Executive Order

You've seen a car like this before, back in February 2005 when the CarPort told the story of Chrysler's "little limos." That was about Dennis David's low-mileage, mint condition 1985 Executive Limousine, one of 759 built that year. This car, though not as pretty, is far more rare.

The first front-wheel drive Chryslers were introduced for 1982. Carrying the same name, LeBaron, as the 1981 rear-drive Aspen/Volare clone, the new cars were basically badge engineered versions of the new-for-81 "K cars," the Dodge Aires and Plymouth Reliant. The Chrysler Ks, however, added a convertible body style and a fake-wood Town and Country wagon, and had available leather interiors. For 1983, a stretch K was developed, in two versions. The Executive Limousine carried seven passengers on its 131-inch wheelbase, two of them on jump seats. The shorter, 124-inch wheelbase Executive Sedan seated five. Both cars had the 2.6-liter Mitsubishi four. The sedan was dropped for 1985, and in 1986 a mere 138 limos were built (with a turbocharged Chrysler 2.2-liter four) before production halted.

This car, a 1984 Executive Sedan, is one of 196 built that year, as opposed to 594 limos. It has the optional leather seats and is in better condition than first glance suggests. Although it needs cosmetics and bears an inappropriate trunk lid from a New Yorker sedan, it's a basically sound car, albeit slowly sinking into the ground.

Is it collectible? Well, the comparable prewar model, the 1941 Crown Imperial 8-passenger sedan, was built in 205 copies and is now recognized as a Full Classic™ by the Classic Car Club of America. This one is hardly likely to receive fractional classic recognition, but it deserves better care. I found it in West Kingston, Rhode Island. If you covet it, look here.

Howard's End

We lost our HoJo's about ten days ago. I say "our" HoJo's as it was the last Howard Johnson's restaurant in Connecticut, one of four in the world. Open since 1957, the Waterbury eatery was of the classic mid-1950s style designed by Rufus Nims, but with the later stylized cupola atop a signature orange roof, although it advertised some very un-HoJo-like entertainment.

Howard Deering Johnson ran a small drug store in Wollaston, Massachusetts, south of Boston. He acquired a recipe for high butterfat content ice cream, which proved so popular that he opened a beachfront stand offering 28 flavors. More beachfront stands followed, and in 1929 he opened a sit-down restaurant in Quincy. In 1932 he made franchising history by licensing a friend to open the second HoJo's restaurant in Orleans, on Cape Cod. By 1939 there were more than 100 restaurants; in 1979 when Johnson's son sold out to Imperial Group PLC there were more than 1000 restaurants and 520 motor lodges across the United States.

My region is a hotbed of former HoJo's. Oldest is the New London store, dating from the early 1940s and now an Italian restaurant. Retaining its period curved roof (now painted green), it has been updated by removal of the original dormer windows and cupola and addition of a green-toned stone front that was a 1960s HoJo feature. Original eyebrow dormers on the east wing remain, however.

Across the river in Groton, a building born as a HoJo's, then converted to the companion chain Ground Round, is now a bank. Another few miles east in Mystic, the HoJo's was converted to a Bickford's Grille, but retained the stone front where the anchors for the Simple Simon logo could still be seen. The youngest southeastern Connecticut Howard Johnson's is the most distressed. Standing vacant near the Rhode Island border, it's an example of the late "mansard style" HoJo's. Most recently an independent restaurant, it's been seeking a new owner for years.

There's a cult following for HoJo nostalgia out in cyberland. Fascinating websites include HoJoLand and Under the Orange Roof. The Nahant, Massachusetts, community pages include many historic photos of Howard Johnson stands and restaurants. The only remaining restaurants are in Bangor, Maine, and Lake George and Lake Placid, New York. Howard Johnson Motor Lodges abound, but they were split off from the restaurant business years ago.

Alas, progress keeps passing us by. The Mystic Bickford's is now closed, undergoing renovations that will make it all but unrecognizable. Dennis David stopped by the Waterbury eatery the other day as the new sign was going up. All vestiges of HoJo's, save for the orange roof and base of the cupola, are now gone. He and I went there for dinner in January after a gig at the Golden Age of Trucking Museum in nearby Middlebury. I had fried clams. They were just as I remembered them.

Channeling Cugnot

Alain Cerf is a man with a mission. Designer of packaging equipment made by his company Polypack, Inc., in Pinellas Park, Florida, he is understandably interested in innovative machinery. As a collector of automobiles he favors those with distinctive engineering: front-wheel drive, rear engines, unusual engines and suspensions. A native of France, he has a particular fascination with his countryman Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot.

Alain has ensconced his collection of cars at his Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, an eclectic assembly of engineering masterpieces. Not surprisingly, many of them are French, including the groundbreaking Citroën 2CV, a Peugeot Darl'Mat, Voisin C7, Amilcar Compound and the last car of Emile Claveau. Perhaps the most striking is the Panhard Dynamic, a magnificent art deco masterpiece with center steering.

Front-wheel drive is showcased by a pair of low-slung closed cars taking pride of place: a rainbow-hued US-built Ruxton sedan and a Tracta Type E, the latter designed by Frenchman Jean Albert Gregoire. Tracta is also represented with a 1929 Type A that raced at LeMans. Gregoire's last car, the cast aluminum chassis Hotchkiss Gregoire with cantilevered flat-four engine, is also on display. British front drive appears in the form of BSA three- and four-wheelers, the latter a Scout, and a rare Alvis with supercharged engine and unusual leaf-spring independent front suspension.

A phalanx of Tatras promotes rear-engine, rear drive. Brainchildren of Czech engineer Hans Ledwinka, Tatras are usually V8-powered, though the Tatraplan model makes do with four cylinders. We don't associate Mercedes-Benz with rear engines, but the 130H of 1934-35 is so configured. For good measure, Alain has acquired a Delorean to round out his parade of pusher power.

Many museums claim to be unique in ensuring that all their cars run. Alain's cars not only run, they're all registered for the road. He delights in starting them up and giving them exercise. You will not be able to drive them yourself, but you can visit the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum any day but Tuesday or holidays.

It's Cugnot, however, that's Alain's current quest. When he learned that the 1771 fardier on exhibit in Paris is not the only one extant, that a 1930s replica survived in Germany, he persuaded its owners, the Deutsche Bahn Museum (German Railway Museum) in Nuremburg, to lend it to him. He has studied it carefully and manufactured certain missing parts. He intends to make it work. So if you see a Frenchman steaming a wooden automobile up I-275 in Tampa...

Revelation

Easter weekend traditionally brings the auto show to New York City. On the days preceding the show, manufacturers reveal their latest models to the press, a few of them concepts but the majority new cars due in showrooms later this year. Twelve manufacturers made debuts today, and another seven are due for revelation tomorrow.

Saying "small can be cool," GM introduced a trio of Chevrolet concepts styled in Korea. The Groove is retro-styled, the Trax an urban crossover and the Beat a techno-hatchback. Audi's newbie was the S5 coupe, and Ford had a double whammy. Carroll Shelby was on hand to unveil a new GT500KR on the fortieth anniversary of the first, and the Flex, an Element-fighting F-box, was trundled out for eager scribes.

While BMW was matter-of-fact regarding the new 5 series, and touted diesels and hydrogen over hybrids, Mercedes-Benz celebrated the new C350 and CLK AMG with pyrotechnics. Infiniti showed a new G37 coupe, due out in summer, as well as an EX concept coupe crossover.

Jeep tested the journos' mettle by demonstrating the new 2008 Liberty's Sky Slider™ vinyl sunroof in the pouring rain. Lexus outdid itself with a new LX570 Luxury Utility Vehicle, and Subaru atoned for past indiscretions with a new Tribeca which thankfully dispensed with the old model's anteater snout.

Rounding out the roll-outs were a new Brooklands coupe from Bentley and a Volvo XC70. Hyundai finished the day with the luxury Genesis concept, a V8-powered sedan with six-speed Shiftronic transmission. A number of antique and classic cars are on exhibit from the LeMay Museum in Washington State, and a Taxi 07 exhibition outside the main lobby includes cabs of the past, present and future.

Prominent journalists at press days included the CarPort's professional consultant Gregg D. Merksamer, seen taking notes and photographs, Jean Jennings, editrix emerita of Automobile magazine and recipient of IMPA's 2007 Ken Purdy Award, and popular Connecticut television personality Dennis David. Auto industry veteran Steve Rossi conferred with show director Candida Romanelli after the Subaru press conference.

The 2007 New York International Auto Show runs from April 6th to 15th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, 34th Street and 11th Avenue. C'mon down!