Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum

Coming Unhinged: Our 1908 Rambler

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

While Willy is away at the Scottsdale auctions, I thought I'd present a short profile on one of our Brass Era automobiles. This 1908 Rambler Model 31 five-passenger tourer is in amazing condition for a 104-year-old car. Its original owner had the misfortune of letting the block freeze before he had driven it a mere 1,000 miles. Rather than repair the car, he left it sitting on blocks in storage for the next 67 years.

The Rambler's next owner acquired it in 1975 and refreshed the car with a new paint job and rubber products. Otherwise, it remains in all-original condition to this day. The photo at right shows how well the seats and woodwork have been preserved.

Bicycle maker Thomas Jeffrey was among the first Americans to become interested in automobiles, building his first one in 1897 and moving into production of Ramblers in 1902. Jeffrey quickly gained a reputation for building high-quality, medium-priced automobiles and became the second manufacturer after Oldsmobile to build cars on an assembly line.

The Rambler Model 31 was advertised as “the car for country roads.” This touring car’s most notable feature is its hinged body, which can be swung upward with ease to expose the two-cylinder, 206-cubic-inch engine and two-speed transmission. The tonneau can also be removed completely. The Jeffrey Company claimed a person could convert this “utility car” from a five-passenger touring car to a two-passenger roadster or flatbed truck in three to five minutes.

Valdez Snow, Nome Ice & The Great Race in Alaska

2012-01-12T15:45:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Alaska has been in the national news recently, thanks to several epic storms and snowfalls. The coastal towns of Cordova and Valdez are presently buried in snow while residents struggle to clear the streets and keep their roofs from collapsing. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard's only Arctic ice-breaker, the Healy, and the Russian-flagged tanker Renda are struggling through the Bering Sea ice pack in an attempt to deliver over one million gallons of heating oil to Nome. A hurricane-force storm in November prevented the usual autumn fuel delivery to Nome, hence this heroic effort. The ships' progress through shifting ice and towering pressure ridges has been difficult, to put it mildly.

Photo courtesy of Candy Waugaman

Massive snowfalls are not unusual in Valdez, which was the terminus for the first road connecting Fairbanks to the coast. Thompson Pass north of Valdez is renown for having the most snowfall ever recorded in Alaska: 974.5 inches (81.2 feet!) fell here during the winter of 1952-53. The first automobile stages traveling the Valdez-Fairbanks Trail were often halted by blizzards here and in the Alaska Range. In such instances, passengers were transferred to horse-drawn sleighs that met up with an automobile waiting further down the road. Even today's motorists can encounter blizzards and avalanches that shut down the highway or make driving treacherous.

Alaska's current predicament has reminded me of the absurdity of the original route planned for the 1908 New York-Paris automobile race. Organizers were convinced that automobiles would be able to travel from Valdez in March over the winter sleigh trail to Fairbanks, and then down the frozen Tanana and Yukon Rivers to Nome. From here they would cross the Bering Strait, either by ship or by dismantling the cars and sledding them across the ice! Not only can people not even WALK across the strait's pack ice without swimming because of open leads, the difficulties faced by a modern-day ice-breaker cast doubt that a steamship could have made the crossing that time of year.

Not surprisingly, the first automobile to reach Valdez by ship during the 1908 race (a Thomas Flyer now on display at the National Automobile Museum in Reno) barely made it off the dock due to the deep snow and was shipped back south. Of course, that didn't make for an exciting Hollywood story, so a movie loosely based on the race took great liberty with this part of the tale. Remember "The Great Race" with Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Natalie Wood? I'm still in awe at how easily they floated the Leslie Special and Hannibal 8 across the Bering Straight on an ice floe. If only we could get heating fuel to Nome so effortlessly! Fortunately, the pie fight later in the movie far out-sillied this scene.

By the way, you can see one of the four Leslie Specials made for the movie at the Tupelo Automobile Museum in Alabama, while one of the five Hannibal 8s made is on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum Los Angeles.

*Update* The Healy and Renda arrived at the port of Nome on January 14.

Ford Model T Seeks New Relationship

2012-01-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Hard as it is to part with one of our beautiful museum cars, we've decided to sell our 1911 Ford Model T Runabout. We have several other Model Ts in our collection and need to make room for some recent acquisitions.

If you are looking for a Brass Era Model T that is ready for shows and/or excursions, this sporty automobile is being offered at the Gooding Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 21, 2012.

For more photos and a description of the car, click here for the Gooding auction catalog page. You'll need to spend a few seconds creating a password in order to view the full listing.

Blast from the Past: Museum Construction

2012-01-06T12:30:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

There isn't any news from our shop this week, so I've decided to take you back in time instead. It's hard to believe we broke ground for the museum only a few years ago. Here's a picture of the concrete work taken in August of 2008.

With summer nearing an end, our construction crew worked hard that September to get the building framed and enclosed before the cold temperatures hit.

As you can see, snow had fallen before we completed that goal.

Once enclosed, it was a busy winter for the construction crew and contractors as they worked on wiring, piping, venting, painting, flooring, etc. The rest of us were busy writing up signs and exhibit panels, ordering supplies, tuning up the automobiles and marketing this new attraction.

By the following spring, we were finally ready to start moving the cars out of storage and into the museum. Here the 1903 Toledo makes her entrance after being hauled across town. Several of the automobiles made it there under their own power.

As planned, we were ready for our June 1, 2009 opening. It had taken a village to get to that point, but the results were well worth the effort!

A Brush with History

2011-12-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Our little 1908 Brush runabout has a story to tell, and not just because its frame and axles are made of wood. This unrestored, single-cylinder automobile once belonged to Gilda Gray, a silent film star who popularized the "shimmy" dance in the 1920s. The thrice-married Gray led a colorful life, performing in the Ziegfeld Follies and Vaudeville before becoming a screen sensation. You can see her shimmy in a movie playing on a video kiosk near our Brush.

While researching the history of automobiles in Fairbanks, I was delighted to find that at least one Brush was imported here, a 10-HP, 4-passenger runabout that arrived in 1910. Its new owner was William A. Coghill, a "circulator" for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. The August 3, 1910 issue of that newspaper included this colorful opinion of Coghill's new purchase:

"Bill Coghill...at great trouble and expense to himself has invested in a gasoline buggy that this great purveyor of news and molder of public opinion may be placed in the hands of the readers in a manner that is thoroughly modern. Hereafter, the asthmatic cough about the hour of five o'clock will announce to the residents of Ester that the latest news sizzling hot from the press is about to be delivered upon them. Then from a blue gasoline haze and brown dust blur, from which comes the clank of machinery and the cooing noises of the chauffeur talking baby talk to his pet, the readers of the sheet will be prostrated by the blows of the paper delivered by that powerful left-handed flip of Coghill."

Coghill would go on to start an automobile passenger service between Fairbanks and Ester with the little Brush. In 1913 he purchased a Metz and three years later imported the first automobile to Nenana--a Ford truck. A 1922 edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner listed a Brush among the town's 120 automobiles, but the fate of Coghill's first car is unknown. At least we know what became of the Brush that once belonged to the "Shimmy Queen."

Hobbled by Fashion

2011-12-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Of all the fashions of the Edwardian era, none was more controversial—or dangerous—as the hobble skirt that was popular from 1910 to 1914. Hobble skirts were so narrow at their base that wearers were forced to take tiny, geisha-like steps. Many denounced the hobble skirt as unsafe, while others ridiculed such a restrictive fashion appearing at a time when suffragettes were demanding more freedom.

We just put this beautiful blue hobble dress on display. It is hobbled by its narrow cut and a placquet that hugs the knee area. Made of fine woven silk with oriental or early Art Deco motifs, the fabric is very lightweight and seems more appropriate for a scarf than a dress. The dress was likely made by a private or skilled home seamstress.

Hobble skirts were outrageous enough to make an impact on the transportation industry. By 1914, streetcars throughout the world were modified with special ‘hobble skirt cars’ that had low doors, allowing a woman to mount and disembark the car “without encouraging curiosity and diminishing privacy.” Ironically, the hobble skirt trend died soon after these streetcars were introduced.

Can you think of any other fashions that influenced transportation design?

Another Fordson Snow Motor

2011-12-14T15:14:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

This past Sunday, two men braved Fairbanks' sub-freezing temperatures and extremely slick roads to visit the museum in their Model A Fords. One of the drivers wanted his car photographed next to our 1926 Fordson Snow Motor. This unusual "Snow Devil," which is on loan to us from the Pioneer Air Museum, attracts attention from around the world. In fact, the above link takes you to one of our most-read blog posts.

This past week we were delighted to receive several Snow Motor photos from Clem Clement of Virginia. Clem, a train collector, did a 7,400-mile cross-country tour last summer that included a stop at the World Mining Museum in Butte, Montana, home to the Snow Motor pictured here. Clem graciously allowed us to post his photos on our blog.

Armstead Snow Motors, Inc. of New York developed and marketed the snow-motor apparatus as a conversion kit that could fit on a number of conveyances, including cars. The kit was patterned on the “Snow Motor Vehicle” patented in 1920 by Frederick R. Burch of Seattle, who later assigned the rights to Armstead Snow Motors.

The spiral ribs you see on each cylinder are mirror images of one another; when power was applied, the cylinders revolved in opposite directions and propelled the vehicle forward or backward. Each cylinder received its power from a separate clutch that engaged and disengaged according to the position of the steering wheel. In the summer, the cylinders and yokes could be removed and replaced by the tractor’s original axles and wheels.

The World Mining Museum's Snow Motor has a few more intact parts than the one we have on display, including the rear driving wheels, drive sprockets and chains. Nice to see that theirs still has the patent plate. The most complete Snow Motor we know of is the one at the Hendrick Ag History Center near Sacramento, California. You can see photos of it here.

Thanks again to Clem for sharing these photos!

In the Shop: 1907 Ford Model K Roadster

2011-12-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

This is our 1907 Ford Model K Roadster, one of only 25 known to still exist and the oldest roadster known. It is powered by a 6-cylinder, 405-cubic-inch vertical inline L-head engine. Although conservatively rated at 40 horsepower, this sporty roadster is capable of 70 mph.

The upscale Model K was forced upon a reluctant Henry Ford by company directors determined to enter the lucrative luxury car market. Ford felt it was too expensive, too complicated for the average man, and too hard to maintain. The K was plagued by mechanical failures, and its production ended in 1908. Only 900 Model Ks, including 50 roadsters, were built during its two-year run.

As you can see, the engine was rather complicated compared to the type of car that Henry wanted to--and would--build. We are almost finished with the work on this car, so if we get some warm weather in the next week we might be able to run it around the parking lot. I don't think those tires will offer much traction, though!

In the Shop: Mercury-bodied Model T Speedster

2011-12-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

Just out of high school? Need a sports car? Can't afford a Stutz or Mercer? Back in the 1920s the answer was to go out and find a Model T Ford, strip the body off, hop up the engine and purchace a Mercury Speedster Kit. The cost of the kit ran about $185 and would make a sporty little ride like the one in our museum. We finally had time this week to attach its step plates, so that was Tuesday's workshop project (along with a few others).

This is the finished product. As you can see, the steps help complete the car (ignore the skinny guy in the driver's seat). This speedster is a fun little car to cruise around town in, (warm days only).

The engine is a Model T Ford built in 1923, equiped with a Rajo overhead conversion, upgraded ignition system, and a few other custom tricks. A stock transmission, built with a up graded high speed clutch, delivers the power to the rear diff, which is stock T.

Thanks to the crew for their help with this project. Ron Allen, Rod Benson, Paul Tekin, and Mike Lecorchick.

A Gasoline Pump from the Past

2011-11-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

The first automobiles arrived in Fairbanks in 1908, but it would be another eight years before the first gasoline pump was installed in the town. Until that point, motorists had to buy their gasoline at a hardware store, or, as this ad from a June 1910 issue of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner shows, the local gun store. One could buy gasoline by the case--the Northern Commercial (N.C.) Company charged $5.25 to $6.50/case in 1915, which was about the price of a case of Carnation canned milk. One also had the option of bringing their own bucket to the store and having gasoline ladled into it from a barrel.

On July 10, 1916, the Alaska Citizen described the wonder of the new "gasoline pumping device" that had just been installed at the N.C. Company. "And from the tank from which the gasoline is taken quantities of the fluid ranging from one pint to one gallon can be secured. The pump brings the gasoline from the tank and puts it directly in the gasoline tank of the automobile by the hose. The tank holds 300 gallons. Therefore, all an automobilist needs to do when he wants to secure some gasoline is to drive his machine up, make his wants known and pay his money, turn a crank and watch the machine do the work of filling up the tank of his automobile." The device was likely what is called a curb pump.

In the 1920s, "visible" gas pumps became popular. Gas was hand pumped into a transparent, graduated glass cylinder at the top of the unit, allowing the customer to see the quality and the color of the fuel (dirty gas was a problem then). The desired amount of fuel was then transferred to the customer's tank by gravity. The visible gas pump on display in our Alaska gallery is a Tokheim 620 model from the late 1920s. John J. Tokheim patented a number of gasoline pump devices and is credited with inventing the first known gasoline curb service for automobiles.

This pump came from the historic Miller House at mile 114 of the Steese Highway. Miller House operated as a combination roadhouse, general store and post office from 1896 until 1970. Known for its wonderful food, the roadhouse catered to miners, freighters and stage drivers operating between Fairbanks and Circle on the Yukon River. The trail was upgraded for automobiles in 1927, and that September a Studebaker Big Six touring car driven by Archie Broxon of the Midnight Sun Transportation Company became the first large auto to reach Miller House over the new "Yukon Highway."

Do you remember seeing this pump at the Miller House? We'd love to find a photo of it when it stood there.

Postscript from Willy: We would also like to thank the volunteers that helped with the restoration project of this historic gas pump. We would have a hard time getting done the things we do without the help of a group of our "Pit Crew" that comes in every Tuesday to help with projects, so when you see them, give them a big thanks, they deserve it. Ron Allen, Rod Benson, Paul Tekin, Mike Lecorchick, Ed McLaughlin, Terry Whitledge, Johny Newman, and Jerry and Donna Krier for the fuel pump, thanks to them this piece of history stands tall in the museum for all to enjoy.

"Behind the Ropes" Tours Planned

2011-11-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Have you always wanted to step over the ropes at the museum and take a closer look at some of our cars? Here's your chance!

On December 11, you can join museum manager Willy Vinton for an in-depth tour of the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum’s signature automobiles. We’ll look under the hoods, open the doors and tour the shop to learn what makes these cars significant.

Tour 1 - 11:00 am
Tour 2 - 1:00 pm

Each tour is limited to 20 people and reservations are required by calling 450-2100. The tours are free with museum admission ($8) and to season-pass holders.

I'll be at the museum from noon to 2 pm that day to sign copies of the museum's new book, Alaska's Fountainhead Collection: Vintage Treads and Threads. These books are only $19.95 and make great gifts. Hope to see you there!

Puttin' on the Ritz

2011-11-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

If you're blue and you don't know where to go to,
Why don't you go where fashion sits,
Puttin' on the Ritz.

Winter has arrived in Fairbanks, which means that one can find a fundraiser or gala to attend just about every weekend in this busy town. We've noticed that several upcoming events, including a few booked in the museum, have a Roaring Twenties or Art Deco theme. If you're looking to be stylish, here are a few tips.

In general, women's fashion in the 1920s was characterized by loose, drop-waist dresses, short hair, cloche hats, nude hose and Mary Janes or t-strap shoes. What we call the Flapper style actually only lasted from around 1926 to 1928. During the Flapper period, some dress hemlines reached above the knees, but just barely. The ultra-short, fringe-laden 20s dresses found in today's costume shops would likely have been frowned upon, even by the most rebellious of flappers. The Art Deco era is said to have started as early as 1910, but is more typically thought of as the period of 1920-1939. This gives anyone attending an Art Deco-themed party a lot of options, including beaded, calf-length dresses, colorful chemises, or slinky gowns reminiscent of Jean Harlow and Marlene Dietrich.

Men wore 3-piece suits with narrow lapels throughout the 1920s. High waisted-jackets and tail coats were popular for formal wear. Trousers were straight-legged and often short enough so that socks were visible. Sportswear included knickers and sweaters (or sweater vests), while hats ranged from newsboy caps and boater hats to fedoras and top hats. During the 1930s, double-breasted suits with wide lapels, white dinner jackets (worn with black pants & bow ties) and blazers became popular, as did "Palm Beach" suits made from linen, silk or seersucker. Boldly colored and patterned "gangster" or "zoot" suits also appeared in the 1930s. These had pronounced shoulders, narrow waists and wide trouser bottoms and were usually topped by a colorful felt hat. Oxford and two-toned shoes were worn throughout the 1920s and 30s. More on 1930s fashion can be found here.

We've listed some websites below to help you dress the part. If you know of other resources for 1920s-1930s reproduction or vintage clothing, please add them in the Comments section.

Reproduction and vintage-inspired clothing
Leluxe Clothing Co. (Art Deco dresses)
The Vintage Dancer (men's suits, knickers & Oxford bag pants; ladies' dresses; shoes, hats, accessories for both)

Unique Vintage (flapper dresses and accessories)

Blue Velvet Vintage (beaded 20s-style dresses)

Revamp Vintage (men's and women's 1920s and 30s outfits)

Recollections (1920s dresses)
Men's zoot suits, zoot pants - pricey and less so

Wearable Vintage

Adeline's Attic (women's dresses and shoes - Etsy)

Bobby Dene's Vintage (1920s dresses)

Timeless Vixen Vintage (1920s and 30s dresses - Etsy)

Patterns

Harper House (1920s dress patterns)
Eva Dress (1920s-30s dress patterns)

Checking Out the Hartung Auction in Chicago

2011-11-07T12:02:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

Well, if you have been looking to score a Ford Model A of nearly any configuration, the Lee Roy Hartung auction held in Chicago last week would have been a good place to start. There were 79 automobiles here, none in running order, most complete and restorable. Some had been submerged under water up to two feet deep for extended periods of time, with rust lines showing the damage that could have been prevented with a little care.

As you exited the main tent and walked by tables and piles of parts, these were the first cars outside that you saw. They had all been sitting out in the rain for the last couple of months, so sadly the interior on most had gotten a good chance to sprout some mold.

After seeing these cars, you turned to the right and looked down a long line of more cars. As you can see, there were some good-looking projects, but oh, so much cost to freight them home to Alaska! The row of items in front of the cars was just the beginning of some of the parts available at the auction. They continued down to the fence at the far end, and then turned right. There were a lot of hit-and-miss engines, and everything else that you could imagine. I will post some more pictures later that will cover some of the more interesting parts and such. Wind and rain made for few people outside looking that day, but bids were high on a lot of the stuff. But, if you wanted NOS (new old stock) Model A or T fenders, they were cheap--groups of a dozen or so sold in the $250 range. Auction results are posted here.

Baby, It's Cold Outside...For Toyota

2011-11-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt and Willy Vinton

Interior Alaska is a land of extremes, especially when it comes to temperatures. Ranging from bone-chilling lows of -50º F (-45º C) or colder in winter to surprising highs over 90º F (32º C) in the summer, Fairbanks has one the largest seasonal temperature differentials of any city in the world.

Surprisingly, many people visit Fairbanks in the winter despite-or even because--of our cold temperatures. These include tourists who come to see the northern lights, spectacular ice carvings, sled dog races and a whole host of other winter events. We have also become a hub for cold-weather testing for clothing, snowmobiles, automobiles, and airplanes ranging from the Concord to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. So it was no surprise this week when a crew from Toyota showed up at the museum recently and told us they were in town to cold-weather test the company's latest electric cars.

This group of Japanese engineers came to visit the museum on Sunday, and Willy was fortunate to be able to spend some time with them. He writes: I think they left having learned a lot about the history of the American automobile, and the engineering genious of some of the pioneers of the time.

The Toyota crew enjoyed seeing unusual cars like the Compound, Hertel and Hay, before checking out our electric cars. Pictured is our 1903 Columbia Mark XIX Surrey that they spent some time studying.

After spending additional time examining the 1913 Argo electric limousine in the shop, I had to ask the question,"Your new electric car, under summer conditions, will travel how far"? After some discussion among themselves, the reply was "about 120 kilometers." So, if they keep up the good work they should soon be able to match our1912 Rauch-Lang, which could run 70 miles on a charge! However, their car will have a little more creature comforts as well as travel a lot faster. Time will tell.

The 1903 Columbia is now on display, so come in and see it.

New Arrival! 1903 Columbia Electric

2011-10-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Here is one of the new additions to the museum that arrived on Monday. This little Columbia Mark XIX Surrey is a very nice car, restored from a complete original.

The Columbia history begins in 1897 and ends in 1913, during which time many changes were taking place, such as experimenting with gasoline cars, and even a high breed in 07-08 known as the Magnetic. The model you see here was built as a taxi to be used aroound the cities, and was very succesful, with this being the only known survivor.

This is the original volt/amp gauge that tells you the status of the batteries and the amount of power being used to move the car.

As you can see from this picture, our Columbia is a very original car, with almost all of the wood and components being the ones installed when it was built 108 years ago. The twin motors give the car good performance, and as we learned yesterday, the very large brakes you see at the rear wheels are only mildly effective. Tim seems to think they are a little lacking, but with proper planning you are able to stop most of the time.

This shows the original controllers, and all the wiring that is original as well. It has the addition of a safety shutoff that you see on the floor, but the rest is all as it was. You should come in and check this one out.

Hershey Swap Meet 2011

2011-10-12T01:08:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

After a long plane ride and a short drive from Harrisburg to Hershey, I started searching for treasures. The first thing that caught my eye was this really nice Brewster, not that we need one, but they are nice to look at. The weather was great, lots of sunshine and in the 60s to 70s all the time we were there.

Need a fender for a Model A?? Or a body for one? There was nor shortage of Model A and T parts this year. It seemed to me that attendance was down from previous years, but some of the vendors said that they sold about the same amount of items. I think because the folks that come to this are hard core collectors and restorers that would be there rain or shine or flood.

This is a set of lights that were on display at Rick Britton's booth. Boy were they nice! I told him I wanted them, but he said they were spoken for already, and that was the first morning. The really good stuff goes fast. Come to find out, Allen Schmidt--one of our restorers--spoke for them, so we are on the list for the next set he does, which should be in the near future.

Friday I walked the car corral, and like most years there was lots to look at from early cars to late models. This one however just jumps right out at you and screams, "Take me home!" As you can tell by the people around it, the windshield is just over 6 foot high, it has 900X20 tires on it, and a monster Seagraves engine in it. I could almost see it sitting beside our midget racers, but I restrained myself, as it would just be way too much noise in the back parking lot. After 3 and 1/2 days of hard walking, 2 nights of auctions, then a 4am wake-up, I was off on my trip's next leg to Long Island, NY. That's another story, as it is 4 am Wednesday morning and my alarm will be going off in 30 minutes. Have to pack and head out to the airport, then home.

Chasing Ghosts - Part III: Thomas Flyer

2011-10-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Fairbanks boasts an impressive list of the first automobiles to arrive in this Gold Rush town, including Pope-Toledo, Franklin, White Steamer, Pierce Great Arrow and Thomas Flyer. We have been fortunate to track down photographs of all but the Thomas, and its fate remains a mystery.

Many know about the Thomas Flyer that came to Valdez, Alaska in 1908 during the famous New York to Paris automobile race. Alas, she never made it beyond the wharf. Whoever thought that automobiles could travel from Valdez to Nome across 1,000 miles of winter trails was seriously mistaken. It didn't help that the Thomas and her crew arrived in early April, two weeks behind schedule. The only way an automobile could have made it through 15-foot, melting snow drifts was in pieces, pulled by several dog teams. So, the Thomas and her crew caught the first steamer to Seattle, where they would resume and eventually win the race. (This historic auto now resides at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.)

Meanwhile, a Thomas Flyer had already made it to Nome, having arrived there by steamship in 1905. The Alaska Automobile Transportation Company in Olympia, Washington had big plans to develop a passenger stage between Nome and Solomon City on a 32-mile toll road. The road was never completed though, and the Thomas came under the ownership of A.E. Boyd, the general manager for the Alaska Telephone and Telegraph Company. Other than providing rides up and down Nome's beach, this car's fate remains unknown.

The Nome Thomas Flyer © Bettmann/CORBIS

In 1908, Fairbanks undertaker Hosea Ross established a passenger-stage between Fairbanks and Fox with his Franklin touring car. The following year, he ordered a Thomas Flyer, "a big 70." He had to take out a loan to cover its $4,000 cost and $600 freight charge. Ross did daily runs to Chatanika with the Thomas, earning about $100 per day and quickly paying off his debt. His biggest expense involved tires, which cost him $300 for a set and only lasted about a month due to the poor road conditions. In the fall of 1910, Ross took the Thomas to the new mining camp of Iditarod. He broke through the river ice on his first run to Dikeman, while snowstorms stymied his attempts to drive between Iditarod and Flat. Pronouncing his Iditarod venture a failure, Ross bought a dog team and returned to Fairbanks in the spring of 1911.

Did Ross leave his Thomas Flyer out in the Iditarod Mining District? Not likely, as a 1914 edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner includes it in a list of 25 automobiles "in actual running condition in Fairbanks today." How we would love to find it, tucked away in the shed of a willing seller!

Baseball, Hugh Chalmers and the MVP Award

2011-09-30T14:39:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Two nights ago the sports world watched an astonishing drama unfold during the final games of Major League Baseball's regular season. Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated aptly described it as "the most thrilling 129 minutes in baseball history." With the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees less than three outs away from winning their respective games, fans witnessed a series of spectacular, come-from-behind plays that propelled the Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays to victory.

What does this have to do with antique automobiles? Well, there's a good chance that the 2011 Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards presented by the American and National Leagues will go to athletes that played in Wednesday night's games. And, it just so happens that baseball's first MVP award originated with an automobile company. Just over 100 years ago, the Chalmers Motor Car Company cleverly decided to promote their cars by piggy-backing onto baseball's popularity at the time. In 1910, president Hugh Chalmers announced that the player from each league with the highest batting average would be presented with a trophy and brand-new Chalmers Model Thirty. Controversy soon surrounded the American League's top contenders, Ty Cobb and Napoleon Lajoie, which Chalmers sidestepped by awarding each a new car.

Photo courtesy of the Creamer Family

Hugh Chalmers soon lost interest in the award and ended it in 1914, but not before broadening its scope to award "the most important and useful player to his club." The Chalmers Motor Car Company would meet its own demise in 1924 after producing 6,525 automobiles. Fewer than 150 of those survive today, one of which is generously on loan to our museum by the Creamer family. This 1910 Chalmers-Detroit Model K "30" Roadster has a rich Fairbanks history, arriving here in 1912 by way of steamship, rail car and sternwheel riverboat. It eventually passed to Charlie Creamer, owner of the northernmost operating dairy in America. Besides appearing in numerous parades, this treasured automobile was the first car to travel across two new Chena River bridges when they opened in 1953 and 1960.

While it remains to be determined who will be remembered as baseball's Most Valuable Players from 2011, this Chalmers-Detroit has already established itself as one of Alaska's most valuable automotive artifacts. While she still needs work to get her in top running condition, hopefully she will be ready to run in next year's Golden Days Parade--exactly 100 years after her arrival in this fair city.

1899 Hertel

2011-09-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

It's not everyday you experience the sound of a 110+ year old piece of machinery, let alone get to ride in one. But yesterday we did both. Willy and Charlie got the 1899 Hertel operational and we went for a ride - albeit a slow and gentle one. For a brief history of our Hertel check out Nancy's blog post from when it arrived in Fairbanks back in October of 2009. Now then, first thing you'll notice about the Hertel is that she appears to be a fragile, pair of bicycles with a motor. But it was actually constructed quite well, as her endurance to this day can attest. Next, you might wonder how the thing could work at all without a carburetor, distributor, spark plugs / wires, starter, and no real transmission. Then you take a closer look at how the mechanicals operate and you really start to appreciate the tremendous effort that went into this machine in order to make it gloriously simply to operate. And it does operate, perfectly well in fact.

The starting 'lever' is a tad inglorious in operation, but you start it from the seat by adjusting the 'air' setting with a little lever, twist the 'throttle' dial on the handle, squeeze the handle, then just pull back on the lever (20 or 30 times) and it'll fire right up. (Getting the proper fuel and air setting proved to be challenging.) Willy, of course, failed to read the manual first which clearly states how to start the engine ---- "The handle having a rotary motion with an index on top to gauge the position of the charging valve. The helical slot is shown in the handle at the right. The small hand clip when closed upon the handle lifts the rod linked to it and the stop on the steering pawl, when the pawl drops into the teeth of the geared crank wheel and a fore and aft motion of the lever starts the motor in motion; at the same time a twist of the handle by the hand opens the the gasoline regulating valve by the movement of the rod and attached bell crank, shown at the left in figure 182, by which the long lever shown at the bottom of the cut, is given a horizontal movement that operates the plunger in the gasoline regulating valve shown at the lower left hand corner in the cut." Pretty straight forward I thought.

But it does start, eventually, and the first thing you notice is a VERY unusual sound, mainly attributable to it's 'atmospheric' intake valves. Anyone who has seen the movie 'Flubber' will have a pretty good idea of what the engine sounds like. I tried my best to capture the sound in a video which I'll post to our YouTube Channel in the near future. Once started, just push the lever forward to engage the drive pulley to the wheel and you're off. It does have two forward speeds which are - Slow and WAY faster than you should probably drive this thing. The video I took was in 'slow' speed and the front wheels shake, shimmy and rattle like you might think it's coming apart. And in fact, in just a few laps around the parking lot we lost a couple screws from the 'fuel system' (using that term loosely). I told Willy before we started that he had a few screws loose, but that's a different story.

The experience of riding in the little carriage is very difficult to describe. In some respects it's a very odd and slightly unnerving experience. The Hertel is, after all, an antique piece of American History. Something you've always come to understand as a 'display' in a museum that you don't get to touch, let alone startup and actually drive. On the other hand, it's like an exhilarating time warp to the past allowing one to feel, smell and experience what it was like to drive an 'automobile' 110 years ago. That was before the Wright Brothers flew the World's first powered airplane; when Electricity was a novelty in many cities; the crank telephone was 'cutting edge'; and the automobile as a form of transportation was just an experiment - by putting two bicycles together and adding an engine.

Kirkland Concours d'Elegance

2011-09-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

It was a great pleasure to attend the Kirkland concourse this previous Sunday. Willy, his wife Wilma, Charlie and I attended with the 1932 Cadillac V-16 Limo and the 1910 Whiting Roadster. The weather was simply gorgeous and not a cloud in the sky. Although the temperature did get up to near 90 F both days, we soaked it up ahead of our inevitable Fairbanks winter.

Willy, Charlie and Wilma performed no less than 'reality show' level of vehicle preparation to meet the entry deadline and deliver the vehicles Saturday night. I missed out on all the fun, so I was told. Actually, I was having my own 'fun' saturday afternoon as my rental car suffered a serious malfunction just minutes onto the freeway out of Sea-Tac. For no apparent reason the front right wheel nearly locked up and a two lane dance ensued before I could safely reach the shoulder. Never a dull moment...

But onto the show. First off, I'll note with much lament that neither Fountainhead vehicle received an award this year. The 1930's vehicles in attendance were all terrific. First and second place went to a Packard and Lincoln, both restored by Murray Motor Car. It was a big day for them and they deserved it. I stood by our Cadillac for the most part and received no end of accolades and comments about the vehicle, its cavernous back seat, and its mighty V-16 engine. But in the end, it just wasn't the Cadillac's day.

The little Whiting was simply spot on. It was beautiful and near perfect in every respect. It's deep, deep red color, white tires and brass just popped under the summer blue sky and tree lined backdrop. Honors for its class went to a huge Simplex that was truly a grand vehicle in every sense of the word. But the perfect little Whiting, well, just wasn't grand enough I guess. At least we'll get to enjoy it everyday once it arrives in Fairbanks in a few weeks. I can already picture it on the floor, shining like a little jewel.

On a side note. One of the racing class awards went to a 1957 Aston Martin that i thought was deserving in every respect. I consider it a privilege just to be next to the beast when it was fired up to drive around the winners circle. The true measure of any real racing car I would sum up as this - when the engine is fired up in a public setting - animals flee, children start crying and men spontaneously erupt into cheers. It achieved all three in mere seconds.

So we all had a good time and after the show and dinner Sunday night our little group of Alaskans were treated to one of the rarest sights of all - a warm AND dark night.

We Get Around

2011-09-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

The rather short window of warm weather for driving antique cars in Fairbanks is slowly closing. As a result, there's been a flurry of activity in the museum shop to get the rest of the cars outside for some exercise. In addition to the Stanley & Buckmobile featured in recent posts, we've taken out the following in the past few weeks, either for short drives around the Wedgewood Resort campus or for runs around Fairbanks with the Vernon L Nash Antique Car Club:

1932 Chrysler Custom Imperial Series CL convertible sedan (coachwork by LeBaron)

This is a very impressive car to drive and see operating--very smooth and it is stunning to see up close. It has one of the finest restorations you will ever see.

1921 Daniels Model D 6-passenger touring (our star mechanic Charlie Jergens at the wheel, with docents Ron and Nancy Allen along for the ride).

This car has a very strong presence--a very striking car to drive and see. It is an original car with a 1960s paint job. We rebuilt the radiator and did some minor engine work, so it is good for another 50 years.

1907 Franklin Type D landaulet

This is a 4 cylinder, air-cooled car. It's a little temperamental and requires lots of attention. It smokes a little (okay, a lot), but that keeps the operator from getting mosquito-bit, as the bugs stay clear of it. In spite of its little issues, it is a fantastic piece of history.

Our new 1923 Mercury-bodied Ford Model T speedster.

Okay, now were talking fun. This was the ultimate in a poor man's sports car. If you could not afford a Bearcat or Mercer, you just stripped down a T, got a Mercury speedster kit, hopped up the engine and you had this. What a kick to drive!

1911 Ford Model T open runabout

We just finished a full rebuild on the transmission of this car, so it was good to see it outside in operation again. If you were in the museum the last month, you saw the car on display, completely disassembled while we waited for parts (the transmission drums were the hold up). Runs like a charm now! Photographed at Creamer's Field by Ronn Murray Photography.

1905 Curved Dash Oldsmobile

This was the second time this season we had this cute little automobile out for some exercise. It is a very fun car to operate. You really don't need a speedometer, as you know when you're going fast enough! The "CDO" was one of the most popular cars of the day.

1936 Packard V12 Series 1408

What a car! Charlie had it out for a test drive on Wednesday, and we are now working on the vacuum brake system. Once the brakes are up to specs, we'll put a few more miles on this impressive car.

1929 Ford Model A deluxe coupe

We just moved this to our corporate office for staff to use for errands. Like all old cars, this one requires a little TLC from time to time. We had to replace the ignition switch and put a head gasket in to make sure that it runs trouble free. If you see her cruising around Fairbanks, wave and smile, because she looks pretty good for her age.

All Steamed Up

2011-09-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Yesterday felt like a good day to blow off some steam, so we fired up our 1909 Stanley Model R roadster. We had a little issue with dirty nozzles and had to clean them a couple times to get it fired up. This is what happens when you flood it and have to burn it out to get it ready to fire again.

Whenever you fire up a steam car, it attracts a crowd. We had at least 20 people come out of the museum when they heard that we were firing up the Stanley. Only a few had the courage to stand close.

Once we had 350 psi of steam preasure, we were ready to put it in motion. Drip valve open throttle up and away we go! This is a fun car to operate and everyone enjoys seeing and hearing it running around Wedgewood Resort.

Ed, one of our docents, takes his turn with the Stanley. I think it takes him about a week or more to get the smile off his face after getting a chance to excercise this 102-year-old steam car. We got the Stanley out for a total of 2 good days of running, around 3 hours of running time total. She's now back on the floor for another winter.

After the Stanley is run, we have to blow the boiler down to clean out all the deposits that may have settled in the bottom. Its always impressive to see and hear a blown down. Too bad the noise can't be captured in a picture!

If you find this interesting, make sure that you keep up on this blog site to see when we are going to fire up our steam cars next season. And remember that this may be the best way to let off steam, out in the back lot alone......

Jeffrey Quads in Alaska

2011-08-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

As the historian for the museum, I love to chase after the stories of the first automobiles in Alaska. Locating photos of these vehicle is a bonus, and finding a survivor--like this 1915 Jeffrey Quad--is an even bigger treat. Imagine my delight when I got to not only ride in it, but drive it around the streets of Eagle, Alaska a few years ago!

The first mention of Jeffrey Quads I've found in an Alaska newspaper is the May 27, 1915 edition of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. The Northern Commercial (NC) Company had shipped in two on the steamer Reliance for two stage line operators and freighters (Fred Clinton, and Eagan and Griffin). Glowing praise was given to the trucks' four-wheel drive, which was expected to be the perfect vehicle for Alaska's rough roads. The Eagan and Griffin truck was put into operation between Gilmore and lower Fairbanks Creek.

On July 25, 1915, the Fairbanks Sunday Times announced that the City Council had ordered a Jeffrey Quad through the NC Company. The plan was to use it as a firehose truck in place of a horse-drawn wagon. Its price, including shipping to Fairbanks, was $3,600. Five days later, the NC Company announced that it was going to replace its own horse-drawn passenger stages with two Jeffrey Quads. These arrived on the steamer Alaska on August 26, while the quad ordered by the City Council arrived on the steamer Alameda a few weeks later. Although guaranteed to operate at up to 25 mph, the truck ordered for the fire department couldn't break 10 mph and was easily outrun by the horse team in a test run. On December 13, 1915, the City Council rejected its purchase.

Back on September 22, 1915 the NC Company announced that Alaska automotive pioneer Bob Sheldon, who had run an auto stage line of his own, would manage the new Jeffrey Quad stages. The trucks, along with Dodge cars, were to be run between Fairbanks and Chitina to test their utility. Up to 18 passengers could be accommodated at a rate of $100 each, along with up to 1,500 pounds of mail. The company guaranteed "that no one will have to get out and push or walk" during the 6-day trip. The inaugural run south in 'Mose' left Fairbanks with Sheldon and 10 passengers on October 4. 'Big Ben,' with 17 passengers and Maurice Ashton at the wheel, followed on October 7, and Fred Clinton's quad left Fairbanks for the coast with several passengers on October 13. Above is one of the NC Company quads passing through Copper Center. Around October 15, "more snow than was ever known on the trail at this time of year" had fallen in the Alaska Range, stranding all of the stage vehicles, including the quads, between Rapids and Yost's.

There is little mention of the Jeffrey Quad trucks after that. The Eagan and Griffin one was kept busy over the 1915-16 winter hauling loads of wood into Fairbanks with "never a bit of trouble. The driver is so housed in that the heat from the engine keeps him warm," even at 40 below zero. This is likely the Jeffrey quad in the photo on one wall of our museum. On July 4, 1916, the Fairbanks Daily Times noted that "Scotty" Lyons had left Fairbanks to "bring back the big Jeffrey-Quad trucks, which are to be shipped into the Kantishna." Apparently he "had a rather hard trip with the machines." I reckon the big quads proved to be too slow and cumbersome for use as passenger stages, being easily outperformed by the faster Dodges and Fords. Fred Clinton's transportation company with his Jeffrey Quad was defunct by August of 1916, and in November of 1917, Eagan and Griffin put their quad up for sale.

So, what became of the five Jeffrey Quads shipped here? One was reportedly used in Eagle by the U.S. Army for short time, and then was re-located to Dawson around 1920. The Eagle Historical Society acquired and restored it, and it now cruises in the annual Fourth of July parade in this community along the mighty Yukon River. A chassis from another Jeffrey Quad also resides in Eagle. Are these Mose and Big Ben? Could there still be two quads out in the Kantishna District? If you find the remains of one, please let us know!

In the Shop: 1921 Daniels

2011-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

This is our 1921 Daniels Model D 6-passenger touring car. It is a very original car that is in original condition, with the exception of a 1960's paint job. It is equiped with a 404-cubic-inch flathead V-8 built by the Daniels Motor Car Company .

Here is the engine when we began work on it. As you can see it is a rather large one that will produce good power.

As is common with these older cars that have not had the best of care in the past, we found a lot of rust and corrosion in the water jackets. The crew spent a lot of time cleaning this one up before we could install the new radiator. Needless to say, Charlie and Mike got a little dusty before this was finished.

The radiator had to be repaired, so we crated it up and shipped it out to PA for a new core. Daniels made their radiator shells from cast pewter, and this is by far the heaviest radiator we've had to handle.

Here's the engine after being cleaned and repainted.

And here is the Daniels being fired up for her maiden run around Wedgewood Resort. She ran great!

No we didn't run over Mike, really, he was just checking to see if we had any coolant leaks. Besides, he is much faster than me and able to get out of the way in time. Many thanks to all the docents that helped with this project and the others as well. Good job!

Caption This

2011-08-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Frances Erickson

In The Shop: 1903 Cadillac

2011-08-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Recently we decided it was time for the 1903 Cadillac to get out and get some exercise. It started up just like it should: gas on, oiler on, ignition on, spark retarded, carb tickled, throttle at idle, strength mustered, crank in hand, and then with a half flip of the crank it was running. This is a great little car that is fun to drive and is very dependable. Tim even got a chance to take it for a spin with his father, Carl, who is here for a visit. With Tim and Carl in the front, and Barb and me in the back (boy are those seats narrow), off we went for a tour of Wedgewood Resort. The first complaint I heard was from Tim, questioning the effectiveness of the brakes. They may not be the best, but they are at least a suggestion to slow you down.

After a few trips, we discovered that the water pump was not doing its job as it should. You can see it was a little rusty...

So, we removed it and cleaned it up, flushed the cooling system and radiator, and got the little Caddy back on line. If only the rain would allow us to get out and enjoy it again.....

At right is Mike, working at rust control, cleaning the water pump housing out so that it can be put back to use. Mike is one the volunteers that come in to help with our Tuesday work session, he was joined by Ron Allen as well, so we had a small crew this week but got a lot done.

Buckmobile Mystery

2011-08-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

During its short life (1902-1905), the Buckmobile Company's little automobile went through a surprising number of design changes.

This is from an advertisement in the April 3, 1902 issue of Motor World. Note the wooden dash. A hand-written note on the ad questions if this was a 1901 prototype made before the company incorporated.

This is one of a series of photographs from the Buckmobile factory and is labeled "1902."

From an advertisement in the Cycle & Automobile Trade Journal, May 1903. This was the year that the Buckmobile was introduced at the New York Automobile Show at Madison Square Garden

From an ad in The Automobile dated February 27, 1904. Note the square radiator on the false bonnet (the engine remained mounted under the seat through 1905). The Buckmobile business wagon produced in 1905 had a similar radiator style.

From an October 1904 ad in The Automobile. This is the final and most common style of Buckmobile runabout I found in my research. Buckmobile merged with the Black Diamond Automobile Company in 1904, but the failing business was sold at a "sheriff's sale" in August 1905.

Then there is our 1904 Buckmobile runabout, with its oval radiator and rounded bonnet, both of which appear to be original to the car. Photographs show this was on the auto when it was disinterred from a barn in 1937. Its original owner was a doctor in Camden, NY; its next home was Walt Meyers' Bridgewater Auto Museum.

Any guesses as to why this front-end style is unlike anything pictured in the sales literature?

Our New Book is Here!

2011-08-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

"This book is an invaluable introduction to the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, one of the little-known treasures of Alaska, where an essential slice of 20th Century history is brought to life..." -Dermot Cole, author and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner columnist

Our new book, Alaska's Fountainhead Collection: Vintage Treads and Threads, has arrived from the printer. This glossy, 120-page softcover book takes you inside the Fountainhead Museum to explore 42 of our finest automobiles, such as the only Hay Motor Vehicle ever made and the last-surviving Argonne. Some of the other marques represented include Compound, Hertel, Daniels, Franklin, Cartercar, Owen Magnetic, Heine-Velox, Stutz, Cadillac, Wills Sainte Claire, Packard and Moline-Knight.

The book also features chapters on Alaska's automotive heritage and our historic clothing collection:

There are well over 200 color photographs inside, plus archival photos from Alaska's early motoring days. This high-quality book is a great bargain at only $19.95. You can purchase copies at the museum (open Sundays) or at Wedgewood Resort's front desk (24/7). If outside of Fairbanks, you can phone in your order to 907-450-2100. Priority postage/handling (domestic) is $6 for up to two books.

"Fairbanks really isn't a very big town, and to be honest, I wasn't expecting much from the museum, but I could not have been more wrong. The place absolutely blew me away."

- Dennis Gage, host of "My Classic Car with Dennis Gage"

In the Shop: Winters-Ford V8-60 Midget Racer

2011-07-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton and Nancy DeWitt

This Ford Midget (originally numbered S-41) was built by Stan Winters, who recruited Ralph Moody to drive it. Moody drove ‘nearly unbeatable’ Midgets and became a legendary stock car driver and mechanic. In 1956 he partnered with John Holman to become the most successful team in motorsports history. They built virtually all of the factory Ford racecars from the 50s through the 70s—cars that were driven by such greats as Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Richard Petty, Jackie Stewart, Bobby Unser, LeeRoy Yarbrough and Cale Yarborough.

We checked the car over and decided that it was time for a little (okay, a lot) of work to make it a little safer and more operable. We now have parts ordered for the engine and we are machining other pieces to get it ready for a ride around the race track this summer. We need to make sure it is as safe as one can make a car like this, as it is built out of old junk yard parts and a lot of gas welding was used instead of stick welding.

Some of the things we found on inspection were very interesting. The in-out box was home built, using some gears out of a Model A Ford transmission. This included the first-reverse sliding gear that had been machined to fit the back of the crank to drive a piece of the main shaft cut from the same transmission. The second-third speed sliding gear was used as the main drive gear in the in-out box. We made all new (used parts from another Model A tranmission) to duplicate the originals, and it is getting close to time to finish putting it together.

Here we are cleaning the block, which is a little Ford 60 horse flathead. Rod Benson, shown at left, is always up for a cleaning job and is a good hand to have around. We should have it ready in the next couple weeks, so watch for that to happen. We'll put a video on YouTube so people see this fabulous midget racer come back to life again.

Tips for the 2011 Hershey Swap Meet

2011-07-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Ethyl or regular?????

by Nancy DeWitt

They say "All Roads Lead to Hershey," as that's where a significant number of old-car enthusiasts head each October. Although the week includes a giant car show and some impressive auctions, the highlight for many is the massive flea market. The "swap meet" is spread over many acres and includes hundreds of vendors selling everything from old car parts, antique bicycles and gasoline pumps to vintage clothing, old automobile manuals and collector cars.

Nope, that's a 1916...

Willy and I learned that one needs to wear comfortable shoes and plan on walking a LOT of miles to cover the swap meet grounds. I spent two full days strolling the meet in 2009 and don't think I saw it all. It's helpful to have a list of what you hope to find, as it can be overwhelming to see SO much stuff. Plus, you might be tempted to buy things you don't really need ("But honey, that old Waltham dash clock will look great on the mantle!"). Bring a daypack for your water bottle and small purchases; the smart folks bring wagons for hauling their new treasures. Only a few of the vendors are able to process credit card transactions and some won't take checks either, so bring plenty of cash.

Besides looking for your own treasures, it's entertaining to see what others are searching for--and how they advertise that. Just be sure to ask for permission before snapping their photo. Most will oblige!

In addition to vendors, many great organizations have booths worth visiting. I really enjoyed meeting folks from the Society of Automotive Historians, Pierce-Arrow Society, Wills Sainte Claire Museum and Horseless Carriage Club of America when I went in 2009. I also took a side trip to the AACA Library to do some research on our cars, and I highly recommend a visit there (and the AACA Museum, of course!).

Willy, our museum manager, will be at Hershey again this year. Chances are you can find him at the Restoration Supply Company booth (Red Field, RWN 9-13), where he'll be handing out brochures for our museum and sharing some of Wedgewood Resort's delicious Alaska salmon. Stop by and say hello!

The Hershey Fall Meet is October 5-8 this year, and you can find information about it here.

**10/04/11 Update - More good advice is being posted over on the AACA Forum here.

Model A's Visit Fairbanks

2011-06-27T15:36:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

This past Saturday found me rather busy, with the local car club group photo shoot, then a trip to North Pole to take Dave Austin to sit on Santa's lap (that's another story). While there my cell phone rang, and believe it or not, someone was looking for old car parts. These two gentlemen had followed Rod and Birgit Benson, who were coming back from North Pole in their Ford Model A, and stopped them to visit.

Jack Sanborn, the gentleman on the right with the '28 tudor sedan, asked Rod if he had any idea where he might find a head for George's '31 coupe. Rod replied, "You are in luck. I just happen to know someone who will have one." Hence the phone call to me. I met the guys here at the museum shop and they described their problem. We then took a ride to my home garage and gathered up a head that was bead blasted and milled and ready to go. Rod came by with a gasket set and they were set to go.

Jack is from St Albanes, Maine, and George Staples (left) is from Seabrook, New Hampshire. George purchased his coupe when he turned 80. At age 83, that makes him older than the car he drove all the way from the east coast to Alaska. We wish them a great trip and a safe one wherever they may roam.

Caption This

2011-06-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

1908 Cadillac in the Shop

2011-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

This is our 1908 Model G Cadillac. Its importance is that 1908 was the last year for Cadillac before they became part of General Motors. The changes between the 1908 Model G and the 1909 Model 30 are rather dramatic in style, and you can see them side by side in the Brass Era section of our museum.

We recently brought the 1908 Caddy into the shop to prep it for some excercise. Like a lot of our cars, it needed a few things done before it was ready to go. One of the things that needed attention was the oiler, which we took apart and repaired to make sure that the engine was getting the proper oil to it. We are still fussing a little with the water pump drive, but it is getting closer to being like it should. The car drives and runs well now. It starts with just turning on the battery switch, so there's no need to do much cranking (Charlie likes that). It is once again running like a Caddy should.

Until Cadillac went to the V8 block, the engines had copper water jackets. Very nice-looking engines for very beautiful cars!

Cleveland Motorcycle Repairs

2011-06-17T13:51:00.000-07:00

By Nancy DeWitt and Willy Vinton

We had our Cleveland lightweight motorcycle in the shop recently to work on the 2.5-horsepower, one-cylinder two-stroke engine. We shipped the piston out to see if we can get a new one made, as someone in the past had broken it and welded it up to make it work. We did not want a failure that could be devastating, so we will make a new one. With luck before the summer is over we should be up and running.

This motorcycle was built by the Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company in Ohio from 1915 to 1929. First designed for use by dispatch riders during World War I, the Cleveland became one of the most popular American lightweight motorcycles of the era. Its most remarkable feature was a little two-stroke engine mounted crossways in a cradle frame. This was a sensible arrangement for a shaft-driven motorcycle, but it required a worm gear to turn the drive through 90 degrees.

While its low price of $175 appealed to many, it was the Cleveland’s performance and reliability that attracted buyers from throughout the world. Unlike most two-cycle engines of the day, the Cleveland was famous for starting on the first kick and needing little maintenance. Despite weighing only 150 lbs., a Cleveland could carry a 200-lb man for up to 75 miles on one gallon of gasoline. We think Mark, our docent at right, could get at least 100 mpg.

This Cleveland was sold to us as a 1917 model, but one of our references indicates that the saddle mounting (on a yoke, rather than a single post) dates it to 1919. Are there any antique motorcycle experts out there who can weigh in on this?

By the way, we could use a copy of a manual for our Cleveland.

The Stutz Gourmet: Lost in Translation

2011-06-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Bill Murray in a scene from the 2003 film Lost in Translation

While doing some research on the Stutz marque recently, I came across two advertisements for a 1923 Stutz Speedway Four. The first was the original ad, while the second appeared to be a mutation of the original. My guess it that the advertisement was translated into a foreign language and then converted back into English using an Internet translation services. If you have ever used one of these on-line translators, you can guess what's coming next. Here are just some of the "after" phrases that tickled my funny bone:

Stutz, one of the great names in automotive history...
Stutz, a single of a good name in automotive story...

362 cubic inch displacement inline 4-cylinder engine and a 3-speed manual transmission
362 cubic inch banishment inline 4 cylinder engine as good as a 3-speed primer smoothness

...this massive, 4 cylinder touring car.
...this massive, 4 cylinder furloughed car.

This extremely rare car is in original condition throughout.
This intensely singular automobile is in strange condition throughout.

This car resided in the legendary A.K. Miller collection...
This automobile resided in a mythological A.K. Miller pick up...

The car was then passed to a Stutz collector...
The automobile afterwards was upheld to a Stutz gourmet...

...even more powerful than a Duesenberg!
...even some-more absolute than a Duesenberg!

The detachable head 4 is a rugged and reliable motor...
The detachable conduct 4 is a imperishable as good as arguable engine...

These cars are great driving cars.
These cars have been good pushing cars.

So, buyer beware--especially all you Stutz gourmets out there. You might not want to pay good money for a car that's been furloughed.

Daily Driver

2011-06-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Well, maybe not daily, but weather permitting.....

We have moved the 1932 Ford Phaeton to our corporate office for the summer. Nancy and I will be driving it around town, on errands, for the next few months. Because we got it ready to go yesterday, of course, today is the first significant rain we've had in town all summer. But yesterday I did get to drive it around the office a little and I have to say, it's pretty much as easy to drive as any newer car. And for that, big thanks to Willy and Charlie for preparing it!

You may remember this vehicle from the post - The Tax Man Cometh -

This isn't just any old Ford, but one with right-hand drive and a rich history. It was built in 1932 by Ford of Canada (Ontario) and shipped new to Bombay, India. The car's first owner was a zamindar who collected taxes from peasants for a maharaja.

We won't be doing any tax collecting, but I'm sure we will be turning heads. The horn button is on the floor, pretty much right underneath the clutch. So with nearly every shift you get a nice AH-OO-GA! Willy thought that was a nice 'feature' to leave in place for Nancy and me.

Other notable history -

The Model 18, styled by Edsel Ford, was a handsome car that incorporated the sculptured lines and fine detailing of the larger Lincoln. It was lower and sleeker than the Model A, and handled better due to its lower center of gravity. This was the first Ford to feature a grille that hid the radiator, but in keeping with Ford tradition, all fenders were dipped in black enamel.

We will not be testing the 'claimed' 80 MPH top speed, or exercising the boundaries of its handling prowess. Nope, we're just pleased with the opportunity to occasionally exercise the "Indian Mistress". Now then, bring on the sun!

30 Miles per Gallon in 1914

2011-06-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

I can't help but chuckle whenever I read an article about improving fuel economy in today's cars. America not only had electric cars on the roads more than 100 years ago, but a number of the early internal-combustion cars got better gas mileage than many modern cars. These included the cyclecars and one of America's first 'compact' cars, the Grant. The 1914 Grant roadster weighed 930 lbs., could reach a top speed of 50 mph with its little 12 hp engine, and achieved an impressive 30 mpg.

The Grant was made by the Grant Motor Company from 1913 to 1922. They advertised it as the first high-grade motorcar to be sold under $500. The Grant combined the light weight and low cost of cyclecars with the quality, durability, comfort and wide tread of standard automobiles. The bull-nosed radiator was designed to provide additional cooling for the 4-cylinder inine L-head engine (95 cid).

The Grant's dash was notable for its complete absence of instruments, leading one passenger to note, “One could certainly enjoy the scenery, as there were no instruments to watch.”

Only 3,000 Grants were made in 1914, and very few Grants survive today. You can read more about their history here.

Willy and Charlie had our little 1914 Grant roadster in the shop recently. Willy said "It's a small car that needed big work." The magneto had been destroyed by poor worksmanship by the car's previous mechanic, so that had to be rebuilt. The cylinders were worn and glazed, so the engine also had to be rebuilt. Finally, after servicing the fuel system, Charlie cranked the engine and away we went. Nice of the guys to do all that work so I could take a ride around Wedgewood Resort!

No Bombs Here!

2011-05-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

More and more people are discovering that the Fountainhead Museum is an excellent place to host a classy party or event. Recently, the Alaska Bar Association rented our facility for a reception for their annual convention. Because three of their guests were Federal judges, the museum was inspected beforehand by several U.S. Marshals and a bomb-detection dog. Willy said it was fascinating to watch the dog work, especially when it reached this video kiosk:

Suddenly, the dog was "on." It excitedly worked its way around the corner and then sat down in front of the clothing case--a sign that it had found its target. Was that silly canine pointing out the old fur attire in the case?

Nope. That amazing dog and its sensitive nose had detected--through the glass--the smell of gun powder in an old rifle that hasn't been fired in years. Wow!

If you would like to host an event in our bomb-free museum, give Cherie a call at 907-450-2166.

Another Splendid Stutz

2011-05-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

A rare 1925 Stutz Speedway Six Series 695 Sportbrohm arrived at the museum last week. This is the third Stutz added to our collection, and she's a beauty. “Sportbrohm” was a term devised by Stutz for their sporty, five-passenger sedan. Its sharply inclined windshield and the low, rakish spare-tire mount made the sportbrohm appear less boxy than other sedans. Only 748 Series 695s were produced, and just a mere handful are known to survive.

Stutz entered a completely new market in 1924 when they debuted the Speedway Six, their most luxurious automobile yet. Carrying high-grade coachwork and a new Stutz-built engine—essentially an enlarged and refined version of the Weidley motor that had powered their 1923 Special Six—the Speedway Six combined the sporting pedigree of Stutz with the stylish looks of luxury marques like Cadillac, Marmon and Packard.

Willy and Charlie performed a full service on the Speedway Six this past week and added all new brakes, repacked the wheel bearings, pulled and cleaned the oil pan, and rebuilt the oil pump. They should have it ready to move on to the museum floor for display in a few days--after some more test driving, of course! They took the Speedway on her maiden Alaska drive yesterday. Willy said she runs smoothly and is a very solid car. "It's very tight, with no rattles or squeaks, which is amazing considering how much wood is in it." He added, "It handles great and only shimmied when I reached 80 mph in a school zone." All kidding aside, this is a fine example of luxury, sophistication and performance all rolled into one fantastic automobile!

The Buckmobile: Our Latest Acquisition

2011-04-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Here is a 1904 Buckmobile that was built in Utica, New York. So far my research shows this is the only true survivor. We will continue to research this, as rumor has it that there may still be another one or two Buckmobiles in existence.

This Buckmobile is going to be a great addition to the Fountainhead Collection. It's very fast and powerful for such an early, 2-cylinder automobile, producing 15 horsepower with an enclosed planetary transmission. This car is fast enough to scare you if you were to let it run as fast as it could go. Going ~35 mph in a car of this type and size gets your attention real fast!

The car is very original, including the leather seat, aluminum fenders, even 3 of the 4 wooden planks on the suspension, and all the wood you see. A big thanks to Joe and Leanne Whitney of Arizona for preserving this great car, and giving us the opportunity to have it in our museum. We hope they get a chance to come to Fairbanks and visit it sometime.

Also, many thanks to everyone who did some research to try and answer our quiz in the previous post. If you ever see a picture of a Buckmobile's unique suspension again you will know what it is.

Name that Car

2011-04-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

Let's see if anyone can identify this car.

Here are a few hints. It was built in 1904 in New York and is one of only two left. It has an upright, two-cylinder T-head engine putting out 15 horsepower, and a column shift-enclosed transmission. Yep, that is a wooden plank used for the suspension.

The first person to correctly identify this car (in the comment section below) will receive a free museum day pass and ball cap. Good luck!

Willy Vinton

Driving a White at the Bakersfield Swap Meet

2011-04-16T21:18:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

This annual swap meet in Bakersfield, CA, opened last Friday morning at 6 am. Not many were out that early, but it soon got real busy. I spoke with Bruce Remmer about attendance, and he said vendor numbers were up from the past and he thought visitors were level or up a little. Some of the smaller vendors said they didn't know if they would return next year because of high fuel prices. Too bad, as this is a very friendly event and you meet some great people here.

At right are a couple of the ladies from Restoration Supply Company all decked out in period attire. They really looked good, and when Jay Leno came by they got their picture taken with him. That put a spark in their eye, and made their day for sure. I did remind Jay that we look forward to him visiting our museum sometime.

I had a chance to visit with a lot of people from all over the country and made a lot of new acquaintances, including Walker Woolever. Walker is one of the few people we've found in North America who also owns a Henderson automobile. We had a good visit. Several folks said that they were coming up to Fairbanks this summer, and we look forward to seeing them at the museum.

But THIS was the high light of the trip for me...

It's a very nice, mostly original 20 hp White steam car. A big thanks to Rob Williams for hooking me up with Ryan Thurber, the car's owner. Ryan and his son Christian were very generous with their time and spent a good amount of it with me, even taking me out on the road for a rousing ride. After that he let me drive it around some and I learned a lot about driving White steamers in a short time. I am not quite ready to fire ours up up yet, but if I can convince Ryan to come to Fairbanks to help get our White steamer tuned up to run as well as his, we will have a very sweet running car. What a treat! Thanks Ryan.

Pioneers of Alaska Tour

2011-04-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Fraternal organizations like the Masons and Elks were popular in Alaska during the early mining days. Around 1903 a group of men in Nome formulated an idea for a strictly Alaskan order that would work for the benefit of the Territory and look after its sick and aged members, and in 1907 the Pioneers of Alaska organization was chartered. At right are some of Fairbanks' first Pioneers, including Alaska transportation legend Robert Sheldon (3rd from left). Any idea what kind of car is behind them?

Originally, one had to have resided in Alaska before January 1, 1901 to be eligible for Pioneer status, but now membership is open to those who have lived in Alaska over thirty years. Today there are 17 active chapters, or "Igloos," that work to gather and preserve relics and Alaska's early history. On April 6, members of Igloos #4 and #8 enjoyed a luncheon at the Fountainhead Museum, followed by a personalized tour led by Willy Vinton. There was a lot of interest in the artifacts, and Willy fielded numerous questions including "How do you know so much about cars?" and "What school did you go to?"

After lunch, Barbara Cerny, curator of the vintage fashion collection, pointed out the several historic Alaska outfits on display and provided a behind-the-scenes tour of the clothing storage and work room. The Women's Igloo #8 recently loaned the Fountainhead Museum a number of antique garments worn by Fairbanks pioneers, including the tan suit at right. This wool walking suit was purchased at Gordon's Department Store in Fairbanks around 1909. We are grateful to the Women's Igloo #8 for preserving these pieces of Alaska history and for loaning them to our museum.

Chickasha Swap Meet

2011-04-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

After showing the museum's 1932 Cadillac at the Amelia Island Concours, my wife and I traveled to Oklahoma for the Chickasha Prewar Swap Meet. Due to some unforeseen computer problems, all my pictures were lost so this is the best I have. The weather cooperated very well, with lots of sunshine and temperatures that reached 86 F. There was a lot of "stuff" and a few cars for sale, such as this early REO, plus numerous model Ts and As. As always, I managed to find a few good items.

Next we traveled in to Oklahoma City, toured a few collections and saw some really fine cars. Wilma even had a good time, was impressed with some of the cars and enjoyed meeting the people involved. This week I am off to the annual Bakersfield National Swap Meet put on by the Horseless Carriage Club of America. These meets are invaluable for locating hard-to-find parts for antique cars, so wish me luck! In return, I promise to do a better job of reporting on the trip and have decent pictures to share.

Curved Dash Olds in the Shop

2011-04-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

We recently brought our little Curved Dash Olds Model B runabout into the shop for some needed maintenance and repairs. This car never had the compression release installed after it was restored years ago, which makes it very hard to start. So, we built the linkage and all needed to get that up and working.

After we got the car running, we found several other problems, including a crack in the single cylinder, which we are now fixing, and a plugged radiator. These will be corrected and the car will be ready to cruise by spring (we do believe that spring will come!). At right is a nice top view of the engine bay showing the water tank and the fuel tanks.

Here's a view of the little car's two-speed planetary transmission.

The Curved Dash Olds was produced from 1901 to 1907. In addition to being America's first mass-produced internal-combustion automobile, it was the first American car to be offered with a mechanical speedometer. Our 1905 Model B was produced the same year Gus Edwards came out with the popular song, "In My Merry Oldsmobile." It cost $650, boasted a top speed of 18 mph and consumed only one gallon of gasoline every 40 miles, on average. And to think, we didn't even have national fuel efficiency standards back then!

Book Update: Off to the Designer!

2011-03-29T12:25:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

The materials for our upcoming book are now on their way to Seattle! Since we opened in 2009, many of our visitors have requested that we produce a book featuring our cars. This ambitious project finally got rolling last December with several sessions held to photograph cars, car parts, vintage clothing and the museum's interior. At right is our manager, Willy Vinton, and docent Michael Lecorchick lifting the hood off the 1914 Woods Mobilette.

Many thanks to the all the volunteers who helped us shuffle cars, open hoods and move ropes, signs and stanchions. Ronn Murray, a Fairbanks-based photographer and classic car fan, took the majority of photos for the book. He did a fabulous job and was even brave enough to get on the lift for some shots (that's our 1921 Daniels on the right and the 1911 Oakland on the left).

John Katz, our book's editor and an automotive historian, author and former editor for Automobile Quarterly, traveled to Fairbanks during some of our harshest winter weather to examine the cars, do some fact-checking and help me with additional research. Thanks John! Your help and encouragement were very appreciated. Sorry I made you work next to that Auburn boattail speedster, though...

This soft-cover book will feature 42 of our cars and a number of our vintage fashions and historical photos. It's taken a lot of work to pull it all together, so I was pretty happy to package up all the materials and ship them off to Epicenter Press this morning. Many thanks to everyone who helped with this project! Hopefully we'll have the books in hand by July 1. Please let us know if you'd like to be contacted when they arrive.

Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance

2011-03-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Sunshine, old cars and green grass were a treat after a long Fairbanks winter. My wife, Wilma, and I left Fairbanks on March 9 to head to Florida, arriving on the 10th. We checked into the hotel, had dinner and got some rest after 16 hours of airplanes and airports. The following morning we scoped out the concours grounds and inspected our '32 Cadillac 452-B Imperial limousine to make sure it was ready for the show. The car looked great and only needed minor cleaning, thanks to Sean Brayton and Red Star Auto's extra effort to get it ready.

We spent the rest of the day checking out the cars at the Gooding auction and making sure we knew where to park the Cadillac on the golf course. Auctions on both Friday and Saturday consumed the night and day; we left the RM auction on Saturday afternoon to get the Cadillac onto the field by 5 pm. It started with no problems and we left the parking area where all the transport trucks park, following a concours official who was driving a golf cart. Everything went well until halfway there the car ran out of gas (oops). With the help of the staff we got two gallons of gas, put it in the V16, got it started and made it to the field.

Sunday morning found us with lots to do--remember now--we had to turn the clocks ahead one hour, and be on the field by 7 am. Upon arriving we found the car was covered with a very heavy layer of dew, requiring lots of drying and cleaning to make it ready. At 9 am the judges came and inspected the car, asked lots of questions (luckily never one I couldn't answer--pure luck!) and spent about 15 minutes with us. At right is a view from the Cadillac deck overlooking part of the field before it got crowded.

Toward the end of the show our pager went off indicating we had to drive up to the grandstand area to recieve an award. Now that's all well and good,

but remember this is a gas-guzzling V16 carrying only two gallons of fuel. I drove to the staging area and shut the car off (conserving gas) then drove up to receive the award. We were presented with a nice trophy and ribbon for the "Amelia Island Award for the Most Elegant Formal Sedan or Town Car." Not only an honor, but also great recognition for the museum! After that I wondered if we would have enough gas to get back to the show field, let alone back to the truck area, but luck was with us and we had no problems.

The weather was great and we even got to spend a little time on the beach, enjoying some of the white sand and a nice walk.

Next stop - Chicksha Pre-War Swap Meet

Making an Entrance: The Iconic Flapper Coat

2011-03-18T17:21:00.000-07:00

by Kristin Summerlin

In the Roaring 20s, a stylish flapper didn’t simply wear a coat for warmth. Often tailored to match a specific dress, her coat, with its slouchy, casual cut and luxe fabrics, proclaimed ease, wealth and opulence.

Flappers created a style all their own – often quite shocking to the older generation, who were dismayed by what they considered a “fast” and reckless lifestyle. Everyone today recognizes the flapper “look”: bobbed hair, cloche hats, boyish silhouette, beads (often worn with the long strands down the back). That look represents newfound freedom for women and the devil-may-care attitude of America after the Great War. Dresses revealed lots of skin – bared arms, increasingly shorter hemlines – and since smoking, drinking and applying lipstick and powder in public were all the rage among these young rebels, cigarette cases, flasks and make-up compacts became important fashion accessories.

This iconic flapper coat (1925-1928) – displayed beside a 1928 Pierce-Arrow – has all the bells and whistles to make it the “cat’s pajamas.”

The most sumptuous chestnut silk velvet pairs with opulent gold lamé in a completely reversible design.
Rich details conjure up the allure of the Orient: bold stylized roses, brilliant colors, and an exotic-looking fringed silk trim that mimics monkey fur, a popular embellishment of the time.
Worn lamé side out (as displayed), two oversized ruched velvet roses at the collar create a dramatic frame for the face and echo the orange roses in the lamé. The same orange roses are cut out and appliquéd at the back hem of the coat, embellished with gold braid and sequins.
Reversed, the coat is more understated, with an Art Deco flavor created by geometric bands of gold lamé against the soft chestnut velvet. To create interest, the velvet of the coat’s body is woven in a shadow stripe to contrast with matching plain-woven chestnut velvet at the hem and sleeves.

Here, the coat is paired with a green and gold lamé chemise and a cloche embellished with lamé roses, both from the same period.

Each of the garments in the Fountainhead Collection has a story to tell about the way people lived during the early days of America’s love affair with the automobile. We’re creating new signs to showcase important details of the garments on display, and we thought it might be interesting to share some of those stories here from time to time.

* Photos by Ronn Murray Photography

Ice Road Truckers Meet the Snow Flyer

2011-03-04T17:34:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

The 2011 Tired Iron vintage snowmobile rally has come and gone, and it was a blast. We moved our 1917 Model T Snow Flyer into the shop last week to get it ready to participate in the rally's festivities on the frozen Chena River last weekend. The temp was in the -5 F range--not too bad when the sun was shining, but when a little breeze showed up it got rather cold.

We got a nice surprise when Maya Sieber and Dave Redmon, stars of the History Channel's "Ice Road Truckers" and "IRT's Deadliest Roads" and their film crew stopped by for a visit. We introduced them to our original "ice road truck" and gave them a ride. I think their recent adventures in India made them forget what cold is, as they did lack a little in the warm clothing department. The cold ride no doubt gave them a taste of what the old timers delt with on the roads of the day.

Auburn in the Shop

2011-02-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

Well, the time arrived for the 1933 Auburn to come into the shop for a checkup. Like all the projects that start off rather simple, the Auburn was rather lethargic and required more work than anticipated. Upon close examination we determined that the problem would require some minor surgery, as the heat gates in the manifolds were seized up and would not close to put heat to the intake.

Charlie removed the manifolds and cleaned them up and got both gates freed up so that they operated like new, and made repairs to the fuel pump,

and both carbs got cleaned and adjusted. At right is the intake and exhaust manifolds after getting cleaned up and ready to reinstall on the 45 degree V12 .

This is one of the heat gates that was seized up.

The speedster is now up and running like it should, and we are just waiting for warm weather so we can get it out on the road. When Dennis Gage came up and filmed a show on the museum last summer, we pushed four cars out to drive. Lo and behold, the Auburn was the only one that did not want to run. We found fuel pump issues that caused that problem and made all the repairs, so now if Dennis wants to come up again he will be able to see how well this beautiful car runs.

1917 Pierce Arrow model 66A4

2011-02-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

If you like lots of power, and muscle, you need to come in and take a look at this car. We pulled the radiator out and having it sent out to PA to have it recored. The radiator will be out for some time, so we decided to put the car on display with the engine open so that you can see it in all its glory.

This is a very large 7 passenger touring car that is a great addition to our collection, and will be a fun car to drive this summer. It sports the largest production engine used in an american automobile. It is rated at a conservative 100 HP, at 1800 RPM, and is 825 CID. Yes thats correct, 825 CID. The torque of this thing is impressive, and until you drive or ride in this car you cannot appreciate it.

Here is a front view of the engine, showing the inline 6cyl engine sporting 3 spark plugs per cyl. Remember that this friday the 11th of February 2011 is the Gala Event of the year, Dancing with the cars, sponsored by the UAF, and it is always fun and the staff here is excited to help make this a success again this year. So when you come in, make sure to take the time to look at this wonderful car.

Thanks, Willy

Featured Vehicle - 1919 Studebaker Series 19 Big Six Wrecker

2011-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

It's not the most handsome vehicle in our collection, but our bright blue 1919 Studebaker Big Six Wrecker certainly stands out in a crowd.

After making their fortune supplying wagons during the Civil War and Westward Expansion Movement, the Studebaker Brothers entered the car market in 1902. With a decade of electric car production and brief collaborations with Garford and the Everitt-Metzger-Flanders Company under their belt, Studebaker finally began manufacturing their first complete, gasoline-powered cars in 1913. These included their first Sixes, which, along with Premier, were the first mass-production cars to have six-cylinders cast en bloc.

Like the first tow truck invented in 1915, all wreckers of the era were developed by converting a sturdy automobile into a truck. The Studebaker Big Six certainly qualified as sturdy: its 354-cubic-inch, L-head engine was rated at 60 brake horsepower, more than adequate for towing a broken-down Reo or Ford. The wooden plank mounted on the front was used for pushing disabled cars.

Our truck started life as a Studebaker four-door, seven-passenger touring car, the only Big Six body style offered in 1919. According to old titles that came with this vehicle, its original owner converted it to wrecker in 1926.

Manley Manufacturing Company of York, Pennsylvania made the towing mechanism. They claimed theirs was the first automobile wrecking crane manufactured for dealers and garage owners. The crane’s swivel-nose mechanism allowed disabled vehicles to be directly pulled from any angle.

The Studebaker wrecker is presently one of three trucks in our collection, the others being a 1915 Mack and a 1918 Duplex.

Vintage Fashion News

2011-01-21T13:35:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

There has been a lot happening behind the scenes with our vintage clothing collection this winter. Sarah Marshall, manager of our hotel gift shops, has been busy cataloging and photographing the numerous garments and items we've acquired over the past year. Here she is taking a break next to our 1907 White Steamer, wearing one of the reproduction hats visitors can don to have their photo taken in our 1911 Everitt touring car.

After carefully unpacking an item, Sarah takes photographs for our database and for the garment's storage container.

Most of the items are then wrapped in acid-free tissue and placed in archival storage boxes. Thanks to Sarah's efforts, it's now much easier to find a particular garment when we want to put in out on display. You can see that our storage room is getting quite full.

Speaking of displays, you can expect to see a LOT more fashions out on the museum floor this spring. Last week a big shipment of mannequins arrived, so now there are 40 torsos and lots of appendages keeping Sarah company in the back room. I'm sure she'll be happy to see them dressed and on display!

A Book in the Works

2011-01-13T16:19:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Exciting news! So many of our visitors have asked us to produce a book about our museum that we have decided to make it happen. It's a big undertaking but we've assembled a great team that includes Epicenter Press in Seattle and John Katz, former editor of Automobile Quarterly. Fairbanks photographer Ronn Murray has spent several days crawling over and under our cars to capture the details that make each vehicle unique. Here he is photographing the Rochester-Duesenberg engine on our 1920 Argonne.

Photographing the cars is not as easy as one might think. Reflections from the ceiling lights, our own reflections in shiny metal and lacquer, busy backgrounds, ropes and signs to be moved, and obtaining the right lighting to capture true paint colors present constant challenges. Fortunately, Ronn's expertise and the help of some wonderful docents have made it work smoothly. Here are Ronn and Rod (docent extraordinaire) wedged under our 1907 Cartercar to photograph its friction drive:

Finding a good position for a full car shot that doesn't include an emergency exit door or glare from clothing cases poses another challenge--especially when the car weighs 4,500 pounds like our 1921 Heine-Velox. Thank goodness for wheel skates!

Shooting the perfect angle of an engine, like that in our 1906 Compound, might entail removing the entire hood:

It's been a fun project so far and we're almost done photographing the cars. We plan to include several pages about our vintage fashion collection too, so Barb is selecting the pieces to be included. Photographing those will present a whole new set of challenges!

Many thanks to everyone who has helped with this project. We plan to have the book printed this summer. If you would like to be notified when copies are available, please let us know.

In the Shop: Wills Sainte Claire

2011-01-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Willy is off enjoying a vacation but Charlie has been quite busy in the shop. This week he finished work on the 1907 Franklin and rolled the 1922 Wills Sainte Claire Model A-68 sedan in for a thorough exam.

Designed by C.H. Wills, formerly the chief designer and metallurgist for Ford Motor Company, the Wills Sainte Claire was one of America's best-engineered automobiles. Its V-8 was the first overhead-cam engine designed for passenger car use, and according to Charlie it's incredibly smooth-running.

The WSC introduced several other revolutionary features including full pressure lubrication, a water-jacketed intake manifold, a back-up light that switched on automatically in reverse gear, and headlights that could be switched between high and low beam. Wills also pioneered the use of molybdenum alloy steel, an exceptionally strong metal that was used in every part of the car subjected to stress.

Charlie says every part on our WSC is in working order, but the cart needs a lot of attention. He first discovered a coolant leak in the engine, and when he flushed out the engine oil a lot of sludge drained into the buckets:

The radiator also needs repairing, and yesterday Charlie found that the brackets for the exhaust system had rusted:

Of the 12,000 Wills Sainte Claires made, only 80 are known to survive. Fortunately, it won't take much to get this 80-year-old car up and running. The hardest part will be waiting for spring so we can take her for a spin!

For more information about the Wills Sainte Claire marque, please visit the Wills Sainte Claire Museum.

Did Santa's Sleigh Break Down???

2010-12-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Santa's old reliable sled broke down on Christmas eve?

Well, rumor has it that Santa may have borrowed one of our faster cars to finish his route. We cannot document this, because some of our cars have no odometers, and nothing seems to be disturbed. We did, however, find a lot of dust on the Offy midget, and this image recorded on our security system.

When we dusted and cleaned the car off, we also found this pair of goggles that someone left behind. There is even a little bit of red lint left on the seat, but we cannot say for sure what happened. We have not located our Albany cutter sleigh yet either, so keep your eyes open for it. For now, I think we will just keep these goggles on the helmet to see if anyone comes in claiming them.

NATMUS

2010-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

During my recent trip I visited the NATMUS (National Automobile and Truck Museum of the United States) in Auburn IN, and had a fun time there. It is located next the the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum and is part of the original buildings used to manufacture E. L. Cord's automobile lines. The old buildings are fantanstic to see. At left is a picture of an Auburn Roadster that was dug out of a dirt bank. Anyone want a project?????

This is the Detroit 12V92 diesel engine powered vehicle that set the land speed record in 1990 at 179.506 mph, and then broke that at 226.471 mph in 1993. As you can see from the photo, it shows the inside of the original building.

Ok, someone has to know the history of this vehicle. There was no sign or information on it, but it is obviously a prototype military unit. Maybe someone can tell us about it?

This picture shows the inside of the main building where they were building the cars. I'm not sure what part of the assembly was done here, but the buildings are really great to see.

Shop News: 1911 Oakland Repairs

2010-12-17T23:39:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

We are in the process of putting the 1911 Oakland back together. The radiator had to be repaired, the sides had broken loose, and there was a small leak in the bottom tank. We repaired it in-house and now it is ready to polish and install, as are the lights.

The front cylinder block had internal cracks that put coolant into the cylinders, so we sent it out to Cast Iron Specialties to be welded. They did a great job. We also removed the pan and cleaned out the gunk, repaired one rod cap, tightened up the mains and will be firing it up on Tuesday. We had to raise the front end up to gain clearance on the front fender to tire area, and added 2 inches to get it up where we needed it. Many thanks to Holiday Parks in Fairbanks for making the blocks for us.

We are looking forward to getting this car running again. Perhaps we'll even take it out for a test drive if it warms up a little (okay, a lot, as it was -35 F today!).

Another Adventure

2010-12-10T10:43:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

I just returned from a trip to the east. After checking out a car, I decided to take time to visit a few museums while there. I visited the Auburn Cord Duesenburg Museum in Indiana and had a great time there. Matt Short, excutive VP of the museum, was very generous with his time and gave me a tour of the facility and collection. The V-16 engine at right was built in 1918 by the Duesenberg brothers for aircraft use, but they had no planes to handle it so it never went into production. It's 3393 cubic inches, making 800 HP at 1800 RPM. Boy would I like to hear this thing run!

This is the building where the Imp cyclecars were made. I did walk around and, look as I may, could not find a single Imp cyclecar left unknown. I did get to study the Imp on display at the ACD. With in-depth photos in hand I was able to gain a better understanding of what and how Imps were built.

Does this look familiar? It's a Cord L-29--same as our black Cord, but with a paint scheme by Frank Lloyd Wright similar to our '33 Auburn. This was Wright's personal car and its great looks really grabbed my attention.

The ACD Museum is a great place to visit and I would recommend it to anyone that is in the area. I went to the Henry Ford Museum next but will leave that for a later post.

Why White Tires?

2010-11-28T21:04:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt (with some help from Willy Vinton)

Yesterday I was admiring this photo of our 1907 White Steam Car taken by Troy Bouffard, and it reminded me of a question we are often asked: why are many of the tires on our oldest automobiles white? Quite simply, the natural color of rubber is white because of the zinc oxide in its composition. It wasn't until 1910 that the Silvertown Tire Company of London (followed by the B.F. Goodrich Company in the U.S.) added carbon black to tires, greatly increasing their durability.

Because white tires didn't last long, it's pretty rare to see an original pair on a car. Some think the tires on our preservation class 1910 Hudson are original, but were made in England and added to the car about six years ago. In that short time these gray (not white) tires--which have been inside most of their life--have yellowed with age, giving you an idea how quickly these tires failed.

White tires require a lot of care. Each time we drive a white-tired car the tires have to be cleaned before the vehicle goes back on display. Fortunately we have our Adopt-A-Car sponsors and wonderful docents (like Terry at right, who is using a toothbrush to scrub the tread!) to help with this task.

Not surprisingly, the next question often asked is: where do you get replacement white tires for antique cars? There are actually several companies that sell reproduction tires. I imagine we could find vintage tires too, but since we drive most of our cars we prefer less-fragile rubber between us and the pavement.

Perhaps some day I'll write about why the rear tires were larger than the front ones on many old cars and carriages.

Icepocalypse Now

2010-11-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Most of Alaska is experiencing the mother of all ice storms right now, thanks to an epoch winter rain event that has essentially shut down Fairbanks and brought great joy to the towing companies. My attempt to drive to work this morning was similar to that of a friend who said, "My truck did a 180 at the bottom of the hill. Since I was then pointed home, I continued that way." I too tucked my tail and returned home. Fortunately, I have a lot of historic photos here to keep me occupied. For your viewing pleasure, here are some ways Alaskans dealt with driving on snow in the early days:

At right is Bobbie Sheldon with passengers on the trail to Valdez. Sheldon cut down the axles of his Model T Fords so his tires would fit in the tracks of the horse-drawn sleighs. He also wrapped chains around the rear tires and put skis under the front ones.

Sheldon mounted a gas tank on the hood to maintain fuel flow to the engine while going up steep hills. It wasn't uncommon for drivers in those days to have to go up hills backwards because of the rear-mounted gas tanks.

I have no idea what this is...

...but these tracked vehicles look more familiar:

I think my favorite winterized rig is this motorcycle decked out with outrigger skis. I'm guessing it wouldn't have worked too well on today's icy roads, though. Nor would the Fordson Snow Motor we have parked outside the museum. Based on news reports, no vehicles are working too well today. Funny how we Alaskans don't let heavy snowfall or -55 F temperatures get in our way, but a little rainfall brings us to our knees!

Photos courtesy of Frances Erickson, Candy Waugaman and Nick Nugent. May not be reproduced without permission.

Big Wheels Arrive

2010-11-15T12:58:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Christmas came early to the museum this year. Yesterday the BATS Motorsports truck rolled in from its trip up the Alaska Highway, and I always think of Santa's sleigh when that big rig arrives. We knew it was carrying two new cars for the museum; what we didn't expect was the other cargo tucked inside.

First off the truck was our 1917 Pierce-Arrow Model 66 A-4. I had been told by many how big this car is...wow! Pictures don't really do it justice, but keep in mind the guy on the left is 6'4" (in fact, all those guys look like Hobbits next to that car). The top is around 7' high, so your head isn't much lower than that when seated in this big beauty.

A few other big things about this car: its tires are 4' in diameter, the wheelbase is 147.5" and the 6-cylinder engine displaces a whopping 825 cubic inches! Despite its massive size, the car is very elegant--especially the interior.

Our 1907 White Steamer Model G also made the trip north. She's a tall car too, although it's not as evident without her windshield & top installed. The big radiator on the front is actually the condenser. It cools and condenses the exhaust steam back into water, then returns it to the water tank for re-use. This allows the car to travel further on a tank of water than a non-condensing steam car such as our 1910 Stanley.

And for our added viewing pleasure, we got to see a special car that's made the news lately. A couple from Wasilla, Alaska recently converted a pickup truck into a giant Radio Flyer wagon. It's awesome! It even has a big tow handle that attaches to the front, although that had been removed for the trip. You can read more about the car and see additional photos here.

Many thanks to the volunteers who helped us unload the cars. We plan to move the White Steamer and Pierce-Arrow on to the museum floor by Sunday. Hope you can all come see them!

A New Face at the Museum

2010-11-11T14:50:00.000-08:00

by Willy Vinton

The museum would like to welcome and introduce our newest team member, Charlie Jurgens. Charlie is a recently retired mechanic that has done aircraft restoration, as well as military vehicles in the past. He will be a great asset to our mission to keep the cars running and in top shape. We will do our very best to keep him from getting bored in his retirement. Welcome aboard Charlie!

This is Charlie's first challenge, to get the 1907 Franklin running properly.* After removing the intake we found a couple of bad seal rings, so we replaced those. Next we cleaned the carbon out of the valves, and are now rebuilding the carburetor. When we get done with it, it will purr like a big cat, no kittens here. As soon as it is back up and running, we will shoot a video of it outside and then put it back on display.

* Click here for a video on Willy's attempt to run the Franklin last month.

Chasing Ghosts - Part II: White Steamers

2010-11-08T10:20:00.000-08:00

by Nancy DeWitt

On December 17, 1908, this appeared in in the Fairbanks Daily News:

ANOTHER CAR ON THE STREETS

Fairbanks streets have taken on a decidedly metropolitan air with two large automobiles gliding swiftly about the city, the new 50-horse power White Steamer having gone into commission yesterday.

The White Steamer is a splendid machine, having stood the severe test of years, and thousands of motorists on the outside are still divided on the merits of steam and gasoline cars. It is a beautifully made car, much heavier than the Franklin, which is advertised as one of the lightest cars made for the power...On her initial performance the machine did great work, running as smoothly as a clock.

The White Steamer Model K (pictured above) had been purchased "for the bargain sum of $3,400" by Fairbanks' pioneering lumbermen, Charles Carroll and Fred Parker. They immediately put the big car into service as a passenger stage between Fairbanks and Fox. It was only the third car Fairbanks had ever seen.

Naturally, we thought it would be wonderful to have a White in the Fountainhead Museum. As luck would have it, White Steam Car owners are a tight crowd and even have an on-line registry. During a trip to Boise, ID to visit family in 2008, I called a man listed on the registry and asked if I could see his Whites. He showed me his fine collection and then casually mentioned that not one but TWO of Alaska's original White Steamers were in in California! Turns out that the Model K and a 1909 Model M (likely the one pictured below) had been dumped in the river in some time after 1926 and later salvaged by Alaska pioneer Bill Sherwin. Bill sold what was left of the cars to the current owner during the A67 Exposition in Fairbanks. Both are now undergoing "the world's longest restoration."

We met the owner of these Alaska Whites in Bakersfield last year. He asked if I could check to see if any car parts were perhaps hiding in the attic of Sherwin's former home, which now resides in Pioneer Park (hmmm, it no longer has an attic). Rumor has it that Sherwin put the rear end of one of the Whites into a portable sawmill that went to Tok. Anyone have any leads on where these various parts might be?

This was one ghost chase actually led us to two of Alaska's first cars. Since then, we've acquired a big 1907 White Model G to represent this important piece of Alaska's early automotive history in our museum. I can't wait to see it!

Chasing Ghosts: Part I

*Photos courtesy of Candy Waugaman. May not be reproduced without permission.

Vintage Fashion Tour

2010-11-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt, Historian

Barb Cerny, our Vintage Fashion Curator, and I traveled to Los Angeles a few weeks ago. Our goal was to visit several fashion exhibits and hopefully come away with some new ideas, tips and inspiration for the Fountainhead Museum.

Our first stop was the Fashion Institute for Design & Merchandising, a private college with a museum and galleries open to the public. The fashions in their Re-Designing History exhibit were stunning, and the private tour of FIDM from Meghan Hansen was especially enlightening. She gave us a lot of tips on mannequins and storage, display and labeling of vintage garments. We especially loved the hair styles FIDM makes for their mannequins using drawing paper (!). Barb and I are pretty sure we won't be able to make similar hairdos for our own mannequins, but it might be fun to try to on some long winter evening.

Next up was the Petersen Automotive Museum to see the highly acclaimed Automotivated exhibit. This display highlights the parallels between early cars and clothing design, progressing from functional wear for open-air motoring to the graceful lines of cars and dresses of the 1930s. It's amazing to think that wealthy connoisseurs would collaborate with coachbuilders and couturiers to coordinate their fashions and automobiles!

Automotivated focuses on a similar theme we are working toward at the Fountainhead Museum with our vintage clothing, so this was a very interesting and informative visit for us. We owe special thanks to Museum Curator Leslie Kendall for the personalized tour, including a special trip into the basement to see the many cool cars they have in storage.

Our final stop was the L.A. County Museum of Art to see their Fashioning Fashion exhibit. Holy moly, the historic European clothing on display was incredible! I loved how they displayed corseted, bustled and or hoop-skirted mannequins alongside fully clothed ones to illustrate how the silhouettes were achieved. The descriptions for each outfit and the information about textile details were also excellent. Barb and I left LACMA with more ideas, not to mention a desire to acquire even more historic outfits for the Fountainhead Museum. All in all, a great trip!

Ooh La La! French Curves at the Mullin

2010-10-30T22:43:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

I had the pleasure of visiting the new Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California a week ago. Peter Mullin created the museum to pay homage to the art deco period and display his amazing collection of "rolling sculptures" from the era. Everything about the museum is jaw dropping, from the curvy automobiles and Carlos Bugatti furniture to the architecture and historic art on exhibit.

As if the first floor of the 47,000 square-foot museum isn't impressive enough, a number of very cool pre-war race cars are parked on the second floor. These include several Grand Prix and Le Mans winners.

It was hard to choose a favorite, although this 1939 Delahaye Type 165 Cabriolet ranked high on my list

followed by this 1934 Voisin C27 Aerosport.

The 1937 Delahaye Type 135M Roadster was rather eye-catching too.

In addition to the gleaming Talbot-Lagos, Renaults, Delages and other French beauties, I found some surprises. Remember the 1925 Bugatti roadster made famous for being rescued from a lake in northern Italy last year? It's here, along with a neat display of preservation-class autos from the legendary Schlumpf Reserve Collection.

The Mullin Automotive Museum is only open for tours one Saturday a month, so plan your visit well in advance.

Vehicles scheduled to come up!

2010-10-29T18:40:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Since Nancy is still out of town, I thought I'd just give a quick update. The last two 'new addition' vehicles for the season are scheduled to leave Seattle on Monday for the trip up to Fairbanks. Barring an extreme cold snap, which is so far not in the forecast, in a little under two weeks we should receive the 1907 White Steamer and the 1917 Pierce Arrow.

These photos show our partially restored White, giving you an idea of its height and imposing size. I wish I had a recent pic of ours since it's freshening up, but i guess we (all) have something to look forward to!

And the 1917 Pierce -

The Pierce needs a few more bits and pieces so it'll likely be in the Museum shop for a little while. It may need TWO parking spaces. :-)

Derik

Hershey Swap Meet 2010

2010-10-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Well, after missing a connection on my flight in good od Detroit and having to spend the night, I finally made it to Hershey, PA. This guy is one of the first things that grabbed my attention -- he is holding a picture of a very nice early Packard, and he's pushing the start of its restoration in that cart. You just never know what you are going to see here! The weather was great all the time I was there, having missed the first rainy day due to Delta's missed connection.

This was a neat contraption: a 1974 Fascination Car that can spin around in its own length. Some people just have too much time (and fun).

This is a 1916 Woods Mobilette, a later version of the 1914 Mobilette in our museum. It has offset seating and is a little wider than ours. It is in the AACA museum, and was very interesting to look at and compare to ours. Below is a picture of the sign they had for the car (you can click on the image for a larger view).

I did find a few items we were looking for, and saw lots of stuff we really didn't need. For the most part the trip was rather uneventful -- until I hit a skunk while retunring the rental car at 4 AM Sunday morning. Boy, that brought back memories! Really glad we don't have skunks up here in Alaska (at least 4 legged ones).

More later!

Mack and new blog format

2010-10-16T07:24:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Well this last week saw a number of changes to our image. You've no doubt noticed the blog looks different. I've redone it to compliment the new Museum Website!

We also received a new addition to our collection. It's a 1915 Mack Dump Truck. It is completely original and will be an 'outside display' piece. The cab, hood and various parts have been removed for transport. In fact, I towed it from our yard into the storage building and Nancy 'volunteered' to drive it.

And she did complain somewhat at the start - Hey, it doesn't have a steering wheel, and where's the seat, it's just an ice cold fuel tank to sit on. Pfffft, trifles. :-)

Thanks once again to Lynden for bringing this one up. We docked the trailer at one of our warehouses and the dump boom was just a hair too tall to fit in the door. So Lynden took it back to their yard and offloaded for us. Big Thanks!

Chasing Ghosts - Part I: Franklin

2010-10-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

A lot of my work as our museum's historian involves chasing ghosts: figuring out when and what types of cars first showed up in Alaska, if any still exist, and if anyone recalls anything about their long-gone owners. During the museum's planning stage, I read through numerous old newspapers and dug through countless photographs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Archives. From the former, I learned that the first three cars in Fairbanks were a Pope-Toledo, Franklin and White Steamer, all arriving by sternwheeler in 1908. Eventually I met Fairbanks historian Candy Waugaman, and she was kind enough to give me access to her tremendous Alaska postcard and photo collections. I was quite excited when she showed me this photo:

The barrel-shaped hood indicated that the car was an air-cooled Franklin, and correspondence with the H.H. Franklin Club confirmed it. Could this be one of Fairbanks' first cars? Old newspapers had noted that Hosea Ross, the town's undertaker, purchased that first Franklin in 1908. As luck would have it I discovered Ross' autobiography at the Elmer Rasmuson Library at UAF. In it he wrote about buying the Franklin and being offered $50 to take a drunk lawyer to Dome Creek: "I said 'No.' He said 'I will give you $75.' I said, 'No.' He said, 'I will give you $100.' I said 'All right.'" As they say, everyone has their price.

Ross goes on to write that their trip was the first time an automobile had made it to Dome, a mining town just north of Fairbanks. No doubt the photo above, captioned "First Auto Dome," was taken during that journey. Ross next bought a Thomas Flyer and Pierce Great Arrow. I couldn't find another photo of the Franklin or any of the Thomas, but Candy had this one of Ross sitting at the wheel of a Great Arrow (pretty popular guy for an undertaker, eh?):

Through more detective work I tracked down some of Ross' relatives. None had any information about or photos of his early cars. Ross had written that he eventually "...sold the old Franklin as a wreck." Chances are the car ended up in the river, town dump, or was dissected for parts. While we hold out hope that we may find its remains some day, we have this lovely 1907 Franklin Type D landaulette to help us educate visitors about Alaska's first days of the automobile.

Nest installment: What happened to the White Steamer?

*Note: Historical photos pictured here may not be reproduced without permission.

A Premier Automobile Arrives

2010-09-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Our 1912 Premier Model 6-60 roadster arrived on Sunday, and what a beauty she is! In this photo you'll note that the headlights have been removed for shipping. When transporting these cars to Alaska, it's important that accessories such as lamps, mirrors, and the spare tire and horn be removed, bubble-wrapped and boxed. Otherwise, these might bounce off and be damaged. The boxes cannot be placed loose inside the car, as these could shift and damage the vehicle. Thanks to BATS Motorsports, the Premier arrived in good shape.

After polishing the brass, Willy and Tim took the Premier out for a spin. Tim says "It's the most refined and smoothest Brass Era automobile I have ever driven. It almost feels like it has power steering. In fact, I was able to steer it with one hand." Willy seconded Tim's comments and added that the Premier runs very well and is easy to operate. Both noted that the car has tremendous torque and accelerates easily. Its rare combination of outstanding performance and refinement prompted it's previous owner to declare, "It's got a lot of go, and almost no whoa!"

We recently acquired this Premier from the the Nethercutt Museum. It is one of the largest Brass Era roadsters ever built and quite possibly the last 6-cylinder Premier in existence. It has a 140" wheelbase and a 60-HP engine that displaces 501 cu. in. If you visit the museum, be sure to check out the unique and complex air starter under this Premier's hood.

Note that we have switched to our winter hours and are now open Sundays from noon-6 pm.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

2010-09-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Last week Wedgewood Resort hosted the Museums Alaska and Alaska Historical Society joint annual Conference. It was a terrific event and brought people together from around the State to talk about the importance of historical preservation. There were quite a number of presentation, classes and conference events packed into four days.

Willy Vinton and I were asked to participate as speakers in the Preservation Ethics and Industrial History Collections session. Speaking as well - in order were -
Alaska Aviation Museum (Planes)
Friends of Tanana Valley Railroad (Trains)
FAAM - (Automobiles)

Willy and I spoke about the differences between preservation and restoration and the criteria we use to determine whether or not to alter, replace, run, or even clean, a particular automobile.

But I especially enjoyed hearing Dan of FTVRR go through the (near decade) long process of getting permission, through restoration and finally running, the 100 year old Engine No. 1 -

Photo from the FTVRR website.

Special thanks to Scott Carrlee for inviting us to participate and I look for to attending future Conferences.

Kirkland Concours Results in Win for our 1917 Pierce-Arrow!

2010-09-17T12:22:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Last weekend Tim and Willy participated in presenting our 1921 Heine-Velox and the 1917 Pierce-Arrow in the Kirkland Concours. The 1917 Pierce-Arrow won a Recipient's Choice award and everyone had a great time.

http://www.kirklandconcours.com/index.html

http://www.kirklandviews.com/archives/20390

(Photo courtesy of Kirklandviews.com)

Big thanks to Al Murray of Murray Motorcars for getting them ready and doing the leg work on getting them to the show - A huge amount of effort goes into getting these vehicles to a show.

Next stop for the vehicles is Fairbanks! The 1917 Pierce was purchased recently, at Pebble Beach, and the 1921 Heine-Velox has been in restoration at Al Schmidt's in Southern California for almost two years. We look forward to seeing these vehicles here in Alaska.

As a teaser - The 1921 Heine-Velox and the 1912 Premier are scheduled to leave Washington next week and we anticipate their arrival at the Museum sometime around Sept. 27th. The 1917 Pierce and the 1907 White Steamer ship a couple weeks behind them!

Mr. Whitekeys strikes again!

2010-09-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Mr. Whitekeys did another great clip about his summer visit to the FAAM on KTUU

Here's a link in case you're browser doesn't like the embed below.

Thanks, Mr. Whitekeys!
Derik

An Update on our Clothing Collection

2010-09-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

by Barb Cerny, Vintage Clothing Curator

We recently brought up Colleen Callahan and Newbie Richardson from Costume and Textile Specialists in Virginia to take a look at the Fountainhead antique clothing collection and evaluate our exhibits. They spent two days assessing the collection and teaching us how to care for, repair and store the clothing to maintain its condition. We also learned how to carve, stuff and dress mannequins to better exhibit the “silhouettes” of the time periods on display.

We next hosted a day-long workshop for museum staff and anyone interested in costume and textile maintenance and exhibition. We had 16 attendees, along with some museum visitors who sat in for a while. We all were enthralled for 7.5 hours as Newbie and Colleen discussed topics ranging from philosophy of textile and costume conservation in museums, wet and dry cleaning techniques, stabilization through hand-sewing, storage options and materials, forms, mannequins and mounting of exhibits. We ended with a demonstration of how to dress a form with a 19th Century garment from the Fountainhead collection. Our exhibit now contains a one-of-a-kind gown from the 1880s sporting colorful birds that are actually woven into the fabric of the skirt. The dress looks lifelike on the mannequin.

We now have over 50 vintage outfits on display inside the museum and hope you will come see them soon.

A Compound Weekend

2010-09-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

One of the fun and rewarding things about working here is meeting descendants of some of the automakers whose cars are in our museum. Last weekend Gregory Prior and his uncle Stanton Prior made a trip to Fairbanks to visit the museum, specifically to see the 1906 Compound Model 7 1/2 we have on display. Greg and Stanton are the direct descendants of David Graham, who was the general superintendent for Eisenhuth Horseless Vehicle Company. Both men were in the past, and presently involved in the design of automobiles. Greg is currently working for Chrysler and had worked for GM in the past, designing cars and product. They have been tracking our Compound (the only one known to still exist) for several years and decided that it was time for them to see it, so they made a special trip up to Fairbanks, arriving on Friday night and leaving Monday morning.

Here are Greg and Stanton sitting proudly in the car with the engine designed by their ancestor and Frank Fox.

Since they had made the effort to come all the way to see the compound, I told them we would fire it up and give them a ride if we could get the weather to cooperate. Saturday was a gloomy day and we could not make it happen, but on Sunday we found an opening in the weather long enough to get the car out, spend 10 minutes getting it started and then taking it for a spin. That was a very special moment for both of them, and will provide many tales to be told around the campfires for years to come.

Greg and Stanton brought a mountain of knowledge, paperwork, photos, blueprints, articles, advertisements and original parts lists for the Compound to share with us. We thank them for making the journey, and for providing another tale for our campfires as well.

Heine-Velox Update 4

2010-08-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

The Big Beauty is finished! On August 15, our 1921 Heine-Velox made its first post-restoration appearance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. We almost didn't make it, though. The Concours requires that cars be driven into the show; there was a lot of confusion over directions and Tim ended up taking a rather long detour around Pebble Beach. As he finally approached the showgrounds, the left rear brake shoe locked up. Fortunately, Allen Schmidt was behind the car and informed Tim that he had put tools in it. They made the repair and the car made it to the show.

The Heine-Velox was definitely an attention-getter at Pebble. People's faces just lit up when they saw this rare and unusual car, as it was unlike anything else in the Concours. Tim and I handed out hundreds of business cards for the museum and heard stories about Gustav Heine and his cars from some of the attendees. Several old-timers had even seen this Heine-Velox at Harrah's. We even got a card from the folks that own and live in Gustav Heine's former house, and they have a V12 engine block with the crankshaft still in it, half buried in the back yard. We're looking forward to showing our Heine-Velox at the Kirkland Concours d'Elegance next month, along with our 1910 Whiting and 1917 Pierce-Arrow Model 66 A-4.

Many thanks to Brian Williams for traveling from the east coast to attend the Concours. Brian worked for and is friends with J. Parker Wickham, the car's previous owner. Brian delivered an impressive file of historical documents and glass plate photos of the car to us--very valuable additions to our library. More pictures to follow as soon as wilma get the camera downloaded.

Advance steam tractor makes it to Museum

2010-08-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Our 1905 Advance Steam Tractor finally made it to the Museum yesterday! Our outside display still needs a little work, but the information sign is up, the Engine is painted and looking sharp.

We painted it in our Shop and it doesn't exactly 'roll' anymore, so we got a little help to move it outside to load on the trailer.

Thanks go out to Manny and the painting crew and Josh for moving it around and setting up delivery.

Fountainhead's Stanley Steamer video now on YouTube

2010-08-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

by Derik Price

Before Willy and I flyout for Pebble Beach I wanted to post a clip (5 min) of the Stanley Steamer demonstration drive we did back in June.

>FountainheadMuseum YouTube Channel<

On our YouTube Channel you can also see some video clips from running our Elto Midget, the Snow Flyer last winter, the Argonne and a host of other vehicles. Hope you enjoy it.

I'll post some pics and a Blog entry from Pebble Beach as well. I know, tough job, but someone has to do it!

Heine-Velox Update 3

2010-08-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

Well, our 1921 Heine-Velox Sporting Victoria is heading to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance next week. Allan Schmidt of Horseless Carriage Restoration in Escondido, CA has worked his magic on the big beastie and will be trailering it north for us. Thanks, Allan!

Because the Heine-Velox is such a big, imposing car, we selected a dark paint color rather than stay with the lighter color it had been painted several decades ago. We're really looking forward to seeing this legendary car in person.

If you are attending the Concours, please stop by and say hello. We'll be happy to tell you more about the Heine-Velox and our museum. If you aren't going to Pebble Beach, we will be showing the car at the Kirkland Concours d'Elegance on September 12. After that, it's North to Alaska if you want to see it!

For more information about our Heine-Velox see our earlier posts:
http://fountainheadauto.blogspot.com/2009/12/heine-velox-update.html
http://fountainheadauto.blogspot.com/2009/12/heine-velox-update_28.html

Alaska Transportation Pioneer

2010-07-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

On Wednesday we held a reception in the museum to honor Robert Sheldon and celebrate the official opening of our exhibit about this fascinating Alaska pioneer. Several of Sheldon's family members, including his daughter, were in attendance.

Seven years after being left in Skagway at age 14 to fend for himself, Sheldon built Alaska's first car--even though he had never seen one in person before. This 105 year-old runabout is now on loan to us from the University of Alaska Museum of the North. There's a very entertaining story about Sheldon's motivation for building the car, and we hope you'll come visit and learn all about it.

A few years after he moved to Fairbanks from Skagway, Sheldon ordered the town's first Ford Model T. On July 29, 1913, he and three passengers left Fairbanks to attempt to drive the car over the 360-mile wagon trail to Valdez. They faced many hardships, including crossing the Tanana River at Big Delta. The ferry wasn't operating due to the river's floodwaters, so Sheldon and his crew built their own ferry out of two poling boats from the nearby Native village.

On August 2 (after a side trip to Chitina) the crew arrived in Valdez. Sheldon's pioneering trip proved that cars could navigate the trail, and within a few years he began Alaska's first automobile passenger stage on what would become the Richardson Highway. Sheldon was a vigorous promoter of tourism in Alaska, and in the 1920s he and his partners operated the first bus concession in Mt. McKinley National Park. Sheldon also served as an Alaska Road Commissioner, Territorial legislator, State Representative and Fairbanks postmaster before passing away in 1983.

Despite all of Robert Sheldon's contributions to Alaska transportation history, his name graces no highway, street or monument. Perhaps the new bridge being constructed in downtown Fairbanks could be named after him? We think that would be an appropriate honor for this remarkable man.

Lower photos courtesy of Frances Erickson, daughter of Robert Sheldon. May not be used without permission.

Lathrop High Class of 1970

2010-07-22T14:45:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

Last Saturday night was a very busy one at the museum with the Lathrop High Class of 1970 holding their reunion here. Everyone appeared to have a great time, and a lot of memories were shared with old friends. Dirk Tordoff from the UAF Film Archives put on a great program, taking everyone down memory lane with his Powerpoint presentation of places and things to do in the 60s in Fairbanks, TV shows, and toys of the day. Period music played during the event which helped bring back some memories, and even a couple cars showed up including a 56 chevy and a nice GTO to help set the mood. We hope everyone had a great time.

Fairbanks-Morse Engines in Alaska

2010-07-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

We had a very unique display at the Midnight Sun Cruise-In a few weeks ago. Alan James of Fairbanks brought his 1906 Fairbanks-Morse engine to the car show and talked about how these big machines were used to power the wireless transmitters along the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System. He then gave a lively demonstration on how to start the engine, which was similar to this description I found on-line:

"A kitchen match was loaded into a special plunger, and then screwed into a portal in the combustion chamber. After rotating the flywheel to bottom dead center of the compression stroke, the primer cup was filled with some gasoline, along with a little in the match hole for good measure. The match holder was then screwed into the match light portal and the flywheel was given a good heave in the reverse direction to compress the charge. The operator then hopped off at just the right time, hit the match plunger, and BLAM!!! Away it went!"

Alan discovered two of these Fairbanks-Morse engines in 2001 at the old Fort Gibbon site near the village of Tanana on the Yukon River. The engines were mounted on concrete platforms and housed in a two-story building that burned in the early 1950s. Alan had the engines barged to Nenana and shipped by rail to Fairbanks, where he restored the one pictured above. The other, a 1907 Type N-20 Special Electric, is on display at the Fountainhead Museum. These Fairbanks-Morse engines are very impressive to see. The flywheels are 6 feet in diameter and the entire unit weighs over 10,000 lbs.

Many thanks to Alan for sharing his engine at the Cruise-In!

Dennis Gage and Our Classic Cars

2010-06-28T21:18:00.000-07:00

by Willy Vinton

WOW:::: what a weekend we had on the 18-21 June! Dennis Gage arrived on the evening of the 17th with Ben, his producer and camera man, to film the inaugural Midnight Sun Cruise-In for the Speed Channel's "My Classic Car" show.

On Friday morning we met at the museum for a quick tour. Dennis made it clear that he is not a museum kind of guy, so I was rather pleased to hear his expression of "Holy (something or other), this place is a surprise." So after all of the Midnight Sun Cruise-In activities--including the Tour de Fairbanks during which Dennis had to suffer driving our georgeous 1927 Stutz Blackhawk (below right*)--Dennis decided to get video for a second show about the museum.

It rained all day on Sunday, giving us the opportunity to get all the interior filming done. Monday was a pretty, sunny day, allowing us to show Dennis that we could indeed push any of the cars out the door and run them. We started out with a very unique 1914 Wood Mobilette cylecar, which Dennis got to drive around. This was entertaining as he had never driven a cylecar before. Next we drove the museum's rare 1920 Argonne (the only surviving one of 24 produced) around the Wedgewood Resort grounds. Then we rolled out the 1933 Auburn speedster; alas, it would only run with prime, and the fuel pump failed us. Another job for the list!

The last car out was the 1906 Compound (also the only one left). Within 5 minutes it was up and running, much to the amazement of Dennis. He got to drive this one around as well (at right), giving him the opportunity to pilot one the rarest cars we have in the collection. So as you can see it has been busy and fun time at the museum. We got some great footage and really look forward to seeing both of the shows that will air in the 2011 lineup.

Don't miss Dennis' blog post about his visit at http://bit.ly/bRwQe6

*Photo of Dennis in 1927 Stutz by Ronn Murray Photography

A Cruisin' Good Time

2010-06-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

What a weekend! The Midnight Sun Cruise-In was a great success, thanks to an excellent variety of cars, cooperative weather and a large turnout of spectators for the car show. Wedgewood Resort proved to be an excellent venue, and it was fun seeing the cars spread out throughout the resort's campus.

Friday evening started off with a cruise to the Alaska Salmon Bake. Willy and Alan Kelso led the way in the museum's 1910 Stanley Steamer, but had to cut short the route when they literally started to lose steam. The Stanley made up for it, though, by leading Saturday's "Tour de Fairbanks" out to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Goldstream Valley and the UAF campus.

Special thanks go out to Rick Larrick and the Vernon L. Nash Antique Car Club for organizing the Tour de Fairbanks and an especially fine car show. At least 150 vehicles were entered, along with some dragsters on display. Alan Kelso gave two demonstrations of how to fire up a Stanley Steamer, Alan James demonstrated his 1906 Fairbanks-Morse engine and Bub Larson gave free hay rides to spectators. The museum was a busy place too, with record attendance set both Saturday and Sunday.

Congratulations to the following People's Choice award winners:

Ford Model A: 1930 Model A Truck, Robert Bartlett, Anchorage
Pre-War: 1930 Willys Knight, Scott and Donna Culbertson, Fairbanks
Post-War: 1957 Corvette, Terry Whitledge, Fairbanks (photo at right*)
Classic: 1973 Dodge Challanger, Brett and Cindy Helms, Fairbanks
Hot Rod: 1950 Mercury Coupe, Alan and Beccy Monsma, Fairbanks
Motorcycle: 1990 Harley-Davidson FXRLR, Chuck Mitchell, Fairbanks
Miscellaneous: International Harvester Super MD, Bub Larson, Fairbanks

Of course, a huge highlight of the weekend was having Dennis Gage from the Speed Channel here filming for his "My Classic Car" television show (we'll write more about this next). After a surprise visit by Governor Sean Parnell at the awards dinner, Dennis graciously presented the People's Choice plaques. That was followed by an entertaining musical revue by Mr. Whitekeys - all in all a very fun evening.

Many thanks to everyone who made the Cruise-In a hit. You know it's a success when even babies show up in hot rods!

For more photos from the Cruise-In visit:
http://ow.ly/22OPC and http://ow.ly/22OMA

* photo by Ronn Murray Photography

All Steamed Up!

2010-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

by Nancy DeWitt

It's been a busy week getting ready for our Midnight Sun Cruise-In, but a very exciting one since it's involved getting our 1910 Stanley Steamer ready for Saturday. Alan Kelso, a steam car expert from Pennsylvania, flew up to help Willy get the car tuned up and running.

While the Stanley is in good shape, it needed a lot of work. Among other things, the guys repacked the valves, pumps and wheel bearings; cleaned the vaporizer; repaired the throttle; and cleaned out the pressure bottles.

Willy and Alan have been helped by a great group of docents this week. At right Ed is busy packing one of the water pumps.

For some reason Rod got stuck cleaning out the fuel tank.

The trade-off for all the hard work was getting to participate in steam car training with Alan. After three days, it was finally time to take the Stanley on her maiden Alaska run.

Here Alan goes over over the procedure for lighting the burner. It took about 10 minutes to build up adequate pressure. I never realized a car could moan like a lovestruck yak, but steamers make some funky noises as they "get up to steam." Alan says the sound is known as the mating call of a Stanley.

We'll have to post a video of the firing up on our YouTube channel. Better yet, come see us fire up the Stanley at 11 am this Saturday during the Cruise-In.

The ultimate payoff for our hard-working docents was getting trained to drive the Stanley. According to Alan, "The first thing you have to do is set fear and common sense aside, because no one in their right mind would light a fire in a wooden box and then climb onto it." Eager to prove our minds weren't right, we all jumped at the chance to drive the car. At right is Rod taking his lovely wife, Birgit, for a ride.

Of all the drivers, Ed had the biggest grin after his turn at the wheel. He's a huge fan of steam cars and has adopted our Stanley. "I've ridden in several kinds of steam cars," he said, "but I've waited 60 years to drive one. It was fantastic!"

Many thanks to Alan, Rod, Ed and Ron for all their help this week. Willy and Alan took the Stanley on the runaround with the local car club last night, where it was a huge hit.

Here's a photo of the blow-off after the guys returned from the evening drive. Everything about this car is very impressive, and we hope you'll come see it running on Saturday!