The Topper Buick
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Film released July 16, 1937. One of the biggest stars of the 1937 Hal Roach film "Topper" is Marion Kerby's "extreme-lined" convertible coupe. The car was unique and was not something made up by General Motors. Well, an important part of it was: the chassis was made by General Motors for the Buick Roadmaster. It was sold to the filmmakers so they could transform it into the sporty and luxurious roadster that the script demanded. In the film it is driven by the debonair Cary Grant (as George) and the timid but hilarious Roland Young (as Cosmo Topper.) After the car's first accident, Constance Bennett, as Marion Kerby, refers to it as her car.During the era of custom bodied cars, one of Los Angeles' most prestigious coachbuilders was Bohman & Schwartz, responsible for many "dream car" bodies ordered by customers in the movie colony. (One of their most famous designs was the Duesenberg created for Clark Gable in 1935.) Tony Gerrity, one of their designers, is the one responsible for the amazing transformation, which contained elements of several advanced design vehicles. Distinctive features included the incredible fin, the exhausts protruding like a supercharged Cord, a shark-like nose similar to the Graham, teardrop fenders, and a very slanted, divided windshield. Car collectors will notice the telltale appointments that were stock Buick accessories, such as the bullet-shaped parking lights on the fenders, and the "banjo" spoke steering wheel. (There were also hidden controls for a stuntman to operate when the car appeared to not have a driver.) The enormous dorsal fin made it impossible to have a rumble seat or trunk lid. But think of the stabilizing qualities it must have had! Legend has it that the director, Norman Z. McLeod, wanted to buy a new "coffin-nosed" Cord, but its body design was far more difficult to modify than the Buick. Elements of this car's styling must have worn off at General Motors, because a similar door-to-fender design was later used in building the Cadillac Special and other G.M. cars.The car stayed in the Roach Studio until 1939, when it was sold to Gilmore Oil. The oil company redesigned it as a parade car, with styling more in tune with the 1940s. It was used to promote their "Red Lion" gasoline, and rented for special events such as car shows and parades.After Mobilgas absorbed Gilmore Oil (in the late 1940s), the car was sent back to Bohman & Schwartz for new paint and some exterior updating. B&S designer W. Everett Miller created a new look for what would become the "Mobilgas Special."By 1954 the Buick straight-eight "Dynaflash" engine was showing its age. C. Bohman & Son (now minus Mr. Schwartz) was chosen again as the renovator for the Buick. The body was remounted on a 1954 Chrysler Imperial Newport chassis and now had a big Chrysler Hemi V8. When put back into service, it was "seen annually by more than five million people" when it glided through such events as the Tournament of Roses Parade, Rodeos, horse shows and the Seattle Seafair Pageant. Eventually the car became property of the Jim Brucker's "Movieland -- Cars of the Stars." Although it served as the Gilmore and Mobil car for most of its life, it is still referred to by many as the "Topper" car. Note: Watch for small parts played in the film by Ford-driver Tom Herbert (the brother of Hugh Herbert), bellhop Arthur Lake and farm boy Doodles Weaver.
Canal: Autos & Vehicles
Añadido: January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am
Autor: nedsparks
Duración: 09:27
Puntuación: 4.61
Reproducciones: 19765
Etiquetas: 1930s accident automobile car comedy crash glamour Hollywood movie racy roadster streamlined tree
Comentarios
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sneyder69 (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
Its the first car who have a wing. like they had in the late 1950s
nedsparks (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
You can believe anything you want about this car. Let the imagination run wild. Its history is thoroughly documented.
nedsparks (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
The car salesman at 02:00 is Syd Saylor, who had his own series of short comedies in the 1920s released by Universal. He was also the second "Bozo the Clown" host at KTTV. He played mostly minor parts in over 400 films, but not "Green Acres."
nedsparks (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
It is not a Cord. It's not a Packard. It's a custom body mounted on a Buick chassis. Read my description ("more info") for the car's history.
W24YI (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
The car isn't a Buick or a Packard. It's aChord (not sure of the spelling it might beCord)
gregwddriver (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
The fellow with the hat at 2 minutes is the guy off Green Acres, right?
hiswill777 (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
please don't show these old movies...I can't get any work done!
ginoricca (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
this wasincredible, to find Topper movies! The first film I everseen, back in 940, and i was six ! Wow everything is possibleon You Tube. Amazing film great actors great tricks!
nedsparks (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
The original movie car was outfitted with a second steering wheel (unseen from the camera) for the stunt driver.
rosieyposie7 (January 1, 1970 at 12:59 am)
just love the part where CARY grantdrives TOPPER round in circles& THAT other car with that whowhooguy was it,had to look twice but NOBODY WAS @THE WHEELdriving by him! greatCAR&TOPPERclip2!
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