SEALED IN A CONNECTICUT BARN FOR 80 YEARS, THIS 1929 LA SALLE MODEL 8590 COUPE FINALLY HAS A BRIGHT FUTURE

Ever wonder when the earliest antique car show was formally held? According to multiple sources, it could very well have been the First Antique Automobile Derby, which was organized by the Philadelphia Automobile Trade Association as the then-new 1931 models were about to be unveiled. The gathering of “early” automobiles, all of which had to be a minimum of 25 years old, was met with positive enthusiasm, and became an annual highlight of the Philadelphia Automobile Show for the next four years.  

That Derby also served as the cornerstone for the later-organized Antique Automobile Club of America. It’s an interesting story remembered by many, but what about the vehicles themselves? What kind of stories do they have to tell? Not the googleable particulars, such as assembly plants, designers, and production numbers, but the tales found in odometer miles amassed by past owners?  

Consider: Hundreds of millions of cars have been built, driven, traded, resold, abandoned, repaired, wrecked, and restored since that 1931 Derby alone. Of all the now-collectible vehicles that have survived to 2024 in one form or fashion, odds are an infinitely small percentage–especially those abandoned for generations–can boast either significant or entirely complete ownership provenance. One of the comparative lucky few is this 1929 La Salle coupe, now recognized as a bona fide Full Classic by the Classic Car Club of America, owned by Matt Menges of Wichita, Kansas.  

“I have always been into 1920s-era cars, as I was basically raised on the rumble seat of a ’29 Ford Model A roadster. My parents were members of a local Model A club, and in the 1970s we drove all over the nation in that car, my parents in the front, my sister and I in the rumble seat,” Matt says. His love for interwar automotive icons never waned, as evident by both his humble collection and his business, Kansas Body Works.  

Matt monitors collector car classifieds, even if he isn’t in the market for a specific vehicle. Such was the case when he spotted the online listing for this needy La Salle coupe in 2023 and curiosity got the best of him. “The ad said that the car was all original, and I thought it looked cool in the preview photo, so I clicked on the link for more information. One of the first things I noticed was a shot of the rear of the car. I was captivated by the styling and that basically sold me on it right then and there. I had to message the seller,” Matt, states.  

After a brief chat, followed by more photos from the seller, Frank Deloma of Shelton, Connecticut, Matt decided to take the plunge and struck a deal for the Cadillac companion car. Matt lives in Kansas, so the forlorn coupe was not a quick drive away, but he arranged for a friend to store it until it could be retrieved later. When that time came, the La Salle’s entire story was disclosed.   

It began in New York City prior to the turn of the century, when multifaceted entrepreneur Inglis M. Uppercu decided to further diversify his portfolio by selling Cadillacs (he later saw a need for air freight, which spurred the purchase of planes and the creation of an aviation company based in Keyport, New Jersey. Uppercu was a pioneer of the budding transportation industry). By the 1920s, Uppercu financed the construction of a 14-story building in midtown Manhattan in which to relocate his holdings, including the Cadillac dealership. The building was located at 70 Columbus Avenue, right in the heart of what was called “Automobile Row,” near where the Lincoln Center stands today. When La Salle was introduced for 1927, the marque was included in his prosperous dealership. 

Two years later, this La Salle was purchased new off the showroom floor by a wealthy Connecticut family that was in the diamond and precious gems industry. It’s easy to understand why. For 1929, Fisher and Fleetwood stylists under Harley Earl updated the marque visually, while engineers provided more power by enlarging the V-8 engine to 328-cu.in. thereby increasing power to 85 hp. The bump in displacement was, in turn, reflected in the new “Series 328” nomenclature. There were other updates, too, all of which found favor among buyers. La Salle outsold Cadillac during the model year 22,950 units to 18,103 (according to the Cadillac/La Salle Club). Among them was Matt’s newly acquired Model 8590 two-passenger coupe built atop the longer 134-inch wheelbase chassis. The car’s base price was $2,495, or $45,279 in 2024 currency. 

“Apparently, the car was driven until World War II. Sometime in late 1942 or early ’43, it was parked in the barn on their farm, along with their 1933 Packard, after which the barn doors and windows were boarded up to prevent either car from being scooped up in the war effort scrap drives,” Matt says.  

As sometimes happens, the cars were then ignored, or forgotten, and sat for nearly eight decades, until both were rediscovered by a local resident named Rusty during a recent estate cleanout. Of the two, the Packard quickly became the darling among prospective buyers; nobody was anxious to cast an eye towards the La Salle. Rusty removed the coupe from the barn regardless and shortly thereafter sold it to Frank Deloma, who managed to get the car running, and even revived the mechanical brakes just enough to provide some semblance of stopping ability before posting the car for sale. 

In late 2023, Matt was finally able to retrieve the barn find, though the trek back to Kansas was not uneventful. He encountered a fierce snowstorm that encapsulated portions of the coupe in snow and ice. Once the La Salle was safely secured in his garage, Matt was finally able to completely evaluate the coupe.  

“Judging by the ample grease and gunk all over the underside of the car, and the bald tires, it seems like the original owners drove the literal wheels off this. Unfortunately, even though Frank revived the engine, the car–which weighs around 4,300 pounds–is not technically drivable due to some major wood rot around the roof, so it’s not safe now. The sad thing about a lot of cars from this era is that they used wood for the body framing with metal panels nailed and bolted to that frame. I’m going to say about 50 percent of the coupe’s wood is either really soft or completely rotted,” Matt says. He also noted that the worst part of the body frame damage is along the length of the left A-pillar, which has deteriorated to such a degree that the left door can’t be fully opened. Matt is also quick to point out there is a lot of good news, too.  

“This car has the optional Buffalo wire wheels, dual side-mount spares, and rear luggage rack; most ’29 models had wood artillery wheels and a rear-mounted spare. All the steel is good, even though there’s some minor rust here and there. Inside the car, I found all the original floorboards, all the hardware for the green glass visor–which I have already had re-glassed–the golf bag door, the hub cap removal wrench, and the engine hand crank. It even came with a good “LaS” front headlamp bar. More recently, I found and bought a nice rust-free pair of running boards to replace the originals that rotted away, along with dual side-mount front fenders, splash aprons, and rear fenders. The front and rear bumpers were missing, too, but I also located those for sale in Ohio. Best of all, this La Salle still has its Inglis Uppercu dealership plate pinned to the gas tank shield, showing its true pedigree. There is an Inglis Uppercu-sold, all-original 1917 Cadillac in the national register of historic vehicles. It was used in World War I and it also has the brass dealer plate on it.”  

So, what does the future hold for Matt’s coupe?  

“I plan to redo the wood and leave as much of the car original as possible, including the interior and paint. I will go through the mechanical systems to make sure they’re as reliable as possible, and then get a new set of 6.50-19 tires, new exhaust, and drive it as-is. After seeing this for sale I felt it was an affordable entry-level buy into upmarket 1920’s cars, and something I could afford compared to a Packard, Pierce-Arrow, Auburn, Lincoln, or the like. The La Salle is also different than another typical Ford Model A, Dodge, or Chevy of the same period, even though they are cool cars, too. I’ve never seen another ’29 La Salle coupe in person, so I had to have it. I bet out of the 1,500 made there is just a handful left in any condition.” 

The post Sealed In A Connecticut Barn For 80 Years, This 1929 La Salle Model 8590 Coupe Finally Has A Bright Future appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

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