  Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 1 Registered: 12-2007 |
I'm looking to identify the building and location in this 1960 Buick press photo. I have reason to believe it is in the metro Detroit area. The letters on the building are of no help, as they've been intentionally retouched to protect the true identity of the building. Please email me directly at gcockerill@(remove this first)wowway.com  | ||
Dodgemain Member Username: Dodgemain Post Number: 208 Registered: 04-2005 |
I think it in the Warren Tech center. I'll try to prove it later. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 1236 Registered: 09-2007 |
LOL! The guy in the photo looks like John Astin (Gomez Adams). | ||
Markemarx Member Username: Markemarx Post Number: 35 Registered: 11-2006 |
I agree with Dodgemain. The first place that came to my mind was the Warren City Admin. buildings across the street from the GM Tech Center. | ||
Plymouthres Member Username: Plymouthres Post Number: 444 Registered: 02-2007 |
Looks like one of the courtyards at Design Staff, the famous GM styling/advanced design area off of 12 mile and Mound. I worked there in the 80's and it does look very similar to those different studios. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2485 Registered: 01-2005 |
Love those tailfins! | ||
Hamtragedy Member Username: Hamtragedy Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2007 |
Is that an Electra? | ||
Michmeister Member Username: Michmeister Post Number: 272 Registered: 10-2006 |
Dunno where the pic was made, but the drop-top sure is classy. They suuuuuure don`t build `em like that anymore. | ||
Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 2 Registered: 12-2007 |
Thanks for all the ideas...please keep 'em coming. I will also check out the Tech Center buildings. If it was the Warren City buildings, I'm probably out of luck, as I think they've razed them and built new ones. By the way, it's not an Electra...this is a LeSabre. Hard to believe it was the smallest and cheapest Buick in 1960, huh? I have one exactly like it, and want to photograph the car in the same setting, if possible. Anyone that's interested in seeing more pictures and reading about 1960 Buicks is welcome to checkout my website, www.the1960buick.com | ||
Hamtragedy Member Username: Hamtragedy Post Number: 33 Registered: 10-2007 |
Thanx carnut. The other angles indicate it to be slightly smaller than the picture at the top of this thread. I looked further at your link at found the '70 225. Pretty. I grew up drivin' my dad's 69 225 (430, 4bbl, metallic blue with black top, accelerator as big as Bob Lanier's size 22 shoes). When my 75 Catalina would die, I'd occasionally wind up driving the 225, parking in front of Renaissance High School. Needless to say, I gave several friends rides home in that because it was a bad MF**** ride in 1984. My younger brother bought a conv 1964 225 from a guy in the UP about 10 years ago, drove it down to TX where he lived, then sold it to a guy in Columbus, O a couple years ago. But that 69 was sweet. There is a white conv 69 225that frequents outer drive btw. schaefer and fenkell. I see it occasionally. Then this summer I saw someone driving a burgundy 68 225 with historic plates at 8 mile and southfield. They are hard to miss. | ||
Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 3 Registered: 12-2007 |
Some Buick club members suggested this could be at a building in Flint's Cultural Center complex. This seemed plausible since another similar 1960 Buick press photo, is taken at the DeWaters Art Museum in the Cultural Center. I've personally driven through that area looking for the building with no luck, but wondered if it could have been razed or remodeled. Acting on a suggestion, I contacted the Sloan Museum. The response from the curator of the Sloan museum is that he's quite certain this convertible pix was NOT taken on the grounds of the Flint Cultural Center. He suggests (as some of you did) it may be at GM Tech Center. That's my next stop. Stay tuned.... | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 960 Registered: 03-2006 |
I definitely looks familiar to me, I think it may be the Flint Institute of Arts before it was remodeled. I will look for some pics. | ||
Burnsie Member Username: Burnsie Post Number: 1246 Registered: 11-2003 |
That pic was definitely not taken anywhere at the Flint Cultural Center. I have seen all sides of every building at the Center, have studied aerial photos taken through the decades of the area, and practically memorized each building's exterior as a kid, growing up a few blocks away. The building also matches nothing at Buick's Flint complex. | ||
Hornist9 Member Username: Hornist9 Post Number: 73 Registered: 05-2005 |
Car_nut, If you're still looking for a convertible top for your beautiful car, check out Shelby Trim on Mound Rd. in Sterling Hgts. I had them replace the carpeting in my 84 Cavalier Convertible, add new window belt moldings, readjust and lube the power windows so they would match and seal off my top. My car is no where near the beauty yours is. Mine has almost 200,000 miles on it. It was my father in law's and he wanted me to have it when he had to go into assisted living. I eventually would like to restore it, but that's a long way down the line. Finding parts is going to be a real pain, because Cavaliers aren't a "sexy" ride. I would love to see your Buick. What a gem! | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 3496 Registered: 10-2003 |
Great pic! I had a '59 Buick Invicta for quite awhile. It was a fun car to drive, with a lot of power. (Message edited by Fury13 on January 04, 2008) | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 332 Registered: 06-2007 |
"because Cavaliers aren't a "sexy" ride." My old Z24 was a babe magnet. Girls liked that car.I still miss it. Black with a grey interior and an exhaust rumble. Reminded me of a toned-down Buick Grand National. Trust me, that Cavalier was COOL! | ||
Jrvass Member Username: Jrvass Post Number: 375 Registered: 01-2007 |
Yeah... I have a '94 Sunfire GT convertible. It was styled as the little bro' of the Firebird. Women really like that car. (Message edited by jrvass on January 05, 2008) | ||
Jerome81 Member Username: Jerome81 Post Number: 1675 Registered: 11-2003 |
Find the place yet? | ||
Jonesy Member Username: Jonesy Post Number: 433 Registered: 07-2005 |
I'm fairly certain that's GM's R&D building on the Tech Center campus. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1381 Registered: 12-2005 |
I doubt that this photo was taken at the GM Tech Center. Most TC buildings have their covered entrances on the sides of the building where there are multiple stories and glazed brick exteriors, plus the entrance lobbies are enclosed in glass. If memory serves, there are some one-story exterior sections of TC buildings that resemble the exterior "panel" type construction seen in the photo, but they were mostly corridors connecting larger sections of buildings and contained no entrances with steps or canopies.  | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1382 Registered: 12-2005 |
Here is a blow-up showing the GM Research building entrance:  | ||
Bulletmagnet Member Username: Bulletmagnet Post Number: 957 Registered: 01-2007 |
On the canvas covered entrance I make out something like "Dix & Mill Entrance"? (I wear glasses) | ||
Hpgrmln Member Username: Hpgrmln Post Number: 334 Registered: 06-2007 |
The poster said the letters were retouched, so "Dix and Mill" wouldn't mean much BUT.... THERE IS a Dix/Mill intersection in Lincoln Park. It sure isn't Dix and Miller, since thats a FORD plant. No Buicks allowed there I'm sure. | ||
Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 4 Registered: 12-2007 |
Still haven't pinned it down. I'm getting a lot of input that it is at Flint Cultural Center, but PRIOR to remodeling that has taken place over the years. Many responses say it is Flint Art Institute, but the ATTACHED photo is in front of the Art Institute, and you can see it is clearly different building from the convertible photo. I've looked closely inside GM Tech Ctr. Although there are many buildings of similar style, none match and most are 3 or more stories. Building in convertible pix is only 1 or 2 stories.  | ||
Janesback Member Username: Janesback Post Number: 418 Registered: 08-2006 |
2 unique things about that Buick. It has the tilt speedometer mirror that you can adjust for your heighth. Also, when you start it, you use the gas pedal after you turn the key to on. My grandparents had the 1960 Buick 225 Electra with I think a 445 Wildcat, not sure about the numbers, 455? Silver with a white top. Drove like a dream....... Jane | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 3541 Registered: 10-2003 |
It was called the Wildcat 445 engine because of its torque rating, an engine-naming practice that all of the U.S. auto manufacturers indulged in during that period (other examples: Plymouth's Golden Commando 395, Edsel's E-475). The Wildcat 445 was the famous Buick 401 V-8. | ||
Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 5 Registered: 12-2007 |
Janesback, You are referring to the Mirro-Magic instrument panel, a novelty that carried over to the 1961 Buicks before being dropped. The "gas pedal" starter switch (actually on the carburetor, but actuated by pedal) was a unique Buick feature since the 1930s. The final year for this feature was 1960. Lastly, Fury13 is correct about the engines. My LeSabre, for example, has the Wildcat 384, which is a 364 cube V8 with "384" lb-ft of torque. It was misleading and confusing practice, as even today (nearly 50yrs after the fact), I see people claim their Buick has a 445 cubic inch engine! | ||
Car_nut Member Username: Car_nut Post Number: 6 Registered: 12-2007 |
THE MYSTERY IS SOLVED! Special thanks to David White at Kettering University Archives for identifying the mystery building. Turns out the building is on the campus of the Mott Community College in Flint (formerly Flint Junior College). This makes sense, since this site is adjacent to the Flint Cultural Center where several other of the 1960 Buick press photos were taken. The building is called the Durham Natatorium. I've been told it was originally built in the mid-50s, as the "Cady B. Durham Natatorium". Note that this name exactly fits the obscured lettering on the Buick press photo. The building still stands, but the exterior was extensively remodeled about 15yrs ago. Here's a photo of it taken this week. Comparing to the 1960 Buick press photo, it's not immediately obvious that they're the same. But despite the remodeling, it still has the unique stairways (one up; one down), the same roof, and the same profile of the foundation (note the location of the basement ventilator duct on far left of building). Unfortunately, the changes in the building mean I won't be able to recreate the original photo scene with my car. Thanks to all posters for the help and suggestions! It has been a fun search.  | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5970 Registered: 11-2003 |
Amazing rennovation. Now we are in a brick mode, eh. Note how heavy the covered entrance is today. Car nut, yes, your fans demand a photo of you and the vehicle in question in a current shot. Thanks for the tip on the basement ventilator duct. That's the dead givaway. Good work on research. jjaba, on the Westside. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 3588 Registered: 10-2003 |
Terrible remodeling job on that building. It was so much cleaner looking before. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5972 Registered: 11-2003 |
Fury13, so you don't like the "googie" archtecture of the 1950-60s? jjaba, mid-century modernist. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 985 Registered: 03-2006 |
I knew I recognized that building, I wonder when it was changed. This mystery has been bugging me for quite sometime. I spent time on that campus in the late 70's, but as a kid spent a lot of time in the cultural area from the mid 60's on. Thanks for the info Car_nut | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 3591 Registered: 10-2003 |
Jjaba, I do like mid-century in some contexts. I think a lot of it is throwaway in nature, but I especially like commercial "googie" as used on diners, coffee shops, motels, drive-ins, and such. I don't like it so much in residential uses. However, in this case, the original '50s look of the building was so much nicer. I think the '80s might have been the nadir for American architecture. | ||
Jjaba Member Username: Jjaba Post Number: 5978 Registered: 11-2003 |
Fury13, anything but the "brutalism" of the 1970s. Those concrete monsters were plumb bad. jjaba. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 2572 Registered: 01-2005 |
Architecture? What do I know about architecture? I live in Las Vegas. Anything gets to be twenty years old, we blow it up.  | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 190 Registered: 12-2006 |
I miss that cantilever roof. It gave it class. Now the building's pretty much a box. | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2719 Registered: 10-2003 |
CarNut: This thread has been quite interesting as we've spent some time in the last couple years checking out the Flint automotive sites (including the cultural center and Mott CC campus since the auto execs there are so closely aligned with their development) as well as the GM Tech Center. You are to be commended for your tenacity in tracking down that site! Please do post a photo of you and your car. |
