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I’m 50 years this July 4th. Un hito para asegurarse de. As I’m getting older I see that certain choices in my life were good and others not so good. Now don’t get me wrong picking the correct wine at dinner is not a life changing event. By choices I mean life changing decisions. Back in 1999 after over 20 years of going to Carlisle Events car shows I moved to Carlisle Pa. We all had spent years going to Carlisle Car Shows and Swaps in all kinds of campers and devices to house our motley crew.

With luck and a conversation with Bill Miller I rented my little house on Spring Rd between gates 2 y 3. Car guy heaven to be sure. I found alot of great things in Carlisle but mostly I found myself. I found my sanity. I found how strong my Mom could be when my Dad passed away. I found a church. I found out how amazing the car community was when Chip Miller left us.

I found that good friends last a lifetime. I found that I trust the wrong people sometimes. I found that you can take a concrete fish pond and make a swimming pool out of it. I found that taking the governor off a Golf Cart will make it go 40mph but get you in trouble with Fairgrounds Security.

 I mostly I found how much I would miss it after I left. The Fairgrounds and where I lived was filled with good neighbors. One of those was Chip Miller. You could be a major player or Mom an Pop vendor he would always give you a smile, a handshake and his “Life is Good” attitude. When he left us all to soon it made me understand how loving and caring “Car People” are. I was asked to attend his memorial in Building “T” That honor and memory will stay with me forever.

I went back to Long Island for alot of reasons. Partly dumb choices and foolish pride. Things I tend to beat myself up over on more than one occasion. I missed my life as a Classic Car Appraiser and I see my life is going back down that highway again. I understand only recently that Gods plan was for me to spend the last four years of my Moms life with her in Long Island.  

But when a place touches your heart you never forget. You tend to romance about the good things and forget the bad. The town of Carlisle and the magical place called The Carlisle Fairgrounds will remain that way to me. A lifetime of memories and friends will never be taken away. If Gods plan for me is to go down that road again I plan on listening. I just need to turn down the volume in my head..

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For over 20 years Carlisle Johnny has been attending the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. This year I will be in search for rare and classic Volkswagen parts. Over the years as I built many odd import vehicles Import Carlisle has been constant source for all kinds of wonderful junk and great memories. I’m sure this year will be no different. So with visions of beer from The Market Cross and 150 acres of wonderful junk dancing in my head I can hardly wait to buy my first rusty part. Stories and loads of pictures when I get back.. 

Continuar leyendo »]]> In the world of automotive Junk-a-teria’s and by gone era relics you will not find a better place to browse than Anthony Automotive in Port Jefferson New York. Owner Anthony Vertucci is a master tech who not only takes pride in his work but cares about his 1000′s of loyal customers. In this day of mega shops its a wonderful change of pace when you get “small town” service at Anthony Automotive. Anthony Automotive at times is a one man shop.

The problem with that situation is sometimes things well ummm can pile up. Parked in his busy back lot is a collection of forgotten often “mold-i-fied” relices from 1950′s to present day. So wonderful is the collection that even your Ole Friend Carlisle Johnny aka Johnny B has dragged and de-mold-i-cated a few vehicles. It must be something about the shade of the trees and the moist air from Port Jefferson harbor but these vehicles get a certain type of mold, slime and rust that we call “Rold” Most of the forgotten fleet even get there very own eco-system going that would make Al Gore orgulloso.

My first “Rold” purchase from Anthony Automotive was a 1987 Dodge D50 Pickup. A cute little 4×4 with the clicky clackity Mitsu engine it had sat so long that the Rold had seized the from brake pads to the rotors. Oddly some fresh fuel and a charged battery and the little D50 started and well ran. Popping the cluch de-stuck the front brakes and using and ice scraper got the black Rold off the front windsheild. my first stop with Old Roldy was the local car wash. The nice Spanish man at first refused to wash it “You truck is Gleen!! Gleen!! No mold in wash!!”

After slipping him a 5 spot we drove it thru. Well it was still Gleen or Green but less Gleen. Once home a combo of Tilex and bleach de-molded it. Well what do you know its Glay oh I mean Grey. I drove that little truck for years. Anthony being well a good guy can not refuse helping people. A friend of ours Tom who is a Ford-o-file like Anthony needed a station car for cheap. Hmmm what to give him? Well how about the 1992 Lincoln Continental with a collapsed air suspension that has been sitting for six years. To say the Conti was a little moldy would be like saying Rosie O’Donnell over eats slightly at Wendy’s. Armed with 2 cans of Seafoam, a few gallons of fresh fuel, air hose for filling the suspension and a jump box Anthony and Tom were going to attempt to get the Conti going. By now the air suspension had fallen to the point were you could not slide a paper plate under the car. Tom being super mondo Ford guy used good old fashioned air a raised the Titánico beast up in to the air. Fresh fuel on top of the tank of sludge topped off with Seafoam. Next hook up the jump box and pray. The doors opened with a sound of slab of salmon hitting a wall..”Schlurp“.. Tom slid behind the now algified steering wheel. The blue leather had turned to the mold version of a Peter Max painting..very colorful but gross.  Anthony hooked up the jump box and with few cranks the Lusitania like beast started up. Idled smooth and after running for an hour it showed no signs of oil leaks or overheating. In fact all major systems worked perfect. Tom lurched the land barge forward and it moved an entire 20 feet with no problems. Fiddling with the different swiches and knobs proved the radio, ventanas eléctricas, power memory seats and heater system worked. While this was all being done the car stood running with not a drop of oil or coolant leaking. If we had access to a dealer plate we would of taken the Conti for a quick ride. Would of been a hoot to go to a snooty place with valet parking. Get dressed in tuxedos and hand the mold riddled keys to the valet parking dude..’Pardon me young man do you have any Grey Poupon“. Ford Guru Tom’s plans for the stinkin Lincoln include gallons of Tilex, a gross of air freshners, a skid of saddle soap and new fluids. If you happen to be in Port Jefferson and you see a shiny white 92 Lincoln Continental with a blue fake canvas roof it just might be Tom. Give him a wave because once again another Mold Wagon has been saved from the iconic Anthony Automotive.

Continuar leyendo »]]> Sé que es difícil de admitir, pero el británico inventó el Sports Car. Cuando las tropas estadounidenses después de la Segunda Guerra Mundial comenzó a conducir coches deportivos tempranas como el MGTD una historia de amor comenzó con roadsters británicos. En 1953 cuando el triunfo empezó a enviar el impetuoso TR2 a los EE.UU. otra historia de amor comenzó con Triumph Sports Cars. La fórmula era sencilla. Baja la suspensión abrazos, sonidos excelentes del motor, poco o nada de comodidades y un perro de toro, como la resistencia que se convirtieron en una marca de Triumph. Más y mejor TR seguiría como el TR3, TR4 y el TR250. Por 1968 el TR que se necesita y actualizar. British Leyland llamó a estudio de diseño alemán Karmann que hacer a toda prisa a cambiar el estilo de la TR250, creando así el TR6 para el año modelo 1969. El TR6 fue todo un coche de bronce deporte brutal debe ser. Rápido, ágil, chirriante, fugas e implacable. Con su vigoroso sonido maravilloso 2.5 litros y seis cilindros que hizo sonidos que haría sonrojar a un Ferrari.

El restyle Karmann era fresco y él, hombre como. Los interiores eran Inglés típica con un toque de madera y medidores completos. El TR6 se sentó bajo colgado en su suspensión trasera independiente y su transmisión de cuatro velocidades cambió con un sonido rotundo. Como vehículo de confort mejorado en el 1970′s de la TR6 no puso excusas por su parte superior con goteras y el paseo calesa. Como la revista Car and Driver, dijo en una 1976 prueba en carretera “Es el último de los peludos roadsters británicos de pecho“El triunfo hizo más 90,000 TR6′s desde 1969-1976. Se sustituye con el “La forma de las cosas por venir” tibio Tr7 tope de la puerta. Cuando la producción de la TR6 terminó fue el último de su clase. Un verdadero auto deportivo en el verdadero sentido del término. Implacable, contundente y un coche de los conductores. Habiendo tenido un rojo 1969 TR6 puedo decir que o bien amado u odiado que. Mina se ha actualizado con carbohidratos Weber, Ansa cuatro tubos de escape, Pionero de cabecera, 72 llantas cromadas de alambre, ruede mods de barras y la suspensión. Era mi juego favorito en una calurosa tarde de verano y hacía los sonidos más gloriosos. A pesar de la reputación de ser ahhh ummm británica TR6 mi nunca me dejó abajo, de hecho, me dio 9 años de servicio emocionante. El TR6 estaba lleno de grandeza y defectos, pero nunca se alejó de su misión. Una negrita de coches deportivos pecho peludo. El último de su clase y es por eso que Johnny ha llamado Carlisle coronó The Best Sports Car Of All Time.

Echa un vistazo a este comercial de televisión clásico de Triumph

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Did you know?? Mercedes Benz y Studebaker salones compartidos y departamentos de servicio de 1957-1963.. En los días siguientes a la Segunda Guerra Mundial compañías de automóviles II Europeon tales como Mercedes Benz,Porsche y VW se utilizan los importadores para enviar los coches a los EE.UU.. Uno de los más famosos fue Max Hoffman(1904-1981) Max Hoffman era un importador austríaco nacido y visionario. Él era conocido por su “apretón de manos” ofertas. Concesionarios que hacer una petición a través de él y Max sería el intermediario entre la fábrica y los distribuidores poco conocidos. Su influencia fue tan fuerte que él era una fuerza importante en las fábricas a los coches introducidos para el mercado de EE.UU.. Modelos como el famoso Benz Alas de Gaviota y Porsche 356 Speedsters were all the doing of Max Hoffman. Hoffman was inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame in 2003..Still Mercedes Benz was growing faster than one independent importer could handle.

Buscando llegar a un acuerdo con la norma existente red de distribuidores Benz fue rechazada por todas las grandes empresas de Estados Unidos(GM,Ford,Chrysler y AMC) Una de las compañías independientes que quedan pendientes sólo era Studebaker. Studebaker tenía un distribuidor fuerte y servicio de red. También necesitaba dinero para financiar additonal el próximo coche de alondra compacta. Llegaron a un acuerdo y Daimler-Benz pagó Studebaker una cantidad no revelada de dinero para ser parte de sus ventas y red de servicios de 1957 a 1963. Muchos concesionarios Studebaker estaban contentos de ser “stuck” con una “Kraut-vagón” como un distribuidor citado en un artículo del New York Times. Mercedes pasaría a formar una red de distribuidores de EE.UU. de sus propios. Studebaker vendería su coche por última vez enatascado. Muchos de los distribuidores que recibieron “stuck” con los comerciantes libres Benz quedaría a vender Mercedes hasta hoy .. Lo de Max Hoffman? Se iba a importar coches raros y exóticos que por muchos años más. Él y su¿Sabía usted que­an en una casa diseñada para él por Frank Llyod Wright. Dejó un legado de los coches que vemos todos los días en las carreteras de Estados Unidos. Su fundación g.p.&ME. Hoffman ofrece a los estudiantes con becas para entrar en la ingeniería automotriz. Mercedes-Benz y compañeros de cama extraños Studebaker para estar seguro…Did You Know??

Max Hoffman