Q&A with Kit Foster: August 28, 2014

Author:: Kit Foster
Publish date:: Aug 25, 2014

Q. Regarding Jim Ackmann’s lamp in the July 3 Q&A, it is a Chevrolet “Heritage Lamp.” It was awarded to Chevrolet service managers who achieved performance goals set by the Chevrolet Motor Division back in the mid 1960s. I still have my father’s lamp. He was the service manager at Merrill Chevrolet, Natick, Mass., and a member of “Only the Best Club.” The lamp name plate is a reproduction of the plates used on early Chevrolets and included the recipient’s name as noted on the small info sheet that was included with each lamp. These were not for sale; they were only earned. Jim’s lamp was earned by R.H. Bales.

— William Tessmer, Upton, Mass.

A. Thank you. Other readers know these lamps, too. Read on.

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Q. I have one of these lamps. I was one of 40 parts managers from across the U.S. who won an award for the best sales increase. I received this in 1962 in Scottsdale, Ariz. We were all flown to Arizona for a week. The lamp is the history of Chevrolet from the start until 1962. We also received a sculpture that Chevrolet commissioned Avard Fairbanks to do. We were told that there were only 40 of these lamps and sculptures made. I have attached a picture of the sculpture.

— Fred Vagedes, Elsmere, Ky.

A. It seems I was right about a presentation, but not the purpose.

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Q. The Q&A about the Chevrolet lamp also interested me as I have a similar lamp, as well as a Chevrolet truck lamp. The car lamp I have has no plaque attached and the shade is solid silver with no printing on it. It is a replica of the first Chevrolet. The truck lamp did not have a shade when I acquired it, and is a replica of the 1918 Model T, Chevrolet’s first truck. I, too, bought these lamps at a thrift store.

— Doug Wolford, Puyallup, Wash

A. Doug sent a photo of the two lamp bases, seen here.

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Q. I have a really nice 1987 Ford F-150 with 47,500 miles on it. It really looks almost new, and the best part is it is red and white. I would really like to find a source for a reproduction or a very nice used window sticker for display use. It has the Lariat XLT package with the 5.0L engine and C6 transmission. Would you know of a source for the window stickers? I am also hoping to find Ohio license plates for 1987 to use on this also. This truck is a little newer than most that I have had, but is really nice and sweet looking.

— Dennis M. Coning, Hamilton, Ohio

A. The go-to place for information of this type is Marti Autoworks in El Mirage, Ariz. (www.martiauto.com). I believe you’ve already discovered that neither a window sticker for your truck nor a copy of the sales invoice is available from them. It looks like you could get a “Marti Report,” however, showing its “as built” configuration. As for license plates, there are many vendors for these, a number of them members of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association (www.alpca.org). A word of caution, however: some collectors dislike Year-of-Manufacture state laws permitting use of “correct year” plates on the highway, because it increases competition, and thus raises prices, of some collectible plates. You’ve probably already reviewed Ohio’s YOM requirements at http://publicsafety.ohio.gov/links/bmv4853.pdf.

To submit questions to this column: E-mail angelo.vanbogart@fwmedia.com or mail to: Q&A, c/o Angelo Van Bogart, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001.

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