PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival

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PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL

OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022

   TITLE SPONSOR:
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
2 AUBURN
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
W E LCO M E

                                             Hello and welcome to Auburn! On behalf          We also have great food and drinks
                                             of the ACD Festival board of directors and      to enjoy while you are walking
                                             executive director Leslie Peel, I would         around the historic downtown area.
                                             like to welcome everyone back to the            Take a walk around the courthouse
                                             Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. We are         and enjoy two exciting bands both
                                             looking forward to seeing everyone unite        Friday and Saturday night.
                                             through our shared love of the beautiful
                                             cars built in our city. We are excited to       We extend our sincerest thanks to the
                                             share this year’s events with each of you.      many businesses and supporters who
                                                                                             have stepped up to make this year’s
                                             Our board of directors has put together a       festival happen. We are extremely
                                             great weekend of cars and entertainment         grateful for their generosity and
                                             for everyone’s enjoyment. There will be         humbly request that you support
                                             nearly 700 cars in our annual downtown          them in any way you can. They are
                                             cruise-in on Friday, Sept. 2. This show         all listed in this publication.
                                             will encompass vehicles of all makes,
                                             models and years from old classics,             Again, thank you for visiting the
                                             hot muscle cars and of course the               Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival.
                                             beautiful and classic Auburns, Cords            We look forward to seeing you
            MIKE BOSWELL                     and Duesenbergs on 9 th Street. The             again at the World’s Greatest Classic
                    PRESIDENT                following Saturday we have several              Car Show and festival.
ACD Festival Board of Directors              hundred Fast and Fabulous cars to see
                                             after the annual ACD Festival parade.
                                             Arrive early to see them enter downtown
                                             Auburn in their inimitable style – you
                                             do not want to miss their entry!

It is with a great pride that I invite you      While you are checking out all of the
to our beautiful city for the Auburn Cord       amazing historical cars, we invite you
Duesenberg Festival. Whether you’re             to also visit our local shops around
a local resident or from out of town,           the city square, as well as discover
we are sure you will find something             all of our hand-painted murals in
to enjoy during this famous festival.           our newly dedicated Art District.

The city of Auburn is known for its             There’s something for everyone at
beautiful historic homes and automotive         the 2022 Auburn Cord Duesenberg
museums. One of the greatest collector          Festival. On behalf of the city of Auburn,
car auctions, the popular Auburn Cord           we welcome you to our home!
Duesenberg Automobile Museum and
the National Automotive and Truck
Museum have provided a home to the
famous Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
and its numerous events held throughout
the city each Labor Day weekend.

                                                                                                     MIKE LEY
                                                                                                     MAYOR

4 AUBURN
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
W E LCO M E

Welcome to the 66th ACD Festival             of the Auburn Automobile Company.         On Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to
and annual ACD Club Reunion. It is           Built in 1929, this building now houses   1 p.m., venture to Eckhart Park on the
exciting to be back in Auburn, Indiana       one of the worlds most desirable          south side of Auburn to join us for
as we celebrate ‘The Year of the             collections of classic automobiles.       our annual gathering of ACD cars. The
L-29 Cord.’ Auburn, Indiana, coined                                                    ACD Club welcomes the public to view
the “Home of the Classics,” was the          During the 2022 Auburn Cord               this automotive show that is truly an
place where one of America’s most            Duesenberg Festival, the ACD Club will    unbelievable sight. At 1 p.m. the ACD
innovative automotive manufacturers          welcome the Hoosier Tour at 11:45 a.m.    Club will conduct the outstanding
produced beautifully designed cars.          on Thursday, Sept. 1. Many Auburns,       Parade of Classics, which draws
                                             Cords and Duesenbergs will be parked      spectators from around the world.
In 1929 the Auburn Automobile                in front of the ACD Museum during
Company introduced the worlds first          the ACD Festival’s kickoff luncheon.      Worldwide Auctioneers will be
production of a front-wheel automobile       Later that day our ACD cars will be on    expanding its collector car selection
– the L-29 Cord. This was a revolutionary    display in downtown Auburn at the 9 th    this year at the Auburn Auction. While
design at the time because it allowed        Street Experience and throughout the      at the Kruse Plaza you can also visit the
for the elimination of a rear-wheel-         entire Labor Day Weekend. On Friday       Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum to
drive shaft, which gave body designers       the ACD Club will hold its annual parts   see that wonderful piece of history.
the ability to lower the height of the       swap at the Eckhart Park parking lot
side profile. This meant that L-29           in the morning. The ACD Club will         Coming to Auburn the last
Cords had a special low and sleek look       then begin its drivers tour over to the   36 years to participate in this great
that no other car had at that time.          nearby Country Heritage Winery for a      automotive experience has been very
                                             delicious luncheon. After the luncheon    enjoyable. Hoosier hospitality is second
Earlier this year, myself and our ACD        we will return to the ACD Museum for      to none. It has been a very rewarding
Club Reunion chairman sent invitations       a judging seminar, technical session      experience for me to own, restore and
to most of the known L-29 Cord owners        and the Night at the Museum Dinner.       drive a few Auburn automobiles during
in the ACD Club and asked them to                                                      this time, but I always have cherished
participate in our reunion this year.        Also on Friday, the entire downtown       to a greater extent the friendships that
Visitors to Auburn can expect to             Auburn area will be filled with a         have been made along the way.
see a larger than normal number of           classic car show sponsored by the
L-29 Cords driving around town.              ACD Festival. From sunrise to sunset,
                                                                                       Best wishes,
                                             collector cars can be viewed around
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg                   the DeKalb County Courthouse, sure
Automobile Museum displays L-29                                                        CR AIG BIRKHOLD
                                             to spark the automotive interest
Cords in its collection year-round for                                                 PRESIDENT
                                             of many different people.
visitors to see while touring the original                                             Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club
administration building and showroom
                                                                                       acdclub.org

6 AUBURN
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
PRESENTED BY THE AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL - OFFICIAL EVENT GUIDE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2022 - Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Festival
TA B L E OF
           FE AT U R E                    PROFILE                       FE AT U R E

           12                             16                             18
                               SUSTAINABLE. INTENTIONAL.            GRAND MARSHAL
    THE LEGENDARY L-29            TRANSFORMATIONAL.                    RICK DORE
                                    STEEL DYNAMICS
                                   F L AT R O L L G R O U P

           PROFILE                       FE AT U R E                    PROFILE

           22                             24                             28
      SWEET OPTIONS                                               DESTINATION AUBURN
                                   BEHIND THE WHEEL
     S W E E T AV I AT I O N                                    WORLDWIDE AUC TIONEERS

            INSERT                        PROFILE                       FE AT U R E

           33                             36
                                 BUILDING BUSINESSES
                                                                         42
      DEKALB COUNTY
                                  AND RELATIONSHIPS             5Qs WITH ANTHONY SCHMIDT
     VISITOR’S BUREAU
                                MICHAEL KINDER & SONS

8 AUBURN
CO N T E N TS
         FE AT U R E

                                           ADDITIONAL

                                                 40
                                         FES TIVAL MAP

                                                 45
                                      EVENTS CALENDAR

          20                                     62
                                MISS AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG
  MAN ON A MISSION
                                                 64
                                  FRIENDS OF THE FES TIVAL

         FE AT U R E
                                                 65
                                      BUSINESS FRIENDS
                                       OF THE FES TIVAL

                                                 66
                                   CHEERS TO THE FES TIVAL

                                                 68
                                     F R I DAY D O W N T O W N
                                   ACD FES TIVAL CRUISE- IN

                                                 70
          30                        PA R A D E O F CL A SSI C S

 FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT                              71
                                        TICKET TO RIDE

                                                 72
         PROFILE                     FA S T AN D FABULO US

                                                 74
                                    B A S I C I N F O R M AT I O N &
                                   SPONSOR RECOGNITION

                                                 76
                                   ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

                                                 78

          60
                                    THANK YOU FROM THE
                                    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  GROWING VINES,
 GROWING BUSINESS
 CO U N T R Y H E R I TAG E
 W I N E R Y & V I N E YA R D

                                                                       2022 9
BOA R D O F D I R ECTO R S

                                                                                                                PHOTOGR APHY BY DAVID TURNER

                                                   BOARD MEMBERS
     FIRST ROW                                   SECOND ROW                     THIRD ROW                                BACK ROW
    LEFT TO RIGHT                                LEFT TO RIGHT                 LEFT TO RIGHT                           LEFT TO RIGHT
      Amanda Peet                                  John Maloy                    Mike Payne                                Josh Conrad
    F E S T I VA L A R T I S T                                                 VICE PRESIDENT
                                                  Mike Boswell                                                              Bill Hohler
       Jack Bassett                                PRESIDENT                   Nick Scheumann
                                                                                 S E C R E TA R Y
        Leslie Peel                          Brandon Anderson
  E XECU T IVE DIREC TOR                                                        Robert Probst
        Cecile Weir
        TRE ASURER
    Amber Caccamo
     Travis Sprouse

                                                                NOT PICTURED

         Troy Ackerman                     Tim Butler            Damian Dunn              Tim Gilbert               Thompson Smith

                                 PUBLISHED BY                                                  © 2022 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
               Michiana Business Publications, Inc.                                       AUBURN CORD DUESENBERG FESTIVAL, INC.
                                                                                                        P.O. Box 6019
                             COVER PHOTO BY                                                1600 Wayne St. | Auburn, Indiana 46706
                                 Jeffrey Crane                                                (260) 925-3600 | acdfestival.org

10 AUBURN
The
     l eg e n
         ARTICLE BY   Sam Grate, Curator, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum   | PHOTOGRAPHY   Jeffrey Crane

“If you can’t be the biggest,                  Indeed, the Cord L-29 was different,            place finish, piquing Cord’s interest
it pays to be different.”                      representing scientific ingenuity               in the concept of front-wheel drive.
- E. L. Cord                                   and a stunning design. Front-                   He sought to apply the concept to a
                                               wheel drive, with all its intricacies,          passenger car and approached Miller
                                               paired with company stylist Alan                about applying his talents for such
“The proportion and lines of                   Leamy’s proportional and low                    a purpose. In Autumn of 1926, Cord
the Cord come nearer to                        slung design, amounted to a car                 purchased passenger car patent and
expressing the beauty of both                  that was truly special for its time.            manufacturing rights to the front
                                                                                               wheel design of Harry Miller. The
science and logic than any car                 The Cord L-29 may not have existed              Auburn Automobile Company signed
I have ever seen.”                             if Errett Lobban (E.L.) Cord hadn’t             a contract with Miller, giving him
– Frank Lloyd Wright                           attended the 1925 Indianapolis 500-             $1,000 a month for five years to build
                                               mile race. A front-wheel drive racecar,         a prototype and provide consultation.
                                               driven by Dave Lewis and built by               In turn, Miller brought gifted engineer
                                               Harry A. Miller, achieved a second-             Cornelius Van Ranst to assist. The

12 AUBURN
n d a L-
      r y29

 prototype was completed in 1927 in       He tasked designer Alan Leamy with         result, Leamy was awarded several
 Los Angeles, which utilized a Lycoming   creating a new look for a new car.         patents for his designs. The design
 straight-eight engine and modified       Leamy was brought to Auburn and was        won awards worldwide, including an
 Auburn sedan body. Testing of the        given almost free reign to think and       award at the First Grand Prix Concours
 prototype showed several problems        experiment. The importance of the          d’Elegance in Cannes, France.
 inherit with a brand new design,         new design was not lost on Leamy who
 so the prototype was taken to the        wrote, “The Cord front-drive car offers    Technologically, the Cord L-29 was
 Duesenberg plant in Indianapolis         new opportunities in body designing.       just as impressive. It was the first car
 where Duesenberg personnel, Van          This chassis permits low center of         to utilize an X-member frame, which
 Ranst, and Auburn chief engineer         gravity without sacrifice of headroom.     provided extra structural rigidity,
 Herbert Snow worked out the kinks.       Simplicity of line marks the general       in which Cornelius Van Ranst was
                                          design, no attempt having been made to     awarded a patent. Double universal
 Cord knew that a brand new car with      create a car of radical appearance.” The   joints allowed the front wheels to turn
 advanced mechanical technology           resulting design was low, symmetrical,     up to 42 degrees. The 125 horsepower
 needed to be matched with its design.    and graceful inside and out. As a          Lycoming straight-eight engine was

                                                                                                                     2022 13
turned around end for end, which moved the
            clutch, differential, and transmission to the
            front of the engine. Shifting was achieved by
            pushing, pulling, and twisting the shift lever
            coming out of the dash. Houdaille hydraulic
            lever arm shock absorbers were used at
            all four wheels, with quarter elliptic leaf
            springs located at the front wheels. Weight
            distribution for the Cord was nearly 50-50.

            The Cord was released in August 1929
            to great fanfare. Celebrity ownership
            included the Marx Brothers, Happy
            Lawson, and Dolores Del Rio. Four body
            styles were offered, sedan, brougham,
            cabriolet, and phaeton. Starting price for
            the Cord was $3,095, in line with other
            makes such as Cadillac, Chrysler, and
            Packard. Unfortunately, the timing turned
            out to be poor as just two months later
            in October the stock market crashed.
            The Cord L-29’s potential market fell
            apart financially. Despite price cuts in
            1930 and 1931, production of the Cord
            stopped in December 1931 with total
            production estimated at 5,010 units.

            However, as history would later show, the
            Cord L-29 proved timeless in engineering
            and design. Until the recent rise in
            popularity of all-wheel drive, the vast
            majority of automobiles after the 1960s
            were front-wheel drive. The engineering
            of the X-frame saw continued use in
            models of Buick, Chevrolet, and others.
            The aesthetic of design continued to
            appeal to artists and auto enthusiasts.

            At this year’s Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg
            Festival and Reunion, when you see a
            Cord L-29 gracefully adorn the road, know
            that you are looking at a car engineered
            and designed by automotive greats.
            Know that you are looking at a car very
            different for its time, one that expresses
            the beauty of both logic and design.

14 AUBURN
SUSTAINABLE.
INTENTIONAL.
TR ANSFORMATIONAL.
 STEEL DYNAMICS IS HEADING A NE W
 FRONTIER OF GROWTH WHILE KEEPING
 ITS EMPLOYEES AT THE CENTER .
 ARTICLE & PHOTOGRAPHY   Provided

 Before Jordan Breiner began working for Steel Dynamics
 Inc., he listened to a presentation given by three of SDI’s
 founding members: Mark Millett, Dick Teets and Keith Busse.
 The overarching message was this – anyone can buy the
 equipment needed to make steel, but they cannot do what
 SDI does because they do not have our employees. The
 employees, the three stressed, are the most valuable asset.

 Their words resonated with Breiner and he began
 working for the domestic steel producing powerhouse
 in 1997. Today he serves as vice president and general
 manager of the Flat Roll Group, Butler Division.

 “While our company has grown so much over the last
 25 years, I am proud to say we still intensely believe our
 employees are what makes us special,” says Breiner.

 Founded nearly 30 years ago, today Steel Dynamics is
 one of the largest and most diversified domestic steel
 producers and metal recyclers in the country, with facilities
 located throughout the United States and in Mexico. SDI
 operates on a circular manufacturing model, producing
 lower-carbon-emission, quality steel using electric arc
 furnace technology (EAF) with recycled ferrous scrap as the
 primary input. The circular economy is driven by the passion
 and dedication of its innovative teams at each operating
 platform: steel, steel fabrication and metal recycling.

 Steel Dynamics’ sheet steel products are produced by the
 company’s Flat Roll Group. Now comprised of five locations,
 the original is in Butler, Indiana. With a combined flat roll steel
 shipping capacity of approximately 8.4 million tons per year,
 including its numerous value-added coating lines, the SDI
 Flat Roll Group offers one of the broadest lines of flat rolled
 products available in the industry. The carbon steel sheets are
 produced in widths as narrow as 38 inches to 76 inches, and
 in thicknesses ranging from 3/4-inch down to 0.010 inches.

 “Over time a lot of automation has made steel-making
 more precise and efficient,” Breiner says. “But there is never

 16 AUBURN
a substitute for the higher-level thinking and problem
solving that our operators do to produce quality product.”

The steel sheet products are used in the manufacturing of
automobiles, appliances, construction products, consumer
electronics, agricultural products, office furniture and
pipe and tubing for the oil and natural gas wells.

As part of SDI’s continued growth and expanding
reach, a Flat Roll Steel Mill has been constructed in
Sinton, Texas and is currently ramping up production.
This new steel division will increase the total annual
steelmaking capacity by 3 million tons and will expand
Steel Dynamics’ product offering even further.

“The team that built Sinton did a phenomenal job,”
says Breiner. “This again proved our founders were
correct in their belief that great accomplishments can
be made by motivated and passionate employees.”

The state-of-the-art Sinton Steel Mill is designed to have
product capabilities beyond that of any existing electric
arc furnace (EAF) flat roll steel producers, competing even
more effectively with the blast furnace steel model and
foreign competition. This new mill provides a differentiated
product offering, a unique regional supply chain solution,
a significant geographic freight, lead-time advantage and
offers a sustainable alternative to imports in a region in need
of options. But above all, the mill follows the same stringent
sustainability model as SDI’s other steelmaking facilities –
producing high-quality, lower-carbon, sustainable steel.

The confidence our company’s founders originally placed
in the employees at the Butler Division, now 1,000 strong,
drives the team to regularly exceed expectations. They
continue to break records while always looking for new ways
to innovate how to do a job more safely, with higher quality
and with a lower carbon footprint. The same spirit is present
amongst the 11,000 dedicated employees across SDI.

    STEEL DYNAMICS FLAT ROLL GROUP -
    BUTLER DIVISION
    4 5 0 0 C O U N T Y R O A D 5 9 | B U T L E R , I N D I A N A 4 67 21
    (260) 868 - 8000 | S T E E LDY N A M I C S.CO M/B U T LE R
    LEADE RS: JORDAN BREINER , VICE PRESIDENT &
    G E NE R AL MANAG E R
    N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S : 1, 0 0 0 | Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S : 2 6
    P R O D U C T S A N D S E R V I C E S : M A N U FA C T U R E R
    O F F L AT R O L L S T E E L C O I L S

                                                                                2022 17
PAST GRA
                                                                             1971
                                                                             P E T E R D E PAO LO

                                                                             1972
                                                                             GORDON BUEHRIG

                                                                             1973
                                                                             H O WA R D “ D U T C H ” DA R R I N

                                                                             1974
                                                                             CHRIS SCHENKEL
                  2022 G R AN D M AR SHAL
                                                                             1975
                                                                             TONY HULMAN

RICK D ORE
Rick Dore, originally from New York, has been at the forefront of
the custom car scene since the early 1990s. A member of numerous
                                                                             1976
                                                                             HAROLD AMES

                                                                             1977
                                                                             GORDON BUEHRIG

                                                                             1978
                                                                             ALICE HUYLER RAMSEY

automotive halls of fame, Dore’s one-of-a-kind creations are regularly       1979
featured on the covers of Hot Rod, Street Rodder, Rodder’s Journal, Custom   HAROLD AMES
Rodder and Rod & Custom magazines. A recognizable TV personality
from Discovery Channel’s “Lords of the Car Hoarders” and “Rusted             1980
Development,” his uncanny eye for style and a flair for the dramatic have    ALEX TREMULIS
made Dore a top choice for high-end custom car aficionados. French
influences and creative genius continue to drive him to do more and          1981
take chances, and really allow him to find and create his own style.         DA N H AG G A R T Y

A career highlight was building cars for Metallica’s James Hetfield.         1982
Hetfield puts it this way, “When it comes to building a Kustom               G O R D O N J O H N CO C K
car, Rick Dore is in a league of his own.” Others rave about Rick’s
ability to go where nobody has ever gone before. For Dore, it’s              1983
more about the art of the car. His cars must have great lines,               ROBERT ORR
styling and elegance, but most of all, they must have attitude.
                                                                             1984
He has been blessed to partner with some daring clients, collaborators       V I R G I N I A CO R D
and friends that in many ways allowed and encouraged him to create,
design and build works of rolling art; to be able to create one-of-a-kind    1985
cars that rival those of early coach builder and customizing influencers.    JOHN MUTZ

A classy gentleman, he is quick to remember those that have assisted in      1986
his achievements and counts it as a privilege to have had the opportunity    T H O M A S M O N AG H A N
to work with exceptional teams, individual craftsmen and artists.
                                                                             1987
A decades-long list of awards (too many to mention) are a                    DENNY DUESENBERG
testament to the quality of his builds, but also his place in history
as one of the most influential builders to ever live.

18 AUBURN
ND MARSHALS
 1988                        2005
 RICHARD KUGHN               G L E N N P R AY

 1989                        2006
 CHRIS SCHENKEL              DEL MAR JOHNSON

 1990                        2007
 K AY B U E H R I G          DORIS JOHNSON

 1991                        2008
 C ARROLL SHELBY             CLINT STEPHENS

 1992                        2009
 A N DY G R A N AT E L L I   CLIVE CUSSLER

 1993                        2010
 DEAN KRUSE                  PAU L & M A R T H A B R YA N T

 1994                        2011
 R O D G E R WA R D          THE GORDON
                             B U E H R I G FA M I LY
 1995
 FR ANK BORMAN               2012
                             B O B BY U N S E R
 1996
 DAV E T H O M A S           2013
                             WAY N E C A R I N I
 1997
 JERRY J. MOORE              2014
                             CO U R T N E Y H A N S E N
 1998
 DA L E R O B E R T S O N    2015
                             THREE RANGERS
 1999                        F O U N DAT I O N
 JOHN MARTIN SMITH
                             2016
 2000                        JOHN SOUDER
 KEITH CRAIN
                             2017
 2001                        JA M E S O T T O
 S . T R U E T T C AT H Y
                             2018
 2002                        A D D I S O N AG E N
 D E N N I S G AG E
                             2019
 2003                        D E N N I S CO V E R T
 DEL MAR JOHNSON
                             2021
 2004                        LY N S T. JA M E S
 S A L LY H U M M E L ,
 NANC Y PHELPS AND
 SUSAN PEREIR A

                                                              2022 19
For some people, the annual Auburn Cord
                                                  Duesenberg Festival means good food, good fun
                                                  and beautiful cars. For others, like William Cord
                                                  Hummel, it’s about keeping a legacy alive.

                                                  The oldest grandson of the late E.L. and Virginia
                                                  Cord, William wants the world to know about his
                                                  grandfather’s business genius and the beauty
                                                  of the cars that have become his passion.

                                                  “My wife says I have Cord-owner virus,” he says
                                                  of the 1930s vintage cars that have become his
                                                  hobby. “Right now I own three Cords: a rare
                                                  black 1936 Cord 810 Cabriolet and two 1937 Cord
 Virginia Cord (on bike) and her sister Lola
                                                  812 super-charged Phaeton convertibles.”
 May (driving 1930 Auburn Electric Child’s Car)
                                                  He describes his latest 812 S/C Phaeton as being
                                                  mechanically perfect. The car also has 65-year-old
                                                  Nitrocellulose lacquer paint and 65-year-old leather.
                                                  He credits Praxis Detailing in Auburn with a superior
                                                  restoration that has the car looking brand new.

                                                  His love for the cars is emotionally linked to the story of
                                                  his grandfather, E.L. Cord. Named Errett Lobban at his
                                                  birth in 1894 on a farm in Missouri, Cord left school at
                                                  an early age to pursue his interest in the emerging field
                                                  of auto mechanics. His earliest jobs were repairing and
                                                  racing Model T cars and then selling them at a profit.
                                                  By the time Cord was 25, he had established himself
                                                  as a successful car salesman in Los Angeles, Phoenix
 William Cord                                     and Chicago. In 1925 he landed in Auburn to become
 Hummel sits next to
 grandfather, E.L. Cord,
                                                  general manager of the Auburn Automobile Company.
 at Thanksgiving dinner
                                                                  Although the company was successful,
                                                                   the high cost of producing its cars
                                                                     made selling them a challenge in a
                                                                       market that demanded affordable

20 AUBURN
cars. Cord had a plan for marketing         “Tom Mix was killed in his Cord,”                   Hummel admits there is a romance
the unsold cars sitting at the Auburn       Hummel says. The legendary star of                  to the Cord that goes back to his
plant. He was successful and two years      early western films died in 1940. As                grandfather’s marketing genius. “My
later became company president.             he sped from Tucson, Arizona in his                 grandfather was good at understanding
                                            yellow Phaeton convertible, Mix missed              what motivates people.” For example,
He went on to purchase both the             a sign indicating a washed-out bridge               he says, the “cars weren’t the focus
Auburn Automobile Company and the           and crashed into the creek bed.                     of the Duesenberg ads, but the
Duesenberg Automobile Company                                                                   people who owned them were.”
headquartered in Indianapolis.              Hummel says the current owner spent
The Auburn Automobile Company               $400,000 to restore the damaged Cord.               Hummel’s involvement with the
produced the Auburn, which was the                                                              festival began in 2002 and over the
economy-class car, the Cord, that           Hummel’s fondest memories of his                    years his family has participated. His
some considered to be one of the            grandfather are the gems of business                cousins Chris and Charlie, grandsons
most beautiful cars ever produced,          wisdom he passed to his grandson.                   of Cord and his first wife, have both
and the Duesenberg, which was one of                                                            had Cords. “Chris loves the Cord 812
                                            “I worked for him in the summers as
the most expensive cars of its time.                                                            Cabriolet and set a world record when
                                            an engineer at some of his TV and
                                                                                                he eventually sold his for $500,000.”
With the death of his first wife Helen      radio stations. He warned me to be
Frische in 1930, Cord’s interest in         an associate to employees, but not                  Hummel’s grandmother Virginia rode
producing cars began to wane. The           to be good friends with them.”                      in a Cord L-29 in one of the annual
depression complicated the marketing                                                            Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
                                            Hummel says he appreciated the
of his unique product, so by the time                                                           parades. Her three daughters, Nancy,
                                            advice later when he went to work
he married Virginia Tharpe he was                                                               Susan and Hummel’s mother Sally
                                            as manager of a radio station and
ready to sell the car company and                                                               have also been in the parade.
                                            his first assignment was to lay off
leave Auburn. The company closed
                                            the staff. “That’s when his advice                  “It’s important to keep these cars on
its doors in 1937, but that was not the
                                            made painful sense to me.”                          the road and to get more young people
end of the interest in Cord’s cars.
                                                                                                involved with their history.” Hummel
                                            Cord died in 1974, the year before the
Since many of the cars were owned by                                                            says the annual festival for him is
                                            opening of the museum in Auburn.
luminaries like Mae West, Clark Gable,                                                          an annual reunion of the folks who
                                            “I know he’d be very grateful for the
Gary Cooper, Amelia Earhart and Johnny                                                          want to keep that legacy alive.
                                            museum and the care for the building.”
Weissmuller, the stories that went with
the cars captivated rare car enthusiasts.

                        ON A MISSION
                                                    E.L. CORD’S OLDEST GRANDSON
                                                    DEVOTES TIME TO KEEPING THE
                                                    LEGACY ALIVE.
                                                    ARTICLE BY   Janet Patterson   |   PHOTOGRAPHY   Provided

                                                                                                                                2022 21
SWEET
OPTIONS                                    day, and saves
WHETHER YOU’RE
                                           the expense
LOOKING TO BOOK A                          and hassle of
LAST- MINUTE CHARTER                       overnight trips
FLIGHT OR LEARNING                         with hotel and
                                           meal costs and
HOW TO FLY, SWEET                          time away from
AVIATION IN FORT                           home base.”
WAYNE OFFERS A LONG
                                           In addition to
LIST OF SERVICES.                          the charter
                                           business, Sweet
ARTICLE BY   Jennifer Blomquist
                                           Aviation offers
PHOTOGRAPHY     Provided
                                           flight training,
                                           ground school
                                           classes, aircraft
                                           maintenance,
“Fort Wayne has an excellent aviation
                                           rentals, discovery
community and we’re proud to play
                                           flights and scenic
a role in it,” says Joel Pierce, general   tours. But Pierce
manager of Sweet Aviation. “The            says a very unique
company was known as Smith Field Air       and exciting aspect
Service before Chuck Surack, founder       of the business
of Sweetwater Sound, bought the            is its partnership
company in 2011. Since then, we’ve         with two collegiate
gone from having a small handful of        programs for
planes to 19 aircraft, including the       training the
larger ones in our charter business        next generation
and our two training helicopters.”         of pilots.

Pierce says the majority of Sweet          “We’ve partnered
Aviation operations are located            with Ivy Tech
at Smith Field on the city’s north         Community
                                           College in Fort
side. The larger planes used for                                                           quality resources as we continue to
                                           Wayne to offer
charter services are located at Fort                                                       grow. We want the public to know our
                                           a professional pilot training course. Ivy
Wayne International Airport.“              Tech also has a well-developed Aviation         door is always open. Anyone interested
                                           Maintenance Training program. These             in anything that has to do with aviation
“We just got into the charter business                                                     is welcome to come in and get a tour or
                                           kinds of college programs are pretty rare,
three years ago and are working to                                                         discuss their future aviation plans. People
                                           so it’s really cool to be part of this. We’ve
expand it. We can accommodate up to        also teamed up with Indiana Wesleyan            enjoy bringing their families here to watch
eight people in a couple of our larger     University to offer professional pilot          planes take off and land and maybe even
airplanes and in some cases, we can        training. This is a great time to pursue        enjoy a picnic-style meal while sitting in
offer same day or next day flights,”       a career in aviation – the demand to fill       the airport’s patio area. We are all about
says Pierce. “The COVID-19 pandemic        these jobs is very high and we expect           serving our clients well and helping
seemed to increase our demand for          it to be that way for a long time.”             them realize their aviation dreams.”
charter services. Many people who had
the means to fly by charter might not      Pierce emphasizes the strong commitment
have valued it as much until now. For      Sweet Aviation has to the community.
others, the convenience and time-saving
                                           “I want to give credit to Chuck Surack
factors have always been important.        for being extremely dedicated to doing
                                                                                                     SWEET AVIATION
Flying by charter can at times be more     the right thing for our clients and his                   ( 2 6 0 ) 2 67 - 55 0 5
economical. It can be done in one          consistent willingness to invest in high-                 S W E E TAV I AT I O N . C O M

22 AUBURN
Behind
                                    the

            Wheel
              C O R D L-29 O W N E R S A N D AC D C L U B M E M B E R S M I K E
            HUFFMAN, LINDSEY GREENE- BARRET T AND JOHN BOOLS
             SHARED WITH US SOME THOUGHTS ON THE IR LOVE OF
              T H E L-29, A N D W H AT T H E Y E N J OY M O S T A B O U T T H E
                  F E S T I VA L A N D C A R - E N T H U S I A S T C O M M U N I T Y.
                                     PHOTOGRAPHY   PROVIDED

24 AUBURN
1
                                kept pushing on the brake,       than I thought.
                                                                                              Mike & Joan Huffman on a
                                which was of course the          I then started               cross-country roadtrip to
                                pedal. I’ve liked cars for as    looking at L-29’s in         California, celebrating the
                                long as I can remember. I        Connecticut, Ohio            80 th anniversary of the
                                                                                              introduction of the L-29
                                would build models as a          and Michigan, and
                                young boy and had a slot car     ended up landing
                                race track, and I’ve always      on the one in
                                liked to take things apart and   Ohio. I worked on
                                am mechanically inclined. I      it for five years
                                got my first car at 19-years-    and got it on the

   mike
                                old and it was a used            road in 2000. It
                                corvette. I enjoy all kinds of   has about 65,000
                                cars now, not just classics.     miles on it today.

 huffman                        HOW DID YOU DISCOVER
                                THE CORD L-29 AND WAS
                                                                 WHAT DO YOU
                                                                 MOST LOOK
                                                                                                         WHAT DOES BEING PART
                                IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?          FORWARD TO ABOUT
                                                                                                         OF SUCH A SPECIAL, CAR-
                                My wife and I have been          THE ACD FESTIVAL AND
                                                                                                         ENTHUSIAST COMMUNIT Y
                                attending auctions since they    WHY? The annual ACD
                                                                                                         MEAN TO YOU? We love
                                were hosted at the DeKalb        Festival Hoosier Tour. The
WHEN AND HOW DID YOUR                                                                                    cars and have been members
                                High School campus, and I        tour arrives on the Thursday
INTEREST IN CARS BEGIN?                                                                                  of the ACD Club for over 25
                                didn’t think I would ever be     before Labor Day weekend,
My mother tells me about                                                                                 years. We initially joined for
                                able to buy a Cord. I owned a    but we leave on Tuesday
family Christmas parties we                                                                              the cars, but now it’s for the
                                1923 Cadillac and a Roadster     along with about 50 other
would attend when I was                                                                                  cars and our friends we’ve
                                15, and had those for 10         cars. We stay in a hotel a
young. My aunt played the                                                                                made along the way – they’re
                                years. I sold both through the   couple nights and really
piano for everyone and I                                                                                 our people. We talk about
                                Kruse auction around 1990        enjoy each others company.
would always ask why she                                                                                 cars together, but it’s more
                                and got way more money
                                                                                                         than that. Everyone is so kind.

                                                                                                                   2
WHEN AND HOW DID YOUR           styling for this front-wheel     to come back to Auburn
INTEREST IN CARS BEGIN?         drive vehicle. In Auburn you     every year and share our
Antique cars have always        can often hear an L-29 going     enthusiasm for these cars.
been a part of my life. My      down the street because
grandfather owned an L-29       of its distinctive sound,        WHAT DOES BEING PART
in the 1930s and it instilled   especially in second gear.       OF SUCH A SPECIAL, CAR-
a love of those automobiles                                      ENTHUSIAST COMMUNIT Y
in my dad, which he passed      WHAT DO YOU MOST LOOK            MEAN TO YOU? Most of
on to me, and I hope I will     FORWARD TO ABOUT THE             us in this hobby and in the
pass it along to my two kids.   ACD FESTIVAL AND WHY?            ACD Club will share the
As a family, we make the        I especially love the parade.    same experience – you join

                                                                                                             Lindsey
journey to Auburn, Indiana      ACD Club members come            or get involved because of
for the ACD Festival and ACD    from all over the world to       the automobiles, but you

                                                                                                             Greene-
Club Reunion over Labor         celebrate these cars and         stay involved because of the
Day weekend every year.         their history, and it is very    people you meet. The ACD
My first “Auburn” was when      special to drive and ride on     Festival truly is a reunion

                                                                                                             Barrett
I was eight months old and      the streets in which these       and not only do we get
I’ve attended the reunion       fantastic cars were conceived.   the opportunity to have
38 times since then. My         The first time I drove in the    automotive experiences,
Dad, Dick Greene, started       parade was in 2004 and it        but we get to spend the
coming in 1957 at age 17 and    was quite an experience.         weekend with people who
hasn’t missed one since.        Since I had just learned to      have become lifelong friends.
                                drive a car with a manual
HOW DID YOU DISCOVER            transmission, I managed to
                                                                   Lindsey Greene-Barrett,
THE CORD L-29 AND WAS           stall the car in front of the      2004 ACD Festival Parade
IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?         reviewing stand. I did get a
The love of the L-29 Cord       lot of cheers from the crowd
is a family trait for us, but   when I finally drove off (and
it truly is a magnificent       now have a great story).
automobile. Alan Leamy, the     ACD Club members greatly
designer, crafted beautiful     appreciate the opportunity

                                                                                                                               2022 25
3
                                  farm until he was old enough      WHAT DO
                                  to drive. I became interested     YOU MOST
                                  in old cars shortly thereafter.   LOOK
                                  I attended many old car           FORWARD
                                  meets with my brother.            TO ABOUT
                                  He was interested in many         THE ACD
                                  makes, with Cord and Auburn       FESTIVAL
                                  soon becoming favorites.          AND WHY?
                                                                    1992 is the
                                  HOW DID YOU DISCOVER              first year I
                                  THE CORD L-29 AND WAS

     John
                                                                    attended
                                  IT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT?           the reunion
                                  Around the age of 15 I saw an     and festival,

     Bools
                                  L-29 at a show and I couldn’t     and since
                                  believe how beautiful it          then I have                      John Bools’ 1931 Convertible Cabriolet
                                  was. From that point on, I        been coming
                                  wanted to own and drive an        back every
                                  L-29. My brother also liked                                        WHAT DOES BEING PART
                                                                    year. I look forward to the      OF SUCH A SPECIAL, CAR-
                                  the L-29 and owned several        ACD Festival each year to
                                  of them in the 70s. I was                                          ENTHUSIAST COMMUNIT Y
                                                                    see other car enthusiasts        MEAN TO YOU? The love
WHEN AND HOW DID                  fortunate enough to be able       and many local friends in        of cars is what brings us
YOUR INTEREST IN CARS             to drive some of his cars to      Auburn. I have participated in   together in, but it is the love
BEGIN? At the young age           shows and other events,           many of the festival events.     of the people we meet in
of seven, my older brother        even fraternity parties. I        I plan on being in Auburn in     this enthusiastic community
bought his first old car. He      bought my first L-29 in 1997.     August, 2022 and take part       that keeps us coming back
got a 1929 Model A Town           It’s an unrestored original       in the Hoosier Tour again.       year after year to experience
Sedan when he was 14 and          condition car that has only
kept it at our aunt and uncle’s   14,000 total miles as of 2022.                                     the greatest car show and
                                                                                                     festival in the world.

26 AUBURN
2022 27
DESTINATION
AUBURN
 WORLDWIDE AUCTIONEERS PUTS
 AUBURN BACK ON THE WORLD
 MAP AS A GLOBAL COLLECTOR
 CAR AUCTION DESTINATION.
 ARTICLE BY   Michelle Mastro   | PHOTOGRAPHY   Jeffrey Crane & Provided

 Worldwide Auctioneers was founded in Auburn, Indiana
 20 years ago. While the business stages global, world-class
 classic and collector car auctions, it is headquartered in
 Auburn, birthplace of the collector car auction industry
 in America with a dynamic history of car auctions, car
 clubs and car manufacturers. “Auburn, Indiana held
 the first nationally recognized car auction in Auburn
 in 1971 on Labor Day weekend,” says John Kruse, who
 co-founded Worldwide Auctioneers with Rod Egan.

 The primary goal at Worldwide Auctioneers is helping
 clients to buy and sell outstanding classic and collectible
 cars, both privately and at auction. Kruse and Egan are chief
 auctioneers and motorcar specialists themselves. Clients will
 work directly with the expert owners to achieve the best
 outcome for buying and selling their cars, and maximizing
 their motorcar investments. Worldwide Auctioneers consigns,
 researches and markets all of the cars it buys and sells, so no
 other auction business can represent car enthusiasts better.

 Starting Labor Day weekend 2022, Worldwide Auctioneers
 will present a massively expanded and re-imagined three-
 day auction extravaganza, building on the tremendous
 history of a large festival-inspired event. The company
 is expanding and filling the void left behind by other
 companies that originally ran the auction in Auburn – a
 company that Kruse’s grandfather, dad and uncle originally
 founded. “My grandfather, father and my uncle conducted
 that auction in 1971, so I grew up around car auctions.
 Historically, that auction has changed hands several times
 and some of the magic and family fun was lost,” he says.

 Prior to its recent expansion, Worldwide Auctioneers staged
 a smaller, boutique-style auction in Auburn with an exclusive
 curated offering of vehicles. Now the company is seeking
 to recreate the festival feel of the original 1971 auction
 with food trucks, car corrals and events open to the public.
 While the car auction itself is ticketed, anyone interested
 in checking out Worldwide Auctioneers’ cars on display,
 the food trucks and the swap meet can stop by for free.

 28 AUBURN
Starting Worldwide Auctioneers in Auburn and expanding
                           to recreate the original festival was a no brainer, says Kruse.
                           “Auburn is a very special place for car lovers; not just because
                           it is the birthplace of the collector car auction industry, but
                           it is also the longest running auction destination,” Kruse
                           explains. Plus, classic and collector car enthusiasts will
                           want to stop by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile
                           Museum. Once the Auburn company closed its doors in 1937,
                           the factory showroom and headquarters eventually became
                           the current museum, housing more than 120 classic cars.
                           Auburn is also home to the National Automotive and Truck
                           Museum (NATM) and Early Ford V-8 Foundation Museum.
                           Worldwide Auctioneers’ 30-acre campus is located at
                           Kruse Plaza, northeast Indiana’s premier event center. The
                           campus is also home to The Salon, the company’s private
                           vehicle sales division, and the J. Kruse Education Center — a
John Kruse, Co-Founder     unique nonprofit organization that helps students develop
of Worldwide Auctioneers
                           career pathways tailored to their individual interests.

                           “We’ve had a car auction at our campus since 2008 and
                           this will be our 15th event,” Kruse says. “It is an exciting
                           time post-pandemic. Destination events and places that
                           people love, like all the car-focused events and spots in
                           Auburn, Indiana, will become more populated once again.
                           We are very excited for 2022 and for what is to come.”

                           The focus moving forward will continue to be on
                           offering high-quality consignments, but with a much
                           more extensive selection of vehicles. “At the Labor Day
                           auction we will have something for everyone,” Kruse
                           explains. “We will be selling cars from every decade;
                           from a rare 1990 Lamborghini Countach to muscle cars
                           from the 1970s. There is something for every taste.
                           It really is going to be a destination auction.”

                               WORLDWIDE AUCTIONEERS
                               5 6 3 4 O P P O R T U N I T Y B LV D . , S T E A | A U B U R N , I N D I A N A 4 670 6
                               ( 2 6 0 ) 92 5 - 67 8 9 | I N F O @ W O R L D W I D E A U C T I O N E E R S . C O M
                               WORLDWIDE AUC TIONE E RS.COM
                               N U M B E R O F E M P L O Y E E S : 19 | Y E A R S I N B U S I N E S S : 2 0
                               SE RVICES: AUC TION PREVIEW RECE P TIONS, PE RSONAL
                               I N S P E C T I O N S , P R I VAT E C O L L E C T I O N S A L E S , P R I VAT E
                               S A L E S , C O L L E C T I O N M A N A G E M E N T, A P P R A I S A L S ,
                               CUSTOM LOG ISTICS, PROMOTION, ONLINE AUC TIONS

                                                                                                           2022 29
F
 N          A R T I C L E B Y Brandon J. Anderson, Executive Director & CEO,
            Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
            I L L U S T R AT I O N S   Savannah Furniss

 LL OYD
W I
            Frank Lloyd Wright loved                      the Cord L-29; a stylistic
            automobiles, especially if                    and technological marvel
            they were elegantly styled,                   introduced in 1929.
            technologically advanced and                  Wright didn’t own just
            enhanced his public persona.                  one L-29 in his lifetime,
            In fact, Wright owned some of                 he actually owned two!
            the world’s most distinguished

G T
            and best-known automobiles                    To understand Wright and
            including Bentley, Jaguar,                    his fascination with the
            Packard, Cadillac, Mercedes-                  automobile, it’s important
            Benz and of course, Cord.                     to look at his life and
                                                          surroundings including
            One of Wright’s favorite                      what the automobile did
            automobiles that held                         for architecture and the
            sentimental value was                         built environment.

30 AUBURN
Devil, as it was aptly named, was a        provided for rain. We will wear raincoats
                                            45-horsepower car capable of going         with hoods, which will reach over
                                            60 mph. This car terrorized the Oak        the shoulders and rubber boots. We
                                            Park, Illinois neighbors of Wright –       will be snug as a bug in a rug.’”
                                            who was driving in a linen duster
                                            and driving goggles, speeding at           So what brought Wright to the Cord
                                            60 mph. Wright was enthralled with         L-29? The L-29 marks a huge leap
                                            both speed and, more importantly,          forward for automobiles. It kicked
                                            the design of the automobile.              off a technology we completely take
                                                                                       for granted today: front-wheel drive.
                                            Wright’s second car was a 1911 Knox        Before it debuted, no other American
                                            Roadster. His car was supposedly           car offered the drive layout for public
                                            stolen, but recovered by police in         purchase. The lack of a driveshaft
                                            St. Louis. According to Wright in his      tunnel allowed for the bodies to be
                                            revised autobiography, the thieves         mounted low on the frame, the result
                                            were “putting a coat of green paint        being that the Cord was no taller
                                            over its beautiful gunmetal finish.”       than a person of average height. Its
                                                                                       interior boasted flat floors, allowing
                                            Wright purchased a used 1925 Packard       for comfortable, spacious seating.
                                            Phaeton in 1929. A phaeton is a style
                                            of open automobile without any             At the time, a Ford could be purchased
                                            fixed weather protection, popular          for $500, but Wright chose the
                                            from the 1900s until the 1930s. It is an   ostentatious and expensive newly
                                            automotive equivalent of the horse-        introduced Cord L-29 from the Auburn
                                            drawn, fast, lightweight phaeton           Automobile Company. The Cord’s 138-
                                            carriage. Wright secured a major           inch wheelbase, streamlined styling and
                                            commission for the San Marcos in           long hood, flowing 7-foot-long front
                                            the Desert luxury tourist resort near      fenders and low profile made the car
                                            Chandler, Arizona and purchased this       look like it was moving even when it
                                            vehicle on the way back to Taliesin.       was sitting still. Its in-line, eight-cylinder
                                                                                       Lycoming engine made the Cord one of
                                            He made a down payment on the              the fastest and most powerful cars on
                                            Packard and agreed to pay the              the road at a price of more than $3,000.
Frank Lloyd Wright was born in              remainder in installments. Wright added
1867 when horse-drawn vehicles              a trunk rack, new tires and a tonneau      Aside from its advanced styling and
were standard transportation.               cowl windshield, but according to a        technical sophistication, the Cord
He was fascinated by motorized              personal account by Mrs. Wright, the       offered something else – the prestige
transportation and saw auto-mobility        trip to Wisconsin was fraught with         and social status associated with owning
key to eliminating rural isolation and      unanticipated and expensive problems.      the car. Typical Cord owners were
contributing to individual liberty.                                                    celebrities with glamorous jobs and
As the automobile became more               In Mrs. Wright’s column called “Our                      huge salaries who could
accessible to the public, so did Wright’s   House” published in the Capital                               easily afford expensive
inclusion of them in his designs.           Times newspaper in Madison,                                        automobiles.
                                            Wisconsin on Oct. 21, 1961,                                             Edgar Rice
“Frank Lloyd Wright admired cars that       she stated, “He bought                                                   Burroughs,
had a unique design and engineering         a second-hand open                                                        writer of
innovations,” states Arnold Roy, who        Packard, the top of which                                                  the Tarzan
joined the distinguished Taliesin           could not be put up.                                                        stories,
Fellowship in February of 1952 and          What if it rains? I asked                                                    and each
completed his apprenticeship in 1964.       doubtfully. ‘Mother,’ he                                                      of the
“He saw [the automobile] become the         answered ‘we are made                                                          Marx
greatest agent for social, economic,        neither of salt or sugar
environmental and personal change           – we will not melt.
that the world has ever known,” writes      Besides, I have
Richie Herink in his book on Wright’s
automobile obsession, “The Car is
Architecture.” “America had become
a car-culture nation almost overnight
and became a country whose people
were always on the go traveling
somewhere by car,” Herink says.

Wright’s first car was a 1908 Stoddard-
Dayton Model K Roadster. Yellow

                                                                                                                           2022 31
brothers, popular film stars known for    The remarkable balance of the car            Caterpillar tractor… and pull
their comic routines, owned Cords.        as a whole is a guarantee of safety          the Cord out of the mud.”
                                          and comfort in all circumstances. The
On Dec. 17, 1929, soon after taking       gearshift seems more natural than the        On Monday, Nov. 13, 1933, both
delivery of his new Cord, Wright          trouble. It is a good feature. I became      newspapers in Madison, Wisconsin
received a letter from the president of   a Cord owner because I believe the           carried front page illustrated stories
the Auburn Automobile Company, E.L.       principle of the front drive to be logical   about a minor accident on a rural
Cord. He wrote, “Ordinarily, I would      and scientific, therefore inevitable for     county road. The next day, the Chicago
not presume to make the following         all cars. But the proportion and lines of    Tribune ran a brief story about the
request, but I am very desirous of        the Cord, too, come nearer expressing        same accident as did the Michigan City
getting a personal report from several    the beauty of both science and logic         News. This accident involved Wright
prominent people who are owners of        than any car I have ever seen.”              and his wife, Olgivanna, and a young
our new Cord front-wheel automobile.”                                                  apprentice, John Howe. They had left
                                          However, in a Feb. 10, 1935 At Taliesin      Taliesin near Spring Green, Wisconsin
Wright’s response, written the same       column, Eugene Masselink noted,              and were traveling to Michigan City,
day he received the letter, appeared      “When the driveway at Taliesin had           Indiana where Wright was scheduled
in a promotional booklet, “What           dissolved into liquid mud, the beautiful     to present a lecture that evening.
Owners Say,” produced by the Auburn       Cord would sink in up to its
Automobile Company. Wright’s              axles and Herb Fritz and the
testimonial stated, “A Cord front drive   other boys would get out the
automobile is nearly as self-driving
as a locomotive on rails. I say this
having driven the Cord over 1,500
miles of Wisconsin roads. Not only is
the mechanical operation of the front
wheel drive perfect on gravel or dirt,
but the Cord automatically straightens
out all the curves and relieves (by
two-thirds) the tension of the driver.

32 AUBURN
Two hours later, the car collided with the Choles Floral
            Company delivery truck driven by its owner, Fost Choles.

            According to Wright’s description of the incident in his
            1943 edition of “An Autobiography,” “Between Madison and
            Evansville a florist’s truck turned up ahead. I drew aside,
            about to pass and honking hard, when suddenly the truck
            with no warning at all turned and dove directly in front
            of me. I jammed on the brakes, but caught the already
            careening flower-wagon full on the side – nosed it over
            and over, again and again and again, as a hog might nose
            a truffle… and was well on his way to the fourth turnover
            before the truck finally collapsed in a heap – the head of
            the Madison florist coming up through the debris – cursing
            loud and cursing plenty. Never were swear-words sweeter
            to my ear. The man was not even hurt.” Neither Wright
            nor the passengers in his car were hurt, but according
            to newspaper accounts, Choles was driven to a Madison
            hospital where he received treatment for cuts to his neck
            and head, and was x-rayed for possible injuries to his back.

            On Jan. 23, 1935, Wright left Taliesin in his Cord L-29
            Phaeton on a winter trek to Arizona. The Cord eventually
            served as both a car and a truck for Wright. He described
            in his autobiography going to the A.D. German Wholesale
            Warehouse; a building he had designed nearly two decades
            earlier in Richland Center and nearly thirty miles from
            Taliesin. Loading “sacks of flour on the fenders, crates of
            fruit on the bumper, rump and back seats piled high with
            everything a grocer keeps. Given such rough treatment,
            the once gleaming fenders likely were marred by gouges
            from crates of fruit and the supple leather upholstery
            torn and scratched from rough use. Wright’s once
            beautiful Cord has become, he said, a “beast of burden.”

            Wright observed, “I like the Cord in spite of hell and
            realize how experiments are made. I make them
            myself,” calling the L-29 E.L Cord’s experiment. “The
            Cord is gone,” declared Wright in his autobiography.
            Wright would no longer have the first Cord by 1943.

            If there was one place in the country where Wright was
            likely to find a vintage Cord L-29, it was New York, the state
            where the largest number of Cords had been sold; some
            894, followed by 654 in Illinois and 458 in California. Wes
            Peters, an early apprentice who remained by Wright’s side
            as a key figure in the Taliesin Fellowship for more than 50
            years, located an L-29 Cabriolet through a dealer in New

34 AUBURN
York who specialized in Cord parts, repairs and conversions.
The car’s original color was maroon, but it had recently
been repainted ivory by the dealer. Early in October 1952,
Peters arranged for the purchase and a few weeks later he
picked up the L-29 and drove it from New York to Taliesin.

Wright’s acquisition of a second L-29 demonstrates his
love affair with the Cord and his lifelong passion for
collecting beautiful objects. The Cord attracted public
admiration and conveyed an aura of sophistication.

After Wright died in 1959, his wife Olgivanna became
senior officer of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and
in 1962 arranged for several of his vehicles to be sold, as
the cost to maintain them was a burden the Foundation
could no longer afford. In late summer, an attorney
from Iowa made a trip with his wife, son and daughter
to visit Taliesin and saw the car for sale in Spring Green
at a dealership. While touring Taliesin, he learned more
about the car from Wes Peters, Wright’s son-in law, and
purchased it for $1,600. In 1980, the car was sold to a
Florida collector who had the Cord restored, including
a new paint job. The restorer matched the paint to the
decal on the windshield, which was designed in 1958 by
Gene Masselink for a music festival in Spring Green.

In the summer of 1999, the eventual donor of this vehicle,
Richard Munz, purchased the car before a national auction
to ensure it would not be purchased by a collector out of
the country and shipped away from the United States. The
vehicle is now in the care of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg
Automobile Museum and was donated in 2001.

Frank Lloyd Wright’s passion for the automobile was
shared with his son John and with his son-in-law,
William Wesley Peters. Along with Wright, John and Wes
also owned cars produced by the Auburn Automobile
Company and Duesenberg, Inc. John would later own
a 1932 Auburn as well as a 1930s Cord. Wes purchased
one of the finest and most expensive luxury cars in
America – a 1934 Duesenberg Model J Riviera.

The late Wright apprentice John DeKoven Hill said in
a 1980s interview, “The car was part of his stance; his
outward appearance as far as the world was concerned.
It was a matter of his persona – how he looked, what he
stood for, his artistic judgment. The cars he drove and
the way he dressed were all part of a general picture of
presenting himself and his work in the right light.”

                                                               2022 35
BUILDING
BUSINESSES
AND
REL ATIONSHIPS
    ATIONSH IPS                           solution with years
 FOUNDED IN 1892,
                                          of passion, expertise
 MICHAEL KINDER & SONS                    and knowledge,”
 (MKS) HAS GROWN INTO                     Sheridan adds.
 A LEADING REGIONAL
                                          Two of those four
 CONSTRUCTION FIRM                        generations have day-
 BY PROVIDING QUALITY                     to-day involvement
 PLANNING, DESIGN AND                     in the business and
                                          its projects. Senior
 BUILDING SERVICES.                       estimator Tom
 ARTICLE BY   Janet Patterson             Kinder went to work
 PHOTOGRAPHY     Provided                 for the business in
                                          1969 after his father
                                          died, and sons Bill
                                          and Doug have
 From the seed of an idea to a full-      assumed leadership                       the job sites offer the quality service
 grown and complete building project,     roles as president and CEO.              that the values imply. “They put
 Michael Kinder & Sons (MKS) has been                                              these values into action every day.”
 making new spaces come to life in        “They are the first ones here in the
 the Fort Wayne area since 1892.          morning and the last to leave at the     Because of this, MKS has forged
                                          end of the day,” says Sheridan.          relationships in the community
 “We like to say it started with three                                             that go beyond one project. “About
 men and a mule,” says Brooke             “Our commitment has always been          80% of our work comes from repeat
 Sheridan, MKS marketing director.        to deliver high quality projects         customers,” Sheridan notes. One of
                                          with excellent communication to          these is The James Foundation.
 Its one-stop-shop design and             our client partners. Renovating or
 construction philosophy means            constructing a new building is a long-   Among MKS’ recent projects are the $47
 that from the moment a company,          term endeavor for which there are        million Fort Wayne International Airport
 health care organization, educational    no second chances,” says owner and       West Terminal Expansion, the new
 institution or athletic program          CEO Bill Kinder. “Quality is defined     offices for the Foellinger Foundation,
 has the idea for a new space, MKS        in both design and construction,         Headwaters Church, the Boys and Girls
 can shepherd the project through         whereas communication is making          Club Jim Kelley Career Pathway Center,
 planning, designing and building.        sure our clients understand the impact   and Cowork DeKalb in Auburn.
                                          of all components of the project.”
 The fourth-generation family-owned
 business has pivoted its focus over      Based on its core values of being
 the last 20 years from a traditional     transformational, exceptional,                     MICHAEL KINDER
 construction company to one that can     accountable, meaningful and safe,                  & SONS (MKS)
 walk with clients through property       MKS embraces projects that have a
 selection and evaluation, financial      positive impact on the communities                 52 0 6 D E C AT U R R O A D
                                                                                             F O R T W AY N E , I N D I A N A 4 6 8 0 6
 modeling, information technology,        where they work. Sheridan says that                ( 2 6 0 ) 74 4 - 4 35 9
 furniture and equipment selection, and   all of the nearly 100 employees from               INFO@KINDER ANDSONS.COM
 owner orientation. “We offer a turnkey   the leadership team to carpenters on               KINDER ANDSONS.COM

 36 AUBURN
DOWNTOWN
     AUBURN

38 AUBURN
Discover all that historic downtown Auburn has to offer, and
support these local businesses. Shop, dine and explore your way
  through Auburn and its small town charm. Plus, see the great
   services Auburn professionals are offering our community.

                                                                  2022 39
TO                                                                                                                                   PARADE OF

40 AUBURN
                                                                                                                                                 CLASSICS ROUTE
                              2 ND ST                                                                                                            RESTROOMS

                                                                                                                                                 DISABILITY PARKING
                               RD
                              3 ST

                                                                                              UNIO
                                                                                                                                                 SHUTTLE STOPS

                                                                                                N ST

                                                               MAIN S
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                                                     JACKSON
                               4 TH ST                                            DOWNTOWN                                                     TO

                                                        ST
                                                                                     BAR
                               5 TH ST         TICKET
                                              TO RIDE             DOWNTOWN                                                             1316 E 7 TH STREET
                                                                   CRUISE-IN
                               6 TH ST
                                                                                                                                               7 TH ST
                 INTERSTATE                                                                                 COURTHOUSE
                                7 STTH                                                                        SQUARE
                   69                              CRUISE-IN         INFO
                                                                    BOOT H
                                                    CUISINE                                      8 TH ST

                                    9 TH ST                                                          9 TH ST
                                                                                           FAST &
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                                                                             EVENT                     10 TH ST
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                                                                                                                                 TNS

                                                                                                                  13 TH ST

                                                                               14 TH ST

                                              TH                                                                          15 TH ST
15 ST
                                                                                                                                       16 TH ST               DeKalb
                                                                                                                                                               County
                                                                                                                                                             Fairgrounds
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                                                                                                                                      CEDA

                                                                                            JACKSON
                           Museum District
                                                                                                                                       R ST

                                                                                              ST
                                                                                                                M A I N ST
                                                                                                                                                                 ACD CLUB
                                                                                                                                                                 CAR SHOW

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          FOR AUCTION, TAKE I-69 EXIT 326 ONTO
          COUNTY ROAD 11A. FOLLOW SIGNS WEST
          TO 5634 OPPORTUNITY BLVD.                                                                                                                                   S

                                                                                                                                              acdfestival.org

2022 41
5qs with
       ARTICLE BY   Leslie Peel, ACD Festival Executive Director
                         P H O T O G R A P H Y Provided

Introduced to Anthony Schmidt’s story                dependent on if
while watching a Sunday morning                      we are traveling
news program, I was instantly in awe                 to a location
of his talent and keen eye. Anthony, a               that is far away.
14-year-old teen living in Washington                I spend hours
state, has taken his love of photography             in my workshop
and collecting model cars to a whole                 modifying and
new level. Amassing a collection of                  rebuilding the
over 2,600 mini vehicles, many as                    models, too.
gifts from his fans, he uses his iPhone
to capture miniature car scenes that                 Q: Besides
appear to be larger than life. Many of               photography,
these scenes he and his family have built            what are some
together. Admitting that he doesn’t                  of your other
play favorites with his model cars, he               hobbies?
does have a bucket list of vehicles that             A: My other
he would like to add to his collection,              hobbies include
both model and life-sized, hoping to                 cooking,
eventually have one from every decade.               ballroom
Featured in multiple publications,                   dancing and riding my bike. I
most recently in People magazine, it’s               also go to a lot of car shows
easy to say Anthony is an inspiration in             with my two cars: my 1957
more ways than one. With an amazing                  Ford Custom 300 and my
attention to detail and sharp focus, this            1959 Studebaker Silver Hawk.
inventive teen has earned an enviable
                                                     Q: What are your
social media following, including
                                                     future aspirations?
over 500,000 followers on TikTok.
                                                     A: I want to continue with
Q: When and how did you become                       photography and growing
interested in photography?                           my real-life collection
A: I started taking photos on an iPhone              of cars. I hope one day
when I was 6 years old. It’s common for              to start businesses and
people with autism to have a special                 become an entrepreneur.
interest; cars have always been mine.
                                                     To learn more about Anthony’s
Q: Where do you find
                                                     story and to view and/or
inspiration for your photos?
                                                     purchase his photos and
A: My inspiration comes from real life.
                                                     book of photography, visit
I like to think about the era and year of
                                                     anthonyryanschmidt.com.
the car, and make the setting match.
                                                     Follow him on social media
Q: How long does it normally                         to see his current projects at
take to shoot an image from                          linktr.ee/anthonyschmidt.
preparation to execution?
A: A photoshoot can take anywhere
from 1-3 hours, if not more. It’s

42 AUBURN
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