European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 13, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse Magazine Jam Celner president of he Moloney Mcnuff caring co., which Nve Tii $25,000fata $60,000 Limousin it lond be Ween to end luxury Sedan stretching by Jeffrey a. Leib new York times s everal times a Day Earle Moloney staff removes All the wiring and plus upholstery Iron a top of the line Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham or Lincoln town car cuts the Stool irame in Hall with a huge Hacksaw and then welds on some longer body parts. Operating out of a former Bally pinball machine factory in Chicago and two other plants Moloney is one of the nation s Foremost car surgeons. And that makes his 16-year-old Moloney manufacturing co. A Leader in a growing business the stretching of $25.000 luxury sedans into $60,000 limousines Complete with Glass partitions separating passengers and Driver and the latest in electronic gadgets and other creature comforts. With Detroit no making its own oversized cars the limousine Market largely belongs to Moloney and three dozen other customizes around the country and the Market is booming. About 6,500 stretch Limos were sold in the Model year that just ended up from 2.000 in 19ho, according to to Bobit. Editor and publisher of the California based limousine & chauffeur Magazine. While individuals and corporations Are still buying the cars which have been extended 3 1 to 60 inches most Are now sold to a growing number of livery companies in cities like new York. Chicago and Lor Angeles. The chief reasons cited Lor the livery sure ire the growing Price competitiveness of limousines compared with taxis say to and from airports and the severe crackdown in some Stales on Drunken driving which has prompted Many to leave the driving to someone else. Two Young couples can Chip in 75 Bucks apiece and they have a Driver at their Beck and Call for the evening James Centner Moloney s president said. Then there is the endless Parade of celebrities climbing in and out of limousines piquing the Public s interest. Once we got past the Jimmy Carter Era there has been a new willingness to show wealth said Danny Aldridge. Marketing vice president for Armbruster stage Way inc. Of fort Smith ark., a major competitor of Moloney. Indeed said Paul Feroldi director of planning for Dav i livery inc., which operates More than 100 limousines in the new York area. The cars come jul pred with color televisions videocassette i recorders and cellular phones in addition to the traditional extra a Well stocked bar. I can t think of anything else to need to accommodate a client except maybe a hot tub he said. The demand is such that Cadillac has contracted with an outside company the Hess & Eisenhardt manufacturing co. Of Cincinnati to stretch about 1,000 of its new downsized front wheel drive Cadillac models a year adding 24 inches to turn them into what the Industry considers a min Limo. But it has not decided to reverse its 1983 decision to Stop building a production Fine limousine indeed All of the major car companies including foreign makers have dropped limousines from their Assembly lines because of the inefficiencies of making such a limited number of units. That has left the Field to the customizes. Most of the stretching is done by a handful of companies. Besides Moloney and Armbruster these include o Garn coachwork of Simi Valley Calif. Dillinger Gaines coach builders of Brooklyn. . And executive conch builders of Springfield to. These operations turn out irom40to 100-., och Limos each month. Some of a smaller customize who produce As few As two cars a month May be squeezed by the increasing Cost of product liability insurance Industry experts say. The insurance is essential to cover the risks that come from welding heavy cars Back together. Anybody with a two car garage and a Hacksaw can get in this business Tho trick is staying in Armbruster s Aldridge said. Armbruster stage Way began in 1887 As a builder of stagecoaches with vaults hidden in the floor to deter Highway robbers. The company says it a Varju tin. stretch limousine in 1922. And in expects to turn nut about 1,000 limousines this year. In an intensely entrepreneurial business. Armb Rumor. Moloney and o Gara All claim to be the i ail my producer of limousines. In this business arc routinely stretched said Bobil. Whoso played Host to 1.300 limousine builder and buyers at a three Day Trade show in Las vegas some of the major stretching companies have special areas of expertise. O Garn for instance oilers a Security package for those concerned about terrorist attacks for about $13,000 extra a limousine or luxury Sedan will come equipped with Annii penetration Glass and other protective features but Earle Moloney has perhaps the most ambitious expansion plans gambling $5 million in tooling costs that a Market exists for another limited stretch front wheel drive Cadillac this one 16 inches longer than Ine factory Model and meant to be driven without a Chau eur it would sell for about $35,000, a $ 10,000 markup Moloney the chairman and chief executive of the privately held company Hopes to sell 2.000 of the Carr in the new Model year roughly doubling his Overall sales to $35 million and also doubling his work Force to Coo we re looking to produce the most luxurious american car Lor $15.000 less than a big said Moloney. Whose Purchase of the former Bally Plant this year took him full Circle. His Tamer ind undo who founded Bally in 1931, had built the Plant they a i
