1973 Chicago Auto Show

[Steve Moskowitz]

Another video from my fellow co-worker at Olds.  All of us in the Chicago Zone had to work shifts at the show.  Mostly drudgery after a few days but there were some fun times.  I will not go into details!  Olds usually had  a magician at the show with his highlight getting out of a straightjacket in front of the audience,  Those cars were "beat" after 1,000,000 visitors came through.  Sure saw a couple of cars I would kill to own today if they were brand new.

 

 

[8E45E]

The only US-made car I'd own from 1973 would be a Pontiac Grand-Am.

 

Craig

[K8096]

I’d like the black & gold ‘73 Hurst Olds in the video.  Did it have a 455 with a 4 speed?  

I had a burnt orange ‘74 Cutlass Salon I drove for a year in college. 

Edited March 25, 2022 by K8096 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

Those cars were "beat" after 1,000,000 visitors cam through. 

I assume they had nicks and scratches from all the contact;

maybe sagging upholstery or worn door hinges.

 

Did they refurbish them and then sell them?  Or lend them to

Oldsmobile employees as their company cars?

What specifically was the damage that was caused by all the visitors?

 

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[John348]

Steve, Thanks,

That brought back a lot of memories. The cars might have changed in the 90's but it is still show biz! I had worked at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC from 1989 through 2001 as an electrician/rigger and worked the load in and load out of 11 auto shows and they were massive production's.  Many spectators do not realize that the local dealer's provide the floor vehicles, which you pointed out. In 1992 I was supervising one of the overhead lighting crews that travel with the show, and when we were doing the over head focus on the Buick Pavilion, there was a silver blue Road Master Station Wagon that came in and it really caught my eye. The dealer that provided the car was one of the last 'Mom and Pop' Buick dealers located in New Jersey. The NYC show opened for the press on Thursday and then opened for the public on Good Friday, so I believe this was either Tuesday or Wednesday night. He told me that he would be there the next day and if I wanted the car  he would take a personal check to hold the car, and make sure the doors were locked (which is no problem because electricians have to disconnect all of the batteries in the presence of the Fire Marshall , so the power locks are disabled regardless) He gave me a fantastic price on the car, he going to address any problems I saw. I knew I was fortunate that I would be at the show when it broke on Sunday night and with all of stage lighting on the car I could do a final look at it. He gave me his schedule for the next week, I was off while the show was opened, my wife and I went out finalized the deal. The car was delivered to my house on Long Island 50 miles away a few days after the show closed, painless.

It was a good looking car, just not a good car, three transmissions to many, 

 

I also remember seeing Fred and Dan Kanter at the NYC Auto Show. They had a Booth/Display out in the Crystal Palace or the main Lobby. Dan who is physically challenged I used to take through the show on my golf cart the night before opening to see the entire show when all of the freight was out and the cars were being detailed. It was pre-arranged for years that I would meet Dan at their space at 7:30 for years on the focus night.   

[Steve Moskowitz]

Some cars were sold back to dealers, usually with a 5% discount and usually to the dealers that supplied them.  However, some cars went back to the factory for use in other shows or they were promised to others.  Damage usually was scratches, missing cigarette lighters and other trim pieces.  Once we had a radio taken out right on the convention floor.  Never figured out how they did it without being caught!

 

John one of your brethren electricians got me in BIG trouble my first year working in the MCormick.  I saw a plug to a lighted sign not in the outlet and went and put it back in.  Boy did this 20-something year old kid get a lesson after a team came by and tore me apart for doing so.  Never made that mistake again!

 

Of course it was not all bad, as we had a hospitality room.  It was where the models changed clothes and hung out.  Freshly divorced one year and it was a very pleasant diversion to be the host in that room!

[Walt G]

Steve, we all need pleasant diversions it keeps us focused and able to cope with everything else we have to put up with in life. Some diversions have assorted size for wheels - wood, wire, disc , others, -  well ........ as you observed and I will not elaborate upon here or will be edited, banned etc.

Walt

[TexRiv_63]

Great video, thanks for sharing. I was there, we lived in the Chicago area until 1992 and went to the show most years. I was hot for the black and gold Hurst Olds and the 73 Eldo pace car but never had a chance of buying either back then.

[Guest]

Women in skirts, men with sideburns.

What's not to like?

[1912Staver]

There were a few domestic  73's that still had merit. But the list was rapidly shrinking . Pontiac had the SD 455. Rare and expensive but available.

Ford still had a few decent 351's .

But between the Federal battering ram bumpers , and the smog engines it was a sinking ship situation for most of the industry.

[8E45E]

To me, Australia carried on the torch where the US left off for design and performance.  

 

Holdens, Ford XC Falcons, and Chrysler Valiant Chargers were never encumbered with those ugly 5mph battering ram bumpers and 175 hp from a 400 cubic inch engine.

 

Craig

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, 1912Staver said:

There were a few domestic  73's that still had merit. But the list was rapidly shrinking.

 

I truly like 1970's cars, and have several.  Pardon my

humorous approach below, Mr. Staver, but I'll try to 

convince you:

 

Cars of 1973 are now 49 years old.  Some of the 1970's

cars ride more smoothly, more comfortably, on the highway

than any car made today.  They came in 15-22 colors, had

contrasting vinyl roofs for a 2-tone effect, and offered

velour interiors as comfortable as your easy chair or sofa.

 

A car collector back in 1970 might have said of 49-year-old

1921 cars, "I wouldn't touch them!  Look at those spindly wheels.

They were barely styled.  Who would want to drive with 2-wheel

mechanical brakes?  That Duesenberg Model A from the early

1920's surely isn't for me!"

 

Here's my 1973 Buick Riviera, which might be one you like:

 

Edited March 25, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[8E45E]

2 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Here's my 1973 Buick Riviera, which might be one you like:

Of the boattail Rivs, '72's are my favorite.  They flattened the tail on the '73, and the '71's had those flow-thru vents on the trunklid.

 

Craig

[John_S_in_Penna]

I like the 1971 and 1972 Rivieras as much as the 1973's.

The off-center license plate for 1971-72 isn't, to me, the

best looking feature, though.

 

I don't mind the big bumpers of the 1970's.  They protect

the car well.  Cars of the 1950's had big bumpers--though

more stylish, perhaps--and people don't object to them.

 

And before the horsepower race, a 1955 Cadillac, for instance,

had probably the same acceleration as a 1975 Cadillac.  

We never hear of people avoiding 1950's cars due to lack

of performance.

 

If I'm with limited company in appreciation of 1970's cars,

that makes them more affordable and easier to purchase.

Sounds good to me!

[1912Staver]

Like I said , there were a few with merit. And yes, I do like the boat tail Riv's ! But I can't imagine owning one. Gas these days, local to me is the highest price in North America. 

I only have one post 1970 Collector car , my 1974 TVR 2500 M. I would give a body part for a pre 1970 TVR but in todays market , not going to happen. 

 Here is my idea of a vinyl roof.

 

I bought my TR250 in 1976. This one is from British Columbia , and a twin to mine except for the very odd wheel spinners and the later , high back seats. Mine is in the line up awaiting paint and re assembly . My Buick GS 400 had a vinyl roof. My personal least favorite part of the car.

Edited March 25, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[John348]

2 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

Some cars were sold back to dealers, usually with a 5% discount and usually to the dealers that supplied them.  However, some cars went back to the factory for use in other shows or they were promised to others.  Damage usually was scratches, missing cigarette lighters and other trim pieces.  Once we had a radio taken out right on the convention floor.  Never figured out how they did it without being caught!

 

John one of your brethren electricians got me in BIG trouble my first year working in the MCormick.  I saw a plug to a lighted sign not in the outlet and went and put it back in.  Boy did this 20-something year old kid get a lesson after a team came by and tore me apart for doing so.  Never made that mistake again!

 

Of course it was not all bad, as we had a hospitality room.  It was where the models changed clothes and hung out.  Freshly divorced one year and it was a very pleasant diversion to be the host in that room!

 

That is unfortunate that you got torn up for an innocent thing, and not defending what the guy did but those shows are just so massive that labor needed for the show require "extra's" to get called in from the hall. As the crew gets cut and the extra's are the ones getting trimmed every day, they fear that a supervisor will see an exhibitor doing their job and presume they are standing around. He was wrong and just did not know how to handle people not familiar with the situation. Your situation happened on almost every trade show I had put in, and if I saw it that worker would have been  on top of my cut list at the Daily Foreman's meeting.  We have take construction guys and put them in a business environment, and it works maybe 95% of the time. I do understand where the worker is coming from, it is a good job, warm, overtime, clean bathrooms and most of all the work is different, and he want's to make the team, but no excuse to give a person a hard time for not understanding the rules. Very few people had the personality and were cut out for that environment. 

 

I did see a Cadillac get destroyed with knuckle of a Genie Boom one night before opening on a light focus, at around 10 PM there was a replacement car there at 1 AM. The paperwork took longer to fill out.

 

[8E45E]

8 hours ago, Steve Moskowitz said:

John one of your brethren electricians got me in BIG trouble my first year working in the MCormick.  I saw a plug to a lighted sign not in the outlet and went and put it back in.  Boy did this 20-something year old kid get a lesson after a team came by and tore me apart for doing so.  Never made that mistake again!

 

Of course it was not all bad, as we had a hospitality room.  It was where the models changed clothes and hung out.  Freshly divorced one year and it was a very pleasant diversion to be the host in that room!

That's because you did not belong to the Electrical Worker's union!  BIG penalties for taking it upon yourself to do 'their' job!!

 

(I stayed in a hotel in Las Vegas some 30 years ago that was unionized, where it took three staff members to set up a photocopier for our use.   A hotel maintenance employee to bring it from the basement storage, take it on the elevator, and place it just outside the meeting room door.  Then a Room Service employee had to roll it from the hallway to where we wanted it set up, and finally, and Electrician to plug it in the wall, and turn it on.)

 

Craig

[John348]

3 hours ago, 8E45E said:

That's because you did not belong to the Electrical Worker's union!  BIG penalties for taking it upon yourself to do 'their' job!!

 

(I stayed in a hotel in Las Vegas some 30 years ago that was unionized, where it took three staff members to set up a photocopier for our use.   A hotel maintenance employee to bring it from the basement storage, take it on the elevator, and place it just outside the meeting room door.  Then a Room Service employee had to roll it from the hallway to where we wanted it set up, and finally, and Electrician to plug it in the wall, and turn it on.)

 

Craig

Craig ,

What are those supposed "BIG penalties?"

 

[8E45E]

7 hours ago, John348 said:

Craig ,

What are those supposed "BIG penalties?"

 

Ask Jimmy Hoffa.

 

Craig

[Steve Moskowitz]

Easy...just recounting things at one place and at a different time.  I got my butt chewed out by several people and learned my lesson.  As a very young 23 year old I just was not familiar with unions and rules.  I never made the mistake again and always respectful to this day of places we go that are unionized to make sure we follow the right procedures. Consequences were just a red face and some anxious moments.

[philip roitman]

Thank you. Nice video, Steve. The 1973 GM A body Colonnade intermediates were fast and much better drivers than the cars they replaced. Of course I am partial to the Buick Century Stage1 Gran Sports. 😎 The only thing faster was a SD455 and only by .1 in the 1/4 mile and less after that. The Buicks were the fastest A bodies and IMHO the best styled Colonnades available.  HP was exactly the same as 1972. These are my two 1973 Stage1 Gran Sports some of you may like. Harvest Gold 4 speed and my mostly all original Yellow Zone office ordered SCO paint "Sun Coupe"  Body #000092.

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2022 by philip roitman (see edit history)

[John348]

10 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Ask Jimmy Hoffa.

 

Craig

Jimmy Hoffa was President of the Teamsters. The IBEW of which I was a proud member of, and worked part of my career in trade shows in one of the large convention centers is in the AFL CIO. So Jimmy Hoffa had nothing to do with it. Other then the unfortunate embracement that Steve encountered, there are no BIG consequence's, other then myths. Not everyone is good at their job, doctors, lawyers, and even union electricians and we all encounter these people at one point in our lives. If you read my earlier post it might help you understand the unfortunate situation that Steve encountered. 

Edited March 26, 2022 by John348 (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

Hi Philip, those are extremely nice Buicks!  In my eye the biggest problem is found in the list of your cars, the tiny number made. Great if a person was lucky enough to buy one about a decade ago. But these days the chances of finding one where the price tag does not make a persons eyes water is next to zilch.

 I really liked my 1969 GS 400 . In 1989 when I bought it the price was easily in my reach. It was of course a non stage , auto car.  But very good value for money. 

 Any of what I would consider decent 1973 era cars are just too expensive these days for a large number of us. 

And as much as I think your cars are great, I far prefer the look of the 1969's. I know the later cars like yours are better road cars in dead stock form. But the chassis is quite close to a 1969 in general design and layout. I expect it would not take too much parts swapping to bring a 69 into the same road manner league as your 73's. 

I disliked the big bumpers when they were new. The passage of many years still hasn't made me any more of a fan than I was in 1973.  That one point excepted , there is a lot to like about this generation of GS.

P.S. the 69's are around 300 lbs lighter. Every little bit helps.

Edited March 26, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history)