record amount of new procar finds!!!

[60Crown]

Been quite some time since a week like this started aligning. I'll 'prolly never come close to topping it honestly. Sit back and enjoy the trip.

Monday 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. It was retired from service in '68 and came out of OK a few years back.



Hard to top '50s scripted logos.



'62 Superior Crown combination - and Jack has TWO; identical, even white paint. 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..?

[60Crown]

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

Yesterday 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 this morning as the 90 year old owner hadn't the strength to do more today. This one will go cheap if someone wants it.

[60Crown]

Then, pics arrived yesterday afternoon 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...crazy huh?



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. The rear doors alone are worth more than he is asking.



'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 (if not everything) missing. There is even at least one '58 4D donor in the same yard I'm told.

[60Crown]

Not attractive or a limo style - but it *IS* a Crown. Sold and heading to TX. Now I'm eyeballing front commercial sheetmetal off that interchangeable '59 limo. 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 the last couple days have been a virtual whirlwind of 'new' procars, 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.

[Tulsa Guy]

"Contact doctor if errection lasts longer than three hours"

[Vanity]

Hey Atti,

Forgive me cuz I don't know how your posts work, are these actually for sale? Any of them cheap for lil ol' Vanity? Let me know!

Then again, I've no way of getting them to Phx...hrm

disregard I guess

[60Crown]

Vanity, that '64 Superior you missed out was *cheap*! Hard pressed to find ANY coach under a grand anymore - let alone one from the '60s. If you didn't have enough to buy, or have enough to have one moved, how do you plan on actually accomplishing work once you own one..? Start saving and another will come along.

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!

[60Crown]

A few of you really enjoyed seeing the '56...



It went to a property when retired from service in '68 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.

[60Crown]

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 a possible 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.

[60Crown]

Turns out this is a military ambulance - as evidenced by lack of front tunnel lights.



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.



Been corrected that the '61 is a Memphis. The German phrase das rollende ei - "the rolling egg" fits. Ha.

[60Crown]

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.

[60Crown]

Sadly, not all leads pan out - big surprise, right?

Years ago I wondered what a shortened 6 window roof would look like. Now I know. Don't get me wrong, I'd still finish this homemade conversion and use it! Tailgate needs replaced with a period one. Fun start but no flower car...




Best part perhaps? Turns out this is in the US & not Mexico - although close. Will follow up regardless as it is a neat piece.

Still have 2-3 more coach surfacing possibilities before week's end.

[msc0nduct]

OMG I want that flower car!!!!

[mr x]

I think the 58 ambulance is totally killer !!!!!!!!!!

[60Crown]

Spoke with the elderly ex-junkyard owner this afternoon. I am driving there within the next 10 days or so. He has over 400 units remaining - including cool '50s wagons.

What I'd like is one of YOU to buy the '58 Superior Pontiac high top military ambulance (Jeff?) as it is the best deal yet unclaimed. There are both '58 Pontiac 4D and '58 Pontiac wagon with nice front fenders, grill, front bumper, quarter trim, etc. He will include the best items shown missing, making the ambulance almost complete. (Doesn't know if there is a good hood left.) He's agreed to drop $400 off the Pontiac price because of other cars leaving if paid at the same time. >>>>>$2k<<<<< As stated earlier - no retarded price! Granted, it isn't a Cadillac - but it *is* a high top.

I'll coordinate if someone wants to meet up there.

The '61 & '65 are unspoken for so far.

Not mentioned until today's conversation that was forgotten about? A '49 commercial Packard "family car". Given the description, sounds like an extended chassis informal limo with jump seats. Rear side doors are stretched about 8". Would this be Henney or factory..? Don't know if I've ever seen one.

This evening I drove a different direction into the country to check out more. Recently divorced couple, their acreage has sold, thought it may be a good time to deal.



'57 Series 75 limo. No motor, grill, bumper, or windshield. Most removed stainless was inside. Jump seats still present. Not rusty so could be restored. Husband wasn't around so I'm awaiting price.



This property has Cottonmouths and Copperheads. Oh - and these ugly sumbitches e v e r y w h e r e:



Yeah, it is as big as your current mental image. My hands are medium size and the body on this 'harmless' banana spider is the size as my thumb. Each car had a couple on/in them. Webs go from the waistline to the ground 6' away. In thigh high grass those webs can still be missed - until grasshoppers hopping every which direction land on one. Then you see how *fast* these damn spiders are. While focusing from 3' away on this one, it dropped down 2', entirely cocooned a large grasshopper, then returned to almost the same spot in a total of 5 seconds. Joy.