1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Holiday 2 door coupe. The Estate of the late Malcolm Canon. This car is selling on behalf of his wife who has decided that it is time to let someone else enjoy it for the next season. Mr Canon and his wife were well known throughout the nation in the hot rod and drag racing community. They built transmissions for racing and delivered them in the trunk of this car to buyers coast to coast from the 1950's until the 2000's. About the car we are selling: The car has been stored away in Mrs Canons garage since her husbands death. I would consider it a mile custom. The body has not been altered and it retains its original stainless and chrome. No modifications to the steel. The paint is quite old as it has areas of paint bubbling from what appears to be lacquer paint which is known to bubble up over time. No significant rust or damage appears anywhere, primarily surface rust from and old paint job. Since the Canon's were well known hot rudders, the drive train has been modified. According to Mrs Canon, the engine has been rebuilt several times and the transmission as well. It has been sitting several years and it needs the fuel drained before attempting to start it again. This is a pretty rare Oldsmobile and would be outstanding to restore again or freshening up the fuel tank, rebuild the carb and enjoy it as is.
A story about Malcolm and Judy Canon's 1952 Oldsmobile, written by Chip Pearce, Master Appraiser/Auctioneer
The Love Story of “Big Mama” – Malcolm Canon’s 1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88
Some love stories begin with a chance encounter — and for Malcolm Canon, his lifelong love affair began in the pages of a car magazine while serving overseas in Korea. It was there that he first read about the brand-new 1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88, a powerful new V8 that enthusiasts were calling one of the fastest cars on the road. Malcolm was already an expert mechanic and flathead-engine specialist, but this new Oldsmobile captured his imagination. He promised himself that one day, he would own one.
Before the Rocket 88, Malcolm drove a 1950 Ford with a flathead, a car he knew inside and out. But after returning home from Korea, a friendly street race changed everything. A friend who had bought a new Rocket 88 challenged him to a run down 3rd Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama — and Malcolm’s trusty Ford didn’t stand a chance. The Oldsmobile blew past him with ease. In that moment, he knew he had to have one.
On February 5, 1955, Malcolm made that dream a reality. He found and purchased his very own 1952 Oldsmobile Rocket 88. He was so proud of his new car that he gave her a name: “Big Mama.”
Five years later, in 1960, Malcolm married Judy, the love of his life. During their courtship, Judy lived on the west side of town and Malcolm on the east, so Big Mama was a constant companion on countless trips back and forth. After they were married, the couple put hundreds of thousands of miles on the car, driving it across the country on road trips and adventures. Wherever they went, they drag raced Big Mama — and they were good at it. Judy laughs when she recalls that they paid for many of their vacations with the prize money they won on the drag strip.
Malcolm became known nationwide for his skill in building high-performance racing transmissions for flathead Fords. He and Judy traveled coast to coast delivering those transmissions and parts to racers — all loaded into the trunk of Big Mama. Among drag racers and hot-rod enthusiasts, Malcolm was a legend, and so was his Oldsmobile.
Over the decades, the couple rebuilt Big Mama several times, even going so far as to remove the body from the frame and sandblast it during one restoration. Judy still jokes about finding sand hidden in corners of their home from that project. They rebuilt the engine and transmission multiple times, always keeping the car in top form.
Many vehicles came and went from their lives, but Big Mama was never one of them. Malcolm adored that car too much to ever part with it. She was always stored safely indoors, and when they took her out — even for a simple grocery run — they parked far away from other cars to avoid a single scratch. Drag racers and car show friends across the country knew Big Mama well, and everyone knew she belonged to Malcolm. He used to tell Judy the car was hers too, but she always knew Big Mama was his first love.
Malcolm has since passed away, and this past week would have marked their 65th wedding anniversary. Judy still treasures the memories they made together with Big Mama, but she knows the time has come for someone else to enjoy the car rather than let it sit quietly in a garage. When it was time to schedule the car’s pickup, she asked for just one thing — that it not be taken on their anniversary. “It just wouldn’t feel right,” she said.
Big Mama is more than just a car. She’s a piece of one couple’s life story — a car that carried Malcolm and Judy through decades of love, adventure, and racing glory. And now, she’s ready for the next chapter with someone who will appreciate her history and the passion that built it.
Selling with a bill of sale only as Alabama does not title vehicles older than 35 years. Located at the Pearce Auction Center in Alabaster, Alabama and is available for inspection Monday through Fridays.
COLLECTOR CAR AUCTION By Chip Pearce Collector Car Auctions
This auction features a private owners collection of vintage Mercedes Benz & Avanti's. More than 25 cars from this amazing collection will be sold without reserve!
BIDDING ENDS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14th starting at 7pm
Location - Pearce Auction Center - 720 Fulton Springs Rd. Alabaster, AL 35007
Inspection - Weekdays from 9am - 4 pm
General Auction Information:
- This auction features a staggered ending. Each lot displays the time remaining. Please note: Bidding does NOT end on ALL of the items at 7:00.
- This auction also features the 5 minute bid extension. If a bid is placed within the last 5 minutes of the auction, it extends that item another 5 minutes and continues extending every time a bid is placed within the 5 minute countdown.
Auction Terms: Please read the terms carefully as they are a legal binding contract between you and Pearce & Associates Auctioneers.All disputes will be settled in Shelby County, Alabama.We encourage you to inspect the items in person.If purchases are not settled within 3 business days of the close of the auction,it is in default. Upon default the bidder will be black listed on Pearce &Associates Auctioneers auctions as well as MarkNet auctions andwill be charged for the merchandise. Defaulted items will be forfeited back tothe owner or Pearce & Associates.No refunds will be given.Please check back and review these terms as every time you use this site you are agreeing to the terms as they are written at that time.Pearce & Associates Auctioneers reserves the right to cancel any auction at any time for any reason.Payment for auction purchases by Cash, Certified Funds made payable to Pearce & Associates, Bank Wire or credit cards up to $2500 max. A 3.5% credit card fee will be charged on your transaction for credit card payment. Amounts over $2500 must be paid by another form of payment. All accounts must be paid for within 4 days of the auctions ending unless special terms are posted on a specific auction.There will be a 10% buyer’s premium added to final bid price. Sales tax collected unless you provide Pearce with a copy of your tax resale certificate.Vehicle Titles: Pearce & Associates is a licensed Alabama Automobile Dealer and Designated Agent. Any vehicle purchased will require that Pearce & Associates prepare the title work for the purchaser. Pearce & Associates collects a total of $65 for title work, dealer prep and documentation fee. ($15 title, $50 dealer prep/doc) which the purchaser pays. NOTE: Pearce & Associates does not own vehicles consigned to our auctions. The seller understands that any claims from descriptions, condition, miles, etc are between the owner (seller) and the purchaser. The auctioneer does not guarantee year, make, model, miles, hours, running condition, physical condition of any item in our auctions. You, the purchaser are responsible for inspecting the assets in person and making your own determination as to the condition of the item you are bidding on. The description is NOT guaranteed by the auctioneer nor the seller. AS IS, WHERE IS. The only exemption is non Alabama residents which require an Alabama drive out form to be executed by the purchaser and licensed Alabama Automobile Dealers. Pearce & Associates shall require a copy of the buyers dealer license.Pearce & Associates shall handle title work and provide a copy to the purchaser within 14 business days of payment. Dealer titles and out of state buyers shall be mailed (certified) the actual title within 14 business days from final payment.The State of Alabama (auction company residence) does not title vehicles 35 years old and older. Vehicles 35 years and older will come with an Alabama Bill of Sale only and a letter from the State of Alabama stating our title laws exempting these vehicles. Boat trailers are also exempt from titles in Alabama.Bidding info- When you bid your max the current bid price doesn't automatically go toyour max bid. Someone else has to bid to increase the current price and thecomputer will automatically bid up to your max in the increments specified.This auction has what is called an auto extend feature, meaning the auction will not close until all bidding parties are satisfied. If any bids are placed within the last 5 minutes of the auction, the bid on lot(s) will extend for 5 minutes. The bidding will extendin 5 minute increments from the time the last bid is placed until there areno more bids, and the lot sits idle for 5 minutes. Pearce & Associates Auctioneers have put forth every effort to make accuratedescription of the items. Printed or verbal statements made by staff arematters of opinion and are made in good faith. However, all items are sold AsIs Where IS. You are responsible for your own inspection during inspectionperiods.No allowance will be made for errors in cataloging, genuineness, defects, or imperfections not noted.Pearce & Associates reserve the right to reject any and all bids for any reason.By Alabama State Law, all auctions are considered with reserve unless they are titled absolute. This is an auction with reserve. The seller, owner, auctioneer, bank or lien holder, or any government agency having an interest in the items in this auction reserve the right to bid on behalf of the seller up to their reserve amount.Bidder responsibilities include, but are not limited to:Bidders agree to keep their username and password confidential as they are responsible for ANY and ALL activity involving their account.When using the web site you must obey any and all local state and federal laws. Violations will result in termination of web site use privileges. We gather aggregate information from this web site which may include but is not limited to: number of page visitors,most visited pages, any and all correspondence.CREDIT CARD POLICY: Pearce & Associates requires that you use a valid credit card in order to set up a bidding account. By registering with your credit card, you, the purchaser agree to the following credit card terms:1. I, the buyer hereby authorize the auction company (Pearce & Associates) to charge my credit card that I have set up my bidder account with, for the full amount of my bill, if I do not settle my unpaid account within 3 business days of the auctions ending.2. I, the buyer, understand the terms of the auction including pickup and payment dates and timelines, and agree that I have placed bids with the intent of abiding by the auctions set terms and conditions. 3. I, the buyer, have been given the opportunity to inspect the items in person and understand the the auction company is selling the items in AS IS, WHERE IS, condition.4. I, the buyer, hereby agrees to authorize the auction company to charge my credit card for my purchases in the event that I do not show up to pickup my items in person and make other payment arrangements. I also agree that the auction company is not responsible for handling, moving or storing the items I have purchased and that I risk the chance of those items being stolen or damaged if left behind.Jewelry Auctions:Pearce & Associates, nor its staff are jewelry appraisers or certified gemologists, and therefore can not guarantee or authenticate information provided to us when we sell those classification of assets. All Information and appraisals have been provided by the sellers. We can not confirm that the information on the appraisals is accurate or up to date. Jewelry is sold as is. All jewelry is available for inspection and testing at our auction facility before bidding. We strongly encourage buyers to research the types of appraisals and to inspect all items before bidding on them.