Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post: Let's go to the Custom Car Show Continue reading the Original Blog Post
The first video appears to be footage from the 1955 National Roadster Show held at the Oakland Exposition Building: February 27, 1955: Al Slonaker presents a special award to San Francisco's Al Williams for his 1954 Alfa Romeo B.A.T. (Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica) 7 concept car designed by Franco Scaglione (for Bertone and Alfa Romeo).
ROTUNDA SIGN The Ford Rotunda sign has quite a history. After the Rotunda burned and during the site cleanup the sign was set to be scrapped. Noted Detroit car collector Richard (Dick) Duncan secured the sign and had it moved to Utica Michigan where it was refurbished (In the Jerome Duncan Ford Dealership Garage) and then used by the Utica Board of Education to announce school events. The sign was located in a park on the West side of Van Dyke, just South of M59 where it stood for more than 35 years. The sign was in need of additional repairs and the School Board wanted to upgrade to a more modern sign. Dick again entered the picture and arranged for the sign to be rebuilt and relocated to the Ford V8 club museum in Auburn Indiana. It currently welcomes visitors to that recently expanded Museum. Dick was a gentleman, serious car collector, and my friend. He was a member of several National car clubs, was active in the Utica community, St Lawrence Church and did all this in addition to running the biggest Ford Dealership in the Country. He was most proud that the Town named the new grammar school the Richard Duncan Grammar School in his honor. Last big project he did was salvage the LINCOLN façade carved stone sign when the Lincoln Engineering Building was demolished. That is another story, but the stone carved sign can be viewed at the Lincoln Museum at the Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, Mich.
Great videos. Thank you for sharing. Jon- That's a great piece about Dick Duncan. I remember him well. He was truly a great gentleman.
On the blurry photo of the Rotunda sign, I can make out logos for Mercury at 11 (o'clock position), Ford at 3, Ford Trucks at 5, Lincoln at 7 and Continental in the middle. Can someone tell me what logos are at 1 and 9 o'clock?
When the sign was in Utica local civic organizations were in the circle. Rotary, Lions, KofC, et. If you google the sign there are many photos of it at the Rotunda with different sets of logos. Not sure what Ford Divisions they represented. In addition, over the years it appears that the logos were changed. I am thinking Philco Ford, Ford Tractor, and something else.