1923 Wills Saint Claire Roadster

Contributed by: EVERETT HICKAM

On: April 12, 2011, 11:55 pm

MY PARENTS OWNED TWO WILL SAINT CLAIRE ROADSTERS WHEN I WAS BORN.
MY FATHER JENNING BRYAN HICKAM WAS A MECHANIC AND HAD HIS OWN BUSINESS MANTAINING DIESEL ENGINED ROAD MACHINES SUCH AS GRADERS ETC. HE CONSIDERED THE OVERHEAD CAM V8'S AS THE FINEST ENGINEERED ENGINES OF THEIR TIME AND THE EXTENSIVE USE OF MOLBEDENUJM STEEL AS A STROKE OF GENIUS FROM A PERFECTIONIST. HE PURCHASED BOTH OF THESE ROADSTERS DURING THE EARLY DEPRESSION YEARS AND ONE FOR MY MOTHER AND THE OTHER WAS HIS PERSONAL CAR. i AM NOT CERTAIN BUT I BELIEVE THEY WERE MADE IN 1926. I AM NEARING 80 NOW AND I REMEMBER MY MOTHER TALKING ABOUT THE TWO BEING SUCH FINE AUTOMOBILES. I LOST MY FATHER WHILE I WAS QUITE YOUNG, BUT MY MOTHER REMAINED A FAN OF WILLS SAINT CLAIRE'S ALL HER LIFE. EVEN WHEN SHE OWNED MODERN CARS WHILE WORKING AS AN OFFICE MANAGER FOR AN OLDSMOBILE AGENCY. HER LAST CAR WAS A EARLY OLDS TORONADO, BUT SHE STILL PINED FOR HER WILLS SAINT CLAIRE ROADSTER. HER DRIVING INFLUENCED ME AS I BEGAN RACING MIDGETS AT A YOUNG AGE AND GOT MY OILOT'S LICENSE AT 18. SHE ALSO FLEW. AT DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT DURING WW2.