Flagship Four-Doors...a thread of their own!

[TG57Roadmaster]

Those beleagured sedans, be they hardtops or posts, oft-overlooked by J.Q. Public because

they have two extra doors. I've actually seen folks scurrying away from the Roadmistress

at shows muttering, "It's a FOUR-door," as if she were covered with contaminant

bubonic plague spores. But those types of remarks are waning, as many embrace variety.

Often, but not always, our sedans handily outsold every other body style, but get short shrift

in today's ra-ra 2-door hardtop & convertible market. But that's fine with me, as we sedan

owners fit friends more comfortably and may be driving rarer cars. This is by no means a rationale,

but the initial cost is usually less, too. Yes, resto/maintnence costs are the same, and 2-doors

and 'verts are worth more, but not everyone's in this strictly for the money.

(Station Wagons deserve their own thread).

Larger

I'll launch this thread with a pic of the Roadmistress doing ambassadorial duty at the Spring 2009

Charlotte AutoFair. A father and his two teenage sons got to the show late Sunday afternoon,

and most everything was gone or going. They were looking pretty dejected when I offered to

let the dad drive over to Smith Tower for a photo-op. Suddenly their day improved,

and all their grins were ear-to-ear.

Let's tip our hats and celebrate all our fleet-leading four-door flagships!

I've shown you mine...

TG

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

OKAY, TG, way to go.

Here is mine. And proud of the old Boy. He hauled his Mistress around for almost twenty years, and then her son for a couple until parked in 1971. I aquirred him in 2008, refurbished, and drove to Ames in 2010.

Enjoy

Ben

[RonHeberle]

TG, well said. I recognized your background right away, been there for many Nascar racers. I do not have a four door just wanted to let you know, you have a very nice ride.

[rocketraider]

The only complaint I have with four doors is that rear doors that don't get used often will sometimes stick shut and require "persuasion" to get them open again. I've owned two four-door hardtops that did this.

Me Regency is a top-line four-door hardtop- "Holiday Sedan" in Olds-speak. It has the distinction of being:

1)#1868 off the 1976 Ninety Eight production line with a 9B build date- the earliest built one still registered known to OCA.

2) the last true four-door hardtop

3) the last really big full-size Oldsmobile

4) the last year of the 455

Other than the obvious prejudices of the ignorant masses who equate them with "family car" transportation, what is not to love about a four-door hardtop? They're stylish, were usually the top-ranked car in the sales hierarchy behind the convertible, and properly equipped had equal performance to the 2-door or convertible.

I've actually seen folks scurrying away from the Roadmistress at shows muttering, "It's a FOUR-door,"

Tommy, you're nicer than I am. My response would have been "And your point is?" with one of my patented you-are-the-dumbest-sob-I've-ever-met looks.

It's like the cruise night Chevy cretin who told me I should convert my Toronado to rear-wheel drive with big-block Chevy power like Jay Leno's. When I left autographs and a smoke show leaving that night, I circled back around and asked him if he still thought it needed BBC/RWD. He wouldn't even look at me, much less answer.

[Rusty_OToole]

The younger generations don't seem to have any prejudice against 4 door cars. This may be because the 2 door hardtops and coupes more or less died with the end of the muscle car era or at least became irrelevant.

Those under 40 seem to go for a cool old car regardless of body style.

[RPrice]

I have no problem with 4 door cars. In fact, some 4 door cars seem to have better proportions than their 2 door brothers.

I've advised many people, who wish to enter the antique car hobby, to look at 4 door cars because their acquisition cost is less. Very often, people are put off by the high prices of the hardtops and convertibles.

Rog:)

[joe_padavano]

Let's tip our hats and celebrate all our fleet-leading four-door flagships!

I've shown you mine...

TG

Well, your Buick and it's Oldsmobile sister were probably the best-looking more-doors ever built. Most were not so esthetically pleasing. Here's one: :eek:

[TexRiv_63]

I love four - doors as you can see. Unfortunately many really nice ones have given their lives for the restoration of the flashier double doors. In the case of prewar cars many 4-doors actually BECAME two doors through body swaps. That's why there are more Duesenberg and Packard convertible coupes today than were ever built!

[Guest CarAdMan]

My father's '53, my job was to scrub the wide whites weekly. He was forever sorry that he traded it in for a new '59 Ford Country Squire wagon. - RICK

[FLYER15015]

Count me in too ! Four doors rule, and the bigger the better.

Mike in colorado

AACA/BCA

[Harold]

My parents rented a '68 LeMans SportSedan for a month in 1969 after our '65 Dodge was stolen, and I fell in love with it immediately. I think the '68-'72 mid-size GM 4-door hardtops had excellent styling, and would buy one in a heartbeat if the right deal came along. I'd probably end up sleeping in it since my wife doesn't want me to get any more cars!

Harold

[PONTIAC1953]

hi, i have had a few four door hardtop flagships, my first was a 1957 olds ninety eight four door holiday, fully loaded with the J2 engine, then a 1958 buick roadmaster four door riviera hardtop, a 1966 pontiac bonneville safari stationwagon, a 1969 electra 225 four door hardtop, a 1971 electra limited four door hardtop, a 1972 electra 225 four doot hardtop, a 1976 cadillac sedan deville four door hardtop, and now a 2000 buick park ave ultra. charles coker, 1953 pontiac tech advisor.

[john2dameron]

I don't see anything wrong with the 4-doors. Lots of cars were definitely designed to be 4-door cars (Series 75 Cadillacs, '51-'54 Kaisers, '60's Lincolns, etc.) while some others such as '49-50 Fords and'53 Studebakers are at their best with 2-doors. I just wish more station wagons, especially the woodies, would show up at car shows.

[30 Hupp]

Nothing wrong with a nice four door hardtop!

Love your Buick, TG!!

[Guest billybird]

I have no problem whatsoever with four door vehicles. Even though both of my AACA vehicles are two door, I never "look down" on four doors and treat them with the same respect as I do any two door. This hobby is about having a vehicle you WANT, not what somebody thinks you should have. While I'm into single seat coupes myself; the only car I wish I had back was a four door 1954 Dodge Coronet. I had this car in 1975 with only 37,000 original miles on the odometer. I've kicked myself too many times to mention over the years that I ever got rid of it.

[Guest bofusmosby]

I kinda like the 4-doors.

[Marty Roth]

As a to-be-married adult, my first "BRAND-NEW" car purchase was a 1969 Pontiac Custom "S". I went to Mrozek Pontiac in Linden, NJ to special-order the 4-door Sedan in Mayfair Maize with black vinyl interior, F-41 Suspension Package, PONTIAC (not-chevy) 350ci V-8 with a healthy 4-bbl carb & dual exhausts and "400"Turbo-Hydromatic instead of the poncho-version of the powerglide 2-spd auto. Extra foam padding was specified for the front seat. Full wheel covers adorned the bias- 2-ply blackwall tires, because they would very shortly be replaced by Michelin steel-belted Whitewall Radials, including the full-sized spare tire.

That rascle would really handle - I had driven SCCA competition for years, but the "Poncho" would run circles around the TR-3, Alfa, Jag, and other Euro-wanna-bees that I had campaigned, even in 4-door attire.

I had considered the GTO Convertible, but getting married and moving to New Orleans, with weekends to be spent at Grand Isle, LA Shrimping, swimming, waterskiing, and fishing in the Gulf of Mexico with my bride and her folks. At times the healthy 4-door "GTO in a plain yellow wrapper" would be called upon to pull the 22 ft. SternCraft Inboard/Outdrive back and forth the 250 mile round-trip to New Orleans. Other times the whole bunch of us would all pile in for a pleasant high-speed run to Cajun Country for a not-so-light bite at a favorite eatery -- after all this is Louisiana, and our 10 seasons are Christmas, Mardi Gras, Crawfish, Brown Shrimp, White Shrimp, Tourist, Redfish, Hurricane, Saints Football, Tulane/LSU, and back all over again.

the poncho gave 437,000 faithful miles before I donated it to the kid who worked at a gas station - big mistake - Several years later I got a phone call from the police in Panama City Beach, Florida. it had been in their impound for over 2 years, having been discovered on a desolate back road, drivers door open, and still running. After proving that I had sold it (my copy of the Bill of Sale) they dismissed the $2,000 storage bill and said I could have it back since it was still registered in my name (Don't trust your buyer to go to DMV), and just pay the $25 towing Bill. My wife threatened to divorce me if I trailered it back - every panel bore signs of abuse - I donated it to one of the cops there since he needed the engine and tranny.

Years later we started old-car touring with our 1958 Bel-air, 1962 Rambler "Classic 400", and 1952 Kaiser Manhattan -- all 4-door Sedans -- all great cross-country tourers to take the family to the national Parks and the Founders Tours.

Edited February 3, 2011 by Marty Roth
spelling (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

I'd take a slantback "buttless Cutlass" over a whole lot of new cars, styling-wise. I thought they were toady when new, but looking back at least they had some identity. You knew what you were looking at, even if it did hurt yer eyes.

Sure seems like most of them were that Medium Camel Metallic color. Would that you could get colors like that now. I'm beginning to believe Ford painted later Grand Marquis only silver or white.

[Guest AlK]

I have all 3 version:

a 1962 Dodge Dart 4 dr sedan(post)

a 1956 Dodge Custom Royal lancer 4 dr Hardtop(no post)

2 1955 Packard Patricians 4 Dr Sedans - these are like driving your living room.

a 1956 Packard Clipper 2 dr

a 1965 Dodge Dart GT Convertible

I love them all and each has a place.

Those people that think 4 doors should automatically be cut up to salvage a 2dr or a vert are complete wastes of skin

[W_Higgins]

If you're a graduate of the school of "buy low, sell nothing" they are an excellent value. I like seeing them at shows if only because so many of the great unwashed out looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon leave with the impression that the majority of cars from past decades were convertibles and 2-doors:

[keiser31]

Here is my original 1936 Dodge Brothers "flagship" touring sedan with dual sidemounts. I used to own it while in high school. I loved every minute of it! Oh yeah....it cost my dad and I $450.00 in 1969.

Edited February 4, 2011 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Guest bofusmosby]

I just love those dual sidemounts. My next car will have them for sure!

[rocketraider]

Good googley moogley, is that trailer and truck rated to haul them Linken?!:eek:

[W_Higgins]

Good googley moogley, is that trailer and truck rated to haul them Linken?!:eek:

Absolutely. One-ton dually Chevy truck with a Holmes 440 wrecker bed -- trailer has 8-lug 16" Chevy truck wheels. The trailer itself has several thousand loaded miles of trouble free Lincoln hauling to its credit.

[sambarn]

I spent the majority of my weekends as a kid in the front seat of our 34 Chevy Master Sedan, Mom and little brother in the back. Still have the car and added a 73 Cadillac Fleetwood, 1911 Hudson torpedo touring ( technically a three door), Marmon Sixteen 5 passenger to the mix and the hardest part when taking out friends and family is deciding which one to take.

[Guest CarAdMan]

Like the pop song "Love Shack" - " I got me a Chrysler - and it's big as a whale... ' -