whatzdem?

[boxer_inv]

Hi all

I just had these photos emailed to me from a guy I met through my work - the cars belong to a fellow in OZ (not sure where) who I believe visits Cairns regularly - I'm hoping to meet him sometime.

I'm not up enough on my old cars to know what they are - can you guys chime in to help me?

Thanks

Rob.

[Young Ed]

The cars are all buicks and the truck is a ford. Someone else will probably chime in with years.

[Greenbomb]

Young Ed is correct. I think there are 3 '46-'48's, a '39 or '40 and the PU is a '46 or '47.

[Don Jordan]

I agree they look like Buicks. My first car was a 50 Buick Special. The one things those cars are missing is the 3 port holes in the hood.

just an observation.

[Greenbomb]

I think '49 was the first year for the portholes.

[Don Coatney]

It appears the portholes started in 1940 but were dropped in 1942 only to re-appear in 1949.

http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Buick/index.html

[B-Watson]

interernet Quote:

"A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1940 is a series of three or four "portholes" or vents on the front fender behind the front wheels. The source of this design feature was a custom car of Buick stylist Ned Nickles, which in addition had a flashing light within each hole each synchronized with a specific spark plug simulating the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. Combined with the bombsight mascot (introduced in the 1940s), the ventiports put the driver at the controls of an imaginary fighter airplane. The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production, but the portholes remained as nonfunctional ornamentation"

It appears the writer (in the Wikipedia Buick entry) does not know what he is talking about. The portholes did not appear until 1949. Compare any 1949 to 1957 Buick with the 1941 model and you will understand what portholes are. Check with Buick. They will tell you 1949 and were called "Ventiports".

The 1940-41 Buick used chrome to cover up the side hood vents, a common feature back in that era. Check the sides of the hoods on 1939 or 1940 DeSoto, 1940 LaSalle, 1940 Packard or a 1940 Pontiac.

The internet is a great source of information, and sadly, also a great source of MISinformation.

[B-Watson]

Did some research. Ned Nickles, the man who came up with Ventiports and the Riviera hardtop, did not become a Buick stylist until after WW II. Also, the car he installed his ports with lights was his own personal 1948 Buick.

Harlow Curtice, head of Buick, liked the idea of the portholes, but nixed the lights. Curtice also like the hardtop roof which came after the porthole incident.

So it would be rather difficult to adopt portholes for 1940 when they weren't dreamt up until 1948.

Anybody ever looked at the sides of the hood on a 1935 Plymouth DeLuxe?

[Young Ed]

This reminds me of something I've said to one of my friends many times. He is in LOVE with the 1971 Cudas with the little gills in the front fenders. One day I called them wannabe buick portholes!