The owner of the farm where my shop is located has had a 1940 Buick Special in his seasonal storage barn for many years. The former owner had signed the ownership over in 2012 after not paying the storage for quite some time. I was lined up to buy the car, but lo and behold, the owner reappeared the day after with cash in hand. I could have stood my ground and kept the car, but I figured I wouldn't piss in anyone's cornflakes - the guy's wife had recently passed, so I was sympathetic and gave it back.
Fast forward to this spring, and the owner of the car has been AWOL again for over a year. I had mostly forgotten about the opportunity, but happened to ask the farmer about the car one day and learned it was up for grabs again. Being that I had almost bought it two years ago, I had first right of refusal this time around. Do I need it? Obviously not...but that didn't stop me for the price he was asking (same as the 2012 amount, despite more storage being owed this time).
What sealed the deal for me is the fact that this is a McLaughlin-Buick. For those who don't know the history of General Motors of Canada, it actually began as a partnership with Sam McLaughlin, a Canadian coach builder. He took on the Buick line marketed under his name and built in Oshawa, Ontario (current home of the Cadillac XTS, Buick Regal and Chevrolet Impala/Camaro/Equinox). The earlier examples were actually badged as McLaughlin-Buick, but by 1940 they were almost indistinguishable from American production.
This car shows 73k on the clock and a 1980 registration on the plates. Engine is the 248cid "Dynaflash" straight 8 with a 3-in-the-tree. Sheetmetal is quite solid aside from a couple holes in the floor and fenders. I can't imagine it saw much, if any winter driving. Interior is pretty toasted by mice/leaking windows, will need seats done, front door panels and headliner. First order of business will be refreshing all fluids and seeing if the str8 will fire up. I'm not in a rush on this one, but would like to see it brought back to good driver condition eventually.
Here are the pics from 2012, it hasn't moved or changed at all since then. I should be moving it over to my shop in the next week or so. I'll take some new pics then.
Fast forward to this spring, and the owner of the car has been AWOL again for over a year. I had mostly forgotten about the opportunity, but happened to ask the farmer about the car one day and learned it was up for grabs again. Being that I had almost bought it two years ago, I had first right of refusal this time around. Do I need it? Obviously not...but that didn't stop me for the price he was asking (same as the 2012 amount, despite more storage being owed this time).
What sealed the deal for me is the fact that this is a McLaughlin-Buick. For those who don't know the history of General Motors of Canada, it actually began as a partnership with Sam McLaughlin, a Canadian coach builder. He took on the Buick line marketed under his name and built in Oshawa, Ontario (current home of the Cadillac XTS, Buick Regal and Chevrolet Impala/Camaro/Equinox). The earlier examples were actually badged as McLaughlin-Buick, but by 1940 they were almost indistinguishable from American production.
This car shows 73k on the clock and a 1980 registration on the plates. Engine is the 248cid "Dynaflash" straight 8 with a 3-in-the-tree. Sheetmetal is quite solid aside from a couple holes in the floor and fenders. I can't imagine it saw much, if any winter driving. Interior is pretty toasted by mice/leaking windows, will need seats done, front door panels and headliner. First order of business will be refreshing all fluids and seeing if the str8 will fire up. I'm not in a rush on this one, but would like to see it brought back to good driver condition eventually.
Here are the pics from 2012, it hasn't moved or changed at all since then. I should be moving it over to my shop in the next week or so. I'll take some new pics then.
.... I'm drooling.
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