Packard Field Reporting by the Flackmaster (April 15 & 16, 2011)

April Destination – Bakersfield, CA HCCA Swap Meet, April 15-16, 2011

    The Bakersfield Pre-war Swap Meet has been heralded as the Chickasha of the West.  This meet is sponsored by the HCCA is held annually at the Bakersfield County fairgrounds.  My good friend Don Hoke, also known as Honest Don, proprietor of Honest Don’s Used Steam Car Emporium in Dallas, had wanted to go to this swap meet for several years, so when American Airlines reduced the fare to $99 each way in/out of LAX, plans were made to attend.  Not without a few sidetrips, of course, since we were in the neighborhood...
    Arriving Thursday morning we were met by Eric Toce at the rent-a-car facility looking to hitch a ride with us.  What?  Eric Toce in California?  Indeed, as explanation for the cancellation/delay of the Cajun Cruise, Eric was scheduled for surgery that week, however, his surgeon in Lafayette declared Eric’s condition “inoperable”.  Well, not exactly, seems the surgeon had something better to do than cure Eric, and has referred Eric to a different surgeon who allowed a “three day pass” prior to surgery.  What better way to spend it than in the Car Guy mecca of Southern California with Don and I.  We saw so many cars, people and parts it is still hard to believe all the ground we covered, so I will summarize the highlights as follows -
    Thursday Morning – Jay Leno’s “Big Dog” Garage.  No dogs, and Jay wasn’t there.  But....cars, motorcycles, tractors, gas/electric/steam engines, complete workshop with tools (large, small, new, old, etc).   If you want to save yourself the trip, virtual tours are available on the internet, but there is no substitution for being there for the under the hood look and guided insight from the men who work there.  Packards seen – 32 Twin Six Coupe, 47 Custom Super sedan, 55 Caribbean Convertible and a newly restored 1912 model 30 and 1915 Model 48, both recently acquired from the estate of the original owners.  Both Randy Ema restorations...perfection.
    Thursday afternoon we made a quick run over to The Nethercutt, however the Salon tour was not being given that day.  Afterwards we visited a restoration shop with (only) three Packards, 31 845 Roadster, 33 V12 Dietrich LWB Formal Limo, and a 41-160 touring sedan.  These three Packards were in good company of about 30 other cars, including a 32 Pierce Arrow, 25 Duesenberg Model A, Lincolns, Chryslers, and the reason for our visit, a 1904 British steam car.  Oh, and another fully equipped shop that “can do” anything from a horn button spring to a custom front bumper for Mr. Disney’s personal Ford van...
    Friday we headed for Bakersfield for the swap meet.  The drive up was extremely interesting as we traversed the green hills and valleys above the Los Angeles area to the dry flatlands at and near Bakersfield.  The swap meet was probably great for those seeking Model T parts, however truth be told, there were probably more Stanley Steamer parts than Packard parts, so we loaded up the truck with about 300 lbs of Stanley parts for Don which were freighted back to Dallas.  Along with a few Packard bits...anybody need a pair of gorgeous V12 headgaskets?
    Done with Bakersfield by mid-afternoon, we were back on the car tour of the LA area, stopping a private collection of a few dozen mostly European cars joined by a Tucker.  A Tucker?  Well, not just any Tucker....Preston Tucker’s Tucker in Waltz Blue, his wife’s favorite dress color.   The current owner has devoted an entire room/display for this particular Tucker, recently acquired from the estate of the man who bought it from Mrs. Tucker along with enough historical documentation, spare parts, showroom displays, and of course Tucker movie memorabilia to stage a one-car museum....breathtaking.  We were definitely ready for Happy Hour when we were through there.  But it wasn’t over yet.  After dinner we went to the weekly cruise-in at the Hollywood Bob’s Big Boy.  Another mind boggling display of car culture, everything from a Model T field car, (David Stewart style...bare seat springs, no top, rust colored metal and a California or bust sign on the back...), to the most modern of street rods and custom motorcycles.  And a Porsche tractor...
    Saturday morning we were able to schedule the Salon Tour at the Nethercutt for Honest Don and Eric, while I stayed behind to prepare the prior days parts pile for shipment – one pallet of parts to Honest Don’s, and another pallet with a Packard Factory Rebuilt short block headed to the bayou for a Packard in need.  Yes, you can still get factory rebuilt short blocks if you know who to ask.  With Eric and Don nearly at overdose levels of car steroids from The Nethercutt, we spent a very few minutes at a National Mopar show – no Packards, but if you like muscle cars...so we then did a quick walk through at yet another car cruise-in at the California Car Cover factory.  Mopars outnumbered everything else, likely due to the nearby event, however so many more cars...so little time...California is really one big car guy neighborhood.
    Sunday, our departure day, but still more Packards to see, this time a private collection including a 32 Twin Six phaeton, a 37 V-12 Club Sedan, a 34 V12 formal sedan, a 47 Super Clipper, a 53 Patrician (factory air of course), a 48 Custom 8 fastback, a 56-400 and a 56 Caribbean Convertible and Hardtop too.  And yes, finally, a 37-120 Convertible Coupe.  Having finally seen enough cars (not to mention a very scary 59 Chrysler Imperial, a 13K mile 85 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, and a very worn out 280zx...), we Finally, Finally did the right thing and went to the beach.  Just to say we had.  Then we headed to LAX for the trip home.  Real easy trip, slept all the way.