58L-Y8

1961 Chevrolet

The 'puffy' belt-line and lack of belt molding is typical of all '29 Buicks and the subject of the minor controversy because it was atypical when closed car bodies were simply one continual surface from sills to top. These were nicknamed 'pregnant Buicks' at a time the word was considered indecent to speak in polite society. But, one supposes saying "a Buick in the family way" just didn't have the same affect!

It does but gridlock was a new phenomena being experienced by cities as the number of cars on the road grew. The uncontrolled intersection invited this result. Please add this photo to the Period Images to relieve some of the Stress topic in the General Discussions. There is one extremely rare car in the mess. Thanks!

This is as good as the image will improve.

Yes, not cheap at $1,595 for a '26 Moon Series A Cabriolet Roadster if that is the model of the Moon in the photo. It was a competitor to the Chrysler G-70 roadster at $1,625. One can imagine the Chrysler salesman saying, "Yes, the Moon is a good car, but it has a Continental engine, like all those 'assembled' cars. Our Chrysler engines are built by our company, are a better, long-term value."

Its value to you depends upon what you want the car to be. If you are pursuing an original and this car has been modified with newer drivetrain and chassis components, interior, paint, etc, then all you be buying is a body and a frame. You'll have to take it from there to return it to original configuration or some semblance thereof. Analyze what it is when you inspect it, compare it to what you want it to be and then decide on what its value is to you.

Taking one's last ride first-class! The extra long wheelbase town car now makes sense. Any more photos of that particular car available?

Thanks Ed! A city mortuary fleet makes sense, the second car in line struck me as possibly a hearse. The lwb town cars appears to have been built on a commercial chassis, which would accommodate a family for a funeral procession.

"I want my neighbors to think I've 'arrived', but I can't afford a Rolls-Royce or even a Roamer. Guess I'll have to settle for a Moon!"

The two Pierce-Arrows, either Series 32 or 33, must have been a custom coach-built pair for the same client. Notice the unusually long wheelbase and extremely wide rear door on the town car. Both have the tall top-hat roofs and severe, upright appearances. Surprising are the wire wheels on such formal cars. Only the matching front bumpers which were likely aftermarket options look modern at all. Pierce-Arrow Man Ed, your comment and perspective on these two?

Here's a better look at that sportsman and his rakish speedster: What make is it?

This is as good as I can get the image to improve.

Sounds as if E. Paul DuPont hadn't let vast wealth go to his head. Spending considerable amounts on a vanity project just to have his name on a car was just what he must have done for fun without concern for unit profit. Only the type of thing that could happen then.

I wonder how much money DuPont lost on every car they built? Quite a vanity project.

Get on down to Samuel Finkelman Chrysler-Plymouth, see what kind of deal you can make for that '31 Pierce-Arrow Model 42 convertible coupe with the Derham-derived styling.

The most noticeable difference between the comparable Marmon and the Chrysler is the former exhibits late 1920's styling: flat vertical radiator, large headlights versus early 1930's raked V-radiator shell and smaller headlight. The Marmon molding styles speak more of the 1920's, though the horizontal hood side louvers are an advanced feature. Chrysler was leading the way to full-length, over-the-cowl hoods and hood doors with the help of LeBaron.

For what its worth, Forney's Transportation Museum in Denver, Colorado used to display a '37-'39 Lincoln K which had the rear portions of a late '20's Studebaker roadster body from the cowl rearward grafted onto the Lincoln K cowl. It was easy to identify by the unique shaping Studebaker employed on the body sides as they taper over and down around the rear fenders. You might contact them for photos of the rear body on that Lincoln.

Here's a better look at that National sedan, courtesy Mark and a bit of image improvement. Anyone identify what model it is?

Walt, Good likelihood the body was made by Willoughby Co. Utica, NY. Their specialties was large sedans, limousines and town cars. They built series bodies for a variety of carmakers including Studebaker. Known for their high quality products, Willoughby would be a first choice for Studebaker to turn to for bodies for their top-of-line Big Six.

Mark Any chance we can have a better scan of this National sedan?

The wheels tucked up into the wheelwells are the tip-off this is photoshopped image. While they happily skirted the rear fenders then, no one thought wheels pushed way up into the wheelwells looked good then...except Nash!

By the mid-'30's, black fenders with a body color other than black became synonymous with 'cheap' model or a truck or commercial vehicle because that was the default standard for low-priced cars and pretty much all trucks. As body design became more integrated into the 1940's, cars with fenders painted a contrasting color look even worse. Two-tone combinations moved up on the top and upper panels by the 1940's, were considered an extra luxury touch.

After the 1932 Graham 'Blue Streak' lead the way toward monochromatic paints without contrasting fenders, that combination became the norm for commercial vehicles. Painting the fenders black was done because it was practical and easy to match if they got damaged or scraped, but the radiator shell, hood and body could be easily painted whatever color the customer wanted, especially if it helped identify their business. The solid color for cars was to present a more unified, streamlined modern appearance.

That Packard Rollston warrants a better look!

In the Northeast region, with harsh winters and heavy road salt use, retaining a car for four years after a purchase new was common. By the time the odometer showed 90K-100K miles at six-eight years they were backlot cheap used cars or in the junkyards. Rust-prone cars ended up there even sooner. A large family here in our small town drove Mopar station wagons from 1957-'59, always savaged with rust by 1963-'64. The only cars older than ten years or more were owned by owner folks who kept them garaged and drove sparingly. A few were snowbird who spent winters down south away from winter's rigors. A retired grocery store owner appeared every summer through the 1960's in his light yellow and white 1956 Cadillac Sedan de Ville with air conditioning! Two spinster sisters kept a '53 Chrysler Windsor sedan they made multiple trips to Florida in into the 1970's. The local Ford dealer took a very nice 1939 LaSalle sedan in trade in about 1963-'64. I begged my dad to buy it to no avail.