Buick Heritage Alliance and Petersen Museum display ‘new’ 1941 Buicks

The news throughout 1940 was of one Hitler triumph after another. Only a massive rescue by the British Navy prevented capture of the entire British Expeditionary Force at Dunkirk. In America, there was little interest in becoming involved in another war. Yet the country began building its armed forces and supplying war materials to the British and Russians. The increased production from the arsenal of democracy provided many jobs in the United States, which were welcome after the Depression years of the 1930s.

The war in Europe continued to take its toll as the calender pages flipped from 1940 to 1941, but America was on the move. Concerns that the United States might be drawn into the conflict were brushed aside by some as their thoughts turned to buying a new car. Americans who had recovered from the Great Depression and the following recession were finally in a position to consider a big purchase again. The time may have been right, too, if that old car had one repair bill after another. Plus, if war came, no one knew what might happen. Many folks thought it was better to buy that new car in 1941, because the chance might not come for years. For those car shoppers, a visit to the local new-car dealership was in order.

Today, the experience of looking at new 1941 Buicks at a dealership in downtown Los Angles is again a reality. On the first floor of the Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, you will find a 1930s dealership showroom faithfully re-assembled within the museum’s confines and featuring samples of the “Best Buick Yet.”

Greeting you as you enter the Buick showroom is a Monterey Blue Super convertible sedan with a red leather interior. In the center of the showroom is a Super sport coupe in Mermaid Green over Cedar Green upon which every dealer-installed 1941 Buick accessory has been applied.

A Super Sport Coupe loaned by Carlos Wilhelm has every dealer-installed accessory available in 1941.

Finally, the “dealer” has a Limited Formal Sedan finished in Silver French Grey over Lancaster Grey, if your finances are really secure; the sticker price is $2,310.

Perhaps one of these cars is for you. If not, Buick has a full lineup of 26 different 1941 models, including many sedans, with prices starting at $735.

This step back in time featuring one of Buick’s most popular model years was made possible by the Buick Heritage Alliance in conjunction with Petersen Automotive Museum curator Leslie Mark Kendall and the generosity of each car’s owner. This special display will continue through July 29.

The Buick Heritage Alliance is a not-for-profit organization with a singular focus on preserving the heritage of Buick automobiles and the people who made them for the benefit of restorers, collectors, historians and anyone interested in Buicks. Find the BHA online at http://buickheritagealliance.org or call 614-361-7299.

The Petersen Automotive Museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Blvd,  Los Angeles, CA 90036. It can be reached by phone at 323-930-2277 or www.petersen.org.

After 576,000 miles in the same 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente, Rachel Veitch is stepping on the brakes due to age-related macular degeneration in both eyes.

The end of the road is here for Rachel Veitch’s beloved “Chariot.”

After 576,000 miles — or more than a trip to the moon and back — in the same 1964 Mercury Comet Caliente, the 93-year-old Orlando grandmother is stepping on the brakes due to age-related macular degeneration in both eyes. She realized her vision had completely failed her in early March after running a “bald-faced red light,” Veitch told FoxNews.com.

“I am legally blind, so I can no longer drive my lovely Chariot,” she said by phone. “They don’t have to take it away, I would not dream of driving that car again.

Veitch, a retired nurse who told FoxNews.com in July 2009 that the car had outlasted three marriages and three sets of shocks, said she last drove on March 9. The following day, her worst fears were confirmed when she couldn’t read large headlines in the newspaper, the result of years of deteriorating vision for the near-obsessive car fanatic.

“I know I’m not safe enough to drive,” she continued. “But I have taken it in stride.”

Veitch bought her beloved ride for $3,289 in February 1964 from a dealer in Sanford, Fla. The car, which has been appraised at $12,000, has gone through 18 batteries, eight mufflers and countless oil changes. She credits her near-obsessive dedication to the car as the main reason why it’s spent nearly half a century in her care.

“When I buy gas, I write down the mileage, the date and how many miles per gallon I got,” she told FoxNews.com in 2009. “I’ve never been a destructive person and I’ve just taken care of everything, except my husbands.”

In July, Veitch’s classic car will travel to Wisconsin to appear in an antique car show, but it’s unclear what will happen to it after that trip. Veitch, who appeared on “The Tonight Show” in August 2010, said she might consider selling it to host and classic car aficionado Jay Leno if he’s interested.

“I haven’t talked to Jay Leno yet, but I’m wondering if he’s interested,” Veitch said early Thursday. “But I don’t think I should start talking about it now.”

Asked if any of her 4 children, 9 grandchildren or 11 great-grandchildren have expressed interest in the car, Veitch responded: “It wouldn’t matter if they did, they’re not going to get it. They couldn’t take care of it like I did.”

The car saw its lone wreck in 1980, when it endured a rear-end collision while Veitch, who was not injured, drove along I-95 in Georgia.

With nearly 600,000 miles behind her, Veitch, who will turn 94 in August, said she’s taking the end of her time with “Chariot” in stride. After all, she’s had a good run: The last time she bought a car, gas cost 39 cents a gallon, Lyndon B. Johnson was in the White House and “The Little Old Lady From Pasadena” was ruling the radio.

“A lot of people are worse off than I am,” she said. “I don’t have cancer, I don’t have Lou Gehrig’s disease. I am lucky.”

Mr. & Mrs. Diederich holding their best selling USA Made Fans.

Walt Diederich keeps it COOL and Innovative

You know how folks say there’s nothing made in the USA any longer? This statement really makes a lot of people hot under the collar, but there’s a way to keep your cool and “buy American” all at the same time; buy Perma-Cool products. We’ve had the privilege of having Perma-Cool as a vendor at the Pomona Swap Meet for some time now and you shouldn’t be surprised if the company’s founder and owner, Walt Diederich, is right there in the thick of things, with his ear to the ground listening to the drumbeat of what people have to say. Then he turns that input into an innovative new product – made in the USA, of course.

We got the chance to speak with Walt recently about Perma-Cool and learned quite a few things. First of all, you might recognize the founder from his days on the racing circuit. Which racing circuit? How about off road? Or drag racing? Or how about over at Irwindale? The company’s products stemmed from Walt’s passion to improve racing, starting with the vehicles he was driving. “Used to be you could find refrigeration and coil products, but nobody really offered a complete solution,” said Diederich. So there he and his partners were, in the garage some 43 years ago, working on a better solution and what they came up with became the Perma-Cool company’s first product. “It’s like one of those garage-borne companies that gets turned into one’s livelihood”, recalls Walt.

A view of Perma-Cools’ Space and Product Display

Now, Walt and company have ten patents just on engine oil coolers alone. Innovation is the name of the game, but quality is the foundation on which it’s built.  For example, if you buy an oil cooler from Perma-Cool and have a problem, they’ll stand behind the product. “If you spring a leak you get a replacement – end of story”, states Walt. That’s what happens when the people who build your products also happen to work just down the street from you, instead of a boat ride across the ocean.

Perma-Cool has all sorts of products and are always working on other innovations. There are cooling fans, oil coolers, transmission coolers, oil filter relocating kits and much, much more. Oh, you say you’ve bought aftermarket cooling fans and they don’t work? Well, consider the source. “People buy cheap cooling fans and they may not work effectively, they may not have great controllers that last. They don’t build it for the American customer, they just do it to turn dollars”, adds Walt. Walt is pretty passionate about his products as is the family of workers who build them. You can easily pick that up in even a short conversation with the innovative manufacturer. “Our fans aren’t noisy, they don’t hi-amp, they have simplified controllers”, Walt states proudly.

One of the reasons Walt loves coming to the Pomona Swap Meet is that he can listen to what customers are saying. Not only his own customers, but all the thousands of people who bring their experience to the Swap Meet. The kind of life experience everybody brings to the show is invaluable. You can bet that if more than a few people say they are looking for a similar solution, you might find it on Perma-Cool’s website or right here in Pomona. For example, some of the newest products in the catalog are the Cool-Tech line which are specifically designed for sport compacts. They’ve also created a line of power steering cooling kits which are really popular with drifters. Their oil filter relocation kits allow you to use stock oil filters if you care to. “What’s kept us in the forefront is coming out with new products”, boasts Walt.

Walt helping out a customer who’s looking for a cooling system.

So, while summer’s on its way here and it’ll get nice and hot at the Swap Meet, you and your ride will be able to keep your cool with a quick stop at the Perma-Cool booth located on Road 22, Spaces 28, 30 & 32. Map of Vendor Spaces (PDF). Or you can contact Walt at (909) 391-9000 or visit Perma-Cool’s website at www.perma-cool.com.

This article was written by Tony Barthel from the Curbside Auto Column and Car Show Calendar. For auto articles, news and an on-line calendar of automotive events, please visit www.curbside.tv.

Roger Cox of Sign Spree

SIGN, SIGN, EVERYWHERE A SIGN…

When the Five Man Electrical Band sang about signs in 1970, you could tell they’d never been to the Pomona Swap Meet and seen the cool stuff from Sign Spree. If they had, the song would have had a whole different note (you’re darned right that that pun was intended!).

Sign Spree has all sorts of signs you’ll want to see, from automotive stuff to pin-up girls, train signs, garage signs, reproduction antique signs and much more. While you’ll see all sorts of great signs at the Swap Meet, from intricately-cut signs like the Busted Knuckle Garage V-Twin sign to signs in the shape of beer bottles to cool vintage antique signs, what you may not realize is that you’re just looking at the tip of the iceberg.

Recently, we had a chance to speak with Sign Spree’s co-owner Sharon Cox about signs, the Pomona Swap Meet and more. Sharon sort of “fell” into the sign business when her work life brought her right into the sign world. When she showed husband Roger some of the cool things she was involved with, he lit up like a Christmas tree, as Roger is a true auto aficionado and loves the beautiful garage art that a well made sign represents.

And well made is the key here. Sign Spree brings signs that are printed on 20 gauge steel and have smooth plasma-cut edges. The images are baked right in by using a special powder coating process. “The reason people buy from us is the quality, which is why a venue such as the Pomona Swap Meet is ideal. The Internet is a wonderful thing, but you can’t run your fingers along the edges and feel the quality through your computer,” states Sharon.

But back to that iceberg thing, Sharon and Roger have over 1,000 items in just their automotive catalog. However, it’s not just autos for them, they have aviation, military, foreign-language, home and garden and many other types of signs. Want a Busted Knuckle clock for your garage that notifies visitors that the mechanic’s on duty? No problem. Wanna let folks know that your garage is home to the Kustom Kulture Speed Shop? Can do. Wanna show off Don Prudhomme’s Snake Pit? Done.

You’ll also have a good feeling supporting this local business because all of the signs are made right here in the USA.

Sign Sprees display of Vintage Signs

While you might not find these specific signs at the next Pomona Swap Meet, just ask Sharon or Roger and they can ship it directly to your home or garage. In fact, they can have almost anything you want waiting for you at the next  Pomona Swap Meet. Be sure to stop by Road 14, Space 83 to see Sharon and Roger’s collection of signs or call them at (619)593-9736. Map of Vendor Spaces (PDF)

One of the many nice things about buying right at the Swap Meet is that Sharon makes sure you get the best price anywhere on your signs. She even pays the sales tax for you – isn’t that nice? After two years of being at the Swap Meet, Roger recognizes quite a few of the regulars, so he’s planning to bring over 100 new signs to the next show, April 15, 2012, just to change things up a bit. And the couple is also working on being able to customize signs to your unique specifications. Want your name on your sign? That’s something that will happen in the near future.

So, while the Five Man Electrical Band might sing a different tune if they had only had the good sense to visit the Pomona Swap Meet, you can hum a happy song by visiting Sign Spree and turning the walls of your garage into art.

This article was written by Tony Barthel from the Curbside Auto Column and Car Show Calendar. For auto articles, news and an on-line calendar of automotive events, please visit www.curbside.tv.

Dennis Thayer's '33 3-Window Coupe

CLUB, MEMBERS AND CARS; NOT SO ‘OVER THE HILL’

San Bernardino is a city full of historical significance and has been home to many innovators and innovations. In 1883, the California Southern Railroad established a route through the city to link Los Angeles with the rest of the nation.  The McDonald’s restaurant chain, along with its innovative concept, was founded by the McDonald brothers, in the city, in 1940. Then in 1942, World War II brought an Air Force Base.

The people of Berdoo have always embraced the city’s important past. Especially entrenched in its historic culture are the area’s auto enthusiasts.

In the 1950’s, E Street was among the elite of the Southland’s cruising hot spots. The rodding culture thrived for years and thanks to auto upholsterer Tom Skerkel and a couple fellow street rodders from San Diego, Craig Lake and John Pickel, a car club was founded in the city in 1973. He headed the San Bernadino Chapter, while Craig and John founded the chapter in San Diego. They decided after a run to Lodi, to call their club the Over The Hill Gang. The name was taken from an early 1969 TV movie, by the same name. The OTHG car club now has chapters all over the United States, as well as chapters in Canada and Australia.

The Over the Hill Gang-San Bernardino Chapter became innovators themselves. In 1990, they started the Route 66 Car Show, which has evolved into an impressive 4 day automotive event, attracting over 2,000 vehicles and over 500,000 spectators. The club pioneered “burnout contests” and “open header” contests at its events, as well as some of the first 1/8 mile drags.

OTHG-Berdoo Hot Rod School Bus at the Dr. George Show in Indian Wells, CA.

The OTHG-Berdoo’s nearly 300 members will celebrate the club’s 39^th anniversary this July.  They organize a car show each June at Arrowhead Lanes, in San Bernardino, CA and attend numerous area events, including Rialto’s Run Whatcha Brung Car Show. The members are also heavily involved with the Veteran’s Hospital Benefit Car Show, at the Jerry Pettis VA Medical Center, raising thousands of dollars to help homeless veterans.

You can visit their website at http://www.othg-sanbernardino.org or email them for more info.

-Matt Zarzana

Palmdale High's "FalconGarage" students with current projects

We at the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show, like to encourage our future generations, who will be responsible for the continued success of the classic car industry, to explore and learn about classic cars, automotive history and technology. Much of this is being accomplished in high school auto shops and trade schools.

Palmdale High School, in Palmdale, CA, has had an automotive program for most of its 55 years of existence.  The program is filled with devoted students who want to further their training in the automotive field.  This is done through large scale projects, as well as internships at local auto dealerships. The FalconGarage, named for the school’s mascot of Fighting Falcons, is a place where these ambitious students can share their passion.  During evenings and weekends, these students will reach beyond their own comfort levels and attempt to build numerous rods and classics, just as many students have done over the previous school years.

A popular field trip for instructor,Timothy Green, and his students is the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show.  The group frequents this event to gather parts and pieces for their many current projects.  One long-term project for the class has been the build of a 1971 Camaro as a ¼ mile car.  The final goal is to build a car that will run consistently in the 12′s, but also capable of putting down a 10 second run without breaking. I told you that this was an ambitious group. With their perseverence along with the dedication and know-how of their instructor, I’ll bet we will see that Camaro project come to fruition.

Students from the FalconGarage also began work on two classic’s this past fall.  The first being a 1955 Chevy pick up along with a 1956 Chevy pick up, which are commissioned to become “resto-mods” (a restored vehicle built into a street rod).  The projects will include design work, tear-downs, and full rebuilds.  One will have a traditional 350 carbureted drive train, while the other will have a fuel-injected LS2 power plant.  The plan is to take time over two school years to make certain that these vehicles are done right.  Keep an eye out for updates on their progress over the next few months!

FalconGarage engine build

We appreciate the work that our area automotive instructors do in teaching and encouraging our future generations of auto enthusiasts, helping them further their knowledge and interest in the automotive industry.  If you are an auto instructor and would be interested in your class attending a future Pomona Swap Meet, as our guests, please contact Matt Zarzana at 714.538.7091 or matt.jzarzana70@pomonaswapmeet.com.

REMEMBER- Children 12 and under are always admitted FREE to the Pomona Swap Meet.

There have been countless studies done to prove it, but virtually everyone knows that spending quality time with a kid is the greatest gift you can give them. And sharing your appreciation for collector cars is a great way to nurture their interest in a hobby that you can enjoy together for many years to come. Visit takeakidtoacarshow.com for more info.

-Matt Zarzana

Cadillac Kings Attending Members

Elvis knew – one of the many Cadillacs he owned was a ’65 convertible with custom wheels, a customized interior and beautiful casino gold paint. For all you know, had “The King” been alive today, he might have joined the Cadillac Kings car club.

Even without a famous member like Elvis, Cadillac Kings are certainly celebrities at many of the car shows they attend. And why not? In the words of one of the four founders of the club, Derrick Taylor, they got the inspiration to start the organization when they took a few of their Cadillacs to a car show, that had over 1,000 cars, and people flocked to their cars asking questions and sharing their own Cadillac stories.

While the large luxury cars often really stand out at a show of hot rods, the group describes itself as “a bunch of guys who love Cadillacs” – nothing more, nothing less. They enjoy taking their rides to car shows. “Even the ride to the shows is a lot of fun”, says Taylor. Driving down the freeway in a procession of de Villes, Fleetwoods and Eldorados, they get quite a bit of attention, thumbs up and might even have an affect on the traffic. Ooops.

Under the quidance of club president Wes Hornung, the group has drummed up quite a bit of interest. Initially starting with a single website and a location in the Inland Empire in 2005, there are now chapters in Ohio, Phoenix and some rumblings about a chapter starting in Europe.

What has helped is the members of the club sharing their experience on various forums and websites. By sharing their knowledge, they have created interest in collecting the brand and have brought people to the club’s website, www.cadillackingsie.com.

Elvis felt that a Cadillac was great from the factory, but add a little bit of your own style to the car and you’ve really got something. According to Derrick Taylor, the value and saleability of an old Cadillac rises with just some nicer wheels and a spiffy paint job. While convertibles retain more value when left original, the Sedan and Coupe de Villes add value with a bit of customization. This makes sense – consider that Elvis’ 1955 Fleetwood had been damaged in Texarkana and he had it painted pink when the damage was being repaired. Now the car is estimated to be worth at least $250,000 or more. But then consider how much pink paint it takes to cover a ’55 Fleetwood!

We loved seeing the 14 Cadillacs the Cadillac Kings brought to the Pomona Swap Meet held March 4th. These big, beautiful cars do make a statement wherever they go and are even more dramatic when brought as a group.

If you drive a Caddy, you might wind up your computer and check out the Cadillac Kings website. Perhaps you too, can be a part of something big and we’re not talking just tail fins here. But if you don’t yet drive a Cadillac, remember what Elvis said about hard work and its payoff. “Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. Ain’t nowhere else in the world where you can go from driving a truck to Cadillac overnight.” Thank you. Thank you veramuch. Elvis has left the building, baby.

This article was written by Tony Barthel from the Curbside Auto Column and Car Show Calendar. For auto articles, news and an on-line calendar of automotive events, please visit www.curbside.tv.

Brian Bohlier with his 1966 Cadillac

Dan Rivas with his 1961 Sedan Deville

Dustin Hawkingson and his '67 Cadillac Sedan

Gabriel Galvan and his 1656 Serries 62 Cadi

Johny Gleckner with his '66 Cadillac 4 Door

Kenny & Savannah Huffman with their '70 Coupe Deville

Patricia Porras and her '56 Sedan Deville

Ron Short with his 1947 Cadillac 4 Door

Steve Boyd with his '55 Coupe Deville

Tony Rios with his '67 Deville Drop Top

I attended the March 4^th event with anxious enthusiasm, as I do each event attended.  Pomona is like a huge tailgate party without any games to interrupt the action.

Buddies cruisin' Pomona

People make the trek from all over the West Coast, as I have discovered, making new friends from Nevada, Arizona and of course, So Cal.  As I casually stroll the rows and rows of classic cars and parts, I am amazed at the groups of friends socializing around their BBQ’s, swapping stories; talking shop and watching the cars go by.

Pomona has some of the friendliest folks I have ever run into.  Today, I wore my “Official” www.curbside.tv shirt.  I thought I would blend in, but apparently not.  I was asked many questions regarding my affiliations by this curious crowd.  As I stop to explain how Curbside.tv assists car nuts in locating the best car shows in their local area, I am a perplexed with how friendly the Pomona folks are.  After being offered freshly BBQ delicacies, cold beverages and warm friendships, I have realized the car culture is all about friendships new and old.

At the show you will meet the most sociable people around.  If you have a question about your ride, Pomona is the place to connect with the people who can give you the best answers.  There are folks who perform all manner of vehicle services, as well.  Say you need pinstriping?  Well, you can easily get it done while-u-wait by a beautiful, friendly and very talented lady.  Products, yes, Pomona has them; bed-liners, polished rims, sound-proofing or carne asada… There is a guy/gal there to answer your needs.

BBQing with friends

The automotive hobby was founded on friendships.  Guys’ working on each other’s cars in the driveway or going out in the middle of the night to rescue a buddy’s broken down rod; the friendships developed over time in this area are long lasting.  It’s about being there for each other, sharing stories, adventures, helping out and sharing your own vehicle expertise with someone else.

There are swap meets all over the country, but only the Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show is themed and dedicated to our cars and our love for cars! C’mon out and meet your next ol’ friend!

-Ken Heath, CurbsideTV

With gas prices rising is it worth the money to buy brand name fuel? As the price of fuel starts to inch upward in anticipation of the summer driving season, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about which gasoline is the right choice. People are asking whether they should buy “brand name” gasoline or fuel from cheaper providers.

According to the Department of Energy, all gasoline is refined through the same process and must meet the same set of federal standards. The so-called no-name stations purchase their gas from whatever supplier is the cheapest at the time, so there are plenty of occasions in which the no-name station is filling their tanks with name-brand gas. It’s just that they are not allowed to advertise the brand.

Also, the brand and grade of gasoline you purchase this week from that discounter may not be the same as what you get next week.

That said, there is a group of gasoline retailers that has pledged to meet a set of increased standards known as top-tier detergent gasoline. Top-tier retailers have gone through a certification process that proves they’ve increased the amount of detergent additives in their gasoline beyond Environmental Protection Agency requirements. Some people feel the increase in additives leads to higher-quality gasoline because detergent additives are supposed to provide optimal performance and decrease engine deposits.

Finally, be careful about what you think of as no-name gas. Some of these top-tier retailers — there were 22 at press time — are name-brand companies such as Chevron Corp. and Royal Dutch Shell, while others would likely be perceived by some as no-name companies, for instance Kwik Trip Inc. and Mileage Stations.

With the cost of repairing or replacing a fuel injector in the hundreds of dollars, it can make sense to use a higher quality fuel to keep these systems running at optimal levels.

However, buying a grade of fuel higher than what is recommended in your vehicle’s owner’s manual is a pure waste of money unless you’re experiencing knocking, pinging or other troublesome behavior from your engine. In other words, if your vehicle owner’s manual recommends regular-grade gasoline, stick with that. There will be no benefit to moving up a grade.

We also have a dozen tips for saving gasoline on the site which could be more effective than even buying cheaper gasoline.

Read what Curbside.TV recently posted about Cadillac and the history of this American icon.

“Throughout history, Cadillac has played a significant role in transporting U.S. presidents in safety and in style. For President’s Day, here are 10 tales of Cadillac and the Commander in Chief.  

1. President Woodrow Wilson rode in a Series 53, 1916 Cadillac through the streets of Boston during a World War I victory parade in 1919. Cadillac models were used during the war in Europe due to the power and durability of the engines, the first mass-produced V8s.
2. A lavish 1928 Cadillac Series 341 town car was used late in the Calvin Coolidge administration. The Series 341 was new for 1928 and featured a 90 horsepower V-8 with a smooth dual plane crankshaft, 3-speed manual transmission and tiltable beam headlamps. Fit for the President of the United States, the 1928 Cadillac embodied master craftsmanship and artistry.
3. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, legend has it that President Franklin D. Roosevelt used a heavily armored 1928 Cadillac Town Sedan that was originally owned by gangster Al Capone.
4. In 1938, two Cadillac convertibles, dubbed the “Queen Mary” and “Queen Elizabeth,” were delivered to the U.S. government. Named after the great ocean liners of the time, the vehicles were 21.5 feet long, weighed 7,660 pounds each and were equipped with a small arsenal, two-way radios and heavy-duty generators. Durable and reliable, the two “Queens” served Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. 
5. President Eisenhower, a noted car enthusiast, rode in one of the first” Read more….

“At 5:00 a.m., the melodious snarl of an un-muffled exhaust shatters the pre-dawn stillness.While the rest of the city slumbers, comfortable and warm in their beds, the Pomona Fairplex is alive with the roar of vintage automobiles and the enthusiastic haggling of Pomona Swap Meet patrons.

None of the unpleasantries of a sub-6:00 a.m. morning or frigid winter temperatures prove a deterrent to the hundreds of diehard bargain-hunters who eagerly storm the swap meet’s ticket booth.These tens of thousands of car nuts, from all over the greater LA area, scour the swap meet’s 2,500 vendor spaces, some in search of that hard-to-find part, others simply basking in the nostalgic feel the swap meet has to offer.

The Pomona Swap Meet is, by far, the largest vintage automotive swap meet on the West Coast. Started by George Cross in 1975, the Pomona Swap Meet has continued uninterrupted for the past 37 years.” Read more…

Bill Papke with a hard to find Mercury Hood Ornament

NO MERCURY BLUES WITH PAPKE

If you’ve been feelin’ the Mercury Blues, perhaps you might want to pay a visit to the next Pomona Swap Meet and visit Road 22, Spaces 25, 27, 29, 31, 33 & 35 where you’ll find Bill Papke. There you’ll find a man who was enthralled with the ’49 Mercury since he saw it new in the show room and he has established himself as one of the preeminent sources of parts for ’49-’51 Ford and Mercury automobiles in the country.

You might have heard of Bill Papke, owner of Papke Enterprises and a rep for West Coast Customs, or maybe happened by his Swap Space in Pomona during this past quarter of a century. But sure thing, if you’re restoring a Merc or a Ford from the era he covers, you’ve probably got parts on your car that came from his shop.

Papke Enterprises specializes in helping people who want to restore these iconic automobiles or turn them into their own creation. “I’m one of the biggest parts carries in Southern California,” noted Papke of his inventory, “Every car show we go to somebody knows me.”

The people who know him are both the ones whom you run into at your neighborhood car show as well as those you might watch on your neighborhood movie screen. Papke’s helped people like Johnny Agostino, Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone with their cars. As mentioned, Bill Papke has had an eye for these vehicles since he saw them new in the showroom. “I grew up with these cars and knew they’d be hot even into the future.” He was right!

Bill's table of Ford & Mercury Parts

With his expertise in Ford & Mercury, Bill get's many questions throught the day.

But it was the movie American Graffiti that really lit a fire under collectors for these cars. “Before American Graffiti, I was going through 15-20 Mercurys a year. I’d buy ‘em and fix ‘em up and sell ‘em.” However, after the movie, he saw people come from Europe and Japan and literally buy container loads of cars and ship them back to their home countries. Now it’s more difficult to find parts or donor vehicles.

“I haven’t had a parts car in 3-4 years,” says Papke. But that doesn’t mean he can’t still find what people are looking for. Or, sometimes, he has the parts made. “I had parts re-manufactured in New Zealand like the center piece of a hubcap.” He also had a lot of other parts that he designed and had manufactured of his own design. “I’m always looking to have someone make stuff for me.”

As with all auto aficionados, the road that brought Papke to today is certainly an interesting journey. After serving time in the Marine Corps, Bill Papke returned to the States where he took his experience and used it to be a field engineer representing pre-cast concrete products. But, life taught him not to put all his eggs in one basket, so he also ran a filling station at night. “My wife would bring me dinner at the gas station that I’d manage at night,” he recalls of those days.

Lights, Chrome, Intake and much much more!

Today things are much different. Papke has seen a lot of interesting cars come and go. Among the cars to his credit are a 1950 Mercury limousine and Papke’s wall is covered in trophies. That particular 1950 Merc’ was stretched by four feet and took about nine months to complete, but it certainly got attention.

Recently, he came upon a car that he knew was from the movie Grease. Papke knows his Mercurys, so when he saw the car, he knew what it was despite having the wrong paint on it. In those days, the cars would be used over and over by the studios and the Grease Mercury was taken to the studio after the movie and shot with primer. It then appeared in another movie. After some time with acetone, Papke’s hunch was absolutely correct, as usual, and there he found the paint job that was so recognizable from Grease.

Whether you want an entire car that you’ve seen on the big screen or just some parts for one that you’re hoping to finish, Bill Papke is a resource you won’t want to forget. And if you need something specific, you can call him ahead of time and come see him at the next Pomona Swap Meet. He’ll have the part and a warm greeting for you there at the show.

This article was written by Tony Barthel from the Curbside Auto Column and Car Show Calendar. For auto articles, news and an on-line calendar of automotive events, please visit www.curbside.tv.

Map of Vendor Spaces (PDF)

- Curbside Publisher
www.curbside.tv

Seth Ross at Utopia Tools

STUCK ON YOU

The old expression, “if you can’t fix it, duct it” is so common partially, because most hot rodders and car restorers have found the indispensability of duct tape to be a saving grace at some point. Let’s face it though, despite it’s reputation as the universal tool, duct tape leaves a lot to be desired. Fortunately, visitors to the Utopia Tools’ swap space have discovered several products that beat what they can find at the local hardware store; including XTape and MXBon 105, an incredible adhesive. Both products are really hot sellers at the table and have created converts from people used to ordinary, off-the-shelf products.

So what’s so special about XTape? It was originally designed for the military and is actually a high-quality silicone compound which fuses to itself when wrapped under tension. In other words, there’s really no traditional adhesive but, rather, the tape fuses to itself when stretched. And it stays fused.

Speaking with Seth Ross from Utopia Tools he said the tape was originally designed to fix fuel lines in military aviation applications. For example, if someone shoots out your fuel line, this tape can be used under pressure (there’s no pressure like someone shooting at you!) to make repairs.

Seth stays busy with "Swappers" who need his great products.

Ross has seen the tape used on exhaust pipes, hydraulic lines, hoses and more. Of course, you can use it on ducts, too. But even though XTape sticks to itself when stretched, it actually doesn’t have a traditional adhesive. This is one of those products you just have to see to believe and you can see it at the Pomona Swap Meet. And, while you’re marveling at their tape, don’t forget to check out the glue as well.

Seth gets to speak with a lot of fellow auto nuts at the show.  He often asks them what uses they’ve found for this incredible glue. He’s heard from plenty of car fans who have mixed the adhesive with baking soda to create a nice filling agent. He’s seen others take metal shavings and accomplish the same thing. “Most people are used to the consumer-grade glues – this is much better”, claims Ross. While several companies make a lot of claims about the products they represent, Ross attends various car, farm and other similar shows because his products are the “you gotta see this to believe it” type of thing. Seth continually returns vending these wonder products because, once people have tried the glues and tapes, they want more.”We keep doing the same shows for years”, said Ross.

XTape - silicone repair tape that resists extreme enviroments and fuses to itself with no adhesive to deteriorate.

If you want to get stuck on a better glue or tape, maybe a visit to Utopia Tools’ swap space might be a good place to start. We don’t really have a better rhyme for their silicone tape, but we definitely have some great places it’s saved more than our ducts! Utopia Tools can be found on the Main Aisle C, Spaces 11 and 12 at Pomona.

This article was written by Tony Barthel from the Curbside Auto Column and Car Show Calendar. For auto articles, news and an on-line calendar of automotive events, please visit www.curbside.tv.

Map of Vendor Spaces (PDF)

- Curbside Publisher
www.curbside.tv