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Vintage Car Thread - Discussion and Parts Requests

Justin B

One Too Many
Messages
1,796
Location
Lubbock, TX
I'll have to see if I can find pictures of the '31 I built. When we hauled it out of the woods we had to cut the tree down that was growing up between the front seats and out the roof.
 

Justin B

One Too Many
Messages
1,796
Location
Lubbock, TX
Unfortunately not. They're in a box...somewhere. Been in my new house for a year already still haven't unpacked everything.
 

David Conwill

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,854
Location
Bennington, VT 05201
I can’t get these out of my head recently:

Comete01.jpg

c. 1951 Ford Comete

-Dave
 

Marc Chevalier

Gone Home
Messages
18,192
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
I'm looking for a specific car: a dark brown, 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B sedanca de ville with coachwork by Hibbard & Darrin. Purchased new in Paris by Los Angeles haberdasher James Oviatt, the car was exported to L.A., where it ended up being rented out to movie studios in the early 1930s. (Have you ever see "Grand Hotel"? The car appears in several scenes as Greta Garbo's limousine.) When Katharine Hepburn first arrived in Hollywood, she rented Oviatt's Hispano-Suiza and had herself driven all over town in it "to make a splash".

I don't have a chassis number and the car's original paperwork is long gone. Hispano-Suizas don't just disappear, so I believe that this one still exists somewhere. After several years of searching, I've come up with no definitive answers.

Any help would be truly appreciated!


Hibbard & Darrin factory photo of the car, 1927:

oviatt-1.jpg




The car in GRAND HOTEL (1932):

JamesOviattsHispanoSuizainGrandHotel.jpg




And in BERKELEY SQUARE (1933):

HispanoinBerkeleySquare1933.jpg
 
Last edited:

David Conwill

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,854
Location
Bennington, VT 05201
Nice find Dave. What other info do you have on this?

I'd become so bored drooling over Facel Vega's:)

Not a ton. It first came up here. They are apparently based on the Ford of France (later Simca) Vedette, which itself resembles a baby '49 Mercury. Power initially came from a four cylinder, but was later upgraded to the European version of the V8-60. I'm not clear if they were ever offered with the Simca "Ardun" V8 - but I think those came later.

They're pretty uncommon, and were designed by Facel before the Facel Vega, which is why they inspire the same lust.

-Dave
 

Big Man

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,781
Location
Nebo, NC
OK folks, how about a little input/advice/comments from the knowledgeable people here about vintage cars. I have a '48 Plymouth Special Deluxe that I've been driving for the past year and a half. It is a good, solid car that runs very well and has a good sound body. The interior was restored at some point prior to my getting the car, so it's "old", but not "vintage" (it is in excellent condition). The paint is excellent, and if it's not original, it's certainly old (it's a lacquer base paint). In short, the car is a dream to own and drive and to look at, too.

My "problem" that I am soliciting your help with is due to today I found a nice '42 Plymouth Special Deluxe. The car my Dad drove was a '42 (not much difference in the looks of a '42 and a '48), so that is the make, model, and year that I would have liked to have had over the '48. The '42 I found today is also in good shape (as far as I can tell), but the paint is not quite as good as mine and the interior of the '42 is rather rough. It's original (and in good shape for original - no tears, etc), but the seats have been recovered with a gosh ugly vinyl at some point in time (those vinyl seat covers would absolutely have to go).

The owner of the '42 wants $6,500. I asked about the possibility of a trade, and he said that if we traded it would have to be a "close trade". He hasn't seen my '48, but I described it in as much detail as I could. The term "close trade" means he would swap cars and give me something extra for mine. My '48 is in better looking shape than the '42, and I know how sound my car runs (of course any car - even a new one - could drop dead on you). I didn't pay anywhere even close to $6,500 for my '48, so I definitely would be coming out to the good money-wise.

So, what do the experts here think? Should I try to strike a deal? I'm no car trader by any means, so am at a disadvantage there. What do you folks think is a fair price for a '42 and a '48? Any thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated.
 

FedoraGent

One Too Many
Messages
1,223
Location
San Francisco Bay Area
BM,

Call me...you still have the number.

FG.

OK folks, how about a little input/advice/comments from the knowledgeable people here about vintage cars. I have a '48 Plymouth Special Deluxe that I've been driving for the past year and a half. It is a good, solid car that runs very well and has a good sound body. The interior was restored at some point prior to my getting the car, so it's "old", but not "vintage" (it is in excellent condition). The paint is excellent, and if it's not original, it's certainly old (it's a lacquer base paint). In short, the car is a dream to own and drive and to look at, too.

My "problem" that I am soliciting your help with is due to today I found a nice '42 Plymouth Special Deluxe. The car my Dad drove was a '42 (not much difference in the looks of a '42 and a '48), so that is the make, model, and year that I would have liked to have had over the '48. The '42 I found today is also in good shape (as far as I can tell), but the paint is not quite as good as mine and the interior of the '42 is rather rough. It's original (and in good shape for original - no tears, etc), but the seats have been recovered with a gosh ugly vinyl at some point in time (those vinyl seat covers would absolutely have to go).

The owner of the '42 wants $6,500. I asked about the possibility of a trade, and he said that if we traded it would have to be a "close trade". He hasn't seen my '48, but I described it in as much detail as I could. The term "close trade" means he would swap cars and give me something extra for mine. My '48 is in better looking shape than the '42, and I know how sound my car runs (of course any car - even a new one - could drop dead on you). I didn't pay anywhere even close to $6,500 for my '48, so I definitely would be coming out to the good money-wise.

So, what do the experts here think? Should I try to strike a deal? I'm no car trader by any means, so am at a disadvantage there. What do you folks think is a fair price for a '42 and a '48? Any thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated.
 

Big Man

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,781
Location
Nebo, NC
Here are a couple photos of the '42 Plymouth I was talking about in my above post. I wish I had thought about taking a photo of the interior, but I didn't.

IMG00220-20110817-1352.jpg



IMG00221-20110817-1353.jpg





And for reference, here's a picture of my '48 Plymouth.

DSC03574.jpg

 

Big Man

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,781
Location
Nebo, NC
How much extra cash is he willing to throw in?

We haven't gone that far in talking yet. I would think we could trade with somewhere in the $500 to $800 range. I'm still not convinced that I want to trade my '48 yet, but it would be nice to have a '42. I'm going to give it a week or so before talking to him again.
 

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