Member Spotlight

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Our first Member Spotlight is Vic Davis. Vic is one of the founding members of the car club. Today, we are showcasing his 1936 Chevrolet Pickup. Here is a write-up that Vic gave about his truck:

“Sometime in 1968, my late brother, Larry, and I were discussing future car projects that we would like to do, and I commented that I would like to restore an old pickup. We were raised several miles out in the country and saw very few vehicles, but we were car nuts from an early age.”

“Larry, on a visit to relatives in North Carolina, heard of a 1936 Chevrolet Pickup. To make a long story short, I purchased the truck in 1969. The truck was all stock except for a 1953 six-cylinder motor. On a very cold day in early January 1969, I drove the truck to Ellijay with no heater, tag, muffler, or lights (250 miles). My wife, Sally, pronounced it hers as soon as I arrived home.”

“We drove the truck occasionally until 1985. We decided to update it mechanically. I used parts from several cars to update it: 350 motor and transmission from early 1970’s Chevrolet, air conditioning from a GMC truck, power steering from a Vega, tilt steering column from a Buick, Oldsmobile steering wheel, Volkswagen electric wipers, and a Chevy Nova rear end with 2.56 ratio.”

“The truck has the original front axle and leaf springs all around. The wheels are optional 15-inch artillery; all brackets are hand-made. Very few items are off-shelf; I can think of Walker radiator, VDO gauges, and a heater. The paint colors are 1983 Bronco, “Desert Tan” and “Desert Beige.”

“As of this writing the truck has 28,000 miles since 1990 when it was finally finished. I worked on it for five years in my spare time. I lost my wife to cancer in 2015, but she got to drive the truck in some parades, several cruise-ins, and it has won a few awards. We are Charter Members of Apple Country Auto Club, a fine group of people, however, due to health issues, I have not been as active the past few years.” 

“I owe a heart-felt thanks to the members of Apple Country Auto Club; my late brother, Larry, and late friends “Pop” Goble and Clarence Farist.”

Vic Davis

We would like to thank Vic for his many years of service and the passion that he brings to the car club. Included are a few pictures of his 1936 Chevrolet Pickup.

Our second Member Spotlight is the late Larry Davis. Larry was one of the founding members of the car club. Today, we are showcasing some of his cars including those he restored, ones he hand-built, and his 1937 Ford Woody Wagon. Here is a write-up given to us by his children:

"Larry Davis was a founding member of the Apple Country Auto Club. From an early age, Larry was fascinated with automobiles. If a car came to the family farm, he would be looking all over it, around, and underneath it to see how it was made. In his early teens, he and his brother Vic bought an old car from a neighbor for $22 with money they saved from cutting pulpwood. They stripped down the old Chevy, got it running, and drove it around the neighborhood. Many other car projects followed for both brothers over the years, and they consulted and advised each other regularly about their respective projects."

"Larry’s love of cars led not only to an enjoyable lifelong hobby but also to a career he loved. He operated a successful auto repair business on Dalton Street for several decades. In his spare time, he always had some kind of automobile project in progress, such as building a race car, restoring a 1938 Cadillac Limousine, restoring a 1955 Chevrolet, modifying a 1967 Cadillac Seville into a pickup truck dubbed the “Cadimino,” and building a XP-1, a futuristic-looking car Davis designed and built in the 1970s. A popular attraction at parades, cruise-ins, and car shows, the “Little Yellow Car” was later painted red and then orange. Its body is fabricated from aluminum and it has a chassis made of steel tubing, concealed headlights, and electronic gullwing doors."

"Larry also constructed several novelty vehicles for promotional purposes, such as a peanut car and the Apple Car which was built to help promote the Apple Country Auto Club and was driven in a number of parades."

"The most ambitious of Davis’ car-building projects was a bright orange “Nostalgia Woody” which combined his metalworking and woodworking skills. He drove the Woody to cruise-ins, car shows, parades, and school events. He and wife Alice even drove the Woody on a few trips, including an excursion on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where people would flock to see it wherever they stopped."

The following description of the Woody was written by Larry:

“The lines are based on the ever popular early model Fords. It is Georgia licensed as a modified 1937 Ford Woody Wagon Hobby Car. As in most so-called “Hot Rods,” it is made up of many hand made as well as stock parts. Dimensions and lines were altered for engine clearance and handling. A highly altered ’94 Toyota Tacoma truck frame supports the Davis modified Chevy 400 cu. in., 300 plus h.p. engine." 

"This concept ’37 is updated with all the modern accessories, such as air, automatic, tilt wheel, power rack and pinion steering, coil rear suspension, sway bar, power windows, and much more.
The hood, grill, side panels, cowl, tail and headlights, plus 90% of the fenders were hand fabricated from sheet metal. The ground hugging front lower section of front fenders and grill have been designed for down force. This departure from early Ford designs provides better handling at today’s high speeds."

"A one piece windshield design was used for ease of mating to the wood body. Wood body designed is ’37 Ford and built by Davis, using methods and materials similar to original Woodies from that era. Dash and other interior wood is oak. Exterior wood panels are tiger maple, with hard maple raised outer framing. Woody car building is very labor intensive.”

Larry brought a lot of knowledge and passion for the car hobby to the club throughout the years. Sadly, Larry passed away last year. We appreciate the many years of service and passion that Larry brought to the car club. Here are some pictures of some of his vehicles.

Over the next few months we will be showcasing members and their cars in a series of Member Spotlights. 

Our third Member Spotlight is Jim Logan. Jim is one of the long time members of the car club. Today, we are showcasing his 1967 Mercury Cyclone GT. Here is a write-up that Jim gave about his car:

“In the Spring of 1967, after leaving Vietnam, I ordered a new Mercury Cyclone from the Ford Dealer at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. It was a 390 HP, Four Speed, Bucket Seat car that was Cougar Green. It was to be delivered at Linder Lincoln Mercury in Atlanta.”

“After I got married in 1970 and our son was born, this four speed was sold and I bought my brother Jerry’s 1967 Ford LTD, which was automatic. I always wanted another 67 Cyclone but they are hard to find because the Mercury Cougar came out in 1967. I looked for one for about 20 years before I found this one in 2007 in Hemmings. It was located in Rhode Island. It was owned by a 92-year-old lady who was the second owner. I pulled my enclosed trailer to Rhode Island and hauled the car back through New York in a snow storm.”

“I drove the car about 8 years before I had it restored. The restoration was finished in July 2018. The price on my new Cyclone was a little over $3,000 including tax in 1967. The styled steel Mercury wheels and the red line tires were $2,000. I probably have about ten times in this car now. The lady I purchased the car from named the Cyclone “Matilda”.”

We would like to thank Jim for his many years of service and the passion that he brings to the car club. Included are a few pictures of his 1967 Mercury Cyclone GT.

Over the next few months we will be showcasing members and their cars in a series of Member Spotlights. 

Our fourth Member Spotlight is Roy Smith. Roy is one of the founding members of the car club. Today, we are showcasing his 1969 Pontiac GTO as well as some of his previous vehicles. Here is a write-up that Roy gave about his car:

"I guess the love of cars has always run in the family. After WWII, Daddy had a 46 Chevy, and I loved riding in the back deck. I also have many of my cousins who are gearheads who have worked with GM most of their adult life that helped my love of cars."

"The first car was really a 55 Chevy 210, 6 cylinder, which I got for my 17th birthday. Daddy had Larry Davis install a 283 C.I., and I drove the wheels off it in high school, trade school, and later to Lockheed, before I let it go to buy a new 65 Plymouth Barracuda, I traded it in 3 months for a 65 Plymouth Belvedere because every time I went to the drags at the HH Dragstrip I got beat. Paradise and Brainerd Strip were always places we went as well. We all followed Bob Thomas with his Strip Teaser all over the southeast. Many of us spent Saturdays and Sunday afternoons at the drag strip. The Belvedere with the 383 was only a few times outrun, by a GTO no less. My friend Larry Davis was the best around at tuning, and just about every time, he had to come to the house and set the dual points on the Plymouths. I drove both Plymouths to Lockheed many times as well. They were good cars. Mother bought the Belvedere from me, and she signed for me to buy a 67 GTO at Knight's Motors. That started my GTO fixation."

"Next came a 70 442 Oldsmobile, have to say that was the best car I ever owned. My love of Olds came from my Uncle who owned a few. In the 1970s, insurance companies started charging 3-4 time the price for "Hot Rods" as they called them, so six months later I had to trade because the insurance was three times what the car payment was." 

"That lead to a 66 GTO, then a 68 Dart GTS, then back to another 67 GTO Ronald Knight found. The 69 GTO I have now was bought from Knights Pontiac by the Huff family, and my Mom bought it after it was traded in. She didn't like bucket seats so she traded with me for my bench seat which was a limited number built with that seating style."

"Patti, Jacque, and I redid the GTO with lots of help from many of the car people around Ellijay, in 1990 for my daughter to drive to school. She didn't want a “big car” as she called it. She wanted a Honda! Well, after the first day she drove it to high school, there was no more talk about Hondas. All of the boys wanted to drive it, even in college. After driving it for years we parked it to try and redo it again. This time, it is taking forever as life gets in the way. I have the engine parts to make it a Ram Air III+. Lately, I learned to cut out body panels to replace rusty floor panels."

"As the photos show I've had a number of different rides, from the old 55 to the Impala SS that was my Dad's last car. The people I looked up to all these years, family friends Larry and Vic Davis and Robert "Pop" Goble helped me with advice and work on the cars our family has had. Also, my AACA car show judging buddy, Jim Logan, helped me with his love of Ford cars and cars in general. Lots of miles around the southeast leads to a lot of tall tales to pass the time on the road."

"The friends made thru Apple Country Auto Club and Antique Auto Club of America have been the best part of the car hobby."

We would like to thank Roy for his many years of service and the passion that he brings to the car club. Included are a few pictures of his 1969 Pontiac GTO as well as a collage of some of his past vehicles.

Over the next few months we will be showcasing members and their cars in a series of Member Spotlights.

Our fifth Member Spotlight is Ronnie Garland. Today, we are showcasing his 1955 Chevrolet as well as his 1967 Chevelle Malibu. Here is a write-up that Ronnie gave about his cars: 

“I bought the 55 Chevy in Tennessee about a year ago. I got it from a man that built 55, 56, and 57 Chevy’s for years. This was the last car he would build. He retired after building cars like this for 40 years.”

“I drove this car for several months and did not like the transmission. It had an old style Turbo 350 transmission. This winter I changed the engine and transmission. I put a 700R transmission from Hughes Racing Transmissions from Dallas, TX. I also put in a Blueprint engine, 373 small block. Hughes and Blueprint worked together to set them up to work together. This car has power steering, air conditioning, disc brakes, and a factory radio that has been converted to a digital radio. It also has a tilt wheel. Several body men have looked at this car and said this is the best body on a 55 Chevy that they have seen. Always kept in a climate controlled garage.”

“I’ve had the 67 Chevelle Malibu for around 20 years. Two years ago, I updated the motor and transmission. It had an old style 400 small block and an old type 4 speed. I replaced the engine with a small block 427 ci from Blueprint engines, Kearney, Nebraska. It produces about 550 horsepower. I also installed a Tremec 5 speed transmission with overdrive. Tremec out of Rockford, IL worked with Blueprint Engines to get the perfect gearing.”

“I also installed 2 inch headers from Sanderson Headers out of San Francisco, CA. I installed power steering of a 1988 Olds Supreme. It has power brakes and drives absolutely great! I would not be afraid to drive this car anywhere. I also installed a set of 1957 Corvette factory wire spoke wheels. This is a fun car to drive. It is kept in a climate controlled garage.”

We would like to thank Ronnie for his passion and knowledge that he brings to the car club. Included are a few pictures of his 1955 Chevrolet and his 1967 Chevelle Malibu.