I'm Speechless About This One

black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
edited June 14, 2010 in Other Cool Shots
Actually, there's a pretty neat story behind this vehicle. It started out life as a 1929 Graham-Paige limousine. It was sent to the Harry O. Mcgee Company in Indianapolis for some very obvious modifications. While the interior was left in fairly stock condition, the exterior got some pretty radical treatment.

This car, and about 14 others that were also constructed in a like manner, was made for Publix Theaters, which was the parent company to Paramount Pictures. This car was used in all sorts of publicity situations....very often to deliver a movie star to the grand opening of a new picture. There is an ancillary seat on each front fender, meant to accommodate a dancing girl if the situation called for it. Only five of these cars are known to still exist.



898360383_EH6vn-XL.jpg



898360537_wHfBn-XL.jpg



898360693_LekwE-XL.jpg
I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.

Comments

  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Steam punk meets Limo? Truly bizarre vehicle. Someone had fun building this! thumb.gif.

    Don
    Don Ricklin - Gear: Canon EOS 5D Mark III, was Pentax K7
    'I was older then, I'm younger than that now' ....
    My Blog | Q+ | Moderator, Lightroom Forums | My Amateur Smugmug Stuff | My Blurb book Rust and Whimsy. More Rust , FaceBook     .
  • Wil DavisWil Davis Registered Users Posts: 1,692 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Wow! What a find!

    Speechless is definitely the word which comes to mind! eek7.gif

    …now of course, if you took a closer look and found that it was actually based on a Stanley Steamer…

    …wouldn't that be something! :D

    Nice job (as usual!) thumb.gif

    - Wil (…bring on the dancing girls!)
    "…………………" - Marcel Marceau
  • rwellsrwells Registered Users Posts: 6,084 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    I'm not buying the dancing girls bit ~ those are obviously child seats cleverly placed to allow the driver to keep an eye on the kids. I suspect one didn't need to tell the kids "Don't stand up while the cars moving" rolleyes1.gif
    Randy
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Hi Don,

    It's bizarre for sure. Good to hear from you.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Hey Wil,

    I don't know who Paramount Pictures had under contract in those days, but, if I was one of their stars, I'm not sure I would want to go to a grand opening in this thing. Then again, it may have been a blast.

    Take care,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Yo Randy,

    Obviously, I don't know the real truth of the matter but I like the " dancing girl " story better. In fact, if I owned this thing, I'd load it up with a whole gaggle of us guys and get ....say... Mary Kim and Liz... into those fender seats and be off for some real fun.

    Be well,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • PantherPanther Registered Users Posts: 3,658 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Howdy Tom,

    You never disappoint, this is one of the strangest ones you've posted.

    and to have started out as an expensive Limo, and then more money spent, the Title says it all!!!

    Another Great Find, do the folks at the Car Shows go wild about things like this also?
    Take care,

    Craig

    Burleson, Texas
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Hey Craig,

    You know, back in the glory days of Hollywood, I guess money was no object when it came to projecting an image to the public. I'd like to know how much money was tied up in creating this car.

    These really unusual cars are always flocked to by show attendees. It's difficult to get a clear shot of them....I probably waited a good 15 minutes to get these shots. Dealing with the crowds is, by far, the most frustrating aspect of shooting at these top shows. At least, at this show, the organizers place the cars at decent intervals apart so that, if you're patient, you can get the whole car in the picture without having another one in the foreground.

    Take care my friend,

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • Shades of HyperionShades of Hyperion Registered Users Posts: 367 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    "speechless"... that makes two of us
    Scooba Steve

    Shades of Hyperion photography
    Extraordinary photos can not be had standing where everyone else is standing, looking where everyone else is looking
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    Thanks for looking in, Steve. It's good to hear from you.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • WillCADWillCAD Registered Users Posts: 722 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    That's pretty cool. And it's in cherry condition, too.

    I can imagine how this went in 1929, though. In those days, traveling by train was an expensive luxury; having a car fixed up to look like a train was kinda the equal of having a car fixed up to look like the Concorde today. It even has the balcony they used to have on a caboose.
    What I said when I saw the Grand Canyon for the first time: "The wide ain't wide enough and the zoom don't zoom enough!"
  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited June 12, 2010
    black mamba wrote: »
    Yo Randy,

    Obviously, I don't know the real truth of the matter but I like the " dancing girl " story better. In fact, if I owned this thing, I'd load it up with a whole gaggle of us guys and get ....say... Mary Kim and Liz... into those fender seats and be off for some real fun.

    Be well,

    Tom

    rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gif
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2010
    Hi WillCAD...

    Thanks for the visit. This thing was cherry....was very well restored and equally well maintained.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2010
    Hey Mary,

    Something told me that you'd be up for having fun with us if we got our hands on this thing.

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited June 14, 2010
    black mamba wrote: »
    Hey Mary,

    Something told me that you'd be up for having fun with us if we got our hands on this thing.

    Tom

    Hi Tom --

    Yes...I'd be right there enjoying the fun along with all of you :D
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
Sign In or Register to comment.