The 2014 Brazilian Southern Nats. – Classic Car Meeting.

During the time I worked as a parts guy for two different restoration shops in Brazil, I had the opportunity to attend quite a few classic car meetings. Although I have nice memories (and some pictures too) of all of them, there is one I consider special.

It was the last meeting I attended before leaving Brazil for Canada. It took place from November 14 to 16, 2014. It’s hard to believe that ten years have already passed.

The 23rd edition of the “Encontro Sul Brasileiro de Veículos Antigos” took place this year. This traditional event is held annually in various cities within the three southern states of Brazil: Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul.

That year, the meeting happened in my hometown, Curitiba, which made the logistics of bringing the cars way easier.

The organizer chose the city’s race track to host the event. That was a wise choice since it had a massive parking lot and a huge area around the pits.

The boss decided to bring the Crème de la crème of his collection:

• (2) 1937 Cord 812 Phaenton Supercharger
• 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe V12
• 1937 Lincoln Zephyr  Coupe V12
• 1947 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe Street Rod
• 1929 Cord L29 Brougham

As we progress through the pictures, I will identify them all.

The work started picking up some of the cars that were in the City’s Automotive Museum.

This is Marques, our official town truck driver, loading up the 37 Zephyr. He is a super nice guy, always ready to go the extra mile.

Here, one of the Cord 812s is ready for the short trip to the meeting.

The operation to deliver the cars to the show started on Thursday. As soon as we arrived, we found this unmolested, unrestored 1956 Hemi-powered Chrysler 300.

I was so enamored with the car that I took too many pictures.

This is one of the top pics of the boss’s collection, a beautifully restored 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe, powered by a V12 Flathead.

The whole Powertech’s team agrees; the 39 Zephyr is one of the highlights of its collection.

The picture above shows it alongside another car we brought, a 1947 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe powered by a 1960s Cadillac V8 engine. I drove the 47 from Powertech headquarters to the show, and I loved it; it drives like a dream. It is a shame I don’t have more pictures of the car.

A gorgeous 1950 Jaguar XK120 Coupe, ready for an upcoming classic car rally.

The car below is a 1967 GT Malzoni, an excellent example of the ingenuity of the early days of the Brazilian auto industry.

It is a small, fiberglass body GT car built on a DKW platform (the company that originated Audi). The car is powered by a 2 stroke, 1-liter, three-cylinder DKW engine.

If you want to know more about the car, check out a post I wrote about it in Curbside Classics: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/history/cc-global-gt-malzoni-willys-interlagos-the-factory-war-of-the-1960s-and-the-birth-of-the-puma/

Now, a few random pictures.

A stunning 1974 Brazilian-built Ford Maverick GT in Grabber Blue, powered by a 302 small block V8, paired with a 4-speed manual transmission.

This is an ultra-rare VW-powered truck called a Tempo Matador, built-in 1951
by a Hamburg, Germany-based company called Vidal and Sohn.
These trucks were produced from 1949 through 1951
and used the 1100cc, 25 HP, air-cooled VW powerplant, and a ZF non-synchro 4-speed transmission.
But the placement of the drivetrain is in the front, making it a front wheel drive vehicle.
They were built in a truck and a van format, and only about 1300 were produced in total, with roughly less than ten known to exist today… making it a very rare machine. (Source: Old Bug.com)

A spiced-up Mercury Flathead engine powers this 1951 Ford.

The Ford Maverick was manufactured in Brazil from 1973 to 1979. Although it had a short and unsuccessful production run, by the mid-2020s, the car had become highly collectible, with prices soaring. Today, the Maverick receives all the love that it never experienced during its production period. Here you can find more details about the Brazilian Maverick: https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/international/cc-global-brazilian-maverick-from-deception-to-passion/

This is a rare sight: a Ford Maverick Station Wagon. This vehicle was produced in limited numbers by a major Ford dealership in São Paulo during the 1970s. The roof and C-pillar were sourced from the Chevy Caravan, which was one of the Maverick’s competitors in Brazil.

Hot Rods

A classic car show is not complete without hot rods.

This is a very interesting 1929 Ford T-Bucket built and owned by a traditional garage in Curitiba, “NENE Hot Rods” https://www.nenehotrod.com.br/

They wanted to move away from the traditional Chevy small block for their powerplant. Nene himself, the guy in the blue shirt pictured above, selected an early 1950s Mopar flathead inline-six engine fed by a trio of Stromberg carburetors.

The final result is nothing short of stunning.

An Alfa Romeo, a Chevy, and a Ford, representing the early years of the Brazilian truck industry.

That’s me drying the dew off the Zephyr.

As happy as one can be at work.

The box area of the race track was reserved for the vendors.

There, you could find rare parts, memorabilia, clothing, and even an old Indian motorcycle for sale.

And a 1967 convertible Mustang.

But the Jeep was not for sale.

Powertech’s chief mechanic was selling this fantastic 1965 Impala SS. If I had the money, I would have taken this baby home.

The Cord 812 Supercharger

That year, our boss was committed to winning the Best Car of the Show trophy and brought his collection’s heavy hitters. The Lincolns are undeniably beautiful, but the show’s stars were the Cords.

The 1937 Cord 812 is a very interesting car. It has some features that put it years ahead of its time.

The Cord Corporation was a holding that owned several transportation-related companies, including Stinson Aircrafts and Lycoming Aeronautical Engines.

The 812 features links to the aircraft industry, including hidden headlights that reflect a strong emphasis on aerodynamic design.

A beautiful shot of the two Cords 812, side by side. The car became a popular choice among Hollywood stars in the 1930s.

The 1937 Cord 812 is the most advanced car produced by the Auburn-Cord Company, but unfortunately, this year also signifies the end of the company’s operations. Like many smaller American car manufacturers, it didn’t survive the challenges posed by the Great Depression that affected the USA and the world in the late 1920s.

The 812 is a front-wheel drive car with an interesting powertrain configuration- transmission, and the front axle sits in front of the engine, which is mounted backward on the chassis.

The car is powered by a 4.7 liter, Lycoming Flathead V8, equipped with a supercharger, and power is rated at 170 HP. To avoid overheating (a common problem among Ford V8 Flatheads), the exhaust manifolds are placed on top of the engine.

The transmission is operated electrically through a system called pre-selection. The driver must first move the shifter to select the desired gear, then press the clutch to engage the system.

The proud Powertech team, representing the company at the meeting. Yours truly on the left and my coworker and good friend Paulo Kuelo.

The Cord L-29

The 812 may be the coolest Cord ever made, but the L-29 is much rarer.

Woodlight headlamps are beautiful and weird at the same time—one more inspiration from the aircraft design.

The car is powered by a Flathead in-line 8 engine.

It is also a front-wheel drive car.

Here we are again, at the end of the event’s second day – Saturday, November 15, 2014.

On Sunday afternoon, we anxiously waited for the judges to announce the event winner; sure enough, it was the 1929 Cord L-29. After that, we began the long process of getting the cars back home.

This is Paulo Kuelo, celebrating another successful event.

Sometimes, I find myself going through (digital) stacks of photographs taken during the most thrilling period of my professional life. As the years go by, I feel a strong urge to write about those experiences before the details get lost in the fog of my memory. If you’ve reached this point, I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey down memory lane.