His shortest marriage (four months) was to singer-songwriter, Bobbie Gentry, whose haunting ballad, Fancy, describes a star-crossed relationship between an older man and a poor Southern prostitute. He has also served as Senior Producer for WheelsTV in Acton, MA, producing video features of new and pre-owned automobile evaluations and analysis for various automotive Internet sites such as Vehix.com, J.D. How much did these cars originally cost when new? Navigazione sicura grazie ai massimi standard di sicurezza. You never knew whether it was coming or going. He was survived by his wife, Verna, 32, and their two sons, John Adam and Tony Lee]. Get breaking news delivered to your inbox as it happens. 4227 4th St NW Albuquerque, NM 87107. After the scheme was exposed, Mark declined to enter his second horse. When he reached the driving age of 16 in 1967, it was the apex of the American muscle car era. In 2011, he researched, wrote, produced, and narrated the National Hot Rod Association's 60 Greatest Moments video to commemorate the NHRA's 60th anniversary. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. His first marriage was to Joyce Anne Carberry in Boston, MA in February 1973, soon divorcing in the fall of 1974. Harrah felt that these cars should be preserved, and he thought that a full-blown restoration was the best form of preservation and celebration of these carsand that it was very important to restore a car to the highest, most authentic level, so it could be understood, seen, and preserved in perpetuity. He co-hosts the series "RVing in the USA" on Motor Trend TV and has written, produced, and narrated numerous automotive and motorsports home videos in national distribution. Allen operated the newspaper until shutting it down and selling many of its assets to its rival, the Anchorage Daily News, in 1992. Stephens has been married twice. He was also the only music disc jockey on the airstaff to move to the new format, co-hosting WRKO's Morning Magazine program with Norm Nathan for two years. In 1996, he wrote, produced, and narrated the award-winning documentary series "Wheels", aired on PBS affiliates around the country. There he was at the collection, and we knew that a new owner would not maintain the collection the way Mr. Harrah had done it, or even keep it, and so we knew the end was coming one way of the other. Rally Navigation/Co-Driver Equipment For Sale, Bill Stephens Muscle Car Lecture at Larz Anderson Museum. You've successfully signed in. Bill Gates' Favorite Car, A 1979 Porsche 911 Via PCCarMarket.com Also known as Bill Gates' favorite car, the Porsche 911 was introduced to the masses back in 1964. Stephens' father was a long-distance truck driver and his mother worked in the restaurant business in the Boston area. He has covered virtually every major automobile racing series such as NASCAR, NHRA, Champ Car, and the Atlantic Championship along with many specialty automotive and motorsports events such as collector car auctions, sprint car racing, tractor pulling, drag boat racing, lawn mower racing, mud bog racing, custom car shows, automotive expos, and motorsports awards ceremonies. These were primarily duplicate vehicles (and parts). Some of the most fantastic cars on the list of extraordinary automobiles in the collection include the various Chevrolet Impalas, a couple of classic Firebirds consisting of the first and second generation, and a Ford Thunderbird, which has been called by the videographer the Thunderchicken. Unfortunately, it would appear that incredibly famous vehicles have been put through the wringer quite a few times as they are all covered in decades of dust and dirt which has been caked on in the hot summer sun and then locked onto the body by the frigid cold of winter. Im in Las Vegas right now and did not even know Harrahs here (or the Linq) had closed the car museum. This directly contradicted Allen's testimony at trial, where he claimed Stevens had asked him to give Persons a note Stevens had sent asking for a bill for the repair work. or Best Offer. we escaped a flood, drove a 3400 miles round trip, spent my B'Day knocking down mile markers throurh MO and KS. John Mozart (Collector)Holiday Inn just wanted to get rid of the cars. In the past year Harbor Country resident and mutual car friend John Nordquist arranged for me to meet up with Bill for a breakfast get together in Harbert, and a little later I arranged for the three of us (along with mutual friend Peter Loveland) to meet up . Profit and joy Of course, he had the resources to do this. Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. His success with the company enabled him to retire seven years ago at the age of 61. As he looked at the beautiful craftsmanship and design represented in the die-cast metal cars, Lockhart referred to his collection as aspirational, because owning the real thing is out of the average persons price range. Will (born April 9, 1990) and Sean (born September 21, 1995) and divorced in May 2010. Id love to have a couple more Kaisers, Lockhart said. It can be said that Bill Sefton, from a car guy standpoint, has lived a charmed life. Clyde Wade:There was no love between us and the guys downtown (at the Casino). That was delirious fun, and it brought him a great deal of joy. Many of you will know Bill Stephens from his commentary on the Velocity Networks Mecum Auction Shows plus the show Whats My Car Worth? It was clear from listening to Bill that he is very passionate about cars. Ill tell you a funny story. Going, going, gone! The oral history of the most monumental classic car Bill then went on to discuss the history of muscle cars up to their demise in the 1970s. Philanthropy Aside Bill Gates Will Never Give Up These Cars From His When you compare the value of the vehicles to the value of operating the museum, the museum operated at a pretty significant loss, of almost $1M annually. Sales: Thats how my father got to know Bill. Bill turned around and said, Youre the artist, I like your work. 26 March 2021. Car collector looks to share passion through museum - Yahoo I worked as a metal-man /bodyman at HAC, 1972 to 1977, and up at the Middle Fork Lodge a few times, repairing the old cars driven there. While his collection is primarily for adults to display and not childrens toys, he does have a few models originally designed for play, including three made entirely of rubber. His parents permanently separated when he was 13 years old, and following graduation from Somerville High School in 1967, Stephens held several jobs including driving a truck, driving a taxi, making pizza, and working in local auto body shops as a body repairman and painter. This is generally the case for these vintage vehicles, as they have all been sitting in an open field for an unknown amount of time. Informazioni su danni e incidenti per le auto importate, Informazioni sulla protezione dei dati per i proprietari di veicoli. The detailing on Lockharts miniature version is so exact you can feel the ridged edges of the upholstery and the shine of the chrome trim sparkles. He is a nationally published author of several motorsports books and a columnist for a number of automotive periodicals. He was handing out trophies and doing commentary as the cars came up on the ramp. Seeking broader success, Harrah bought his way into the semi-cloistered Reno gambling fraternity. Bill Stephens: TV anouncer (1949-) People / Bill Stephens. The Jerrari was very special to Harrah. Stephens served as a national event PA announcer for the NHRA Championship Drag Racing Series for 4 years between 1994 and 1997 and is a frequent Master of Ceremonies for various automotive and racing tributes, banquets, and award presentations. This car was prepared by Roush.). [citation needed], In February 1973, Stephens was instrumental in one of the most ambitious promotional stunts in Connecticut radio history when he locked himself inside the WCCC AM&FM on-air studios in Hartford and played the Top 40 song "Bitter Bad" by Melanie for 35 consecutive hours to protest the station's reluctance to offer him a full-time job. sale. [All Dixon quotes excerpted from the book,Playing the Cards that are Dealt, published in 1992.]. Dixon:I think the first thing I did as chairman of Harrahs after Bill died was to cancel that project [the new museum]. By the way, Bill bought his cars at both auction houses like Russo and Steele, Mecum, RM, Sothebys, tc. I rst met Bill a few years back, at the local Lake Bluff Concours car show. There were hundreds of cars done to that levelFranklins, lesser Packards, Fords, Chevrolets. Phil Satre: In his organization in Reno, there were no car enthusiasts. Ive got a Ferrrai now and the next time I take her out, Ill be dedicating the ride to Harrah, his hotels, and his car collection. In the past year Harbor Country resident and mutual car friend John Nordquist arranged for me to meet up with Bill for a breakfast get together in Harbert, and a little later I arranged for the three of us (along with mutual friend Peter Loveland) to meet up in South Haven to visit the terric Red McFadden car collection. Scottsdale. Thanks guys! This page is designed to be a forum to educate collectors of J. Stevens Arms & Tool products. What can we expect to see happen to those values as we move forward? He remarried in 1987 to Deborah Susan Donnell in Yarmouthport, MA, resulting in two sons, Will (born April 9, 1990) and Sean (born September 21, 1995) and divorced in May 2010. He grew up in the Chicago area and got his electrical engineering degree from Michigan State. The Toyota Collection's Off-Road Day Is A Land Cruiser Lover's Dream. Meet Bill Sefton, muscle car collector bar none by Dar Davis Bill Stevens Auto Sales | Lisbon Falls ME - Facebook Mark Smith(owner, Smith Automotive Investments):He was a true gentleman, just the nicest man, and a true car guy. Your billing info has been updated. The interesting thing is that Gold Star restorations were not just done on valuable cars, but on anything that they deemed important. [7], Later, it emerged that Allen might have perjured himself at trial. My dad invited him to be the Grand Marshall of a Concours dElegance that he was organizing. [citation needed]. Bill Lockharts ragtop section of his collection is photographed on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at his home in Cheney, Wash. (Tyler Tjomsland/The Spokesman-Review). Stephens, the youngest of three children and the only boy, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts to William and Claire Stephens and raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, several miles west of Boston. Automotive historian and museum curatorKen Gross explored the sale for Hagerty Insider, interviewing many of the people involved. [4] Bill Allen's testimony, at the trial of his former friend, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, helped secure Stevens' conviction, in U.S. District Court on charges of felonious corruption. He was, absolutely, a man head of his time. [excerpted fromEvery Light Was On]. Stephens is a frequent writer of motorsports features and automotive content for such publications as AutoWeek, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Drag Racer Magazine, and Drag Racing Action. [2] VECO's quick actions are credited with limiting the devastating environmental impact of the Exxon spill. [8][9], In September 2007 VECO Corporation was sold to Colorado-based CH2M HILL corporation. Email Cindy Hval at dchval@juno.com or call Voices editor Kimberly Lusk at (509) 459-5457. Old Nuremberg Bavaria Germany for sale | eBay Family Owned Business serving Lisbon since 1965 operated by 3 generations Bill Stevens Auto Sales | Lisbon Falls ME He would come into the office by 10:00 and would usually stay, have lunch, and then go out to the auto collection and spend the afternoon, then go home. [In 1980, two years after Bill Harrahs death, the Holiday Inns Corporation bought Harrahs Casinos, Inc. for $300 million.]. [citation needed]. Bill Stephens Profiles | Facebook The discovery of this interview was cited by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in his decision to move to dismiss Stevens' indictment before sentencingeffectively vacating his conviction. There were different levels of restorations. Goodbye Chevy Bolt: An Owner Laments The End For A Unique And - Forbes It was one of the first muscle cars with a top speed of 125 mph. Bill Lockhart has never driven a 1953 Kaiser Manhattan, but thanks to the magic of miniatures he can see one every time he enters his home office. Stephens is a frequent writer of motorsports features and automotive content for such publications as AutoWeek, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Drag Racer Magazine, and Drag Racing Action. In 1972, at the age of 23, he enrolled in the Columbia School of Broadcasting, a correspondence course, and after completing the program, began his radio career at WRYT in Boston as a staff announcer and control board operator. Facebook gives people the power to. Required fields are marked *. In 2011, he MC'ed the "Tribute to Phil Hill" at the Petersen Automotive Museum at which the great American world champion was remembered by such iconic racing personalities as Dan Gurney, Carroll Shelby, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, Sam Posey, Denise McCluggage, and automotive enthusiast/TV host Jay Leno. Bills lecture was about Understanding Auction Results and Market Trends with a focus on muscle cars. This has led to the discovery of some of the most incredible vintage vehicles ever to see the sales floor, and it would appear that a new automotive . B for Berlin or HH for . Lockhart enjoys researching the history of the cars he collects and he especially likes models from less-common manufacturers like Kaiser Motors. Bill went on to say that he collects two types of cars: dead stock and resto-mods I like resto-rods because they have the looks of the old cars and the drivability of new cars. We had some great ideas on how to display the cars at different angles and in different lighting, and some of the wheels would be turning They were also going to put an old steam train out there and some airplanes. The Harrahs Automobile Collection reflected the passion, and the fortune, of one man: William Fisk Harrah. Once I bought a car, eager potential buyers could look at it but I would never sell it. This went on for 15 years after he started his collection in the late 1980s. He would check off [the cars] he wanted looked into, and we bought a lot of cars that way. While those cars intrigue, the collector has another intense interest. Bill Stephens believes that there are a few currently affordable cars that have potential to experience a good return on your investment over the years. A couple of weeks before we were to sign, the governor of Nevada got into the act. It reminds me of my good friend Ed, he said. Harrah began collecting cars in 1948, starting with a 1911 Maxwell and a 1911 Ford. All cars in Germany must be registered with the competent authority in the area where the car's owner lives. And he had thousands of model cars. I know, not too many. [Goodings father, Ken, managed the 25-person-strong Harrahs Automobile Collection research department.]. An Amazing Car Collection and Facility! 2018 Update At trial, Allen said Persons had told him the note shouldn't be taken seriously because "Ted's just covering his ass". In 1996, he wrote, produced, and narrated the award-winning documentary series "Wheels", aired on PBS affiliates around the country. 1 views today. You've successfully subscribed to Motorious. From there, he flew directly to the Mayo Clinic [for a scheduled heart operation] and never came back. Gerry With Bill Stevens of Mecum Auctions and Nbcsn He built a for-profit prison in Barbados as well. According to family members, at the age of three, Stephens was able to identify every make of automobile on the road before he could even read. In 1989, Stephens was named writer, producer, narrator of the award-winning automotive TV series Wild About Wheels, produced at Global Television Network in Acton, MA and aired on The Discovery Channel. Chip's Bill Reasoner photos album | Rik Hoving | Custom Car Photo As I alluded earlier, Bills daily driver here in Michigan is the 2018 Dodge Challenger Hellcat with wide body option. Moreover, Allen said in the interview that he didn't recall talking to Bob Persons, a friend of Stevens, regarding the repair bill for Stevens' house.