The Professional Car #145

Whoo hoo, I got my issue of TPC 145 on time, not late like I used to. And what a great issue it is.

Tom McPherson did an excellent job of narrating the history of the Henney Packard Junior line of professional cars. Now while that's a pretty narrow topic, a car produced over only 2 years (plus a prototype), production of 500 vehicles of any model is a pretty good number. The history is interesting, and the Junior's long-term effects on the Henney company were equally interesting. The photos are great, too. (And the cover photo ain't half bad, either, if I do say so myself.)

Perhaps now, George Hamlin can stop calling MY Junior "the car that killed Henney". The articles make it quite clear that it wasn't the car's fault - it was well designed, well intentioned, and well received in the industry. It was the fault of the poor financial management of the principals of Henney and of the changing market in general. Finally, we know MY poor little car individually had nothing to do with it.

I loved Joe VanVolkenberg's article about the ambulance service he worked for in Buffalo, too. I think that's a great kind or article almost anyone with a history in ambulance service or funeral service can write, and that's a very interesting part of history as well. If you were in a similar situation with an entity for quite a while, you should share that with us.

Great job Tom, Joe, Walt, Brady, Tony, etc. Another great issue.
 
I received my copy yesterday and read it cover to cover. I do have a question along the same lines..was there issues made and still available dedicated to Superior, M-M, and S&S ambulances?
 
The old folks, I mean the elderly firemen, errrr I mean the...oh you know who I mean.. Really enjoyed this issue. It's like ambulance porn to them.
 
Memories

My issue arrived yesterday and I laid it aside when we got home until I woke up up @ 3 am and realized... I had forgot about it.

So after going through the pics I had a memory flash seeing the pillow at the head of the Stretcher almost on a drivers neck.

My Dad was an Insurance Adjustor back in the 50's-60's and I distinctly remembered going out with Dad in the middle of the winter being told I would probably see a dead man. Dad's company had the Insurance for a gravel pit and a Bulldozer had slipped over the side and the operator was missing in the water.

They drug him up after a few hours of dragging and the Mortician was there with his Hearse. The victim was so big he literally overflowed the cot and they had a hard time getting him loaded. Dad commented to me the Hearse was too small for his size.

I can see that hearse backed into the water's edge as if it was yesterday. I bet it was a Henney.
 
Tpc

I too got mine yesterday and enjoyed seeing Steve's BEAUTIFUL Junior on the front cover and the very in depth article by Tom McPherson on Junior's. Steve... you did an incredible transformation on the before and after and we were honored to furnish you a curved rear window from or parts donor Junior that had migrated to CA from a New Jersey FD. MM
 
I received my copy yesterday and read it cover to cover. I do have a question along the same lines..was there issues made and still available dedicated to Superior, M-M, and S&S ambulances?

I can not tell you the issues offhand, but yes there have been issues dedicated to each coachbuilder. Most issues, if not all are avilable through the PCS store.
The author of the Junior also has many great books for the complete history of Henney, Superior, Eureka, Miller-Meteor, Flxible, and a S&S book is currently in the works.
 
To whomever it was that saw to it that Mr.Lichtman got his copy early,thank you ,thank you, thank you,if we would have had to listen to his carping through one more issue....well he deserves it for a change...:applause::applause:
 
Yep, got mine too!

The magazine looks fabulous, as usual We have always loved the Henney Juniors, but since being involved with Mahlon Thompson's blue Henney Junior, that now belongs to Gold Cross EMS, we are absolutely nuts about them! We sure are lucky to have such great talent putting the magazine together for our enjoyment and enrichment. Thank you everyone!

Now, I have a question. It appears that there are two Henney Juniors with Steve Lichtman listed as the owner. They appear to be similar in color, but are clearly not the same car. One has vent windows in back, the other does not, among other differences. So, my question is Steve, do you own two Henney Juniors, is there a mistake in the captions, or am I seeing things? BTW, I have not yet read the article, so please don't be upset with me.
 
It is the collaborative effort of Tom McPherson, Walt McCall, and Brady Smith that we have to thank for the fine quality of The Professional Car magazine. It is without a doubt, that without these 3 gentlemen working in concert to put together our magazine, this club wouldn't have half the members that we presently do. We all owe a big thanks to them and others that work in the shadows to get this superb magazine into the members hands every quarter.
Thanks Tom, Walt, & Brady for all your hard work...
:thankyou2::thankyou2::thankyou2::thankyou2:
 
Knowledge, research and getting it all together

This article read like a dissertation. I know we all like to "look at the pictures," errr, I mean read the articles. This issue was one solid product and no matter how many people were involved, took months to draft. This is the kind of work that earns the PC the Golden Quill award so often. Thanks so much to our brother members for this great edition: Tom, Walt, Steve, and Joe.
Kevin
 
we blame GM downsizing and federal regulation for the demise of the car we collect. but it over and over again some one that acquires the company later in life and miss manages it out of existence. just goes to show no one can do what small business can do.
 
Crown Firecoach

we blame GM downsizing and federal regulation for the demise of the car we collect. but it over and over again some one that acquires the company later in life and miss manages it out of existence. just goes to show no one can do what small business can do.

Tha happened wth Crown Coach Corp., .... in business as a solid family ran business for well over 50 years building school buses and fire trucks, sold out with leveraged financing from GE Credit and was out of business within 5 years. MM
www.crownfirecoach.org
 
Now, I have a question. It appears that there are two Henney Juniors with Steve Lichtman listed as the owner. They appear to be similar in color, but are clearly not the same car. One has vent windows in back, the other does not, among other differences. So, my question is Steve, do you own two Henney Juniors, is there a mistake in the captions, or am I seeing things? BTW, I have not yet read the article, so please don't be upset with me.
Bill, you may be mistaking the Henney advertising postcard photo, which is on the Owner's Pride page, as being my car. It's not. I've only ever owned one Henney Junior, and it has the vent windows.
 
Tpc # 145

Another great issue! Always loved the henny jr. Tom ,another great article. Also many thanks to Joe V for a fantastic story on Memorial Ambulance. We are lucky to have such talented staff working on our club's magazine. many thanks for another great issue.:thankyou2::thankyou2::thankyou2:
 
we blame GM downsizing and federal regulation for the demise of the car we collect. but it over and over again some one that acquires the company later in life and miss manages it out of existence. just goes to show no one can do what small business can do.

When you think about it, the same thing happened to Superior. It was a prosperous operation that was purchased by Sheller Globe and then its demise began. Under Earnhart, it blossomed. Now, as a part of Accubuilt, it looks as if it's doomed. The most recently introduced vehicles are awful products of the Keller and Wonder school of design. Think about Miller-Meteor when it was owned by Indian Head - they closed it.
 
Got mine in the mail I think on Thursday. Haven't had time to read it yet but hope to this week. Flipping through it it does look to be another fantastic issue as usual! Thanks to Tom, Walt and Brady!:thankyou2:
 
Today August 8th got my copy of the TPC #145 and it was well worth the wait,as always excellent and informative articles,great job to all :thankyou2:
 
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