Bowtie beauties - procars on Chevy chassis

Burtonsville V.F.D. (Silver Spring, MD)
1957 National

(SL collection)

Individual (Lima, OH)
1957 National combination

(WMc photo)Burtonsville 57 001.jpg57 National combination 001.jpg
 
Damascus, MD
1955 National

Cabin John Park V.F.D. (Potomac, MD)
1959 National

(SL collection)
Ah, Steve's been visiting his Maryland photo box again! ;) The CJPVFD Chevy almost certainly replaced the '47 Flxible Buick that dad and I own, formerly from CJP, and which you might see in a magazine soon....
 
WARNING - thread deviation

Miller F.H. (Metropolis, IL)
1960 Memphian

Disclaimer: I can't read the emblem on the front fender, so I'm not 100% positive she's a Memphis product. I consulted Walt and Tom and they don't know, either. The roof line, body work, and tunnel lights don't match anything put out by C/B or National in 1960. However, the roof line - the shape of the roof from the windshield to the B pillar - does match that of the '58 Pontiac on Page 258 of PROFESSIONAL CARS by Gregg Merksamer. It also matches this 1958 Memphis/Edsel; that's the basis of my ID of the Miller car as a Memphian:

(photos from various Edsel websites)memphian.jpgambuled.jpg
 
Willie Nelson's 1959 Chevrolet - Stageway limo, used by the band in the 1960's

wille_chris.jpg


wille_chris_side.jpg


willietitle.jpg
 
'49 Chevy ambulance in the Netherlands with bodywork by Compaan & De Boer.

5546970316_48a992df35.jpg


Although b/w, this '57 National was captured in the '12 Vancouver St. Patrick's Day parade.

7143320145_f4397cce03_b.jpg


Looks like it was used to fashion second Johnny Lightning ambulance release of the same casting, doesn't it (as seen in JL thread)?

dsc07674i.jpg
 
Initially just thinking of Joe Melanson when seeing this '52 National Chevrolet hearse randomly posted on Flickr outside Driggs, Idaho - it is worth publicly sharing. An early Chevy landau? Talk about rare~ And look at that iron shape itself. Beautiful.

7957332656_82b5572154_b.jpg


Definitely another candidate deserving of a better fate.
 

Attachments

  • atti1.jpg
    atti1.jpg
    47.2 KB · Views: 52
Atti, I owe you a cup of coffee for that one!! Talk about rare. I've never seen a real one only factory photos and artist renderings. I've seen the Pontiac Nationals but not a Chevy. Really sad to see this one just sitting. Its probably a case of "one of these days I'll restore it" judging by the rear 1/4 panel repair (typical rust area) and the front door repair where there was the typical check link fail. BTW, this pick helped in another way as I had just figured out, and discussed w/ Ed, how National fabricated the front driver & passenger doors.
For me anyway, gotta love those '49 - '52 Chevy Nationals. Thanks, Atti.
 
a very interesting seam for the top also. see the stretched c in the rear and straight across on the front of there roof splice.
 
Though the National Atti posted is a 1952 Chevrolet this is what the car would have looked like new. This pic is from a National 1951 brochure. The 1951 and 1952 Chevrolets are almost identical in appearance except for the grill and a few other bright-work items.
 

Attachments

  • Chevrolet National Imperial Series Landau Funeral Car 1951.jpg
    Chevrolet National Imperial Series Landau Funeral Car 1951.jpg
    49.7 KB · Views: 1,378
Back
Top