"It's better to be looked over than overlooked"

["Mahoney, John" <jmahoney@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mae West was speaking of something other than AMCs and Ramblers, but her
words are applicable to cars --- on the road and on display at shows.

Hasn't anyone here seen the Pacer in a new (2005) McDonald's USA TV ad?  It
fares far better than in the (1999) McDonald's Mexican Pacer spot.

>>
But how is "AMC power" going to be defined? Is a Hudson six going to be
classified as AMC -- maybe only if it is a 55-57 model, or the same size as
used in AMC made Hudsons? What about later Jeep 4.0L engines?
<<

While plenty of "oohs" and "aahs" arose from car owners and spectators
alike, neither AACA nor CCCA considered one 1932 Ambassador 1090 with a 1970
chrome-laden 390 as Nash-powered --- despite clear Kenosha lineage.

"Original" is what the factory sold, "modified" is anything done later;
"dealer specials" are subject to different standards at different makes.
Chevrolet has the best handle on such things; AMC could learn from them.

That doesn't mean there shouldn't be a non-AM-power-in-AM-body class* at AM
shows.  Someone starting with a SB-in-Spirit who finds friends and an AM
home will likely "move on up" to the real deal sooner or later, to be "one
of the boys and girls."  (Peer pressure ain't all bad, sometimes...)   

>>
Ok - who here remembers the Studillac -
raise your Hands !  Uh-huh....... thought so.
<<

Mine is and it's pointed toward Allard, Cunningham, Frick, Gaylord, Kurtis
and other fab fifties Cadillac-engined cars** (which included Fords...),

http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_ima/lifrdlac.JPG

(**one of which had a very strong and direct American Motors connection; one
which had an earlier "Tappet" brother connection; and one which had a Yale
connection that led to the current success [Got a HEMI in that?) of
Chrysler.  Oh yeah, and a Nash that led to Corvette plus a Chevy V-8 that
led America to a musclecar age.  That's a Frick-Tappet Ford above.) 

>>
customizations, in general.  For example, Mark Rippe's 64 Classic
660 Wagon. It's got an Ambassador 990 V8 (327) driveline; 79
Spirit disk brakes; Vintage Air A/C and heat. It's lowered.
Mercedes Benz paint (well, soon :-).
<<

and the first "factory-approved" H&E Custom View-Master [Series 62 + 89]
Cadillac station wagon.  It was painted a Chrysler green metallic.  Five of
the seven built survive; one (car #4) had original [Ford-parts] wood-grain
trim.

Twelve more were built in 1956 (when wood paneling was standard [and a
delete option]): one of those (a #4 car, again) was delivered to CMD; thus
making "factory" even more so.

>>
Depending upon WHICH engine part you were
looking at - !

Don't forget the GM Tilt Column !

Aren't those Mirrors Ford Items too ?
<<

AMC outdid Cadillac --- it put Ford mirrors on one-off concept cars!

>>
I think a mixing of the models, accomplished easily by
simply letting cars line up as they arrive, would act
to 'clean the palate<sp?>' between similar cars. And

snip

Beyond easier judging, there may be other solid reasons
for keeping them grouped that I'm not seeing. Feel free
to educate me. :)
<<

While there's rationale for specific-model lineups, I think the most
"spectator-educational" shows are those using chronological display: there's
no better way to teach auto history than a walk through time.  Moreover,
there's no better way to master a make than to see exactly what was changed
from one year to the next. 

PS - While I'm never quite sure about what Brien sez, FWIW, T-bird shall
return, as shall Camaro and, since it's more likely that Buick will die
instead of Pontiac, Firebird, as well.  Names like theirs (so what about
AMX??) are simply too valuable not to be re-used.

PPS - DCX paid more to appear in "Sahara" than GM paid to see a Solstice in
"The Apprentice" (it costs between $2M and $4M to have The Donald say your
name); Jeep being joined by Apple, Budweiser, Coke, Doxa, Intel, Microsoft,
Panasonic, Ray-Ban, Samsung, Sauza, Sony, USA Today and the WHO [not the
band Mr. Widiker would prefer rock his car shows; the World Health
Organization], but DCX expects that cross-marketing (including a thousand
Limited Edition $31k Wranglers it hopes to sell) will more than balance the
books.  Jeep's TV spots were cut by the same studio that edited the film's
trailer, in concert with Chrysler Group's agency, BBDO Detroit.  The success
of "Tomb Raider" was noted by both Auburn Hills and in Stuttgart and DCX has
even trademarked "BrandCasting" as its own  marketing tool. (The same
company that let its AMC trademarks go...)

Whatever name is employed, sales are not guaranteed.  Pontiac spent $7M on
G6 and Queen Oprah.  Result?  She's richer.  GM is not.     

http://blog.inc.com/archives/2005/04/19/general_miasma.html

PPPS - Beach Boys' music is remarkable (especially given technological
limitations of their day), but "hearing the surf" can be tiring at auto
shows, too.  Maybe those stuffed cloth "munchkins" leaning on tires and
peeping out of trunks nowadays should sing instead.  ("We're off to see the
Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Cars...")