David O. Lyon’s name is now emblazoned in lights – well perhaps not literally but in the Summer of 2023 his dedicated efforts to keep the world informed regarding Gilmore Museum in Hickory Corners, Michigan—a bit outside of Kalamazoo—were rewarded when Michael Spezia proposed to the Museum’s Board of Directors—and they unanimously agreed—to rename their library the David O. Lyon Research Library. An honor he richly deserves.
For those not aware, David O. Lyon has researched, written, and photographed two books for the Gilmore totally without recompense. First was The Gilmore Car Museum, Miles from the Ordinary first published in 2014 which he has since updated and revised four times. Then, in 2018 he produced Art, Architecture and the Automobile, Presented by Gilmore Car Museum which focuses on cultural aspects of what the Gilmore offers visitors. Both titles are sold exclusively by the Gilmore’s gift shop with all proceeds benefiting Gilmore.
David isn’t the only Lyon to work selflessly for Gilmore as his wife Jane has donated untold hours to tending the gardens and landscaping around the property. (HVH)
More recently, this past August in fact, Louis Fourie had a notable success at the Pebble Beach Concours. He had been asked by an entrant to create a booklet on a car Louis has always found fascinating. The car, the only known 1908 Welch extant, is patented as the first car with a hemi-head and overhead cam along with a twin-clutch, constant-mesh transmission, sans a clutch pedal. Due to the Welch’s owner’s meticulous restoration and preparation—supported by the documentation related in the booklet Louis wrote and produced—the car earned second in class. (HVH)