Here is Charles' comparison of the original 1954 Landau wheel cover design with the 1959 DeSoto production wheel cover. Charles attached a red, white, and blue disk to the DeSoto wheel cover center.

The similarity is striking, and a set of DeSoto wheelcovers could, with appropriate modifications, restore the Landau's wheel trim to a more original appearance.

I also found the Landau on one of my photos I purchased via Ebay. The photo is always on Ebay available, this time: 260233471949

The image is great, but it's printed on cardboard, which decreases the quality. IMHO the printed version is not worth 10 USD. I'd give much more for the source (negative)!!

El_Diablo, you can likely obtain a high-quality version of this photo through the GM Photo Store or GM Media Archive.

Charles Barnette has obtained this wonderful, historic photograph from Robert K. Blair!

Robert K. Blair, of course, is the individual who wrote the letter to the editor of Hemming's Classic Car, seeking information regarding the current status of the Landau. (See more detail earlier in this topic.)

I have already referred to the fact that the center section of the rear bumper of the Landau swings down in order to store the spare tire underneath the trunk floor (like the Chevrolet Cameo pickup). What I have just found out by reading the 1988 third quarter edition of Automobile Quarterly is that surrounding the spare tire compartment are two kidney-shaped fuel tanks. By the time this car arrives in Texarkana, I think we shall all know every square inch of it. Charles D. Barnette

Learning more and more........

Discovered this while perusing through my old Bugles. It was the Car of the Month back in March 1970. I looked and looked but could not find the author of the Car of the Month article. Charles, do you know if the "original loose leaf notebook" is still in the glove compartment?

Dear Mr. Earl, thank you so much for this article from the Bugle. It is most informative. It is my understanding that the referred to GM maintenance book is no longer with the car. Charles

In the July 1954 issue of Motor Trend in the "Spotlight on Detroit" serial article written by Don MacDonald, on pages 10 and 11, there is the following to be found on the Buick Landau: "General Motors, on the other hand, is looking backward with its Buick Landau, a delightful anachronism which lends a touch of the Glidden Tour era to the current Roadmaster chassis. As far as we know, we have a scoop on this car (with the exception of all the people who saw it at the GM Motorama!) mainly because our Buick friends were too embarrassed to send out publicity broadsides. They shouldn't have been; there is a Vanderbilt or Rockefeller flavor to the design which has been unfortunately missing from the American scene ever since the Rolls-Royce factory in Springfield, Mass., closed its doors." There appears one picture of the car with a lady in the back seat and a chauffeur in the front seat of the Landau. The picture caption reads as follows: "Who said they aren't building them like they used to? Roadmaster Landau will remind some of Glidden Tour era, perhaps stir up (a)styling storm as did the hardtop". Charles D. Barnette

Mr. Robert K. Blair, whose father (Robert F. Blair) once owned the Landau and the one who got to drive the car to his High School prom, has let me know he will be in Texarkana in October at the Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum to see the car when it is displayed. Mr. Blair has not seen the car since 1961. It should be quite a meeting! In honor of his connection to the car, I have asked him to be the one to actually reunite the cups and thermos with the car after a 21 year separation. So it will be his hand to actually do this in a special ceremony at the said Museum. Buick lovers-it does not get much better than this! Charles D. Barnette

Charles, now you have me wanting to travel to Texarkana in October. This sounds too good to miss. I hope that some of the BCA members in Texas will read this topic and plan to attend.

Charles Barnette has recently acquired an original letter from Robert F. Blair, as well as a remarkable series of historic Landau photos. Robert F. Blair, a former Buick executive, can certainly be considered the man who "saved" the Landau.

Charles, please add further details, but here are the wonderful images you've obtained:

Brian .. Are you coming to Texas ?

Fantastic ,

I think it is really neat the way things came together regarding this car. It seems like it just gets better and better.


stevo

Thanks to Brian for posting for me the ebay pictures of the Landau plus the Blair letter. How neat to have words about the Landau from the very person who help save the Landau! Upon receipt of same I immediately sent copies of these items to Mr. Robert K. Blair of Austin, Texas, to identify the persons in the Landau. He identified them as follows: The picture of the duo in the back seat is himself (the younger man) and his Uncle Jack Kenmore of Pennsylvania (Jack was a Buick Executive). Jack is also in the picture as the single person in the back seat. The picture of the trio is Robert K. Blair along with his mother Ethyl Blair and his father Robert F. Blair (the Buick Executive who saved the Landau and wrote the said letter). Of course in all the "people pictures" they are enjoying the cups and thermos that will be reunited with the car in October in Texarkana. The pictures were taken about 1960 at the Blair home in Darien, CT. Charles D. Barnette

Charles,

Do you know the exact dates for when this car will be displayed in October? I want to make plans to attend.

The display dates are Saturday, October 11, 2008, 8 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday, October 12, 2008, 10 AM to 4 PM. We are located in downtown Texarkana, Arkansas, at 217 Laurel Street, Texarkana, Arkansas. The name of our Museum is The Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum. The highlight of the display will be when Mr. Robert K. Blair places the original "Holy Grail" three cups and thermos back in the rear armrest of the car after a 21 year absence. That reuniting ceremony will take place at high noon on Saturday, October 11, 2008, at the Museum. We will also cut the birthday cake for GM's 100 birthday at that time. The display is in connection with Texarkana's annual Quadrangle Festival held within three blocks of our Museum. I as the activity director of the Museum welcome all Buick lovers including yourself to this event which will be an unique moment in Buick History. We will also present to the Landau replications of the original wheel covers that were stolen from it many years ago. There is no admission charge to the Museum, but of course donations are welcomed. There is an admission charge to the Quadrangle Festival grounds however. We will also on our grounds have an antique auto show for cars, trucks, tractors, and motorcycles. We are especially inviting all antique Buicks of the area to be present at the show. Texarkana is actually two cities; Texarkana of Arkansas and Texarkana of Texas are located back to back. Therefore we pride ourselves on being "twice as nice". Attendees will be allowed to take photos both inside and outside the Museum. The Motorama Landau is highly photogenic! For further information you may phone me at 870-773-0109. The telephone number at the Museum is 870-772-2886. Charles D. Barnette

Charles has announced that the reproduction Landau wheelcovers have been completed and are ready to be presented to the Buick's current owner.



Be sure to notice the full-page ad in the September issue of the Bugle regarding the display of the Landau in Texarkana.

I am waiting to get word that the Landau has survived hurricane Ike, since Ike came calling last night and today in Landau's hometown of Houston, Texas. The Landau survived "destruction orders" of GM so surviving Ike should be an easy matter! I have been assured in the past that the building where the Landau is housed is on high ground. Meanwhile as I write this Ike is headed to my home area of Northeast Texas. Pray for my home state of Texas and its wonderful people. I will update as I learn more. Charles D. Barnette

Our prayers are indeed with you, your family, The Landau as well as everyone else, their pets, livestock and possessions in the great state of Texas.

I am relieved and proud to officially announce to the Buick Club of America that the 1954 Buick Landau is alive and alright having survived "Ike" along with 999 other collector cars belonging to Mr. John M. O'Quinn in Houston, Texas. I just got the official word 5 minutes ago. Mr. O'Quinn and his excellent staff are all alright as well. The building housing the Landau suffered no damage as it is located Northwest of Houston on high ground. Ike did the most damage South and East of Houston as well as downtown Houston in the Houston area. Despite the tragic loss of 50 known lives in a 10 state area as I am writing this, the billions of property damage to the state of Texas alone, and the one million Texans still without electrical power, the Landau is okay and still set to be in Texarkana for the festivities of Oct. 11 & 12, 2008! After Ike left Houston, it traveled to Texarkana as a "Tropical Storm" early in the evening of Sat. September 13, 2008, knocking out electrical power to 40,000 homes and blowing down numerous large trees, but there was no loss of life here. Texarkana had at least 59 mile per hour winds clocked at our local airport before the power went out. It was enough to take a trampoline stake from a neighbor's yard and drive it through the roof of my pastor's home like a knife cutting through butter. By the way our church is still housing some 90 evacuees from Port Arthur, Texas, and will continue to do so for the next 7 days. All of this just endures me even more to the Landau. The Landau and I have survived "Ike the Terrible" together! Mr. Robert K. Blair is preparing remarks he will give in Texarkana regarding the Landau, his father Robert F. Blair's work with Buick as an important Buick Executive, and his personal acquaintance with the then GM CEO Mr. Harlow Curtice. These remarks will need to be recorded for Buick History! I believe that of all the messages I have placed on this thread, this one has been the most heart "wrenching" waiting on word to type same. Charles D. Barnette

Our hearts, prayers and wishes go out to everone, whether they are one of our car people or not. We wish all a very speedy return to normal life. We pray for those that did not live through the storm.

Stevo

Charles,
Do you have a daily agenda set yet? I have a choice of coming on Saturday or Sunday and it would help if I knew what was going on each day. Thanks.

Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, is the big day! On that day at noon Mr. Blair will present his remarks, the original cups and thermos will be presented by him to the car after a 21 year separation in a special ceremony, and the reproduction wheel covers will be presented to the car as well. Picture taking is unrestricted and welcomed at all times. We will cut the GM 100 years old celebration birthday cake and celebrate the fact that Buick is represented by the Landau recognizing Buick is the company that GM first started with. I fully expect to have a 1919 Buick Touring car there as the oldest Buick as well as other fine Buicks of the area. We have a fine example of the beautiful 1950 Buick also scheduled to be there. Can you feel our excitement yet? Sunday will be a "pots and pans" day culminating in the exit of the Landau from the Museum promtly at 4 pm. I will have to have my crying towel ready for that! Texarkana is now being seized by "Buickmania". Come be a part of Buick History! Thanks to this site the 1954 Buick Landau is becoming the most famous Buick in the world! Charles D. Barnette

Charles,

As you are well aware, most of us (take that to mean almost all of us) will not be able to attend so we are waiting for you to post the video. We know you and your staff are experts at video photography so "handle it, handle it, handle it."

Again, congratulations to you and your staff for organizing this.

Stevo

A summary of the itinerary for the Landau program follows(I will be dressed in a formal tux with tan coat and dark blue pants to match the colors of the Landau): 1.Official welcome by Charles D. Barnette with recognition of special guests and those members of the Buick Club of America present. 2. Singing of Happy Birthday to GM to celebrate their 100 years of existance. 3. Address by Charles D. Barnette on the 1954 Buick Landau, the original cups and thermos to be reunited with the car, and the reproduction wheel covers to be presented to the car. 4. Introduction of Robert K. Blair by Mr. Barnette. 5. Mr. Blair will speak on the car, his father who saved the Landau, and on Harlow Curtice. 6. Formal presentation of cups and thermos to the Landau with Mr. Blair placing same in the car where GM intended them to be to the tune of Led Zeppelin's Kashmir. 7. The tune "Reunited" as recorded by "Peaches & Herb" will then be played after all items have been placed in the car. 9. The birthday cake for GM will then be cut and served as we listen to tunes on the top billboard in 1954. "Come be a part of Buick's History!" Charles D. Barnette