Advertising Last completed movie pages Chrysler Customized Mobilgas Special Comments about this vehicle| Author | Message |
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◊ 2008-03-08 21:52 |
![[Image: valmis721ne0.4118.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/0is253/valmis721ne0.4118.jpg) ![[Image: valmis728ip4.8949.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/0is253/valmis728ip4.8949.jpg) "...some of the finest drivers from all over the world driving equally capable machinery. We got Cobras, Ferraris, Maseratis, Coopers, Cooper-Climaxes, Lotuses, some of the finest cars..." |
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◊ 2008-03-08 22:31 |
I've seen this car before, and even read about it, but I can't remember what it was called or what it was originally built for. |
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◊ 2008-03-09 01:45 |
Well, it took me a lot of searching through my back issues of Automobile Magazine, but I finally found it in the August 2006 issue. It's the 1936 Buick that was originally built by coachbuilders Bohman & Schwartz for the movie "Topper" (more information about the car is available there). After "Topper," it was sold to the Gilmore Oil Company and was driven with a live lion cub in a trailer to promote the "Roar with Gilmore" gasoline campaign (obviously, this was before PETA). Later, the car was significantly rebuilt and put on a Chrysler chassis. Very little of the original car remains, but it sold for $132,000 at an auction in California in May, 2006. I am 100% positive this is the car. Topper: /movie_29682-Topper.html |
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◊ 2008-03-09 01:49 |
I want to hang the guys who had the idea to "improve" on this one-off classic. |
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◊ 2008-03-09 03:16 |
I did some more searching and found another picture online: http://www.sportscarmarket.com/auctions/?ID=41602 And the description published by RM Auctions when the car was put up for sale: http://www.rmauctions.com/AuctionResults.cfm?SaleCode=BC06# (click on "1936 Buick/Chrysler 'Topper Car' Mobiloil/Gilmore Special" to bring up the description in a separate window) The rebuild occurred in 1954, using a 1954 Chrysler Imperial Newport chassis and a Chrysler hemi V-8, and was done to update the car's 1930's looks so Mobil could continue to use it for promotional work. Mobil had absorbed Gilmore in the late 1940's; the red Mobil pegasus is visible on the car's side in the capture. The "Mobilgas Special" as it was called toured the country appearing at parades, sports events, automobile races, and the like. -- Last edit: 2008-03-09 05:36:13 |
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◊ 2008-03-09 05:44 |
You'll have to wait until I beat them up first? |
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◊ 2008-03-09 05:50 |
To be honest, Im a little confused about how to list this one... 1954 Chrysler , Customized, built for a movie??? |
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◊ 2008-03-09 05:53 |
Is "Butchered" a choice? |
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◊ 2008-03-09 05:55 |
One mans trash is another mans gold, Im sure somebody thought it was a good idea to be built 2 times. |
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◊ 2008-03-09 06:03 |
As to listing it, I think maybe "Custom Made Mobilgas Special" could work. By 1964, there was very little of the original 1937 Buick left (which was Made for Movie, but the rebuild was not). The other possibility is listing it as a "Buick/Chrysler" like RM Auctions did. |
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◊ 2008-03-09 08:35 |
I suppose it's a miracle that even 10% of the car still exists. Not so for many factory concept vehicles and most of the unpowered ones. |
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◊ 2008-03-09 14:52 |
Thanks for the info, Tim! I knew I've seen this car before but didn't know where to look. |
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◊ 2009-01-08 00:16 |
I just found that this car in this configuration is already listed on IMCDb; it appears in Roadracers, 1959: /vehicle_106402-Buick-Century-1937.html Of course, this brings up the question of what to list it as again, but since they are the exact same car they should have the same name in the database. |
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