Oddball car camper

[t walgamuth]

I spotted this today while looking for something else. If it were in perfect working order it would be an ideal tow vehicle for me and my autocross adventures. Tow in night before event, set up and be there first thing in the morning.

[INSIDIOUS]

right

[Air&Road]

Is that about a ‘53 Buick Special?

[t walgamuth]

I dunno....I think earlier.....49 or 48 or 50? Its a straight eight with a stick

[cornemuse]

I once saw similar, was in Tijuana Mexico, was a MB 220-240 D with a wooden shell rather than aluminium. With all the weight, it was nose high goin' down the road!

[vwnate1]

This used to be a regular thing beginning in the 1920's ~ you'd find a good used car and cut some or most of the body away and build in your own camper .

This one looks neat, cruder than most .

In the 1960's in New Hampshire we took a 1949 Cadillac hearse and cut the roof behind the driver's seat (retaining the divider window) away to the lower edge of the rear windows, leaving the doors intact, put tall plywood on it and used it as a single horse hauler....

I found a '56 Cadillac hearse conversion in Az. that was professionally done, a nice walk in stand up camper body including sink and stove, like a Class C camper, I forget who'd done it, one of the bigger camper makers in the 1960's .

Ten year old luxury cars are usually in VGC and dirt cheap .


Some old car magazine I read in the 1980's had an article about a guy who wound up restoring the "parts car" camper he'd bought instead of the raggedy old 1930's Packard four door he'd begin with .

I'd look hard at the chassis of this before plunking down any ca$h .

It'll suck up a lot of fuel, even with the stick shift .

You could find some factory Buick dual carbies and make it a good performer .

[davidmash]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I spotted this today while looking for something else. If it were in perfect working order it would be an ideal tow vehicle for me and my autocross adventures. Tow in night before event, set up and be there first thing in the morning.

That is oddly cool. I like creative things like that. That would look pretty neet fixed up and painted.

[t walgamuth]

I like how it looks....nice proportions. Way too much project for me at this time in my life though.

about 30 years ago I had a lovely 51 cad hearse. It had less than 35K on it when I bought it....very nice car...good chrome and interior and drove really nice.

If I could find his name I bet I could buy it back from the guy I sold it to.

[sloride]

Surely to scare the competition rolling in with that.

[tjts1]

This one was tooling around the West side a few years back.

[t walgamuth]

That looks well done but not as good of lines as the Buick.

[barry12345]

Originally Posted by Air&Road

Is that about a ‘53 Buick Special?

Forty nine I believe a one off year for Buick. The roadmaster engine if that is the model that has it. Was used in busses for years.

If you remember the busses that had high scoops at the back end they were mostly powered by the same road master engine.

The specials as a Buick model had a smaller straight eight engine. I think the number of port holes near the hood determined the engine size. Three portholes was the smaller engine and four the larger. There was a model called the century that had the lighter body and the larger engine. I do not know if it was available in 1949. It was on other years before and after.