What's your "white whale"?

[58L-Y8]

41 minutes ago, Walt G said:

My own immediate choice to have the opportunity to own or even drive for some distance would be a Studebaker land Cruiser sedan from the 1934-36 era. Just love the styling - Studebaker's version of the Pierce Silver Arrow. 

 

The other car I would like to own is currently owned by a good friend near by - Howard Kroplick owns the 1937 Chrysler Imperial town car built for Della Chrysler . I love that car, and with the Chrysler straight 8 with Overdrive and 4 inches added to the wheelbase it is just totally amazing.

Of those marvelous 1934-'35 Studebaker Land Cruisers, the Presidents are four inches longer mid-ship, the difference is in the front doors-driver's compartment.  For a tall person, more legroom and no aching back.  Only one '34 President Land Cruiser is extant, maybe two-three '35 Presidents.

 

Since I have the attention of the acknowledged pre-WWII custom coachbuilding business expert, regarding Della Chrysler's one-off 1937 Chrysler Custom Imperial town car by LeBaron: Was that car the very last full-custom body for private passenger car use that LeBaron built?  The Newport phaetons and Thunderbolt retractable hardtop coupes were built foremost as show cars.  All the bodies that received LeBaron custom work for Packard and Chrysler were based on production bodies on through 1941.  So, did Della Chrysler get the very last full-custom LeBaron coachbuilt body?

 

BTW,  I love that car too, absolutely floored when I saw it at Hershey a few years ago, simply unforgettable!   

[hursst]

1973 Chevy Malibu SS-454 Station wagon.  They made around 200 of them.  Never seen one in real life.  Most of the ones on the internet are fakes.  A true factory muscle car station wagon.

[alsancle]

43 minutes ago, hursst said:

1973 Chevy Malibu SS-454 Station wagon.  They made around 200 of them.  Never seen one in real life.  Most of the ones on the internet are fakes.  A true factory muscle car station wagon.

Any with four speeds?

Edited April 19, 2020 by alsancle (see edit history)

[hursst]

Not sure about 4-speeds.  The few real ones I've seen on the internet are all automatic

[oldcarfudd]

In the late 60s I lived in Minnesota.  An old club member had been restoring a Rickenbacker when he had a severe stroke.  He lost most of the use of one side of his body.  His wife, bless her heart, insisted he finish the car.  He asked how, since he couldn't walk and could only use one arm.  She would drag him out to the garage after dinner, lay him on a creeper, roll him under the Rickenbacker and slide him his tool box.  A couple of hours later, she would fish him out and take him home to bed.  Eventually he got to where he could kinda sorta walk, and he finished the car.  The following spring there was an AACA meet in, I believe, Cedar Rapids. He and his wife drove that beast all the way and got a second place award.  I was editing the Northern Lights, the Minnesota Region AACA magazine at the time.  I wanted a cover shot of his car.  So I rode with him to a suitable place for a car portrait.  He would do all the steering with one arm, holding the partly-turned wheel with his barely-functioning other hand while he repositioned his good arm to move the wheel a little further.  He scared the bejabbers out of me, but I got the cover shot.  And yes, I have ridden in a Rickenbacker!

[8E45E]

I've seen at least two Rickenbackers; one in the Gilmore Museum in MI, and the other in Marymount, WA.

 

Craig

[Walt G]

1 hour ago, 58L-Y8 said:

Of those marvelous 1934-'35 Studebaker Land Cruisers, the Presidents are four inches longer mid-ship, the difference is in the front doors-driver's compartment.  For a tall person, more legroom and no aching back.  Only one '34 President Land Cruiser is extant, maybe two-three '35 Presidents.

 

Since I have the attention of the acknowledged pre-WWII custom coachbuilding business expert, regarding Della Chrysler's one-off 1937 Chrysler Custom Imperial town car by LeBaron: Was that car the very last full-custom body for private passenger car use that LeBaron built?  The Newport phaetons and Thunderbolt retractable hardtop coupes were built foremost as show cars.  All the bodies that received LeBaron custom work for Packard and Chrysler were based on production bodies on through 1941.  So, did Della Chrysler get the very last full-custom LeBaron coachbuilt body?

 

BTW,  I love that car too, absolutely floored when I saw it at Hershey a few years ago, simply unforgettable!   

 

I have to check my archives about the LeBaron coachwork on the late thirties Chrysler Imperials, not sure off hand . I know Derham built custom coachwork on all variety of Chrysler chassis up thru 1942. Derham in Rosemont, Pa. became a Chrysler dealership in 1937 so had easy availability to order cars from the factory in Detroit and then either alter or remove the factory sedan body and make what ever a customer ordered. thank you for the compliment , but I am not an expert in anything - always learning. Always something there that hasn't been seen since it was mentioned, done, or written about pre WWII era.

I am currently looking at / researching what American cars were at annual motor shows in Europe pre WII era - Berlin, Brussels, London and Paris. You can't believe the number of American cars that were available for purchase in Brussels, Belgium  in 1938: Buick alone had 13 body types , Dodge 18, there was also Graham, DeSoto, La Salle, Hudson etc SO many stories that have not been thought or written about to give the "big picture' of what was going on with cars in that era.

[caddyshack]

Would love to see a 1907 to 1912 Brush two cylinder auto. They were advertised for sale, but were never produced according to most records and owners. An example was evidently found in Australia, but verification left me wondering how only one example survived all these years. Brush made two cylinder motors for industrial use and also for the early Overland autos.

Would also like to see a1983 Corvette and not an '84 model built in '83.

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

11 minutes ago, caddyshack said:

 

Would also like to see a1983 Corvette and not an '84 model built in '83.

I believe the only actual 1983 Corvette in in the Corvette Museum at Bowling Green KY.

[zepher]

1 hour ago, oldcarfudd said:

And yes, I have ridden in a Rickenbacker!

 

You are one of the chosen few!

Mine is a great driving car and is pretty spry around town but you don't want to push it faster than 50mph.

[caddyshack]

8 hours ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

I believe the only actual 1983 Corvette in in the Corvette Museum at Bowling Green KY.

 

Have not seen or heard of that one. 

I have a picture of a hand built '83 that used "82 and '84 components. Nicely done, but not a production model.  

[Jeff Perkins / Mn]

20 minutes ago, caddyshack said:

 

Have not seen or heard of that one. 

I have a picture of a hand built '83 that used "82 and '84 components. Nicely done, but not a production model.  

Back in 2004 my son and I visited the Corvette museum as he had just purchased a new one.....he did not take museum delivery. We wanted to tour the factory but it was closed as they were changing over to C-5 production. At any rate here is the one and only 1983 Corvette......

[58L-Y8]

10 hours ago, Walt G said:

 

"I have to check my archives about the LeBaron coachwork on the late thirties Chrysler Imperials, not sure off hand.  I know Derham built custom coachwork on all variety of Chrysler chassis up thru 1942."...

 

."... thank you for the compliment , but I am not an expert in anything - always learning. Always something there that hasn't been seen since it was mentioned, done, or written about pre WWII era.

 

"I am currently looking at / researching what American cars were at annual motor shows in Europe pre WII era - Berlin, Brussels, London and Paris." 

Walt, Thanks for taking the time to check your archives, the LeBaron question applies to any make chassis that might have received their very last full custom body for private passenger car use, i.e. the one that shared no panels with production units.  I have yet to recognize which Derham-bodied late car might qualify for that title.

 

Quite true, expert is a misused term, since there is always more to learn, but you are the closest we have in pre-WWII custom coachwork and the firms that built it.  Just know that there is a cadre of us who appreciate all your careful and thorough research and writing on the subject.

 

The wide availability of American cars throughout Europe pre-war is evidenced in most all the general view photos of the overall display layouts of various major shows.  The hanging signs over each exhibit frequently appear divided between American and European carmakers.    

[caddyshack]

3 hours ago, Jeff Perkins / Mn said:

Back in 2004 my son and I visited the Corvette museum as he had just purchased a new one.....he did not take museum delivery. We wanted to tour the factory but it was closed as they were changing over to C-5 production. At any rate here is the one and only 1983 Corvette......

Sweet, wonder what happened to the other 42. 

I learn something new everyday. Thanks

[alsancle]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:43 PM, edinmass said:

AJ will love all the photos, he has been longing after this one for a while.............but it’s well hidden away. AJ keeps going through phases................ a Pierce, three window coupe, Stanley, he’s always chasing the strange, obscure, and weird. Knowing him he’s chasing something else now.........he hasn’t pulled a trigger on a car in years. I think he’s getting gun shy in his old age. 🤔

Eddy,  just cause you were born about 5 weeks after me doesn't make you a "young guy".    Plus,  we are both still in the youngest 20th percentile for age around here.

 

 

[alsancle]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:21 PM, John_Mereness said:

For AJ - I knew I had photos of this around.

 

I almost missed this.  Thanks!!