Dayton Daily News

Packard, Hudson, Studebaker, DeSoto, Rambler, Edsel, Nash, and recently, Plymouth and Oldsmobile. They're all orphan car companies, gone from the American landscape. However, their offspring had their day in the sun on Sept. 29 as they were celebrated on the lawn beneath the carillon.

Collectors still cherish these machines, and each fall they gather at Carillon Historical Park in Dayton for the Bob Pool Orphan Car Show, which is presented by the Tri-State Chapter of the Studebaker Drivers Club and the Wright Brothers Packards of the Packard Club.

In the past few years, they have been joined by the Ohio American Motors Classics of the AMC Rambler Club, which makes for two orphan car shows in the same location.

For the 11th annual event, about 130 vehicles attended from the tri-state area — almost 90 orphans and another 40 or so AMC cars.

A strictly detail-oriented conversation was taking place in front of a 1958 turquoise and white Edsel, and one gentleman was examining the front end with microscopic precision. Serendipity brought the two new friends together.

"I'm in town visiting my sister, and I heard about the show, so I thought I should come over," said Paul Knauth, of Casa Grande, Ariz.

"I'm currently restoring a '58 Edsel, just like this one, and I'm getting some good information from my new friend, Tom Frey," he added.

Frey, of Beavercreek, was showing his Edsel, one of the early models of the car that was only built for three years.

"It's a survivor, all original, with only a little over 21,000 miles on it," he said. Knauth added, "My rolling chassis is done, I'm ready to start body work and I learned a lot going over this car. This is great."

Under the shade trees, a white '73 Gremlin was being detailed, the soft terry cloth towel gently going over every inch of the paint and brightwork as Monte Evans prepped his pride and joy.

"This sounds weird, but I ordered one brand-new in 1973, and the car was never delivered, but I still wanted one. I found this one in Enon about 20 years ago, with a tree growing right through the middle of it, but it had the V-8, so I bought it. I finished it about six years ago," Evans said. It helps that Evans, of Laura, is a mechanic by trade, and specializes in the AMC cars. "I work on everything, but my passion is the AMC. I've done a number of the cars here today, and lots of engine work on these cars."

In between his day job, Evans did all of the work on the '73: drivetrain, mechanicals, body and paint work.

In addition to the '73 Gremlin, Evans also has another '75 Gremlin and a '70 AMX, all featuring V-8 power.

"This '73 has every option offered, but it's the engine that counts. It's a 304 V-8 and it'll move. In the eight years AMC built the Gremlin, they built over 600,000 cars, but only 40,000 of them with the V-8."

The orphan car gathering is over for 2007, surely to return in 2008, and hopefully with no more marques added.