Looks like a '40 Buick to me, definately a GM by the FISHER body tag...but I've been mistaken before...Mitch
1939 Oldsmobile. Most Gm look the same from side. Buick had side trim. Pontiac had angled side vents, LaSalle had 3 long side hood vents. looks closer to Oldsmobile.
I agree. Buick. So tell us a little bit about the gentleman. Must be interesting enough to write a book about.
that would fit. The man is my grandfather and he was a chauffer. He drove from Fall River, Mass to Bakersfield Calif with his employer. He left a detailed journal with mileage and costs for the trip. Now I'm looking for maps from 1939, from FRM to Calif via the southern route.
Funny story. The 38 Buick they had floated out of the garage and down the road during the 38 Hurricane. So that is the replacement.
Just to be clear it is a 39 Buick...as Mitch acknowledged and Squablow matched via pic and further facts...
do you think it was a custom? He was a Chauffeur so, that would be right. My friend has a 1939 Buick and that rear window is smaller than the one in the pic. Then there is the 1940. so possibly it was a late 39?
They had different models back in those days some were slightly bigger...was it a Custom not in a Coach Works sense...I suspect they could have been ordered with any number of accessories making them different by makup... https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:1939_Buick_automobiles They may have even did fleets and catered to specialized custom work... That Sedan doesn't look really Custom but it certainly may have been optioned per request. The Buicks were an upscale line for GM I believe...
I'd think a chauffeur would be driving a four door car if he was driving for passengers, so maybe it was his personal car. There's a US factory brochure, along with a Swiss brochure for 1939 Buicks, at the old car brochures website: https://oldcarbrochures.org/United States/Buick/1939_Buick/index.html (The Swiss brochure has an interesting four door cabriolet that's different than the US four door convertible.)
Well, your grandfather looks to be a well put together guy. I’d dig deeper, he may have been the bodyguard as well. Family secrets love to be discovered!
What you are doing....very cool!! I was born in Fall River and have lived in the area (now 20 minutes away in Acushnet) all of my life.
Is this what your friend's car looks like? If so, that's just the difference between a coupe (shown below) and a 2 door sedan, like your grandpa had. Both cars are 39 Buick Specials, your grandpas was a sedan and this is the coupe version. Nothing appears custom about your grandpa's car, at least not that we can see in the pic. Buick didn't really have any running changes between 39 and 40, so a late 39 would look just like an early 39.
The Jalopy Journal
