Save This 1952 Barnette Pontiac Hearse!

No engine, not trans, interior is completely gutted. No thanks!
This car is not worth $1000 in its present condition.
 
If someone really needs an early '50s Barnette Pontiac, I can fix them up with a complete, solid one for $2000!
 
If someone really needs an early '50s Barnette Pontiac, I can fix them up with a complete, solid one for $2000!

I would possibly be interested, I sure would like to see a couple of pics and get more info. The biggest problem is it has to be automatic, because my wife doesn't drive a stick. And as some of you may, due to my low vision, she does all of the driving.
 
I would possibly be interested, I sure would like to see a couple of pics and get more info. The biggest problem is it has to be automatic, because my wife doesn't drive a stick. And as some of you may, due to my low vision, she does all of the driving.

Did they even make automatics in 1952? I thought the closest they got (in most cases) was a "three on the tree" back then.
 
Yes, automatics were around back then, however, very expensive and sometimes not very reliable. GM, Ford, Chrysler, Packard, Hudson, etc., all had automatic transmissions in their high end cars. I will let Pete tell you the different names that were used, such as Hydromatic, Fluid Drive, Dynaflo, etc. and when they were introduced. He has a better memory for this than I do.
 
Actually, if I remember right, the first HydraMatic automatic arrived in 1939, or 1940. I believe it was in an Oldsmobile, but I could be wrong. Cadillac had a Hydramatic in 1941, if I remember correctly. Chevy had the PowerGlide automatic around 1949, I think. We owned a 1949 Flxible Buick ambulance with DynaFlow. So, they might be rare, expensive and problematic, but they were out there.
 
The strangest one that I have ever encountered was a 1962 C/B Pontiac, with a V8 engine, 3 on the tree, no power steering or power brakes, but it did have air conditioning. I don't think that was a combination that Pontiac built many of.
 

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I have no idea where it went, or if it even was sold. The pictures are at least 5 years old. The car has lots of rust on the lower end, but it does present well in pictures.
 
OK guess I am on stage on automatics. First was Buick in 1938 still had a clutch peddle but was an automatic. As far as the first no clutch peddle automatic goes yes Oldsmobile 1940, followed by Cadillac 1941 GM waited for Caddie and used Olds to make sure it was OK. The next was Buick Dynaflow in 1948 as an option only on the Roadmaster in 1949 it became on option on the Super standard on the Roadmaster (the stick was gone on the Roadmaster). Pontiac got Hydramatic in 1950. Chevrolet Powerglide in 1951 and I think some 50s got it late in the year.Late 1949 Ford a bit red faced over the GM three bit the bullet and bought Hydramatics from GM for only the Lincoln. Then in 1951 Ford came out with Fordamatic for their whole line except Lincoln which continued with Hydramatic thru 1955. In 1951 Packard brought out Ultramatic. There is a great story behind the Packard Ultramatic development if anybody is interested I can do a separate post on it. Studebaker in 1951 Bought an automatic from Borg Warner. Hudson bought Hydramatic from GM I think in 1951 might have been 52. Nash followed with Hydramatic in 1952. Chrysler stuck with their semi automatic (had a clutch peddle) until 1955 when I think they called it Powerflite for the whole line. Now a question does anyone know what the first American car was with Air Conditioning?
 
OK guess I am on stage on automatics. First was Buick in 1938 still had a clutch peddle but was an automatic. As far as the first no clutch peddle automatic goes yes Oldsmobile 1940, followed by Cadillac 1941 GM waited for Caddie and used Olds to make sure it was OK. The next was Buick Dynaflow in 1948 as an option only on the Roadmaster in 1949 it became on option on the Super standard on the Roadmaster (the stick was gone on the Roadmaster). Pontiac got Hydramatic in 1950. Chevrolet Powerglide in 1951 and I think some 50s got it late in the year.Late 1949 Ford a bit red faced over the GM three bit the bullet and bought Hydramatics from GM for only the Lincoln. Then in 1951 Ford came out with Fordamatic for their whole line except Lincoln which continued with Hydramatic thru 1955. In 1951 Packard brought out Ultramatic. There is a great story behind the Packard Ultramatic development if anybody is interested I can do a separate post on it. Studebaker in 1951 Bought an automatic from Borg Warner. Hudson bought Hydramatic from GM I think in 1951 might have been 52. Nash followed with Hydramatic in 1952. Chrysler stuck with their semi automatic (had a clutch peddle) until 1955 when I think they called it Powerflite for the whole line. Now a question does anyone know what the first American car was with Air Conditioning?

Pete, I know they had what passed for AC back in the late Thirties, or early Forties, but it was mounted outside on the window frame. I could be wrong, but I believe the first "real" AC was on a Nash in the early Fifties.
 
......... Now a question does anyone know what the first American car was with Air Conditioning?

Easy.. Packard, in 1930 from memory. I remember your mentioning this a long while ago. I just can't remember yesterday!
 
Yep they worked on water evaporation system that got cool NOT COLD. No believe it or not Frigidaire (GM) made the first refrigerant system BUT GM was not about to use it in their cars. The first real air conditioned vehicle again believe it or not, was a 1939 Henney Packard Hearse and no I don't know why. In 1940 Packard offered air conditioning as an option and sold quite a few. Back in the early 80s I bought 1940 Super 8 160 in nice shape in Dallas Texas good running and driving shape with Factory AC. I flew to Dallas in the middle of the summer paid the seller (he ran Dr. Pepper in Dallas) put a dealer tag on the car and headed for Pa. The car ran great with Over Drive it cruised effortlessly at 70MPH and was cool (not cold) inside. This was due mainly to the AC unit in the trunk and no tinted glass the actual air coming out of the unit was cold however. The system was primitive by todays standards no clutch in the compressor you put the AC belt on in the spring and took it off in the fall thus the AC was always on. IF you wanted to be cool you put the fans in the back on. There are some pictures around of Packard executives alighting from a 40 Packard with overcoats on in mid summer just to prove how great the AC was. Its funny they pushed the sale of AC in 1940 and 41 but after the war it was in a few 46 and 47 cars and then disappeared until 1953 when again it was Frigidaire. And no GM did not offer it in Cadillac or Oldsmobile until 1953.
 
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