strong coach week upcoming!

Today I met a friend, Jack, to go see a few cars he had stored out in the country that I hadn't previously viewed. While not technically "found" - thought you'd still like a photo update. Jack likes to lurk on message boards. He's known Carl Woerner for a long time and has been a procar enthusiast since childhood.



Stunned me off the bat to walk around a corner and see a '59 Series 75! Non-divider window model. This one belongs to someone else so I'll follow up with possible availability. Pretty typical TX builder. Plus a '61 parts limo has a good windshield down here...



Pretty dry '56 Meteor endloader is in solid restorable shape. Not only is it complete, all the glass is good, and Jack has gathered new items along the way.



Hard to top '50s scripted logos.



'62 Superior Crown combination - and Jack has TWO of them; identical. This is the better of them. Front clip has already been painted. Given the rarity of landau combinations - strange that he has a matched pair. Hope he makes more progress soon.

Then again, he'd like to move out of the US, so who knows..?

Tomorrow I'm hearse hunting in a small town more than an hour out.

Then by Wednesday, I should have pics of procars found in the high desert of NM. I may end up breaking an official record this week. Ha.

Very cool! I saw you missed call today so I figured that you must have found something good.

Name or Initials......

Attila: Did you happen to see if there were any Initials or FH Name still in the Meteor "Crests" on Each Door? Looks like a very solid car! MM

wow

I sure would like to restore that 59 limo.

trembling with excitement

Mike, I had not noticed. Will check next time there.

We'll see about the Series 75 Brady.

Keeping up this weeks finds>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Today I drove out to rural TX following a 20 year old lead! Guess what? It was STILL there: '51 Superior Air Force ambulance. USAF G-158



No motor or transmission. Windshield and back glass broken - along with a couple cracked flat glass pieces. Front floors have rot. Rest of floors and body are quite solid. It is piled high inside with other old car parts, otherwise I'd have shot more. No divider; long benches in back still present. Navy blue leather bench front seat still looks decent around crapola piled on top.

I'd say this is savable given the rarity. All trim and badges are present. Even the '51-'53 taillights are replatable - which are getting hard to find. I'm driving back tomorrow as the 90 year old owner hadn't the strength to do more today. This one will go cheap if someone wants it.

Then, pics arrived this evening from NM as planned. This yard closed in '79! I received a tip last week about a rear bumper for my '58. Turns out there are several procars here. After hearing descriptions over the phone, my momentum shifted to buying the entire '58 Superior ambulance...

Well, this isn't Superior.



Best one of the bunch! '58 MM low top ambulance. Notice roof lights are still intact. This has NOT been picked over and is 98% complete. I've decided to pass and take another coach here instead...



Not much of this '39 LaSalle Superior ambulance left. Rear body isn't rotted though. Owner says that he has at least the cowl and front suspension. Good spare parts to save another.



'58 Superior Pontiac high top! Windshield, all curved glass, and most flat glass is good. What's left is very solid! Drivetrain still intact. Obviously needs a front clip and a 4D will provide most everything (if not everything) missing. There is even at least one '58 4D donor in the same yard I'm told.

Attila, great finds as usual. I always love to see what kinda Pro Cars your going to dig up next. After looking at all these great pics, I'm a little dizy.

Josh

moving right along



Not attractive - but it *IS* a Crown. Sold and heading to TX. Now I'm eyeballing front commercial sheetmetal off that interchangeable '59 limo Brady. That's right. I said it. Thankfully this endloader is not rotted.



'61 Superior military high top ambulance. (At least I think it is if remembering correctly from an earlier discussion, not having my Superior book present.) Here's another odd duckling that is savable with a front clip. Not many of these exist, correct?



'65 MM Landau. I'll assume endloader for the time being as its was not specified. Super solid sills, floors, etc. Passenger rear side door has light crease; rest is very straight. 98% complete (no landaus). All glass is good - including windshield. The partition has been removed and is in the rear compartment. Ran when parked and closest coach to being roadworthy again.



Lastly from the same place - a '74 Suburban airport limo. Don't know much about this one. Merely thought you'd like to see it.

Let me say this: These coaches have existed because they're well off the beaten path! They survived for a reason. I believe right now is that reason. They've been preserved (various levels of completeness) in one of the best climates in the US for us to save.

ALL of the above mentioned are for sale. The retired owner of this last yard has been mighty cordial so far. His pricing is more than fair (a couple are downright cheap) - no eBay prices here! And he was quite clear that the more cars purchased, the more prices are bundled. Realistically, a friend of mine will go in and purchase the '58 MM already. Another friend wants to buy an unmentioned '58 Cadillac here as well. If any of the rest look like interesting possibilities - don't sit on the fence dragging feet to decide! Drop me a line n_o_w. Best case scenario? $500 (or more) price drop if additional units are added, so we all win. Regardless, we are moving forward to close ASAP.

These cars are not in Mexico; rather New Mexico. Nothing to be skeptical about.

While today's events shocked even me, I'm not done yet this week! Should have more surprises. Seriously. But I don't know if anything from here out will be for sale.

Yesterday I returned to the '51 as asked. I was then asked to return Sat! Although told more than once, the little old man wasn't grasping the length driven; that I was not a local resident.

No price yet. I flashed $$$ so they knew I was serious and still nothing. He and his wife want to check with a son. Here are more shots.



Entire front clip is straight, complete, and rust free.

If someone ends up with this unit - have these perfect Superior emblems recast please!

Since a few of you really enjoyed seeing the '56...



Since this coach sold in Oklahoma new and was retired in '68 - I'm willing to bet that Steve Loftin has pictures of it somewhere.

It went to a property when retired that was later divided by a man-made culvert or creek. The ensuing erosion cut off any way for the Meteor to leave! This is 'prolly the sole reason that it exists today. Amazing that even inaccessible by vehicles that kids didn't break windows or steal parts after sitting decades before Jack acquired.





Worst damage I saw on this coach. Commercial bumper ends are aluminum though and a decent welder should be able to save it. If not, I know where there happens to be a spare driver's side '56 rear bumper end sitting 300 miles away. Doesn't mean that spare will still be there by the time someone is restoring this coach though. Heh.

After speaking with pertinent parties yesterday, I'm planning a road trip to this yard shortly.




Not much externally will prove difficult to locate for the '58 MM - specific rear bumperettes the exception.



Copper/brown on door jams is original color (2-tone?), having been repainted white.



Wonder if the (rather unattractive) MM side trim was left off this ambulance when new or merely when painted? Notice there is no provision for quarter spear molding either. This simplicity on an ambulance works well.

Not many pics sent of these two. The gentleman whom I had head here stated that this '58 is the best restorable procar unit left.



The German phrase das rollende ei - "the rolling egg" fits the '61. Ha.

Lastly for now, more shots of the rot-free '65 MM awaiting love.



Never paid attention to that roof bevel before. How long was this a MM design trait?



If I can squeak out into a different direction today there may be more pictures of different coaches tonight.

Not included yet is a new Mexican coach that I'm frothing in anticipation over

Attila Bethlenfalvy said:

'61 Superior military high top ambulance. (At least I think it is if remembering correctly from an earlier discussion, not having my Superior book present.) Here's another odd duckling that is savable with a front clip. Not many of these exist, correct?

Click to expand...

Nope; built by Memphis Coach...I've seen at least two civilian versions of this (awful) body style, as well.

Attila Bethlenfalvy said:

Since this coach sold in Oklahoma new and was retired in '68 - I'm willing to bet that Steve Loftin has pictures of it somewhere.

Click to expand...

Perhaps a slight chance; we didn't move to Oklahoma until 1968 (I was 12)...sold new to what firm?

The '58 Superior/Pontiac appears to be a military rig, as well...a front or cab roof shot could tell us. Most civilian versions had tunnel lights over the cab (military versions did not), but they could've been removed later in the car's life.

Will try to learn more about the Meteor's origin.

Good call on the '58 Steve! Military it is.

you run across a 53 or 54 sedan delivery with a good rear bumper snag it will you. chevy or pon are the same. but it has to have the dip in it. a wagon, sedan ones are not right. dog dish wheel cover for the poncho, if you have to fight the dog for it I have a 54-55 one I'll trade him. toss in a can of alpo. the back side of the Memphes is as good a signature as John Hancocks. they do look just like a egg laying there.

fogot the pictures the cap looks like this

In the background of the last picture i see a 56 olds with the front end in the air i could use the rear bumper. If it is not damaged.