My ID skills still suck. I'm pretty sure it's not a '29...if it is, the badging in the radiator is wrong.

The last year for rear only brakes (on a Buick) was 1923. This vehicle has front brakes, that makes it at least a 1924 or newer. What little I know is on 1923's and a few years before that. My wife may not even give me that much!

Roberta is looking for a car to buy and take on the PWD After Tour!

Well, if Roberta wants one, there were 3 model 41SEs the other day...factory hot rods with dual carbs would be right up her alley, wouldn't it?

Thanks for the insight Brian...I never thought to look that closely...I just don't have a good enough grasp to pick up some of the year over year changes.

To me it seems to be a 1926 or 1927 becuse of the licens bracket below the headlights,1924 and 1925 had the bracket in the middle of the headlights.I cant see the aluminium molding between the cowl and the hood either, with was at least on 1924 and 1925.
Leif in Sweden.

Derek,
It looks like a 26 or 27, the clues being the 2 belt line mlds, and the motometer,24 &25 did not have 2 belt line mldngs.

John
MA


22-6-55 Sport Touring #856901

Thanks for all the hints and clues. I wish I had a better photo to share. I see a single windshield wiper - my '29 has a slave, so one on the passenger side as well. It looks to me like there may be a bracket on the light tie bar for a license plate, but it's tough to tell.

If it is a Mc Laughlin Buick, it would be even harder to determine based only on the photo. But I think you guys have narrowed it down between 26-28.

By the late 20s, McLaughlin-Buicks differed from Buicks primarily in badging and some accessories / interior appointments. My understanding is that they were slightly upscale from a Buick. Looking at the radiator shell, it is definitely not '29. I just went through the photos of 24-28 of prewarbuicks.com site...by '28, the top of the rad shell was pretty much straight across, so I'd peg it at earlier than that. Also, the shape of the headlights changed by 1929.

The bumper looks kind of like a '32...but I guess that's something that could have been changed. I see the headlights have some design features on them too.

Sigh.

If you want the correct answer, post it on the 1927Buicks Yahoo Groups chat site similar to this one. They will have it nailed in 1/2 an hour.

(my guess in 1927 only because that was a huge production year)

I would say it's a 25-27 with only half a front bumper.

Definitely not a 28. On 28s the crank comes through the bottom of the radiator shell. I don't think it is a 27 either. I think 27 front fenders are similar in lenth to 28 and there would not be room for a tool box between the door and the end of the fender. So that leaves 25 or 26. Or at least for Flint made cars, but I think McLaughlin's are the same aren't they?
Dave

Dave, Are you saying that on the 28's that both the master and the standard that the crank going through the bottom on the rad? I can allways tell a master from a standard without opening the hood by looking at the crank. If it goes under the rad it is a standard and if it goes throught it is a master. Is that different on the 28's. Just curious as I have not seen a 28 and I believe what I just said above applies to th 25, 26 and 27 model years.

One of the regulars on the 1930 Buicks Yahoo site listed the crank location making it a standard '25-'27. The headlights are '25-'27, but lines in the headlights would be '26 or '27. The metal around the side window is appears to be missing the indentation of the '27.

That makes the best guess a '26 Standard.

I wouldn't have guessed I'd have learned this much from one so-so photo.

Dear Derek:
If you run into this situation again, and assuming the owner doesn't know for sure, ask to go behind the ropes and have them open the hood. (Your BCA card is a sure admittance ticket.)
I can ID the motor number in about 30 seconds. I also have made a reasonably reliable chart for McLaughlins from 1908 to 1936 based on the McLaughlin serial number from my other studies. Between the two pieces of info, I can get it to within 1 year.
Regards, Dave Corbin

Thanks Dave...in this case, I was just sent a photo by forum member Ewing. The car was involved in the movie "The Hessen Affair" that is currently shooting in Winnipeg. Ewing's 1938 Special is one of the featured cars in the movie.

Guess I should have made that all clear up front.

Yup, the crank on a 28 standard comes through the bottom of the radiator.:)

looks to me like a 25 or 26 . 26 had oil and air filters and a manifold stud on the front of the block. 25 none of the above

There's a dead-ringer for this car in the BCA website Member's Photo Gallery, except it's a two-door Coach. The McLaughlin-Buick Club site has images, as well.

When ID'ing cars, let's try to remember that things like bumpers, Moto-meters, tool boxes, etc., were all options, and could have been added at any point in the life of the car.

My '26 Buick (American) brochure shows only the 50-Series and Sport & Country Club Models as having aluminum step plates on the running boards. They also feature the new winged hood ornament, while lesser models have a basic radiator cap.

If I were the owner of the car, I'd get in touch with Professor Corbin.

TG

The car doesn't belong to anyone I know though, that I'm aware of. The photo was taken in involvement with the storage of cars for a local photo shoot. As I wasn't certain what year it was, I'd hoped to be able to find out from the one photo I received. Hopefully some day soon I'll come across the car at an event....

I recall hearing that the car came in to town for the film shoot, from Brandon.