Jerry43 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 39 Roadmaster, true survivor. No rust or rot. Runs great. New brakes, clutch, seat covers, good tires, all original. Daily driver. Needs nothing to drive home. Must sell due to serious health conditions. 15,000. Call 518-683-0626, or 518-863-6285 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrts Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Looking good. Too bad about the reason to sell. Best of luck for you and the Buick. Regards, Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Wish I was in a position to do something, but age and health is a concern here too. I have my '39 Special 4-door convertible for sale with a dealer as we speak. I'm getting down to three cars and hope I don't have to sell anymore for a while. Good luck with your health . All of us who love these pre-war Buicks seem to be facing these same issues. I try not to look at old Buicks on line, but can't help myself. Pulling for your speedy recovery. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 10 hours ago, Jerry43 said: Daily driver. Needs nothing to drive home. Jerry, this is your EVERYDAY car, your daily driver? That's quite amazing. If that's so, your experiences should be written about in a national magazine, such as The Buick Bugle. How long has this been your daily driver? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kings32 Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 John that would be a great car for you Kings32 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 Thanks guys for all you encouragement but , everyday counts now. Hey Earl, haven’t talked to you since the radio knobs. John S, I’ve used this car just about every day since I bought it about 5 years ago. No reason not to, was somebody’s everyday car 80 years ago. I can remember going to California with my dad several time back then in all his old Buick’s. I’ve made this old girl a little more reliable with electronic ignition and 12 volts, but still the same drive train. Here’s my Father with an Olds we also had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxgvd Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 It would be interesting to me to hear how many hours or days this running, driving, pre war Buick Roadmaster takes to find a new home. Seems as if the car is reasonable priced in a very populated and could I say antique car crazy part of the US. Please post when you sell your car. Best of luck, stay well, Gary Van Dyken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 Thanks Gary, I’ll try to remember to let you know. I originally thought about 20 would be reasonable, but Earl thought about 18. Needs to go ,so 15 should be good. I live sort of near you in upstate NY in the Adirondack park. Lots of car hidden away like this one was when I found it. Only a few hundred people in the town where I live. If I parked it in the drive, maybe 5 people a day go by. I love the pre war cars. More metal in front fender than in my whole new truck.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 (edited) Good morning, Jerry. As yet another old guy with full-time health problems, selling cars, I feel anguish reading your situation. I really wish I could help you in some way. Perhaps this suggestion may be of some value : I have noticed several times, that there are a number of hard core Buick guys who seldom or never stray from the Buick section of the forum. I think it would be a good idea to post in the Buy/Sell section down there also. As you know better than I, your big Buick is a very fine car at a more than fair price. If I lived near you, I would be able to help you in some small ways, as I am still able to get out for a little while most days. Super fortunate that I am still able to drive my '20s Cadillacs occasionally ! I plan and hope to be able to do so for a while more. I feel phenomenally lucky to have reached old age. So many of our dear friends never had the pleasure. Grateful that I am old in the internet era with so much contact, - Carl, 206-790-6912 Courage, Jerry. Edited March 20, 2019 by C Carl Spelling (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 Thanks Carl, might try that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 Just like this : 😎 in Seattle today ! - CC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted March 18, 2019 Share Posted March 18, 2019 great car, Jerry. Was this in the Northville July 4th parade? Peter S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 18, 2019 Author Share Posted March 18, 2019 No, but that’s funny because I was standing there near where the old Stewart’s was, watching my friends, Andy Witt, and Tom Black going by in their cars, and they yelled for me to go home and get the 39. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 Quote Always great cars in that parade, but yours would have held its own. Did you ever have it to the shows Larry Cramer used to have at the Red Barn in Northville or the ediinburgh Small Engine -affiliated show? I'm terrible with names and faces.Peter s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 (edited) Jerry: The radio knobs were really great and I'll always remember that you sent them to me. I found a guy in Sarasota, FL who can change the old radio guts out and make you a 12-volt radio that is still original to the dash and at the same time attach a plug to the outside so you can run a GPS (if you haven't converted everything to 12v). I could not get my '39 Buicks to run, when hot, with the electronic ignition insert when the engine got hot and I had to go back to points & condenser. The '39s were found to run too hot in the hot weather and the module would break down. Finally, I have to ask you...............with gas back up to $2.559 to $2.599 now down here in Florida how could you afford to run the car every day? Also, we only have ethanol here in Florida except in rare places and my '39 Buicks vapor lock when the outside temperature gets over 85, which is often. So, I drive 8 miles to the only gas station in the county that has regular gas. His place is for sale and his gas was $3.799 the last time I bought some there. 10 mi per gallon would kill me on my retirement pension. Lastly, your '39 Buick Series 81 Roadmaster is a Full Classic in the CCCA now and that should make it more desirable. I'm selling back because I'm 80 and I don't want to leave my wife and/or daughters with these old cars to get rid of. If your interior is nice, $15K is a better than fair price for the car. Could you jump right in that old Buick and drive 600 miles each way to an AACA National Tour? In that case, yes, it would be an every day car except for lack of A/C. I keep getting things cut off my left arm from driving those old non-A/C cars back in my younger days. Good luck to you Jerry..........................Earl Edited March 19, 2019 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 Good to hear from you Earl. Yea it does suck gas. Even a little more now that I put that larger carb. Does run much better and a lot more power. All my improvements make it a lot more reliable. Never have a heating problem. Put in a new radiator, a aluminum flex fan, and in front of the radiator an electric fan for sitting in traffic on hot days. Carry enough fuel , installed an aluminum fuel cell, because no one seems to make a replacement gas tank. Been watching the discussions and all 39 ers are looking for one. You mentioned the interior, all still original, even the headliner, like new. Seats had some holes, now covers. Yea, she’ll go easy from my house in NY to anywhere I want. I’m on Hilton Head all Jan,Feb,andMar. Almost tempted to drive it down, but wife didn’t want to drive my truck alone. Gas here was 1.94 last week. Don’t worry about money, it’s just pictures of dead presidents. Take care of yourself. Life sucks, then you die. (joke) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 19, 2019 Author Share Posted March 19, 2019 Hey Peter, no . I just love to drive the old ones. Not much for shows. No matter how nice I make things , I never think they are good enough for people to want to see. I always entered in Dave’s Bone Yard show at Fullers. Always put my 50 Ford pu in and all the 55 Chevys I’ve had while living at the lake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgreen Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 I see my future in here somewhere... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 22 hours ago, Jerry43 said: Good to hear from you Earl. Yea it does suck gas. Even a little more now that I put that larger carb. Does run much better and a lot more power. All my improvements make it a lot more reliable. Never have a heating problem. Put in a new radiator, a aluminum flex fan, and in front of the radiator an electric fan for sitting in traffic on hot days. Carry enough fuel , installed an aluminum fuel cell, because no one seems to make a replacement gas tank. Been watching the discussions and all 39 ers are looking for one. You mentioned the interior, all still original, even the headliner, like new. Seats had some holes, now covers. Yea, she’ll go easy from my house in NY to anywhere I want. I’m on Hilton Head all Jan,Feb,andMar. Almost tempted to drive it down, but wife didn’t want to drive my truck alone. Gas here was 1.94 last week. Don’t worry about money, it’s just pictures of dead presidents. Take care of yourself. Life sucks, then you die. (joke) Jerry: What, exactly, is a fuel cell? Where does it go in/on the car? Finally, bet you have an electric fuel pump on that car for running in the summer. $1.94 per gallon for gas? Wow! $2.58 here....no income tax, but they get us on home/car insurance cost and gas. Drive it down to Hilton Head next year and we'll meet up there if we're both living then, haha. What did you ever do with your dual carb manifold? Ever figure out if it was for the 248 or 320 engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 Earl, I’ve used fuel cells on several cars I couldn’t get original tanks for. They’re aluminum or plastic foam filled gas tanks. Prevent sloshing or explosion in the event of a crash. I put an aluminum 20 gal in the Buick. Started underneath then got lazy and mounted in the trunk to the side so I could keep the spare tire where it goes. I don’t have an electric pump, wanted to keep original for the vacuum part for my wipers. Gas this week jumped to 2.19 due to the influx of tourists and college kids. I did sell the dual carb manifold to a member on the forum, it was for the 320. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Jerry43 said: Earl, I’ve used fuel cells on several cars I couldn’t get original tanks for. They’re aluminum or plastic foam filled gas tanks. Prevent sloshing or explosion in the event of a crash. I put an aluminum 20 gal in the Buick. Started underneath then got lazy and mounted in the trunk to the side so I could keep the spare tire where it goes. I don’t have an electric pump, wanted to keep original for the vacuum part for my wipers. Gas this week jumped to 2.19 due to the influx of tourists and college kids. I did sell the dual carb manifold to a member on the forum, it was for the 320. Jerry, It must not get very hot up there. My electric fuel pumps are on a switch so I can turn them on when the vapor lock happens. Never vapor locks on real gas even if it's 100 outside though. Vapor locks on ethanol somewhere between 85 and 90. Maybe the height above sea level here has something to do it, but it's only on ethanol. I hate ethanol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted March 20, 2019 Share Posted March 20, 2019 I expect the fact the tank is sitting higher in Jerry's car helps. Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 20, 2019 Author Share Posted March 20, 2019 I have to confess ,Earl, our stations upstate sell non ethanol 91 octane. That’s all I use in the Buick and my boats and jet skis. I should send you some. Yea Ben. The tank is mounted on the wood above the tire. I thought of using an electric pump . Like I said the vacuum boost helps the wiper. I might install a boost tank like the 50s Buick’s have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 21, 2019 Share Posted March 21, 2019 Former Gov Charlie Crist is the one responsible for state-wide ethanol in Florida. It is extremely difficult and expensive to get non-ethanol here. There is one station within 50 miles or more of my house. There are a couple of small airports but you have to get it in a can there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 21, 2019 Author Share Posted March 21, 2019 Leave it to crooked politicians to screw everything up. A few years ago there was legislation pending to destroy all vehicles prior to the date they imposed severe pollution laws. There was a big uprising by we who loved our sport. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxgvd Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 I was thinking about this '39 Roadmaster, did you sell the car? I have a '39 Century and I enjoy the car very much and it is not actively for sale but someday I may need to and it would give me comfort today to know someone may want it. Please give us an update. Regards, Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 No Gary, still have. Not one call of interest on the car. Probably have better luck at the shows this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxgvd Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 That surprises me I guessed a running, driving car as popular as a full sized Buick and in an eastern state like NY, and offered at a discounted " on sale" price would be taken fast. Sorry to hear the news but best of luck. Maybe reviving the thread and spring weather will motivate a sale. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACK M Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 On 3/17/2019 at 5:48 PM, Jerry43 said: Runs great. New brakes, clutch, seat covers, good tires, all original. Daily driver. Are we still talking about the same car as in post one. 12 volts, flex fan, fuel cell in the trunk, larger carb, etc.? It doesn't sound all that original, but seems to be the subject of much conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dynaflash8 Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 1 hour ago, cxgvd said: That surprises me I guessed a running, driving car as popular as a full sized Buick and in an eastern state like NY, and offered at a discounted " on sale" price would be taken fast. Sorry to hear the news but best of luck. Maybe reviving the thread and spring weather will motivate a sale. Gary I'm not surprised. I put my '39 Buick Special 4-door convertible on here....a show winner although an older restoration now....on here and never got any interest either. It's with a dealer now on consignment, and I don't think he's getting that much interest either. If it "ain't" got a jacked up rear, rack and pinion steering and funny wheels with a huge V-8 these days, the average old car guy (millenium?) isn't interested. Sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 Is it advertised anywhere else? This is a notoriously poor place to try to sell a car--it should only be one part of a multiple-site marketing plan. I would also suggest that a print ad with a photo in Hemmings is a good idea with a car like this. There are plenty of guys who don't go online but who do read Hemmings every month. I don't do print ads for the cars that attract a younger demographic, but for pre-war cars, a print ad in Hemmings will often pay off because the guys thumbing through the book are paying attention to cars like this. Just a thought. I love the car and as a Buick guy, I'm dismayed by values on these cars. But don't give up, there aren't ZERO buyers, just fewer than before. Your job is to find him, and he probably isn't here shopping (AACA guys on this board already have their cars, so while they're curious about what's for sale, they are not often actively in the market). Good luck! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter S Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 It's still awfully cold and snowy up there. Warmer weather is what gets folks thinking to fill thiat vacant space in the garage... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 Thanks Matt. No not advertised anywhere else. Like Pete said, spring and summer are better for old car sales. I use it all the time to shop and cruise, so signs on it will probably sell it at Lowe’s or Walmart. What snow Pete, sunny and 80’s. You know I’m only kidding. Need Firestone town and country snow tires. That’s what my father always had on his cars in the 40,s and 50,s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 Well, yes and no. I've seen that the hobby is no longer local and there's not really a spring buying season like there used to be. Remember that winter is the prime driving time for people in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other warm parts of the country. They buy in the fall and drive all winter. Yes, spring is coming and for people in the north it's time to think about an old car, but giving yourself a national or global audience means that there's no good or bad time to sell a car anymore. Oddly enough, the period between Thanksgiving and New Year is typically our busiest time of the year! Love the car, it'll find a home. It just takes time (if it helps, even for me selling a car in less than 90 days is quite rare). Hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted March 29, 2019 Author Share Posted March 29, 2019 Thanks Matt. I hope I live that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted March 29, 2019 Share Posted March 29, 2019 17 minutes ago, Jerry43 said: Thanks Matt. I hope I live that long. Don't think that way, Jerry. We're all pulling for you! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Carl Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Hi Jerry! Recent discussion about sales of 1939 Buicks lead to another '39 Roadmaster for sale. I greatly prefer your original car. How are you doing ? I hope you are comfortable, and able to still enjoy driving, whether you have sold the Buick or not. - Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parrts Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Non-ethanol gas is readily available around Ft. Myers. Yes, it costa a little more, but I only buy it for the '36 Ford. Our '61 Bentley is happier with premium unleaded and the Model A's don't care what goes in their gas tanks. Regards, Henry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Hey Carl. Still have the 39. Trying to get 15,000 for it now. Trying to get money in the bank for the old lady. Start it up once and a while, driving gets harder without power steering on the old girl.. they keep taking parts out of me, like an old car but don’t have any new ones to put back in. Thanks for the talk, hanging in there,, Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry43 Posted May 16, 2019 Author Share Posted May 16, 2019 Hey Parrts, from my experience with Model As, I’m pretty sure they will run on warm expired beer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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