Flying Merkels to BEV "White Zombie" at eclectic show in Seattle

 
 

"Flying Merkel" motorcycles were made in Ohio; these two - 1912 and 1914 models - belong to John Viljoen, Antique Cycle Northwest. They're shown setting in the bed of a 1939 Studebaker coupe express, owned by Alan Kunosky, at the Greenwood Car Show in Seattle on July 25. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 Seattle, Washington is far from being known as a city friendly to automotive enthusiasts. Bicycle lanes have sprouted up all over the city, thanks in part to a mayor best known for bicycling to work and being a member of the Sierra club; however, a car show on the last Saturday of June, in the Greenwood district of Seattle, showed enthusiasm for the automobile in a variety of forms, is alive and well here. 

John Walker, owner of John Walker's Workshop, a Porsche repair shop in the Greenwood district and one of the organizers of the show reported after it was over that, “There were 710 cars. We walked it off to get an accurate count.”

 

The Greenwood show from above. (Photo by Diane Jacobson)

  That would've been quite a walk, too. Unlike other car shows which are staged on private lawns or commercial facilities – think the lawn at Pebble Beach CA or Forest Grove, Oregon – the Greenwood Show is held on both sides of Greenwood Avenue North. Traffic going longitudinally is suspended for the duration of the show.

This year's show ranged from the where North 67^th Street crosses Greenwood Avenue, up to 90^th Street- one-and-a-half miles. Traffic going across, at two major intersections, was still stopped by traffic lights; with police on hand to ensure that the multitude of show-going pedestrians got across safely before traffic rolled.

 
The 1935 Pierce-Arrow 7-passenger sedan, owned by Gerald Garman, at the Greenwood Car Show. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  The multitude of vehicles ranged from a 1919 Cadillac four-sedan that was a restoration project – unknown if it was driven or trailered – to a collection of electric-powered cars and trucks, displayed by the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA).

  Typical of any car show in America, some of the most fascinating offerings came from that period of unrestrained exuberance in industrial design, the 1950s.

 
Gilbert Lynn brought this 1956 Nash Ambassador to the Greenwood Car Show. His research showed it to have once been "the official car of Disneyland" and had the same owner for 26 years of its existence. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

   Gilbert Lynn exhibited a dazzling 1956 Nash Ambassador that had one woman crouching down, just to get a photograph of the grille. It was equipped not only with a Pinin Farina-designed body, but also a Packard-built 260 horsepower, 352 cubic-inch V8. Lynn explained that it was the only year that Nashes had Packard engines.

 
The 1950 Studebaker Champion of Lance Lambert. It was powered by an 85 horsepower, 169.6 cubic-inch 6 cylinder engine; backed up by a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

   Lance Lambert, well-known host of The Vintage Vehicle television show was on hand to show his 1950 Studebaker Champion four-door sedan; the car best remembered by automotive enthusiasts for its bullet-shaped nose. The power-train combination for this particular example was an 85 horsepower, 169.6 cubic-inch, in-line six cylinder engine; backed up by a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive.

 
A 1964 Datsun NL320 pickup truck, equipped with a 60 horsepower, 1200 cc engine, owned by Dave Firestone; displayed at the Greenwood Car Show. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

 
The 1964 Datsun L320 pickup truck, with separate bed, owned by Jack Kampa, on display at the Greenwood Car Show. Kampa said he'd owned it since 1971. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  Japanese collectibles were well represented by two well-restored little Datsun pickup trucks, both models NL320.

 
Dave Firestone, owner of one of the Datsun L320s cheerfully showed how the engine on one of them was fully capable of being started by a hand crank, if need be. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

  It was the Seattle Electric Vehicle Association (SEVA) gathering that seemed to merge the past and future in some interesting ways. John Wayland brought his “White Zombie,” a 1972 Datsun 1200 coupe up from Portland, Oregon; equipped with two electric motors, Wayland has been able to achieve 117.21 miles-per-hour in a quarter mile, from a standing start, with an elapsed time of 10.4 seconds.

 
This 1972 Datsun 1200 is capable of 117.21 miles-per-hour in the quarter mile. Just below is the reason why: a "Siamese 9" electric motor consisting of what used to be two separate 9-inch electric motors, now one. This custom built electric motor is coupled to a 2000 amp Zilla brand controller. (Photos by Terry Parkhurst)

 

  Roderick Wilde displayed a street rod, based on a replica fiberglass 1932 Ford “deuce” roadster, powered not by a the usual V8, but instead a Advanced DC 8-inch electric motor with AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries. The battery pack consisted of 24 batteries in series, producing 288 volts.

 
The electric-powered street rod of Roderick Wilde, owner of EV Parts in Port Townsend, Washington; brought down to the Greenwood Car Show. Just below is the Advanced DC 8-inch electric motor installed in the engine bay. (Photos by Terry Parkhurst)

 
 

Wilde's company, EV Parts, offers the conversion components to produce a similar example of a true 21^st Century hot rod. Wilde said that while he's only had his creation above 70 miles-per-hour on the freeway, “It's capable of more.”

 
The archer hood ornament on the radiator grille of Gerald Garmon's 1935 Pierce-Arrow is an example of why vintage autos are collected as art. (Photo by Terry Parkhurst)

So there it is, the 19th staging of an auto show that demonstrated the changing nature of automotive technology, amidst the best automotive history has to offer. - Terry Parkhurst

Recommended websites:

Vintage Vehicle television: www.vintagevehicletv.com

EV Parts for electric vehicle conversion: www.evparts.com

Complete information on the "White Zombie" '72 Datsun racecar: http://www.plasmaboyracing.com/whitezombie.php

 

 

 

Comments

[Roger Grotewold]

Once again, Parkhurst has come up with a great story about an eclectic assortment of unusual vehicles that are displayed together. The combination displayed is totally unique and unlike any other car show I have seen.

Terry Parkhurst seems to have the ability to find these unique displays of automotive memorabilia and compile an interesting story with photos documenting the event. This is a practice that in recent years seems to have gone by the wayside, much to the chagrin of older enthusiasts of the automotive art.

Thank you Mr. Parkhurst for keeping the reporting of the original automotive genre alive and well, at least in the state of Washington.

[Lance Lambert]

Thanks Terry! I enjoyed your article, especially the part about the Studebaker.

[Martin DeGrazia]

Terry, what a great article and pics. Love the variety. What a great show it was!

[Peter]

Very nice pics - but no MGs

[Quentin Sanz]

That bird's eye view's awesome, man. Anyone would be really amazed when he or she sees a load full of vintage. Oh, that 1950 Studebaker's cool, by the way!

[Jacksonville electrician]

Great vintage cars. I am amazed how do it restored.

[Laurence Modithre]

Indeed, that bird's eye view is quite cool. It kinda shows off how many cars were there on the show. There are so many vehicles that it's too difficult to decide which among them is the best.

[Flavia Casumpang]

I love that 1950 Studebaker Champion. It's like Batmobile with its very eye-catching circle grill. That yellow car is also nice, and the remarkable thing is it's battery-powered. I hope it can race too, hehe.

[Drop Suspension]

I rarely see cars like this. I would love to participate in one of these events sometime soon.

[Truck Lowering Suspension Parts]

Awesome! I just had fun looking at the excitement.