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On Trucks and Manhood

11/25/2015

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Someone very wise once told me,

"You become a man only when you can produce more than you consume."

So often we use consumption as a measure of manhood—how many beers you drink, how many women you score, how many guns you own—but all that measures is how well somebody can pursue pleasure.  Is aggressive self-indulgence really manhood?
Looking at what a man produces is a simple but powerful way to judge all aspects of him.  In work, play, love, and life, does he make more than he takes; does he give more than he gets?  A child lives solely off the labor of others, but as he grows he learns that he must provide for himself.  The challenge, however; is to move past merely living hand to mouth, to the point that he can help others as well.  Manhood is using your surplus of money, time, happiness, and ability to improves the lives of those around you.  A boy sees work as a means to make money; a man sees work as a means to assist others.

The same rule should apply to trucks.  So many trucks seem to exist solely for [conspicuous] consumption.  We all know the stereotypical truck with a dual cab, dual wheels, dual chrome smokestacks, and a bed that is completely empty, save for a some Mountain Dew bottles.  These are the kind of trucks that purposefully leave stoplights in a cloud of black smoke and harass Prius drivers on the highway.  Thankfully, they're often adorned with warning signs, like Confederate flags and stickers of little boys urinating on the logos of other truck brands, which help other drivers identify and avoid them.

While not as ostensibly obnoxious, the luxury truck is just as useless.  With four doors and a four foot bed, these trucks were designed specifically to avoid work.  Aside from the occasional fishing boat or trailer of dirt bikes, they rarely tow anything.  You're more likely to find them at a Wal-Mart than a work site.  On the inside, you'll find an interior with supple leather, thick carpet, and fancy trim, none of which is meant for mud, blood, and sweat.  Sure, it has the powertrain to do serious work, but that might hurt its trade-in value.

As with people, the most productive trucks tend to be unassuming.  Vinyl seats, rubber floor mats, and limited features are a plus; complex accessories are just another thing to break.  Size can also be deceiving.  My father had a 1996 Toyota Tacoma that turned out to be one of the most productive vehicles I've ever seen.
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His 1996 Toyota Tacoma the day before he traded it in. Who says man's best friend has to be a dog?
This modest 4 cylinder, 5 speed pickup pulled wagons of corn through muddy fields, hauled hay bales through half a foot of snow, and towed fertilizer buggies across miles of back country roads.  Some might look down on a truck that only makes 142 horsepower, but that little Toyota probably did more work in a week than some of these "Heavy Duty" pickup trucks do in a year.  He finally sold it after 14 years and bought a new 4 cylinder, 5 speed Tacoma.

Now, I realize I am not an expert on trucks or manhood, so I don't expect everyone out there to agree with me.  But I think modesty, thrift, and productivity are qualities with universal appeal, whether in vehicles or people.  Recently I had the chance to drive a 1986 Ford F-250 diesel, and it showed me just how far trucks have come in the last 30 years.  Judging by the comments people left on the video, I'm not the only one who wishes we had more trucks like it:
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The Brougham Society - Part 2

11/21/2015

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In our last blog post, I had the chance to speak with Richard Bennett, President of the car club known as The Brougham Society.  They celebrate all the wonderful things about classic American luxury vehicles, like waterfall grilles, hood ornaments, and opera windows.  In part two of our interview, we talk about what led to the decline of these cars, as well as the growing interest in preserving them.
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Richard Bennett has a certain proclivity towards Oldsmobiles.
In a recent blog post of mine, I suggested that young people weren't interested in muscle cars because the prices are prohibitively high. Are there young people buying broughams? They certainly seem more affordable.

Yes!  A look through our membership ranks will show quite a large number of members that are in their teens, twenties, and thirties.  This is encouraging to me, in that it ensures that TBS has staying power.  Broughams are beginning to increase in value, but compared to the average muscle car they are still bargains.

A lot of magazines/shows/blogs speak negatively of American auto industry from 1975-1985, going so far as to even call it "The Malaise Era."  Yet, this seems to be a golden age for brougham cars. How do you reconcile that?  Some of these cars had some pretty serious flaws.

It's true that quality control took a dive during those years.  The reason for much of that I feel is a combination of government regulations forcing the automakers to have to develop cars that were cleaner, more fuel efficient, and safer, all at the same time. It was a massive undertaking for the Big Three.  Combine that with record sales, and the need to produce more cars faster caused the quality control to lapse in many cases.

Now, the reason Brougham took off then?  It is believed that as members of the Greatest Generation were hitting middle age, they wanted something that coddled them during their commute and truly showed that they had "made it", as they were well within their prime earning years.  What better way than to drive a big, stately automobile!

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The official logo for The Brougham Society.
Why did cars like this fall out of style in the U.S.?

There are a number of reasons.  One, like most generations, the Boomers by and large didn't want to be seen driving the same thing as their parents.  The gas crisis of the 1970's caused larger cars to become undesirable.  Adding the quality problems that caused many to flock to cars from Japan and Europe, the damage was done and there was no going back.

People love to say that "if they still built cars like this, I'd buy one!" but how true is that? It seems like America has moved on.

There are some signs that touches of Brougham are returning, but they are mainly found in high-end luxury cars from Europe, of all places!  But when it comes to seeing Ford, GM or Chrysler build a traditional "Brougham", it's not going to happen.  Sure, there are a few that would snap up a new, rear wheel drive, body on frame, V8 Lincoln Town Car or Cadillac Fleetwood, but the numbers would be so small that they would be massive money losers for the manufacturers.  As much as we like to think otherwise, automakers are in the business of making money, and their research shows that currently it's all about the CUV and pickup truck.
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A 1990 Chevrolet Caprice Classic Brougham. Photo: CC Alden Jewell via Flickr.com
Another interesting thing about The Brougham Society is the emphasis on keeping automobiles “stock.” While TBS is very friendly, they don't seem to take kindly to a lot of car modding.

During the past decade, many sub-cultures have beginning to take an interest in Broughams, but instead of seeing them as the stately, upscale cars they are, they have began turning them into rolling caricatures, complete with giant, oversized wheels, garish paint jobs, and obnoxious stereo systems.  This concerns me in that I am seeing clean, original Broughams becoming more and more extinct as they are being transformed into these things!  Because of that, a main goal of The Brougham Society to share and show how the designers intended for these cars to look, and hopefully many will see the true beauty of them and leave them the way they were meant to be.

I think that's something a lot of classic car groups face—the conflict over how much modification can be done before it becomes tasteless. You and I both seem to be fairly conservative; although I'm all for things that increase drivability, like radial tires and aftermarket fuel injection, which still preserve most of the original car's intentions.

A number of purists would cry blasphemy over the idea of changing so much as fan belt, but this is where I will differ slightly. There are cases where some cars were known to have drivability issues or were problem plagued, so in order to keep them on the road a mechanical modification would be appropriate, such as a new engine or better tires.  In these instances I don't see it a problem, so long as "the look" is kept intact.
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A 1977 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham. Photo: CC Alden Jewell via Flickr.com
Do you have a favorite car?

Actually, I have several cars that could considered my "favorites".  But for the sake of our time here, I will select the one that has been my dream car since I was a young kid, the 1980's Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe!  I was blessed to have a 1987 model when I was in my early twenties, and it was my ultimate inspiration behind TBS.
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The 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham Coupe that started Richard's love of American luxury cars.
The Brougham Society can be found on Facebook, and you can read more of Richard Bennett's thoughts on all kinds of automobiles on his blog, "Because, Cars."

If you're a fan of seeing classic American luxury cars in action, check out some of our Time Warp Test Drive videos on the AutoMoments YouTube channel!
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The Brougham Society - Part 1

11/3/2015

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1928 Daniels Model 138 Brougham
Photo: CC Alden Jewell via Flickr.com
The internet has proven that there are automotive enthusiast groups for pretty much everything.  (Even cars as inane as the Ford Tempo...)  Recently, a friend introduced me to the rapidly expanding group known as The Brougham Society.

The word brougham (pronounced "broom") originally signified a horse drawn carriage where the rider sat in an enclosed cab, and the driver sat outside.  The design carried over into the automotive age, but lost its original meaning as fully enclosed cars began to use the term.  Eventually, "Brougham" was used both as a model name and trim level by various automakers.
Peak usage of the word probably came between 1970-1985.  The American muscle era had ended, and now buyers wanted cars with velour seats, courtesy lights, wire wheels, and vinyl roofs.  Mainstream collectors don't seen to have a whole lot of enthusiasm for these cars, but that could be changing.  The Brougham Society, or TBS, celebrates cars like these, realizing that we probably will never see anything like them again.

Their enthusiasm encompasses all kinds of big American luxury cars, not just those with "Brougham" in the name.  The main gathering place for the club is their Facebook group, where people from across the country (and the world) discuss their love of these vehicles.   I recently spoke with the club's founder and president, Richard Bennett, about his group and its growing popularity.
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Richard Bennett, President of The Brougham Society, representing in a 1991 Lincoln Town Car Cartier Designer Series.
What is "The Brougham Society"?

The Brougham Society is an International Car Club that celebrates the traditional American luxury car from Postwar to roughly 2011, with a strong focus on the 1970's-1990's.

What does the name mean?

When I was creating TBS, I wanted a name that would evoke class and exclusivity, and after much thought, I decided that "The Brougham Society" had the right sound, and would set us apart from other car clubs.

Now TBS seems to be more of a 21st Century car club, in the sense that the community is connected mostly online via Facebook, and members aren't required to pay dues or attend meetings, right?

Yes, that is correct.

Each week the Facebook group has a different theme. How exactly does this work?

Our weekly themes are my way of keeping things fresh. Usually we focus on a particular Make, but on occasion I will shine the spotlight on a particular style of car, say, coupes. I have to always look for different ways of presenting various Themes, lest things become too predictable, and so far the Membership loves it!
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The group's cover photo reflects the weekly themes, such as "Buick Week," "Chrome and Lighting," and "Broughams of the 1990s."
I realize the Internet has communities for all kinds of automotive enthusiasts, but why these kind of cars? What makes them special?

In this day and age, the Internet has made it possible for one to find an enthusiast group for virtually anything. Before I started TBS, I did a little research and discovered that this corner of the car world was not well represented, so I took the opportunity to do something about it. Once word began to spread, the number of people that still love these cars amazed me!

Before I found TBS, I thought I was weird because I love big old American land yachts just as much if not more than muscle cars. Now I realize there are thousands of people just like me. Why do you think the brougham community is so big?

Brougham is a style that we most likely will never see again. I suspect that the combination of stately, elegant styling and luxurious, over-the-top interiors, combined with the smooth, quiet ride still speaks to many today. I know that's why I love them so much.

From looking at your Facebook posts, it appears that you travel a lot, and take a lot of photos of the cars you see along the way. It's almost as if you're a birdwatcher except with old cars! What started this hobby?

Traveling is something I have loved ever since I was young. I always looked forward to summer road trips with my parents. When I was a teen I was given a nice Pentax camera for Christmas, and from there began my love for photography. As for shooting cars I see when I am out and about, I have to credit Paul Niedermeyer of Curbside Classic for inspiring me to start searching for cars to photograph.
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One of his many daily photo posts. He seems to have an uncanny ability to find these cars wherever he is.
One of your rules for TBS is "People First, Cars Second," (which seems to be the opposite of the comments on my YouTube videos...) explain your motivation behind this emphasis on politeness.

It could be said that I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to various internet chatrooms and forums, and I wanted to do something different. I am a firm believer that to live and be a part of the "Brougham Way of Life", one should conduct themselves in a manner that is befitting a Brougham, meaning that we are generally well educated, and above what I consider to be childish immaturity. Now, lest one think we are a bunch of snobs, I would like to make it clear that we are much more than a forum. I always make it clear that we are more like a community, and with that I welcome hearing from people when they are celebrating milestones in life, or are going through various trials. If I don't treat the Members well, then there is no Brougham Society.

Do you think this community, not just TBS, but brougham enthusiasts general, is growing?

It would appear so. Since I created TBS in early 2013, we have had a number of competing groups form. I attend a number of car shows every year, and the number of brougham type autos are increasing at the shows, and I always watch people as they gather around them, and more often than not, the comments from them are positive.
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Do you have bigger plans for the future of TBS? Perhaps an annual event or gathering?

TBS is only getting started! Here in Michigan, where we are based, I plan events throughout the year. The events usually consist of breakfast meetups, though our last one was a dinner meeting, with an impromptu car show out in the parking lot.  Several months ago I appointed Members from around the country, and in other parts of the world to be "Regional Directors". They were selected due to their enthusiasm and involvement within TBS. The role they play is to be willing to head up regional meetups for other Members in their given area.

Eventually, once time and finances permit, I would like to expand into hosting actual car shows that include judging and awards. Also, with our Brand equity, I foresee us one day getting into philanthropic work. There is so much that we as a movement can do, not only to spark a Brougham revival, but to allow us to be a greater good for society, thereby proving that to live the Brougham Way of Life, we can influence, inspire, and help our fellow man.
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Old car ads like this are commonplace in TBS's Facebook group. Photo: CC Alden Jewell via Flickr.com
Richard and I had a lot more to talk about, including the decline in popularity of traditional American luxury cars and why it's important to collect and preserve them.  All this and more will be covered in Part 2 of our interview!
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