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From the Diary of Eagle Scout Bernard R.
Queneau Member of the 1928 Lincoln Highway BSA Lincoln Highway Promotional Tour Monday - July 16, 1928 - Leaving camp at 8:45 we had a little mishap by breaking the neatsfoot oil. Also, I had a little bad luck in getting the biggest shell. After getting dirty, etc., we finally hit Chicago Heights just in time to be at a Rotary lunch. After staying around Joliet a bit, we went out to camp with Hank Morton and his parents (I would not like to be in their position). Paul Ohman, a real fine fellow, went along in another car. The camp is pretty good for such a state. At campfire we were initiated into the Order of the Rainbow of the Masquantchee tribe. |
Day 4 - Mansfield OH to South Bend IN
| Wednesday - August 20th Both batteries took a good charge, and the Packards start right up. Sophie is still not charging, but we are pretty confident that the car will make it through the day with no problems. The hotel’s continental breakfast is more of a sandbar – a dinner plate stacked with some Sarah Lee Danish and coffee.
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| The rest of the group has already
left, so we head out on our own. There is little to no traffic along 30,
although there are a lot of trucks. I am driving today – and Ken not only
hasn’t fainted, but is smiling in the back seat. Either my driving has
improved, or he has started on the cold beer in the cooler. We make a stop in a nearly deserted rest area – unlike those of Virginia, it is only restrooms and a picnic area. No overpriced vending machines. We do run into a nice couple taking their son to college who are delighted to get a photo op with the old cars. |
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We roll on West. The scenery is nice – flat farmland almost everywhere. Nothing special to look at, so we head into Fort Wayne and meet up with Shirley Woolfitt’s sister at the Liberty Diner. She has to leave early for an appointment, but we hang around for a terrific lunch. Then we return to the route until we get close to Napponee. That is home to shop that restored Bob Woolfitt’s 1934 Packard and that also did some work to Sophie. With both cars ailing, we make a detour in hopes of getting some advice from the owners – who also happen to be Shirley Woolfitt’s other sister and brother in law. LaVine Restorations is located well outside of the small town of Napponnee in Amish country. A large number of Amish carriages and bicycles roll past while we are there, most of them waving hello. Sister Vivian LaVine welcomes us – Eric is off collecting a car in need of restoration. The shop is truly amazing. Plain on the outside, and cleaner than my house inside (OK, that isn’t saying much). They have been scrambling to get a beautiful Auburn V-12 convertible sedan ready for a tour next week. The car in front of the Auburn should have also been beautiful – it wasn’t. A 1934 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow awaits new paint. Someone (who should be badly beaten) had painted the car a dark purple-blue and off-white. It looked like a high-class clown car. The new owner is going to the other extreme – either black or a subtle two-tone gray is the plan. When we ask for advice, Vivian and Eric’s brother Mark LaVine go one better. They clear space on the workbench and provide jacks, tools, and cold water while we pull Sophie’s generator and attempt to diagnose the failure. At the same time, Bob Woolfitt decides to swap out his bad battery with one he bought the previous day. |
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Being the most flexible of the group, I take the old generator off. No skimpy fan belt here – the generator is bolted to the engine and driven by a chain. However, there is even a slot in the drip pan to get a wrench on the bottom bolt. Other than dealing with hot parts, removal is pretty easy. I hand off the generator to Ken and Mark, who begin disassembly. I take advantage of the time to look at some of the other cars in the shop – there is a supercharged Auburn in the back, plus an Avanti and a pristine 1958 Chevrolet Impala convertible with an underside that is prettier than most new car paint jobs. The generator checks out OK – the brushes are good and the wires are all intact. Ken has cleaned everything up and put it back together. So I reinstall the beast and stand back as Bill cranks Sophie up. The charge needle quivers, then jumps to the charge side when he guns the engine. After a semi-dignified victory dance, we button the car up and help Ken and Mark install the new battery in the 1934 Packard. Again, the car cranks up on the new battery just fine, which puts both cars back to full function. We clean up and, after profuse thank-yous to Vivian and Mark, hop in the cars for a mad dash to South Bend, IN and dinner in the Studebaker Museum. The hotel has a wonderful reception with open bar and bacon-wrapped scallops! We check in and take time to clean up, then walk the half-mile to the museum. |
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The Tidewater group is mostly together at one table, and we are all delighted to receive free cars with dinner – we each get a dark blue 1951 Studebaker Commander Starlight coupe. Small scale models, of course, but a lot easier to pack than the real thing. Not that I would complain if they happen to have a real one available for free. My first car was a 1951 Studebaker Land Cruiser. Dinner is buffet style, with fried chicken and bratwurst, with a variety of vegetables and rolls. |
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The local Boy Scouts of America makes a special presentation to Dr. Bernard (Bernie) Queneau, one of our fellow tour participants, though I don't quite get the details. (I will regret this later). The ceremony seems very appropriate since this tour commemorates the 75h Anniversary of the day in 1928 when the Boy Scouts of America erected Lincoln Highway markers all over the country. The displays are all terrific, especially the very rare display of design concept cars. The only Packard in the entire museum is the 1950s Packard Predictor show car - which ironically was restored by Vivian and Eric LaVine! That marks the end of the day, other than a quick stop in the Studebaker gift shop to buy a couple of ‘I’d Rather be Driving My Packard’ bumper stickers! |
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