New Year's Resolutions

I'm usually not one to make New Year's resolutions but 2011 is different. Today is the start of something big, I just don't know what yet. So two things are on my list for resolutions - 1st is to get back to full time work after leaving a museum here in the Northeast last year. A little self-promotion is in order here. I am an accomplished museum and design professional in my 'real' job and have thirty-plus years of experience in custom architectural graphics, precision model making, motorsports, and museum planning, design, and project management; not to mention three turns as CEO of historical institutions. I am currently consulting and actively seeking new opportunities - so keep me in mind.

OK - Hopefully you are still with me for resolution #2. I've been neglecting one of my true passions which is the history and restoration of our little cars. So, I have decided to set aside some time to finish the restoration of my 1954 Autoette CruiseAbout.

A little background. As far as we know this car was ordered in 1954 for the owner of the Crown Coach Corporation, Mr. Robert M. Brockway. The intended purpose of the car was to use it to get around the Crown Coach factory so it was painted school bus yellow. I have written to Mr. Brockway's daughter in hopes of confirming the purchase and use of the car and perhaps obtaining photos of it at the factory. According to its last owner, the car was purchased at an auction in either late 1990 or early 1991 when Crown closed. It sat for quite some time until the last owner took it apart in an attempt at restoration. I purchased the car in 2009 when I decided not to restore my 100% original 1953 Autoette. So now I hope to do a mild custom restoration on the car as my 2nd New Year's resolution for 2011!

Here is a photo of the car as purchased at the auction.

And theses were taken today as I made the first effort to test fit the body parts to the frame. I think that picking up a project like this is much harder when someone else took it apart. Thankfully, the 1953 Autoette is right next to the 1954 so I can use it as a reference!

I plan to post more as the project progresses. Happy New Year!