History We ALL Love a DARE! PIX of TRULY Extinct Makes?

SunRoof, I feel the sentimentality on the '57 Chevy, my friend! The wolf will have to be at the door before I would ever part with my '55 Fireflite. I think my wife loves her as much as I do (though she -- not the wife -- has ALSO been garaged for about 15 years! What a coincidence. Yep, as John lennon said: "Life is what happens while you're busy making plans.").

Virgil Exner is a national treasure, IMO. But, then, it seems a little sad that mostly only CAR GUYS would give a fig about designers, you know? Generations of auto designers are either footnotes OR faded away as though they never existed. Just a few days ago, I read a statement about Amos Northrup (Hupp Century, REO Royale, etc.). It stated that his untimely death meant that he's virtually forgotten. Well, NOT BY ME! It made me kind of P-Oed to read that. Harley Earl didn't design every American car for the love of Great Caesar's ghost.

 

'It's gonna be a spectacle': After a whirlwind year for Benchmark Classics, the Tucker convertible is ready for the auction block
<!--END Page Title --> <!--BEGIN Content Body //--> January 06, 2010



By Brian Earnest

Justin Cole could live to be 99, and still be sure of one thing: He never had another year quite like 2009.

Back in December of 2008 when Cole took the gamble of his young lifetime and purchased what was billed by some, including the seller, as the only Tucker “convertible” in existence — i.e., a car that was born at the original Tucker factory — he knew he was embarking on a mammoth undertaking in more ways than one.

He would be attempting to finish a rare, orphaned and high-profile car that was a long ways from complete. The car was a one-off — the only Tucker that wasn’t a sedan. But perhaps equally daunting, Cole was going to face an unrelenting chorus of doubters and critics who insisted the car was a hoax.

Now, as he and his crew at Benchmark Classics in Madison, Wis., put the finishes touches on the Tucker as they ready it for its big night on the auction block, Cole is able to admit that both challenges — building the car and dealing with the hurricane of attention and controversy — have been every bit as daunting as he imagined.

“Man, for a few months there it was definitely pretty overwhelming,” said Cole, who will be front and center in Scottsdale, Ariz., Jan. 23 when Russo & Steele rolls the Tucker across the no-reserve auction block in what will surely be one of the most-watched moments of this year’s annual car hobby extravaganza. “I carry a Blackberry, and I have all my appointments and reminders and stuff on it. If I didn’t have that thing, I don’t know what would have happened.

“Some days I’d have like 80 different appointments and reminders. The vast majority of my time for about three months was dedicated to that car… We’d have production meetings where we’d have a list from the ceiling to the floor of things that needed to be done. It was just crazy.

“It was definitely a massive project. I don’t know what could compare to it out there.”



By now, the saga of the car has been well documented. The story goes that the car was started in secret as either a prototype for a future production convertible, or a special one-off car for Preston Tucker’s wife Vera, and that when things began to fall apart for Preston and his company, the car was ushered out the back door and wound up at the Lencki Company headquarters. From there, it apparently sat largely untouched for many years until a retiring employee took it with him when he left. The car changed hands one more time and ultimately came to the attention of Wisconsin collector Allen in the early 1980s. Reinert bought the rolling chassis and hoped to finish the car himself, but the project languished and he made many attempts over the years to sell the car. Reinert and Cole met at a show in 2008 and Cole soon put together an expensive deal that included trading several cars and cash for the controversial Tucker.

Old Cars Weekly ran a cover story about the car (Feb. 5, 2009 cover date) and it wasn’t long before the media attention began to snowball. The New York Times and a long list of other print and online media outlets began running stories on the car, and the debate that had raged on and off over the years over the car’s legitimacy reached new heights.

Everybody seems to love a good mystery, and Cole soon found himself not only in charge of figuring out how to finish a car that had no blueprint, but he was also thrust into the role as curator, caretaker and defender of the car’s legend.

“It’s the talk of our showroom, that’s for sure. So many people want to talk about the car,” he said. “The vast majority are just people interested in the car, and it’s a fascination for so many people because of the history of the Tucker automobile. And the story was really brought back to life with the movie and a whole generation of people not old enough to have seen a Tucker when they were made back in ’48 — they know it from that movie.”

“It’s just such a unique car. I would have to say the vast majority of phone calls and e-mails we get about the car are positive.”
Not long after starting work on the Tucker, Cole launched a Web site, www.tuckerconvertible.com, to help him fight the P.R. battle. On the site, Benchmark has posted photos of the car during the build and made public much of the evidence that Cole insists back the claims that the car was a factory project. For all his efforts, Cole knew that he would never convince everybody of the car’s pedigree, however. Front and center in non-believer camp are a group vocal doubters with ties to the Tucker Club of America (www.tuckerclub.org)



The fact that Cole is an affable sort who is clearly long on patience has certainly helped him survive his roller-coaster ride. He has heard every possible criticism, accusation and pointed question imaginable when it comes to the legitimacy of his Tucker, and he doesn’t fluster easily. There is no hint of doubt in his voice when he states his case. He has clearly done his share of homework and compiled as much proof as he can that the car was started in the Tucker factory. He believes what he believes, and doesn’t back down.

“I get things from people or in blogs where people are attacking the car or me personally,” Cole said. “For people to say things about me and my business that have never even met me or been in my shop … People hide behind some screen name and write stuff – I’ve got no respect for someone like that. But that kind of stuff has probably taken about one-half of 1 percent of my time. Overall, it’s been a very positive experience, and I’ve learned a ton going through the process.

“I could probably write a book about the experience, because it’s been a full year now.”




Cole laughs when thinks back to his original plan to have the car completed by May of 2009. That was the month when the car made its first truly “public” appearance at the Keels & Wheels event in Seabrook, Texas.

“The organizer there called and said, ‘This is the date of the show, and we want that car here.’ I told him I didn’t think we’d ever have it done by then, and they said, ‘Well, bring it in whatever condition it’s in…

“At that point we had a rolling body. It was painted in primer, but you could get a real good idea of what it looked like. We were probably only 60 percent done with it, but it was the star of the show … Of course, 1 out of every 15 or 20 people would say something under their breath. ‘It’s the fake Tucker convertible, or ‘They made that Tucker up,’ but overall it was a very positive experience.”

The car’s next appearance came at the Auto Historica show in Highland Park, Ill., in July, then it was at the center of a whirlwind trip to Connecticut for the Fairfield County Concours in September.

“Our goal was to have a finished car for that show. Well, we didn’t quite have a finished car, but we certainly tried as hard as we could,” Cole said. “We had people working on that car ’round the clock. We actually had three different shifts at one point. I was out getting pizza and energy drinks to keep people going.

“We kept it [at home] until the last minute, then the guys went from Madison to Westport, Conn., straight through stopping only for fuel… It was crazy, because they got there, and said ‘We still need to adjust stuff’ and this and that. ‘We forgot extension cords and we need to buff it out again.’ I actually met everybody at a shopping center and went and bought extension cords. So here we are 30 minutes from the show, getting it as ready as we can. Then we finally roll in and they open the gates as soon as we get the car in place. And it was the star of that show there, too. It was nonstop.”

Then came a stop in Hershey, Pa., in October, where Cole thought he actually had the car sold to an East Coast collector. The man and his wife told Cole they wanted the car and negotiated a price, but the deal fell through a few days later when the couple apparently couldn’t get their finances arranged.

“I was just like, ‘Oh my God,’” Cole admits. “I really thought we had it sold. I’ve gotten pretty good at gauging people. If I spend a little time on the phone with someone I have a pretty good idea if I’m going to wind up selling a car to them. I really had a good feeling about this guy, but sometimes things just don’t work out.

“I thought there was a chance we’d find a buyer in Hershey, and we did find a buyer, it just didn’t work out.”

Cole can’t be certain there will be a buyer stepping forward in Scottsdale, either. By then, he estimates he and his crew will have 4,000 man hours into the car and the night will be bittersweet whether the car sells or not.

“I’m confident it will sell on the block at Russo & Steele,” he said. “They think it’s going to sell, too. They are very confident it will. The literal million dollar question is exactly how much is it going to sell for? Their estimate is somewhere more than a $1 million. But beyond that, who knows? Some people are saying that it could set a record for an American-built car.
“It’s gonna be a spectacle. I think anybody who is anybody in the classic car business when it comes to collecting high-dollar cars, selling high-dollar cars and buying high-dollars cars is going to be there. I try not to ever get exited until a car is sold, I have the money and see the taillights going down the road… But I do catch myself daydreaming about what could happen. I’d be lying if I said I don’t get excited thinking about it.”

Regardless of what happens on that fateful Saturday night, Cole knows his shop definitely won’t be the same if the Tucker leaves Arizona in somebody else’s trailer.

“I’d love to hold onto the car because of what it is. There isn’t a collector out there that I know that doesn’t want 1-of-1 cars,” Cole said. “I’d like to have it as our showroom centerpiece for as long as possible. So on that side I won’t be too excited to see it go.

“But on the other side, I’ve put so much time and effort into it, and so have my employees. It will nice to finally be paid for that.
“I’ve thought from Day 1 if we brought that thing to our shop and completed it properly and it looked as good as it possibly could, it would do good things for not only my business, but for the hobby in general. Benchmark Classics as a business was only nine months old when the Tucker rolled into our restoration shop and that was absolutely going through my head [when they bought it]. I was thinking, ‘This car is a piece of history, no matter how you look at it. ’”

So would he do it again? If another automotive unicorn or Holy Grail opportunity came up, would the guy who made the Tucker convertible come to life be willing to go through the headaches, heartaches and insanity all over again?

“Oh yeah, I definitely would,” Cole said. “I undershot my estimate on how long it would take, but I definitely wouldn’t trade it.”

 

Before we leave woodies, here's another UNIQUE example -- or, uh, er, would this technically be a stake bed pickup? (Sorry, gang. I couldn't resist!)

 

I have heard that Barrett-Jackson did not accept to auction it because of the authenticity controversy. Anyone else hear this?

 

This was posted early in the thread. There's more Woodies to come.

Technically, it would be a Hillbilly Jalopy. LOL

 

I haven't heard that but I got a call from a fellow in Michigan the other evening seeking some info on a Cord car that he just bought that I'm familiar with. When he told me he owned a restoration shop and had restored two Tuckers, our conversation turned to the Convertible. He said it wasn't real and was somehow involved in it's construction But, sounded like he was basing his opinion on No Documentation.

I find it hard to believe Craig Jackson would turn down any thing that would draw attention to him. My understanding is that the Barrett family wants there name off that Auction. I've also heard a lot of consignors are buying there cars back. Reserves are not allowed.

 

the cherry bronco and family

http://cherrybronco.com/gallery.php

 

SunRoof, hey, Jim, what is the date of the Russo & Steele auction (maybe I missed it there). I wish Cole well, especially since I was previously in the camp that said a factory Tucker convertible was/is (quote) "Bullshit." I don't think 90 percent of the people will ever have all doubts resolved. But I now Do feel Cole has presented enough documentation and affadavits to show there's a strong possibility the car WAS a side project of Preston's -- started at the factory, very probably, and faithfully FINISHED by Cole & crew.

I think it is a tribute to Tremulis that the car looks as good in convertible form as it did as a sedan! (P.S.: Sharp INTERIOR, for the time!)

 

Okay January 6, 2010. So, yesterday.

And yup, I know where the hillbilly car pic came from. It just fit so NICELY into the woody theme, ya know?

 

ARIZONA AUCTIONS

ICA
6th annual January in Arizona
Jan. 16-18 in Gilbert, AZ
800-243-1957

Russo and Steele
10th annual European Sports,
American Muscle, Hot Rods
& Customs
Jan. 20-24 in Scottsdale, AZ
602-252-2697

RM Auctions
11th annual Automobiles in Arizona
Jan. 21-22 at the Biltmore Resort
in Phoenix, AZ
519-352-4575

Barrett-Jackson
39th annual Scottsdale Auction
Jan. 18-24 at WestWorld
in Scottsdale, AZ
480-663-6255

Silver Auctions
13th annual Arizona in January
Jan. 22-25 at Ft. McDowell Resort
& Casino in Fountain Hills, AZ
800-255-4485

Gooding & Co.
3rd annual The Scottsdale Auction
Jan. 22-23 in Scottsdale, AZ
310-899-1960

Kruse International
39th annual Scottsdale Auction
Jan. 16-17 at Renaissance Glendale Hotel and Resort in Glendale, AZ
800-968-4444

 

BTW, my ONLY complaint about Tucker 48 design is those tail lights. I like the positioning, rather forward. But they could/should have had a little more delicate look; these come off as heavey and heavy-handed. Am I alone?

 

Okay, SunRoof, thanks for the major aution schedule there, man. Question: Since it's a no-reserve situation, DO YOU think it will sell? Also, is that an auction you'd think about going to SEE in person?

 

HJ, now that is some serious WOOD there (and a good deal more stylish
than my homies' ratrod version! LOL). But wouldn't an owner run some
serious risk of a splinter when doing the old "WAX-ON, WAX-OFF" routine???

 

We are talking SERIOUS WOODIE here. Could this be
"The Mother of ALL Woodies" ??? Talk about taking
a custom to the EXTREME! Sheesh. CHE-VEZZ can't
hold a candle.

 

I'm not big on Auctions but I have a friend who lives in Arizona in the winter that goes every year. I'd go once but I'd have more fun looking at the cars and talking to people then I would paying any attention to the Auction or what anything sold for. I'm more interested in the car then it's so called value.

As for will it sell???? I guess it's a matter of how much some one wants to pay for a one of a kind whether it's documented or not. There's a guy by the name of Ron (last name escapes me) that I could see buying it.

IMHO, the true value of any thing is "Whatever the buyer is willing to pay for it" and in a lot of cases that's "Stupid Money" I've seen cars sell for one price and sell later for much less. Then there's the "Dealers".

Too many people that go to these Auctions are just speculators. Buy at one Auction, take it to the next to see how much money they can make.

I'd rather see the cars in the hands of some one who really appreciates the car, not it's so called value. To me, once it's in the Auction circuit, it's out of circulation.

Of course, with John O"Quinn recently killed in a car accident, that takes one big time buyer out of the bidding unless his people are going to continue buying for his Museum that his Girl Friend plans on moving forward with.

Sure would be nice to be one of those people whose people have people. LOL.

Enough of my Auction Soapbox.

 

I already stepped in it once with regards to the Tucker so I'll stay out of this one. The Arizona Auctions are definitely a blast as long as you don't buy anything. Prices tend to be very strong relative to the overall market. A great place to sell something though. So on that note, here are my two favorite cars that will be selling next week.

http://www.goodingco.com/auction/

The Rolls is the only Henley Coupe that they made and the Duesey is the only Murphy Conv coupe with rear spares.

Duesenberg from the catalog:



The tale of J-461 begins in 1931 when Siegfried Roebling purchased a new Model J Duesenberg. Mr. Roebling was no stranger to the great sporting cars of America; he was the grandson of John Roebling of Brooklyn Bridge fame, and closely related to the next generation of Roeblings, several of whom organized and financially backed the Mercer Automobile Company of Trenton, New Jersey. Born in 1890, Siegfried would have been intimately familiar with the incomparable Mercer sports cars which hit their stride in the early teens. By 1931, Siegfried was running the crown jewel of his family’s businesses, the Trenton Trust Company, and was certainly of the means to acquire his own special automobile.

The car that he received in summer 1931 was a LeGrande Sweep-Panel Dual Cowl Phaeton with a number of early features, most notably a honeycomb grille. Not long after, Siegfried was involved in an accident that damaged the body of his new Model J. The well-heeled Roebling had the damaged LeGrande Phaeton returned to the Duesenberg factory, where they were pleased to oblige his requests. Rather than repair the Phaeton, in essence, an entirely new Model J body was constructed using the identity of J-461.

Evidently, the Phaeton body was not to Mr. Roebling’s liking, so a Murphy Convertible Coupe body was sourced, either from a local dealer or directly from California, and fitted to the standard-length chassis.

The body they located was no ordinary Murphy Convertible Coupe; it was one of the highly-desirable disappearing-top versions and the only one ever constructed that featured a rear-mounted spare in lieu of the side-mounts featured on all other bodies. This unique feature required a special rear bumper that drastically changed the overall appearance and character of the coachwork. While all Duesenberg Convertible Coupe were handsome cars, the details of this Murphy made it one of the most sporting examples ever produced. Moving the spares to the rear recalled some of the great Murphy Roadsters constructed on European chassis and helped to visually lengthen the already elegant design – a perfect car for a man who had grown up with the lithe and lean Raceabout.

Interestingly, it seems as though a number of the features on the LeGrande body were retained for use on the Murphy, including the honeycomb radiator and twin driving lights. When it was finally completed in 1934, J-461 represented the best of both worlds: it was a relatively late chassis fitted with the classic, early style fenders and features that gave it the appearance of a car completed in the late 1920s or early 1930s. The Convertible Coupe was painted early in its life in a two-tone color scheme, with the lower half of the body painted in a light color and the upper portions finished in a darker color. As was common practice at the time, Duesenberg re-titled J-461 as a 1934 and treated it as though it was an entirely new product.

Mr. Roebling passed away suddenly during 1936; however, the dashing Model J remained on the East Coast, eventually coming to the attention of Richard Harris of New Heaven, Connecticut, who bought it in the early 1940s. Jim Hadley of Washington, D.C., has been recorded as owning the Duesenberg shortly thereafter. It was around that time that the Model J received a later-style radiator, presumably in an effort to update the design, and the dramatic two-tone livery was changed to a single dark color. Photos taken at the time clearly illustrate the distinctive covered rear spares.

In the late 1950s, J-461 gained some notoriety when it appeared in a Quaker State Advertisement with its then owner, James G. Groendyk of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. From there, it is believed that the Model J was sold to an owner in Florida before making its way back to the Northeast in 1970 when it was acquired by M.H. Gould of Pennsylvania. Later that year, the splendid Murphy Convertible Coupe was sold to Richard Boeshore, also of Pennsylvania.

In the mid 1970s, under Mr. Boeshore’s care, the grand Duesenberg was shown at Hershey where it received an AACA award for its handsome appearance and authenticity. A photo taken at the time shows the Duesenberg looking quite similar to its current presentation, with the exception of a Lalique mascot and dual driving lights. It seems as though Mr. Boeshore retained the Duesenberg and eventually it was sold to Chicago resident William Buddig of the well-known Buddig meat company. Mr. Buddig was a noted collector who had an impressive stable of significant American classics when the Duesenberg caught his attention. At the time, the Model J had never been comprehensively restored and was a very honest, largely original example throughout.

Mr. Buddig entrusted close friend and respected Duesenberg specialist Fran Roxas to complete a show-quality restoration on the beautiful, one-off Convertible Coupe. Completed in 1985, the impeccably restored Model J was truly a marvelous sight. Finished in black, the Duesenberg, with its rear mounted spares, single center-mounted driving light and lovely unbroken lines, was ready to win the most important concours awards. Over the next 10 years it met that expectation.

At the ACD reunion in 1986, J-461 was awarded Best Score, the ACD Fred Duesenberg Award and Best of Show. Mr. Buddig then proudly displayed his Duesenberg at the 1986 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance where its highly accurate presentation, meticulous restoration and elegant one-off design helped it capture First in Class in one of the most competitive categories of the concours. At the Tucson Concours, also held in 1986, J-461 received Best of Show honors and was awarded a $50,000 prize – an added reward to the pleasure of owning the magnificent Duesenberg.

In 1987, Mr. Budding took the Disappearing-Top Murphy out to Hickory Corners, Michigan, for the Gilmore Duesenberg show. Amazingly, out of 125 Dusenbergs that made their way to the event, J-461 was selected as the Best Model J Duesenberg – a strong testament to its visual appeal and significance. Later that year, it was shown at the Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance where it was awarded a First Place award. Subsequent showings at Meadow Brook were also successful, and the Duesenberg won several special awards in later years. In addition, this superb Model J received the coveted 100-point judgment by the CCCA and has since earned Junior, Senior and Premier awards. In 1989, it achieved yet another concours victory, taking home Best of Show honors at the Chicago International Concours.

A respected Duesenberg specialist and collector has had the opportunity to judge this car on two separate occasions and has remarked that J-461 is one of those rare, no-stories cars on which everything appears as it should. In his opinion, with its Disappearing-Top and rear-mounted spares, this Model J is one of, if not the most desirable example of all Murphy Convertible Coupes. High praise indeed!

Mr. Buddig passed away in the 1990s and, after some time, the Duesenberg was reluctantly sold by his family. After spending nearly a decade alongside other impressive Duesenbergs while in the collection of Jerry J. Moore, J-461 joined another important collection and has spent the past five years in the company of some of the most significant Model Js in the world – a fitting place for this one-of-a-kind wonder.



Rolls from the Catalog:
magnificent Phantom II has been lovingly cared for by a handful of owners. According to the entry in John Webb de Campi’s book Rolls-Royce in America, 221 AMS was originally built for Mary Elizabeth Williams, the daughter of insurance magnate Charles F. Williams of Cincinnati, Ohio. Ms. Williams had admired the design of the Henley but feared that, while driving in an open car, her hairstyle would be lost to the wind. Consequently, an order was placed with Brewster coachworks for a fixed roof version of the sporty Henley model. The result is arguably the most beautiful of the ten Phantom II Henleys built. In May 1934, Ms. Williams’ one-off Henley Coupe was delivered for the staggering sum of almost $20,000. br>
In the mid-1950s, Mr. Donald Weesner and his wife learned of the existence of the Henley Coupe in Ohio and quickly embarked on a rail trip to see the car. Viewing the Henley Coupe for the first time, Mr. Weesner marveled at its beauty and untouched original condition, and was unable to resist purchasing the Rolls-Royce.
br> As soon as the sale was complete, the Weesners drove the car from Cincinnati to their home in Minnesota. Understandably, the beautiful Henley became their favorite automobile and, throughout the next 45 years, it was privately shown to select friends and members of local car clubs, though it was driven very little. By 1999, the car had long since left the forefront of collectors’ minds, having been sold privately nearly half a century earlier. Very few pictures had been published of the car and one or two grainy black and white photos were the only evidence of its existence. When it was offered for public sale in April 1999, it caught the collector car world completely off guard. It was purchased by well-known collector and dealer Dennis Nicotra of Connecticut and, after changing hands twice more within the dealer community, it was purchased by the consignor in 2007.
br> Throughout its history, the Henley Coupe has remained in astonishingly original condition, and though the exterior may have been repainted many decades ago, its beautifully preserved interior appears to be factory original. The overall patina suggests that it has never had any major restoration work performed. Showing less than 35,000 miles, its virtual time-warp condition would indicate the mileage to be its total from new. In recent years, its tan canvas top has been replaced with black leather, but it appears that little else has been done that would disturb the originality of this majestic automobile.
br> When new, the Brewster Henley had a number of distinguishing style elements which have stood the test of time brilliantly, earning the car its mythic status. However, this Henley Coupe has features that differ from the other nine, including a flat pane windshield which is much lower and more steeply raked, and the upper hood panels that extend all the way to the windshield, giving the automobile an even more custom and tailored look. It also features the trademark twin beltlines lines which appear to come together at the midpoint of the door, accentuating its sporty, cut-down line.
br> With the popularity of well-preserved original cars at an all-time high, this glorious, one-of-a-kind Phantom II Henley Coupe takes its place among the most hallowed and sought-after cars in the world. With its sweeping lines and flowing brightwork trim juxtaposed with the monolithic Rolls-Royce radiator shell, it is truly one of the most magnificent automotive designs ever realized.

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Coupe
Coachwork By Brewster
Chassis No. 221 AMS
Engine No. U75J

 

Not sure if it could be Extinct but I know they are SUPER rare.

Brewster Ford's. Heres a story
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z11348/Ford-Brewster.aspx

and a picture

 

1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley Coupe
Coachwork By Brewster
Chassis No. 221 AMS
Engine No. U75J

A smart guy once said the the Rolls-Royce is the cadillac of automobiles.

 

You know, 1961 wasn't a dead year in car design, except
maybe at MoPar which had lost its way, post-fins. Only
104 Ferrari 250 GT California cars were produced, about
half with covered light like this one, about half with open
headlights like the one in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." I can
get away with showing this, 'cause Ryan has a soft spot
for Enzo's works. COOL car & fast as it appears to be,
with styling by Pinan Farrina.

 

The 1936 Brewster station wagon was likely built on a lengthened Ford chassis. Brewster was a revival of the prestigious coachbuilder's name and manufactured about 300 cars from 1934-1936 in the former Rolls Royce of America, Inc. facility in Springfield, Massachusetts. The U.S. Rolls Royce firm had purchased the original Brewster & C. in 1926. The cars were expensive and easily recognized by their heart-shaped grille and flowing fenders.

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the World's Automobiles,
by David Burgess Wise​

 

We talked about the Brewsters earlier in the thread. If you go to www.brewstercars.com , you can learn all about Brewsters that you want to know. Except, I don't think I've seen the '36 Wagon before.

 

Hey, man, sometimes we ALL have to take a turn on the ol' soapbox! Yeah, the speculators are a reality, and yes, they take some of the excitement out of any hobby (rare coins, another example).

But I always hold HOPE that someone (as YOU say) who will REALLY appreciate a car eventually winds up with it. Some people throw a rock or two at Jay Leno, but at least here is a HIGH-PROFILE guy collecting AND restoring cycles & cars; he's GOOD for the hobby and, maybe, offsets the bad taste left by speculators, a tad. And he shares his collection, while some others keep them shut away for years. Just a general observation.

 

HJ said: A smart guy once said the the Rolls-Royce is the cadillac of automobiles.

Jimi: Now, THAT is clever! On the other hand, R/R sent a rep to the U.S. (prior to their venture in BUILDING cars here) to assess the quality/engineering of finer U.S. cars. After some time here investigating, he returned to England and told Henry & Charles, in effect, "We can show them nothing."

 

AlsAncle, BEAUTIFUL photo of one ultra-scarce '31 Duesy. My jaw is still
on the floor. THANKS for the info about Roebling (whose dad not only
was Brooklyn Bridge associated but was a civil war officer also). FUNNY
how things interconnect, isn't it?

 

1941 Cadillac Woodie

Recent information and body tag suggest that this Cadillac was bodied by a relatively unknown 'Fred's Truck Body and Station Wagon Builder, Jerome Avenue, Bronx, New York.' Birds eye maple veneer with mahogany inserts, along with other details were used in what is believed to be the only example built by this company. Early photographs show this car on the streets of Bar Harbor, Maine in 1947 and it is believed to have been the 'summer car' of a wealthy New York family that vacationed each year in the Bar Harbor area.

 

Built By Coachcraft

Although far less practical, the Starrett wagon was in some ways more stylish but although Charles Starrett was a popular western star, the wagon received far less publicity. Based on a '41 Cadillac chassis, Starrett's woody featured a two-door body with a beautiful, curvaceous back that mirrored the Art Deco style of Cadillac fenders.

Strangely enough, and ad in the January 1957 issue of Motor Trend stated that Coachcraft had purchased the wagon back from Starrett and had it up for sale for the now-ridiculous price of $1,500

 

1951 Cadillac 75

This unusual car is known as the Gene Autry Cadillac Woody. It has coachwork that was pre-formed by one of America's last custom house of the classic era, Maurice Schwartz of Pasadena, formally of Bowman & Schwartz and Murphy. It is believed that this Cadillac was commissioned by Harry Karl the husband of movie actress Marie McDonald. Gene Autry purchased it in the mid-1950's and owned it for over 30 years.

 

.

Coachcraft (USA) custom station wagon on Series 62 chassis commissioned by Merril M. Madsen of Minneapolis, MN and designed by Philip Wright. The car carried an ornate hood emblem representing two intertwined "M"s, the owner's initials.