TG57Roadmaster

What a (non) bloody relief...I didn't have that much to worry about anyway, 'cause she's not allowed to carry ANY weapons while she's still on parole. TG

And with Summertime, it's a Girls on Buicks ROAD TRIP! <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Muriel, give me that map...I just KNOW we were supposed to turn right at Newark! </div></div> Tom Gibson

Then comes the Spring, and Milady needs a big trunk for all her shopping. Tom Gibson

Cold winter days bring on warm thoughts of tropical locales and Girls on Buicks. This from 1951. Tom Gibson

Greetings, Thankfully the thread isn't called Girls Gone Buick! I can think of few Buicks more suitable for this topic than the '42-'48 large series, with their flow-thru fenders. Hope you enjoy Dave Bowman's 70K mile, 47 Roadmaster HPOF cream puff, which we call Mr. Henry. Tom Gibson

Okay Diz...you got me. What on earth is a BOBITZER? I could only find references to it in German, and since I toiled for four years in high school French, je ne sais quois! How do I stave off the inevitable, when Kate attacks me (with a murderous glare) with her BOBITZER? My only hope is to cloak myself in a cloud of Chanel # 5, n'est-ce pas? That may throw her off my scent; I'd never try the subterfuge of using Evening In Paris, 'cause it's only worn by dowagers and street walkers. And I wouldn't even be able to hide in the trunk of my Dauphine! Tom Gibson

Greetings, The Packard in "Rumor Has It" is a 1940 Custom Super Eight, Model 1806 Club Sedan, on a 127" WB. The 3 hash marks on this ad indicate it has Weather-Conditioner, Packard's new for 1940 A/C system. Tom Gibson

Don't be dissing the Dauphine (Princess in french); my dad traded a '60 Mercury Monterey for one in about 1963. Talk about culture shock! At six-foot-six, he fondly remembered the car as one of most comfortable he ever drove. I have a '61 needing a total resto, same colors, and while this one was pricey, I can understand it selling for what it did. Happily, my younger sis' doesn't ever go on these forums, as she'd KILL me to know this photo is floating around on the web. Tom Gibson

For the 1931 Salons, the new Lincoln K Chassis debuted on a 145" WB. This Willoughby-Lincoln made the rounds of the various shows, with the New York Salon held as usual at the Commodore Hotel. Note how the rear compartment seems larger, and how the door handles have migrated from the window sill to the door panel. A somewhat interesting historical note is that the Commodore was bought by Donald Trump in the early 80's, and was his first big renovation job. Glitz, glamour and loads of mirrors prevailed, a portent of things to come. Tom Gibson

Greetings, I kinda think that forest/field finds should be left for posterity so others can enjoy a found treasure. Judging by the plant growth on the remains of the wood framing, and if you have to have it, do your think your wife would like it as a flower pot/planter? If she doesn't, and you drag it home anyway, you'll likely need plywood for the roof, 'cause it'll be your new, air-conditioned doghouse. As Dean Martin said, "Baby, it's <span style="font-style: italic">cold</span> outside". Tom Gibson

Greetings Juha, In 1970 on a family trip to Europe, we spent 10 days visitng relatives in Finland, from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. In Kajaani, my cousin Esa Antonen was very proud, and the envy of his neighbors, with his Big American Car, a 1963 Rambler Classic. To us, it was just a little 7-year-old Rambler, but it was in good condition, with new paint and a nice original interior. There was an outhouse, and being late summer, I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. At the time, I had a pair of Polaroid sun glasses, of which I was quite proud. Upon entering the outhouse, I put my shades in my shirt pocket and took care of business. When I bent down to pull up my shorts, the glasses went right down the hole; I could see them in the dim light. I ran into the house and asked my mom, who spoke Finnish fluently, to get my cousins to retrieve them for me. The 20 or so relatives burst into laughter; I was devastated, almost in tears, but learned a valuable lesson. And to this day, I'm quite sure that my shades are still there. The photo is Esa's family and Rambler; I was thrilled to find it following my mom's sudden passing a week after last Mother's Day. This doesn't exactly pertain to your quest for info of Classic cars in Finland, but I hope you and your friends get a good laugh, too. You won't even need a translator! Tom Gibson

Here's a grainy photo of the Lincoln-Willoughby interior from the Auto Salons in 1930. Fur coat optional. Tom Gibson

Greetings, I'll cast my ballot for the 1929 Lincoln Model L (maybe '30?), for four reasons. The high door hinge on the belt molding, the locking toolbox on and height of the body sill, and don't laugh, the hubcap. Let the Lincoln experts ID the Model number, but I'd guess the Model 157 Willoughby Berline (Landau). Never mind that the 1930 7-Passenger Sedan photo here doesn't have dual sidemounts and wears the still-available artillery wheels. All Lincolns rode on a 136" WB, so you were right to surmise it was a luxury car. The production was 5 (five) each for Model 157, 1929 & Model 187, 1930. Price when new was $5900-$6000, depending on year (assuming it's the Willoughby version); a standard Lincoln Model L sedan set you back a paltry $4400. According to the Standard Catalog, in '29 Lincoln changed their former leather visor to a glass one, so aussie6 was correct, too; thanks Ned. This Lincoln probably had a division window, and could be owner or chauffeur driven. Willoughby was a Custom Coachbuilder in Utica, NY, that bodied some of the great Classics of the day. By 1940, a '30 Lincoln had a cash value of $35 or so, that's what a used car dealer would've been willing to pay. Yikes! And we complain about today's car's depreciation. A very rare car, indeed! Happy New Year, Tom Gibson

The Chrysler Building in 1986 taken from the roof of the U.N. Secretariat Building, looking west. The brown box in foreground is the Ford Foundation HQ, and 42nd Street is on left. There are better pix of the Chrysler, but from that perpective, it was the center of Manhattan. That's some big ol' Chrysler! Tom Gibson

Longest Chrysler production car? The Chrysler-built '56 Crown Imperial Limousine, on a lengthy 149.5" WB, LOA 242.5". They continued those dimensions thru the Ghia-built '57-'63's (though none for '62), but I don't have data on the '64 & '65; will edit this when I find it. As for Cadillacs, the '76 Fleetwood Limo and Sedan rode on a heroic 151.5" WB, with LOA 252.7". Big American Cars! Tom Gibson

Aaron, Being around when they were new isn't a requirement, by any means. Just appreciating them for what they are is what counts. As a generalist, I tend to like all cars, but prefer either really large or very small ones. Take this '65 Mustang 2+2 that recently surfaced here. It's been in my town since new, a one-owner, original, striking beauty...odd that I'd never seen it before, but it's been stashed away by the lady who bought it, out of sight. If I could, I'd make it mine, though some of more elitist my friends would think I'd gone mad. The interior is as sweet as they come. All told, the car has a lovely 80K mile patina that needs no more than a good detailing. Thanks for the good words, Tom Gibson

It's a snowy night by the fire, brandy and cigars have been passed around; Let the war stories begin. Recently, I spent a day at an important collection to clarify some discrepancies to get the vehicles legal, and just, with the DMV. I'd brought my travelling archive for the job. After a day deciphering and decoding, one of the most egregious errors was with a '39 ----- Convertible Coupe, purchased at a reputable auction that had a 1941 (different make, but fits) engine in it. According to the company, all the cars presented that day were Numbers Matching. In the scheme of things, if these folks can't be relied upon to take the half hour we did just to find that one wrong engine number, in whom can we trust? My friends love the car, but in the sainted words of Mammy in "Gone With The Wind"..."It ain't fittin', it jess ain't fittin'". Why get into this area of interest if you're only looking at dollar signs? Is it worthy to pull the wool over some poor (or rich) schmoe's eyes just so the auction, sale, or raffle can improve your bottom line? I read an excellent letter years ago in "Old Cars Weekly"; an old gent had been at a show where the owner of a '61 Ford Starliner, completely restored to Factory New, was PO'd 'cause he didn't win Best of Show trophy. Yet another 5-foot plastic dust collector, no doubt. Oh, it had all the right numbers, rubber stamp dates, hot and cold blowing kazoos, but I wondered, if it's so bloody factory-correct, where'd he fit the assembly line and body drop to do the job right. Hmmm, River Rouge out on the back 40? To which the wise old man replied..."I DRIVE my trophy; turns heads wherever I go". Words to live by in my playbook. Attached is one of my trophies, and there are only a few. You don't have to like her; she's not for sale. The Roadmistress, my '57 Roadmaster Model 73 Riviera Sedan. In my 15 years of stewardship, she's been all over the eastern half of the U.S., on her bias-ply tires, with her rechromed rear bumper and new, correct interior. Other than the usual (high) maintenance items, the rest is the way she came from the plant in Atlanta, and I wouldn't want her any other way. All 135K miles, and all her little flaws. Time for another log on the fire, Tom Gibson

You realize that the New Yorker version and Imperial 8 are virtually identical, save for interior trim & nameplates? Wheelbase, dimensions, and engines are the same between the Chrysler you seek and the Imperial. Egads, why have a New Yorker when you could do the Imperial?

Greetings DandyDaves, Perhaps this may illustrate the way you'd feel about your 1915 C-36. It's from the 1914 Buick DELCO Instruction Book (I don't have the '15 version, sorry). First, Assume The Position, then follow the instructions CAREFULLY! Always, Tom Gibson

This '33 Pontiac 8 is an example for discussion. Rod or Restore? It was among the many affordable treasures at Charlotte AutoFair this past April, priced at @ $8500. Its condition was way worse than the '35 Buick above, but certainly a candidate for preservation. Dollarwise, you'd need to spend alot to get it done either way. You decide. Remember the Great Crash of '89, when all the chaps who'd sunk their 401K's and kid's college funds into the Old Car Market? Overnight, their $2,000,000 Ferraris were worth 1/4 or 1/5th the auction price paid. I squealed gleefully at the thought that maybe they'd get back to investing in real estate or Kruggerands, and leave the hobby alone. Thank all the village idiots who watch Speedvision in January and see the beautiful, over-restored Classic Gizmos cross the block. Suddenly, every clapped out rust bucket is worth the same as the numbers-matching Red Car that caused such a panic when it was pushed, pulled or chugged up in view in a hail of blue smoke. The Letters of Credit start flying like hats at West Point Graduation Day, all pumped up by poseurs who claim to know what they're doing. Et voila! Everyone's an expert, 'cause they saw it on TV. Some snowy night by the fire, over brandy and cigars, I'll share a few truly horrifying stories. In the meantime, beware that piece of shi...er, junk that's been trailered to the swap meet, freshly exhumed from a pre-Katrina Mississippi Delta burial chamber. You know, the Fixer Upper that Needs a Little TLC, or my personal favorite...Needs Restored. Till then, can you wait for the next big crash to hold off buying that extra rare, dreamy Whizmobile you've always wanted? Tom Gibson

The only important thing we can do now, beside our own pet projects (or peeves), is to instill in the upcoming generations the same kind of love we have for cars, any cars. Whether its a low-mileage original, a Trailer Queen, driver, rod, or a full-blown Classic (as defined by the CCCA). We can't take 'em with us, so aren't we all just caretakers, custodians? My Uncle Bill's (not Fester's) 1924 Dort Sedan might not get the Gold Chain Crowd's adrenaline raging at the Annual BJ Slaughter, but there's still a place for it somewhere. Hopefully, his grandson will enjoy, even treasure it the way I do. Because it's a connection to our shared past. I truly enjoy these Forums as a way to share info, knowledge, collections, you name it. I'll help anyone with a question, even if it conflicts with my own (I'm 49) lifelong experiences and passion for the hobby. Dialog is good...if mine turns into diatribe, feel free to call me on it. You can find me getting this 58K-mile, all-original '49 Roadmaster Sedan ready for its debut in the AACA's HPOF class. Heck, it doesn't even need paint! And when the time comes to let it go, you can rod it, restore it or make a coffee table out of it. But first, you'll have to pry the keys from my cold, dead hands. Happy New Year, Tom Gibson

Brian, What a beauty! There's just something about a true survivor that can't be beat. Thankfully, thru programs like the BCA's Archival, AACA's HPOF & DPC classes, etc., no one can claim that unrestored originals don't have a place in our hobby. Even if it has become big, BIG business. We all have our tales of the One's That Got Away, but there can be no excuse for not using every tool at our disposal, all our networking powers, to save these much-loved cars. The attachment is from the '34 Model 40 Facts Book, printed in April, for the car's intro in May, 1934. It turns my blood cold when I see the dreaded sub-title under an ebay (or other) ad for an all-original car: RAT ROD. Tom Gibson

Greetings, It's a Model 41 Club Sedan. No doubt about it. The dashes on the larger series had two large round gauges, flanked on either side by smaller round gauges. It's neat that this one has the optional clock. What follows is quite sad. Some years ago while visiting friends in Pageland, SC, my buddy and I heard thru the local grapevine of a Big Ol' Buick under a tarp behind a truck driver's house. Following the lead (always!) we went to inspect it. Imagine our astonishment to find a '37 Roadmaster 80C, complete, but needing a total redo, requiring many more $$$$ than I could throw at it. One of 1155 built, it had served its owners for many years overseas in the Diplomatic Corps. The interior panels and bits were in a nearby shed. The fellow had found it in a field while making a run one day, bought it from the proverbial old widow...you know the rest. The Lord told him he couldn't part with the car, even after I'd alerted many more well-heeled folks than myself. Well, I guess the Lord finally told him to let go, and it wound up a few years ago at Charlotte AutoFair, with a new coat of paint, a ghastly Pimp My Ride pleather interior, and a new top that looked to have been cobbled up from a VW Thing. I didn't bother to look for the tell-tale Chevy small block and Mustang II front end. They (one of several Classic Car Dealers that annually lurk about at the show) hadn't even bothered to rechrome the grille! No doubt the Devil made him do it! Still heartbroken, Tom Gibson (I'm quite sure the new owner is very proud of all the 5-foot tall plastic trophies he garners with the car. There's plenty of room for 'em all, especially with the top down! One wonders though, where does he put the mirrors so we can see that Mustang II front end?)

Greetings, I hope it's not too late for your story, but here's what you seek: http://geschiedenis.vpro.nl/artikelen/30443985/ You'll need a translator, as it's all in Dutch, but has loads of links and pix. If you can't find it, do an Explorer search for Spyker Museum, Amsterdam; that's what I did. And for your article, don't forget the Matchbox Series Model of Yesteryear # 16, 1904 Spyker. That's how many American kids of a certain age became familiar with Spykers. Hope it helps, Tom Gibson

Here's the '39 DeSoto hubcap. Bear in mind, the previous post has trim rings, but the car in photo does not. Based on the concentric rings and wide, smooth center disk where DeSoto would be painted in red, I'll still put my money on the '39 DeSoto. For the Franj, I'm sorry for your loss of your dad; my mom passed away after a very brief, unexpected illness a week after last Mother's Day. She was just 73, and we all thought we'd have her for many years to come. At least she didn't have to suffer. Tom Gibson