Oct 2008
Torq-O Podcast #9: AMC CEO Gerald Meyers
Monday-October 13, 2008
Torq-O's newest podcast features a rare and exclusive interview with Gerald Meyers, the CEO at American Motors from 1977 to 1982.
Meyers talks about his early days at the company and some of its unforgettable cars. Don't miss Meyers' take on the Marlin, the Javelin, the AMX, and a little project called the AMX/3.
Meyers also shares his memories about the men behind the machines: George Romney, Roy Abernethy, and Dick Teague.
Go to our Podcast page, and get it straight from the CEO's mouth. Got an iPod? Fire up iTunes, and search for Torq-O. Then click the Torq-O logo, and download this podcast.
(This podcast is a perfect companion to our Bill McNealy interview. If you haven't listened to that conversation, go to our Podcast page and download both of them!)
RIP: John Conde (1918-2008)
Sunday-October 05, 2008
I've been expecting this moment for years.
I recently learned that former AMC public relations executive and auto historian John Conde had died. He died on August 29th at age 90, but it took me awhile to discover it.
The funeral directors generously provided an online guestbook. If you ever spent some time with John, please take a moment and share some memories. Here are mine:
John was a fascinating man with a deep and abiding love of auto history.
He had a front row seat to that history as a public relations exec who watched Nash merge with Hudson to form American Motors which later bought the Jeep brand.
We're lucky to have a lot of that history. After John retired from AMC in 1976, he wrote many articles for a variety of auto history magazines. (I hope someone collects his stories someday.)
In addition, he allowed me into his house in 2000 to interview him extensively about his Nash/AMC career. Someday, I hope I can find a way to share these six hours of interviews with car fans.
John almost singlehandedly preserved the history of American Motors even when the company itself didn't care about its past. He once told me that former AMC President Bill Luneberg called him "the company's greatest used car salesman" for his efforts to preserve materials about AMC's past.
In fact, he was allowed to take a lot of that material with him when he retired. The sale of publicity photos and rare product literature helped fund his retirement years.
John was a complex character. On the surface, he could sometimes be curt and irritable. However, he could also be generous and kind. If he sensed your motives were in the interest of helping someone or preserving auto history, he was always very selfless and giving.
John lived through some fascinating times in the auto industry, and we're lucky that he chronicled and catalogued them vividly and prodigiously.
Thanks, John. I'm going to miss you. You're one for the history books.
I recently learned that former AMC public relations executive and auto historian John Conde had died. He died on August 29th at age 90, but it took me awhile to discover it.
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| John reaches out and touches someone in this 1956 Nash publicity photo |
The funeral directors generously provided an online guestbook. If you ever spent some time with John, please take a moment and share some memories. Here are mine:
John was a fascinating man with a deep and abiding love of auto history.
He had a front row seat to that history as a public relations exec who watched Nash merge with Hudson to form American Motors which later bought the Jeep brand.
We're lucky to have a lot of that history. After John retired from AMC in 1976, he wrote many articles for a variety of auto history magazines. (I hope someone collects his stories someday.)
In addition, he allowed me into his house in 2000 to interview him extensively about his Nash/AMC career. Someday, I hope I can find a way to share these six hours of interviews with car fans.
 |
| John talks to Torq-O about the Metropolitan in 1998 |
John almost singlehandedly preserved the history of American Motors even when the company itself didn't care about its past. He once told me that former AMC President Bill Luneberg called him "the company's greatest used car salesman" for his efforts to preserve materials about AMC's past.
In fact, he was allowed to take a lot of that material with him when he retired. The sale of publicity photos and rare product literature helped fund his retirement years.
John was a complex character. On the surface, he could sometimes be curt and irritable. However, he could also be generous and kind. If he sensed your motives were in the interest of helping someone or preserving auto history, he was always very selfless and giving.
John lived through some fascinating times in the auto industry, and we're lucky that he chronicled and catalogued them vividly and prodigiously.
Thanks, John. I'm going to miss you. You're one for the history books.
Torq-O Podcast #8: Random Rides
Saturday-October 04, 2008
Torq-O often talks with authors and executives about your favorite orphan cars.
This time, we spoke with owners.
Join us for conversations with the people who own the titles at the Bob Poole Orphan Car Show at Carillon Park in Dayton, Ohio, on September 27, 2008.
You'll meet the drivers of some great cars: a 1968 AMC Javelin, a 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire, a 1959 AMC Ambassador, a 1973 Plymouth Gold Duster, a 1954 Hudson Jet, a 1935 Hupmobile, and a 1965 AMC Marlin.
Go to our Podcast page for the audio-only and video-enhanced versions.
This time, we spoke with owners.
You'll meet the drivers of some great cars: a 1968 AMC Javelin, a 1963 Studebaker Lark Wagonaire, a 1959 AMC Ambassador, a 1973 Plymouth Gold Duster, a 1954 Hudson Jet, a 1935 Hupmobile, and a 1965 AMC Marlin.
Go to our Podcast page for the audio-only and video-enhanced versions.