Q:Greg, I am writing mainly to compliment you on your answer to "M.M." and his 3-speed manual equipped Pontiac GTO in a recent “Car Collector Corner” column in "Auto Roundup,” Vol. 7, Number 694 on page 35.
Instead of giving the enquirer "short-shift," you have done a lot of work and combined a fully informative response and it was interesting even to me.
Having done nearly 2500 research books (and microfilm) over 11 years, I think I have recognized a good effort.
I still have photocopies of the instruction manual fully pictured for the 1927 Jordan JE, with text in Spanish. The original I sent to a member of the Jordan family. My mother did the translation, and maybe I should offer for sale copies of these (they are 17 pages).
As for my personal cars, I started with a 1941 Graham with a Continental motor, and it was five years old and had 20,000 miles but never used in the winter. I drove that car for 13 years in Maine, Oklahoma, North Carolina and much of West Virginia.
(Graham car production would eventually merge with Kaiser-Frazer in February of 1947).
I also went through six Packards, and they were wonderful cars. I also owned a DeSoto (nice), Chrysler 300 (1965), Plymouth, and a Ford Galaxie that I had to put new rods in as no one else would. I remember there was an "oiling kit" for the car available.
As for costs, my output for two of the cars was $495, but the other cars never cost me more than $200 to $250 each.
More recently, I have been using my daughter's "extra vehicle" to get around and save as best as I can. My father used to build the luxury Lozier automobile, (built from 1900 to 1916 by Harry. A. Lozier and known as the HAL) and also Cadillac, White Motor Company (1902-1981), Cleveland Motor Car, and Chandler (1913-1929). Plus my father and a friend assembled five Cleveland Motor Cars every two days.
My mother was Mr. Lozier's secretary and I was born in Cleveland when they came here to make the HAL luxury cars.
My son gave me your article on the 1966 GTO Ford style "Dearborn M13 transmission," as he has an interest in these things.
I have kept everything on auto ads and articles, so I have many notebooks full of old information, and marques that even I had not heard of. Keep up your interesting and good work, Greg, and I will watch for another column by you.
Sincerely, Robert Shamleffer, Willoughby, Ohio.
A:Thanks so much Mr. Shamleffer. Letters like yours keep me doing what I do and loving it. Have a great 2008.