Car Collector Chronicles 11-10

8/8/2019 Car Collector Chronicles 11-10

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/car-collector-chronicles-11-10 1/6

Volume III, Issue 11

11/3/1900 - 1st auto show in the

U.S. at NYC’s Madison Sq. Garden.

11/10/1903 - Mary Anderson patents

windshield wiper.

11/20/1923 - Garrett Morgan patents

three-position traffic signal.

Nov. 2008 - CCC ® begins publication

With this issue, CCC ® em-

barks on its third year of publi-cation! It is a bit of a milestone,IMHO. I had no idea how longthe venture would continuewhen I started out in November

of 2008.I am pleased to report that

over this period of time over11,500 readers have perused an

edition of CCC ® ! I find that

number absolutely astounding,given the “cottage industry”

nature of the operation.

There are negatives too, of equal note. Even though we aregoing into year 3, I have yet tohear from you. Yes, there havebeen a few questions, from folksspread out far and wide (New

Zealand, France, Great Britainand, of course, the U.S. Butthere has been little-to-no com-ment, suggestions or contribu-

tions from you, the readers.

The other misgiving is the lack of any communication from lady

car collectors. We know youare out there! You either areinto the hobby in your ownright, or suffer with your mate’sobsession for old rides. If this

describes you, CCC ® really

wants your input! I do not feelthat the car collecting avocationis a “good ol’ boy club,” or thatit should be. It would benefit allof us to learn about the femaleperspective of the hobby. Whoamong you is willing to stand upand be counted? Let us hear

from you!

NOVEMBER AUTOMOTIVE

HISTORY DATES OF IMPORT:

11/5/1863 - James Packard born

in Warren, OH.

11/28/1895, - First Americanauto race. Six vehicles, 54 miles-Chicago to Evanston and back-through the snow. J. Frank Duryea won; 10 hours at an

avg. speed of 7.3 mph!

This Day in Time

GDYNets on the Web

WHERE YOU WILL FIND

GDYNets (me) on the WWW:

Dave’s Den -

http://GDYNets.WEBNG.com

Saved 62 -

http://www.freewebs.com/ jeandaveyaros

The Gray Lady - 55 Cad de Ville

Car Collector Chronicles -

DAVE’S DEN: A website

devoted to a myriad of inter-ests. Foremost is extensiveinformation on the “Steel City”of Gary, IN. There are alsoofferings on steel making, U.S.Steel-Gary Works, U.S. MarineCorps, M14 assault rifle, of course Oldsmobile, and thetragic story of the murder of

Gary, IN Police Lt. Geo. Yaros.

SAVED 62: A website devoted

to our 1962 Oldsmobile Dy-namic 88 convertible. The sitealso has a lot of information onOldsmobiles and its founder,

Ransom Eli Olds.

THE GRAY LADY: This web-site features our 1955 CadillacCoupé de Ville and Caddy infor-

mation.

A GDYNETS ® PUBLICATION

© 2010, G. DAVIDYAROS. ALLRIGHTS RESERVED.

November 2010R3rd Anniversary Edition

Car Collector

Chronicles ®

Exploring:

Car Collecting Today

Classic Rides

Reports From the Field

Oldsmobile (1897-2004)

Cadillac (1902- )

Allanté (1987-1993)

Corvair (1960-1969)

IN THIS ISSUE:

This Day in Time 1

GDYNetsOn the Web

1

The El Morocco 2

1956 El Morocco

(Photos)4

1957 El Morocco

(Photos)5

Coming NextIssue

6

EMAIL:[email protected]

http://gdynets.webng.com/

http://www.freewebs.com/jeandaveyaros

http://graylady.webng.com/

http://www.scribd.com/people/view/7936333-dave

mailto:[email protected]



http://www.scribd.com/people/view/7936333-dave

http://graylady.webng.com/

http://www.freewebs.com/jeandaveyaros

http://gdynets.webng.com/



Last month we had an in-depth presentation on a rare Chrysler Corp. related vehicle, the Dual-Ghia. This month, we shall take asimilar look at a GM related vehicle, the El Morocco.

The relationship to GM? A logical question. The answer is, the ve-hicle is based on a Chevrolet chassis, drive train, body and interior.

Who made the El Morocco, when and why? This article shall at-tempt to answer those questions.

The El Morocco was the brain child of one Reuben Allender. Allen-der was a Toronto, Ontario transplant who made his money in the pur-chase and resale of textile surpluses. At one time he actually boughtsurplus parachutes and resold them back to the U.S. government at ahandsome profit, causing both a furor and senate investigation.

The El Morocco resulted from his love for Cadillacs. He wanted eve-ryone to be able to afford one. Enter the El Morocco, or should onesay Chevrolac, Cadillet or Cadvy? Like the Dual-Ghia, the El Morocco

was short lived. It was available only for the 1956 and 1957 modelyears.

Allender purchased factory produced Chevy’s from Detroit’s DonMcCullough Chevrolet at $50 over cost. He then proceeded to modifythem in his own Detroit facility to add Cadillac styling cues, such asfins, dagmars, etc. Robert Thompson, an experienced tool & diemaker who started working for Allender in 1955, was not only incharge of the project, but also designed and engineered both the ‘56and ‘57 editions of the El Morocco. Cyril Olbrich, an experienced fiber-glass fabricator, was also hired to manufacture and install the car’sunique fiberglass components.

Let us say, the working conditions were not the best. Vehicle modi-fication took place on the second floor of the shop. Electricity wassupplied to the second floor by, believe it or not, an extension cord!

For ’56, Caddy style fins, made out of fiberglass were bolted to therear fenders. 55 Dodge tail lights, resembling what Cadillac actuallyused on the Biarritz model were incorporated into the El Morocco de-sign. Below the tail light was a dummy exhaust port. The front endreceived dagmars fabricated out of 1937 Dodge headlight buckets.

One could purchase the 1956 El Morocco for a mere $850.00 over

THE EL MOROCCO

Car Collector Chronicles Page 2

“ The El

Morocco was

the brain child

of one Reuben

Allender. ...

[It] resulted

from his love

for Cadillacs.

He wanted

everyone to be

able to afford

one.”



the price of the actual new Chevy Bel Air, from which the El Morocco

had its genesis. While actual production figures are more than hardto come by, it is certain that no more than 21 vehicles were producedby Allender in 1956.

For 1957, a much finer, and in my opinion better looking, productwas produced. Instead of starting with the Bel Air, Allender madeuse of 210’s for his base hardtop vehicle. He had no choice but tocontinue to use the Bel Air for the convertible model.

As the resident fiberglass tech had left the company, the ‘57 finswere fabricated out of metal. The hood was shaved and filled. Anybody filler required was of the type then prevailing in the industry,lead. This year, the fin incorporated a ‘56 Plymouth tail light. For wheel covers, the car sported Olds Fiesta clone hub caps. These

same wheel covers were able to be purchased mail order from Chi-cago’s J. C. Whitney Co.

For ‘57, Allender kept the price the same. Chevy however, hadraised its prices. That meant Allender paid a higher price to acquirethe stock vehicle. It also meant he made even less of a profit oneach car. The fact is, he made no profit from this venture, ever. To-tal 1957 production is believed to have been 16 cars. Even if therewas a profit to be had, there were not enough cars produced to yielda significant income.

For both model years, about the only available option was a conti-nental kit. That option added another $150 to the purchase price.Today, seven of the original thirty-some cars thought to have beenproduced are known to exist. Of these, for 1956 only a single exam-ple remains.

Interestingly, Cadillac never gave Allender the time of day, in termsof concern. He, obviously, was not perceived as a threat to the mar-que that prided itself on being the “Standard of the World.” Of equalnote is the fact that one day an individual showed up at Allender’splace of business, asking to see an actual El Morocco. It was only

after the fact that Allender learned the individual was then Pontiacexec, John Z. DeLorean.

Allender’s biggest problem was that he had little-to-no means of marketing his car. Chevrolet was not going to sell his vehicles. Hehad no dealer distributorship of his own. If you wanted one of hiscars, you had to come to Detroit to buy one.

Now, let’s turn the page and take a look at Allender’s creations:

“ Today, seven

of the original

thirty-some

cars thought

to have been

produced are

known to

exist.”

Car Collector Chronicles Page 3



Car Collector Chronicles Page 4;;



1956 - Preceding Page: Note the different tail lighttreatments.

1957 - Only the upper tail lights were functional. Boththe front and rear bumper sport dagmars. The OldsFiesta clone wheel covers came with the car from themanufacturer.

All years had stock Chevrolet interiors.

Car Collector Chronicles Page 5;



Car Collector Chronicles Page 6;;

Ok, I have had my say for this month. Now it is your turn! I invite/encourage submis-sion of your comments, opinions and contributions, and ask that you help spread theword about our pub. Everything sent shall indeed be reviewed by me. Submissionsshould be sent to CCC ® at: [email protected]. Do feel free to rattle my tree … .

_______________________________________

-- RESTORE 'EM, AND DRIVE 'EM!

COMING NEXT ISSUE: That Time of Year Neat Site Automobilia



Car Collector Chronicles 11-10

Documents