0 Baby Austin, Indeed!

by Nancy DeWitt
© Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum


We don't often have two of the museum automobiles out on the road at the same time, but Willy made a special effort this summer to get our shortest and longest cars out for a photo session. He claims he was driving our 1932 Cadillac V16 Imperial Limousine when it backfired, and voilà--a "mini me" appeared!

That's our 1934 American Austin Series 475 coupe back there. An Americanized version of the British Austin Seven, these whimsical cars were also known as Baby Austins. Very fitting.

The Cadillac sits on a 149" wheelbase and carries a 165 hp, 16-cylinder engine displacing 452 cubic inches. The American Austin's wheelbase is a mere 75" and its little 15 hp, 4-cylinder engine displaces only 45.6 cubic inches. Weights are 5,905 and 1,130 lbs, respectively. Can you guess which car has a fuel economy of 40 miles per gallon and which one gets around 8.5 mpg?

At this angle the size difference isn't so obvious, but it sure is when you sit in the front seats. We practically had to grease up Willy to fit him behind the Austin's wheel. The difference in the original purchase prices was also extreme -- $345 for the Austin in 1934 and $5,445 for the Cadillac in 1932. That would be approximately $5,908 versus $91,205 in today's dollars! These cars are a wonderful contrast and well worth seeing up close.

The Cadillac will be making a special winter drive on November 12 when several antique cars will roll across the new Veterans Memorial Bridge at 1 PM in downtown Fairbanks.

Detail: Baby Austin, Indeed!

0 Presidential Wheels

by Nancy DeWitt

With the country's attention focused on the upcoming presidential election, I couldn't help but think about the evolution of official presidential vehicles over the past century. The current presidential car, known as Cadillac One and The Beast, is a highly customized, armored limousine built by Chevrolet and badged as a Cadillac. For security reasons, the doors are 8 inches thick, the windows are made from bulletproof, 5-inch thick glass and the entire car is sealed against biochemical attacks.

1907 Model G White Steamer

President Taft's 40-hp, 7-passenger
Model M White Steamer

Cadillac One is a far cry from the presidential carriages and open cars of the early 1900s. William McKinley was the first president to ride in an automobile, a Locomobile steam carriage driven by F.O. Stanley in November of 1899. Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to take a public automobile ride when he rode in a Columbia electric car in a 1902 parade. Although he preferred horses and always rode in carriages for state business, Roosevelt also rode in two White steam cars the Secret Service had borrowed from the Army in 1907. Perhaps one of these was a White Model G like the one in our collection?

William Howard Taft, Roosevelt's successor, was the first president to use automobiles exclusively for transport. After convincing Congress to allocate $12,000 for a White House automobile fleet, he purchased a 1909 White Model M steamer (identical to the sixth automobile to arrive in Fairbanks) as his first official car. Taft also bought two Pierce-Arrows and a Baker electric, and then converted the White House stable into a four-car garage. Taft and his White steamer are featured in this year's White House Christmas Ornament.

Photo courtesy of Candy Waugaman

Taft's successor, Woodrow Wilson, was also a fan of Pierce-Arrows, no doubt appreciating the smooth ride of these big, powerful cars. Our museum has two Pierce-Arrows that were built during Wilson's term (1913-1921), including a huge 1917 Model 66 A-4. Warren Harding was the first president to ride to his inauguration in car (a Packard Twin-Six) and unlike his predecessors, he knew how to drive an automobile. Harding rode in at least one Packard during his 1923 Alaska visit, including the 7-passenger touring car in Juneau pictured here.

Cadillacs were a favorite among several presidents, including Calvin Coolidge and Franklin D. Roosevelt. President Herbert Hoover bought a 1932 Cadillac 452-B V16 Imperial Limousine just before losing his reelection battle in 1932. It is identical to the one on display in our museum; in fact, for many years some thought that ours was the former Hoover V16 Cadillac. Many presidents purchased their official cars, and Hoover kept his limo when he left office. For security reasons, presidential cars today are completely destroyed when they are replaced. Fortunately, many of the earlier limos are on display in museums.

Detail: Presidential Wheels

0 Kirkland Concours d'Elegance

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.  

Detail: Kirkland Concours d'Elegance