'47 Flxible service car

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Attila Bethlenfalvy

Showed up on a non-hearse website for sale yesterday in North Philly for $1500. I fired a private message off late night asking for more pics and contact information which will relay here asap. Given rarity and matched realistic price it was best to post here immediately~

With 357 total Flxibles made in '47 there simply couldn't be many service cars made/surviving (Keith?). This is one of the best procar bargains of the year that has surfaced so far. Had it been a '49 or '50 and I would have already been on road retrieving w/o knowing exact location! :drive2:

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just testin the waters on this. hes got a bit of rust but the frame seems good. no motor or trans. most of the coach builder trim is in tact.

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Attila Bethlenfalvy said:
With 357 total Flxibles made in '47 there simply couldn't be many service cars made/surviving
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Atti....You're right. I sent this straight away to Tom McPherson who says that there were only 6 Flxible-Buick Service Cars sold and built in 1947. This example was/is a Model FB24-747 and cost $4,992 when new. Tom says that if we can get the numbers off the Flxible serial plate, he can give us the cars body number and who origonally bought it and where they were. This may very well be the only surviving Flxible-Buick service car of this vintage available. In fact, there were only 38 of these built between 1946 and 1948:
1946 - 7 1947 - 6 1948 - 25. So while surviving Service Cars of any brand are rare (and surviving Flxible Service Cars are like hen's teeth) the '46 and '47 models are the rareist of the eras Flxibles - unless you can find the sole example build in 1942. This vehicle should be bought, restored and preserved by some PCS member. As I said, it very well may be the only one surviving.
 
Just got a message from Tom. He says that in looking at the photos, this doesn't appear to be a 1947 model. The lack of the upper body side molding indicates that this is a 1948 model. That would make it an FB24-748 which sold for $4,998. There were 25 of these delivered in 1948. Here again....the information from the Flxible serial plate will reveal all.
 
it would be a noble project and the starting price is realistic. but with out looking it over one doesn't know what all is not there. the engine a drive train went the way of most pro cars and got used up in a family sedan. weather or not the strap from one door handle across the back to the other was necessary to keep the body from falling apart or just insurance would half to be determent. but a project that if completed would give the owner a rare and unusual car to bring home the groceries in
 
You're right. The three back door hinges are missing. And these parts were made by Flxible. Eash of the three hinges is made up of three or four seperate parts. However, most of the rest of the hard or impossible to find Flxible specific exterior trim appears to be there. The glass looks good. The front door glass was made by Flxible - but is all flat glass anyway. The hood, body-side decors and other coachbuilt components look to all be there. You gotta wonder what the interior looks like? I imagine a '48 Buick Roadmaster engine and Dynaflow tranny would not be all that difficult to locate along with the Buick specific stuff like the bumpers, talilamp lenses, and rear fender skirts, etc. After all, it's basically a 1948 Buick Roadmaster and the Buick Club is huge and well organized.
 
'48 Flxible Service Car

Now that one will make for some impressive before and after photos! I think that I would take the back door off and put it in the car before bouncing it down the road too far. That's asking a lot of one tie strap! Amazing that the door stayed on at all during even a short transport.
Kurt
 
After not hearing back from seller I prodded online, subsequently locating both his name and number. Nice enough guy. Took notes for update:

Recently purchased from the backyard of an old stock car driver. It was a 5 hour removal process as to not damage anything. Sat in same place unmoved for at least 30-35 years. No title.

Frame has some rot around spring perches. Seller doesn't think frame needs replaced but it will need attention in this area. Lower front fenders will need some metal repair.

Other than rear loading door hinges, the passenger skirt is also missing. Rest of grill and a few other small exterior not seen are present.

Onto the good stuff~ Interior is intact. From rollers to partition to front compartment. Says all there including Flxible emblems. Even better? Floors are good. From cowl back body is in pretty decent shape considering age.

And yes, still wears Flxible build plate on firewall. 2 man job safely lifting hood and no one else was around @ moment so it may be another day before I have those numbers...
 
Attila Bethlenfalvy said:
still wears Flxible build plate on firewall. 2 man job safely lifting hood and no one else was around @ moment so it may be another day before I have those numbers...
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Attila.....good work. As soon as we have the information from the Flxible serial plate, I'll check with Tom regarding further information on this specific car - original owner and so forth. Any chance of getting some additional photos of the car.....interiors, etc.?
 
'48 it is.

Model number B24-748 (assuming missing letter F not legible)

Flxible #15838
Motor #50753937

Was also provided VIN if needed. Maybe Shawn Koenig or a NJ member close to Philly wants to check this out and take a bunch of pics? If so, email/PM for seller's number. I'm not interested in buying myself but think if seller's info is public too many may contact him and drive price up.
 
Attila Bethlenfalvy said:
'48 it is. Flxible #15838
Motor #50753937
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Thanks, Attila. So... I sent this data to Tom McPherson and found out that this car, a 1948 Flxible-Buick Premier Service Car (FB24-748) body #15838, was built for Mr. Lloyd B. Cochran of the Cochran Funeral Home in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The Motor number is/was 50753937 and the frame number is/was 14850043. The vehicle was delivered to Mr. Cochran in May of 1948. The Cochran Funeral Home is still in business and is a family owned and operated business.

According to their web site, the Cochran Funeral Home has been run by the Cochran family since 1899 and is currently led by Chip Cochran. Again, according to their web site, Chip Cochran is the fourth generation to continue in the traditions of his great-grandfather who established and built the business.

Well, there you have it. We now know the history of this vehicle - for whom it was built, its body number and delivery date. Hope that this information helps a prospective owner. As has been said before, this very well may be the only surviving Flxible-Buick service car that we know of (after John Emer's 1963 Flxette - if it does indeed still survive).
 
Jeff.....Lot's of luck. This is an extremely rare professional car. There aren't that many surviving service cars of any brand and only one known Flxible. That is, or was, Jogn Emer's 1963 Flxette - if it still survives. As O've said before, this may be the only surviving Flxible Service Car around and, as such, deserves to be preserved and restored. I really hope some one saves this rarity.
 
i have my own shop for all my cars(100 or so) and get 5+ months off a year to work on them,, ( i bought out my friends body shop years ago, and have had all the equipment for some time!! i like rare stuff!!

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