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Saturday August 2, 2025
Dear automotive enthusiasts, restorers, collectors, and investors, Time Flies When You're Having Fun!Welcome to the August 2025 edition of our newsletter! Since our last update in December 2024, the world of vintage automobiles and motorcycles has been buzzing with excitement. Here are four, of many, highlights to keep you in the loop: Dick Shappy's 1905 Cameron at Audrain's Air-Cooled ExhibitMy 1905 Cameron Four-Cylinder was a highlight at the Audrain Automobile Museum’s "Air-Cooled: Keep It Simple" exhibit in Newport, Rhode Island, which concluded earlier this year. This rare vehicle, part of the Cameron Automobile Company’s innovative air-cooled engine lineup, showcased early automotive engineering with its left-side steering and front-mounted engine. Stay tuned for future exhibits featuring the Dick Shappy collection! 2025 Audrain Motorsport Veteran Car Tour On May 4, 2025, I joined the Audrain Motorsport Newport-Bristol-Newport Veteran Car Tour with my 1909 Locomobile Model 30 Touring. Eleven pre-1918 vehicles conquered a scenic 50-mile route under clear skies, celebrating the heritage of early motoring. Inspired by the London to Brighton tour, this fourth annual event highlighted vintage engineering. Stay tuned for 2026 tour details! “The Road to Relics” on American PickersThe Dick Shappy Collection took center stage on the July 16, 2025, episode of American Pickers on the History Channel. Hosts Mike Wolfe and Jersey Jon explored my extraordinary collection, featuring rare Duesenbergs, Cadillac V16s, and a legendary Crocker motorcycle. The episode highlighted my lifelong passion for restoring vintage vehicles, with a high-stakes bid for a rare motorbike. Catch the rerun to witness this treasure trove! 10th Annual Dick Shappy & New England Cadillac-LaSalle Club ShowMark your calendars for September 6, 2025, for the private Tenth Annual Dick Shappy and New England Regional Cadillac & LaSalle Club Vintage Car & Motorcycle Show at my residence in Warwick, Rhode Island. Expect a stunning display of Cadillacs, other classic cars, and motorcycles, with live music and a vibrant atmosphere. This exclusive event continues to draw enthusiasts from across the region. Thanks for joining us on this journey through automotive history. Stay tuned for more updates, and as always, keep cruising!
Best regards, |
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| Pat, Walter, and Dick Shappy (l to r) |
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| | Audrain Automobile Museum Featured the 1905 Cameron in its Air-Cooled Exhibit |
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| Dick Shappy’s rare four-cylinder 1905 Cameron, manufactured right here in Rhode Island, was featured in the Audrain Automobile Museum’s Air-Cooled Exhibit in Newport. [Video] |
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| Cameron Automobile: A Legacy of InnovationFounded by Everett S. Cameron in 1899 in Massachusetts, the Cameron Automobile Company produced vehicles from 1903 to 1914, with intermittent production until 1920. Initially steam-powered, Cameron's cars shifted to innovative internal combustion, air-cooled engines after securing funding. The company also built trucks, tractors, and boats, setting industry standards with left-side steering and front-mounted, air-cooled engines. Partnering with the James W. Brown Company in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Cameron began with single-cylinder vehicles in 1903, expanding to two-, three-, and four-cylinder models by 1904. Their lightweight designs, featuring a two-speed transmission and a revolutionary rear-mounted gearbox, gained fame and set world records. In 1906, Cameron relocated to Massachusetts, opened a plant, and established branches. Despite financial setbacks during World War I, the company briefly resumed production, including tractors. A rare 1905 Cameron, one of two surviving Model 9s, was meticulously restored and showcased at the Audrain Automobile Museum’s "Air-Cooled: Keep It Simple" exhibit in Newport, Rhode Island, from March 22 to July 13, 2025. This 20-horsepower vehicle, built in Pawtucket, boasts a patented three-speed rear axle-mounted gearbox, elastic spring suspension, and a 45-mph top speed. Air-cooled engines, known for simplicity and reliability, made Cameron a pioneer. View this historic car at DickShappyVintageAutos.com. |
| | 2025 Audrain Automobile Museum Veteran Car Tour |
| | Audrain’s Veteran Car Tour: A Journey Through Motoring HistoryThe Audrain Automobile Museum’s Newport to Bristol Veteran Car Tour celebrates pre-1918 automobiles in a 50-mile tribute to early motoring. Not a race or show, it’s a living history lesson. Starting at the museum on Bellevue Avenue, the tour winds through Newport’s beaches, Middletown’s back roads, and Portsmouth, crossing the Mount Hope Bridge into Bristol. I brought my 1909 Locomobile Model 30 Touring, a rare, largely original car once owned by a Connecticut produce salesman. Driven until the 1950s, it was garaged for over 40 years. As its caretaker, I preserved its character, restoring only the clutch, era-correct leather upholstery, and engine. The tour pauses for lunch at Blithewold Mansion in Bristol, a Gilded Age estate with stunning gardens and bay views, perfect for admiring these historic cars. The journey continues through coastal roads and bridges, ending with a reception at the museum. The Audrain Veteran Car Tour is a vivid reminder of automotive heritage and the joy of keeping history alive. |
| | “The Road to Relics” on American Pickers Featured the Dick Shappy Collection |
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| American Picker’s Jersey Jon |
| | Dick Shappy Collection Shines on American PickersMy collection starred in the July 16, 2025, episode of American Pickers on The History Channel, titled “The Road to Relics.” Mike Wolfe was thrilled by my 1917 Curtiss OXX6 Race Car, powered by an airplane engine (not listed on DickShappyVintageAutos.com, but viewable on the show). He also made one of his biggest purchases ever, acquiring my 1915 Flying Merkel V-Twin, a rare gem with original paint, V-Twin engine, tank-shift gearbox, Merkel "Mono Shock" suspension, logo footboards, lockable toolbox, girder-style front fork, and acetylene headlight. The Pickers called it “the Holy Grail of vintage motorbikes.” A big thank you to Jersey Jon, a fan-favorite American Pickers star and early American motorcycle expert, for joining us at the Rhode Island watch party after a 7-hour drive. Jon’s passion for restoring antiques and his adventurous spirit made the event unforgettable. American Pickers follows Mike Wolfe and his team as they scour the U.S. for hidden treasures in junkyards, basements, and barns, turning forgotten relics into valued pieces of history. Learn more at history.com/shows/american-pickers. |
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| Dick Shappy, Jersey Jon, Mike Wolfe |
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| Jersey Jon, Dick Shappy, Mike Wolfe |
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| | Private Tenth Annual Dick Shappy + New England Regional Cadillac & LaSalle Club Vintage Car & Motorcycle Show |
| | Join Us: 10th Annual Vintage Car & Motorcycle ShowGet ready for the private 10th Annual Dick Shappy + New England Regional Cadillac & LaSalle Club Vintage Car & Motorcycle Show on Saturday, September 6, 2025, from 11 AM to 3 PM at my estate. We partnered with Newport Craft to craft "Cadillac Lager" for my nightclub, which we’ll proudly showcase at the event. Enjoy highlights from my automobile collection, over 50 antique motorcycles, and exclusive New England vehicles, complemented by live music from Three Days Ago and dancing by the Tropigals. Missing your invitation? Reply to this email! |
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| Dick Shappy and Newport Craft present Cadillac Lager. |
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| | This Week’s Feature:1929 Duesenberg Model J 268 Convertible Coupe |
| | The 1929 Duesenberg Model J 268 stands out with its unique journey, being the only Duesenberg imported to Japan. Shipped as a rolling chassis in 1929 via Packard dealer Soji Sikine, it was bought by Tokyo industrialist Komakichi Fukuzawa, a pioneer in Japan’s electrical industry. During the Depression, unable to secure foreign exchange, Fukuzawa crafted a makeshift two-seat body in Tokyo for high-speed morning drives, praising its superior engineering over his Hispano Suiza and Rolls Royce. Stored during WWII due to gas rationing, it passed to his nephew Tatshuhoru Okiyama in 1940, then to U.S. servicemen, including Captain Charles Halbrooks in 1954, who added a new top and later a crude speedster body. Halbrooks, a lifelong Duesenberg admirer, shipped the car to Germany in 1958, where Prof. Wilhelm Holfermann and students at Meiterschule fur Handwerke Kaiserslautern crafted its rare all-steel body with a rumble seat and trunk. Returning to the U.S. in 1960, it faced restoration needs by 1965 due to Florida’s saltwater air. Duesenberg historian Ray Wolff bought it, repainted it red, and restored it in Wisconsin, later selling it in 1967. Owners Jeff Caves added 5,000 miles, showcasing its global travels. Since 2018, Dick Shappy has overseen a full engine rebuild by Brian Joseph and Tim Purrier, plus new upholstery by Nick Pitcu, reviving its cherry red glory for shows and Concours d’Elegance. |
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