Buick Model "B"

[A Horse With No Name]

Just read an article in Automobile Quarterly about buick buying a model "C" which was the 4th oldest known buick in the world at the time. The article stated that the sloan foundation had made a model "B" out of a model C but that the model B was extinct as far as anyone knew at the time.

I think the article came out about 1994 or so. Does anyone here know if anyone ever found a model B buick from 1904? Also, does anyone here have any good mlinks to info on Buicks of the brass era?

Chris

[balthazar]

The most excellent publication Buick, The Complete History has an appendix on the oldest Buicks known. I have the 6th edition from 2002, but the 1st was printed in '80.

That research still states via 2002 that the oldest factory Buick is a Model C, which is a 1905. I have not heard of any earlier Buicks found, and I both find this sort of automotive archeology fascinating, and I belong to the Buick Club of America, where surely this sort of news would break first.

Buick model timeline:

1900 : 1 built (Buick Auto-Vim and Power Co, Detroit)

1902 : 1 built (Buick Manufacturing Co, Detroit)

1904 : 37 built, "most or all being Model B" (Buick Motor Co, Detroit/Flint)

1905 : 729 Model C built (Jackson).

There is some discussion on whether the Model B made it into the '05 calendar year, tho most evidence points to that not being the case.

Oldest known Buick is the 1905 Model C in a Nebraska museum, thought to have been built in April, the 2nd month of 1905 production. A 1991 BCA call for Model B's did not turn any up, and so it stands until altered:: no Model B Buicks are known to exist, and only 2 Model B engines are known to have survived (altho a few other, earlier Buick engines are also surviving).

But as is semi-frequent in the automotive hobby, there's more out there than meets the eye. The 'unknown', second '54 Bonneville Special concept didn't show up again until 1991- it's history between '59 and '91 is pretty much unknown. Altho the very construction nature of the earliest autos does not especially lend themselves to long-term survival, a Model B may yet still exist in hiding.

What I would really love to see is the '00 or '02 models.

Edited January 29, 2008 by balthazar

[VenSeattle]

IIRC, when Buick's 100th anniversary tour went around the Model B made by the Sloan Foundation was included on the tour. I saw the tour when it was in Reno. I'll have to check my picture archives to be sure.

[Camino LS6]

If you guys have pics of these, by all means please post them.

[balthazar]

This is the first '04 Model B, sans sheetmetal, during testing. That's BMC Chief engineer Walter Marr at the helm, and David Dunbar Buick's son Tom to the right.

Above is a production Model B.

Edited January 30, 2008 by balthazar

[Camino LS6]

Thanks for posting those , Balthazar.

[knightfan26917]

Holy cow ... that's cool, Balthazar!

He he ... what a difference a few years makes, eh?

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"I should've drove all night" ... BonJovi ... 'Misunderstood'

[VenSeattle]

Here are mine from the centennial tour while in Reno:

1904 Buick Model B

Bonus pics from the show:

1954 Buick Wildcat II

1985 Buick Wildcat

[VenSeattle]

Another bonus -

1933 Cadillac Series 452C All Weather Phaeton (V16)

[knightfan26917]

Wowa....VS....awesome shots.

Hmmm...that '85 Wildcat looks a little "Saturnish" to me. Anyone else?

Cort:34swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve&pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.legos.HO.models.MCs.RTs.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"You don't know what you got until it's gone" ... Chicago ... 'Hard Habit To Break'

[Sixty8panther]

Funny you post the photo's of Al Jolsons' V16 Fleetwood...

Just last night I picked up a special ordered 1:24th scale

model of this car, molded by Italieri and out of production

I manahged to snag one at a local hobby shop. The guy

there "knew a guy, who knew a guy..." One week & a

modest $28 later I have a never been opened example.

You can get a less expensive, already built 1:32 scale

version of this model in a few stores or ebay... they're

like $12 including a plastic display case.

Never seen the real thing though...

This exquisite car has an interior built for Mr. Jolson with

some very interesting touches... pigskin seats, silk visors,

mohogany & seude are amongst the interesting materials.

Now someone needs to build a model of the "Red Devil"

V16 Cadillac Dual Cowl Phaeton.

[A Horse With No Name]

Thanks for the pics guys.

That's a nice vintage shot of a Pontiac Dealership in Sixty-Eights p[ost also.

Would love to have bought a production version of the 54 wildcat. There is just something about 50's cars.

Chris

[balthazar]

I see where the '58 Corvette got it's decklid 'suspenders' from.

Cool pics, VS- did you shoot any of the Tucker?