Old Cars & Classics
Maintained by Fred Zwicker - Updated 11/01/12
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1939 LaSalle Convertible made by Cadillac.
 
Owned by Fred Zwicker

Contact Fred:
 
fzoldcars@comcast.net

Shown above is my personal car. This photo was taken while car was being restored. The finished product is shown in the picture at top of this page - a beautiful 1939 Cadillac-LaSalle Series 50 Convertible Coupe.  In 1939, this particular car was sold by Chesapeake Cadillac Company in Baltimore, Maryland for a list price of $1395.  Later it moved from Maryland and spent much of its life in several museums in Oklahoma and Missouri.  Since being restored, car is in perfect condition and can be driven anywhere at highway speeds.

The La-Salle was often referred to as a "Junior Cadillac" and was designed by the famous Harley Earl. The La-Salle was manufactured from the 1927 through 1940, when it was sadly discontinued.  The 1939 La-Salle features an original 322 cubic inch flat head V-8 engine and a 3.92 to 1 rear-axle ratio. The 3-speed manual transmission has the gear shift mounted on the steering column. At the time, the LaSalle was one of the fastest production cars manufactured and during World War II, the same durable Cadillac V-8 engine was used in our tanks, helping to win the war.

There were 1020 of this convertible coupe made in 1939 for the U.S. market. As of 2007, there were only 20 U.S. owners of this model registered with the Cadillac-LaSalle Club, 5 of which are in Ohio (our home state).  Car has 120" wheelbase and measures 202" overall length. Curb weight is about 3700 pounds.  Inside the trunk is the original Firestone 7.00 x 16" "gum-dipped" whitewall spare tire.  Featured are Bendix hydraulic brakes, coil front springs and rear leaf springs, providing a very soft ride for this fine car.  

Though this car was in unusually good condition at the time of  purchase, it has undergone a complete restoration in 2007, as shown on the following pages.   The picture at the top of this page shows the car AFTER restoration.  During this restoration, everything has been totally restored, replaced, reconditioned, or rebuilt. This includes the engine, mechanicals, convertible top, interior, paint, tires, chrome, etc.  It is now one of the outstanding 1939 LaSalle convertibles in the world.  Shown below is the newly rebuilt engine, which was totally remanufactured by Shepard's Automotive in Akron, Ohio.

Welcome to our site. Our lifetime interest is in antique cars, classic cars, muscle cars, Corvettes and modifieds. We are interested in the preservation and improvement of such vehicles.  Each year, we travel to the Carlilse, PA flea markets and in the fall to the hugh AACA show at Hershey, PA, as well as local shows.  These shows are great sources of cars, parts, friends and ideas necessary to further the hobby. You are welcome to share our photographs.

Shown above is our recently restored 1966 Corvette convertible on display in front of TP Tools in Canfield, Ohio. This car was completed by Bob Darney in 2006 and is one of the nicest original Vettes in our area. The rebuilding project was featured in many national magazines, as well as in several recent TP Tools Catalogs, showing the process step by step.  Equipment sold by TP Tools was used in this one-year restoration of a very clean, numbers matching original.  300 HP has rare automatic.

For a Free Catalog, contact TP Tools:

TP Tools & Equipment
7075 State Rt. 446
Canfield, OH  44406
1-800-321-9260
Local Phone (330) 533-3384
Storeroom Hours: 8:30 AM to 6 PM Weekdays
Saturdays: 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Visitors and browsers welcome.

www.tptools.com



1934 Dodge Modified - built by Bob Darney in 2005 and a consistent trophy winner. This truck was written up in many magazines and the complete project was featured in TP Tools' Catalogs.  Truck was purchased in the mid 1970s and at that time was a drag racer. It was very fast, but very rough in appearance.   Above shows what can be done in one year with the proper tools and knowledge. 

 

While not auto-related, here is a really nice 50s Soda Bar to let you know that there are nice things other than restored antique cars.  Makes you want to sit down on one of the stools and order a banana split or a milkshake.  The soda bar was made from an original Coca-Cola cooler.  All of the decor behind this cooler and the signs are all original in mint condition.

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