On The Trail Of Dillinger's Buick Used In Racine, Wis. Bank Job

[OCM]

A friend of mine, classic car collector, was up in the Geneva Lake area, which was a famous hideout area for Capone, Moran, Baby Face Nelson and ran across a photo of a 1933 buick 90, the same car I have and the one the Dillinger gang used in the Racine bank job 1933.

The Thompson they used was picked up at the bank and taken, recovered in Tucson and is on display in Racine. Lots about that in past posts here ( Dillinger's Thompson)

It was always a mystery how they found a new Buick 90, which is extremely rare then and now. Figured they " borrowed" it in Chicago, returned it after robbing the back.

Maybe not-

I have newspaper articles the day after the robbery, one of the hostages rode with the gang in the back of the large Buick. She said they traveled West for about an hour, then was let out. ( long story here not for this posting).

Anyway, one hour West of Racine is the Lake Geneva area hideout.

Maybe a new Dillinger find- ?

 

Comparison of my 33 Buick and the possible Dillinger one.

 

Fun stuff-

 

OCM

[ghostsoldier]

Awesome comparison photo, Sandy, and a beautiful car you have there!

Rob

[OCM]

Thanks Rob, I think with Larry Wacks help we are getting closer. Right now it's a good, well thought out guess..........Typical of how the Dillinger gang worked the cars in a robbery.

I stand back with my 33 Buick and can't imagine pulling up to a bank with a car like this, and taking off with 5 people in the back, two in the front, backseat with money bags and Thompsons, heading down the road. One of the jump seats was down to make room for the gear.

crazy.

[ghostsoldier]

Does it have a straight 8, or an inline 6?

 

Rob

[OCM]

huge straight 8. 304 something , looks like a train engine, lots of torque. Of course the cops were broke, using personal cars or model As.

Runs smooth, almost can't hear it.

Dillinger used the 1933 Essex Terraplane 8, stripped down Hudson/Essex, with a monster engine. VERY FAST. I asume you know I owned the one he used in St Paul, I had to say that , or it will be brought up anyway. Of course I like to brag, hell yes. ( took 30 years to find it)

 

The old Joe Pinkston book, has a great account of the Racine robbery. Lots of details about Makley grabbing the 28N Thompson in the bank, he was in the front seat when they made the get-a-way, Dillinger driving the 1933 Buick. Makley had no problem using a Thompson.

 

Good read, if you can find a copy-

 

OCM

Edited March 10, 2013 by OCM

[ghostsoldier]

huge straight 8. 304 something , looks like a train engine, lots of torque. Of course the cops were broke, using personal cars or model As.

Runs smooth, almost can't hear it.

Dillinger used the 1933 Essex Terraplane 8, stripped down Hudson/Essex, with a monster engine. VERY FAST. I asume you know I owned the one he used in St Paul, I had to say that , or it will be brought up anyway. Of course I like to brag, hell yes. ( took 30 years to find it)

 

Sweet....I bet that baby'll roll smooth as silk at 100 mph... You say you 'used' to own the Essex....you don't have it any longer?

 

The old Joe Pinkston book, has a great account of the Racine robbery. Lots of details about Makley grabbing the 28N Thompson in the bank, he was in the front seat when they made the get-a-way, Dillinger driving the 1933 Buick. Makley had no problem using a Thompson.

 

Good read, if you can find a copy-

 

OCM

 

Would that be this one, Sandy?

 

http://books.google....id=9HvaAAAAMAAJ

 

Rob

Edited January 4, 2013 by ghostsoldier

[OCM]

huge straight 8. 304 something , looks like a train engine, lots of torque. Of course the cops were broke, using personal cars or model As.

Runs smooth, almost can't hear it.

Dillinger used the 1933 Essex Terraplane 8, stripped down Hudson/Essex, with a monster engine. VERY FAST. I asume you know I owned the one he used in St Paul, I had to say that , or it will be brought up anyway. Of course I like to brag, hell yes. ( took 30 years to find it)

 

Sweet....I bet that baby'll roll smooth as silk at 100 mph... You say you 'used' to own the Essex....you don't have it any longer?

 

The old Joe Pinkston book, has a great account of the Racine robbery. Lots of details about Makley grabbing the 28N Thompson in the bank, he was in the front seat when they made the get-a-way, Dillinger driving the 1933 Buick. Makley had no problem using a Thompson.

 

Good read, if you can find a copy-

 

Here is a good shot of the JD car on display- 1933 Essex Terraplane 8.

 

OCM

 

Would that be this one, Sandy?

 

http://books.google....id=9HvaAAAAMAAJ

 

Rob

 

Yes, that is the book. It reads like a Dillinger history book, really good , correct detail. Few thing out dated, but few. Joe did a hell of a job. Helmer's book is a better read, the updated edition with Rick Mattix. Both are excellent to add to a crime library on JD.

 

These old cars weren't like the movies, they would get up and go, but a chase might be 75 at top speeds. I don't know if the big Buick would get to 100, the Essex probably, but takes some time. Roads were bad then, escapes were made at like 55-60+ maybe. Dillinger would drop carpet tacks out the back, blow the old tires of the cops.

 

The Dillinger Essex, is on display at the Washington DC museum. They told me lately, it may go on loan to the Indianapolis airport or the Chicago Airport.

If you live close by, you can see it. Fast car in the 30s. Not as fast as a bullet tho-

[ghostsoldier]

Joe's book is hard to find, but I'll keep my eye out for it; I've got Helmer's off of Amazon.

 

The Essex is a beaut, too!

 

Rob

[OCM]

Joe's book is hard to find, but I'll keep my eye out for it; I've got Helmer's off of Amazon.

 

The Essex is a beaut, too!

 

Rob

 

Joe Pinkston's book is a good read on Dillinger, can get stale for the casual JD reader, but great historical detail. Anything Bill writes is good. Another one is the Toland book, Dillinger Days. Not quite as serious as the other two.

I actually never cared that much for the Essex, pretty stripped down with a monster engine. This one was of course extremely rare & historical. I never drove it much, neither did John really, his girlfriend Billie did most the driving in it even at the get-a-way in St Paul.

Can't imagine firing a Thompson down the hallway, while backing out to leave.

There is where the Pinkston book has it wrong, they had a 1933 Essex Terraplane and Hamilton had a Hudson the group bought in St Paul. Hamilton financed the damn thing and his Dad had to make some payments while Hamilton was between " jobs" . I got this straight from the Hamilton family-

Crazy days.

[ghostsoldier]

Crazy days, but interesting as hell, and a vital part of this country's history....too bad today's youth couldn't give a damn about it. It's also awesome that you have so much info on those times, and have had the experiences, to freely share with us here.

 

I also have Toland's book, but I'll confess I haven't read it completely, as of yet. I have read his bio of Adolf Hitler; the Axis history of WW2 being another one of my interests (you wouldn't believe how many times people asked me if I was a Nazi, when they see my reference book collection, lol), After choking down that massive tome, I really had to take a break from Toland's style.

 

I've put his JD book on my "must read" list for this year, if I can find time when I'm not on the internet!

 

Rob

[OCM]

We are making some progress on the Dillinger Buick. We have tracked down evidence that John Paul Chase, Baby Face Nelson and Dillinger were in the area ( Como Inn ) as far back as 1933 and again in May of 1934. No direct link to a 1933 Buick 90 but a lot of evidence from the Racine bank robbery and a spin off on finding a Roger " The Terrible " Touhy Thompson that was recovered in July ,1933. Now we have links to The Como Inn & Little Bohemia Lodge and Dillinger & H S Lebman.

Lots of strings to pull. History detectives.

 

Rob, I was told the Joe Pinkston book is on Ebay now, $10.00, have not checked that.

[ghostsoldier]

Dang, Sandy, I musta missed it...I just scoured the 'bay for a copy, and turned up zilch by Joe...oh well, I'll keep looking!

Rob

[OCM]

Dang, Sandy, I musta missed it...I just scoured the 'bay for a copy, and turned up zilch by Joe...oh well, I'll keep looking!

Rob

There is a second printing of it in paperback, white cover, red letters. ( large size paperback )

Here is a ( poor) shot of it, left side bottom, behind a tan prison bible, white with red letters- Top shelf is the original copy so can get an idea what to look for.

Edited March 10, 2013 by OCM

[ghostsoldier]

Thanks, Sandy...that will help wth my search.

Rob

[OCM]

We are stuck on the Dillinger car thing, but uncovered some new stuff on Bugs Moran, Nelson and others. Getting very complicated, lots of loose ends nobody wants to acknowledge, Strange . Very strange.

[ghostsoldier]

And the intrigue grows.....

Rob

[OCM]

Joe's book is hard to find, but I'll keep my eye out for it; I've got Helmer's off of Amazon.

 

The Essex is a beaut, too!

 

Rob

 

PM sent about the Pinkston book.

[Mike Hammer]

Rob: On the Pinkston book, check out Abebooks, they have many copies avaviable on this title. I picked up a near mint 1962 1st edition hardback with dustjacket for only 6 or 7 bucks. It's a good read and as sandy said it goes on and on with firsthand accounts of JD's gang.

 

Mike Hammer...a previously unknown member of the Dillinger gang

[ghostsoldier]

Thanks for the heads-up, guys; I found 2 hardbacks, for under 10 bucks each....I'm going to snag one tonight!

 

Rob

[OCM]

Thanks for the heads-up, guys; I found 2 hardbacks, for under 10 bucks each....I'm going to snag one tonight!

 

Rob

 

 

Couple minor things due to the research that's been done since 1962, but Joe's book is in great detail as Mike Hammer says. Type of book that would be required reading in a history class. Referenced it a lot last year when doing the Dillinger Thompson search last year. Lot, if not all, of the people he interviewed for the book are gone now . He actually got to meet Billie Frechette, Mary Kinder and John's full sister. I got to meet some of the players too, years ago. Wish I could go back with more questions.

This is some of the problems we are facing with the new stuff on the 33 Buick & the Como Inn.

Need a time machine. Would that be cool.

 

Sandy

[OCM]

Thanks for the heads-up, guys; I found 2 hardbacks, for under 10 bucks each....I'm going to snag one tonight!

 

Rob

 

Rob,

You score the Pinkston book ?

 

Sandy

[ghostsoldier]

It should be on the way now, Sandy, if it doesn't get lost in the mail....for some reason, my mailbox is a black hole; I have an inordinate amount of mail that never reaches my house.

 

Unless it's my jobless, young, system-reliant asshole neighbors, stealing my mail.

 

Rob

[OCM]

It should be on the way now, Sandy, if it doesn't get lost in the mail....for some reason, my mailbox is a black hole; I have an inordinate amount of mail that never reaches my house.

 

Unless it's my jobless, young, system-reliant asshole neighbors, stealing my mail.

 

Rob

 

I believe stealing the mail is a felony. If you do some good detective work, you could actually help them get employment scrubbing floors in the County Jail

and solve you problem. Then spend quality time reading your history books on 1930s outlaws.

[ghostsoldier]

[OCM]

Update on the Dillinger Racine robbery car:

I talked with one of the Dillinger family members about this subject. ( you have to read the posts above to catch up ) .

Dillinger WAS over in the Lake Geneva area, staying at one of the hotels, probably the Como Inn. His gang member Harry Pierpont also with his girlfriend Mary Kinder. This information came from an interview with Mary Kinder many years ago. She related there were a lot of rich snobby-type people in the area. Lake Geneva has a lot of wealthy families living there in statley mansions.

The gang at the time of the Racine bank robbery were living in Milwaukee, which is like only 50 miles away, Chicago is 70 miles away, Racine about 45 miles away.

The Lake Geneva area was called a " Safe Haven " for the likes of Bugs Moran, Baby Face Nelson, Dillinger and in some respect Capone's group.

We are in the process of tracking down a Thompson from all of this, that's still located with the local law enforcement.

With all this coming together and the picture of the same model car the gang used in Racine, 1933 Buick 90, AND knowing Harry Pierpont was a Buick man, we are getting real close on the Buick pictured in the Museum is the Dillinger gang's car.

Next effort would be finding the car if it still exists. I have my doubts as I have owned two of the only know 1933 Buick 90s left. I still own one. If there was another, I probably would of known about it from freatues on me and my 90s in Buick magazines.

Maybe not ?