Photo: Mecum Auctions
One of America's shortest-lived carmakers, LaSalle was founded back in 1927 as part of General Motors' companion marque strategy. It involved the creation of four new car brands to fill the gaps between GM's existing companies. Established alongside Pontiac, Viking, and Marquette, LaSalle filled the gap between Buick and Cadillac.
Essentially a Cadillac sub-brand marketed as the second-most prestigious marque in the GM portfolio, LaSalle manufactured cars from 1927 to 1940. The brand was dropped due to falling sales and Buick becoming a more mainstream premium carmaker in the 1930s.
GM's attempt to offer a luxury car that was more conservative in appearance and price compared to Cadillac, LaSalle is mostly a forgotten page in the American automotive history book. But a few of its creations deserve more attention than they get and this eight-door woody station wagon is definitely one of them.
No, LaSalle didn't offer extended wheelbase limousines. This ridiculously long wagon is the work of Meteor Motor Car Company of Piqua, Ohio. And it's a one-of-a-kind creation. Not to be confused with the marque sold by Ford in Canada from 1949 to 1976, Meteor Motor was a coachbuilder specialized in hearses and ambulances.
Built on a LaSalle Series 50 chassis, the eight-door limo was crafted in 1940, just as the luxury brand was preparing to shut down. And the fact that it's as long as a bus and features four doors on each side is not the only unique thing about it. It's also the only LaSalle vehicle with wood doors and rear panels.
There's no information as to whom commissioned this oddity, but it's a known fact that the car was originally used to transport the guests of Meadow Brook Hall around the estate. After around a decade with the estate, the car was donated to the Pontiac Boys Club. Ignored for a few decades, the LaSalle was restored in 2007 and since then it's been driven for just 570 miles.
While the exterior of this car could fool you into thinking that it's nothing more than an airport coach, the interior is a luxurious as they get. For an early 1940s car, that is. On par with the Cadillacs of the era, this LaSalle is a stunning display of wood craftsmanship from the dashboard to the trunk, while all four rows of seats are draped in maroon leather.
It comes with an in-dash clock on the passenger side, an instrument cluster with precision-cut speedometer figures, and a big chrome grille between them. A heater with a defroster ensures that all 12 passengers that fit in the coach are comfortable during the cold season. It's one of those LaSalles that makes you wonder whether Cadillac wasn't actually the second-most prestigious brand within GM at the time.
Under the long hood lurks a 322-cubic-inch (5.3-liter), flathead V8 engine shared with the Cadillac Series 60. Rated at 125 horsepower, the engine was phased out along with LaSalle in 1941. The mill mates to a column-shifted, three-speed manual transmission with a Gear Vendors overdrive.
Granted, this eight-door behemoth is not as stylish as its regular production siblings from the era, but it will definitely stand out among other 1940s vehicles. One of those one-off opportunities that won’t likely present itself again anytime soon, the Meteor-built wagon is going under the hammer at Mecum Auctions' Monterey 2021 sale on August 12-14. It's estimated to fetch between $250,000 to $300,000, which isn't all that much for a one-of-a-kind vehicle. As much as I'd like to rush and break the piggy bank, I'm affraid my garage isn't big enough for this thing.
GM's attempt to offer a luxury car that was more conservative in appearance and price compared to Cadillac, LaSalle is mostly a forgotten page in the American automotive history book. But a few of its creations deserve more attention than they get and this eight-door woody station wagon is definitely one of them.
No, LaSalle didn't offer extended wheelbase limousines. This ridiculously long wagon is the work of Meteor Motor Car Company of Piqua, Ohio. And it's a one-of-a-kind creation. Not to be confused with the marque sold by Ford in Canada from 1949 to 1976, Meteor Motor was a coachbuilder specialized in hearses and ambulances.
Built on a LaSalle Series 50 chassis, the eight-door limo was crafted in 1940, just as the luxury brand was preparing to shut down. And the fact that it's as long as a bus and features four doors on each side is not the only unique thing about it. It's also the only LaSalle vehicle with wood doors and rear panels.
There's no information as to whom commissioned this oddity, but it's a known fact that the car was originally used to transport the guests of Meadow Brook Hall around the estate. After around a decade with the estate, the car was donated to the Pontiac Boys Club. Ignored for a few decades, the LaSalle was restored in 2007 and since then it's been driven for just 570 miles.
While the exterior of this car could fool you into thinking that it's nothing more than an airport coach, the interior is a luxurious as they get. For an early 1940s car, that is. On par with the Cadillacs of the era, this LaSalle is a stunning display of wood craftsmanship from the dashboard to the trunk, while all four rows of seats are draped in maroon leather.
It comes with an in-dash clock on the passenger side, an instrument cluster with precision-cut speedometer figures, and a big chrome grille between them. A heater with a defroster ensures that all 12 passengers that fit in the coach are comfortable during the cold season. It's one of those LaSalles that makes you wonder whether Cadillac wasn't actually the second-most prestigious brand within GM at the time.
Under the long hood lurks a 322-cubic-inch (5.3-liter), flathead V8 engine shared with the Cadillac Series 60. Rated at 125 horsepower, the engine was phased out along with LaSalle in 1941. The mill mates to a column-shifted, three-speed manual transmission with a Gear Vendors overdrive.
Granted, this eight-door behemoth is not as stylish as its regular production siblings from the era, but it will definitely stand out among other 1940s vehicles. One of those one-off opportunities that won’t likely present itself again anytime soon, the Meteor-built wagon is going under the hammer at Mecum Auctions' Monterey 2021 sale on August 12-14. It's estimated to fetch between $250,000 to $300,000, which isn't all that much for a one-of-a-kind vehicle. As much as I'd like to rush and break the piggy bank, I'm affraid my garage isn't big enough for this thing.
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