Yes, those dear little children deserve some extra leg room in the back seat, so CarCraft added a healthy 16″ of stretch to accommodate them. It’s too bad that these didn’t have forward facing third seats like their glorious clam shell predecessors, because this would make getting in and out of that third seat so much easier.
But who said this is for the kids?
It’s a mobile office for the busy exec, complete with portable computer and tv.
It’s certainly less ostentatious than so many of the vast array of stretched sedans and such that were available back then.
Cool! I want one.
“One of the chief factors cited for the steep decline in VIP limousine sales is conspicuous consumption.” Hummmmmm. Yeah, this should work. And if it doesn’t our next model will be based on a 78 Corolla wagon.
I also found the computer in the back seat fascinating. I had one of those boxy laptops (mine was a Data General). But it makes me wonder what one would actually use the Roadmaster-based computer for as I doubt it had a modem that worked over the rudimentary cell system of 1993 (and he was already on the phone…does this guy have more than one phone line?). So, “executives” could just sit back there word processing or fussing with spreadsheets (on that dim screen)?
Or maybe there’s other computer stuff that camouflaged titans of industry did back then.
Great find!
Ah, the Data General One, which would have been a great ahead-of-its-time laptop except for the non-backlit monochrome screen – not black & white, but an unintelligible dark grey and light grey. Kind of like the display on a solar calculator or 1980s digital watch, only much larger. Working offline on laptops was standard procedure until the late ’90s; you’d type up your report in the car or plane, and send it out when you got online at the hotel, office, or home. You weren’t expected to be constantly online back then.
The busy executive juggling a phone, laptop, TV, and fax/email is a marketing cliché in these sorts of vehicles. Fancy rear-seat packages on high-end luxury cars that feature reclining seats and elaborate consoles are often called “executive seating”, but I’m guessing they’re more often used just to relax while someone else drives.
My father loaned me an IBM PC Convertible in 1987. I liked it along aside from the unlit display that can be harder to read in some lighting condition. It was no lightweight at 13 pounds and required a big power supply.
I stopped using it when flying because I was so tired of passengers coming to me and asking me about it a lot of times. Not to mention the rubber-necking to peek at what I was typing.
This is actually one of the best looking stretches I have ever seen. A stretch of maybe half that length is what Buick should have done from the beginning.
That’s essentially what Cadillac did do with their Fleetwood, albeit only on a sedan. Compared to a Roadmaster, the Fleetwood has a 5.6″ wheelbase stretch, most of it in the rear doors. Someone I found online did make a nice 96 Fleetwood wagon by modifying a Roadmaster wagon inside and out, but unfortunately the narrow B body rear doors were left intact. There’s a terrific Fleetwood wagon conversion from the previous generation though that does appear to use the wider C/D body doors.
I agree, about half the stretch and you’d have the ideal wagon. As big as people think of these wagons being, they are actually relatively compact in wheelbase at 116″. Full size wagons of the 60’s and 70’s all had substantially longer wheelbases. I can tell you from experience that legroom is not real generous in the back (and not really in the front, either!)
good morning friends. did anybody else think for a second a that the EXECUTIVE was rocking a mullet?
I did, but I was also dreadfully concerned about the thick fog the poor guy was apparently calling for help to get out of. At least he had his trusty computer to type up a last will and testament.
“Hello, police? My driver parked two inches away from the garage wall and now I can’t get out. What should I do? Also my bond yields are down. Sigh. What a day!”
Given the length of the rear doors one had better park a few feet away from any obstacle if the rear doors need to be opened.
Fog or door he’s ready for the crash with his buckled seat belt. Sort of scrawnier Billy Ray Cyrus
This line in the last image made me chuckle: “Everything is a plus since none of the features of the basic car are taken away.”
It should be followed by this disclaimer: “Except for the ability to park it in most garages or parking spaces. Or the turning radius, which is now at least a few feet wider.” 😀
I personally love this, but I can imagine a busy widget executive would get a lot of ribbing when he pulls up.
“Fielding a soccer team this year are we?”
“Widget sales not so good these days eh?”
“Are you going to the grocery store on the way to the shareholders meeting?”
It makes a lot of sense to me as an airport runner for a hotel or a “black car” service.
LOL! Considering wagons were on the wane by then, it’s almost ridiculous that it would be used as an executive limo, from a prestige standpoint. Most people by then would have looked at an exectutive riding around in that and assume he’s the Chevy Chase of the top floor.
Should have used the Roadmaster sedan front clip. As it sits and as with other factory Roadmaster wagons, the front screams Chevy posing as a Buick.
This thing is giving me heart eyes big time. When I was a about 9 and reading Motor Trend, it suddenly clicked with me where the difference was between an XJ6 and a Vanden Plas, and I’ve been in love with a long rear door since.
There was a six-door Roadmaster wagon for sale on CL, maybe eBay a couple years ago. Not sure if anyone here spotted it, but I saved a pic or two.
It’s a seven-door! Don’t forget the one in back, which leads to a rear-facing seat for two.
I read Paul’s writeup with enthusiasm this morning—all of this new to me—but only late this afternoon did it click to me that this is a firm that also made/makes ***hearses***—–aha!, they’ve got plenty of experience stretching wagons in one dimension or another.
The brochure photo reminded me of peak 1940s-50s-60s advertising paintings that would s-t-r-e-t-c-h the proportions of the car in question, but I see it’s an actual, true-to-life photo….
Lincoln added the Cartier L Town Car in its last decade with six inches added to the rear seat legroom. It was heartily embraced by the livery/executive/black town car operators.
There’s a few pictures missing there. They actually offered like 3 trim levels. One was that office thing pictured above, another was a plain-o exended for hotel shuttle service, and another was a “travel” variant with a 13″ color TV, video tape player and NES console, complete with 3 headphone jacks for all 3 rear seat occupants. All 3 trims had a deeper rear bench seat for occupant comfort. I’ve never seen one in person, but I’d buy one in a heartbeat if I ever came across one for sale.