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DRIVING PONTIAC'S BONNEVILLE SSEi, A FUTURE COLLECTIBLE

When it comes to cars, including the classics, we all have our prejudices. I certainly did during the years when I was active in motorsports and the import car community. I preferred small cars and sports cars, automobiles I could toss around by the seat of my pants. I had no love whatsoever for the big Detroit boats of the 50s and 60s with their imprecise handling and exaggerated chrome trim. The Pontiac Bonneville was not exactly on my wish list.

One summer during the mid-90s General Motors agreed to loan me a car for the drive from Toronto to Montreal and back, about 325 miles each way along Highway 401, a boring run on a road with few bends and curves. The purpose of this trip was to attend the Canadian Grand Prix and as a side benefit several hours in Montreal with the beautiful Dolores Duquette, an ex-girlfriend. I'd hoped that the car would be something compact and sporting. A Corvette, maybe, or a Pontiac Firebird. Instead I was presented with a Bonneville SSEi, a large 4-door sedan, albeit Pontiac's top-of-the-line model. Needless to say I was disappointed, although the SSEi was a handsome car with alloy wheels, a full leather interior, a powerful supercharged 3.8 liter V-6, 4-speed automatic, and modified suspension.

By the time I'd returned to Toronto I was in love with this automobile, having discovered that it was an honest grand touring car in the European tradition. I hated to give it back. In fact it was such a pleasure to drive that after leaving Montreal I took the long way home, traveling the old Highway 1, which did have some interesting turns and even a couple of ferry rides. So much for silly prejudices.

Several years will pass before an SSEi is classified as a collector car but beginning in 2020 I predict that these Bonneville grand tourers will attract real money. They have the style, the performance, and even a degree of scarcity since they weren't produced in great quantities. And as we regretfully know, Pontiac, as a marque, is history. Is an SSEi worth buying now and keeping as a future investment? I think so; just look at the prices older Bonnevilles bring at auctions, albeit as convertibles.

THE GREAT RACE HELPS CELEBRATE OUR 400TH BLOG

A few days ago I published a blog about how I imagined seeing the competitors in The Great Race from an Air Canada Embraier 190 at 35,000 feet. I was looking down on Lake Michigan as the entrants made the transition from Canadian to US roads. Thanks to Nigel Matthews I can now show you some of the cars I would have enjoyed watching had I been at ground level. An eclectic group, indeed, and indicative of how much fun it must be to compete in this classic car run. The car above is a 1934 Ford Speedster.

The Grey Poupon Express, a 1958 Rolls-Royce, arrives at a lunch stop.

This 1907 Renault Vanderbilt Cup racer was the oldest competitor.

Stripped for racing, a magnificent 1931 Auburn.

Turning the clock back to 1930 with a Riley-Ford.

Tevie Smith of Vancouver, BC with his 1947 Chrysler Woodie, known as the Termite Taxi.

The McKeel Hagerty 1959 Bocar. Fast and pretty but The Great Race is not about speed. It's about time, distance, and the endurance of both cars and crew.

[Photos: Nigel Matthews]

SPOTTING THE GREAT RACE FROM 35,000 FEET

Seated in an Air Canada Embraier 190 I looked down on Lake Michigan at what I assumed was the Mackinac Bridge. Thanks to the GPS map on the seatback screen, which I followed throughout the 5-hour flight from Toronto to Sidney, BC, I had a pretty good idea of our location. Try as I may, however, I couldn't spot any cars competing in The Great Race. Not that I really expected to but I was fantasizing about seeing our Marque1 correspondent Nigel Matthews. As Canadian head of Hagerty, the classic car insurance giant, Nigel attends many concours, auctions and events and with Hagerty as one of the lead sponsors it was only natural that he'd be involved.

The event, a controlled-speed endurance contest restricted to cars from the 1969 model year or earlier, has traditionally been held in the lower 48 states. This year, the drivers were circumnavigating the Great Lakes, taking in many of the communities that propelled the development of the automobile and visiting, for the first time, Canadian locations.

In spite of its name, the Great Race is a time-and-distance rally, something I'm familiar with from my own motorsport days. Along the route there are checkpoints recording the exact time that the team passes. The objective is to arrive at each checkpoint at the correct time, not the fastest. The score is the result of the team’s ability to follow designated instructions precisely (usually 220 to 250 per day). GPS, computers, and cell phones are not permitted and odometers are taped over. It's a test of human mental agility and endurance as well as classic car endurance.

The course avoids timed segments on interstate highways, opting instead for scenic local, county, and state highways whenever possible, through some of the prettiest country in the United States and, this year, Canada. Nearly $120,000 in prize money is given to competitors who follow instructions correctly, awarded on July 1 at the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Mich. Don't be deluded into thinking that powerful contemporary machines have an advantage: the starting grid included a 1907 Renault, a veteran of the Vanderbilt Cup Races held on Long Island before World War I. According to the Great Race's official Web site, the Renault would be the oldest car ever to participate, beating out last year’s 1911 Velie.

I try not to be envious of my friend Nigel's motoring activities but this is one event in which I'd love to be involved and if that were to happen I'd probably be feted as the oldest driver to take part. I certainly have the background to justify such a ride but beware, anyone who might step forward to offer a seat. I'm no mechanic and would be next to useless if en route repairs were required. Better I should look down from a Brazilian-built jetliner.

DRIVING A FUTURE COLLECTIBLE WHILE ATTEMPTING NOT TO ENVY THAT OTHER GUY AND HIS ASTON MARTIN ZAGATO

During this past weekend, when I was attending the All-British classic car show in Vancouver, I was given the opportunity to take the wheel of a Volvo C30 SportHatch for a few hours of city and expressway driving. My friend Paul Enock, who owns the car, was feeling tired and rather than risk our lives and that of his lady friend he asked me to take over. I was delighted to do so because, though I have a background that includes test driving performance cars I've been away from the game for the past couple of years. Not that this Volvo is particularly fast but the turbocharged 5-cylinder engine can deliver quite a rush and the C30 handles exceptionally well.

I had two gripes. (Don't worry, this is not turning into a test drive, though you can still find my 2009 review here on the About.com site.) The first involves the brakes, which offer plenty of stopping power but don't activate until the pedal's halfway depressed. The second is about rear seat access. Sandra was forced to sit back there but it took two kind gentlemen to haul her out. No, Sandra's not a large person; egress from the rear seat is best accomplished by a very skinny snake. I would also add something I'd ignored in the About.com review: the pedal offset takes some getting used to and I never did, perhaps because that About test car had a clutch pedal on the left side, which gave my other foot something to do. Paul's C30 features a 6-speed automatic.

Shortly after my too-brief reacquaintance with the C30 I was perusing my favorite UK car site, Classic Driver, and came upon a review of a classic Aston Martin Zagato, with managing editor Steve Wakefield driving. After a brief moment of envy (in spite of my lengthy experience no vintage owner has ever offered me the opportunity to try their 4-wheeled treasure) I settled down to watch Steve's video. Incidentally, he refers to it as "a drive around the block" but his idea of a block is the size of Manhattan Island, so you get plenty of time to view it from the passenger's seat.

As videos go this will not win any awards. The camera is mounted on the passenger's side and shows a close up of the driver's face throughout. But it's the background that captivates. Steve navigates several roundabouts, giving him a chance to explore the handling while demonstrating to hapless North Americans how roundabouts should be entered. We see the scenery passing at a rapid rate when he finally gets on the motorway. And we get a momentary sense of how it feels to drive a classic sports car. Only a track test could be more fun.

Classic Driver was attending the annual Bonhams all-Aston sale at the factory in Newport Pagnall. That very Zagato later went on the auction block, where it sold for £1.2 million. So maybe I'm being optimistic for expecting that someone would let me drive a car valued at over US$1.9 but it would be nice if your writer someday got a chance to wheel a less exotic classic. Setting that childish envy aside, however, I'm still pleased to have driven the Volvo C30. Soon to go out of production it will someday be a collector car.

[Photos: C30 - Philip Powell. Aston Martin - ClassicDriver.com]

HOW A 1953 AUSTIN-HEALEY HELPS DRIVE AWAY CANCER

This has got to be one of the most poignant, most heartwarming stories from the classic car world that I've ever read. It comes from David LaChance on the Hemmings Blog and because any rewrites I might attempt won't do him credit I'm going to quote directly here:

"One year ago, a man named John Nikas drove a tatty and tired 1953 Austin-Healey 100 from coast to coast, hoping that the drive would encourage the car’s owner, a friend who had recently been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, to keep fighting. He named his effort Drive Away Cancer. Improbably, incredibly, the Healey – named Grace – made it from the West Coast to the East Coast and back again. Though it was never part of the plan, passersby he met along the way inscribed the names of their friends and loved ones whose lives had been affected by cancer. Grace had become both a rolling memorial and a symbol of hope and defiance for those living with the disease. A few weeks ago, John called to tell us that he was undertaking yet another trip in Grace, a 50,000-mile odyssey touching all 50 states. It’s called 'One Lap for America' ."

The article itself was written by John Nikas, owner and driver of the Austin-Healey 100 (he's an experienced vintage racer who has campaigned a Sebring Triumph TR4, Austin-Healey 3000, and a Jaguar XK120). I sincerely recommend clicking on this link to the Hemmings Blog, and reading the article in its entirety. If you ever had doubts about the logic of the collector car hobby (and some of us have, from time-to-time, due to the massive amount of dollars spent at the auctions) this will dispel those concerns.

It's a lovely article (thanks, David, for sharing it with us) and as John Nikas makes his way through those 50 states I hope he comes close to the BC border. Better still, I think we should invite him to cross that border for a visit. (Are you listening, Nigel and Hagerty?) The schedule can be found at DriveAwayCancerNow.org and their adventures followed on the Drive Away Cancer fan page on Facebook.

[Photos: John Nikas]

WHICH CITY HAS THE MOST INTERESTING AUTOMOBILES?

I was perusing a forum in Architectural Record that invited readers to nominate their choice as the city with the best architecture. The person who started the discussion nominated New York, another participant suggested (for good reason) Chicago, and of course such places as London, Paris, Shanghai and New Orleans were mentioned. I was tempted to add Vancouver but although the contemporary architecture is stunning there is little of historic interest. But it got me to wondering which city has the most interesting automobiles on its streets.

I'm not enough of a world traveler to comment accurately although I lived and worked in Europe for several years. North America, yes... but never in South America or the Far East. On the other hand my profession as an automobile journalist does offer a modicum of knowledge. I'm inclined to think it might be a toss-up between Los Angeles and London, as both cities are home to the so-called rich and famous. Los Angeles offers sunshine with great driving roads nearby, while London has more car enthusiasts among its citizens than any place I can think of.

Wait... I could be utterly mistaken! It might be argued that Havana is the winner because of the extraordinary number of American cars from the 50s and 60s that its citizens drive, modified for survival in a Communist regime. Monte Carlo, in the principality of Monaco, could be a contender. Small, yes, but with so many wealthy citizens, the roads of the Riviera, and events like the F1 race and the preceding classic car races, to say nothing of the Monte Carlo Rally, this iconic location sees more great cars passing through its streets in an hour than Manhattan's 5th Avenue does taxis.

With this in mind I'm inviting Marque1's viewers to add their own opinions. Which city would you nominate as the best to see interesting automobiles? Where would you go if that was your objective? This could be a fascinating discussion and a lot of fun but it needs you to participate. Just click on that little "Comments" link at the bottom-right side of this blog and tell us what you think, regardless of whether you've been there.

By the way, my choice would be Geneva, because of a little pizza bar with sidewalk seating that faces Lac Lucerne by the bridge. The traffic streaming across is a non-stop visual treat. Oh... and the pizza is superb.

[Photo Credit: Jenni of Melbourne]

TEASED BY A PRETTY, AND PRETTY RARE, SPORTS HATCH

It was a late May morning back in 1958 when I took time off from my job as a radio announcer in Barrie, Ontario to attend the Hockley Valley Hillclimb, a 1/2 mile dash up a twisting dirt road in a scenic area near Orangeville, Ontario. There was magic in the air, caused by the intoxicating odour of Castrol R motor oil (an essential in those days), mixed with the sight and sound of fast sports and touring cars. Along with a few hundred other spectators I walked up the hill to find a viewing spot, kept out of danger by watchful club marshalls.

About a half-hour into the event, after several cars had made their ascent, I heard an approaching racer, a sound that reminded me of a tenor saxophone in full song: John Coltrane on wheels. Moments later one of the most beautiful sports cars I'd ever seen came drifting around the turn. It was an Ace-Bristol in Canadian racing colours, white with green stripes, driven by Peter Hayes. The few seconds in which Peter's Ace performed left a lasting impression. From that moment on, the Ace-Bristol would be among my all-time favorites.

Peter and his brother Fred came from a well-off Toronto family and both boys were handsome enough to become models, a useful source of revenue if you were into road racing. Fred Hayes went on to drive Cobras and Sadler Specials for Chuck Rathgeb's Comstock racing team but it was Peter's Ace-Bristol that earned a permanent place in my heart. Later I would learn that the Ace could be purchased with a choice of three 6-cylinder engines: the original AC, a Ford Zephyr version, and the exotic Bristol. The latter was, in fact, an update of the pre-WW2 BMW 328 sports car engine, which Bristol had acquired as war reparations and was using in its own cars.

In the early 60s, I became editor of Canada Track & Traffic magazine, then the country's only consumer car mag. The office manager was Diana Carter, a young woman who successfully raced touring cars when she wasn't keeping the books (and her co-workers, most of whom were racers) honest. Diana had somehow become the owner of an AC Aceca, similar to the one above, but was anxious to sell it. And who better, as prospective buyer, than the editor who'd earlier fallen in love with the Ace-Bristol?

I borrowed the pretty hatch for an hour, eager to experience the performance and handling, and though it was a delight to drive the AC Aceca lacked the refinement I'd come to expect from other sports cars I'd been testing. But then I came to my senses and realised I couldn't afford to keep such an exotic machine, certainly not on my income as a car mag editor. Nevertheless I still have a fondness for the Aceca which, as a collector car, sells for more than ten times what it was worth then.

[Story Lead: Daniel Strohl/Hemmings]

A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY WITH THE LONDON TO BRIGHTON RUN

Here I go, being sentimental again, but after all, we romanticists do contribute something useful to this world, don't we? Or perhaps our emotions simply  work overtime. In writing this blog about the annual, and long-running, London to Brighton run for veteran automobiles, my mind immediately returned to 1970 when I was working for an American ad agency in London; a Canadian transferred from New York.

At the time, though interested in the classics, I had difficulty relating to the veteran models, which in no way resembled modern cars. Nevertheless I departed our west end flat on a drizzly morning (what else in November London?), and rode the underground to the start in Hyde Park. What I saw there left me astonished as a long line of antique automobiles, some built in the 19th century, waited their turn to depart. The drivers and passengers were bundled up for the weather, not in fashionable Burberry coats, but in outfits identical to those worn decades ago. Some were carrying wicker picnic baskets of food and drink, as they might have in Victorian times. And no one seemed in the least bothered by the rain. Except me. After watching a couple of dozen cars depart and still unsure of the relevance of it all, I returned to a warm home and a welcome cup of hot English tea.

Decades later and just a tiny bit wiser, I now realise what a fool I was not to have spent at least an hour chatting with the owners. I'd have learned much about veteran automobiles and come away with a deeper appreciation of both the vehicles and the event. And that brings me to this year's London to Brighton, and to three cars that Bonhams is auctioning on the eve of the Run, having secured an entry, thus assuring the new owners an opportunity to participate. Mind you, it doesn't give them much time to learn how to manage those ancient vehicles, which can't be easy. Those who complete the entire run from London to Brighton will, however, be rewarded with a well deserved bowl of hearty chilli con carne and mulled wine provided by Bonhams.

Oldest car in the sale is a 113-year-old 1898 Fisson 8hp Twin-Cylinder Six-seat Wagonette, believed to be the only surviving Panhard-style Fisson. Almost as old is a 112-year-old 1899 Panhard-Levassor Type M2F 6hp Wagonette. The French firm was responsible for developing the Système Panhard, essentially the layout of the modern motorcar, and the Type M2F 6hp Wagonette is an excellent example. The third car up for auction and entered into the Run is the rare 1902 Deckert 8hp two-seater seen above.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run was first held in 1896 and today is the world’s longest-running motoring rally. The event, which drew an amazing 500,000 spectators last year, takes place on Sunday the 6th of November, with the first (and oldest) cars leaving Hyde Park at sunrise. And by the way, this is no sightseeing tour. Some of the cars can barely make it up the hills and will struggle to reach the finish line. Technical skill and knowledge is needed in case of a breakdown. And the weather can be cool and damp. Nevertheless I'd truly love to be there, riding along as a passenger. I'd be turning the clock back and getting it right this time.

[Photo: Bonhams]

FIRST LOVE GREETS A FAST 1934 FORD TUDOR

Back when I was a mere 19 years of age I had an opportunity to drive a 1934 Ford Tudor. I've never forgotten the experience nor the young woman who'd been indirectly responsible. Evelyn Morrice, a world champion water ballet swimmer, was my first real girlfriend ("real" being the operative word here). Late one afternoon, when I was visiting her home, Evelyn's brother asked if I'd mind retrieving a parcel from his apartment few miles away. I could use his 1934 Ford.

Protected by the statute of limitations I can now admit that I did so without benefit of a driver's license. Oh, I knew how to drive... sort of. I'd had three lessons at a driving school where my teacher, an ex-pat from England, had been a race driver before emigrating to Canada. Believe me, you can learn more in three lessons from a skilled race driver than three months with North America's so-called driving school experts. Not to denigrate their experience but there's a lot about car handling those folks don't know.

I drove away and soon discovered that the 1934 Ford Tudor performed like the proverbial scalded cat. But here's the big surprise: it did not have a flathead V-8 under the hood! Instead it was a four, an uprated version of the same engine that powered the Model A. How could that car have been so quick, so manoeuvrable, so responsive? Because it was relatively light in weight and because the four-cylinder engine had ample torque. I suppose a flathead V-8 would have impressed me more but perhaps, considering my lack of driving experience, it was just as well that I had four fewer cylinders to deal with.

All those memories came flooding back when I spotted Old Cars Weekly's "Car of the Week," a 1934 Ford Tudor almost identical to the one I drove decades ago except for its flathead V-8 engine. The car's owner is, to say the least, a man of distinction in the world of early Fords. Jerry Vincentini is the national chief judge for the Early Ford V-8 Club of America and, as Old Car Weekly reports, "he has plenty of options when he wants to go globetrotting in a vintage car. 'I have about 20 flathead V-8s that were made from ’32 to ’53. I’ve owned one of ’em for 37 years. I drove it so much I had to restore it twice!' "

It would be hard to find a bigger Ford fan than Vincentini, says Old Cars Weekly. He’s bled Ford blue all his life, driven old flatheads all over the country, and even raced them at the Bonneville Salt Flats. “I actually raced a ’40 Ford at Bonneville up until two years ago — went 175 miles an hour in it,” he said. Jerry's story about the car's acquisition and restoration is well worth your time, so don't hesitate to click on this Old Cars Weekly link. As for me, I was overcome with nostalgia.

Okay, I'm exaggerating a little as my relationship with this young lady only lasted a couple of years but still... your first with a woman and your first with a fast Ford makes for a memorable combination. If ever I get a chance to meet Jerry, I hope he'll grant me a few miles behind the wheel of this beautiful 1934 Ford Tudor.

[Photo Credits: Brian Earnest]

CRUISING WITH A PINTO, AFFORDABLE FUN

As a defender of the woebegon and downtrodden among vintage cars I feel compelled to report on a 1600 mile cruise to celebrate its 40th anniversary by owners of the much maligned Ford Pinto. Twenty-four cars started in Denver and eight more joined along the way. They all expect to make it to the finish line at the Carlisle Ford Nationals on Thursday. And why not? The Pinto was a perfectly good little runabout, economical and fun to drive, but got a bad rap because of several rear-enders wherein cars crashing into the fastback coupe caused it to catch fire.

Norman and Louise Bagi in their 1976 Pinto Runabout and 1977 Pinto coupe, respectively, led the group. And what did Norman have to say about the fear of blowing up if rear-ended? He said the problem was exaggerated, and that a simple retrofit fixes the issue. Louise does keep a fire extinguisher in the car but that makes sense for any classic.

On Memorial Day the group toured Fort Riley, then enjoyed taking laps around the Kansas Speedway where some came close to reaching 100 mph. Touring the Indianapolis Speedway track they were, however, limited to a more sensible 30 mph. At Carlise the cars will be participating in a downtown parade and will hold a raffle of a guitar autographed by Ted Nugent, with proceeds going to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Personally I'm pleased to note that owners of cars once considered undesireable can get together and enjoy themselves in this way. It's not all about the rich and powerful.

[Story source: Autoweek Magazine]