Heart broken in Port Huron...

[Str8-8-Dave]

So I'm almost done restoring a 1931 Buick 8-66S coupe that I purchased from an estate.  The previous owner of the Buick was in the midst of a good quality restoration, most of the big stuff was done when he died.  I bought it from the restorer to settle the owner's bill.  Then, about a year ago, I spotted a listing for another car someone had mostly completed restoring, then died before completing it, a very similar story to the Buick.  The prospect car had been treated to a really good quality professional restoration and correctly painted in some of my favorite colors, black fenders and lower body and maroon upper body. All the heavy work was done, body painted, chassis and driveline all beautifully restored, it needed carpets, small items like interior door handles were in boxes awaiting chrome plating, Jaeger clock needed restoration but was present, windshield wiper restore and install, spare tire rims and covers all there but needed restoration.  It seemed to be pretty reasonably priced too.  I had inquired on the AACA website about cars of this make and model and had been warned it was a complicated design and had a lot of technical stuff that could go wrong and was expensive to fix, "Not a car for beginners" I was told.  I bought a service manual for the car which did show it was a complicated car but I'm fascinated with things mechanical so that didn't really stop me.  What was holding me back was I didn't have the money, so it was just a dream...

 

Then life changed, my wife hurt her back while doing some house cleaning at our summer cottage in the upper peninsula town of Garden, MI in anticipation of the annual visit of friends from Port Huron.  I bought the cedar half-log in 2004 when it was still under construction.  It wasn't waterfront, it was one lot behind the frontage cottages, up on a hill overlooking Garden Bay, a small bay in Big Bay De Noc, Lake Michigan.  The cottage sat on 6 acres and was built upside-down, living, dining, master bedroom all on the second floor with a wraparound deck that offered million-dollar views of Lake Michigan and plenty of bird watching and good view of common visits from the local deer herd.   We have many memories of good times we had there.

 

But- it was a 7hr drive to the cottage from Port Huron, followed by a flurry of activity unloading a car full of junk and moving it up the steps to the second level.  Then the next day and a half was consumed with lawn mowing, window washing, etc. to make the place livable for a week.  Then at the end of the stay leftover food had to be loaded back in coolers, clothes and bedding got packed up and the car got loaded for the 7- hour drive back home.   In October, knowing my wife had to have major back surgery, I decided enough, called a local realtor and put the cottage up for sale.  It did sell, the closing is coming up end of this week.  

 

Now my mouth was watering, my next dream car was still available, all I had to do was wait for the cottage to close, then go look at the subject car and make sure there wasn't some hidden story that would disqualify it.  And now I was on the cusp of having the money.  The car was a 1933 Cadillac 5 passenger coupe with the Cadillac V-12 engine.  It was on consignment from the estate of the late owner at a New York classic car dealer, Gullwing Motors in Astoria.   I had visions of making a 6hr trip to go see the car and potentially make a deal to buy it as soon as the cottage money came in.   I would buy it and have it shipped to Port Huron and put it in the garage there and finish the restoration as soon as the current project, my 1931 Buick 8-66S was finished.

 

Then about a week ago the car disappeared from E-Bay and Hemmings where I had been tracking if for months.  It was no longer listed in inventory at the Gullwing Motors website either, someone bought my car right out from under me...

 

So heart broken...

   

These pictures are from the Gullwing Motors listing.  The previous owner must have lived where it is warmer than Astoria, NY...   

 

 

The car is a pretty standard coupe, no rumble seat, interior seating for 5, but it's not the standard flathead V8, it has the OHV V12 which I think is light years better than the V8 because of the OHV and I think it is better than the V16 because it makes almost as much power and is lighter.

 

I'm a sucker for this color combination.  You can see the spare tires and covers and windshield wipers are missing from the exterior.

 

 

Inside the car note the missing interior door handles, carpets and the big hole in the instrument panel where the Jaeger clock should be.  I enquired about all this and got pictures back from Gullwing Motors of the boxes of parts awaiting restoration, it was all there and went with the car.

 

The real attraction for me is the V12.  Cadillac only made about 900 of these cars as the country was still reeling from the depression and there were not that many customers for cars like these.  Henry Ford was making a killing selling more affordable cars I expect...

Edited January 17, 2022 by Str8-8-Dave
Arrange pictures (see edit history)

[Fossil]

Wasn't meant to be. Just that simple. Had to be a big disappointment though. 

How far are you from being done with the Buick?

Hope your wife is doing better.

 

 

[Str8-8-Dave]

1 minute ago, Fossil said:

Wasn't meant to be. Just that simple. Had to be a big disappointment though. 

How far are you from being done with the Buick?

Hope your wife is doing better.

I licked my wounds and came to the same conclusion- it wasn't meant to be.  The Buick is mechanically done waiting for interior seat and rumble seat upholstery and some detail painting.  Wife is recovering amazingly well.  I'm having a hard time keeping her from just resuming her normal activities which the doctor says is a no-no for 90 days.

[Terry Bond]

I lived in Port Huron until about 7 years old, then to Battle Creek (Dad's job change).  We still had family in Port Huron and the Detroit area and we visited frequently.  I vividly remember wandering around looking at old cars in sheds, barns, and even out in the open.  There were a lot of them back then.  There was even an antique fire engine parked alongside a barn across the street from us.  Believe that engine has been restored now and got to see it an an AACA Meet in Metropolis several years ago.  The cars I was climbing on back then were Model Ts and earlier.   Wish I could wind back the clock.

Terry

[8E45E]

Keep your eyes posted. It could easily turn up for sale in a year's time.  You never know!!

 

Craig

[Mark Wetherbee]

2 minutes ago, 8E45E said:

Keep your eyes posted. It could easily turn up for sale in a year's time.  You never know!!

 

Craig

I was thinking that too, it might be on its way to a different consignment after not selling…

[John348]

It wasn't meant to be, and there ain't no palm trees in Astoria, come to think of it there ain't too many trees of any kind there. Most importantly your wife feels better after the operation

[jrbartlett]

My brother has a saying that you should keep in mind -- "There will always be another car." 

 

That's certainly been my experience after spending years looking at that moment's dream cars, seeing them leave the market, and then seeing another couple come along in a few months time.  

[Mark Gregush]

When I first read the title, I was expecting to read that someone's shop/garage burnt down, and they lost all their cars.