If Chrysler’s products of the early ’60s were flamboyant, doesn’t a stretched one turn them into even bolder statements? I certainly think so. Exactly, how long are those fins now? This is no plucked chicken, not by a long stretch.
And if this one doesn’t do it for you, here are a few more:
Longtime readers know I’ve touched on this subject before, but I can’t resist sharing these whenever they appear. They do make for quite a sight, particularly next to the exuberant Hawaiian landscape.
If you’re a “youthful” Gen-Xer like me and have never seen these, I shall tell you that there was no luxury associated with these stretched bodies. Instead, they served as people haulers before vans took over shuttle services, and were generally built by independent coachbuilders. We’ve covered the story of a few of those before, most prominently with a Pontiac example.
And talking about Pontiac, here’s one for the Maui Island Tours. Quite a way of cruising the Hawaiian tropical wonders back in the day.
Kind of like a low roof Charabanc really.
To emphasize the non-glamourous aspect, here’s another typical use of the long stretchers. Cars were often delivered to dealers by mass ‘driveaway’ outfits. The stretch accompanied the convoy and took the drivers back when they were done.
I love these pictures!
Here’s a random Hawaii fact: In the 1960s, Honolulu had 2.5 times the number of taxicabs per capita than New York City. A lot of these tour limos were registered as taxis (you can see the Public Utility Commission registration on the front of the Pontiac), so they undoubtedly contributed to that high number. But the sheer number of tourists, and the high cost of car rentals combined to make Hawaii a taxi & limo heaven back then.
The early 1960s weren’t long after Hawai’i became a state, and also not long after the beginning of the Jet Age, so the islands were a LOT more accessible than they had been prior. I’m sure it wasn’t cheap to get there, but I imagine there was a lot of demand to see the place.
Those tires on the black Saratoga would be a welcome upgrade for handling the added weight of the stretch and passengers. The west coast mirrors on the Pontiac are all briskness too.
…all business. Auto correct sucks. If I wanted to use the wrong word I’d have picked brisket. At least they taste good.
Brisket mirrors sounds like something a specific author at another site would come up with. Years ago he actually tested Spam (out of the can) as bumper guards.
They work, not well though. And his dog seemed to like dealing with what was left after.
I thought that the Saratoga was a hearse until I saw that gentleman in the Hula shirt and shorts.
Nice, I love old limos .
-Nate
The McCloud season 4 episode “A Cowboy in Paradise” features a bunch of these Hawaiian limos prominently and is available free on Amazon Prime. It’s a fun watch and stars Don Ho as a bad guy!