Spotlight on Mark II Histories

[Pat Marshall]

In this thread I will highlight the histories of selected Mark II's presented in out Registry History Forum.

The Registry Histories are a unique and rich resource available to Mark II Forum members. In reviewing the number of members who view the histories, it is clearly an under-utilized resource, also,

Hopefully, we can generate more interest in our extensive histories.

[Pat Marshall]

In the September-October 2021 Issue of Lincoln and Continental Comments LCOC Member George T. Lyons presented an article about Mark II #3694. This car was sold new to Francis S. Yenowine of Terre Haute, IN who immediately had the car customized by adding fins from a Chrysler Motors car of that era. (they look like a '57 DeSoto to me). The modification also included the addition of lower quarter panel side moldings similar to those on the Cadillac El Dorado.

Yenowine died shortly thereafter, and the car was immediately purchased by Tony Hulman who became famous for saving the Indianapolis 500 and turning it into the event that it is today, Hulman died in 1977, but the car remained in the possession of the Hulman Family until last year.

The car had been privately stored at the Speedway Museum for four decades and was never put on display.

George Lyon's article presents the history of the car, and the events leading up to his purchase of it last year from the Hulman Family. The article presents excellent photos of the car. I am contacting Mr. Lyons to obtain permission to present his photos of 3694 in the Forum.

This is the only Mark II that I know of that was taken from the Dealer's Showroom to a body shop to be modified. The workmanship was excellent as is the condition of the car. Of course we'll get responses from our cadre of modification haters, and I sure gasped when I first saw the photos. But Mr. Lyons in his article said "...I am sure that in 1957, just as today, the alteration of the beautiful lines of the Mark II was met with some criticism, but custom work such as this was not uncommon in the era and is part of this car's extraordinary history."

Here is the link to 3694's history in our Registry - https://www.markiiforum.com/showthread.php?1633-3694-1957-Mace-Svc-Terre-Haute-IN-*F-S-Yenowine-Customized-w-Fins*2021-Geo-T-Lyons-PA&highlight=3694

[Mark II Seeker]

Pat,

Do you have any pictures of 3694 after it's "customization"?

[Barry Wolk]

Pat, when was the Derham car with the diving platform made? Was that made from a newly purchased car?

[Milsteads Garage]

There are a few histories I would like to bring to light. First, Henry J Kaiser owned two of them. I find this unremarkable until I put this piece together from a book I read. When they were testing the 1958 Lincoln, they hit a pothole or something pretty drastic in the road and completely destroyed the uni-body on a prototype. They then got their hands on a Rambler and disassembled it to see how it was built. Was there a trade for the second car for the Rambler they dissected to get the uni-body right? The second car built went directly to a dealership owned by the Kaiser corporation. Sounds like a pretty awesome trade not to mention the 58-60 Lincoln looks a whole lot like a Rambler.

The second, I remember reading this one years ago and I don’t remember a whole lot of it. The main suspect of the unsolved Black Dahlia murders owned a Collins convertible if I remember right. All of his information along with the vin number of his car is something we should have on file.

[Milsteads Garage]

Car 2828- This owner stands out to me. Read and you’ll figure out why.

[Pat Marshall]

Barry - Good catch - 1083 was a factory fresh Introductory Unit when purchased by John Barnes of Oserville, Massachusetts and sent to Derham for cistomization.

Morgan - Dahlia Murder suspect Dr. Patrick O'Reilly bought 2730 new in 1956 in Glendale CA. This was decades before Collins began convertible conversions. Here is the most recent photo I have of 2730.

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[Knickoliss Iv]

It is great to read the histories Pat. The colorful ownership of these cars adds to the whole story behind them.

[Pat Marshall]

Knick, thank you for your kind comments!

Morgan, since you brought up 2730 & the Black Dahlia murder, that's going to be the next one!

[Pat Marshall]

The initial owner of 2730 was Dr. Patrick S. O'Reilly DO, Glendale CA who was a suspect in the infamous 1947 Black Dahlia murder. Charlie Thomas owner of many automobile dealerships and the Managing Partner of the Houston Rockets was a subsequent owner.

Elizabeth Short - The Black Dahlia - Source Wikipedia

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Elizabeth Short (July 29, 1924 - January 15, 1947), known posthumously as the "Black Dahlia", was an American woman found murdered in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Her case became highly publicized due to the graphic nature of the crime, which included her corpse having been mutilated and bisected at the waist?After the discovery of her body on January 15, 1947, the Los Angeles Police Department began an extensive investigation that produced over 150 suspects, but yielded no arrests.

Short's unsolved murder and the details surrounding it have had a lasting cultural intrigue, generating various theories and public speculation. Her life and death have been the basis of numerous books and films, and her murder is frequently cited as one of the most famous unsolved murders in American history, as well as one of the oldest unsolved cases in Los Angeles County. It has likewise been credited by historians as one of the first major crimes in post?World War II America to capture national attention.


Dr. Patrick S. O'Reilly - Purchased #2730 in February 1956 from Tommie Vaughn Motors
660 E. Colorado, Blvd. Glendale, California

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From Various Sources - Dr. Patrick S. O'Reilly was born in Northern Ireland in 1900 and served in the British Army during WW I where he was seriously wounded in his foot and right chest. The chest wound became malignant requiring removal of his pectoral muscle. In 1919 he immigrated to the United States Sources, by 1923 he was an Osteopathic Physician at the Glendale Emergency Hospital, Glendale, California. Over the subsequent years he opened additional branches of the in Glendale Emergency Hospital in Pasadena, Burbank, Alhabra, Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley) and Lincoln Heights. in 1939 he was convicted of attacking an employee (See Below) and then after the 1947 Murder of Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia), Dr. O'Reilly was considered a suspect in the case (2). Dr. O'Reilly resided at 10015 La Canada Way, Sunland CA and died in December 1969

Extracted From Wikipidia & blackdahlia.info- Patrick S. O'Reilly - According to Los Angeles district attorney files, Dr. Patrick S. O?Reilly was a medical doctor who knew (Elizabeth) Short through nightclub owner Mark Hansen. According to the files, at the time of the murder O?Reilly was a good friend of Hansen and frequented Hansen's nightclub. Files also state that O'Reilly "attended sex parties at Malibu" with Hansen. O'Reilly had a history of sexually motivated violent crime. He had been convicted (in 1939) of assault with a deadly weapon for "taking his secretary to a motel and sadistically beating her almost to death apparently for no other reason than to satisfy his sexual desires without intercourse," the files state. Further, the files indicate that O'Reilly's right pectoral had been surgically removed, which investigators found similar to the mutilation of Short's body. (The) right breast of victim Short was removed apparently by a person skilled in the use of a surgical knife. For details see supplemental report by Investigator Morgan. For More Information See Black Dahlia Murder Website: http://blackdahlia.info/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=3

Charlie Thomas - Subsequent Owner 2730 (2007-2012)

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CHARLIE THOMAS COLLECTION WEBSITE - "Mr. Thomas began his career in 1950 as a parts runner in Knoxville, Tennessee at Public Oldsmobile. He later moved his family to Texas and learned the car business with Red McCombs under the guidance of Austin Hemphill in San Antonio. His first dealership was Courtesy Ford in Baytown, acquired in 1967.

In 1970 he purchased a Ford dealership in Corpus Christi, now named Champion Ford-Mazda. In 1972, he moved to Houston and purchased Bob Currie Ford on the Gulf Freeway, now Champion Ford. He owned an interest in approximately fifty franchises operating through twenty major facilities in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The Texas dealerships, except for Galveston County, Texas, were merged into AutoNation, Inc. in 1998. The Mississippi and Louisiana dealerships were sold in 2002. He currently owns all the automotive dealerships in Galveston, Texas, a total of fourteen franchises.

His most visible activity outside the car business was managing partner of the Houston Rockets acquired in 1982 and sold in 1993. He invested in and managed a number of financial institutions during the late seventies and eighties. They included Great Southern Bank (Chairman), Houston, BancTexas, (Chairman) Dallas, First Texas Saving, Dallas, Gibraltar Saving, Houston and South Main Bank, Houston.

The Charlie Thomas collection was sold on October 12, 2012 #2730 was sold for $44,000.

The last know location of #2730 was in 2016 when it was offered for sale by Fast Lane Classic Cars, St. Charles, MO.

[C.J. Larrick]

That's fascinating!

[CMSCPO]

There are many websites with Black Dahlia crime scene photos - not for the squeamish!

[Barry Wolk]

In the September-October 2021 Issue of Lincoln and Continental Comments LCOC Member George T. Lyons presented an article about Mark II #3694. This car was sold new to Francis S. Yenowine of Terre Haute, IN who immediately had the car customized by adding fins from a Chrysler Motors car of that era. (they look like a '57 DeSoto to me). The modification also included the addition of lower quarter panel side moldings similar to those on the Cadillac El Dorado.

Yenowine died shortly thereafter, and the car was immediately purchased by Tony Hulman who became famous for saving the Indianapolis 500 and turning it into the event that it is today, Hulman died in 1977, but the car remained in the possession of the Hulman Family until last year.

The car had been privately stored at the Speedway Museum for four decades and was never put on display.

George Lyon's article presents the history of the car, and the events leading up to his purchase of it last year from the Hulman Family. The article presents excellent photos of the car. I am contacting Mr. Lyons to obtain permission to present his photos of 3694 in the Forum.

This is the only Mark II that I know of that was taken from the Dealer's Showroom to a body shop to be modified. The workmanship was excellent as is the condition of the car. Of course we'll get responses from our cadre of modification haters, and I sure gasped when I first saw the photos. But Mr. Lyons in his article said "...I am sure that in 1957, just as today, the alteration of the beautiful lines of the Mark II was met with some criticism, but custom work such as this was not uncommon in the era and is part of this car's extraordinary history."

Here is the link to 3694's history in our Registry - https://www.markiiforum.com/showthread.php?1633-3694-1957-Mace-Svc-Terre-Haute-IN-*F-S-Yenowine-Customized-w-Fins*2021-Geo-T-Lyons-PA&highlight=3694

The only thing I'm going to say is, "nice interior".

Recent photos.

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[Milsteads Garage]

I am seriously having fun with this thread. To all of you lurking, help us out! Start looking! Anyway, a little known fact about me is my second job that I started in 2000 is I used to disassemble Vietnam era Sikorsky helicopter rotors and sand blast them for $8 an hour. It was the most boring job I ever had. It did not stimulate my mind because I never got to do anything technical. It was my only entry and exit into the field of Aircraft.

Igor Sikorsky bought one of these cars brand new. Unlike all of the cars we’ve previously researched, this one took a pretty serious whack to the nose and was subsequently parted out.

[Pat Marshall]

The only thing I'm going to say is, "nice interior".

Well said, Barry, I totally agree.

A note to everyone. The Mark II Forum is a home to ALL MARK II’s, and their owners and to potential owners. Regardless of whether cars are 100 point originals, Resto-mods or Customs they’re welcome here. Constructive comments are always encouraged.

[Pat Marshall]

In December 1955, Igor Ivanovich Sikorsky

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purchased Marki II #C56B1918 from Bridgeport Lincoln-Mercury, Inc, Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Sikorsky, was a Russian-American pioneer of aviation in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. He designed and flew the world's first multi-engine fixed-wing aircraft, the Russky Vityaz in 1913,

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and the first airliner, Ilya Muromets, in 1914

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After immigrating to the United States in 1919, Sikorsky founded the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in 1923, and developed the first of Pan American Airways' ocean-conquering flying boats in the 1930s

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In 1939 he designed and flew the Vought-Sikorsky VS-300, the first viable American helicopter, which pioneered the rotor configuration used by most helicopters today. Sikorsky would modify the design into the Sikorsky R-4, which became the world's first mass-produced helicopter in 1942.
Sikorsky's final VS-300 rotor configuration, comprising a single main rotor and a single antitorque tail rotor, has proven to be one of the most popular helicopter configurations, being used in most helicopters produced today

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Sikorsky died at his home in Easton, Connecticut, on October 26, 1972, and is buried in Saint John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cemetery located on Nichols Avenue in Stratford

Mark II #1918 has been owned since 2000 by LCOC Member Brad Luse of Tivoli, New York. In 2012 Brad reported that the car "was originally purchased by Egor Sigkorski (heliocopters) but the nose wrecked at 35,000 miles."

Source-Wikipedia
Parts of this instructional, educational thread reproduced from outside sources per US Code 17, 107

[Milsteads Garage]

I just found another good history I would like to bring up. In 1999, I placed 9th in a student auto skills contest put on by Ford /AAA. I was subsequently hired by Holmes Tuttle Ford and worked there a year or so before I took a job disassembling Sikorsky helicopter rotors. Holmes Tuttle sold car 3912 to Leonard Firestone, president of Firestone tires and was owned by two other notable people. Looking forward to what else I find reading these histories.

[Pat Marshall]

What a small world.

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Back in the day, I knew Holmes Tuttle very well. I was Director of Internal Audit-Western Hemisphere of Dart Industries, headquartered in Los Angeles. Holmes was on our Board of Directors and was a close personal friend of Justin Dart, Chairman of Dart.

Justin and Holmes were very politically active and a young actor named Ronald Reagan caught their eyes. Over the years they supported Reagan and were a major influence in his deciding to run for Governor of California. When Reagan was president, they were members of his "Kitchen Cabinet" and provided advice and support.

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Holmes Tuttle owned Beverly Lincoln-Mercury in Beverly Hills and Holmes Tuttle Lincoln-Mercury and sold many Mark II's in the Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Los Angeles area.

[Milsteads Garage]

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Found this blast from the past in a few boxes I had stashed away in the shed.

[Barry Wolk]

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Found this blast from the past in a few boxes I had stashed away in the shed.

Curious, did you post that picture in that orientation?

[Milsteads Garage]

No. Cell phones are the worst to upload pictures with.

[Milsteads Garage]

I found a history you posted yesterday Pat, about Chubby Checkers buying one of these cars used! I wonder what other interesting people bought one of these used?

[Milsteads Garage]

Reading on, I came across 3289 which belonged to a former presidents brother. I bid on this car believe it or not around 10 years ago when it was on EBay. It was a very rough car back then that yard drove and one of the previous owners bought a parts car out of Russ Uptons boneyard in hopes to put it back together. It was a very bottom of the barrel cheap way to be an owner. To fix and drive however, that example would have been one of the hardest to do.

[Pat Marshall]

I found a history you posted yesterday Pat, about Chubby Checkers buying one of these cars used! I wonder what other interesting people bought one of these used?

For starters - Gene Autry, Elka Sommers, Richard Carpenter, William Clayton Ford...

[Milsteads Garage]

I read the history of Elke Sommers car which is 3498. She owned it between 1981-1984 and was sold in a divorce. I would be curious to know why a relatively well known actress buys a 25 year old used car. Nonetheless, very interesting owner who bought one of these second hand.

[Milsteads Garage]

While I was looking up Gene Autry, a very familiar name popped up: Earl “Mad man” Muntz. This guys claim to fame was the aluminum bodied Muntz Jet built between 1951-1953. Very interesting mash up of parts as I believe these had Ford based chassis and running gears but these often have been seen powered by Ford flatheads, the Cadillac OHV 331 or the Chrysler 331 hemi. Bo Maelfors of Copperstate classic cars here in Phoenix had one in his shop forever as he moved 4 times over the 20 or so years I’ve known him. Bo reupholstered my MarkII so I got to see him and his guys rebuild the car when I would skip out of work a minute to check on my car.

[Pat Marshall]

I read the history of Elke Sommers car which is 3498. She owned it between 1981-1984 and was sold in a divorce. I would be curious to know why a relatively well known actress buys a 25 year old used car. Nonetheless, very interesting owner who bought one of these second hand.

Wow Morgan! Is that because she was a woman? An actress? relatively well known (actually at that time she was extremely well known) Or that it was a 25 year old (nothing special?) used car.;)

Sommers lived in a community which highly valued the Mark II and even in the 70's and 80's I sometimes saw them driving around Bel-Aire and Beverly Hills on my commute to work (intersection of Beverly & La Cienega).

She also knew Buddy Holiday, the original Apple Valley Mark II Guru. Buddy had a lot of star clients (buy/sell/repair/parts) and also rented his cars to Hollywood for use in films and TV shows.

[Milsteads Garage]

Wow Morgan! Is that because she was a woman? An actress? relatively well known (actually at that time she was extremely well known) Or that it was a 25 year old (nothing special?) used car.;)

Sommers lived in a community which highly valued the Mark II and even in the 70's and 80's I sometimes saw them driving around Bel-Aire and Beverly Hills on my commute to work (intersection of Beverly & La Cienega).

She also knew Buddy Holiday, the original Apple Valley Mark II Guru. Buddy had a lot of star clients (buy/sell/repair/parts) and also rented his cars to Hollywood for use in films and TV shows.

All of them are good questions to ask, I will explain why. First, let’s start with her and my reasonings behind it. Until yesterday, I have never heard of Elke Sommer. My first observation is she shares a striking resemblance to my wife. From an outside view it seems outlandish that a woman like her would willingly drive a big,25 year old car. I actually have no problem with this as Sarah drives a fully loaded 2016 Ram 1500 4x4and on occasion my bigger 2020 Ram 2500 4x4 with the Cummins Diesel in it so that peaked my interest in a positive way. I wish more women would trash their stupid jelly bean looking basic cars and drive something more substantial and awesome like my wife does. Secondly, concerning me participating in this thread I have this perspective to offer. Reading these histories and the people behind the cars is very new to me as my expertise is mainly making these cars functional. While I spent countless hours with Axel Holm, we never discussed the amount of special people that owned them. I have a real, genuine interest in this.

[Milsteads Garage]

So tell me more about Buddy Holliday. I owned 3756 which was a project car of his that he didn’t finish and ended up at Russ Uptons boneyard. I just know the basics about him but nothing really in depth.

[Milsteads Garage]

Found a very interesting post about 2632. First, the car was sold by the Lee Moran company. I believe Lee Moran and HB Halicki knew each other. If you don’t know who HB Halicki is, watch the 1973 version of Gone in 60 seconds. In the movie, a great get-away scene is filmed (actually the whole film is pretty much a car chase scene) where Eleanor the Mustang causes absolute havoc in a Lee Moran Cadillac dealership. Great watch if you haven’t seen it.

Second, this car was purchased at one of his dealerships, then shipped to Sydney Australia where it was converted over to right hand drive, well, everything except the power window switches.

[Pat Marshall]

I just updated the history on this one this morning:

https://www.markiiforum.com/showthread.php?2600-2632-1956-Lee-Moran-Seattle-Exp-to-Australia-*OO-Unknown*2013-2021-LCOC-Mbr-Australia&highlight=2632

An interesting read!

2632: Right-Hand Side Rearview Mirror

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Steering Wheel and Dashboard,

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& Engine Compartment!

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[Milsteads Garage]

I suppose I’ve been doing my homework. Every morning I look at the updated registries. Car 1881 was bought new by the CEO of Alcoa industries. If you don’t know what Alcoa is, it is an aluminum manufacturing power house that I believe exists to this day! Aluminum was very expensive to make until this company stepped in and made the refining process better which led to cheaper aluminum products. Alcoa was instrumental to the production of WWII aircraft and ultimately helped us win the war from the sky.