Classics

Born in a swirl of fast deals and lawsuits, the Ruxton was nonetheless an excellent car. Shown here is a 1929 Ruxton. The car was conceived by Archie Andrews, an auto industry operator who served on the boards of Budd Co. and Hupp Motor Car Corp. The classic with its distinctive cat's-eye Woodlites was designed by Joseph Ledwinka. In his efforts to get the car built, Andrews forced a legal showdown with Moon Motor Car Co. of St. Louis, which drowned in a tide of lawsuits. Andrews went on to chair Hupp Motor Car Corp. until he was ousted by angry stockholders a couple years later. Some 500 Ruxtons were built by Moon in 1929 and 1930 and all are designated as classics by the Classic Car Club of America. The car was named for WilliamV. C. Ruxton, a Wall Street figure who never did invest in the venture.

The Pierce-Arrow was one of America's greatest luxury cars from 1901 to 1938. Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Co. was descended from Heintz, Pierce and Munschauer, of Buffalo, N.Y., a firm which made iceboxes and birdcages. George N. Pierce decided to get into the new automobile business and his firm began building cars in late 1901 at its plant in Buffalo. By the time this 1933 Pierce-Arrow was built, the company had become famous for its distinctive headlamps rising smoothly from the fenders. It is powered by a V-12 engine. All Pierce-Arrows are deemed classics by the Classic Car Club of America.

This 1934 Ford V-8 with Brewster body is the only Ford designated a classic by the Classic Car Club of America. Brewster built custom bodies for a number of makes in the '30s and they were marked by the distinctive heart-shaped grille.