Dave B.

I'm not much for cross-posting other people's cars, but this LaSalle was just too beautiful not to let the folks on the AACA forum know of the sale: http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1940-lasalle-5267-special-series-52-convertible-coupe/

Very, VERY nice Biscayne!! 348 car? DB

I was selling new Chevys in the early '70s. We received a new Caprice coupe in "Covert Tan" with a darker vinyl top and interior. Our sales manager loved combinations like that, so he ordered the car to be detailed for showroom duty. After the clean-up guys parked it on the showroom, my fellow salesman Dennis and I noticed that it had a big dent in the passenger-side rocker panel, which we immediately reported to the sales manager. Now, this dent had absolutely no scrapes or scratches in it, which led us to believe that the panel was installed WITH the dent and then painted. While I was out to lunch, a customer came in and fell in love with the car. Dennis later told me that, not wanting to lose the sale, he did his entire spiel standing in front of the dent. The customer bought the car and later brought it back when he found the dent. Dennis, being the slick salesman that he was, feigned surprise when the customer showed him the problem but - of course - offered to have it repaired at no charge... Then there was the two-tone Nova coupe that had the Exterior Decor Package (bright window moldings, full-length body side moldings, etc.) on the driver's side but not on the passenger's. The list goes on, but yes, quality control was often spotty at best!

Joe Thanks for the heads-up on this book. It's already in my basket for my next Amazon order! I knew the folks on this forum would have the input I was looking for!! That reminds me of a post I made on a GM forum (not concerning Novas and also not to be named here) a couple of years ago. There was a discussion going on about when a particular change had been made. Having worked in both the parts and new car sales departments of a Chevy dealership back in the day, I knew the answer without having to do any research. When I posted it, I was jumped on by every ‘expert’ on the site! I ended up having to dig through my archives and also those of a good friend to come up with the ‘proof’ that I was correct. Just as in your case, the thread ended without any further posts… I'll also have to say that, while we don't get a lot of high-profile attention, the Nova community has done a very good job of researching the various models and options that were available 'back when'. We're constantly trying to add to our knowledge of what is and isn't 'correct' when it comes to accurate restorations. Dave B.

John (and others reading this topic) Thanks for the reply. I hadn't thought about Consumer Reports since I rarely read that publication. Hind-sight being 20-20, I should have been more specific in my first post. Besides the information in the road tests, what I'm really interested in is photos of the cars as they were on Day One. The idea for my request was born from several discussions on other forums. We were lamenting the lack of photos that show things like cable and hose routing, decal placement and related bits. Survivor cars are few and far between, especially when looking at performance models, which were often modified shortly after purchase. And, you simply can't rely on showroom brochures, as they are usually put together months before the models are released and may not contain the details of items that were changed prior to introduction day. These problems are compounded by 'restorers', however well-intentioned, who rely on memory when replacing parts and decals. While most articles from the early-mid '60s were black and white, there is still a lot of knowledge to be gained from them! I'll keep looking through the stacks magazines at swap-meets, but I'll also continue to hope that I find that magazine collector with a OCD degree in organization! Best regards, Dave B.

The Studebaker is a nice car, but I've never liked the 'all chrome' '55 front end. If I were in your place, the Kaiser would already be in my garage!

Hi all This is a real long-shot, but I thought I'd give it a try. I've owned several 1962-1967 Chevy Novas. I'd like to buy some U.S. magazines that contained Nova road tests from that period. I'm not asking to buy your issues, just for some guidance on what titles/issues to look for. I have a copy of the May, 1966 issue of Car Life (327 c.i. - 350 hp - 4-speed) and the July, 1966 issue of Motor Trend (327 c.i. - 275 hp - Powerglide) but these are the only original road tests I've been able to find. I've done a Google search, but haven't come up with any others. So, if you're looking through your collection and come up with any other examples, I'd really like to hear about them! Best regards, Dave B.

Update: Bud called and wanted me to thank everyone who has responded to this thread. As of today, he has had two offers from readers who have indicated their willingness to drive hundreds of miles to pick up the brochures. He also told me that, if both these two offers don't pan out, he will let me know and I will update the thread again. Dave B.

985 'showroom' brochures packed in 5 plastic tubs. 1952 - 2014, many from the '70s and '80s. Various makes, but a large number are for Chrysler products. The person who has them is moving soon and needs to dispose of them quickly. Brochures must be picked up by new owner. Located in Flatwoods, Kentucky (near Ashland). Owner is not interested in pulling out specific brochures or shipping them. Please don't contact me - I'm just posting this as a favor to him. If interested, call Bud at 606-836-4991

I've always had a soft spot for '41 Oldsmobiles and yours looks to be a really solid barn find! Congratulations!! And, I hope you keep this thread alive with updates on your experiences with Betty. Not of any real help or importance, but I thought you might get a smile out of this photo... It's my late uncle, Glenn Webb, leaning on the fender of his brand new 1941 Olds.

Thanks to all who replied! This ID is turning out to be more difficult than I expected... I've been doing some digging on my own, too. Any chance that it might be a Jackson? Best regards, Dave B.

This photo appeared today in our local newspaper. The photo is of the St. Cloud Fire Station in 'Central City', now a part of western Huntington, WV. The caption says "1905", but I believe it's later than that. Can anyone ID the year/make of the car? Thanks in advance! Dave B.

Just bought a '51 Chevy business coupe. The bumpers are definitely the worst parts on the car - not mangled, just lots of flaking chrome. These are 3-piece bumpers with bumper guards on both front and rear. I'm trying to decide whether to have them re-chromed or to find a decent used set. Also don't know how expensive shipping is for parts of that size/weight... If you have bumpers/guards/parts for sale, shoot me a PM or send me an e-mail at: ra11ydave@yahoo.com (Please note: the third and fourth characters are the number "1", not the letter "L".) Also note: I'm really not interested in the optional 'wings' or 'over-riders' that go out on the corners... Thanks for looking!! Dave B.

As was previously stated, there's more than one way to skin a cat. Several years ago, one of my friends and his family moved into a pricey development. After they'd been there about a year, his kids wanted a dalmatian, so he checked with the zoning board about putting up a fence (the back of his property bordered a very busy 4-lane street). "Sorry, no fences in this area" was the reply. Joe was ticked off that he couldn't get the dog he wanted, so he started reading the development's rules. There were dozens of things that weren't allowed - but - he could have a clothes-line! He searched until he found one of the old six-sided ones that revolve on a central pole and put it dead-center in his front yard. He then had his wife wash some worn out old work clothes and some 'unmentionables' and hang them on the line. He had his fence variance in writing in less than two weeks!

I'm 61 and have 'officially' never bought a new car (long story... some other time and post). I do, however, like for my wife to buy new. She sometimes likes to travel on her own, so I feel better knowing that what she's driving hasn't been abused. I do almost all the service on our cars myself (as I would guess many others on this forum do), so I know exactly what's been done to her cars. She likes small, economical cars and usually keeps them for over 10 years. After two consecutive Honda Civics, we bought a new 2010 Ford Focus. To be fair, there WAS an income tax break involved and we got a great deal on the car itself, so we felt pretty good about the purchase. Both of us really like the Focus. Yes, it's an appliance, but it gets great fuel mileage and is actually quite comfortable on long trips. I've been in and out of the automotive business for years. I'm retired now, but I still work part-time for one of my friends who owns a dealership (yes, where we bought the Focus...). My basic read on new car buyers is that most of them aren't car people. A large percentage of new car buyers don't want to be bothered by maintenance. Dealerships with good service departments send out reminders to customers to bring in their cars for everything from oil changes to windshield wipers and tires. Most new car buyers apparently love this kind of attention. As a group, they seem to be less worried about the cost of the maintenance than the inconvenience of it. Again, savvy dealerships have shuttles to the mall or home, loaner cars and waiting rooms stocked with everything from refreshments to coloring books. It's really quite entertaining to work in a dealership and just take a little time to watch the people!

I think that it's the double-edged sword of ebay and all the media attention our hobby has been getting. Information on scarce parts is now easily available and sellers see price gouging as normal. I still need a few parts to make my '66 Nova SS 'complete'. One of those parts is the carburetor. I see CORES sell on ebay for $1200 - $1500 and complete, rebuilt carbs go for well over $2000. The sellers know that the professional restorers who rebuild these cars for high-rollers will willingly pay their prices rather than spend hours and days searching for the parts. I guess the good side to all of this is that it's attracted a lot of new people to the hobby, which has resulted in the small specialist companies being able to expand their product lines to cover ever more and more 'obscure' cars - and that helps all of us.

Hi maudsley I don't have one, but I know someone who might. Send a message to Bruce Bugay at bwbugay@aol.com Bruce has a TON of old Chevy engine parts. Good luck! Dave B.

First, let me say that I hope this isn't out-of-bounds for the forum. I'm writing an e-mail that I'm planning to send out to my friends and also submit as an article to our club newsletter. On Thursday night, Barrett-Jackson auctioned a Dodge Sprint Cup car for charity. It was donated by a man named Don Damon, who had purchased it at last year's Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas (to help the same charity). It sold Thursday for $150,000.00, which benefited the Paralyzed Veterans of America. The man who bought it immediately donated it back and said "Sell it again". The auctioneer started the bidding again and raised another $95,000.00. I was able to get all the names EXCEPT the name of the man who donated it back. That's the last detail needed to complete my story... The background noise kept me from getting his name. It sounded like one of the announcers called him 'Wayne', but another may have said 'Frank'. The last name sounded like 'Mausey' or 'Rowsey'. The man is from the Midland, Texas area. Edit: Just a bit more info... This man is big - both tall & broad and has short gray/blond hair. He's usually wearing a Hawaiian-type shirt. So... thanks in advance if anyone can help me with this!!

I'm pretty sure someone in the enthusiast media dreamed up the term. I can remember seeing it in print in the mid-'60s. If the weather were a bit warmer, I'd go down to the garage and dig through some old magazines. The term 'muscle car' has suffered the same slings and arrows as 'classic' - it's mis-used more often than not. Back in the '60s, the definition was really tight: a mid-size car (GTO, Fairlane GT, Roadrunner, etc.) with a performance drive-line. Camaros, Barracudas, etc. were 'pony cars' and performance Novas and Darts were either 'mini-muscle cars' or 'junior muscle cars'. Corvettes and AMXs were 'sports cars' because of their 2-seat arrangement. Not too long ago, I saw a 6-cylinder automatic '70s Mustang listed on Craigslist as a 'true muscle car'... go figure!

Needed for engineering study. Model not important. Must be complete, but does not have to be in operating condition. Please state price in reply and attach photo(s) if possible. Reply to: ra11ydave@yahoo.com Thanks for looking! Dave B.

Another link with photos: $30 million Bugatti car on display in California - NewsTimes

Thanks for the replies, folks. Also looks like Pierce made a six at least as early as 1908. Having this list of makes both narrows the scope of my search, and also gives me new areas to look into (I would have never guessed that Ford made a production six that early!) Thanks again for the help!! Dave B.

As you can see from my post count, I'm a lurker! However, I've got a question that I've been trying to research on the Web without much luck. What 6-cylinder cars were available before 1908-1909? I'm primarily interested in U.S. built vehicles, but if any of the foreign makes were building 'production' sixes back then, I wouldn't mind knowing about those, too. The only one I've come up with is Marmon, and those were apparently V-6s, but I haven't found any hard data on when the earliest ones were produced. Sorry that this is such a pie-in-the-sky question, but it's really been bugging me! Thanks in advance! Dave B.

Looks like a great start for a restoration. Having almost all of the parts in place is very important! Even if you can't use a particular part, you DO know exactly what you're looking for. I especially like the vintage fan for the driver!! Dave B.

Thanks for the responses! I was afraid that there wouldn't be enough detail in the photo for a positive ID. I was hoping that the shape of the cowl might be a tell-tale factor, but it must not be. The Marion Bobcat lead is very promising. I'd never seen a reference to that car before. I'm also going to contact his two daughters in the hope that one of them may have some old photos, but I'm really not expecting to get much from either of them... Best regards, Dave B. Southern Ohio