Author Archives: Carl Bomstead

Carl Bomstead

Carl has been writing for SCM for 19 years. His first article appeared in the February 1997 issue, and at least one of his articles has appeared in every issue since. When he’s not writing, he serves as a National Director for the Classic Car Club of America and tends to his extensive collection of automobilia. He has been a judge at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance for the past 20 years, and he also judges at Amelia Island and other major concours. An extensive number of collector cars have passed through his garage, and a 1947 Cadillac 62 Series convertible and a 1968 Intermeccanica Italia are current residents.

Italian Bicycles Join the Festivities at Concorso Italiano

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

Many say Italians are at the vanguard of bicycle design and engineering. After all, bicycles have long been associated with Italy, with the oldest bicycle company, Bianchi, originating from Italy in 1885.

This year, Concorso Italiano will host a display for Italian bicycles. Welcoming all Italian bikes, from the early 1900s to current models, attendees are invited to witness the transformation and honing of these non-motorized transporters over the decades.

Concorso Italiano will take place August 17, 2012 from Read More

1931 Chrysler CG Imperial Convertible Victoria

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

This 1931 Chrysler CG Imperial Custom Convertible Victoria by Waterhouse was produced on June 15, 1931. The known history dates to 1939, when Calvin Collins of New York purchased it from the McCormick garage.

The Collins family enjoyed the car for several years, but it was almost lost to the scrap metal drives of World War II. At the insistence of Collins’ young son, Scott, the sculpted Imperial was spared, but in the balance of patriotism and patronage, the Chrysler Read More

1931 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Coupe

Posted on by Carl Bomstead
The Duesenberg presented here, one of six Model Js that Capt. George Whittell Jr. purchased new, is arguably the finest example of the coachbuilt American automobile. Penned by legendary designer Franklin Hershey and executed by Murphy, the coachwork is a study in elegance and individualization, distinguished by Whittell’s inimitable motifs.

At its foundation is Duesenberg’s long-wheelbase chassis, a full eleven inches longer and more expensive than the standard Model J. Generally reserved for the most lavish and Read More

1957 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible

Posted on by Carl Bomstead
Without side rails there was no lateral-impact protection, but safety was not a major concern in the 1950s

In 1953, General Motors wowed the automotive world with the introduction of a 50th Anniversary Buick, the Skylark, as well as the Oldsmobile Fiesta, the Cadillac Eldorado and a fiberglass sports car called the Corvette. All four cars were successful, but it was the mighty Cadillac that retained the most star power. Today, 1950s-era Read More

1967 Volkswagen 21-Window Samba Bus

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

As readily recognizable as the immortal Volkswagen Beetle itself, the VW Type 2 and its derivatives enjoyed an even longer period in production than their progenitor. The original was conceived in the late 1940s by a Dutch Volkswagen agent, Den Pon, who drew up plans for a van based on the Beetle floorpan and running gear.

Known as the Volkswagen Type 2 (the Beetle being Type 1), the result of Pon’s efforts arrived in 1950 and almost immediately proliferated into Read More

1954 Dodge Firearrow III Concept

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

Chysler’s financial crises of the early 1950s couldn’t stop the string of Virgil Exner’s Ghia concept cars

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In 1953, Dodge unveiled its first concept car, the Firearrow, a sleek out-of-this-world roadster that provided a glimpse of what everyone’s new automobile would look like in just a few years. While this stylish open-top car looked like it was ready to ply the highways of tomorrow, it was just a rolling concept Read More

1937 Oldsmobile L37 Convertible Sedan

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

This is the only Oldsmobile to have been recognized by the Classic Car Club of America as a Full Classic

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There was a time when neither Ford nor Chevrolet were America’s leading automobile producers. You have to go back to the dawn of the auto industry, but from 1903 to 1905, Oldsmobile was top dog. Rolling out of Lansing, the little single-cylinder, curved-dash runabout was touted as able to go the distance Read More

1959 Jaguar XK 150 S Roadster

Posted on by Carl Bomstead

Jaguar people may argue, but I believe the 150’s appeal lies in the “creature comforts” our traveling companions often demand

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Jaguar’s series of XK sports cars established the company’s reputation as a manufacturer of good-looking, fast automobiles sold at a reasonable price. The 1949 launch of the XK 120 caused a sensation and, at the time, its 120 mph top speed established it as the fastest standard production car available. The introduction Read More