Bob Alberini
07-27-2008, 01:21 PM
We arrived in Flint early Wednesday afternoon and then went to the Cultural Center to pick up the registration packet and have the show photos taken.
Thursday morning, we were on the first group of busses to head to Detroit to the GM Heritage Collection. It is a VERY non descript building in the midst of an industrial complex. Upon arriving, we walked into a huge room which generally had low lighting and an array of incredible Chevys, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Cadillacs and Chevy and GMC Trucks. Included were vehicles from the earliest days of motoring up until the very modern times. There were amazing prototypes, show cars and just plain gorgeous examples of GM production cars. I could make a long list of vehicles but a few of the cars to be found at this time were: 1915 Olds Touring Sedan (it was huge), 1916 GMC Truck, 1940 Olds sedan and Woody Wagon, late 40s and early 50s Chevy and GMC vendor trucks, 1953 Cadillac LeMans, a gorgeous array of Cadillacs from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, Corvettes, Pontiacs and a number of Chevys -- especially from the 20s. There were not a lot of Buicks present but what was there was choice--63 and 65 Rivieras, 55 2 door hardtop (don't remember if it was a Special or Century), 53 Skylark, 61 or 62 Special Convertible and a 73 Riviera. The last production Roadmaster wagon was also there. And so much more. There were multiple display cases of a variety of GM models, displays of ornaments, an engine display, and even a group of Saab's were displayed (I won't comment on that one). My favorite display was GM's Parade of Progress. Although it was originally designed as part of GM's road show of the 1940s & 1950s with 12 specially designed busses utilitzed to take GM "on the road", there was not an original Futureliner there but the display depicting the development of a small horse & buggy town to modern day 1950s was simply amazing as a series of panels flipped to reflect how the town progressed through the decades. Fortunately, they put it into operation for us. It was obviously very high tech for the times and was quite well done. Most who attended felt it was a slice of heaven and hated to leave. We were told that we were seeing roughly one tenth of the GM collection with the remainder housed in other totally nondescript buildings in the area. Several other Buicks were also on display at the Cultural Center. If there hadn't been a show, this in itself was worth the trip. It was simply incredible.
The remainder of Thursday was spent at the Cultural Center checking out the swap area (which wasn't terribly impressive) and the cars that were arriving. It was a very warm day but a great time. Friday was overcast and threatening but saw no rain so it was a good day for picture taking and visiting friends. Saturday dawned beautifully but the rains came in early afternoon and pretty well ended the show.
Some really unique and special cars were there though. A few of the unique items that were there included: a really good turnout of the early Buicks from the beginning through the 20s, a gorgeous 1932 Model 97 and an equally attractive 1934 Model 91, also an original 1934 series 40 4 door sedan that was unrestored and driven to the meet from Ann Arbor, a 1938 series 40 convertible with the self shifting transmission, a trio of 1940, 41 and 42 black convertibles all with red wheels, a 40 Buick factory conversion pickup that had been used by Buick's engineering department, a 46 Super Estate Wagon, the 1960 Electra 225 convertible that was a custom build by the GM Styling Studio and 4 - 68 Wildcats parked next to each other (one of each body style). One could go on and on.
Also featured at the Sloan was a small part of the Nicola Bulgari collection. Included was the last 96 Roadmaster sedan that was built, the 1952 Roadmaster "limousine", a 50 Olds 88 convertible, a 40 Buick Estate Wagon that had been owned by Bette Davis. And more......
I also attended two of the historical presentations. On Friday, Terry Dunham did a show pertaining to Buick racing history and its impact on Buick. Then on Saturday, Larry Gustin did a terrific show on early Buick history and included some very rare film clips and voice clips of some of Buick's earliest leaders and important engineers. The show ended with a personal visit from Cliff Studaker who began at Buick in 1950 and who's major job was the development of the V-6 for the early '60s Skylarks. Both presentations were superb.
Unfortunately, Centurions were not well represented. A red 71 convertible was there as was a Willowmist Green 73 455 convertible but it was there on Thursday only. So, in addition to gray, that made three of them.
I hope this gives you some sense of what a tremendous show it was. No, it wasn't equal to 2003 but it was a fantastic event.
Thursday morning, we were on the first group of busses to head to Detroit to the GM Heritage Collection. It is a VERY non descript building in the midst of an industrial complex. Upon arriving, we walked into a huge room which generally had low lighting and an array of incredible Chevys, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Cadillacs and Chevy and GMC Trucks. Included were vehicles from the earliest days of motoring up until the very modern times. There were amazing prototypes, show cars and just plain gorgeous examples of GM production cars. I could make a long list of vehicles but a few of the cars to be found at this time were: 1915 Olds Touring Sedan (it was huge), 1916 GMC Truck, 1940 Olds sedan and Woody Wagon, late 40s and early 50s Chevy and GMC vendor trucks, 1953 Cadillac LeMans, a gorgeous array of Cadillacs from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, Corvettes, Pontiacs and a number of Chevys -- especially from the 20s. There were not a lot of Buicks present but what was there was choice--63 and 65 Rivieras, 55 2 door hardtop (don't remember if it was a Special or Century), 53 Skylark, 61 or 62 Special Convertible and a 73 Riviera. The last production Roadmaster wagon was also there. And so much more. There were multiple display cases of a variety of GM models, displays of ornaments, an engine display, and even a group of Saab's were displayed (I won't comment on that one). My favorite display was GM's Parade of Progress. Although it was originally designed as part of GM's road show of the 1940s & 1950s with 12 specially designed busses utilitzed to take GM "on the road", there was not an original Futureliner there but the display depicting the development of a small horse & buggy town to modern day 1950s was simply amazing as a series of panels flipped to reflect how the town progressed through the decades. Fortunately, they put it into operation for us. It was obviously very high tech for the times and was quite well done. Most who attended felt it was a slice of heaven and hated to leave. We were told that we were seeing roughly one tenth of the GM collection with the remainder housed in other totally nondescript buildings in the area. Several other Buicks were also on display at the Cultural Center. If there hadn't been a show, this in itself was worth the trip. It was simply incredible.
The remainder of Thursday was spent at the Cultural Center checking out the swap area (which wasn't terribly impressive) and the cars that were arriving. It was a very warm day but a great time. Friday was overcast and threatening but saw no rain so it was a good day for picture taking and visiting friends. Saturday dawned beautifully but the rains came in early afternoon and pretty well ended the show.
Some really unique and special cars were there though. A few of the unique items that were there included: a really good turnout of the early Buicks from the beginning through the 20s, a gorgeous 1932 Model 97 and an equally attractive 1934 Model 91, also an original 1934 series 40 4 door sedan that was unrestored and driven to the meet from Ann Arbor, a 1938 series 40 convertible with the self shifting transmission, a trio of 1940, 41 and 42 black convertibles all with red wheels, a 40 Buick factory conversion pickup that had been used by Buick's engineering department, a 46 Super Estate Wagon, the 1960 Electra 225 convertible that was a custom build by the GM Styling Studio and 4 - 68 Wildcats parked next to each other (one of each body style). One could go on and on.
Also featured at the Sloan was a small part of the Nicola Bulgari collection. Included was the last 96 Roadmaster sedan that was built, the 1952 Roadmaster "limousine", a 50 Olds 88 convertible, a 40 Buick Estate Wagon that had been owned by Bette Davis. And more......
I also attended two of the historical presentations. On Friday, Terry Dunham did a show pertaining to Buick racing history and its impact on Buick. Then on Saturday, Larry Gustin did a terrific show on early Buick history and included some very rare film clips and voice clips of some of Buick's earliest leaders and important engineers. The show ended with a personal visit from Cliff Studaker who began at Buick in 1950 and who's major job was the development of the V-6 for the early '60s Skylarks. Both presentations were superb.
Unfortunately, Centurions were not well represented. A red 71 convertible was there as was a Willowmist Green 73 455 convertible but it was there on Thursday only. So, in addition to gray, that made three of them.
I hope this gives you some sense of what a tremendous show it was. No, it wasn't equal to 2003 but it was a fantastic event.