Adventures in the Northland

While the Ohio guys are having fun pulling hidden cars out of garages, we've been having fun putting cars on display in civic centers. Last week was the 120th annual Minnesota Funeral Directors convention in St. Cloud. By invitation, the Northland Chapter displayed 2 professional cars: our 1973 Superior Crown Sovereign combination and George Quast's 1939 Meteor LaSalle carved coach (that his father bought brand new and drove home from Piqua!)

George, a collector of all things historic, especially from the funeral home his family once had, displayed a great collection of photos and artifacts along with the hearse. Among the goodies was a Henney promotional model.

Meanwhile...

Not everything happens to be under cover. I didn't want to get into a "score a '64" competition with Ron, but now that he's shown you his find, I'll show you mine. We couldn't believe our eyes when also found deep in the north woods was a D...D...Di... Oh my gosh, LEDFORD!!

Can I be the first to say that I want this car for my next restoration project??? Where do I send the check??? Besides......Jeremy is known as Miller Meteor Man...

the tag would be enough to make him swoon. better hide it behind a tree and reveal it in inches for a week or two so he doesn't get arrested heading up north in a rush. that patrolman that got Richard would not believe two members in a week .

In the immortal words of Steve Lichtman......... Whoa...... back up the fire truck... The picture is of a commercial chassis car, and it appears that the script on the lower front fender says Park Row. I don't see any emblems under a painted molding as in the second picture. Dan Scully and I are leaning toward the car pictured is actually a S & S. I believe that the car that the Dixie emblem belongs to isn't pictured yet.. Inquiring minds want to know the truth... :angel:

Great photos. Bernie's coach looks really splendid. You should have been at the Cad-LaSalle meet back in 199? when he showed up for the 1st time with his prize. He had just gotten it and named it. I can't recall now whether I succeeded in getting him to park the rig with the attending Cads, but I think he may have. He was walking on air the whole time, as you can imagine.

When I first saw it I thought it was a Park Row congratulations what is the interior like?

Tony Karsnia said:

We couldn't believe our eyes when also found deep in the north woods was a D...D...Di... Oh my gosh, LEDFORD!!

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MUST KNOW MORE!!!!!!!!!!!:weneedpics_smi:

DeWinter-Karsnia

Tony: Is that still the original paint or have you repainted it? It looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL in every respect... (*) I am sure Bernie is looking down and very proud of what you have done in his honor. I especially like the DeWinter-Karsnia name plates. MM

Mike McDonald said:

I am sure Bernie is looking down and very proud of what you have done in his honor.

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Your darn right on that!!!

That 1939 LaSalle is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen!

Do you have more photos?
Thanks,
-WM

Mike McDonald said:

Tony: Is that still the original paint or have you repainted it? It looks absolutely BEAUTIFUL in every respect...

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I like the color too. I know my Series 75 was not originally this color and the color does not appear to match anything on the 1972 Cadillac color chart. I'd like to park next to yours and see how close the color matches mine. Maybe at the International Meet in 2011?

It took me a minute looking at your other pictures to decide they were not of the same car. What a special find!

with out matchig the car up with the chip I'm guessing it's the 71 color gm code 99 primrose firemist met

but looking father in the book there is a 75 color that has a different grade of metallic that is close to. gm #97 so one would have to compare it with the book. but that is one striking combination on that car. the superior styling and the colors trimmed out that way. it does make for one vary pretty car.

Reeb ambulance

Was the now famous REEB Ambulance primarily known for the Original Buyer checking all the available order form boxes for lights and sirens.... the same color? MM

Mike, I don't think so. The Reeb car is very gold. Tony's/Bernie's car really has a hint of pink in it, hence the car's nickname "pink champagne". It probably looks more gold in Tony's photos from the arena lights.

Studebaker had a similar color they called "Rose Mist".

Try this picture for a slightly better hue of it:

Well, it wasn't long before my phone rang this morning, with a very excited Jeremy on the other end of the line. We will definitely be "talking Dixie" this weekend in Piqua. (Is that anything like whistling Dixie??) I explained to him that the front fender with the nameplate is the worst part of the car; the rest is in near immaculate condition. For a couple cigars, I could probably be pursuaded to tell him where it is and bring it back into civilization for him.

To my amazement, he had to think it over. Cigars, I'm told, are not given out to just anyone...

Anyway, there is very much a Dixie Oldsmobile in addition to the '64 S&S Park Row. No interior photos of the Park Row yet; bad new is there is too much junk (boxes, etc.) in it. Good news is, all that "stuff" has helped preserve the interior.

We are very honored to be the caretakers of Bernie's '73 Crown, otherwise known as "Pink Champagne." We are quite certain Bernie would be most proud of the use and attention she's received in the past 2 years. She was originally white with white vinyl 1/2 top, but was professionally painted the Sandalwood color in the 1980s by her original owner, Van Horn Funeral Home of Lakeview, OH. Shortly after Bernie acquired her in the early 1990s, he had her all redone again, in the same color, with a new matching vinyl top. I do know this is a 1980s GM color. It changes depending on the light. This car can be gold, light brown, soft pink, chamgpagne, and copper. The color of the Reeb '73 Superior ambulance was more of a pure gold.

My plan is to bring Pink Champagne to the 2011 PCS Int'l Meet in Ohio, which will include a visit to Bernie's grave. I know he'd like having his beloved coach closeby again. Like Kevin, I look forward to getting our cars together to see how close the colors are.

More pictures of the '39 Meteor carved hearse will be posted. That is one gorgeous ORIGINAL car!

Changing Colors

Steve and Tony.... You both are right it does seem to change colors under the convention lights (looked very gold) and out in the open.... either way though it's an incredibly beautiful car! MM

I have seen Tonys coach many times in person, and it is very hard to get the true color in a picture. As he stated it changes color everytime you see it.

Great cars i hope to make it to the 2011 meet and see them in person.