'39 Fisher - Holden

[danhar1960]

Fellow '39ers,

Holden bodied '39 Special and Century 4 door sedans came with these rear seat foot rests and I was wondering if Fisher bodies had the same thing. They fitted up against the rise in the floor where the seat sits.

Danny

[39BuickEight]

mine has a foot rest that attaches to the front seat, and it's sharp! I almost cut my hand every time I move it around:

here is it covered in the orginal carpet still, you can kinda see it there, I don't have a good pic of it:

[Guest Grant Magrath]

The 38 sedan (NZ assembled Fisher body) has one molded into the floor under the front seat.

Cheers

Grant

[Terry Stock]

So far as I am aware NZ assembled Fisher bodied '39 Specials did not have such a thing - just the fitting that is on the front seat like in 39BuickEight's picture.

The NZ Specials did have some extra features that were not on the US Specials, but not those fancy footrests.

[danhar1960]

The NZ Specials did have some extra features that were not on the US Specials, but not those fancy footrests.

We are a fancy lot over here Terry so I guess we needed fancy footrests to suit. :)

There was a lot of differences between the Fisher and Holden bodies and it seems that this is just yet another.

Danny

(Come on Terry, join the '39 Buick team member mob ))

[1939_Buick]

mine has a foot rest that attaches to the front seat, and it's sharp! I almost cut my hand every time I move it around:

here is it covered in the orginal carpet still, you can kinda see it there, I don't have a good pic of it:

My 39's with Fisher body in NZ have those foot rests

We are a fancy lot over here Terry so I guess we needed fancy footrests to suit. :)

There was a lot of differences between the Fisher and Holden bodies and it seems that this is just yet another.

Nahh. NZ 39's are more fancy: We have chrome around the windows on series 40 (only series 60 in USA have those!)

Front sheet metal to the cowl is the same. The Holden body is completely different ! Nothing is the same apart from boot/trunk & rear fenders/guards.

Edited August 16, 2011 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[1939_Buick]

Come on Terry, join the '39 Buick team member mob

You can edit the text under your name

I have put mine to be the same as Danny's

" '39 Buick Team Member "

Go User CP, edit your details, Custom User Title

[Guest Grant Magrath]

I forgot the apostrophe before the 39. Doh!

Cheers

Grant

[Terry Stock]

NZ '39 Fisher body Specials: add the centre arm rest (rear seat); and Century style rear shocks; and the rear window blind (ours is missing). Think that's all.

[39BuickEight]

NZ '39 Fisher body Specials: add the centre arm rest (rear seat); and Century style rear shocks; and the rear window blind (ours is missing). Think that's all.

yeah, mine did not have any of those

[Guest Grant Magrath]

My old 39 Chevy Master 85 had Master Deluxe rear shocks instead of single acting ones. And all NZ Master 85s seem to be the same. Seems NZ GM products were flashed up a bit. Then as early as 1935, Plymouths were being rebadged as Chryslers here.

Cheers

Grant

[nzcarnerd]

I have never owned or driven a '39 and this may not be the right thread to mention this, but I remember when the Buick centenary get-together was held in Timaru in 2003 that there were enough '39s there to find that there were minor differences between what I presume were late and early series cars. Differences in numbering on the speedo, the number of lines on the wiper mounts and the number of teeth in the grille. Has anyone documented this? Does it apply to big series cars as well? I recall reading in the big Buick history book that the early '39s had a short chassis with no overhang at the rear which caused problems when the car received a minor shunt at the rear. The lack of chassis support caused the body to droop. I don't know whether any of these found their way to NZ. I guess it is possible because in order to have cars here early enough for local assembly they would have to be early production chassis.

The most obvious difference between a '39 Holden and Fisher bodies to the uninitiated is the rear window. Yes they were a completely different body - much like my '34 Holden is compared with the contemporary Fisher.

Regarding the original purpose of this thread, I think that some are misinterpreting the footrests on the Fisher cars which I think were just a dent or hollow in the back of the front seat, not a separate footrest.

Edited August 16, 2011 by nzcarnerd (see edit history)

[nzcarnerd]

Grant, that whole Chrysler badge engineering thing started, from an export point of view, with the Dodge DM of 1932 which was a Plymouth PB with some Dodge panels. There is, or was, one of these here in Chch - a very rare car. Chrysler started parts sharing before that. The Plymouth and Desoto of 1928-29 were essentially the same car, with different engines, and a few months later came the Chrysler CJ and the Dodge DD which used many of the same parts. Of course the four cylinder Plymouth engine of 1928-32 can trace its ancestry back to the Maxwell of the mid teens.

Export Chryslers are a big can of worms - short and long blocks, production in several different countries, variations for different markets - there are hardly two cars the same.

[danhar1960]

The most obvious difference between a '39 Holden and Fisher bodies to the uninitiated is the rear window. Yes they were a completely different body - much like my '34 Holden is compared with the contemporary Fisher.

Regarding the original purpose of this thread, I think that some are misinterpreting the footrests on the Fisher cars which I think were just a dent or hollow in the back of the front seat, not a separate footrest.

Another external obvious difference is that the door handles are completely different and in line with the s/s belt trim and not below it. The belt trim itself is also different. The entire boot area of the Holden is far rounder than the Fisher body, much like that of the later model Super as previously discussed. The bumpers are different as are the wiper towers, rear quarter windows, door locks. I may be a little bias but I think the Holden body has nicer lines. :)

I think your observation re the footrests may be correct.

Danny

[nzcarnerd]

There was a '39 Holden Buick here in Christchurch many years ago - may still be here but I am not sure. I always thought it looked odd but that is only my opinion.

[danhar1960]

To each his own I guess. There's a good rear end comparison shot here.

Holden Body Vs Fisher Body

Some say the six wheel equipment makes the car, personally I'd say NA! '39s with 6 wheel equipment just doesn't look right on them. Again I'd say to each his own.

Danny

[Guest Grant Magrath]

I have never owned or driven a '39 and this may not be the right thread to mention this, but I remember when the Buick centenary get-together was held in Timaru in 2003 that there were enough '39s there to find that there were minor differences between what I presume were late and early series cars. Differences in numbering on the speedo, the number of lines on the wiper mounts and the number of teeth in the grille. Has anyone documented this? Does it apply to big series cars as well? I recall reading in the big Buick history book that the early '39s had a short chassis with no overhang at the rear which caused problems when the car received a minor shunt at the rear. The lack of chassis support caused the body to droop. I don't know whether any of these found their way to NZ. I guess it is possible because in order to have cars here early enough for local assembly they would have to be early production chassis.

The most obvious difference between a '39 Holden and Fisher bodies to the uninitiated is the rear window. Yes they were a completely different body - much like my '34 Holden is compared with the contemporary Fisher.

Regarding the original purpose of this thread, I think that some are misinterpreting the footrests on the Fisher cars which I think were just a dent or hollow in the back of the front seat, not a separate footrest.

Hi NZ!

Yep, those model changes are very well documented and discussed.

Ross Woodbury's nice 39 sedan sold new from Blackwell Motors here in Christchurch still has brackets that were supposed to be removed by the dealer for securing it to a railway wagon. Imagine what they'd bring on eBay!

As for the bump on the floor of the Fisher bodied late 30's cars, it's hard to see them as anything other than footrests. The 1935 Chrysler (Plymouth) sedan we had, had accessory footrests on the rear floor. We should have nabbed them for the Dodge before we sold it!

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Grant, that whole Chrysler badge engineering thing started, from an export point of view, with the Dodge DM of 1932 which was a Plymouth PB with some Dodge panels. There is, or was, one of these here in Chch - a very rare car. Chrysler started parts sharing before that. The Plymouth and Desoto of 1928-29 were essentially the same car, with different engines, and a few months later came the Chrysler CJ and the Dodge DD which used many of the same parts. Of course the four cylinder Plymouth engine of 1928-32 can trace its ancestry back to the Maxwell of the mid teens.

Export Chryslers are a big can of worms - short and long blocks, production in several different countries, variations for different markets - there are hardly two cars the same.

I see.

Some sort of consistancy came from 1935 when Todd Motors (I think!) started assembling them locally. If you want to have some fun, try telling an old gent that their beloved Chrysler is actually a Plymouth!:eek:

Cheers

Grant

[Guest Mike Hanning]

There is / was a '39 Holden-Buick in a shed in Papanui, Christchurch.

Mike NZ

[nzcarnerd]

There is / was a '39 Holden-Buick in a shed in Papanui, Christchurch.

Mike NZ

Yes, that is the one I was thinking of - a light brown colour I think. The owner wrote an article about it in the local classic car club magazine (can't remember exactly which mag and when - or maybe it was the Buick club?), back in the 1970s I think. He was somewhat misguided and was of the opinion that it was a 100mph car. I always thought it unlikely that a series 40 straight eight would be able to exceed 5000rpm, which it would need to do to achieve the ton on standard gearing.

[Guest Grant Magrath]

As much as it pains me to say anything positive about the Aussies (ha ha!), I must say that Holden had it over Fisher when it came to styling and features. Hidden door hinges, putting door handles in the molded belt line, and fastback styling. I still love Fisher bodied cars though!

As an aside, there's a thread in the Corvette Forum, C5's For Sale section, where a guy wants to know whether he should go with a C5 or a GTO. Seems that GTO's (new ones) have quite a following! Although someone suggested that parts may be hard to come by. I had to laugh, because as anyone south of the equator knows, they're more or less a Holden Monaro with less trunk space! And I don't think there'll be a shortage of Commodore parts for the foreseeable future!

Cheers

Grant

[danhar1960]

I remember doing some prototype parts for the Monaro when it was reintroduced back when. I think I've still got the patterns for the brake callipers, diff cover and brake censor brackets around some where.

Danny

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Now that's cool Danny! I worked with a guy who MC'd the launch of the Monaro at the local dealer. He wasn't into cars, so he gave the 1/18 scale Biante model Monaro that he was presented with to me. Not as cool as your stuff though! Dad had an HX Monaro when I was at high school. Got stolen in 1988 and never seen again!

I'm hoping to be over your way in the new year, all going well. I promised my daughter if she did well at school this year, we'd go to Sydney for a weekend. So far, so good! Now if you could just drop the value of your dollar..........

Cheers

Grant

[danhar1960]

Now if you could just drop the value of your dollar..........

Cheers

Grant

Not until I've finished buying all the stuff I want from the US. :)

Danny