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What are the Best Looking Prewar FOUR-DOOR Sedans? Custom and Production.


alsancle

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6 hours ago, 1937hd45 said:

If you have time to kill type in Four Door Saloon and some great cars will turn up, yes the last Jaguar is a two door, but too attractive not to look at. 

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The two door is actually an SS1, built before the Jaguar name came into use.

 

As I noted in my Rover post Jaguar was another British maker that continued its prewar models into the postwar years. This is a 1947 2 1/2 litre.

 

 

47 MARKIV rear.jpg

 

As an aside the local Jaguar dealers who are still in business and have recently moved to new premises a block away were also Jaguar enthusiasts. Ray Archibald, a WW2 fighter pilot, raced a Mk2 sedan with some success. The family fleet included a 1936 four door sedan - seen at far top left in this 1960s photo - along with an SS100, a factory XK-C, and an XK120, among other things.

 

 

60s Grenadier tavern and Archibalds.jpg

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4 minutes ago, nzcarnerd said:

The two door is actually an SS1, built before the Jaguar name came into use.

 

As I noted in my Rover post Jaguar was another British maker that continued its prewar models into the postwar years. This is a 1947 2 1/2 litre.

 

 

47 MARKIV rear.jpg

The post war cars are practically identical. And a left hand drive 3.5 L stick with his body is always been on my want list.

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I would be remiss if I didnt add Mrs. Cole's personal chauffeur driven car with a custom body by Willoughby built in 1924.  I think it has a great look for the period and it has never been restored just carefully maintained so that is mostly the original paint showing her taste in colors at the time.  For fun, I have included a page from the write up that the National Park Service did after their inspection as the car was on the National Register of Historic Places with the JJ Cole Mansion.  image.jpeg.88b0d3e88f243320705ad0cf935b29e1.jpegimage.jpeg.0704a7fad667069e6d15fbecb9a7229a.jpeg

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9 minutes ago, alsancle said:

The post war cars are practically identical. And a left hand drive 3.5 L stick with his body is always been on my want list.

George Cole in Florida, who has posted on this forum, has one of those, though it is rhd. It was sold new in NZ and exported to the US in the 1980s. Weirdly enough the registration plate on it is only ten numbers away from a car I owned at one time (not a Jaguar). George has been trying to trace its history but the trail ran cold. I think it was exported from NZ so long ago that anyone who may have been involved is likely no longer with us. 

 

 

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Walt, we all know you're an expert on custom coachwork, but I think this one requires a closer look.   Look closely at the details of the coachwork and you will see they are the same car.  Look at the placement of the trunk hinges, the rear window, the droop down of the top at the rear, the chrome strips on the running boards that go up the front fender, the location of the trafficators behind the rear window, the rectangular cowl vent located up high on the side of the cowl at an angle.  Both front & rear doors are front opening and have the same sun shades.  Every detail matches exactly.   I believe the car was originally medium blue with a grey top.   Too bad it wasn't restored that way.   And too bad they didn't make a rear spare tire cover for it like it had originally.   I think the 2 shades of green with black fenders really detracts from the styling of the car.  Unfortunately, this car was sold at auction 8-10 years ago and is rumored to have gone to the Middle East which means no one will ever see it again.  Much like that lavender L29 Cord coupe.

   image.jpeg.142a0e917bdb70e410e75d87e945485d.jpeg

 

 

Stutz SV-16 John Charles Ltd. Sport Saloon 1934 

 

Stutz SV-16 John Charles Ltd. Sport Saloon 1934

 

 

Edited by K8096 (see edit history)
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37 minutes ago, K8096 said:

Hey John Bloom....Are you aware your car is pictured in Bob Turnquist's 1965 Packard book?   it hasn't changed much.   

 

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Wow, I had no idea!  And I have that book!

 

I bought it out of Philadelphia and the previous owner had it for about 25 years. He bought it from Tom Crook out of Washington. 
 

thanks for pointing that out. Those options were not commonly selected (wood wheels were the most expensive wheel option of that year) and it has the senior headlights. 
 

thanks for bringing that to my attention! 

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1 minute ago, John Bloom said:

Wow, I had no idea!  And I have that book!

 

I bought it out of Philadelphia and the previous owner had it for about 25 years. He bought it from Tom Crook out of Washington. 
 

thanks for pointing that out. Those options were not commonly selected (wood wheels were the most expensive wheel option of that year) and it has the senior headlights. 
 

thanks for bringing that to my attention! 

I can already hear AJ saying “loose the whitewalls”59ED9FCC-4F7F-4D8E-B801-656E6A71A605.jpeg.edf918b68940424a1bb116fb73804159.jpeg

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I think this might not make the most beautiful list on the body alone but because it is the only Peerless V16 and it has an all aluminum Murphy body it should be included.   Murphy and Dietrich are two American body builders that I can't recall making something ugly.

 

Automotive History & Vintage Review: 1932 Peerless V16 Prototype –  Stillborn, But On The Road To The Aluminum Beer Can | Curbside Classic

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12 hours ago, 8E45E said:

Model Y Checker.

 

Not the best looking, but very uncommon.

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Not bad at all if one envisions it without a lot of taxi stuff.  Nicer in fact, imho than a couple contenders here, style is always subjective but I was surprised at a couple but not this one. 😊

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2 minutes ago, alsancle said:

I think we may be getting towards the end.   Murphy built two of these bodies and one was for sale at Pebble this year.  Definitely among my favorites and probably deserved to be posted sooner.    Unless I'm blind and missed them.

 

Duesenberg J Murphy sedan - Duesenberg

Must be this one in the old Harrah's.

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13 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

I was going to post this but you beat me to it.   This one seems to be LHD.   Many of them had this weird center drive steering wheel.

Post your example.  I posted the other Murphy-bodied Duesenberg.

 

Craig

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3 minutes ago, alsancle said:

This car was at Amelia island a few years ago. This picture does not do it justice and the white walls make the wheels look stupid. It was very cool in person.

Unfortunately, I was unable to take any better photos of it, due to its location.  I believe it was moved out of the way so another car could be removed. and never put back closer to the railing.   One can see the empty space in the forground.

 

Craig

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3 hours ago, alsancle said:

We somehow forgot the Jordan?   Steve Pugh posted photos a month ago.

JordanModelZ.jpg

Thanks A.J, I hadn't seen this one.  Extinct but not forgotten.  It will be a forever mystery who the designer was of this progressive masterwork.  Bringing the image into immediacy.

 

'30 Jordan Speedway Z sportsman sedan - show car.jpg

'30 Jordan Speedway Z Sportsman Sedan  rear view 1937.jpg

Edited by 58L-Y8
Added photos for the record. (see edit history)
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14 hours ago, K8096 said:

Walt, we all know you're an expert on custom coachwork, but I think this one requires a closer look

I stand corrected! thank you for the better photos where I can see the details better. Still hard to see the fender treatment which in the period photos ( look to Crankshaft issue #5 for additional period photos) is very clear. Also I appreciate the compliment but I do not consider myself an expert about anything, NEVER. I describe myself as a old car guy, historian and story teller. Add in a sentimentalist, and that about sums it up. 😎

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