Classic Cruising with Larry D'Argis
Swap story
MCAAC meet is an unofficial rite of spring
Andy Clarkâs 1946 Chevy pickup.
The Manitoba Classic & Antique Auto Club, one of the province's oldest car clubs, was launched at a meeting in the Winnipeg Free Press boardroom on Feb. 14, 1960, by Jack McGuigan and Denis Cloutier.
It was founded on the principle of bringing old-car enthusiasts together to preserve, restore and admire vehicles 25 years of age and older.
Today, the MCAAC is still going strong, with hundreds of members still committed to the club's original goals of bringing car folk together and helping local charities such as Winnipeg Harvest.
MCAAC swap meets moved from location to location within the city and encompassed both a spring and a fall meet for decades. An unofficial rite of spring, the Red River Valley Swap Meet still brings auto enthusiasts out into the open after a long winter.
Now in it's 14th year, the meet gives everyone the ability to clean out the garage of all those unused treasures and offer them up to other enthusiasts looking for needed items to complete their dream restoration. Everything from the smallest chrome details to full sheetmetal pieces and mechanical parts can be found on the various vendor tables.
For those looking for a bit more, there's project vehicles of every description for sale. It's a push, pull and drag affair, offering up something for everyone.
Not up to the task of a full restoration? Check out the car corral, where you can find everything from vehicles needing only the final touches to those ready to take you and the family out to …
Deluxe and affordable
A '47 New Yorker with all the trimmings rolls again today
The postwar 1946 Chrysler's design was based on the 1942 models, with such refinements as streamlined front fenders that flowed and blended into the new doors.
Up front, a new, beautifully detailed, die-cast, egg-crate grill and bumpers rounded out the styling changes.
Available in four series -- the Royal, Windsor, Saratoga and New Yorker models -- with prices from $1,431 to just over $3,000, they offered buyers a lot of car at a price they could afford.
Structurally, Chrysler continued its hallmark tradition of an all-steel body on a separate steel frame and added Safe Guard hydraulic brakes and a permanent Oilite fuel-tank filter. For 1947, there were virtually no changes other than larger rear wheelhouse openings later in the production year. The change was strictly cosmetic and allowed the stylish new whitewall tires to be more visible.
Riding on a 127.5-inch wheelbase and weighing in at more than 4,000 pounds, the New Yorker was a large, luxurious vehicle that offered a comfortable ride with broadcloth interior upholstery, modern AM radio, dual heater and a powerful straight-8 engine.
Auto enthusiasts Wayne and Rita Hayes of Winnipeg have always liked their Chryslers, especially their 1947 New Yorker sedan. "We have others, but the '47 is definitely a favourite," Wayne says.
The sheer presence of their New Yorker takes you back to an era when North America was looking ahead to more prosperous times. Life was simpler, and quality and value were measured in how long the product would last as well as how it performed.
Hayes wasn't actually …
Freeing Willys for the road
Six-year project converts old street rod to reliable summer cruiser
Owning a Willys street rod has been a long-time dream for Gary Misko of Winnipeg,
During the 1930s, Willys was known for producing some of the most reliable and affordable economy cars. Small in size, with just the right amount of style and powered by a 4-cylinder 48 horsepower engine, they were exactly what the Depression era needed.
By the late 1940s, racers began modifying the svelte little Willys for action on the drag strip by adding copious amounts of horsepower. Several race teams, notably Stone, Woods & Cook, successfully campaigned their Willys coupe from the 1950s into the early 1960s, holding several N.H.R.A. national records.
The compact coupes were the lightest but, as their numbers dwindled, it didn't take racers long to figure out the sedan was only 45 pounds heavier and just as competitive. Their heritage lives on today as both nostalgia racers and street rods alike.
Several manufacturers now produce fiberglass-replica Willys coupe and pickup bodies for enthusiasts to build, but, as most street-rodders agree, finding a real steel example is now a rarity.
For Gary Misko of Winnipeg, owning a Willys street rod has been a long-time dream.
"I watched a movie called Hot Rod '79 with a Willys drag race coupe and wanted one ever since," Misko says.
Made for ABC-TV, the movie starred then-heartthrob Gregg Henry, Robert Culp and Pernell Roberts, with Henry as a drag racer entering a national event, only to find a corrupt sheriff and crooked town boss don't want him around. The movie used a good deal of actual race footage and, as most car movies go, the car stole the …
Striking Gold
'38 Ford coupe project car transformed into 'Gold Digger'
Scott Vincent, 17, with his dad, Dillon Vincent, owner of 1938 Ford Standard coupe.
The Ford Motor Company embarked on a new marketing strategy for 1938: it's Standard models would have the same basic front-end sheet metal used in 1937, while the DeLuxe models carried new metal for an all-new appearance.
The difference in price was around the $60 range, which today doesn't sound like much. But in 1938 it was almost 10 per cent of the cost difference between a Standard and DeLuxe model coupe. Buyers could choose to save a few dollars and, as many of the production numbers show, they took advantage of it, with Standard sales figures often topping the DeLuxe models. Either way, the buyer still got a new Ford.
Today, those old Fords from the 1930s and '40s are often pulled from old sheds and fields to be resurrected as street rods. What starts out as a project car can actually become a modern vehicle capable of everyday driving and cruising.
For Dillon Vincent of Winnipeg, his old '49 Mercury pickup truck was a fun vehicle, but it was tired. So, he parked it and thought he'd get to restoring it at a later date. As his family grew, he thought a car might be better for cruising to shows, so he thought about finding a coupe.
"I really liked the fat-fendered coupes, especially the '38 with its oval headlights," says Vincent.
In 2005, he spotted a 1938 Ford Standard coupe for sale on an online website. The coupe didn't sell, but Vincent contacted the seller afterward and was soon on his way …
Hot-rod rapture
Upgrading 1930 Ford 5-window coupe an ongoing labour of love
Rick Sydor's 1930 Ford 5-window coupe
The history surrounding the hot-rod movement in the 1940s was simple. Get an old car, strip it down to take off weight and hop-up the engine to make it go faster. Thankfully, times have changed and today's hot rod is now much more than just a speed machine, and no two are ever exactly alike. In many ways they become a personal statement: "I want to drive something different and when I want to change it, I can."
Over time, artists have been known to use the same canvas again and again. Painting over each picture when they felt like making a change or starting anew was common. Hot rods are a little like that. Easy to work on and with a multitude of choices for currently available powertrains, suspension and braking systems, it can be updated or rebuilt at any time. All it takes is imagination, and you have the perfect hot rod, at the perfect time.
For Rick Sydor of Winnipeg, fast cars were nothing new. Having owned a 400-plus horsepower '67 Beaumont back in the day and a few others along the way, it was only natural Sydor would begin to get the bug back for another project.
During the summer of 1996 Sydor was walking out of a convenience store when he gazed upon a 1930 Ford 5-window coupe. Dressed in grey primer with the driver sitting on a wooden Coke box for a seat, it was definitely an unfinished project, but one he couldn't resist.
"I looked it over …
A Starliner is reborn
Lovely 1960 Ford restored to drag-strip glory
1960 Ford Starliner.
For 1960, the gloves were off at Ford. After agreeing to a voluntary ban on factory-backed racing in 1957, Ford came back to the racing game big-time.
The American Manufacturer's Association ban was intended to level the playing field, enabling independent race teams to field competitive cars. But, in 1958 and '59, Ford saw its competitors do everything possible to violate that agreement by supplying race teams with products via the back door.
Ford introduced its "Total Performance" campaign that would see a return to dominance in many forms of motorsports through the 1960s. And its number-one assault weapon on the NASCAR ovals and the NHRA drag strips was the new Ford Starliner.
The 1960 Fords were a radical departure in styling from previous models, and the Starliner took it one step further by incorporating a fastback roof on the Galaxie. The roof proved to be an aerodynamic advantage, enabling the air to come off it cleaner and with less turbulence.
The result was more speed and better stability on the NASCAR super-speedways, with runs hitting better than 156 m.p.h. In NHRA drag racing, the Starliner was competitive despite being the heaviest car in its class, posting several wins.
For Gord Atamanchuk of St. Francois Xavier, Man., the 1960 Ford was one of his first cars. "I had a Sunliner convertible that I just loved to drive," he says.
Today, 1960 Ford Starliners are like a solar eclipse -- they don't come around often and are seldom ever complete. So, in 2001, when Fabulous 50's Ford …
Bel Air bounces back
'56 Chevy grabs owner of autobody shop
Tony Labossiere of Winnipeg has always liked 1950s cars because of the look and all that chrome.
When it comes to a collectable vehicle from the 1950s, nothing beats the mid-'50s Chevrolet.
Introduced in 1955 with a fresh new style and overhead-valve V8 engine, it was an instant hit that would continue through 1957.
Over the years, it's remained a much-sought-after used vehicle especially with the youth market. Reasonably priced and easily upgraded with newer engines and mechanical systems, they spawned a whole aftermarket industry to turn them into everything from restored classics to the ultimate performance car.
Today, the first thing that will grab you is the look. With a style all their own, these Chevys just ooze cool.
Tony Labossiere of Winnipeg has always liked the 1950s cars because of the look and all that chrome.
"The first car I drove was a 1957 Chevy," says Labossiere. "That and the '56, which was the year I was born, have always been my two favourites."
Co-owner of South Side Auto Body & Glass, with nearly 30 years of experience working on cars, Labossiere has had a hand in restoring many project cars. "When 2009 came around, I thought it was time I got a car of my own and started looking," he says.
It was an eBay auction where Labossiere spotted a very nice, rust-free 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air two-door sedan. Located in Clearwater, Fla., the Chevy looked good in the photos. "I contacted the owner and told him I'd rather not go through the auction and we struck a deal on the car."
Once it was transported back to Winnipeg, Labossiere had the …
Two-tone triumph
Rare '57 Meteor Custom Ranchero burnishes Piston Ring collection
The 1957 Mercury Meteor Ranchero in the Piston Ring collection is the Custom model with the stylish Niagara side trim. This stainless-steel and gold-tone trim really sets the truck apart from the base models that lacked side trim, and it really works with the eye-popping two-tone paint combination.
Piston Ring's 37th Annual World Of Wheels car show runs today through Sunday at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, featuring a stunning array of custom cars, motorcycles and product displays, all geared toward the special-interest vehicle hobby.
While you're at the show, be sure to stop by the Piston Ring display for a look at their 1957 Mercury Meteor Ranchero, one of the latest additions to their collection of vehicles.
Founded in Winnipeg in 1953 by James Tennant Sr., Piston Ring Service has grown to more than 26 corporate and 16 franchise automotive outlets throughout Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, serving the professional installer and enthusiasts alike.
Today, sharing the president and CEO duties are James Tennant's sons, Jim and John Tennant. True car guys to the core, they continue to find and restore light-service vehicles and add them to what has become one of the finest collections in the country.
The Ranchero is a highlight of that collection. During the 1950s, the Ford Motor Company saw sales of their post-war pickup trucks soar. No longer satisfied with mere utility vehicles, buyers were demanding V8 engines, automatic transmissions, radios, two-tone paint and optional Custom Cab appointments. Ford saw an opportunity to bring a new vehicle into the North American market that could give buyers the best of both worlds by providing a reasonable amount of hauling capacity coupled with all of the comforts of a car.
As a global manufacturer, Ford looked to a success story at their Australian subsidiary, the Ford Ute. The Ute had been …
Frame job
Starliner's main body now securely bolted in place
Our real-time restoration of a 1961 Ford Starliner has come a long way since I hauled it home from Claresholm, Alta., in 2003. Nearing the end of a frame-off, rotisserie body restoration by the autobody students at Kildonan East Collegiate, it's been a shop training aid many of the students have had a hand in.
At Kildonan East Collegiate, we caught up with Project Starliner in the autobody shop. Since our last visit, instructor Dan Labossiere and the students have managed to get the main body securely bolted back into the frame. While it sounds like a small feat, you have to remember we're dealing with a year and model of car that has few reproduction parts available. Body-to-frame mounting kits are available for most Fords from 1949 to 1959 and from 1963 and up, leaving the 1960 through '62 models in a black hole.
The original pieces were badly corroded and most had to be cut off with a torch, so even trying to assemble something that looked like the right assortment of isolators, bolts, special washers and threaded adjusters wasn't a simple task. Armed with a chassis manual and several parts suppliers, we found the mounts were very close to those used in the '57 body mount kits that are available, so we ordered one. It still took some tweaking and a bit of fabrication work to get it all to fit properly, but the body is now securely bolted to the frame.
There's still a bit more …
The deal on wheels
The rubber that meets the road a critical part of a special-interest car
Marve Kraut at the Canadian Super shop on Portage Avenue. With over 30 years in the business, Kraut has seen a lot of wheels and tires leave his shop.
One key element to the successful completion of a special-interest vehicle, or bringing a new look to your current ride, is the wheel and tire selection.
Finding the right combination doesn't just happen by chance, so you really need to do your homework and get a professional opinion on what choices are available and what can physically and safely be mounted onto your vehicle.
Wheels and tires have a tremendous impact on the look of any vehicle, so you have to narrow your choices down to what ties in with your vehicle's main theme. Next the physical aspects of what size wheels and tires will fit the car have to be addressed, as well as the vehicle's intended use.
If you've got a period-correct restoration, you may want a wheel and tire package that emulates the factory look. Today, new whitewall bias ply original equipment tires are being reproduced and there are also new whitewall radial tires for improved ride and handling. Great for car shows and Sunday cruises, but if you're looking at doing some serious touring with the vehicle, you may want to take advantage of a set of radials geared more for handling and performance.
To get a real look at some of the available options, we stopped in and spoke with Marve Kraut at the Canadian Super Shop on Portage Avenue. With over 30 years in the business, Kraut has seen a lot of wheels and tires leave his shop.
"Today the possibilities are endless," says Kraut. "You have reproduction wheels …