Walt G

This just in this morning from a friend in England, perhaps the information mentioned above here is not correct.................. Your email had me worried, because, as you know, I have spent a lot of time studying and cataloguing the Swigart emblem collection. Anyway, I have checked with Pat Swigart and she tells me that the story is incorrect. There is no plan to close the Museum and auction off the exhibits. The Museum will open on May 25 as usual.

I agree a really neat car ( I love big station wagons) but for $19,000 all things should work properly - the tail gate window, horn, radio .

Great photo of the custom body with side mount and locking down spare. Must be on its way to a certain luxury car club classification committee for approval to qualify for tours and grunt classic car shows.................

TAKerry so you mention Hershey - Geeeeez we still have 5 months to wait before that happens again. That event is like Christmas to me and birthdays, all the fun holidays - this year will be even better as a friend will be visiting me here at home after the meet and he lives in Brazil. the seeing in person of friends from many countries, states, etc and attending functions like the SAH dinner at Hershey is what old cars are all about. It is also an annual justification that there are other crazy people like me out there I can point to and say "see they are here too" .😆

SO very pleased to see people I know as friends drive their cars in the rain! All good.

Well thanks so much to the readers here we now are aware of what model/series it is; isn't that the sellers "job" to inform any who are interested in it? Is anyone else besides me getting weary of the posts here that want you to give them $ when they won't make the effort to even explain what they are selling? I am not being cranky just weary of all the people who want the $ but make no effort to provide information that people need to know. I love Buicks about 20 feet away from where I am typing this sits my 1940 series 71c convertible sedan ( Roadmaster) that Doug Seybold went through mechanically when I bought it. Never opened the engine up since new has 53,000 miles on it. These are incredible road cars to drive and ride in .That 320 cu in OHV engine that had was just so fine. The BCA is one of the very best single marque car clubs in existence and local regions and chapters have some very fine , caring people in them This especially hold true for the Long Island Buick Club.

Well stated! there are a lot of opinions by "experts" who banter on and on but have they really spent any time behind the wheel of a car they are going on about? I mean 4 plus hours of driving on assorted roads including highways with modern cars and in all assorted weather ? Many time I have driven a 1931 era car for 4 plus hours in heavy rain for most of that up and down long grades - it is when you really get to know the car and your ability. All keeping in mind that the car was built to 1931 standards of that day and not to compare it with the computer generated /created whiz bang vehicles of today. Have respect for the car and the era it was created in and proceed accordingly.

Another guessing game presented by the seller! Make and year are correct but series?model? big price difference and engine between the Special, Century, Roadmaster and Super. So what is is, guessing it is a Century?? The $46,500 question...................Define in detail "restored".

Most toy manufacturers in Europe and the British Isles made metal toys of pressed tin or light weight sheet steel and were approximately 7 or so inches long. The American market made mostly pressed heavy steel toys much larger - all due because of the resources of material available to manufacture steel in the USA. The thickness of the steel used on the big American toys was very close or the same grade as what was used in automobile manufacture. By the early 1930s the American pressed steel toys were very accurate in duplicating what the real cars looked like with compound curves etc. Some of the car manufacturers would have these toys that resembled the real cars in their showrooms to attract the children of perspective car buyers. Graham sold a toy sedan to customers for $2.00 to give to their kids. NOT Cheap in 1933 dollars. Those were made by Corcoran Co. , they also made DeSoto and Chrysler Airflow sedans. I have photos of all of those but do not want to detract from this post and no longer post any photos ( period or new) on here due to critics who insult efforts because of their opinions on everything.

Another solution would be to built a wood station wagon body. there was a 1930 Buick station wagon with Cantrell body on it in NY state back in the 1960s - great original car ( 90 series chassis) I saw it in person. A long term close friend restored a 1930 Franklin station wagon with Cantrell body. Also starting in the 1960s - I sat and sketched what it would look like done when he was in the process and he was there to talk me through what the details were - he only had one side of the wagon body to start with the other side was gone. The one existing side was done in a mirror image to get the other side - VERY AUTHENTICALLY DONE . Articles on Cantrell have been done at least two- and I did one of them. Depending upon what chassis was being worked on Cantrell often used the cowl and windshield are of a enclosed body style from the car factory. Decades ago I had conversations with families whose members worked for Cantrell building the bodies.

There is no such thing as a 1919 Franklin 9H. It most likely is a series 9B. There was a model H Franklin but that was in the 1910 and earlier era and is most remembered for the barrel shaped hood. More information the the Encyclopedia of American Cars pre 1942 by Beverly Kimes and Henry Austin Clark Jr. - the book recently that had snarky comments about it because it was published over 40 years ago.

The car color does affect the choice and look of the car BUT so does the color of the top, also if the side mounted tires have covers on them etc. My advice is stay with the white walls, on the side mounted spares get metal or canvas covers in black to match the fenders. . those changes will make a huge difference. The wheel shape is a sphere - this can be a bullseye to attract your eye to. this is especially true on cars with rim size at 20 inches or more, also wire or wood wheels will also affect the appearance overall.

London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris had Motor Shows each year close together in dates as some of the cars on display were at the same shows in the assorted locations and time was required to get them moved there. There were thick souvenir programs that were very detailed most of the time listing what cars were on the show display areas for each manufacturer as well as custom coach builders. The 1924 Paris Motor Show souvenir program may have a listing for this car. I may or may not have that program, if I do I will look to see if this car is listed and report back here - but this will be on my time schedule and not immediately.

The only flea market I sell at now is Hershey. I price everything before I make the trip and place a sign that everything is marked as to what it will cost . Discount - yes if someone buys enough that will clear 4 figures. What I have for sale in 99% pre WWII and if it doesn't sell I will bring it home. The "haggling " may be entertainment for some or an "unwritten law" but I got tired of that about a decade ago, I have been selling at Hershey for 50 years. Life is short and I do not have the time nor now the patience to "play the game". I firmly believe that if someone sees something I have that they will realize the price is not to much, but fair. If they want it for less well they can look at the other 8,000 plus spaces in the flea market to see if they can find it. To mark up everything to come down in price to me is just no longer worth the effort nor the time.

You learn fast if you are trying to sell something, and as stated for a reasonable fee and most likely an item that was made 80+ years ago. I love the AACA annual Fall meet at Hershey but one does encounter that particular breed of person who will look at something you have for sale and make a totally insulting offer. They do not consider that most of the time the seller ( me or you) is picking up the state tax, and they the buyer - them didn't have to pay shipping to get it to them. I was visiting my great friend Phil Dumka of Mass. when there was a Blue Field in the flea market, a fellow came up and looked at a sales folder for a 1957 Chevrolet. Phil had 3 of them all the same. All minty condition. Price was $7.00 . Fellow looked it over for about 10 minutes and offered Phil $2.00 . Phil asked to look at the item and the fellow handed it to Phil . Phil proceeded to tear a large corner off the brochure and I thought the guy was going to pass out when Phil reached out with the brochure in his hand to the guy and said " that is the $2.00 version" The fellow wide eyed and shaky in step walked away and Phil looked at me and said "Walt, I was so glad you were here to see that" .

the ones to update it are the people who are complaining about it. Let them make their notes ( most taken from the online history - dare I say facts?? ) Let them take the time and "publish" their results and also list where and how that information is credited. Lots of noise about a lot of effort that is being put down. Start a thread here perhaps titled "UPDATES" . Will that happen? unlikely as they are to busy complaining ...............

Craig The criticism that I found upsetting ( obviously) was about the books contents - it is a book about American cars , not about European cars. Clark's collection did have a tremendous amount on European cars and I agree that the ability to confirm what happened there depends upon employees that survived. BUT again the point as I see it is critical of what is not in the book on American cars cars that are not mentioned. It is not a book on worldwide cars. I am done trying to make a point, I have stated what I know took place when the book was being researched over many years as I was there, and the research went beyond what Austin had in his collection. I will no longer comment on this topic nor most others - you are the expert I look forward to your on going mention of all things and expertise (?) You must have access to so much more of the original material then I have ever seen in person , the original matter/paperwork/periodicals...................

Both Beverly and Austin were well aware of that fact and did not use anything that they felt was "iffy" so far as information and images. I was there as mentioned when the research was being done. Much from periodicals of the day. All of that ( both bound and loose issues) were donated to the Henry Ford Museum while Austin was still alive. It is there still. A huge variety of publications from all over the USA as well as Europe ( which were looked at for reference to see American cars in Europe) SO if this volume is lacking where is the updated information in print by those that look down upon all of this as "that was just what available then" and look to online references - are the online references totally and completely the last word and correct??

That book was researched by its author's 45-50 years ago. Since then new "old" information has come to light. It is still the best reference to go to for information based on FACT from original publications during the era the cars were built. I was present when it was being researched and helped Bev Kimes and Austin Clark do so. It took years to compile what they did and it is accurate as mentioned. When will a more complete volume with more information appear that apparently to some is missing - NEVER at least within the life time of those reading this now. It is always easy to point a finger and say - they didn't mention this or that. But few if any do a complete supplement to what exists to make the story complete in the critics eyes and opinion.

I was about to contact my good friend JRA about that Wayne! SO sad to read that "progress" took its toll on the wonderful architecture. All the craftsmen that did that stone work most likely did not pass on their skills , same as here in the USA , so not only are the structures lost but the ability to even make them again. There is most likely a rubble pile with all that beautiful stone, iron lamps etc buried as a record of past grandeur. I look at that photo and think " I want to be in that building and that one and that one looking out the window at the upper floors at what is across the street.....................

Best wishes to you and your new ride. May you have many many miles of pleasurable driving.

SO interesting to see people dress in the costumes/clothes of the era of the vehicles that they like and dancing as well. It all adds to the festive atmosphere of the event. Does this car display take place once a year or more then once? Does it last just one day or over a weekend? More details please if and when you can. I have mentioned to you before how I love the architecture both residential and commercial. I assume that the spectators walking around are respectful of the cars as well. It has to be a great day for all the shops that are open to sell their merchandise as well.

It would be good to mention the last name of who the car was registered to as we have no clue as to ownership other then it was your Dad';s and Aunt Tia and Matildas. Absolutely nothing to go on for us here at all.

This badge is 1 1/4 inches in diameter. It was made by F.J. Davis Ltd. in London and was fitted to the center of the shift knob as well as the inside of the trunk lid on some of the Packards sold in England. Their London dealer was Leonard Williams who had showrooms in London and in the west of London had the service garages ( torn down decades ago) Does anyone viewing this have any other London Packard badges/emblems? If so I am trying to do research and document what they used so please send me a message. . the ones like this example that I have seen in person on cars are on cars dating from the mid 1930s.

That large hp Renault touring converted to rail use is great but look beyond the car - what an outstanding house/structure - look at the masonry - the details around the windows. SUPERB. I have stated before that beyond the great vehicles all the other facets of the period photographs let us observe the "normal" happenings of a different era. Signs,street lamp fixtures, lettering style, clothes, and as seen here great architecture and detail - not done in materials we have available now - aluminum, plastic, etc. I wonder where that photo was taken?? How old was the big Renault when it was converted for rail use.