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An eclectic collection of classic cars in the Black Hills of South Dakota offered up through an ONLINE ONLY sale now through October 21st.

VanDerBrink Auctions

There’s gold in them there hills! The Black Hills of South Dakota are known for tales of the Wild West. The infamous “Dead Man’s Hand” and Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane, Sioux Indians, and Pioneers searching for their fortunes in gold. But for Gary Kuchner, his treasure isn’t gold but iron that Gary has “dug up”, Yee Ha, approx. 80 Classic Cars.

Gary Started his search for old iron as a little kid in Nebraska. Gary’s Mother was fixing an old pedal car for him. She had just painted it and came back to find Gary had wiped off the seat and was riding it around the basement. From then on, he was car crazy. Gary got his first car, a 1942 Dodge that beat up on the local Chevrolets and Fords.

Gary built his 1st hotrod from a Ford Model A Sportster. He cut down the top and threw on some 1946 Ford wheels and raced up and down the country roads.

VanDerBrink Auctions

After graduating from high school in 1955, Gary went to trade school and learned to be a body man. His first job was at the Ford garage as a painter. This fueled his passion to build hotrods and a means to do it. Gary had heard about the hotrod craze in California and packed up his young wife and headed to California. Gary worked as a body man and loved the car culture. But the farm was calling him back and he went back to Nebraska to the family farm. Gary took over the operation and farmed for about 20 years and still did body work on the side. Soon, he was looking for a change and sold the farm to his cousin.

Gary has worked as a body man at a Ford garage and a Rambler garage, but his favorite job was at a Chrysler dealership. From Road Runners to Challengers, Gary loved seeing the yearly style changes arriving on the trucks.

VanDerBrink Auctions

He got divorced, and well, another marriage, and he headed out to find his treasures in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Gary’s choice of home is fitting for his wild nature and interests. His home is tucked amongst the granite cliffs and tall Pines of South Dakota. Lucky for him, the Internet was coming into its own, and this allowed him to “mine the web” for his “iron” treasures. The web was full of classic cars looking for a new home.

He bought a trailer and started buying cars from all over the area and United States. Gary has had a lifetime of adventures buying cars and pulling his trailer around the United States, but now at 84-years-young, Gary has decided to sell his collection. It’s not that he is parking the trailer, but he has more cars than time and he can’t restore them all, so it’s time for them to go to other collectors and for them to enjoy. VanDerBrink Auctions will sell the cars in an Online Only Auction

Gary is a wealth of information and a truly car crazy guy. His mind is so full of car trivia, and he favors Fords and Chryslers. The collection is full of Fords and many Chryslers including “Big Fin” cars. The collection consists of everything from older restored to projects and parts cars. There is a rare 1971 AMC AMX Javelin that has the 401 V8 and is 1 of less than 2000 built. The 1966 Ford Mustang GT Fastback would make a fine addition to any collection as well. The collection has everything from big finned MoPars to a 1955 Chevrolet Belair 2dr. ht. that belonged to family. There are approx. 80 vehicles that are being offered up in the auction. Because the cars are tucked up by Gary’s home in the Black Hills, the auction will be Online Only and can also be viewed for buyers by appointment.

CHECK OUT THE CATALOG HERE

When you walk around Gary’s Collection, you start to see some of his fun personality. There’s a UFO crash sight, a car full of baby dolls, and characters that greet you as you come up the winding road to the collection. The trip to see this collection and buy one of Gary’s well worth it and truly “gold in them there Hills”

VanDerBrink Auctions will sell the Kuchner Collection in an Online Only auction and bidding starts Now! Bidding will end October 21st, 2022. For more info on the auction, catalog, video, and more auctions. www.vanderbrinkauctions.com or 605-201-7005.

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In Carlisle on September 29-30 Carlisle Auctions will offer three opportunities for attendees to support a trio of Causes.

CARLISLE, PA – There are 400+ consignments slated to cross the block on September 29-30 as part of the Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction and of those 400+, a trio of them will benefit charity.  Carlisle Auctions is excited to work with sellers who support Mission 23, Rescue 22, and Blue Star Mothers as a means to raise money and awareness for these great causes.

Cedar Grove United Methodist Church will offer up this 1923 Ford T Bucket

Of the three planned charity lots, one will run Thursday, while the other two run Friday.  Thursday’s offering is at 11:45 a.m. and comes to the auction by way of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church.  The church is showcasing and selling a 1923 Ford T Bucket that was built from the ground up by the church and its parishioners.  More so, the youth of the church, with the help of their parents and other community members built the car as a fund raiser in support of their mission work. Annually the group serves the Appalachia Service Project and this year, the mission group will be working in Kentucky. 

As the ’23 T Bucket crosses block, members from Cedar Grove UMC and Mission 23 will be on hand as a room full of car enthusiasts will bid on the ride.  100% of the sale plus any donations from the room will go directly to the group not only for their work in Kentucky, but to assist with funding future missions too.

1923 Ford T Bucket Info HERE 

Sission Pre-Owned of Uniontown, Pennsylvania will offer up this 2006 Cadillac DTS

In addition to the ’23 T Bucket, Carlisle Auctions welcomes Sission Pre-Owned of Uniontown, Pennsylvania back to the auction to sell a 2006 Cadillac DTS.  Proceeds from this sale benefit the Rescue 22 Foundation.  The Rescue 22 Foundation is a nonprofit organization that provides the highest quality task trained service dogs to our nations combat veterans.  100% of the sale from the ’06 Cadillac will benefit Rescue 22 and the car will cross the block first thing Friday at approximately 12 p.m.

2006 Cadillac DTS Info HERE 

This Dodge Power Wagon Military tuck is part of the Dave Ferro Collection will go up for auction.

Not long after the Sission/Rescue 22 Cadillac sells, another lot of cars will come to the block with the third and final charitable tie-in.  As part of the Dave Ferro Collection (4 p.m. on September 29), Mr. Ferro will run nine (9) lots, with one of them, a 1977 Dodge Power Wagon Military tuck, selling with dollars benefiting Blue Star Mothers.  Blue Star Mothers is a group of moms throughout the nation who have children serving in the military.  The first $10,000 from the sale of the ’77 Power Wagon will go to them for use within their organization. 

1977 Dodge Power Wagon Military Info Here

“We are so glad to be able to assist three wonderful organizations as part of our Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction,” said Director of Auction Operations Tony Cline.  “We wish them well as they continue forward with the good work that they continue to do.  Bid with your heart, knowing you’ll be helping a trio of worthy causes.”

The Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction takes place in conjunction with Fall Carlisle itself (September 28-October 2) and starts at 12 p.m. each day.  Preview hours for the in-person sale start at 8 a.m. on the 28th and continue each morning through the start of the auction.  Complete details on each charity consignment as well as the rest of the lots scheduled to cross the block are available online at CarlisleAuctions.com.  Bidder registration is ongoing by calling 717-960-6400 or by stopping into the Carlisle Auctions office starting Monday, September 26.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA), and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes four automotive flea markets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Chryslers, Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Trucks, and Imports.  Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

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All production versions of the Porsche Speedster on display at the Newport Car Museum.

With a 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Speedster added to its collection, the Newport Car Museum now has on display all five production versions of the Porsche Speedster built since 1954.

Newport Car Museum

PORTSMOUTH, R.I.– In June, the Newport Car Museum celebrated its fifth anniversary by adding five new cars to its collection, which is now 90+ strong and represents eight decades of automotive design. In September, it added yet another car: a 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Speedster, which is significant in that it means the Museum now has on display a Porsche representing every production Speedster version built since 1954.

“I’m fairly certain there are very few, if any, museums where the public can see all five production versions of the Porsche Speedster, which were built from 1954 to 2019,” said Newport Car Museum Founder Gunther Buerman, who personally selects frequent additions to his private collection just as he hand-picked the original 65 cars that launched the opening of the Museum in 2017.

The 911 Speedster, a minimalistic open-top two-seater, with a distinctive short, raked windshield, is a rare classic that combines timeless design with state-of-the-art technology. The model 964 was the third version of this famous car and featured significant styling revisions over previous 911 models.

It’s estimated that only 936 of the 964 Speedsters were built for the 1993 model year, with some of the later examples, like the one newly added to the Newport Car Museum collection being completed as 1994 cars. Only 427 of the 964s were allocated for the U.S. market.

The Museum’s ’94 Speedster joins Porsche Speedsters on display from 1956, ’89, 2011 and 2019. They are part of a more comprehensive showing of 14 Porsches in a Pop-Up Porsche Exhibit. But don’t let the “Pop-Up” part confuse you; the exhibit has earned semi-permanent status due to its popularity, so it’s not going to disappear anytime soon. It is set up in the Museum’s 5,000 square foot Event Space as a seventh gallery, complementing the six other galleries that represent World Cars, Corvettes, Ford/Shelby, Fin Cars, American Muscle and MoPars.

The Porsches, like all vehicles in the collection, are perched on low platforms or turntables, with no barrier ropes so that visitors can get up close and personal with these magnificent, iconic machines. Large-format artwork and award-winning historical videos commissioned specially for the Museum add to the experience, as does an impressive collection of Mid-Century Modern furniture that enables visitors to relax and reflect on the cars as art.

In addition to the newly acquired 1994 Speedster, the Newport Car Museum’s Porsche collection includes (clockwise from top left) a 2019 Speedster Heritage, 2011 Speedster, 1956 356a Speedster and 1989 Carrera Speedster.

Newport Car Museum

The Porsche Speedsters on display at the Newport Car Museum:

• 1956 Porsche (356a) Speedster

• 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Speedster

• 1994 Porsche 911 (964) Speedster

• 2011 Porsche 911 (997) Speedster

• 2019 Porsche 911 (991) Speedster Heritage

More About the Newport Car Museum – The Newport Car Museum, with over 90 cars displayed in six galleries and a Pop-Up Porsche Exhibit, tells the story of Ford/Shelby, Corvettes, World Cars, Fin Cars, MoPars and American Muscle Cars. Within 18 months of its 2017 opening, it was included in USA Today’s “Top 10 Best New Attractions” and named Yankee Magazine’s “Best Specialty Museum.” It also has won an award from the National Association of Automobile Museums for its originally produced historic videos and in 2021 won the Tripadvisor® Travelers’ Choice award for a second consecutive year and further designation as Tripadvisor’s top 10% of attractions worldwide.

The Newport Car Museum is handicap accessible and hours are daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be bought at the door or online at www.newportcarmuseum.org (401-848-2277). Regular admission: $19/adults; $15/Seniors, Military, Students; $9/Ages 5-12 (with an adult); Free/Ages 4 and under (with an adult)

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Broad Arrow Auctions teams up with Morton Street Partners to hold a preview of the collector car highlights from its October auction Passion for the Drive: The Cars of Jim Taylor.

Broad Arrow Auctions – Following its successful debut sale during Monterey Car Week, Broad Arrow Auctions will collaborate with
Morton Street Partners to preview collector car highlights from its October auction Passion for the Drive:
The Cars of Jim Taylor. Four stand-out motor cars from the offering will be on view at Morton Street
Partners’ West Village gallery from September 22-28, and an
official opening reception set for September 22.

Passion for the Drive: The Cars of Jim Taylor is a single-owner auction to be held  October 14-15 in Mr.
Taylor’s hometown of Gloversville, NY. Offered almost entirely without reserve, the 120-car group
represents one of the finest assemblages of European, British, and American sports and vintage cars from
classics to Post-War sports and muscle, through modern supercars. A lifelong enthusiast, many of Mr.
Taylor’s cars have been rallied and shown at events around the world. Beyond the cars, the auction will
present more than 500 lots of automobilia, including rare original neon signs, posters, period advertising,
model cars, and petroliana.

The cars on view include:

1955 Jaguar D-Type 

The incomparable highlight of the offering, Mr. Taylor’s D-Type, XKD 515, is considered by marque
specialists to be one of the most original examples extant, owed to the fact that it was largely
spared from competitive racing when new and instead used primarily as a road car. As the 15th of
the 42 examples originally built, this is one of the best, no-excuses Jaguar D-Types on the planet.

1955 Jaguar D-Type

Ryan Merrill © 2022 Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions.

1937 Horch 853 Cabriolet 

Mr. Taylor’s Horch 853 is without a doubt one of the best unrestored Horch motor cars in
existence. As a result of its originality, it was honored with a Preservation Class award at the
prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Properly rebuilt and fully sorted mechanically, the
Horch is a delight to drive.

1937 Horch 853 Cabriolet

Ryan Merrill © 2022 Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions.

1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

With Mr. Taylor for the last 17 years, this is an ideal example of the 300 SL, one of the most
important yet user-friendly, easy-to-love sports cars ever produced. The numbers-matching car is
complete with its original factory fitted luggage, hardtop and softtop, Nardi steering wheel, and
many other desirable features. The 300 SL remains ready for any number of vintage touring and rally events.

1961 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

Ryan Merrill © 2022 Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano ‘Panamerican 20,000’

One of just two examples built by Ferrari to complete the Ferrari Panamerican 20,000 event, this is the only car in private ownership, having been purchased by Mr. Taylor from the Ferrari factory in 2007. The 599 GTB has been extensively driven and enjoyed since and is almost certainly one of the most historically significant, ex-factory modern Ferraris.

2006 Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano ‘Panamerican 20,000’

Ryan Merrill © 2022 Courtesy of Broad Arrow Auctions

About Broad Arrow Group, a Hagerty Company – Broad Arrow Group, a Hagerty (NYSE: HGTY) company, is an advisor, market maker, and financier for car collectors, with commitment to integrity, trust, and innovation. Broad Arrow Group operates Broad Arrow Auctions, Broad Arrow Capital, and Collectors Garage and is headquartered in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Learn more at broadarrowgroup.com.

About Morton Street Partners – Morton Street Partners is a new curatorial project and advisory merging the worlds of contemporary art and collectible cars. Located at 16 Morton Street at the heart of the West Village, Morton Street Partners occupies the ground floor of a 19th-century carriage house and resides within a 3,000 square-foot loftedwhite cube space with a working garage door that defines the building’s unique façade.

Founded by collectible car experts Tom Hale, Jake Auerbach, and Benjamin Tarlow, Morton Street Partners is committed to generating dynamic programming that recontextualizes automobiles within the worlds of art and design. By educating visitors and clients about the theoretical lineage and definitive craft inherent to automotive design, their hybrid exhibitions continue to situate the automobile within its ascendent fine art and collectible asset context.

As a first-of-its-kind art-world platform, Morton Street Partners collaborates with top curators, bluechip galleries, internationally-renowned artists, and premier automotive manufacturers to generate both on and off-site programming that fosters new conversations on the manifold intersections of art, culture, design, and the automobile. Learn more at www.mortonstreetpartners.com, @mortonstreetpartners

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SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus to host two great collector car auctions – Carlisle Auctions will showcase nearly 1,000 lots.

Carlisle Auctions

CARLISLE, PA – Fresh off an amazing February 2022 event that saw over $4 million in total sales and hundreds of collector cars go home with new owners, Carlisle Auctions returns to SUN ‘n FUN some nine months later to host the Fall Lakeland Collector Car Auction. For two days in Pasco County, the facility comes to life with sounds other than the roar of airplane engines. The Fall auction is November 11-12 and starts at 10:30 a.m. daily.

As part of the Lakeland Fall offering, some 400+ lots are expected, including the always popular All-Truck Hour (ATH). The truck hour is taking place starting at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Friday, November 11 and offers one full hour of nothing but trucks, Jeeps, Vans, and SUVs. The ATH has become an annual part of auctions both in Florida and in Carlisle and is hands down the most popular themed hour available to buyers and sellers.

Not long after the Lakeland Fall Collector Car Auction concludes, Carlisle Auctions returns to Florida in February for its Lakeland Winter offering. This time around, cars take center stage February 10-11, a time that serves as the perfect appetizer for NASCAR and Daytona fans as well as baseball fans who may be in the area for the start of Spring Training.

If Florida in November is good, it’s even better in February because for the Lakeland Winter Collector Car Auction guests, the only thing that’s hot are the deals available! Once again, 400+ lots are expected, with a 10:30 a.m. daily start and a dedicated All-Truck Hour, tentatively planned for Friday, February 10.

Carlisle Auctions is actively registering bidders for both Florida auctions as well as accepting quality consignments to populate the auction. Further, Carlisle Auctions offers THREE great ways to bid, in person, on the phone, or online. Not buying or selling, but still looking for some auction excitement? Spectator admission is just $10 with ample FREE parking not far from the heart of the action. Forms, flyers, details, and more are available online at CarlisleAuctions.com or by calling 717-960-6400.

Carlisle Events is a partner or producer of over a dozen annual collector car/truck events. Events are held at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds (Carlisle, PA), Allentown Fairgrounds (Allentown, PA), and the SUN ‘n FUN Expo Campus (Lakeland, FL). The season schedule includes four automotive flea markets of varying size, four auctions, as well as individual specialty shows featuring Chryslers, Corvettes, Fords, GMs, Trucks, and Imports. Founded in 1974 by friends Bill Miller and Chip Miller, events hosted at Carlisle attract enthusiasts annually from all corners of the globe. More information is available at www.CarlisleEvents.com or www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

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’70s cool and Monte Carlo class all bundled into one stunning package. A 14K mile Monte is right up our alley.

There are probably a lot of guys out there who wouldn’t mind jumping in a time machine and traveling back to 1976 so they could buy a new Chevy Monte Carlo. Monte Carlos were cool then, they’re cool now, and they’ve got a big legion of fans. There’s plenty of folks who’d love to have a new one.

Well, this car is about as close as anybody’s gonna come to a new Monte. It’s a 14,000-mile original survivor for sale in the magic world of Craigslist in Watertown, N.Y. The ad says the car has 14,500 miles, is loaded with goodies, including a stunning blue and white interior, and “drives like a dream, sounds like a dream.” It’s apparently got Hooker headers and “custom embroidered swivel bucket seats”.

She’s sharp! We’d definitely take her to the prom.

CHECK IT OUT HERE

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Concours presents first and last Studebaker Avantis

Story By John Hull; Photos Courtesy Lew Schucart, Avanti Magazine editor

Mr. Dick Goldfarb and his lovely wife Laura, the original owner the first Studebaker Avanti, with the car they sold over 50 years ago. The car is owned and was restored by volunteers at LeMay-America’s Car museum.

Lew Schucart

The annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, held on the grounds of the Oliver Mansion (aka Copshaholm) in South Bend, Ind., continues to grow and amaze its visitors. The event has an unparalleled emphasis on unique classes, outstanding automobiles and themed displays or recognition events each year, and the 2022 event on July 9 was no different.

In a nod to a hometown hero, the Studebaker National Museum hosted an Avanti class at the concours with nine entrants on display. The Avantis present provided a visual demonstration of each generation of Avanti automobile as it evolved. (The concours’ 35-year-old participation eligibility rule was waived for this class.)

Dick Goldfarb behind the wheel of the supercharged, four-speed Avanti he owned over 50 years ago.

Lew Schucart

The concours’ Avanti class recognized the 60th anniversary of the car’s introduction to the general public on April 26, 1962. A highlight of this special anniversary class was a display of the first production Studebaker Avanti (serial number R-1001), and the last production Studebaker Avanti (R-5643). The concours marked the first time ever that the first and last Avanti cars were in one place at one time. This possibly once-in-a-lifetime event resulted from the Studebaker National Museum contacting and coordinating with LeMay – America’s Car Museum and the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, to present both cars together. the LeMay museum, located in Tacoma, Wash., owns R-1001, the first production Avanti, and the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, in Cleveland, owns the last Studebaker Avanti (R-5643).

For the first time in 60. years, 1963 Avanti 63R-1001 and the last 1964 Avanti R5643 were together again in the city of their birth, South Bend, Indiana, during the Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, Saturday, July 9, 2022.

Lew Schucart

The concours committee additionally decided that the event would also be an excellent opportunity to display examples of the six post-Studebaker generations of Avanti. The committee settled on excellent representative vehicles of each generation, including additional examples of both a 1963 and 1964 Studebaker Avanti. Avantis built by successors to Studebaker included a 1978 Avanti II (Newman & Altman), 1981 Avanti II (Newman & Altman), 1983 20th Anniversary Edition prototype (Blake), 1990 Avanti four-door sedan (Cafaro) and a 2007 Avanti convertible (Kelly). However, the stars of the class were the first and last production Studebaker Avanti automobiles.

R-1001, the first production Studebaker Avanti, was donated to The LeMay – America’s Car Museum in 2001. It had been primarily driven on the East Coast and had led a hard life. The vehicle underwent a complete restoration over a number of years and was proudly displayed at the concours as it left the production line at Studebaker. The car was ordered on April 26, 1962, and had a shipping date of June 25, 1962. The car was initially held by Studebaker in South Bend, serving multiple duties at the plant and headquarters.

First Avanti rear

Lew Schucart

Dick Goldfarb, of Massachusetts, was the original retail purchaser of R-1001 after Studebaker released the car for sale in 1964. Dick and his wife, Laura, were guests at the concours, and Dick was proud to be reunited with his Avanti. When asked of his memories of the car, he smiled and remarked, “If the keys were still in the car, we would be long gone.”

R-5643, the last production Studebaker Avanti, was ordered on Oct. 7, 1963, and had a final assembly date of Dec. 31, 1963. It was ordered from the factory with the R-3 engine package, making it the ninth of nine such cars. It carried a unique piece of provenance discovered in its trunk soon after the original buyer’s purchase. A note in the trunk read, “This is the last Studebaker Avanti built 12/31/63, Happy New Year W.H. Bennett Sr.”

Mr. G.E. Westin, of Youngstown Ohio, placed the order for what would be the last production Studebaker Avanti at Jerry’s Auto Sales of Warren. Upon discovery of the aforementioned note, Mr. Westin contacted Studebaker, inquiring about the status of this claim. In January 1965, Bill Dredge, manager of Studebaker public relations, confirmed this was, indeed, the last Studebaker Avanti built in South Bend.

Last Avanti rear.

Lew Schucart

Joe Erdelac, an AMC & Studebaker dealer in Cleveland, purchased the car from Mr. Westin, and, in 1975, offered the car for sale at $100,000. The car was not sold and was then donated to The Crawford Auto Aviation Museum of the Western Historical Reserve, where it has resided ever since.

Studebaker Avanti fans should commend the The Studebaker National Museum, The LeMay – America’s Car Museum and the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum for working together to make this union happen.

More info

Studebaker National Museum
www.studebakermuseum.org

LeMay – America’s Car Museum
www.americascarmuseum.org

Crawford Auto Aviation Museum
www.wrhs.org/crawford/

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The 1956 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser is finally finished.

By Tom Maruska

After the last update there wasn’t a lot left to do except install the door and quarter panels, the carpet and the seat belts and seats. 

Once the interior was all together  I added all the fluids to the car, brake fluid, oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, rear end oil, power steering fluid, windshield washer fluid and gas.

Now all I had to do was to see if it would run, so I double checked that the number-one cylinder was at top dead center in firing position and that the rotor in the distributor was pointing at the number one plug wire in the distributor cap.

Then I sprayed a little starting fluid in the carburetor and turned the key……

It fired immediately!  I had to spray a little starting fluid in the carburetor another time or two until the fuel pump brought the gas into the carburetor and it started and ran.  With a small adjustment to the distributor to improve the timing it starts and runs like it should.

New Exhaust

Last time I showed you the double exhaust outlet pipes I made to connect to the outlets on the lower rear quarter panels. Now that the car was running and drivable I trailered it to a local exhaust shop to have the mufflers and exhaust pipes installed connecting everything together under the car.

IT’S DONE! IT’S DONE!

With the exhaust completed the XM Turnpike Cruiser restoration officially comes to a close.

It’s been a long 3.5 years but I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. (almost)

Over the years I’ve encountered a lot of people who  embark on restoration projects and disassemble a vehicle, and in the process become overwhelmed with the amount of work it will entail, and they give up and sell the car in pieces, just like how I purchased the XMTC. None of the parts or attaching hardware is identified and often just tossed into coffee cans or lost.

If you want to restore a car, the first thing you want to do before taking anything apart is take LOTS of pictures, then as you’re taking something apart take MORE PICTURES.

I use zip-lock bags labeled like “brake booster to firewall” nuts or bolts and so on for the entire car. Then when you get around to re-installing the brake booster you can grab the bag with the correct hardware and either restore it or use new hardware but you’ll know exactly what you need. AND if you quit the project you can pass the pictures and baggies on to the next owner making his job a lot easier.

If you take one small part of the restoration and finish that to the extent you can before moving on to the next small part the project isn’t so overwhelming as is is when looking at it as a whole. If I wouldn’t have approached the XMTC that way I never would have finished it.

If anyone has any questions related to this car or restoration in general there is contact information on my website and I answer all emails and will be happy to help if I can.

Be sure to check out my website www.tommaruskacars.us for all the professional photos taken of the completed 1956 XM TURNPIKE CRUISER CONCEPT CAR.

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