Hell-o gorgeous! A restoration shop tucked in the back of an unassuming shopping center shows off some beauties and fixer-uppers in the late December sun.
First, a gorgeous Oldsmobile next to a “newer” Mustang that needs a bit of attention. I love the white walls on this ’41 and that paint job. And you can’t get much better than this:
Saves gas! There are also a couple Fords sitting a bit farther down. One is looking pretty sharp.
Those snazzy tires and a lovely green just look perfect together on this ’46 Super Deluxe. It has an interesting neighbor:
But if you’re into patina, there’s another one just for you.
Ouch. Has the look of a barn find, doesn’t it? This old fellow also has a fun neighbor.
When and if that’s restored, it’s going to look great! Everything seemed intact.
Some cars looked really rough. One is really a hot commodity but in the worst shape. I don’t know if it needs a restoration or a miracle.
The poor thing threw up. A lot of Cutlass fans would too if they saw this in person.
I believe this is a ’69.
Here’s hoping it gets a new life that doesn’t consist of sitting under a tarp in the back of someone’s lawn. It didn’t look completely rusty.
Finally, a curio for Cadillac fans.
This custom Caddy touring coupe convertible hasn’t been idle too long. It was last registered in ’07 but got its last inspection in ’04. I wonder if Dr. Dee just let inspection slide.
I wanted to get a close up but someone started honking at me. It was built by Hess and Eisenhardt in Ohio. The interior was pretty ripped up and while we don’t really get the rust bug here in Virginia, there’s just enough rough spots to cause concern. Lots of trim is missing too.
The most puzzling thing about this restoration shop is the scope of what they do. There seems to be a bit of everything. Way back toward the garage doors there is a 1984 Cavalier in primer and pieces and parts of a VW bus. There’s also a gigantic military vehicle parked next to a new Camaro. I don’t know if they are great, ambitious or really unfocused. This is not a prestige area. The building used to be a movie theater next to a Marina Safeway. Remember those?
I dig the van! That’s interesting that the ’41 Olds has silver painted bumpers, but with the price of rechroming anything, I certainly understand. It doesn’t look too bad.
If the missing quarter panel is the biggest problem on that Cutlass, that’s no big deal. I could have that skinned in a day or two if there’s not a bunch of hidden rust underneath it, and parts are probably reasonably easy to find.
I believe there were wartime restrictions on the commercial use of many metals, including chrome, but I don’t know if those restrictions were already in effect when this Olds was built. So it may have had painted bumpers originally.
A ’41 Olds came with chrome bumpers. At least my dad’s did. That shade of blue looks a little intense to be original, but my father’s Oldsmobile could have been sun faded by the time I remember it. I also remember that my dad loved his Olds, which was a coupe, not a four door.
“Blackout” cars didn’t come out until January 1, 1942, so they all would have been ’42 models.
Too bad the Eastern seaboard wasn’t blacked out as well; a lot of merchant seaman died during the U-boat killing spree this helped enable during that period. I count this one of the major Allied leadership failures of the War.
The West coast was totally paranoid & did enforce blackouts despite not being in real danger of another attack or submarine blockade.
The 1946 era Fords sure look good as does the circa 1940 Suburban. When do you think the green 46 Ford was last repainted; 1980s? When do you think the 1941 Olds was last repainted?
Those Ford sedans are both 1947/48 cars. The 1946’s were distinguished mostly by the parking light location as shown on this photo I found online.
TY! I had a helluva time figuring those two out. Still learning.
Good to know pfsm and I know “what if” scenarios are tiresome, but who knows what parts have been swapped around in the nearly 70 years since then.
Nice photos. I really like the ‘Dick Tracy’ comic strip look and feel of the electric blue Olds.
This song goes through my head, just looking at that first pic…
OMG I remember that song when I was 17! Released in 1981, the shortened radio version hit #1 in Canada. Thanks for the memories!
I’ll take either of the Fords. I saw a black one of similar vintage driving around Toronto a few years ago – the body was in good shape with some patina, but the interior was more or less gutted except for front seats and the dash. A work in progress. The big orange beast next to the green Ford isn’t a Suburban – it’s an early ’40’s Dodge. I wouldn’t mind seeing that one fixed up either.
I had my TR3 stripped and re-painted in 1975 in a shop like the one featured here. That shop went out of business in the late 80s and I haven’t found another like it since. These types of shops are VERY thin on the ground nowadays.
My pic of inside the nicer Ford didn’t turn out great, but here it is:
This car has the plastic dash panels replaced by chrome pieces. This was a fairly common aftermarket upgrade back in the day.
Nice pictures .
I remember those Safeway Markets , why was that building called ‘ Marina ‘ ? .
There are a few left in California , none are still Safeways though .
-Nate
I believe it’s named for the style of Safeway store in the Marina district of San Francisco. You can see it in the background of the Bullit chase scene.
The Marina location is still a fully functional 24hr Safeway to this day at 15 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94123.
Thank you for the clarification .
I liked the design of these stores , a strong 1960’s vibe .
Nice to hear there’s still one in operation ~ I though after the merger of Safeway and Von’s some time back , Safeway stopped operation of their stores .
Certainly the quality of the produce in Vons went _down_ about three levels at that time . ugh . the home branded stuff also dropped in quality when they replaced the VNOS label with Safeway generics .
-Nate
We had a lot of Marinas around here. Most have been chopped up or drop-ceilinged into oblivion. Some are still obvious from the inside. I think they looked fantastic and Safeway should bring them back.
And the (San Francisco) Marina Safeway is also known to be a “Social Safeway” – where single people can meet others. Where the meet market really is the meat market.
The Safeway at 8145 SW Barbur Blvd in Portland, OR was the Marina Style until sometime in 2013, but by the time I arrived in the neighbor later that year it was an empty lot under construction. The store has reopened as a logical redesign which has the store above the parking lot which maximizes space and keeps customers dry. Even the bottle return is indoors which is nicer than the nearby Fred Meyer.
It depends where you are. There are lots of Safeway-branded stores in Northern California, although Southern California is now mostly if not exclusively Vons and Pavilions.
It looks like regular panel shop to me one that isnt on the insurance repair treadmill and is able tyo offer quality work rather than bondo jobs Nice old Olds and the 46 Fords are cool there are several of those roaming here including a very nice coupe I saw recently.
That Dodge panel van looks like it had a factory passenger conversion. The safety orange paint and black fenders – if original – suggest it belonged to a utility or transportation company.
No ~
Those Dodges were made in Passenger versions , those had larger , slider typ side windows , I have only ever seen two or three and that back in the 1960’s when they were just worn out $25 Farm rigs dead in a hedgerow .
That one might have been an Ambulance or Fire Rig , as the Military and police also used these .
*Very* rare and sought after these days , that one is amazingly un dented ~ most I see are dented from end to end .
-Nate
That stinks it’s out in the elements like that. That’s also a rough parking lot.
I like that Olds front end. It looks like an big old radio – turn one headlight for volume, the other to try and pick up the Cubs game.
What year is the orange Dodge? Or can we even tell? I’m guessing they looked that way from late ’30s to early ’50s?
That generation of Dodge trucks was essentially unchanged in appearance from 1939 through 1947.
A very apt comparison! I quite like the Olds too–big, bold, and carrying a few dashes of Art Deco style!
That Dodge is quite fascinating! I’m assuming 30’s or 40’s though; the only thing that looked remotely like this in the 50’s probably would have been the power wagon.
(unless that’s what this is…)
I was born in Jacksonville, FL early in 1942. We lived in a house near the beach and I have seen pictures of the blackout window treatments in that house. We left and went to Tennessee as soon as my Mother was able to make the drive. Dad was sent to the South Pacific by the army around this time.
There is a very nice Marina style Safeway in downtown Lake Oswego, Oregon, it even has a 1960’s tile mosaic which is a map of the nearby lake at the entrance. I love mid century architecture.
The cutlass is obviously in the process of getting some new quarters put on. Maybe the guy stopped for the weekend. Kind of a big job.