Wagons in vintage Street scenes

wow! this pics are awesome!

 

1960 Buick

Lots of eye candy and great info and read in this link about all models of 60 Buicks.

http://home.wideopenwest.com/~gcockerill/1960_buick_001.htm


The 1960 Buick Production Oddities (continued) 1960 Buick Professional Cars Flxible Professional Cars The primary company making 1960 Buick professional cars was Flxible of Loudonville Ohio. Their traditional long wheelbase model was called the Premier. If you look closely, you can see the Buick's sculptured body lines had a tough time flowing smoothly on the extended length.

As a more economical alternative, Flxible also offered the smaller Flxette built on a standard Buick Electra (126") wheelbase. Both the Flxette and Premier were offered as ambulances, funeral cars, or combination units. Surviving examples of any are extremely rare. Two new Flxibles at the Ohio factory 1960 Buick Flxible Premier 1960 Buick Flxible Flxette _________________________________________________ In 1960 the Comet Coach Co. of Memphis relocated to Blytheville Arkansas, and changed their name to Cotner-Bevington.

This conversion appears to use the production Buick wheelbase (like the Flxette). Notice it uses three portholes, whereas Flxible dressed their units with 4. I believe the raised roof may have been fiberglass, rather than steel, but cannot confirm that.

One authority reports that only 4 1960 C-B Buicks were built, and only 2 survive. That would make this one a rare cookie!

This particular car was offered for sale on a popular online auction site in Nov. 2005. Cotner-Bevington (Comet Coach Co.) Ridin' in Style Holy Smokes, Batman! What more appropriate "final ride" for a 1960 Buick enthusiast? This rare example of the Flxible Premier funeral coach is owned by Richard Thomas of Atlanta GA. Richard was recently profiled in Hemmings CLASSIC CAR magazine and has a large collection of 1960 Buicks, including several professional cars.

The Premier see here was originally purchased by the Albee Mortuary of Condon Oregon, which used it regularly until the business was sold in 1978. The new owner was the Sweeney Mortuary in nearby Heppner. They utilized the Buick at both funeral home locations for another year before it was permanently retired. Mr. Sweeney admits to having been ticketed once, for driving it at 110mph while traveling between the towns of Condon and Heppner!

Today, this vehicle is incredibly solid and unmolested and still wears its original dark blue paint and maroon/white interior. According to authorities on the subject, only 86 Premiers (long wheelbase) and 110 Flxettes (std. Buick wheelbase) were built. That total is for both ambulances, funeral coaches, and combination units. Those built with full side glass are referred to as limousine style, while units with enclosed rear side windows (typical of hearses) are known as landau style. Richard's vehicle is believed to be the only remaining example of a non-combo hearse in the limousine style.

Note the awkward transition of the upper body style line on these long wheelbase coaches. This is a result of using production front doors and quarter panels, and having to join the body lines by using a fabricated rear door.


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From the book, "Boulevard Photographic-The Art of Automobile Advertizing" by Jim Williams: "The art directors at Kenyon and Eckhardt on the Lincoln Mercury account, fell in love with using animals in it's ads for the Comet and the Cougar. ...they were extremely difficult to work with. Boo, the dog (in the Comet ads) would never sit still, and Chauncey, the cat (mountain lion in the Cougar and mercury ads) would only perform when plied with raw chicken necks."

In the book theres a beautiful two page color photo of a 62 Comet Villager wagon with Boo's head sticking out of the tailgate window. I doubt the photo was ever used elsewhere as it was a test shot for photo advertizing that, if used, would have featured a 63 Comet Villager wagon rather than a 62.