates are low now, so if you need to finance a car purchase you can get a great rate to go with that great buy!

As always, high-end, pedigree, rare and top-quality vehicles are still bringing big prices. But 90% of the cars can be had at big discounts. So get out there and get what you want while you can get ‘em cheap!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1 Editor’s Introduction

2 Picture Caption Contest

3 Cruise Night Information

4 Guest Writer’s Columns

Tom Sebastian

Justin Appelbaum

Lou Refano

Rich’s Tech Tips

My Car Story x 2

5 The Archive

6 Editor’s Closing

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Long Island Classic Cars’

AUTOMOTIVE PICTURE CAPTION CONTEST

Submit your entry along with your name and e-mail address to: newsletter@liclassiccars.com

This contest is open to everyone! (LI Classic Cars.com paid personnel, regular column writers, and business advertisers are not eligible.)

Winners will be notified by e-mail and/or phone.

Please submit all entries by the 20th of the next month. (Ex: for February’s contest the entries are due by March 20th)

No substitutions of prizes will be allowed.

In the event of prize choices, winner will be given the opportunity to select the one they want.

All decisions are final and are made by the paid personnel of Long Island Classic Cars.com

Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days of contest end or forfeit the prize to the runner up.

If there are multiple correct entries on puzzle, matching, fill-in, or Q&A contests - winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries.

A few simple rules:

1) Be funny and creative!

2) Keep it somewhat clean!

Once again we had a lot of entries…thanks and keep ‘em comin’!

Here is last issue’s winning caption from Mitchell Hackett

O.S.H.A.? O.S.H.A.? We don’t need no stinking O.S.H.A………….!!

Mitch wins a Mr. Clean Car Wash Kit! Congratulations!!

Honorable mention goes to someone who didn’t send in their name (PontiTA76@aol.com) with their “All forked-up” caption.

Here is this month’s picture…

Go to it! Send in your creative captions by 6/20/10 and win the prize!

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“EXTRA EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!!”

The Cruise Nights are in full swing!!!! If you run one – make sure your listings are up-to-date!

HERE ARE LOCATIONS I HAVE NO INFO ABOUT--- PLEASE LET ME KNOW PEOPLE!! ----------

The 2009 listings for them are still posted and it is annoying!!! If I do not hear about them by June 10^th I will delete all these listings currently on the site in the interest of accuracy and space.

FRANKLIN SQUARE – Dogwood Avenue (Tuesdays)

OCEANSIDE – Nathan's Famous. 3131 Long Beach Rd (Wednesdays)

WADING RIVER – King Kullen Center. Corner of Manor-Riverhead Rd & Rt 25a. (Thursdays)

LYNBROOK – Atlantic Avenue between Merrick Rd and Sunrise Hwy (Thursdays)

BABYLON – Cedar Beach. Ocean Pkwy (Saturdays)

If anyone knows of any other cruise locations that are fully up and running and not in danger of being cancelled please let us know so we can post them for all to see - here and in the EVENTS section of the website. Minimum 40 cars attending.

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GUEST WRITERS’ COLUMNS

THESE GUYS CAN WRITE!!! Just wait ‘til you read these features!!!!

Tom Sebastian laments his efforts in trying to sell an old car that some deem as a classic, and others just want for cheap transportation. Either way, he got some loonies who came to call! Funny stuff we can all relate to!

Justin Appelbaum from AutoMat gives us the looong awaited part two of a Camaro restoration project from last year. This car turned out very nice – well, you’ll see (and read) for yourself how it was done. No expense or system was spared!

Lou Refano takes us back to a time when big was always considered better! These cars often could not fit in the garage! They made the statement on your street and to your friends. Cruisers extraordinaire!

“Knock knock” … “Whose there?” Rich’s Tech Tips answers this famous phrase with some info regarding nasty ole engine knock problems and how to determine where they might be emanating from.

In the My Car Story section, we have a double-feature! Two vastly different cars. One built for economy and moderation, the other built to go fast and make a statement. First up is the ’57 Metropolitan of Joe Bacino. Joe is a longtime owner and aficionado of these cars. He has had several and this particular critter is in fantastic condition!

Following that is Joe Cascio and his stunningly modified ’07 Ford Mustang. (Seems like we got a lot of Italian guys out there in this hobby don’t we?! Everywhere I go I meet more Paisano’s with classics and cool cars of every kind. I think its in our blood and we are drawn to curvy looks, speed, good food, music, wine, song, etc. But then again – I think every guy is!!) Joe took a regular ‘Stang and modified it to look unique but still be stylish without overdoing it. He DRIVES this baby everyday too!

Enjoy…

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Tom Sebastian Lunch Box on Wheels… For the Out to Lunch Bunch!

(Myself included, I guess)

OK... I'm retired now. My Ferrari-in-Monaco dreams are fading into history.

But, before I go into Assisted Living, I've invented this new game for old, poor folk with car fantasies still intact: I call it the "Let's Get Rich Before We're Dead!" gambit. If you cannot afford a bona fide classic, go for the one you think will become a classic. That way, as the old saying goes (my own, I dare say): You can buy it as a used car -- and sell it as a collector. 1 All right!! A way to pay for that extra nurse with the toilet duties!

BUT…. let me tell 'ya, Jack, this was one old car adventure I could have done without.

I thought I knew about Volvos since I've had a slew of them. Besides, the 240DL crowd was well known to me, or so I thought. I used to tool around in that old Yuppie mainstay, the 240 Wagon. The station wagon people were great -- interesting, even! So what's with the sedan crowd? Why do they act like they are from another galaxy?

I mean I've seen these things with Old Town canoes strapped on the roof, so I assumed that the same breed was inside here as with the station wagon. (Besides, they all had Vermont plates...! And even granny glasses, for God's sake!!) This should be the car then...the ideal candidate! No one is paying attention to it yet. An older car on the cusp of turning into a classic! All my professional instincts, honed from years on the classic car trail, kicked in: Buy It While It's Still Cheap!!! Besides, did you notice that from behind, the 240 looks like an older Rolls Royce?? Just wait `til the public wakes up to that!!

But something was amiss here. I have never been so wrong about a car in all my life. Perhaps the car was SO cheap it opened the door to the low-enders... you know the hard-lucksters who couldn't catch a break in life if you delivered one to their front door. (But, I reasoned, don't these people traditionally go after Trans Ams with pinstriped wings on the hood?)

When I put it up for sale, here is my record of the calls I received to buy this car:

Buyer 1:

A student from Berkeley -- 3,000 miles away! For a Volvo 240!? - This was beyond my wildest dreams. He is on the West Coast -- and he looks in Central NY area ads for a car?? What's up with that?? He sends me a deposit instantly via Paypal.

Result? Never hear from him again. (Thanks for the 50 bucks, though!)

Mr. Number 2:

Next request to hold the car - get ready for this: From Afghanistan!!

He, a member of an Upstate NY-based brigade fighting in the mountains out there, cannot wait to get back home to get his hands on this car. OK, now I think I'm dreaming. This car has more ``lust-attraction`` -- as measured in distance -- than a Lamborghini Murcielago!!

(Oh, boy, I'm thinking ... Am I on to something or what!!)

So I go back outside to admire what no one on my street has yet given a second look at. Maybe I should up the price.

I take it for a spin: Zero Acceleration. Absolutely no sensation as I take off.

Cruising Speed Highlights: None.

To be honest, the only thing I can say on its behalf is that it probably could not be blown up by an IED -- it is that well built. Could that be the reason this guy in Afghanistan is so interested that he tries to get his mother to come over to drop a couple of C Notes to hold it -- for fear of being dynamited in the streets of Syracuse?

Result: I take the ad out of Craigslist and wait. And wait. But... Mama never shows.

"$%#@!!!" !!

Buyer Numero 3:

Older guy with long pony-tail -- you know, the type we all expect would drool over such a car - drives an hour out of his way with wife in tow to get the car. Drives it, loves it -- and makes me promise while shaking on the deal not to give it up if that student or soldier should ever show. He drops me a deposit and disappears. Forever.

You might be thinking that this car is a cash cow just sitting here. If people keep dropping me deposits and disappearing into the firmament, what the hell...? I still have the car!!

Ok, I get that. But I truly wanted to buy another car before the short driving season ended here, and I needed the $$ from the sale in order to do it.

Buyer #4:

Works with perverts (honest!). Ok, at least I know he has a job and can pay something. (By this point I was already sending messages to the Kars for Kids Foundation.)

Anyway, this guy gets into the car and drives the bejesus out of it! I mean, he went Demolition Derby on me -- with me right there -- in the front seat!

I was too scared to open my mouth! We pull up into my driveway, he pops the hood and says, "Oh... See that? Your gaskets' blown and I can smell that oil leaking onto your engine block and header. You will probably lose your pressure release valve next..." And then he low-balls me by offering half the asking price!! What the...?? I tell you, I have seen many different styles for buying a car, but destroying it on the test run to get the price down was completely new to me.

I didn't know what to do... I just stood there and, after coming out of shock, said that I would let him know. He gave me his card and said he would expect the call on the following day. As I watched him drive off, secure in the knowledge that the car was his, I had to ask myself, was he crazy or am I?

Should I call the cops?

Buyer Five:

... An older teen shows up with his grandmother. I kindly say to the old biddy, "We'll be right back... We'll just drive it down the street and back."

She looks as me with like a 'What are ya' talking about?' look, tells the kid to stay put, and then she jumps in the driver's seat.

That old woman forgot more about Volvos than I ever knew. She did everything but kick the tires. Besides finding all the things wrong with it that the pervert handler caused, she found a few more, told me the car wasn't worth two cents, and headed down the road.

Again I'm staring down the road. Who are these people?!

Buyer Number Six - looked normal -- but I wasn't taking chances. I was dropping the price by the hundreds even before he closed his car door to get out. I wanted OUT of the Volvo game ASAP!!

"Good God Almighty, He took it!!" I screamed Martin Luther King style in the driveway as he drove away. "He took it!!" I kissed the check, walked in the house and swore off Volvos forever! (Or, at least, until the next interesting one presented itself).

That was almost it for my classic/old car passion.

"Crap... if someone has to go through this to buy and sell cars, I'll go back to work!" I said to the owner of the local garage/used car dealer down the street. One of the mechanics, overhearing that comment, raised his head from a Audi engine bay and put a stopper on that one immediately... "You? Work? Let's not panic, Tom!"

He was right, of course...

"...That older Land Rover over there... How much you want for it?"

"Call the Betty Ford Clinic," I heard the garage owner say under his breath.

NEXT TIME!! "PRETENTIOUS... MOI?"

1 PS... I've had to discover the hard way: I can make as much $$ on the resale for a car purchased for $1,500 as I could on a car for $!5,000 - with none of the high-end risk attached! SECRET'S OUT!!!

(Very entertaining! I sympathized with you the whole article! Anyone who has tried to sell their car from home should relate! ) Pete

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Resurrected Beauty Part 2

By Justin Appelbaum

In the last installment of Randi Hoehl’s 68 Camaro RS we discussed how she has always had a love affair with cars, especially first generation Camaros. Randi saved her babysitting money and bought her RS before she was old enough to drive. An initial restoration was done by Randi and her father, and after driving the car through high school and college; she took it off the road. Randi’s attachment to this car in particular kept her from selling it, and instead she stored it for twenty plus years until the restoration could be performed. That is when Randi brought it to AutoMat Co. in Hicksville to start the process.

A little back tracking - last time we talked about the stripping down of the RS, the entire interior was gutted down to the bare metal and all of the running gear was removed. The car was then sent to the media blaster to shred years of old paint and bondo. Once back at AutoMat, the sheetmetal of the car looked to be in pretty good shape, but still there would need to be some serious time with the cut-off wheel and welder. The driver’s side rear quarter was replaced, along with the filler panel under the rear window, the front nose panel and the floor pan. Of course there was some patch panel work done as well. The underneath was sprayed with Body Schutz, a thick layer of protective undercoating.

With the metal, rust removal and preventative work complete, attention could be paid to the Chris Alston Chassisworks Inc. front clip that would find a new home under the nose of the RS. Randi chose Chassisworks for a complete front-end overhaul, ensuring outstanding geometry and adjustability for some serious handling. The primitive dog-tracking of first generation Camaros would not be repeated on this RS! Talk about a complete unit. Everything came in one big box and contained all the parts necessary to make this RS a mean handling mofo. For starters, the sub-frame, which is laser cut CNC machine precision bent 7-gauge steel, was sent out to the powder coater and transformed into a high gloss black structure of beauty. Once the tubular control arms were painted, they were connected to the frame by heim joints. Next the coil-over units and sway bar could be mounted, giving the frame some adjustability and stability. A set of Wilwood performance calipers made their way onto the front hubs, clamping down on some slotted and vented rotors, slowing the car in a hurry. After that, power rack and pinion steering was installed, making turning easier and adding some carving ability to that straight-line acceleration.

With the completed front clip on jack stands, the custom Chevy small block built by Motive Engines of Port Washington could be installed. Some enthusiasts like to keep secret what performance modifications were performed on their vehicles, but not Randi. She is all about letting you know that she is a serious driver who doesn’t mind paying to play. Who wants a stroked out small block 350, when there is a much better solution? A call was placed to World Industries and a 415 cubic inch cast iron Motown block with sturdy 4-bolt main was sourced. Once in the hands of Peter Burrows, it was then stuffed full of go-fast parts that were all balanced and blueprinted for optimal performance. Randi chose Motive Engines for her build for many reasons. Most importantly, Peter never questioned her desire for horsepower combined with drivability, in fact, he encouraged it. To be quick off the line, have tons of top end power and reliability, while also being able to comfortably cruise were the goals. So with that said, the specs run down like this: the bore of 4.125in and a stroke if 3.875in was achieved using a Scat 3-7/8 crankshaft, Eagle 6.0 brushed connecting rods and Mahle 4.125 20cc reverse dome pistons and rings all clamped down using ARP fasteners and riding on Clevite H series bearings. Closing up the bottom is a Moroso seven- quart oil pan with Moroso pick-up.

Up top Dart II aluminum cylinder heads contain a Competition Cams Roller Hydraulic 510/520 lift, 282/288 duration camshaft,

CR 7.550 length push rods and roller rockers. Sandwiching the two halves of the motor is a Felpro 1003 head gasket. An Edelbrock 7101 Performer intake manifold, and a Quick Fuel 750 double pumper carburetor, combine air and fuel sent through a Pro Fuel 10100 fuel filter. Igniting that fuel is a MSD Centrifugal Advance Distributor, MSD 6A ignition system, coil and wires. Expelling the exhaust gasses out of the block is a set of custom Chris Alston engineered headers. Cooling this baby is an oversized aluminum Be-Cool radiator with dual fans. Bolted to the backside of the block is a Freddy Brown 4-speed overdrive customized 200R transmission, linked to a custom driveshaft that is threaded through a driveshaft safety loop. If the driveshaft fails, the loop prevents it from wedging itself between the car and the ground and flipping the vehicle over.

United Exhaust in Port Jefferson Station installed a custom mandrel bent x-pipe exhaust system. Flowmaster mufflers and 2 1/2 inch pipes were bent and fitted up and around the Camaro’s stainless steel gas tank for a killer sound. The entire system, pipes, hangers and all, was coated with high temperature coating in flat black to complete the clean look underneath.

While the front was being assembled, so was the rear. Out back a Currie Enterprises Ford 9in rear-end with 3.89 gears, 31 spline Truetrac, a Nodular third member case and pinion support was hung from a new set of performance leaf springs and shocks. With the front clip fully assembled and completed it could be reinstalled on the body of the RS and connected to the rear. With all the added power that this car is producing over stock and the fact that Randi is not your typical female driver, the addition of sub-frame connectors were needed. Included as an option with the front clip, the sub-frame connectors bolt to the rear of the sub-frame and run the length of the vehicle, securing them with more bolts along the way and attaching at the rear of the vehicle by the leaf spring mounts. This addition significantly reinforces the vehicle allowing for more power to drive the rear wheels and therefore quicker times.

Matching the front and bringing the rest of the 68 RS to a halt, Wilwood high performance calipers reside at the rear as well, clamping down on oversized vented rotors. All this tucked behind a set of classic, period correct 17in wheels. A wider wheel was needed to accommodate the larger and much more functional Nitto NT450 high performance tires that will be able to hold the power that Randi is putting down. A line lock was installed for those times when releasing the rear wheels and clamping down on the front will set the scene for the all important burn out. And for those who care about numbers, this beauty will be putting down somewhere in the neighborhood of 525hp and 550lbs. of torque, and that is out of a small block. Eat that you heavy big block!

When restoring a vehicle of this caliber combined with the fact that it had been sitting for twenty plus years, the call was made to rewire the complete vehicle. From headlights to taillights, engine bay to interior, every bit of wiring was replaced. A Vintage Air Sure Fit Gen4 complete A/C kit was installed in this factory non-air-conditioned car, and a Camaro specific wiring kit from Painless was sourced and installed. Now while everything in the kit is labeled and color-coded, by no means is this a “painless” undertaking. Fortunately the crew at AutoMat is well versed in rewiring vehicles and had no issues with this RS.

Now with the power plant in place, color could be added to this primer-gray monster. Red was the choice color, but while the original color of this Camaro was red, the original color just did not have the luster that Randi so desired. How does one chose from the vast shades of red out there? Simple, go for the one that shines the brightest. Much time was spent prepping the car for the hot, bright orangey red paint that Randi selected, and after multiple coats were laid down, some semblance of what the end result would be could be seen. It was not until the clear was sprayed that the stunning lines and coke bottle shape of the RS could be detected. After a few hours of baking in the booth, the car was wet sanded and polished to brilliant luster.

Some of the time-worn and weather-beaten exterior trim was replaced with new bright work, but the RS custom trim pieces and front and rear window moldings were sent out to be re-chromed and polished. Both bumpers were replaced; door handles, marker lights, and sideview mirrors all went. Randi wanted all of the exterior emblems removed, and instead of displaying those classic chrome beauties on her car, they are hanging on the wall of her garage, not spoiling the clean lines of her car. The exterior glass was in good shape, but that had to be replaced as well. Nothing on this RS was to look as if it was just transferred over. The original front grille, hide-a-way headlights and rear taillights were the only original exterior parts left. They were in excellent condition and therefore the decision to restore them was made. Sometimes aftermarket parts just don’t fit the way original ones do and the time and effort spent in restoring them is well worth it.

With the exterior complete, attention was turned to the interior. This was not going to be some flashy, come look at me interior, not for Randi. This car is all about business. Black was the color that the RS started out life with and that is how it was going to be reborn. As original as original can get, that was the idea. The seat frames and springs, front and rear were restored, new foam padding was installed and original vinyl upholstery was wrapped over them. Dynamat Extreme was laid over the floor pan blocking out road noise and heat, with black 80/20 loop carpet to complete the look. New door panels and hardware were hung in place and a headliner and sail panels were strung up overhead. The original center console with the clock option, which was very rare, was restored and bolted back into place. All of the dash knobs and switches were replaced with new units. Instead of restoring the factory gauges or adding obtrusive aftermarket units, AutoMeter gauges were installed in the factory dash locations. In order to keep better tabs on the RS, a dual speedometer and tachometer was mounted on the left and on the right a quad gauge containing fuel level, oil pressure, water temperature and volts rests. Turning the not-so factory, but original style steering wheel will help Randi through the twisties. One area that was significantly upgraded was the stereo system. Who would be able to hear the original stereo anyway? So a new Alpine headunit and upgraded speakers were installed in the cabin of the RS, with an iPOD dock tucked into the glove compartment keeping the tunes cranking while cruising. A stealth and serious anti-theft system was installed in the Camaro, offering the latest in automotive theft prevention and re-location technology.

With a final check of all the mechanical and electrical functions and one hell of a road test, the car was ready for delivery. The smile on Randi’s face was payment enough…Well not really, actually she ran up a pretty sizeable tab. But that is what it takes to complete a project of this magnitude. So if you are out there cruising and you see a pretty lady in a red 68 Camaro RS and you think you can take her, you had better be coming strong or she is going to send you home crying to your performance expert

( Justin – well worth the wait. That’s a heck of an article on a heck of a car!! WOW!) Pete

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Coupe De Big

by Louis Refano

In those lazier days of the ‘50s and ‘60s, when moms would cook tuna casseroles for dinner, dessert was courtesy of the Good Humor man and kids played outside unsupervised, cars on the block were big. They all seemed to be a mile long (except for the occasional Rambler or VW). Detroit gave Americans the idea that the longer and wider the car, the better it was. The big car represented a status symbol. But in those days when even a full-size Chevy was a behemoth, there was always one king of the pack, one that stood out beyond the rest. A big Cadillac. If a neighbor’s house had a Caddy parked in front, you knew they were very well off. Lots of girth, lots of chrome, big wheels, big fins. A car that inside felt like a living room on wheels. A classic American status symbol. Many in the automotive field had tried hard for years to dethrone the “Standard of the World”…Lincoln, Imperial, Packard, to name a few. But they never quite put it all together and made their mark the way Cadillac did. From the end of World War II to the second GM downsizing of 1985, Cadillac reigned supreme in American automotive luxury as one of the purest (and many argue, most outrageous) expressions of personal success embodied in an automobile.

In 2010 a lot of stuff in American culture has changed. We have dinners that come out of microwaves, and “play-dates”. Cadillac is still around, but has lost its American big car cache…it competes against mid-sized BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, Audis, etc. It even comes in a pickup truck and sport wagon model, which I never dreamed I would see in my lifetime. It has also jumped on the bandwagon in terms of the model nomenclature…letters and/or number instead of names. CTS, STS, DTS, LRX, SRX, gimme-a-break X. What do these all mean?? By the way I’m waiting for some carmaker to come out with a “BS” model, but so far, nobody’s got the guts. But you never know.

For those keeping score at home, the current full-size DTS from Cadillac (which is going to be phased out soon) was known as the DeVille. Ahhh, DeVille, now we’re talking. It seems like only yesterday that there was a Coupe De Ville for 2-door fans, and a Sedan De Ville for the 4-door lovers, perfectly suited for ballad singers, old Italian men, or members of organized crime.

For this month’s journey I’m focusing on the wildest of the wild ones, the ‘59 Cadillac, and its companion, the similarly-styled 1960. This was the pinnacle of the aerodynamic styling school of Harley Earl…a car that was a representation of airplane travel. Few cars, before or since, have made such an impression as the ‘59 Caddy. A long, low, fuselage body with a wall of chrome up front, and towering jet fins in the back holding rocket-shaped taillights, over a wall-to-wall rear grille. The driver was seated behind a huge panoramic windshield looking over a giant hood, with lots of brightwork on the dashboard. Some fifty years later, it is still quite a sight to behold.

Let’s take a look at the numbers: Overall length 225.0 inches, wheelbase 130 in. (Series 75: 149.5), track 61 in., weight 4690-5060, depending on model. Engine was a 390 cubic inch cast-iron block V-8 with 325 hp (345 on Eldorado). Overall mpg? Around 8-14, again depending on model. Fill up your tank with 25 cent gasoline and go cruising, no problem!

“Cadillacs are nine inches longer this year and they are so long and so wide that we would have to rebuild our ramps to accommodate them.” -- Wayne Stedelin, Vice-President, St. Louis City Auto Parks, 1958, explaining why ‘59 Cadillacs were prohibited from his parking lots

From bottom to top the models ran: Series 6200 (also known as 62), Coupe/Sedan de Ville, Eldorado, Sixty Special sedan, and the limited production Eldorado Brougham. The 6200 came in hardtop coupe, 4 window (flat-top, wraparound rear window) sedan, 6 window sedan (with rear quarter windows), and convertible. De Villes were offered in coupe and both sedan variants. Eldorados were available in Seville hardtop and Biarritz convertible. The 6200 hardtop started at $4892, the fancier Coupe De Ville charged $5252, Sixty Special sedan checked in at $6233, and the Eldos both sold for $7401. The ultra-exclusive Brougham, produced at the Pinin Farina plant in Turin, Italy, was priced at $13,075...only 99 were built. This car had different trim than the other Caddys, lacked the wraparound windshield, and was more subdued inside. It actually predicted Caddys of the near future…the fins and taillights were similar to the 1960 models, and the windshield resembled the ‘61s.

For those who really wanted to go huge, there was the Fleetwood 75 sedan and limo. Priced from $9533, you got a 244.8 inch long beast with a 149.5 inch wheelbase that weighed 5490 at the curb. Hey it was a bargain compared to the Brougham…just forget about putting it in the garage.

Top seller of the ‘59s was the Series 6200 6-window sedan which checked in with 23,641 units. Conversely the Eldorado Biarritz convertible sold just 1,320...a rare collectible indeed.

Options on all Cadillacs for ‘59 included radio with rear speaker and remote control, six-way power seat, air conditioning, air suspension, Autronic Eye on the dashboard (which automatically dimmed the headlights), cruise control, radio foot switch, and bucket seats at no cost on Eldorado.

For 1960 all GM divisions backed off a little from the wildness. New design chief Bill Mitchell made evolutionary changes in a conservative direction; Cadillac tailfins were made flatter, the tailights were now a thin sliver on the tailfins, and parking and backup lights were circular in the bumper ends. The front end was simplified a bit and the bumper was made less massive. The series names continued on as Series 6200, DeVille, Eldorado, and Series 60 Special. The 390 V-8 continued, with three 2-barrel carbs in Eldorados and a single 4-barrel carb in the others. Prices remained the same as in ‘59, with the 4705 lb. Coupe De Ville remaining at $5252. Interiors were finished in Camden cloth with matching leathers, and a metallic cloth was also listed. The Eldorado Seville came with a fabric-covered top. The Brougham was once again available, and continued to be an ultra-exclusive creation, selling just 101 units. Best-selling model was once again the Series 62 with 70,824 sold. The total production figure for ‘60 was virtually the same as in ‘59: 142,184 for the ’60 model year, versus 142,272 for the ’59 model year.

As in ’59, the 1960 Cadillac coddled its driver and passengers with the most comfortable luxury for even the longest trip. Here was a car designed for comfort, but one that offered a pleasant surprise in terms of sudden acceleration – 0-60 in just 10.3 seconds. And with the windows up, the interior became hushed, like a living room on wheels. Once again, Cadillac engineering and design had come together in creating a sumptuous machine.

“…never before has the Cadillac car represented such a high standard of excellence as it does today. In its great beauty and majesty…in its fineness of performance…in the elegance of its Fleetwood interiors…and in the skill of its craftsmanship…” – 1959 Cadillac ad

In these years, Cadillac really hit its stride. It outsold Lincoln, Chrysler, and Imperial combined. Its style was singularly American, and totally unapologetic…it was for all intents and purposes, a monument to excess, a defining symbol of American prosperity. It represented the ultimate reward of achievement, the envy of the suburban block. Arguably this was the high point for the big Caddy; soon there would be increased challenges from competitors, particularly Lincoln and Chrysler, and a growing trend away from such massive automobiles, with increased market share of compacts and intermediates…much more “sensibly” sized cars. But if you were a successful businessman, or doctor, store owner, or a guy named Vito who had connections, no other car could have you arrive in such a style, or make such a statement, as the big 1959-60 Cadillac. And fifty years later, it still makes a strong case to be king of the block.

Sources: Cars of the Fabulous ‘50s by James Flammang at the auto editors of Consumer Guide, Cars of the Sizzling ‘60s by James Flammang at the auto editors of Consumer Guide, wikipedia.org, motorera.com, 59Caddy.org, Cadillac, America’s Luxury Car by Robert C. Ackerson

(Nice Luigi, nice. When are you getting yours? Still amazing cars today.) Pete

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RICH’S TECH TIPS

By Rich Fiore

KNOCK KNOCK... NOT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR IN MY MOTOR !!

To me there is nothing worse than hearing a knock in a motor. It ultimately means much work in pulling and disassembling the motor. At that point it always brings up those expensive and very time consuming words of " while we are at it ". We all know what those words translate to: many dollars and mucho time on probably rebuilding the engine and cleaning/painting the engine and engine compartment while the motor is out.

Now I have had tappet noise or even an exhaust leak that sounds like tappet noise. That’s more like a marble hitting a tile floor. When I refer to a knock I am referring to a deeper basey/thumpy noise that sounds like some one hit the side of the block with a big hammer. That puts the ug in ugly.

So if you are at this point, lets see if we can make a determination of exactly what is causing it, and where ( what cylinder ) it is coming from before you pull and tear down the motor. The first thing to determine is when you are getting the knock. Is it at idle, during acceleration, during cruising or during deceleration?

A main bearing knock is usually the loudest during acceleration. A rod knock is usually the loudest when the vehicle is moving at least 30 Miles per hour and the throttle is closed. A piston pin knock occurs with greater frequency than a bearing knock since it occurs every time the piston changes direction. It essentially sounds like a double knock.

If you can get it to knock at idle or when reving it at idle... the next thing is to narrow it down to is which cylinder is the culprit. If you have a mechanics stethescope this would be a great tool for listening. Some have used a heater hose or long screwdriver to also isolate the noise. Once you have isolated which cylinder it is, you can perform further diagnostics to zero in on what the actual cause is.

A main bearing knock will normally diminish or disappear completely if you short plug to the adjacent cylinder. (To short a plug wire means to pull a plug wire off of its spark plug and have the spark jump to the block. So that cylinder now will not fire ( produce power ). In almost the same fashion, a rod knock will usually lessen or go away if the plug for the offending cylinder is shorted. But the opposite will happen when it comes to a piston pin. When you short the plug wire to that cylinder, the noise will worsen.

So even though any kind of a internal knock is not a fun situation to be involved with, having a working knowledge of how to isolate the problem should give you a pretty good idea of what to look for once the motor is torn down.

Hopefully we never have to deal with a knock ... unless its Tony Orlando and Dawn. Knock 3 times...

(Not a fun situation to be in Richie, but thanks for the help in diagnosing the probable area.) Pete

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My Car Story

Joe Bacino: 1957 Nash Metropolitan

This ’57 Metropolitan has been my pride and joy since I purchased it in the summer of 2000. The car was restored in 1993 and well maintained by its previous owner until she found her way into my driveway. I had two Metros in my garage for years; one to restore and one for parts, when I decided to find one that I could just drive and enjoy. I was lucky enough to find this one right here on Long Island, listed in the Met Gazette, which is the club newsletter for the Metropolitan Owners Club of North America.

The Metropolitan was sold by Nash and Hudson dealers from mid-1953 to 1962. Hudson-badged Metropolitans are a rarity, as Hudson didn’t last long after the merger with Nash that created American Motors in 1954. The early Metropolitans were sold as either Nash or Hudson models. This ended in 1957, when the car carried Metropolitan badges only. The car itself was imported; built by the Austin division of BMC for American Motors. The car had an Austin driveline, body by Fisher of Ludlow, electrical components by Lucas and Smiths, and hydraulic brake and clutch components by Girling. Early models had the 1200cc Austin A40 engine, while mid-1956 and later models had the 1500cc A50 motor. The transmission is a three-speed column-shifted manual. The reason why Nash imported the Met was cost. It was decided that a small car could not be built in Detroit at a profit, so Austin was contracted to build a car with American styling to Nash specifications. Total production was over 93,000 cars. Sales of the Met peaked in 1957, but with competition from cars like the Ford Falcon and even AMC’s own Rambler American, Met sales withered to the point where production was stopped in 1961 and vehicle stock was sold into the 1962 model year.

The Metropolitan was a well-appointed car for its price point (MSRP $1,527). It came standard with a radio and heater. Mets built up until late 1955 had a single-tone body color with a white roof. Early 1956 and subsequent Mets had the familiar “Z-stripe” two-tone scheme with white and a choice of red, yellow, black, green, turquoise and coral. Upholstery was a combination of vinyl and cloth, with striped cloth on early models and an attractive houndstooth cloth on later models. Mine has the houndstooth, which is difficult to find today for restoration.

All buyers of new Metropolitans were enrolled in a Nash-sponsored owner’s club. Club benefits included a newsletter and a grille medallion with the club motto “Motores Prudentiores”, a reference to the prudent motoring practice that AMC president George Mason conceived when he came up with the idea for this minimalist form of transportation. A careful look at the front view of my Met will show the medallion, now a rarity, attached to my vintage license plate.

My Met is a fun car to drive, and is very easy to maintain. Over the years it has needed very little, save for a water pump and the usual oil changes and tune-ups. Parts are readily available, and cross-reference to many BMC cars of the era, as well as early Datsuns, which had BMC motors that were license-built by the company as a shortcut to developing their own engines.

(Cool little car Joe, I bet it’s a lot of fun to drive!) Pete

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My Car Story

Joe Cascio: 2007 Ford Mustang

Here’s how I came about owning my 2007 Mustang…

I had 2000 Ford Explorer - the truck was a dog, it was slow, and it was horrible on fuel. It was okay for my first car. In the summer of 2008 the Explorer died and to fix it would cost more than the truck was worth. So we junked it and started to look for pre-owned cars. I needed something that was reliable with okay fuel economy and something that would last me through my four years of college and commuting from out on the Island to Queens every day. So at first I was looking at newer Jettas (what I really liked about the Jetta was the tan interior), test drove a few, really nothing too special there. The turbo was cool and all, but not the power I was looking for or style.

So one night I start looking for cars online and come across Mustangs and I could not believe how cheap they were for the years and the mileage. So then I start tested driving them - different years - different options, and I started to learn everything there was to know about the s197 platform (that’s 05 to 09 models). So after I went to all the Ford dealership in the area, which didn’t have anything I wanted, I’m driving one day and I see a white 2007 Mustang at a Saturn dealership. I stop to look, the car was white with tan interior and only had 25,000 miles, and was still under factory warranty! I test drove the car and since I test drove many other mustangs, I knew this car wasn’t in an accident, had good wheel alignment and was babied for most of its life. The Carfax was clean on it and the previous owner turned this car in to get a bigger car because he was going to have a baby. I waited for the car for a little bit and then went back and picked it up three days later - that was June 23, 2008. I remember leaving the parking lot in total shock; I couldn’t believe I was in this car! To this day I still get that feeling.

Since that day in June the car has gotten a face-lift. No longer is it bone stock and now has mods that include vertical doors hinges, 20 inch Shelby Razor rims, Roush spoiler, hood scoop, and window louvers. I took this average six cylinder and turned it in to a one of a kind Mustang! That’s the best part of owning a mustang, the different options you can put on these cars to make it your own. No two mustangs look alike.

It didn’t take to long before the modding began my first few mods were small - like the sequential tail lights, back out panel on the trunk, tints, you know - small stuff. Once the warranty was over from Ford, I did exhaust, intake, throttle body, throttle body spacer and a tune and gears and a T lok. In the winter of 2008 I did all the body stuff like the scoops, louvers, chin spoiler and Roush spoiler. One day about a year ago I was on the computer and I was looking at white Mustangs and I came across an ‘05 called the X-1 Mustang. It had a door kit from the makers of Vertical Doors Inc. I thought to myself that is awesome! So once again I start looking at prices, which door kit is good - which suck, who installs them, what do you have to do to get the doors to work, and of course - how much. Most of all I wanted to try the door out myself, I wanted to see how hard and how easy it was to close. Luckily I went to a car show and this guy there had them on his truck and he was nice enough to let me try it. I was hooked! The next day I went to ten different shops and got prices and estimates. Within the next week I got the money together and dropped the car off at Professional Choice Auto Body in West Babylon, and in another four days my Mustang had Lambo doors!

I took an average six cylinder Mustang and turned it into an above average Mustang. People can’t miss me when I go to shows - just look for the doors in the air – and more than likely that’s me and DaWhitePony!!

(Above average indeed Joe! It’s a beauty!) Pete

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The

Pete Giordano

Editor

Long Island Classic Cars.com