58L-Y8

Thanks J.H. Boland I would think a McLaughlin-Buick 90 Limited would have been the limousine of choice for the Royal visit.

Fortunately, this Lincoln is a wonderfully preserved original car we had the pleasure to see a various Lincoln meets years ago. By the way, who were the dignitaries transported in the 1939 Dodge long wheelbase sedan following in the procession?

Thanks for the look. What an odd selection of cars, other than the pre-war models and Cadillac convertibles, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what was stored....

Although its already been posted, it bears reiterating and my paraphrase: "No one ever went broke underestimating the taste, or intelligence, of the American public." Thanks to H.L. Mencken for the wry, succinct observation of the society. Another adage applies: "A fool and his money are soon parted." The whole James Bond 007 concept is getting rather threadbare...

Funeral fleets often seem to have rare professional cars, in this case, a REO Flying Cloud hearse by National.

A 1939 Studebaker Champion sedan - $7,500. "1939 Studebaker 4 Door Sedan. Around 31,000 Original Miles. Body is very solid. Lost my storage area for it. https://omaha.craigslist.org/cto/d/wahoo-1939-studebaker/7123072310.html I have no personal interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1939 Studebaker Champion sedan.

A 1930 Marmon Roosevelt rumble seat coupe - $21,900. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/cto/d/martinsville-marmon-roosevelt/7128996849.html No further information supplied. I have personal interest in the eventual sale of this 1930 Marmon Roosevelt rumble seat coupe.

Always worth a better look...heartbreaking to think of its as lost.

A 1936 Studebaker sets on the left, only a six year old car at the time.

It was a 1927 Chrysler Imperial 80 convertible coupe, new to the line that year. The early Imperials are easy to identify by their Vauxhall-style radiator shell and hood shapes. The body maker is unidentified in my source but is similar to those built by Philips of Warren, Ohio that specialized in convertible coupes and convertible sedans. It was the only style in the Imperial line with front-opening doors. The heavy windshield frame and even a visor was common on many of the 1920's convertible coupes.

A 1954 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman - $6,500 "1954 Desoto firedome 2 door. Hemi motor with automatic trans. Runs and drives. New master cylinder and wheel cylinders. The body is very solid and the undercarriage is also solid. Has some extra trim in the trunk. Email with any questions" https://newjersey.craigslist.org/ctd/d/lodi-1954-desoto/7127266443.html I have no interest or stake in the eventual sale of this 1954 DeSoto.

Thanks for your responses, this was just a hypothetical, no urge on my part spend the family fortune on this Series 80. An 80 running with a different year and make engine wouldn't have much value other than as a fun driver, albeit still a rather slow one.

Hope this elegantly-styled 1941 Studebaker President Skyway sedan-coupe gets treated to the first-class restoration it so richly deserves. Studebaker management was smart to contract with Loewy for their design service, this model and the Skyway Land Cruiser the pinnacle of their stellar talent, lead by none other than Virgil Exner.

Thanks John for your views. True, I doubt whether anyone 'cross-shops' the two makes when pursuing cars of the period. The preference is either for one marque or the other, as in old brand loyalty of years ago. My question is based on those cars being of the same price-class and general features when new, albeit with the Pierce-Arrow the more costly of the two. General drivability, difficulty and cost of parts and repairs, what were their relative strengths and weaknesses. The Model 80/81 cylinder heads becoming 'unobtainium' to all but those well-off enough to bear the expense effectively excludes potential owners of more modest means, condemns the closed cars to be come static displays or parts cars. The authenticity would be compromise with another make engine but might also allow an individual with more modest means to take conservatorship and derive use and enjoyment rather than have the car collect dust as fully original. Certainly a trade-off to consider.

For a Model 80 with a sick engine but too good condition to part out, my choice to replace the engine would be a postwar Packard 288 cu in straight eight, though fit might be an issue. Other choices would be six cylinder postwar Hudson 262 and 308, Packard 245, Studebaker 245, and Mopar 251. 264