News:

Due to a technical issue, some recently uploaded pictures have been lost. We are investigating why this happened but the issue has been resolved so that future uploads should be safe.  You can also Modify your post (MORE...) and re-upload the pictures in your post.

Main Menu

Airport Limos

Started by Clewisiii, March 15, 2023, 05:52:52 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Clewisiii

To those who like Formal cars, how often do you come across classic stretched conversions. 

I saw an actual stretch 59 at a limo service in Detroit a while ago.  It has been done years ago and they were in the process of restoration

But what I would really like to find is a stretch airport limo. Something with 3 to 4 doors down one side. I have seen a few of these from other brands   but has anyone seen this in a Classic Cadillac
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Barry M Wheeler #2189

Some time ago, I purchased a six door stretched limo. I think that the coachbuilder was Collins. (A low end firm compared to others in the business.) I drove it for some time and found that it was no more difficult to drive than a normal Cadillac.

My most rewarding load of passengers was a (service) family of six children who needed help with their schoolwork that went to our church. Gay and I volunteered and drove fifteen miles or so each afternoon to their home and helped with homework. They didn't have much money, and I got the idea of loading their mom and all of the kids in the limo and driving to Lafayette (IN) to a Pizza Hut for pizza. We worked it out so that all nine of us fit. And, we all had a ball.

It ended up in the Norfolk area when a CLC buddy "had to have it." I got razzed at times, but it was kind of a fun car to have.

I bought it from a guy in Cincinnati who had a lot full of them. I remember a '79 Cadillac stretch in yellow. He had them in all sorts of condition.
Barry M. Wheeler #2189


1981 Cadillac Seville
1991 Cadillac Seville

Lexi

Great question. While I am interested in Limousines, I never spent a lot of time looking into after market conversions from that vintage time period. I can't think of any with say 6 or 8 doors that were done back in the day, (say tail fin era). I have seen one or two Ghia bodied Chrysler Limos from the 1960 era, but they just did what Chrysler was not producting on the assembly line and not of the length you are interested in. Cadillac still humbled their offering as well, in my opinion.

Cadillac also boasted that they produced the only formal limousines which was the basis for some of their advertising campaigns. My hypothetical guess is that few or even no such massively stretched limos were done back in the day as what was available served existing purposes well. Remember this was before the time of "party wagons", therefore in some respects Limos sort of served a different purpose back then. We were not as decadent! So I guess most did not see the need to stretch something that was already factory stretched, (if a Cadillac Series 75).

That said, on the net I did see a 1956 Cadillac that had been (recently) stretched, and as a project remained unfinished. I think the car was a Fleetwood Sixty Special, so it did not start life as a Limo. I have posted some images of it below. I may have contact information for you should you wish to investigate this project, let me know.

You may also wish to consult a book called, Stretching it (and subtitled), The Story of the Limousine, by Michael L Bromley and Tom Mazza, as published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, (Warrendale, PA, 2002). Been almost 2 decades since I read it, but I don't recall seeing vintage stretched rides of the kind you are looking for, described...except those that were produced much later. That phenomenon seems to have basically developed around 1990. Even the gigantic (1986 build) 100 footer pictured below or the so-called 1997 36 passenger 66.5 foot long Lincoln stretch called "The Sheik", date to nowhere near the period you are interested. I would be interested in learning if there were tail fin era 6 doors or more, Limos produced back in the day. Clay/Lexi

Clewisiii

Something like this would be great.  Just in a Cadillac. 81563c61c304ef14863e5a9c0fdf3a90--airports-limousine.jpg
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

Lexi

I think that is awesome. Any idea when it was first converted? Yes, I am biased, but who wouldn't want that? Clay/Lexi

Clewisiii

Quote from: Lexi on March 15, 2023, 08:03:25 PMI think that is awesome. Any idea when it was first converted? Yes, I am biased, but who wouldn't want that? Clay/Lexi

If you look up airport Limos you will see that there was a market making these when new. 
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

James Landi

"My most rewarding load of passengers was a (service) family of six children who needed help with their schoolwork that went to our church. Gay and I volunteered and drove fifteen miles or so each afternoon to their home and helped with homework. They didn't have much money, and I got the idea of loading their mom and all of the kids in the limo and driving to Lafayette (IN) to a Pizza Hut for pizza. We worked it out so that all nine of us fit. And, we all had a ball."

Thanks Barry for an affirming annecdote with my morning coffee-- the limo certainly played a "central role" in your charible efforts on behalf of this large family.  I note here that my brother owned Cadillac Limos, and he too always found them useful for family trips, family special occasions, and personal use when someone wanted to make a "splash."   Being a passenger in his limo made even the most mundane trip in to a special occasion. Happy day,  James   

Tom Boehm

#7
Carl, here is a "yes" answer to your question. Meteor Motor Car Co. of Piqua, Ohio made 25    8 door airport limousines on 1939 Cadillac series 75 commercial chassis. There are 2 pictures of these on pages 64 and 65 of the book Miller Meteor: The Complete Illustrated History by Thomas A. McPherson.

Also, there exists in California a 1940 Lasalle woodie 8 door airport limo also by Meteor. Last I heard it was for sale. It is restored. Google it.

Cadman-iac

  I haven't ever seen a Cadillac airport car, but when I was still in the army back in 1980, I was driving a 56 Chevrolet, so I was always on the lookout for more, for parts or another driver. One day I was going through El Paso and I saw a 56 Chevrolet 8 door wagon for sale. I couldn't afford it then, but I had to stop just to check it out. I was fascinated by how it was done. The frame was really well reinforced with what looked like a small I-beam welded beneath it down the full length between the wheels.
 I've always thought it would have been cool to drive something like that, especially when it was full of people. I've driven school busses in the past, and it just reminds me of that.

 Rick
CLC# 32373
1956 Coupe Deville A/C car "Norma Jean"

Lexi

Yes, while not tail fin era, that Meteor information is correct. Also, in the Henney Motor Car Company A Complete History (2009), there is an 8 door Henney Packard Limousine. This was custom built to hold 12 passengers. My Father also told me of an old neighbourhood family where there were 12 or 13 children and they had Chevrolet build them a stretched sedan in about 1940 or the late 1930s. Believe it was a one off, not sure how many doors. The mid-50s Cadillac View Masters of which only a handful were built, were all 4 door cars I believe, and were basically a Hearse bodied car turned into a station wagon. Not quite what we are looking for as not really limos but tour bus type station wagons. Still not sure of any fin era made cars of this nature, but any that may exist would be few and far between.

In answer to your question, I don't think I have seen such a car in person but there was a tri-five Chevy Limo for sale a few years back which I think had extra doors. Looking for one possible candidate that I did see; a '59 Cad, possible stretch job seen at a GN a few years back. Anyone remember that car and its details and when converted and by whom? Seem to recall it parked near a c.'55 Cadillac Flower Car which I think started out life as a 2 door coupe. Going to be a tall order to find one. I also did a rather quick check of the book Classic American Limousines 1955 - 2000, (2001), and nothing jumped out on this topic until about 1983. American coachbuilders were in decline from the Depression on, which might explain why the examples noted are older. Clay/Lexi

Lexi

Well I found my 2015 GN photos and there was a white 1959 stretched Cadillac, (not sure what body style it was when new). I thought it was gorgeous. It was not there for long and you had to be at the right spot at the right time to see it. Attached are my only pictures of it. Judging by the exterior trim it appears to have been customized at a much later date. Although "only" 4 doors, there is certainly room for at least 2 more. Wish I had taken more photos. Clay/Lexi

Mike Baillargeon #15848

Here's that 8 door LaSalle Tom was talking about....that's alot of wood !  I'd be nervous if the driver lit up a cigarette...

https://www.autoevolution.com/news/1940-lasalle-meteor-8-door-woody-is-opulent-and-ridiculous-at-the-same-time-166492.html#agal_2

An eight door Yosemite 1937 Limo Tour Bus...

https://blog.consumerguide.com/1937-cadillac-series-75-tour-bus/

Mike
Mike
Baillargeon
#15848

tluke

Here's a 55 Airport limo. Looks like it was built from a 62 series (based on the short trunk).55CadAirportLimo.png
1955 Cadillac Series 75
1957 Continental Mark II
1986 Ford F250

Clewisiii

Cool thank you.  Something for you and 11 friends
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

V63


TJ Hopland

Where or when was there a line between what we would now call a bus and a limo?   I think of a limo as the luxury and show off status symbol, not as mass transit.  Some of these things I would call a bus.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Clewisiii

Well that is kind of the point.  It is a sedan with the same luxury seats the Cadillac would have.  So it is a group transport but luxury. Not naugahyde bus seats.   

A stretch limo that only seats 4 but has party room I question is that luxury or party. 

I wanted the multiple doors and rows as a unique classy vehicle to drive around fraternity members
"My interest is in the future, because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."  Charles Kettering

TJ Hopland

How did these sorts of cars differ in other countries?   Since its either practical or a status symbol I assume other countries also had the same needs so had similar cars?  Or were some of these American inventions? 
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

David Greenburg

I've seen that stretch '59 before. I think John Coyle (Caddy Daddy) owned it at one point.  Also. the Broadmoor Sky View '59's had multiple doors and rows of seats, although they were more "bus-like" and less "limo-like" on the inside.
David Greenburg
'60 Eldorado Seville
'61 Fleetwood Sixty Special

Lexi

I found some info on the stretched '59 I posted shots of earlier, (see above post). Originally seen on Craigslist in Wales, Wis., with an asking price of $45,000 somewhere between 2020 and 2022. So the Wisconsin connection works with the 2015 GN where I photographed it. Ad said it has a seating capacity of 14-passengers at almost 27 feet long. The car was stretched professionally by Starline Limo in Huntington Beach, CA in the 1990s, as a one off.

The shot Terry posted I have never seen. Reminds me a bit of the 1954 Limo Elvis first used to transport his band, but longer. There were roof racks on top of the Elvis car also, which were used to stow their instruments and equipment. That car as far as I know was not altered from its factory length though. Terry's car appears that it had been done probably years ago but its provenance remains unknown unless he can provide some further details. None of the vast literature here or in my file collection of some 10,000 photos show these type of cars except the odd one, from pre WWII. Those few noted appear to have been made to transport customers to a luxury hotel or used to tour patrons to tourist oriented sites, like the Broadmoors of the '50s They appear to have used a Hearse platform which was used to build a tour oriented station wagon rather than a limo. I am not even certain if they were stretched beyond the means of what the largest Hearse S & S was manufacturing at the time, (around 21 feet give or take).

The decimation of the automotive coachbuilders trade during the depression seems to have put a dent in this already tiny niche in the automotive world. Terry, any info on the '55 stretched Cadillac you posted an image of? Clay/Lexi