1954 Buick Landau to appear at Blacksburg

[Charles_Barnette]

Please be advised that the 1954 Buick Landau Motorama show car will be in attendance at the regional AACA Meet in Blacksburg, Va, starting August 12, 2010. Don't miss this opportunity to come and see this "one of a kind" great car as it competes for a top AACA award. The Motorama Gods have smiled on this car preserving it for future and present car lovers to enjoy. Charles D. Barnette

[Charles_Barnette]

Here are pictures of the Landau being unloaded and being displayed at the
Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum in Texarkana, Arkansas, in 2008. The continued presence of this great car at car events makes life a little sweeter which is important in the midst of wars, economic uncertainty, and oil spills of our time! Charles D. Barnette

[Charles_Barnette]

Here is a second try at posting the referred to above photos.

[Shop Rat]

Thank you for posting the photos of the car. My husband and I will be there judging and will certainly look for this car after we are done with judging.

[MrEarl]

Susan et al, this is one car you will not want to miss. I just spent about 7 days with it and it's generous owner Mr Robert E Coker from Winston Salem. For more on this fabulous one of Mororama Showcar, may I direct your attention to

The '54 Landau in Ames, 2010

[durant28]

Isn't this the same car they just had an article about in Hemmings Classic Cars? I read the article and it was very interesting how the car was saved and how a set of bar glasses from the back were restored and recently reunited with the car. Seems it was almost destroyed if it wasn't for one man who saved the car.

[Bill Stoneberg]

And if you have a chance to talk to Bob Coker, aka progoofoff on the forum, take the chance. He is a personable man who will make you laugh and likes to talk about cars.

[Shop Rat]

And if you have a chance to talk to Bob Coker, aka progoofoff on the forum, take the chance. He is a personable man who will make you laugh and likes to talk about cars.

I have talked to him here and through PMs and had NO idea he owned such a car. Cool!!

[Charles_Barnette]

The 1954 Motorama Buick Landau has literally exploded out of recent obscurity to back onto the automotive world stage for the year 2010 thanks to her wonderful, current owner Bob Coker, a Senior member of The Buick Club of America. As pointed out above even the latest Hemmings Classic Car magazine (Sept. 2010) on the magazine stands now has a fantastic spread on her written by noted Motorama expert author David Temple. The car in 1954 had a retro and futuristic look at the same time much to the delight of Motorama fans in attendance. One look at her "in person" will steal your heart I guarantee regardless of which automotive marque you favor. She is "America's new Automotive Sweetheart" and my pick (without any reservation) for AACA's "Car of The Year" award. She sets the worthy standard for Buick even today (she is both elegant and sporty looking depending on whether the back top is up or down). Current officials at Buick would do well to study her in every detail! Are you listening Ed Wellburn? In short, the 1954 Buick Landau is a Buick's Buick! Charles D. Barnette-just a car lover in love with the Landau!

[Shop Rat]

For those like me that might not know, what is Motorama?

[keiser31]

The "Motorama" that I know of was at the Cobo Hall building in downtown Detroit which was the introduction to the new cars each year. They always had "show" cars that were the manufacturer's dreams of the future.

[Shop Rat]

Thanks keiser31. I just wasn't aware of what it was.

[keiser31]

There was also a "Motorama" at the Michigan State Fairgrounds on Woodward Avenue north of Detroit. Maybe I confused the two.

[Charles_Barnette]

The Motoramas were GM shows that lasted from 1949 to 1961. They were a free show that appeared in several cities of the US and Canada to showcase the new cars and to show "Dream Cars" that predicted the future. They had elaborate musical stage shows as well. They really were Harley Earl's opportunity to show automotive design at its best. The Dream Cars were ordered destroyed after the shows and only a few survive today. See David Temple's book "GM's Motorama". In the case of the Landau it was used as a Buick executive car in New York after the 1954 Motorama. Then a Buick executive by the name of Robert F. Blair bought it saving it from destruction. The car showed the retro look of the past with the backseat having a convertible top and a formal limousine look with the back top up. It also introduced the open rear fenderwell look for the Roadmaster body style from Buick. It is a Motorama Masterpiece. Enjoy her at the show! She drips with automotive history that we will never have or see again! Charles D. Barnette

[stealthbob]

Actual footage of the 1954 Motorama

YouTube - ‪GM Motorama-- 1954‬‎

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTXRdv_oX2w&NR=1

[Shop Rat]

That vintage footage is wonderful. How amazing to see it on-line now and in such good condition.

Uh, I was three at the time.