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Interest subject, it certainly has generated much good discussion and many good insights. A bit of daily mental exercise is worthwhile. Imperial: By 1970, it was obviously a corporate vanity project, one that doubtful was ever profitable. For a major company to be taken seriously as one of the Big Three, you had to have a luxury car nameplate in the portfolio. Colbert and Exner had made their best efforts for 1955-’63 to make Imperial distinctive with mostly disappointing results. Townsend gave it a shot-in-the-arm for 1964, let it ride through 1966. It then was folded back onto the volume uni-body, only to see the pattern repeated: a one year sales bounce to quickly settle back to the typical mediocre volumes. Once more for the fuselage body series and again the same result, not an encouragement to commit real resources but here’s where the motivation should have arisen. Quite clearly by this point, there was a limited if steady market for a full-sized ultra-deluxe version of the New Yorker which Imperial had become. We all know their oft-repeated 1960’s mantra: “there will never be a small Chrysler”. By 1970, every medium-priced and luxury competitor had a ‘small’ version, their personal luxury coupes. All such were premium-priced, major volume producers based on shared bodies. But Chrysler wouldn’t join in until the trend was half over in 1975. A corporate management with a grasp of what the public wanted? It would seem a no-brainer to create two new Chrysler models based on the B-Body platforms. First, the low-hanging fruit volume there for the taking: a 1970 Cordoba, which would have been nothing more than a neo-classic restyle of the Charger platform, taking cues for both the concurrent Cordoba de Oro and Concept 70X plus a bit of imitation of its competitors, the sincerest form of flattery. The second would be the Satellite/Coronet sedan-based smaller Imperial to simply test the waters without profit being a primary objective, with modest sales expectations. Benchmark its spec’s on Mercedes-Benz as much as possible, raise the fit and finish quality to M-B levels. Then let it have five-six years to determine if the market would respond to such an effort. As it stood, Imperial had only the 1973 model year to live, got a reprieve for 1974-’75 by dropping to the same platform as all other Chryslers, disappointing results again. The attractive classic styling did live on for 1976-’78 as the New Yorker Brougham. Did Chrysler have really anything to lose if they had tried a new approach for at least one Imperial model?

There appears to be another Studebaker nearest the camera, only the top of a Duplex phaeton is visible.

The very limited production luxury make by 1928 that might best fit your scenario would be the DuPont. They were just ending their last Wisconsin-engine six cylinder models E and F which comprised 85 cars for 1927-'28. The Continental-engine eight cylinder Model G and H would go to the end in 1932 with only 276 built total. Understand they assembled the chassis, the bodies were supplied by Merrimac and Waterhouse body companies.

Though they are bent up, the other sheet metal would be worth salvaging as well, if only for patterns when straightened as much as possible.

Whatever you write, I would suggest you submit the draft to the gentlemen here on the AACA Forum for editing and correction. Credibility of the novel depends on getting the pertinent facts correct in the context of the times in which it is set. The period was one of technical transition in the automobile business, a situation further thrown into distress and turmoil by the onset of the Great Depression.

Do some research on Cunningham of Rochester, New York; Streans-Knight in Cleveland, Ohio; McFarlan of Connorsville, Indiana; DuPont of Wilmington, Delaware; Locomobile of Bridgeport, Connecticut. All were still in business in 1928, all basically hand-built operations, soon to be gone.

Yes! Wellsboro Diner and the town in general is a great place to be sure to visit and spend a little time when you tour Route 6. Every year when we return from Hershey to here in Western New York, we stop at the Wellsboro Diner on Sunday for a late breakfast. Its amazing to set at the counter and watch the cook and servers do their jobs with efficiency and good humor. Short-order cooking is hard work and the way they do it to feed the legions that stop there is great to watch. The food is always good and well-prepared, not fancy, just good and reasonably priced. Plus, enjoying it in a diner built by the Judkins Body Company a big plus!

The rumble-seat convertible coupe with the top down is a 1934 Terraplane. a '37 LaSalle is parked by the Wells Beach Theater.

The '49 Buick Special was among the very last 1942 B-Body fastback models with minor postwar trim changes still produced into calendar year 1949. Those 1946-'49 Specials were the lowest production series for those year unlike the pre-war years. Production allocation decisions driven by the certain knowledge of pent-up demand resulted in savvy marketing favoring the Super and Roadmaster, both which were higher unit profit series. It was very smart to do that, when the seller's market ended, more Buick owners had been moved up the model hierarchy and the all-new 1950 Special enticed a new generation of customers into their first Buick Special.

Crosley convertibles were indeed priced below the Dodge Wayfarer, perhaps Dodge should have added "full-sized convertible" to exclude the tiny Crosley from the comparison. Quite frankly, most people didn't consider Crosley as much of a car, not the least bit comparable with any of the full-sized, mainstream models, regarded it as something of a toy.

Rumble seats were intended only for occasional use when more than two need to go and then not for long distance. In the 1920's, roadsters were generally the cheapest body style; for buyers with only a periodic need for more passenger accommodation a rumble seat was a good solution. As the closed car became affordable, roadsters assumed a sporty aura, a rumble seat felt dangerous and fun. One of my favorite lines from M*A*S*H is when Henry Blake returned from R & R in love with young Nancy Sue Parker, Hawkeye tells him "Henry, You just spent a week in the rumble seat of the time machine!"

r"It's America's lowest-priced convertible!" Which might have been an answer to a question no one ask, but for returning GI's who had a good paying job and no children yet, these were ideal for daily transportation and a little fun. Hope you have a great time with it.

That would be Gearless - Rochester, NY 1907-'09 by the Gearless Transmission Company. that had a friction drive transmission. It reorganized as the Gearless Motor Car Company in 1908, bankrupt in fall of 1909. Quite expensive, in the $3K-$4K range until the last year, tried $1,500-$3,200. to no avail.

Oddly enough, now the Lincoln-Zephyr is the rarer car as the Continentals were collected almost from their years as used cars in the 1950's. The Lincoln Continental Owners Club formed in 1953. Back then Zephyr and postwar Lincolns were mostly considered only useful for parts to restore Continentals. That's why there are so many Continentals available now compared to Zephyrs. Zephyrs being semi-unit body construction also suffered from rust-prone bodies. All suffered with the H-Series V-12 from 1936-'48, which you will find a recent discussion regarding here on another thread.

Both Lincoln Zephyr and Continental were built on the same chassis, are the same length. What makes the Continental appear longer is the proportioning and lowering. The hood lengthened, passenger compartment configured close-coupled, the short high boxed trunk. None of the body panels interchange but all chassis parts do. Its a fascinating history, worth your time to delve into.

Our school district had a fleet of GMC V6 school buses in the 1960's, the local Pontiac-GMC dealer placed the lowest bid. They always had an odd sound running and to the exhaust. Apparently they were quite 'thirsty' too, but tough, durable and long-lived, rust got the bodies before the engine wore out. Some ended up as cut-down farm trucks after the district sold them off. They made great hay haulers.

Since Packards are of interest, please check out not only the Packard Club and Packards International websites but also PackardInfo.com. Signing on is free and there are legions of Packard people ready to answer any question you have. Many of us are active on the PackardInfo forum there daily. We also search Craigslist and post links to Packards and parts available on it under the 'Various CL Pickings' thread in Cars for sale. Check it frequently as we continually update with fresh listings that might be of interest. While much of Craigslist collector cars for sale are rather 'optimistically' priced for what they are and the condition, periodically real bargains do appear. Good luck, we'd love to have you become 'the man who owns one"

Joining national clubs and regions as well is great advice. Whether for a specific make or general, you will connect with other enthusiasts of like interest, the comradery is a benefit worth well beyond what the annual membership cost might be. Attend local gathering, get to know folks in the club. Keep in mind that every old car collector has more cars than he can realistically handle, gladly sells to those who show genuine interest in keeping the car and taking good care of it. You are young enough to develop those relationships and eventually be the man who becomes the next conservator.

May I direct you to the 1948-1954 Packard Eights, 200's and Clippers four door touring sedans. Many good, well-restored and simply maintained originals are readily available for under $10K. They're solid, reliable nice-driving cars with good club and parts support. They won't knock your socks off but they won't break the bank either.

Next to the '32 President, a Commander Regal convertible sedan strikes me as just about the most desirable Studebaker one could restore. No doubt whoever takes it on will be under water financially but there are higher purposes to restoring and preserving the surviving rarest cars from those years. Hope this one finds a willing and capable next conservator. Remember, when these are gone, extinction is permanent.

That depends on your definition of 'classic' with a lower case or upper case "c". And what financial resources are available to back-up your desire to own one. All of automotive history is available for you to choose from, there are survivors back to the earliest decades. Narrowing it to the era and makes that appeal most is a personal decision. You should decide this on the basis of what would please you most then pursue it. If someone criticizes your choice, tell them you bought the car to please yourself and not them. You will find many own a certain car to impress their contemporaries, a poor reason to own one. Buy what delights you and just have experiences with it and enjoy it. Collector cars are an entertainment, not an Investment, keep that in mind, you'll do just fine.

In the late Stutz years, aluminum panels were an options available rather than the coated fabric. A few of the Stutz Monte Carlos by Weymann are aluminum paneled.

"Overland" as a car maker name persisted into the 1950's as "Willys-Overland" in advertising and dealership signage. Apparently the company felt that "Overland" as a stand alone name was too archaic to use.

The 1939 Overland was a one-year marketing wonder. They renamed the updated Model 77 to both Models 38 and 48 on the 100" wb but also added a new 102" wb with that oddball badge-shaped headlights, leaping brow hood and new grille louvers. Included were Deluxe, Standard Speedway and Speedway Special models, maybe your brochure defines what was what, lots of distinction without much difference. For 1940, only the 102" wb simplified to only coupe and four door sedan plus a station wagon were listed. Styling was updated again to the bullnose hood and broad chrome mustache and tear-drop headlights. The Overland name disappeared, just plain Willys Speedway and Deluxe. For 1941, added two more inches of wheelbase to 104", integrated sedan trunk and quarter windows and now its "Americar". Clear as mud?

Fiberglass Replicar from the late 1960's.