Old Car and Classic Car Touring

I have been a car collector for 56 years, as of 2013, since I was 11. I always enjoyed the DRIVING of my cars, and the associated experiences. When I was 16, I fondly remember driving South on Harbor Blvd. or Beach Blvd. to go the beach, in Southern California. I remember stopping along the journey and getting a GREAT homemade burrito or a fantastic hamburger at a little place that had only one location. I also remember so well, leaving my employer, Disneyland (it was never a job or work), and driving to the South East corner of Harbor and Ball, to join other car collectors, and where I had THE BEST banana malt.

Fast forward to the 1970's when I was almost an adult, and had acquired a "collector car". Now car clubs existed without the aluminum plaques in the rear window. I joined CCCA, RROC, and PCA. TOURING became common. A day or weekend trip became routine, with folks that shared the same passion for "our" marque. Picnics became a time to enjoy simple food, each other, and discuss the minutiae of our marque.

By the late 70's I had developed a quirk: I would always dress in the same color, and same period as the car I was driving. I have photos to prove it!! If I changed cars-I changed clothes. Then I created a special picnic basket, for each car, consistent with the color and period. Some folks kidded me, and others, I think envied the STYLE. There was just one dilemma: the choice in cuisine. Kentucky fried chicken, El Pollo Loco, anything that required cold was relegated to the cheap styrafoam cooler. Can you relate to all of this? So, I was personally frustrated that I had UNIQUE cars, on special journeys, and was eating worse than when I was at home. SOMETHING is wrong!!

NOW I have discovered DINING, on my tours, my travels and even in my living room. I have discovered flavored oils; grapeseed and olive; as well as balsamic vinegar. Great with bread as an appetizer. The vinegars are great drizzled over watermelon or other fruits. Then there are pestos and tapenades. Super to enhance a tuna sandwich, pasta, or any chicken dish. The flavored salts and peppers are a must. The flavors explode on raw tomatoes. I found a complete selection of these gourmet quality products at The Posh Gourmet . They are all touring friendly. Additionally I found numerous recipes that will enhance a tour, as well as a special evening at home.

Lastly the accessories. I found a personal disconnect, driving my Pierce-Arrow, Cadillac, Royce, and having the cheap, common cooler. The Posh Gourmet has a fine selection of quality, insulated coolers with appropriate utensils for any picnic or tour, complete with decorative wine bottle stoppers and real cloth napkins.

Now I have it all: The motorcar, the long-time personal relationships, the accessories consistent with the event, including sartorial presence, and to really enhance the experience; exquisite dining accessories and cuisine. Along with the True Love of my life, Sandie, How could things be better?

The Pierce Arrow Dinner Plate Saga

In about 1992 I responded to an ad from a chap in Florida who had 6 Pierce dinner plates for sale. I called him. He wanted to sell me two; not 6; He required a certified check. He told me he was a distant relative of one of the Pierce Family. I told him that I would take all six. He told me that if he sold me six; he would not have enough for anyone else. He had not heard of PAS; and was not a member. I explained that I could buy them, and make them available to PAS; members at same $$. He said that Pierce had gone bankrupt; by trusting people. I replied that it was just a little more complicated than that; and that CAR owners; like me; were the solution; NOT the cause of the failure. We went around and around. He insisted on a certified check; I told him I would send a personal check--and he could wait until it cleared. He said that he did not know me; and could not trust me. He went on about how his ancestors had gotten taken. Anyhow, I did not get the plates. SURPRISE!!! At our monthly local PAS lunch; I recounted the story. Hilda Blonder said "Roy, why don't you make them". I mentioned that I knew zip about this process. She said that I could probably find somebody to do it. So I started a journey.
After Hilda Suggested I do the dinnerplates--I looked into it: a minimum of green unfired plates is 120.! I would have to design the logo ("8" and "12""), and have special porcelain decals made.
Then I would have to apply the decals. I then decided to that I would have to apply a gold edge. So I had to make a precision turntable, and learn and practice a 3mm application of a liquid gold, using a special phenolic applicator; to the edge of the plate. I actually sat down on my kitchen floor; and applied the gold. I think it took 20 hours. Then I had to have them fired. I could not find anybody to fire that small of a quantity. SO I went to a commercial kiln in Torrance. I talked to the owner. I learned that they fired plates 12 hours a day, Monday thru Thursday. I asked him if I could rent his shop Sunday night, when they had to heat up the kilns anyway. He finally agreed; I rented a truck to haul the plate. I arrived about 8 PM Sunday night; loaded the plates carefully into the first kiln;--fired the 1st kiln to 1350; for 6 hours, then moved them to cooling kiln for 4 hours. During the firing period, I swept, cleaned, dusted--the shop, office and heads. The owner came in at 7am Monday; found it all spotless--and that I had followed his instructions. We had to wait for final cooling, I boxed all 120 finished plates up. He asked me when I wanted to use his shop again--at no charge. I spared you a lot of the details on the  research, and the false starts. YOUR'E welcome.

Pierce Arrow Engine Transfer Story

The transfers--are applied to the oil valley covers for 1929-31 cars and  to each side of the air cleaner for 1932-38 cars. J.B. Nethercutt--FAMOUS car collector--was acquiring and restoring lots of cars in the 60's. He had to have made alot of items--for his cars. One item was the Pierce solvent transfers. Decals are applied with water. Transfers use a chemical--to release the transfer from the paper--and then to SEAL the transfer. The transfer becomes more resistant to heat and oil--then a simple decal. After he finished his Pierces, J.B. generously donated the rest of the transfer inventory to CCCA, to sell. I became active in PAS in the 80's, and bought the 30 or so transfers from CCCA, to make them available to PAS (since some PIERCE/PAS members did not belong to CCCA). Subsequently I learned that the transfers were no good. THEY wqere TOO OLD, and would not adhere. The transfer manufacturing process was all but outlawed, due to environmental laws (in CA.). So I decided to make them from mylar. I photo-engraved a mylar strip, using original J.B. art. I made a die. I rented a 2 ton cutting press. I hand stamped each transfer. So I have personally stamped, and inspected each of the 3 color transfers. I have very few left, after 27 years. I no longer reproduce anything. I have observed that an item gets made when an individual needs the item, and the tries to amortize the research and costs, by selling extras. I am the exception to this. All my projects came to me serendipity. I took them on because of the challenge; to learn something, and the opportunity to give back to the hobby. About 15 years ago---I figured out the hours I have spent on making lenses, transfers, tool kit inserts, lighters, brass light repair and a few other things. I have spent over 8000 hours, since 1982. I have netted about $1.12 an hour; after mold, mfg costs, postage, phone calls. Not including gas or utilities. I have only used one of the parts I made, for one of my cars: (a tool kit insert for my 1953 RR S/W). The rest of these projects were to help my fellow car guys.

THE FOLLOW-UP

Last year a PAS guy returned a pair of the old solvent transfers to me--and demanded a refund.
I BOUGHT, with my own $$$, all of the transfers that had aged out-- (from CCCA )
and destroyed them. I never sold even ONE solvent transfer.
He called me a liar.
I just asked him to look at the backside where it stated "MEYER PRINTING Co."
That company has not been in business for 25 years.

I wrote Larry Symons; 2 times (THE CCCA project guy); "out of an extra abbundance of caution" to make SURE that CCCA did not:
A. Have the solvent transfers
B. Has not made substitutes

Larry, God Bless Him, did not have a clue what I was inquiring about (the transfers were LONG gone before Bill transferred the duty to Larry).