Schenectady fire company circa 1957

[JohnD1956]

This photo was printed in todays paper. This was back in the good old days for Schenectady when GE maintained a workforce of several 10's of thousands of workers. Now they only have about 3K here but it seems they are reinventing the place lately. Anyway, on to the photo ( I wonder what model it is?):

[Centurion]

Wow, the chief got a Roadmaster!

I say Roadmaster, because it's clearly a large-body car -- either Super or Roadmaster with the reverse-slant C-pillar, and I believe that the Super used a fully-chromed headlamp bezel, whereas only a portion of the Roadmaster bezel was chromed.

Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

[Dandy Dave]

Doesn't 4 ports on the side tell you it is a Road Master? I thought someone told me a while back the other smaller models only had 3 ports. The grill looks like a 1957.

Gee JD, You better go and take a look behind the Fire House. Maybe it is still sitting there??? Dandy Dave!

[Dandy Dave]

On second thought.....looking though The Standard Catalog of Buick I would say that it is a model 66R which is a 1957 Century Riviera two door hard top which was Buicks performace star in the line up. I say this because the Road Master for that year would have had some extra trim showing above the sweepspear just behind the drivers door which is not shown in the photo. Also, what else would the chief want other than a performance star??? Dandy Dave!

[jscheib]

It looks like in the mid-50's they no longer had fender mounted sirens, either. But we cannot fully see the driver's side.

John

[JohnD1956]

The article talks about how the chief was showing off his "new" two way radio. That building in the background is still there today. And I think that pothole in the foreground is still there today too.

[JohnD1956]

I think Brian got it right, it's a Roadmaster. Most likely a 4 dr based on the forward leaning C pillar. The headlight shrouds would be painted on a Roadmaster and chrome on all other models, according to the pictures shown in the standard catalog of Buicks Nice catch Brian.

[Guest bkazmer]

Erie Blvd, I think - near a factory of a (brief) car maker - Alco.

[JohnD1956]

That building is at the corner of Erie Blvd and State St I believe. That's about a mile away from the Alco plant. But the Alco plant here built train locomotives. Between them and GE the City took the motto " The City that lights and moved the world". Prety brazen stuff for a place that can now only boast the City with the largest tax bill per capita on the planet.

[Guest imported_Thriller]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1DandyDaves</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Doesn't 4 ports on the side tell you it is a Road Master? I thought someone told me a while back the other smaller models only had 3 ports.

</div></div>

Dave,

That varied a bit by year. The Special always had 3 Ventiports and the Roadmaster always had 4. The Super and Century (in the years offered) varied as to whether they had three or four. For 1957, the Special was the only one with 3. Before 1955, the RM was the only one with 4. From '55 to '57, only the Special had 3.

I think I got that straight....

[Dandy Dave]

I guess you are right, it does appear to be a four door car and it does have painted Head light shrouds. I stand to be corrected. I'm no expert on the Fifties Buicks, but thanks to you folks, I'm learning. Dandy Dave!

[Dandy Dave]

Thriller, Looking though The Standard Catalog of Buick, I see that you are right about the Ventiports changing for different years in the mid to late 50's. Dandy Dave!