1934 LaSalle Series 50 Convertible Coupe
- Colour
- Black over green interior
A 1934 LaSalle Series 50 Convertible Coupe, noted for its Cadillac V-16-derived components and distinctive bi-plane bumpers unique to that model year. Discovered after roughly two decades of storage at a Long Island airfield, preserved under cosmoline, the car was traced to original ownership by Percy H. Ballantine of the New York brewing family and was ordered through a Jacksonville, Florida distributorship. Following restoration to black coachwork over a green interior, it achieved Second in Class at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$318,500
- 1934 →Factory deliveryPercy H. Ballantinepartial documentation
Purchased new as a 20-year-old heir through a Jacksonville, Florida distributorship; order confirmed by the original build sheet. Family had a winter property in Jacksonville, where Percy was born.
- → 2015Acquisition unknownLong Island airfield ownerpartial documentation
Claimed to be the second owner; kept the vehicle in a hangar at a remote grass airfield on Long Island, preserved under cosmoline for a minimum of two decades prior to sale.
- 2015 →Private saleSam and Emily Mannpartial documentation
Undertook a full restoration to original specification in black with green interior; subsequently used the car for touring in New England and California and fitted a Borg-Warner electric overdrive for that purpose.
Competition
- 20182018 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance2nd in class
Entered after restoration was completed; noted as one of relatively few LaSalles to have appeared at this event.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2015Restoration
Full restoration to original specification following removal of cosmoline preservative; sheet metal was found to be in near-pristine condition with no rust, requiring minimal mechanical remediation. Finished in black with a green interior.
Owner Sam Mann noted that the underlying metalwork was essentially undamaged, making the restoration comparatively straightforward.
- —Modification
Installation of a Borg-Warner electric overdrive unit to allow relaxed highway touring.
Fitted to support use on tours in New England and California; date of fitment not specified.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.