'Hemmings Rods & Performance' Staff Chooses Five Forgotten Flyers; Plymouth, Hudson, Olds, Mercury & Buick Get Editorial Nod

    BENNINGTON, Vt., April 2 Combining value, availability,
performance potential and just plain fun, the staff of "Hemmings Rods &
Performance" magazine has chosen its "Five Forgotten Flyers -- Collector Cars
with Zip" for 2001.
    The five cars -- the 1934 Plymouth PE Business Coupe; the 1948 Hudson
Commodore Club Coupe; the 1956 Mercury Montclair 2-door hardtop; the 1961-62
Buick Skylark/Special; and the 1965-66 Oldsmobile Starfire 2-door hardtop
coupe -- all provide custom car thrills at a surprising low price. All five
cars are featured in the May, 2001 issue of "Hemmings Rods & Performance"
magazine -- on the newsstands this week.
    "For example, the Buick 4-4-2 is beyond what many enthusiasts can afford,
but the Olds Starfire -- with its 425 cu. in. V-8 delivering 375 horsepower --
gives comparable performance and can be bought in good condition for an
average price of $5,000," said "Rods & Performance" editor Richard Lentinello.
    "Likewise, with '32 Ford prices reaching the stratosphere, the
'34 Plymouth is an excellent option for the hot rod enthusiast, especially
with the availability of over-the-counter Chrysler 360 cu. in. V-8s or even
the 465 horsepower 426 cu. in. Hemi engine," said Lentinello.
    Average price for the '34 Plymouth PE Business Coupe is  $6,000.
    Lentinello, who also edits the Hemmings publication "Special Interest
Autos," compiles a list every summer of "Sleeper" collector autos -- cars he
feels are under-valued and provide potential collectors with a chance to
snatch an old car bargain.
    "It was time that performance cars from yesteryear shared the spotlight
with traditional collector models, and 'Hemmings Rods & Performance' has given
us the perfect platform for our Forgotten Flyer choices," he said.
    The bi-monthly issues of "Hemmings Rods & Performance" -- 144 pages in
length -- offer 24 pages of articles with the remaining 120 pages jammed full
of classified and display hobby advertising and car show listings in the mode
of its parent magazine "Hemmings Motor News."
    Upcoming "Hemmings Rods & Performance" issues will include in-depth parts
reviews focusing on the pros and cons of particular components' construction,
theoretical articles explaining the functions and designs of individual engine
and driveline components, and different engine build-ups, complete with dyno
results, costs, and insights from the engine builders themselves.
    Every issue features a new product section, car show, auction and meet
directory, and web site index for advertisers, in addition to thousands of
display and classified ads for high performance vehicles, parts, products and
services organized by topic, make and model.
    Here is a complete description of the "Hemmings Rods & Performance"
magazine 2001 Top Five Forgotten Flyers:

    1934 Plymouth PE Business Coupe
    Average Price: $6,000
    With '32 Ford prices reaching the stratosphere, the '34 Plymouth Business
Coupe is an excellent option for those wanting to build a hot rod of the same
breed. With its upright grille, louvered hood, low-profile roof, and
near-perfect proportions, this Mopar can be built to be a real standout on a
show field packed with Ford look-a-likes. And with Chrysler now offering
over-the-counter 360-cubic-inch V-8s with 300 horses and a potent 4654-hp 426
Hemi, here's the chance to construct one incredible street rod. Better still,
drop in a V-10 and watch the small block crowd run for cover.

    1948 Hudson Commodore Club Coupe
    Average Price: $5,000
    Long, wide and oh so low thanks to its Step Down chassis design, Hudson's
Commodore is as close to a factory-built custom as they come. To transform
this sleekly-styled Club Coupe into a real head-turner, little work is
required as it already has a three-bar horizontal grille augmenting its width
and rear fender skirts emphasizing its length. Powered by either a straight
six or a straight eight, there's plenty of space under the hood to accommodate
a slightly larger mill -- say something along the lines of a Chevy 502 cu. in.
big block -- to make it run as fast as it looks.

    1956 Mercury Montclair 2-door Hardtop
    Average Price: $7,000
    If you love Detroit's irresistible styling of the mid-Fifties, but can't
swing the cash to score a Tri-Five Chevy, this handsomely-styled two-door
hardtop from Mercury makes a great alternative. With its wrap-around
windshield, hooded headlights and aggressive stance, the Montclair is made
with all the right stuff that custom car crazies crave. And thanks to a
210-horsepower, 312-cubic-inch powerplant already under the hood, the chassis
can easily accommodate a tweaked 351 Cleveland for some real tire-smoking
excitement. With more than 50,000 built, finding a decent example is easy.

    1961-62 Buick Skylark/Special
    Average Price: $3,000
    Produced in either sedan, coupe or converttible body styles, the most
interesting part of this cool little Buick is what resides under the hood: an
all-aluminum 215-cubic-inch V-8. Due to this engine's long life span -- it's
been used by Rover of England up until the early Nineties -- internal engine
parts are in good supply. Even Edelbrock offers a hi-po alloy Performer intake
to increase low-end power. Available in either 155hp or 190hp trim, these
compact flyers make an excellent basis for a unique high performance street
machine.

    1965-66 Oldsmobile Starfire 2-door hardtop coupe
    Average Price: $5,000
    With current prices of 4-4-2's beyond what many enthusiasts can afford,
the slightly larger Starfire offers compatible performance with its
425-cubic-inch V-8. There's a mighty 375 horsepower under the hood that makes
driving a Starfire an exciting experience, especially it can accommodate a
gang of six people inside. Plus its expansive trunk makes it an excellent
parts hauler of the finest tradition. Add that distinguished Sixties-era
Oldsmobile styling and you'll be hard-pressed to find a more powerful,
good-looking touring car that's comparably prices.

    "Hemmings Rods & Performance" is available at newsstands and bookstores at
a cover price of $3.95, or by subscription for $17.95 per year. Additional
information can be obtained by calling Hemmings at 800-CAR-HERE
(800-227-4373), ext. 550, or on the magazine's web site at
http://www.hemmingsrodsandperformance.com.