Charles D. Barnette
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Posts posted by Charles D. Barnette
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Also what is the status of the 1/18 scale model of this car by Sun Star as to the production stage? We were promised delivery by Sun Star on our orders long before now! While looking for the real car, please ask Dale what happened to the one off 1959 Buick Invicta Estate Wagon named "Texan" with a sun roof seen only at the 1959 Chicago Auto Show! Charles D. Barnette
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Let's then think bigger. Let's get Mr. Bortz to bring the Wildcat I and Sloan Museum to bring the Wildcat II, the XP-300, and the Centurion Motorama cars all to Ames to show with the Landau! Why not! Charles-he who does not have vision shall perish!
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OK, we now have the Motorama Landau and Mr. Earl committed to coming to Ames. We now have Joe Bortz (who has the largest private collection of Motorama cars in the world) as a member of BCA. Let's connect the dots. It is now a "no brainer" to have our top brass call on the great Mr. Bortz to request Mr. Bortz to bring the 1953 Wildcat I to Ames as well as has already been suggested on another thread by my hero Brian Laurance as a "pipe dream"! I believe it can happen in reality! Bring on the Motorama girls and musical productions all in Ames, Ames, Ames! Charles-aim high!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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What great news-the Landau in Ames! Suddenly, Ames is the "red hot" place to be in 2010 for the BCA National. I think the Landau must be overjoyed as well. Motorama pageantry is very addictive! Charles D. Barnette- the "Motorama Gods" have got to be pleased!
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Author of "GM's Motorama" -David Temple (the foremost authority on GM Motorama vehicles)- has recently discovered from a reliable source that the 1954 Buick Landau Motorama car was also used as a family car by Harlow Curtice and his family while in New York City. David has given me permission to post this information on this site in his ever continuing research efforts on Motorama vehicles. Of course Mr. Curtice was President of General Motors from 1953 to 1958. Apparently the Landau carried the "First Family of GM" in high style while in the "Big Apple". This fact alone should move the Landau up another notch on the "ladder" of Buick automotive history! I doubt that any other Motorama vehicle had the privilege of serving in a similar capacity. How are we doing on the "excitement meter" about this great automobile? For me it is off the charts! From the Curtice family to an encounter with Mr. Earl, this Motorama car has had quite a ride in the automotive world! Charles D. Barnette
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I am so happy that Mr. Earl (the greatest lover on the planet of 54 Buicks) and the great 54 Buick Landau Motorama car at last had a personal one on one encounter! The meeting of these two is surely a great Buick moment in history! I cannot wait for pictorial documentation. Charles-it was probably like the collision of two planets heard and felt around the universe!
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Bob graciously has let me know that the original three cups and thermos (The "Holy Grail" of the Landau if you will) have arrived safely in Winston Salem out of the bowels and O'Quinn Estate legal turmoil of Houston! When these items made a "Pit Stop" in Texarkana in 2008, they lived in my bedroom for sometime guarded by me with my life-therefore I feel a special affinity for them. In short they are reunited again with the Landau much to my great relief-"and it feels so good" again. The 1954 Buick Landau exudes out of every square inch of her being beauty and elegance. With her back one third top down on the trunk, she rivals the sporty looks of her Motorama siblings the 1951 LeSabre; the 1951 XP 300; the Wildcats I, II, and III; and the Centurion. However with her top fully up, she exceeds her siblings with a special, unique look of a Buick formal executive limousine fit for Harley and Harlow. I wonder what important Buick executive decisions were discussed and made in the backseat of this "one of a kind" car while used for Buick executives in New York City. Who drank from those cups and handled that thermos and over what brew? There is no way one can put a true monetary value in my opinion on the importance of this car to Buick! When she does appear at her first show under Bob's capable and fateful ownership, expect a spectacular and complete "rolling history" Buick event! Charles D. Barnette-when you get to see the majestic Buick Landau "in person", please at least mentally "bow the knee" in respect.
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I named my 1959 Buick Invicta "Copper Top" because not only does it have a copper glow top over an arctic white body, but the car was made by GM of Canada and this color combination could not be bought from the USA GM plant-only through the Canadian plant! Charles D. Barnette
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I am sending you a private message. Thanks, Charles
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Brian, you were right; it is my younger brother David Barnette and the family cat named Cassieopeia-ottemaria (the name was longer than the cat). In 1965 Dad had traded the 59 for a new 1965 Pontiac Tempest. He thought that since the 59 Buick had 200,000 highway miles on it, it was time to trade or so he thought. However due to a strike involving GM, all dad could get was the Tempest sold to him new in Pittsburg, Texas. Shortly after the trade, while dad was driving the Tempest near Pittsburg, Texas, he spotted something white in his rearview mirror coming up fast. As it passed him, dad recognized that it was his faithful 59 Buick wiggling its tail fins at him one last time as it faded from view and into history before him. If dad could have caught the 59 that day, he would have traded for her back on the spot! Charles-I still shed a tear everytime I think about this story. Fortunately I now have "Copper Top"-the nearest I could come to getting back dad's 59.
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I need a front Universal Joint for my 1959 Buick Invicta 4 door hardtop. Would also like a repair kit for the Joint and bearing if one is associated with it. Thanks, Charles D. Barnette
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While going through the family home yesterday to rearrange it to allow home health care for my dad, I ran across an old billfold of mine from the early sixties. In it was a picture of my dad with the family 1959 Buick I have spoken of before on this site. The picture is circa 1961 with dad having used the Buick as a traveling salesman. Here he must have just driven up in our driveway and posed with the car and with his order book in hand. I just had to post it. Carla will post it in the next post. Charles-the car helped raise 5 boys as well.
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My Buick friends, I just found out that the new owner of the Landau used to live in Texarkana in the 80s. Of course the Landau was here in Texarkana on display in 2008 for approximately 10 days. So I make the claim boldly that all roads lead to Texarkana! Bob is my new best friend-fate has intervened. Charles-this car is one lucky Motorama car fiercely protected by "The Motorama Gods"!
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Bob, I am thrilled that a senior member of the BCA now owns this car. My local museum had the privilege of displaying the car in 2008. We made sure that the original cups and thermos were reunited with the car. We also presented it with some wheel covers that more closely matched the originals which were stolen many years ago. I hope you receive these items when she arrives! I am going to notify Robert Blair (son of the Buick executive that saved the car) of your purchase. Charles D. Barnette-you now own a national treasure!
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It was an honor to have the famous Pete and Roy dynamic duo in my hometown. Carla will post shortly a picture taken by me of the duo with "Copper Top". It is now Copper Top's most treasured photo! Charles
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I have gotten my copy and find the article very informative. First of all I have never seen the car with its removable hardtop in place-see page 48. I understand the top is still in the possession of the Sloan Museum kept in a crate in storage. Further I never realized before that the car has 4 windshield wiper blades for its windshield-see page 51. I saw the car "in person" at the Sloan Museum in 2005. I shall post my pictures of it on this site on Monday. Charles D. Barnette
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Brian and Mr. Earl, I would be most honored to represent the both of you as long as I can take care of your cars if you get any jail time! Not to worry though, I think an "insanity defense" would work before the jury just fine, since both of you like me are incurable "Car Nuts". (Remember the auction is by RM and not Barrett-Jackson). Charles- a combination of the 1954 Buick guru with the 1959 Buick guru could rule the world!
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Old Cars Weekly is reporting that John O'Quinn's Collector Car Collection will be auctioned off by RM Auctions. They have listed 10 Buicks subject to it including the 1954 Buick Landau Motorama Show Car, a 1959 Buick Electra 225, and a 1960 Buick LeSabre. The oldest Buick is a 1908 Model S. Apparently my worst fears have been realized. What will happen to the Landau? Charles D. Barnette
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The model is metal. The real car appeared at the 1953 Motorama shows, since there were no Motoramas for the years 1951 and 1952. The real car lives at the Sloan Museum today in Flint, Michigan. Charles
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In our local museum, Tex-Ark Antique Auto Museum, of Texarkana, I found a unusual picture of a 1926 Buick yesterday at our annual Christmas party. One of our members bought the car in 1970 from a Mr. Maddox who had tried in an unsuccessful attempt to make the car into a tractor complete with tractor seat. Eventually the car wound up in a local salvage yard and then ended up in the same collection as the 54 Buick pictured above on this thread. The reason I am including this car on this thread is because it is the Museum's solid understanding that "The car was left behind by Roger Clinton when he moved his Buick Agency in Hope, Arkansas to Hot Springs." Hope is only 30 miles from Texarkana. Carla will post a picture of the car (probably taken in 1970) on this thread tomorrow. Charles
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Still even after considering everything, it is historically fascinating to realize that before the name "Clinton" was used as an Arkansas Attorney General, an Arkansas Governor, a U.S. President, and thru Bill's wife Hillary as a New York Senator and currently as the Secretary Of State in the Obama Administration, the name "Clinton" was first used for a Buick dealership located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and for awhile also located in Hope, Arkansas (where Bill's widowed mother Virginia met and married Roger Clinton). It truly, historically all began with a Buick dealership named "Clinton". The "rags to riches" story of Bill Clinton has firm roots to a Buick dealership! Charles
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Former President Bill Clinton's stepfather was named Roger Clinton. Roger Clinton married Bill's mother in 1950 in Hope, Arkansas. In 1953, the family moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Roger Clinton owned and/or managed together with his brother Raymond a Buick dealership in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Bill Clinton, who was born William Jefferson Blythe III, formally adopted the surname of "Clinton" when Bill turned the age of 14. The rest is U.S. history. Yesterday I was visiting the car collection of a fellow resident of Texarkana, Texas. To my amazement included in his collection is a 1954 4 door sedan Buick Special. The dealer name plate on the left rear of the car says: "Clinton-Hot Springs, Ark"! I believe this car to be a product of the Clinton Buick dealership that was owned and/or managed by Bill's stepfather and uncle while Bill was growing up in Hot Springs. I consider this to be an historical find for both Buick and U.S. history. My legal assistant Carla will post pictures of this Buick with its famous dealer name plate. Charles D. Barnette
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According to Reuters, General Motors will build the 2011 Buick Regal in Oshawa, Ontario, as part of a commitment with governments in Canada in exchange for billions in aid money. Canada and the province of Ontario provided GM with $9.5 billion in loans earlier this year to help GM avoid liquidation during the steep downturn in the auto industry. GM has Canadian manufacturing plants in Oshawa and St. Catherines, a parts distribution plant in Woodstock, a transmission plant in Windsor, and the joint-venture plant with Suzuki in Ingersoll, all in Ontario. GM employs about 9,000 people in Canada. Charles D. Barnette
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Derek on the site you cited in connection with the Queen's 59 Custom Cadillac, the car is pictured with a 1958 Buick wagon in the background of two of the pictures. Scroll halfway down the photos of the site at http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/Drm59Queen.htm and you will see it. Buicks have a way of showing up at any major event! Charles-on top of the Buick stands a newsman with a camera mounted on a tripod, that Buick may have been manufactured in Canada!
On The Trail of the Wells Fargo
in Buick - General
Posted · Edited by Charles_Barnette (see edit history)
The model by Sun Star first was shown with chrome strips being the brown color of the rear quarter panel with the strips extending across the sides and to the headlight "eyebrows". Now the current pictures of the model on the "Sun Star" website shows the strips being the regular silver color of chrome. This may account for the delay in releasing the model. It also makes me believe that their primary source for the model is old photographs-but they could still have access to the original car. I also note on the current pictures of the model marked as "Coming Soon", that the V8 emblem between the headlights is replaced with a "Longhorn Steer Head". Of particular interest to me are the pictures of the model with two simulated rifles in place between the front bucket seats. These toy rifles are removable from the model. However the space they take up when in place seems similar to the space comprised of the long coverered console of the 1959 Buick Texan Wagon Show Car. We do have a picture of the Texan with a rifle leaning up against it outside the car while on display at the 1959 Chicago Auto Show. Charles-see the photos of the model at www.sunstartoys.com/4821/4821.htm.