The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.


6 Eye Catching Beauties

By Shana Jackson, Quill Reporter

Dan and Barb (Emery) McHone have bought and fixed up cars for 17 years.

Barb was born and raised in La Harpe but left when she was only 17 years old and moved to Sciota. 

Dan is a graduate of Colchester High. They met years later and were married in April 1983. They now reside near Plymouth. 

Dan and Barb own 6 show cars dating from 1931-1959. Barb laughed when asked about her favorite out of the six. "Whatever one I'm driving at the time."

Dan likes his 51 Mercury but doesn't necessarily considerate his favorite. They own a '55 Chevy HT deep maroon and white in color with 1963 interior which is black with diamond studded design. It has a 350 engine and a 700 R4 transmission.

The next car is a surf green and ivory top '57 chevy Bellaire HT all original.  This car has a 283 V8 power glide transmission.

Car number three has quite a story behind it. It  is a black and red '59 Dodge HT. It is also all original except for the paint. This car is unique because of it's "typewriter" transmission. Otherwise known as the push button transmission.

Dan was wanting to buy a '57 Chevy and was told there was one in Fredrick for sale, so he took off one day trying to find the house. 

Winding through the country roads he seen fins and a top sticking out of the weeds. He knew this wasn't the '57 so he kept on going. 

Not finding the car he was looking for, he went back home; but couldn't get the picture of what he'd seen out of his head which was the fins and top sticking out of the weeds. So he went back out the next day to go look at it.

He asked the guy if he was willing to sell it and he said yes. It only had 60,000 miles on it at the time and they were only asking around $800. Dan couldn't pass it up even though he is a Chevy guy. 

He went home and told Barb that he bought a Dodge. She said "you what?"

But when she went outside and seen the car her reply than was "This is MY Car!" The next beautiful car is the '55 turquoise and white Ford Crown Victoria.

Dan is a big Marilyn Monroe fan so on this vehicle he has her painted on the continental kit. This beauty has a 302 engine and an A.O.D (automatic overdrive) transmission.

Car number five is the '51 Mercury Custom. It is maroon with ghost flames. I didn't see them at first until he mentioned they were on there. 

This car is fuel injected, computerized, and has a Mustang drive train consisting of a 1995 Mustang engine 5.0L, A.E.O.D (automatic electric overdrive) with a 1972 Mach one Mustang rear end. 

This vehicle is also unique with having  the greek god of fire, hammer, and craftsmanship painted on the continental kit, after the 1958 car club in Colchester, named the Vulcans.

The sixth, and last car is the '31 Model A Hemi engine coupe, lemon ice in color with flames. 

This little cruiser has a 9 in Ford rear end and a new total cost engineering frame and new suspension.

After 10 years of owning it with a Datsun truck frame on it they changed it out.

They showed this vehicle in the Nauvoo Grape Festival this last year.  They told me that it was time to put them up for the season and start getting them ready for winter.

They elevated with jacks to save the tires from sitting on the concrete floors, and they apply polish on all the chrome to  help preserve it during the cold winter months. Dan has designed his garage to resemble the movie "American Graffiti," (late 50's early 60's.)

In 2002 Dan and Barb drove their 51 Mercury to a car show in Fairmont, Indiana, where they had a chance to meet Candy Clark (movie name) and Beau Hopkins, gang leader of the Pharaoh's from the movie. 

They also visited James Dean's tombstone which Dan said was filled with quarters and packages of cigarettes because back in that day, a pack was sold for 25 cents. James Dean also went to high school in Fairmont.

Cindy Williams played Ron Howard's girlfriend in the movie, "American Graffiti," and Dan and Barb met her when they went to a car show in Litchfield, on Route 66 in 2005.

They met Paul La Mat who played Martin Milner in the movie, best known for driving the yellow street Rod.

The farthest they have traveled to a car show is Snowmass, Colorado where they enjoy seeing other show cars and meeting the people rather than to win. 

It is enjoyable talking with them and learning a little about each vehicle and hear the excitement and enthusiasm that Dan feels about working on all his cars.

It really makes me miss my old car. As I used to own a yellow "69 Camaro RS SS convertible and travel to car shows with my dad and his 1964 Chevy Malibu convertible.

Like Dan and Barb, we never went expecting to win, but it was always a plus.