1928 Buick Six Model 35
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Highlights
- Beautiful restored Twenties Buick
- Original RHD car
- US manufactured for New Zealand market
- Regularly used and maintained
The Background
Platform sharing might seem like a relatively new phenomenon but it's actually been around in the car industry for longer than most people realise.
Indeed, General Motors was one of the very first to the party, introducing its “A Platform” in 1925. The standard length chassis was used for most of the General’s medium-sized cars and was shared between Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Oakland and Buick.
The Buick was the most upmarket of the four and was seen as something of a status symbol during the Roaring Twenties, with young and aspirational Americans clamouring to get their hands on the desirable Buick 6, a car that was sold with multiple different body types.
This example is a Model 35, meaning it has a large touring car body with a folding canvas roof. It's a large and comfortable car, and it was very popular in its day with wealthy families and touring parties.
This example has recently been recommissioned by the vendor and is now ready for the next chapter in its 94-year life.
The History
By the mid-1920s General Motors had manufacturing facilities in countries outside of the USA, including South Africa, the UK and Western Europe. Yet despite being a right-hand-drive car from the factory, this one was still built in the USA and exported to its original home in New Zealand.
It came to the UK around 30 years ago and was owned for several years by a professional wedding company. At the time, it was painted cream all-over as this was more popular with wedding customers, but the vendor has recently turned it back to its original chocolate brown and cream colour scheme, which is how it left the factory.
The beauty of it being a wedding hire car means that it was also impeccably well maintained and regularly used rather than left standing in a museum like so many cars of its era.
The Paperwork
There’s not a massive amount of paper history with the Buick, though it does come with a few receipts for work carried out in more recent times.
It has a full UK V5C and a pile of old MOT certificates that demonstrate how the car was in regular use for many years.
The Exterior
One of the first things the vendor did when he acquired the car was to put it back to its original chocolate and cream colour scheme, using traces of the original paint that were found beneath its all-over cream respray.
The finish is beautiful. This is a truly lovely looking car with no obvious blemishes and the decision to put it back to standard was most certainly the right one.
The wooden spoked wheels are in fine order and are equipped with relatively recent tyres, while the car also comes with the benefit of a set of detachable side screens for added weather protection. The brown roof is easy to retract and is also in fine order.
More recently, the vendor has repainted and reinstalled the spare wheel carrier, remounting the brake light in its original position and fitting a period registration plate.
It's a tremendously pretty car from every angle, but for the full 1920s “Ant Hill Mob” gangster look we reckon it's viewed best with the roof up and the side screens removed.
The Interior
Inside, the Buick is in exceptional condition with brown leather seats that match the exterior details.
But what really draws your eye are the absolutely fantastic details, from the ivory backed dials to the brass framed odometer, fuel gauge, ammeter and oil pressure gauge.
The original fold-out windscreen all works perfectly and a period style electric single wiper motor has been installed. A delightful four-spoke steering wheel with ornate wooden rim completes the picture.
The Mechanics
Although easier to drive than some cars of its era, the Buick isn't something you can just jump in and intuitively know how to operate. First of all, you have to work out the starting procedure and then there are the pedals with the brake to the right and the accelerator to the middle.
A few modifications have been made to make it easier to use. Electronic indicators, for example, and more importantly an electronic fuel pump and filter.
A combination of regular maintenance and frequent use have ensured that the Buick has always been in good running condition and that is very much true today. On the day of our photo shoot, it started first time on an icy winter morning and ran beautifully throughout.
The vendor reports that it is really good fun to drive and that it cruises quite comfortably on the open road.
The Appeal
Realistically, no car from the 1920s is going to be the kind of thing that you could jump in and drive every day, or certainly not without compromise.
However, this one is far easier to start and drive than most, and once you get the hang of it it's relatively straightforward.
It’s certainly undeniably and strikingly pretty, and if you wanted to use it in the wedding industry yourself and it already has a proven track record and could turn itself into a decent business proposition.
Or, of course, you could just buy it because you’re extremely cool and are channelling your inner Great Gatsby tendencies. In which case, go for it!
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
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Vehicle specification
- Year 1928
- Make Buick
- Model 35 Open Top Tourer
- Colour Cream
- Odometer 79,729 Miles
- Engine size 3392
Auction Details
- Seller Type Trade
- Location Leicestershire
- Country United Kingdom
21
bids
- Eu•••• £15,500 06/02/22
- da•••• £15,250 06/02/22
- he•••• £15,000 06/02/22
- he•••• £14,750 06/02/22
- da•••• £14,500 06/02/22
- he•••• £14,250 06/02/22
- he•••• £13,000 06/02/22
- da•••• £12,000 06/02/22
- he•••• £10,250 06/02/22
- he•••• £9,900 06/02/22
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