A Rare Coachbuilt Brewster Shows How Luxury Cars Once Defined Status

Mike Marrs 0:07

All right,

Finding The Museum On Site

Mike Marrs 0:08

Bob. Here we go. Here we go. Sorry, you gotta take your head off, you know. It might fit over the top of it, you know. There you go. I think I'll leave that up to you, Bob. I think it's around the corner, sir. There's a door around on the side to get to the museum. If you're coming out today, by all means, be sure and go in and check out the museum. Uh it's open to the public today. It's not open to the public every day because this is a functioning school. And uh the school's gracious enough to give the Spring Branch Alumni Foundation a space to put their museum, and it's really cool and it brings back a lot of memories and a lot of a lot of thoughts about what could be. Joining us now, Bob. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:04

Pronounced like the court order, but it's that's anglicized.

Mike Marrs 1:09

Can't read my own writing. I gotta get a better pen. That's my excuse anyway.

Meet The 1922 Brewster

Mike Marrs 1:14

So, Bob, so you're out here with your 1922 Brewster. Uh, I think the only thing older is maybe that car to the right. Correct. Yeah. So so your Brewster, it's it's it is it like a limo? I mean, it's got an open driver space.

SPEAKER_02 1:33

Yeah, yes, it is the ultimate uh for uh the ultra wealthy. Uh it was made in New York City. Uh Brewster was the ultimate uh coach builder back in the 1800s. And in the early 1900s, they started building bodies for Rolls-Royce, uh Daimler, Minerva, Mercedes, and then around 19 uh ten they started importing Rolls-Royce chassis, but when the Lusitania was sunk, that ended their importing. Really? And so they decided to start making uh the total car, and they chose the night engine uh sleeve valve engine because it is so quiet and the wealthy people didn't like a noisy car. Oh. So the Rolls-Royce of its time, yeah. So they built uh cars from 1915 to 1925, perhaps uh uh we around 479 during that time, and approximately 25 are still uh in existence. Wow. Uh in 1922, you could have bought a Ford Roadster for $319. Uh, or this car, the standard town Broham, which is the body style, uh, was $10,700. This car had the optional leather uh chauffeur doors, uh fenders, and the uh middle uh what look like fenders, uh Brewster called them wings. Uh the uh front fenders on uh my car are um reproduction, but the uh wings and the rear fenders are original uh leather from 1922.

Mike Marrs 3:44

Wow. So I I yeah, I wish we could get it on the camera over here, but I what I have to ask.

Chauffeur Design And Quiet Luxury

Mike Marrs 3:53

So the driver is out in an open space.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

Well, the windshield does go up, and you can see uh there's a uh a top that is rolled up and there's held with two straps and there are uh curtains on the side to enclose the chauffeur in inclement weather and you know winters in New York City.

Mike Marrs 4:13

Yeah, that's what I was wondering about. I mean, that guy's got to be getting cold if he's sitting out there in the open like that.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Well, you know, having the top of the windshield down um makes it more obvious that you have a chauffeur.

Mike Marrs 4:26

Uh uh they can see a better status symbol.

SPEAKER_02 4:29

Absolutely. That was the status. Yeah. So interesting.

Mike Marrs 4:37

So it's got a, I guess, do you does it have an electric start or do you have to hand crank that?

SPEAKER_02 4:41

No, it has electric stark.

Mike Marrs 4:43

Uh $11,000, Mary. Oh, well, of course it does.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

Yes. Um, there is a crank. Um right now you can't see the crankhole cover because there's a leather apron that covers the the front uh you know gears and everything.

Mike Marrs 5:00

Yeah, we don't want any of that to show as we're going down to the opera.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Exactly. And there is uh as you mentioned, the opera, there is one fold-down seat in the back. The back uh area is um reported to be totally original, and the doors closed just perfectly because uh again, uh Brewster was uh the ultimate bodybuilder, and that's why Rolls-Royce, in fact, um Brewster was uh building bodies for Rolls-Royce, and uh then in 1925, Rolls-Royce bought Brewster, the company, uh, so that they could uh have total control of the uh the the designers and the craftsmen who were making these ultimate uh bodies.

Mike Marrs 5:50

Very good, very cool.

Buying A Rare Brewster

Mike Marrs 5:54

So I'll tell you, um what about how how did you acquire this? I mean, how did you go through that process?

SPEAKER_02 6:09

I've had the uh car only two weeks. Um I found out about it. A collector in uh Carrollton, Texas had uh uh medical issues and uh a another uh Packard collector in the Dallas Fort Worth area had uh notified the Packard Club in Houston uh of the this collection um that uh was in uh Carrollton. When I saw the name Brewster, it really pulled my chain. Um and I started communicating uh with the family. And um when uh I was told it was a running car, uh I I said, you know, uh I will purchase it when it's running. Okay. The reason it pulled my chain was back when I was growing up in the uh early 50s, uh north of Philadelphia, my father worked at the uh Johnsville Naval Air Development Center, and the administration building had Brewster blazoned across the top of the building. Uh and I always wondered what's what is the connection to Brewster to the Navy. Well, uh when I found out about this car, I started doing some research and I found that uh cars and airplanes were made out of wood back in the early 1900s. Right. And Brewster was a uh great bodybuilder working with wood. Brewster started building floats for Chance Vaught out in Long Island, where my father had worked in the late 30s. Um so there's this connection of my father, Chance Vaught, and my father now at Johnsville uh with the Brewster. Uh so it just um and the more I it just it it just fit. So uh the more I uh did research and found that uh this was such an exquisite automobile, uh, so very rare. Um there uh of the perhaps 25 that are known, uh most are in museums. In fact, one is in a museum 600 miles east of Moscow. Uh I would love to get uh uh the serial number. All we have is a picture that a Russian had sent uh posted uh on the internet. Um but uh there are very few running, and uh I'm just uh very delighted to be able to take it out to shows and share it with uh uh everyone who has never seen one.

Mike Marrs 9:06

Well I didn't get a chance to see you come in uh this morning. You drove it here though.

SPEAKER_02 9:10

Actually, no, it's uh I got a trailer back there, yes, okay uh and uh you drove it from there to there, okay. Yes, it is is driving, yes. Um so it's it's a real fun car to uh to show and share with people.

Towing Rigs And Daily Drivers

SPEAKER_02 9:30

So what do you tow?

Mike Marrs 9:31

You tow it. I mean, you obviously you got the trailer, it's an enclosed trailer. Almost all those trailers are enclosed over there.

SPEAKER_02 9:37

Yes, I had I have a uh uh a Ford uh diesel truck that I I tow my cars. Um my LeBaron town car I've towed to Ohio several times. Uh I took it to the Indianapolis Speedway Fort Centennial in uh 2011. But the Brewster is uh that's a special it's a very special car. So what do you what is your daily driver? My daily driver is a 2001 Ford Expedition and my 2001 F-250 diesel. All my cars are in certified antiques.

Mike Marrs 10:22

Well, you know, if you're gonna be in the antiques, you know, why not? You know? Yes. Of course, with that that 250, it's it'll it'll it'll run a long ways. Yeah, so my uh my brother happens to have he's got a RAM 2500 with a diesel in it. Last I heard, he was uh it's a 2019, something like that, 2020, got it just before COVID. I think he's bumping 140,000 miles on it now. Uh-huh. And uh, I'm not looking for another car, yeah. It just keeps going. The diesel. Yeah, that's right. He he doesn't necessarily like filling it up right now.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

Exactly. Well, um this one is just shy of 200,000. And and when I bought it in, I think it was 2008, diesel was cheaper than gasoline.

Mike Marrs 11:11

Yes, yeah. Yes, yes, yes. And uh I uh I I've had some conversations with my father years ago about diesel and where it actually comes from. He worked in the refineries and stuff, and uh, you know, it it amazes me that they can charge that much for diesel these days, knowing that it's basically junk.

SPEAKER_02 11:31

It it takes less to make diesel than gasoline.

Mike Marrs 11:34

And it's leftovers. I mean, it it's it just I guess that's what makes the world go round.

SPEAKER_02 11:40

That's right.

Mike Marrs 11:43

Very good, very good. So all right. And that's the only so you didn't bring the other one out today, did you? You just you just brought that one?

The One Known LeBaron Packard

SPEAKER_02 11:52

I I brought the La Baron Town car, which is next to it, which uh um silver and black.

Mike Marrs 11:58

Ah okay, there's a firebird between me and that. So yes. All right, I I can see the roof of it now.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

Yes. I bought that uh as a a shell on a frame and three truckloads of parts. Um they made Packard made approximately 15 of these uh LeBaron uh town cars, and this is I've been tracking them for since 1967.

Mike Marrs 12:26

Really?

SPEAKER_02 12:28

Right. I I bought my first Packard in 1963 out of a junkyard. Um and uh this is the only one known to exist. What you did I uh I was trying to find the um original owner of uh uh the the Packard and I tried down down to uh 19 uh 57. It was a uh man uh it was parked on a street in South Dallas, and the the man walked up to the knocked on the door, ma'am. I'd like to buy that old Packard on the street. And she said, I'm sorry, but uh the owner is on vacation in Huntsville. Uh I thought, uh no problem, no problem. I called the warden. I said, I'd like your guest list from Dallas in 1958. And she said, he said, I'm sorry, but that information is personal and confidential. You'd need a subpoena to get that. I said, I got I got three of them at home. They're eight, ten, and thirteen. Well, the warden didn't say anything.

Mike Marrs 13:49

Didn't see the humor in that.

Scotland Plate Mystery And Wrap-Up

SPEAKER_02 13:51

So I never uh the Brewster um has a license plate uh on the front and the back that is uh uh a license plate from Scotland, the area about 50 miles south of Edinburgh. Um I'm trying to find out the original owner of that license plate. Uh I've written to Scotland, but uh my neighbor who is uh from Scotland uh had indicated it's from this Peebles Shire, Peebleshire. So I asked Gemini uh who was the wealthy one and uh and Gemini indicated that uh Baron tenant. Uh so I have a picture of the Baron's uh manor um in Peebleshire with the car coming down the drive. That car. That car, yes. So uh it's I don't have documentation, but uh it's if AI says it's true, it's true, man. That's right.

Mike Marrs 15:14

So man. Maybe you just need to go over there. Just go over there, knock on the door.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

I think that's look through some family albums.

Mike Marrs 15:30

Yes, that would work all right. So we we need to take another quick break here, sir. Bob, it's really really been good talking to you. I think I still think it's funny that you came up Bob Subpoena, followed by you know right after the policeman. So it kind of worked out kind of good. Yes, so it worked out great. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us about both of your cars over there. I didn't realize that both of them were over there. Yes. So I haven't had a chance to walk around yet after the broadcast. I'm gonna get a chance to go walk and check things out.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Certainly. Since uh my neighbor Lee, who has the Bianchi, um which you you interviewed him last year or a year before, uh, he lives very close. So I brought the LeBaron to his house yesterday and um then just drove it over. That's why that's how I was able to get two cars. Okay.

Mike Marrs 16:30

I didn't even think about that. Yes, because there's nobody over there with a uh double trailer setting over there, so yes. Unless you've got one of those school buses over there that's converted or something. Yes. All right, so um, thank you again for joining us. We are still at the Back to the Past car show. We're at 9016, 9017. I keep going 9016, Westview Drive uh until two o'clock. It's a great, beautiful day out here. Got lots of cars, different kinds, got all kinds of police cars and everything else out here. Uh and Bob's, both of Bob's cars are here. So come out and join us, and we'll be right back after this quick message.

SPEAKER_00 17:12

It's that time again. Fire up those engines. Heroes and Hot Rods is rolling into Bastro for Veterans Day weekend. Friday night, cruise downtown. Saturday, 400 of the coolest rides in Texas take over Main Street. Hunter our veterans enjoy local food and shopping and help support local charities and scholarships. Presented by Craig's Jewelry and over 200 local sponsors, November 13th and 14th, Downtown Bastro. Don't miss it.

Mike Marrs 17:40

It's Back to the Past. Cruise Back in Time Saturday, October the 17th for the SBISD Alumni Association's annual Back to the Past car show. See classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more as automotive history comes alive at the Cornerstone Academy, 9016 West View Drive in Houston. Bring the family, check out the rides, and enjoy a great day celebrating the vehicles that we remember and the memories that go with them. That's Saturday, October the 17th, Back to the Past, 9016 West View Drive in Houston. But uh the microphone till next week at the funeral Halloween show. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It is, it is really cool, really cool.

unknown 18:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 18:30

This is my early 25.

Mike Marrs 18:35

Hang on just a second.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

It's that time again. Fire up those engines. Heroes and Hot Rods is rolling into Bastro for Veterans Day weekend. Friday night, cruise downtown. Saturday, 400 of the coolest rides in Texas take over Main Street. Honor our veterans, enjoy local food and shopping, and help support local charities and scholarships. Presented by Craig's Jewelry and over 200 local sponsors, November 13th and 14th, Downtown Bastro. Don't miss it.

Mike Marrs 19:07

It's Back to the Past. Cruise Back in Time Saturday, October the 17th for the SBISD Alumni Association's annual Back to the Past car show. See classic cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more as Automotive History comes alive at the Cornerstone Academy, 9016 Westview Drive in Houston. Bring the family, check out the rides, and enjoy a great day celebrating the vehicles that we remember and the memories that go with them. That's Saturday, October the 17th, Back to the Past, 9016 Westview Drive in Houston. Cars, trucks, SUVs, motorsports, road trips, and the people who make the automotive world interesting. In wheel time is changing and we're expanding. We're bringing you more automotive stories, more interviews, more destinations, and more of what you may have missed. From Texas to the automotive world beyond, in wheel time is your place for automotive talk without the politics or the nonsense. Join us for the next generation of In Wheel Time Cars, trucks, and the people who love them. Westview Drive in Houston.