Welcome to Pop's Garage in beautiful downtown Beach Bum Cove. A mythical place where the clocks don't get wound, calendars don't get hung (unless they have old car pictures) and recessions never come. Pop still drives Dorothy Louise, his beloved Rambler Ambassador convertible but keeps his skateboard in the back for when he forgets her gas gauge tends to stick.


Tire Kicking is the place Pop puts articles and photo features about his favorite cars. Featured now is Restoring a 1953 Nash Rambler Custom Convertible; the 1948 Studebaker Land Cruiser and The History of the Metropolitan. Both articles have links to other sites of interests for fans of the late American independent auto manufacturers.

In The Livery, you will discover that Pop also has a real thing for limousines and hearses. Friends in his car club own The '49 Crown Imperial and provided the original factory photographs that illustrate the article. Limousines & Hearses is a rare look at vintage professional cars owned by members of the Tri-State Chapter of the Professional Car Society.



Restoring a 1953 Nash Rambler Custom Convertible

Words & Pictures by owner Dave Simley

I had always been a Ford car person, the old ones. While on a hunting trip in Montana, I spotted an old car behind a building on the edge of Glasgow.

I told my son, Matt, “It looks like a Nash, and a convertible besides. Let's go look.” Sure enough, it was. Rambler was the only identifying mark on it. I decided that I was going to find out who owns it. Matt's reply was “Why would you do that? It's junk.” (story)


(Club Note) The Niagara Frontier Region of the Nash Car Club of America has commissioned a special all Nash calendar for 2013. Featuring original Nash advertisements from the teens through the fifties, it is unlike any Nash calendar you have seen before.

The proceeds from the sale of this calendar will be used to help fund the 2013 Grand Nashional which the Niagara Frontier Region is hosting in Batavia, New York, Wednesday, July 24th through the Saturday, 27th, 2013.

The calendars are in stock and ready for delivery. The cost is $15.00 each including shipping anywhere is the U.S.A. (All others contact Ken Day for shipping cost.) Order yours by contacting Ken Day, 5545 Martin Road, Great Valley, NY 14741


Scale Models: Hearses, Limousines & the Independents


1951 Kaiser-Frazer Henry J

The little Henry J from Kaiser-Frazer has been done (twice- without trunk and with trunk) in1:18 scale by SunStar. Both versions are in the Platinum Series and several new colors have been added. See Showroom for more photos, details, colors and order information.

 


1952 Nash Ambassador Super Airflyte

SunStar is produceing one of Pop's favorite cars in 1:18 scale. The Airflytes come from their Platinum Series and come in several color schemes and are in the $70-80 price range (depending on retailer). See Showroom for details, new production colors and order information.

 


1959 Cadillac Series 75 Limousine

This fantastic 1:18 scale model from the now defunt Precision Miniatures is becoming hard to fine. Most colors can stil be found on eBay and at select dealers who still have stock. See Showroom for more photos, details, colors and finding information.

 


The Links page has been re-edited, updating some web addresses and dropping some no longer available. All the great Web sites Pop finds as he surfs through his morning coffee. Interesting and historical photo, and fact filled, sites related to your favorite cars from the Independents plus, of course, Hearses and Limousines.

Pop's Garage
Beach Bum Cove

Not just a website…but a state of mind!