Network
Pennsylvania is the automotive keystone of America. Sure, it’s not Detroit, it’s not Los Angeles, and they didn’t film American Graffiti there. But it’s home to two of America’s premiere car shows and swap meets: Hershey and Carlisle. I attended the Carlisle GM Nationals on June 24-26, 2011 to see some Detroit iron and to get a feel for the current state of the hobby. From Bow Ties to the Standard of the Word and anything in between (including an Oakland and a LaSalle mingling with the Ponchos, Oldsmobiles, and Buicks), it’s a great place to relax while checking out someone’s pride and joy or looking for parts for your own project. Care to follow in my footsteps and see what’s there?
This 1970 GTO Judge was originally a green base-model GTO equipped with the Ram Air IV motor and not much else.
Entering from the back gate (I have my secret free parking spot), you’re first presented with the car corral. You’ll find cars in all types of condition for you to buy, from a 1959 Oldsmobile convertible needing a motor and front end to a late-model Camaro “WeC” modified by Walters Elkland Chevrolet to look like a 1969 Rally Sport.
Yes, trust me, Mabel, that's a '59 Olds over there. The WeC Camaro is interesting, but I suspect the core Carlisle visitor was more interested in the Olds project. The Firebird 'Redbird' was a rare 4-speed car. The Vega reminds me of a Motion Performance car, which is the way all Vegas should be.
This 1965 Olds 4-4-2 was a rare two-tone post. It's more collectible than, say, a '68 Buick Electra (also two-tone) but how many times do you get to see them in this condition? Older full-size cruisers like this '59 Pontiac were scattered around, but muscle cars like the 1970 Olds 4-4-2 W30 are Carlisle's core.
In the corral building you’ll find prime space set aside for what usually are the most interesting cars for sale (or sellers who aren’t so cheap!), such as the 1968 Tahitian Turquoise Camaro SS 396 with those oh-so-cool mag wheelcovers. If it’s sounding a little Chevy-heavy, I would suggest you’re not looking hard enough – check out the 1955 Pontiac Chieftain below for proof.
The gold '67 was just a regular 327 Rally Sport, but the wheelcovers 'make it.' 1955 Poncho was super-sano, as they used to say in the old buff books. Turquoise '68 Camaro was equipped with the L78 motor. 1971 Vette had the very desirable LT1 350/330.
Next on my agenda were the barn buildings. There’s a few that host invite-only displays, sometimes with a theme. In Building Y there was a “Hot Rodders of Tomorrow” mechanic contest for kids, but in Building T you’d find the invitational. Does a row of Cosworth Vega Twin Cams interest you? There was a ton of black and gold and rust (“OH!” done in my best Diceman imitation) ones there, and maybe you would have been surprised to learn they were available in colors for 1976. Grumpy Jenkins also was there signing autographs, and I heard it from a bird that he was grumpier in his old age! He was right by the Old Reliable IV 1963 Chevrolet Z11 race car. A little bit of everything for every inclination.
Maybe it *is* a Bow Tie world, but that's not all that was there.
Grand Prix was Roy Tyler's NASCAR racer with Pontiac power. Sparkly custom car is a mid-1970s Monza. 1969 Corvette had 427/390 with single four-barrel. The 1969 Judge was in Pontiac's famous Verdoro Green.
Okay, so perhaps there were too many Chevys? The red '67 Z/28 is the only one known to exist with a bench seat.
After snagging myself one of the yummiest soft pretzels ever, I continue my trek, this time to the show field. Cars were segmented based on type, so you’ll find Corvettes clustered in one area, old Chevys in another, then Novas, late- and later-model Impalas, Chevelles…you get the idea. Of special note was how popular the late-model F-bodies are, as I think they overshadowed the collector cars.
Old Chevys never die - they just go to Carlisle, just like the new ones.
This 1970 Monte Carlo has a rare 4-speed and the 402 motor rated at 330 horsepower.
1970 SS 396 packed L78 rated at 375 hp, which was replaced mid-year with the LS6 454. Dynos on demand, if you were so inclined. Monte Carlos SSs for the Bon Jovi fans and Impalas from the past 20 years were also quite popular.
1980 El Camino Super Sport was in the hands of its original owner. It's one of the last 'true' 4-speed performance cars (if 1980 could be considered performance).
Royal Plum '67 Camaro SS/RS is perhaps my favorite color from the era. Custom '69 make sure things stayed interesting. 1973 was the last year for the first phase of the second-gen Camaros; you can see how it looked a few years later, but in-between that, you'll find this '74 Rally Sport.
This is a very rare Callaway Camaro C8.
SLP was there to show us how it's done. Novas and Vettes shared some space. 1970 Nova was super-sharp with its COPO-esque LT1. Bruce Larson's USA-1 Camaro and Corvette were on hand for the racing fans.
The Corvair was introduced for 1960, and the 'Corvan' was introduced the next year. An interesting and rare variant was the Rampside pickup, perfect for landscaping businesses.
As the King of all muscle cars, Pontiac is never shy about its presence. It was a step above the “Low-Priced Three” but ended up beating Plymouth for #3 in sales for most of the decade. And who can blame them? They reeked of style and performance up to the bitter end in 2010.
Perhaps my favorite Pontiac at the show: A 1968 GTO with two-tone paint and still in the hands of its original owner. 1967 SS 396 is beside it.
There's that plum color again! This semi-custom '67 Grand Prix's color is Plum Mist. Front end was unique to the GP.
Late-model Pontiac (okay, 'Corporate') Power was in force. I saw more G8s here than I've seen on the street.
Firebirds may have played second fiddle to the Camaro, but I can't tell. Red '67 Firebird HO originally had 326HO motor that's been replaced by a 428.
This is not a 1964 Catalina. This is a Parisienne Custom Sport convertible, which is from Canada. All Canadian Pontiacs had Chevy engines. This one has a 283, but it was offered with anything up to a 409.
Tyrol Blue 1967 GTO is perhaps the quintessential '67. That was the first year for the 400, the last year for the first-gen.
Before there was Pontiac, there was Oakland, which actually is the name of the county Pontiac, MI is in. This is a 1922 Touring.
There were plenty of Fieros. An oft-overlooked version - no doubt due to its 4-cyl. motor, - is the Indy Fiero. In spirit was the Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice.
Maybe Oldsmobile doesn’t have any F-bodies or class-leading car like the GTO, but it once had America’s favorite automobile: The Cutlass Supreme. That car sold so well that it boggles the mind that 30 years later the brand would exist no more.
The 1966 Toronado was a landmark American car. It was the first full-size FWD car since the Cord, and its styling was reminiscent of a show car.
The 1983 Hurst/Olds had the Lightning Rod shifter, which looks complicated but it's pretty simple - just grab a gear!
This 1974 Cutlass was soon to be America's favorite car, but it had its beginnings in 1961. This '62 F-85 convertible has a Jetfire turbo motor, while the wagon has the aluminum 215 V-8.
The last year for the 'real' Olds 4-4-2 was in 1972. Around 1300 convertibles were built that year. Slightly more popular was the 1959 Super 88, which was brand-new that year.
When better cars are built, Buick will build them. One step below Cadillac, the car of dentists wasn’t a major player in the muscle car sweepstakes, but the 1970 GS Stage 1 was the fastest car tested by Motor Trend that year. Not bad for a 455/360.
The 1973 Riviera was the last of the 'Boattail' Rivs. The 1962 Skylark was Buick's special compact with an interesting motor that was later bought by Rover. The GS 340 was brand-new for 1967 and only came in white or platinum, all with red trim. And here's the only Stage 1 at Carlisle this year.
The early-1960s were good to Buick. Their cars were elegant, and they benefited from GM's sphere of influence. Here's a 1960 LeSabre and 1962 Invicta, the latter soon to be replaced by the Wildcat in '63, although the Wildcat was first introduced in '62 as an Invicta coupe.
So maybe you wouldn’t expect to find a Cadillac at Carlisle, a flea market of sorts that leans toward American muscle. Luckily for us, a few of the faithful did come with their Caddys, plus there were a few CTS-Vs to show that Cadillac can keep up with the big boys.
America taking on the Germans? This car did at a race track I can't pronounce! A 1967 DeVille compares itself nicely to a 1980s version, which just ain't the same to me. Of course, in 1959, Cadillac was king of the fins, but I think I'd take this rodded '57 instead.
The 1934 LaSalle was one of Harley Earl's masterpieces. This companion to Cadillac lasted from 1927 through 1940.
So what’s next? How about the car dealership?
Every year, the organizers amass a collection of some pretty neat iron. This year it was “Chevy City” with “427 Camaros on deck!”
This is the view from within. The L78 Nova SS 396 is a '68 and is 'getting there.' That's a black 396 car and a green Z/28 in the background.
See the guy who won't get out of the way of my photo? He's shooting this Camaro's 427. But this ain't just any Camaro but one from Fred Gibb Chevrolet. Dig the Spyder wheels!
You can compare these two COPOs, as one was prepped by Yenko Chevrolet, while the other one is a basic 427 car with the appearance group (look at the stripes).
Enter the service area and you'll find this...
This Daytona Yellow COPO was sponsored by Byrne Brothers Chevrolet out of White Plains, NY.
This Burnished Brown '69 is an honest-to-goodness Baldwin-Motion car that retained its original 396 instead of receiving a 427 transplant.
Here's two 1968s, which sometimes don't receive much love. The black SS is a bench seat/4-speed car with the L78 396/375. The red Malibu convertible is a very rare L79 327/325. This was the top engine for non-SS cars.
After finding myself without enough money (even for financing), I left the car dealership and headed over to the swap meet. Carlisle’s swap meet is its bread and butter. Aside of the usual junkyard dog scavenging, you can also find people selling old car magazines, car books, and any latent item that you didn’t know you needed till that very moment. One thing that’s becoming more and more popular is 1980s muscle.
I understand some people don’t think “1980s” and “muscle” should be uttered in the same breath but these are the cars some grew up with. It’s hard to believe a Turbo Trans Am may be over 30 years old but it’s true, so don’t scoff at any opportunity to save one because they are in demand and will only gain in popularity – only a few years ago, this interior would have aroused little interest.
The same could be said for wheels - ya can't be cruising the strip without the proper factory mags.
Need a Poncho Ram Air pan? Check. 1972 Corvette 350? Check. Firebird Endura nose? Check…hey, what's on this them here wagon?
On my way back to my secret parking spot, I stumble upon the General Motors Performance Division display. We may not have forgotten about these cars that make our hearts skip a beat, but The General hasn’t forgotten about us either. Their support keeps us coming back for more. We’ve already lost Oldsmobile and Pontiac – can our sense of nostalgia afford to lose any more?
