<< home
Become a Member | Photo Gallery | Contact Us
The Antique Automobile Club of America discussion forum is a FREE online community for those interested in exchanging information about ALL antique, classic, and collectible automobiles. AACA membership IS NOT required to register. Explore, read, contribute, and enjoy!
Search
Participating Clubs
Sponsors







Raffle - Support This Forum!

RAFFLE!
2008 Saturn Sky
Red Line

Donate instantly with PayPal®.

Support the AACA and these free forums. Only 2,000 will be sold at $50 each. Click here for more details.

Drawing Oct 11, 2008, Hershey PA. Need not be present to win.

SEMA


Go to SEMA Action Network for the most up-to-date legislative info related to our hobby.

Who's Online
22 registered (GSScottie, Thriller, barracuda, serb, djrobnyc, 29 Chandler, 1 invisible) and 185 anonymous users online.
Forum Stats
25170 Members
87 Forums
114316 Topics
506625 Posts

Max Online: 479 @ 03/26/08 04:18 PM
Newest Members
Morgan Zvanut, Raymond Loe, john_kremer, buick man, Rudy_53
25170 Registered Users
Need Help?
Lost your password? Can't remember your username? Having registration problems? Answers to many of these problems can be FOUND HERE!
Page 1 of 2 12>
Topic Options
#450572 - 09/22/07 02:54 AM Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L
DBT Offline
Member


Registered: 09/22/07
Posts: 46
Loc: Singapore
Folks - I'm pulling my hair out trying to establish the origins of my '38 90L. Its a lovely car and was restored by its previous owner some 30 years back and maintained since. The rumor is that this was once part of the Dutch Royal car fleet at the time of Queen Wihelmina but aside from anecdotal evidence I dont have much to prove that fact. Its RHD so I am assuming it was for the Dutch East Indies [Modern day Indonesia]and I do know it came to Australia at the outbreak of the Pacific War. Car numbers are a bit interesting too: Engine: 3418109 and Body 149330102. Tried Buick Canada and was slightly underwhelmed with their response [no records kept before 1946]. Any help much appreciated!

Regards David
_________________________
David Thomson
BCA#43539,
Buick Car Club of Australia, NSW

1938 90L McLaughlin-Buick
1966 3.8 Jaguar Mk2
1971 Morris Minor 1000

Top
#450654 - 09/22/07 05:29 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DBT]
Pete Phillips Offline
Member


Registered: 09/01/03
Posts: 699
All of the McLaughlin Company records and archives are in the library at Queen's University (I believe that is the name) in Kingston, Ontario. If David Corbin sees this, he knows more about that, but I think he is out of town for an extended time.
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Top
#450673 - 09/22/07 07:30 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: Pete Phillips]
Thriller Online
Member


Registered: 09/06/03
Posts: 2199
Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Yes, Pete, you got it right - Queen's University . They are a bit snobbish there, especially when it comes to their football team I have a friend that teaches chemistry there. I didn't realize the archives are there though...next time we are out that way for a visit, perhaps I'll try to find something out about my '29.
_________________________
Derek Thille
BCA #39416, CBC, MBCC #1984
66 Wildcat Custom Coupe - "Ellie" / 62 Special Convertible / 61 Invicta Convertible / 56 Special 4-door Sedan / 52 Roadmaster 4-door / 41 Special 41SE Sedan / 29 McLaughlin Buick Model 51

2006 Buick Rainier - "Ruby" / 2005 GMC Sierra K2500 - "Max" (the hauler)
Thriller's Buick Page

Top
#450802 - 09/23/07 03:27 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: Thriller]
stevesbuicklimo Offline
New Member


Registered: 03/27/07
Posts: 8
Hope you have more luck than me David,I own a 36 90L which apparently had royal connections here in the uk ,but like you say it can be a very frustrating task to prove it.The oracleuk a member on this club is very informative im sure he can help you throw some light on this subject,.post a pic if you can it would be nice to see the car .

steve

Top
#451198 - 09/25/07 12:24 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: stevesbuicklimo]
DBT Offline
Member


Registered: 09/22/07
Posts: 46
Loc: Singapore
Thanks for the replies everyone. Not sure if I will be getting over to Canada anytime soon so will see if Queens offers any kind of research service..


Steve - have posted a link to some photos of the car below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14145432@N06/

Regards
David
_________________________
David Thomson
BCA#43539,
Buick Car Club of Australia, NSW

1938 90L McLaughlin-Buick
1966 3.8 Jaguar Mk2
1971 Morris Minor 1000

Top
#451737 - 09/27/07 05:06 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DBT]
DaveCorbin Offline
Member


Registered: 02/19/06
Posts: 595
Loc: Texas
Dear David:
As Pete Phillips noted, I'm going out of town but haven't left yet.
Your car was probably a car that left Flint as a standup car (Packed in a big box with the wheels off) or, more likely, a CKD car, which would mean it was a bunch of parts packed in boxes. Many Buicks like this went thru Amsterdam, where there was a factory that completed them. If this is true, there will be a tag stating that it was assembled by GM of Europe on the body. The numbers you give are for a 1938 engine built in mid-September of 1937. The body number that ends in 102 would indicate a CKD car, the 102nd Model 90 for 1938, also a very early 1938.
Regards, Dave Corbin

Top
#451742 - 09/27/07 05:13 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DaveCorbin]
DaveCorbin Offline
Member


Registered: 02/19/06
Posts: 595
Loc: Texas
Dear David:
As was noted, I actually went to Queen's University to study the McLaughlin archives as part of some research work I was doing about early Buicks. None of what I saw there would help you, even IF your car is a McLaughlin, which I don't think it is. I also talked extensively to GM of Canada and got the same sad story about pre-war cars.
Regards, Dave Corbin

Top
#451744 - 09/27/07 05:16 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DaveCorbin]
jscheib Offline
Member


Registered: 09/05/03
Posts: 696
Loc: CT
Just a wild thought on this, but could you try contacting GM in Singapore and then GM Indonesia to see if they have any record. You may have already tried and they have not much intrest in old Buicks but you never know.

Good luck.

John
_________________________
'32 - 57-S '68 Riviera Assistant Director - Yankee Chapter BCA ROA, AACA, BDE

Top
#451897 - 09/28/07 11:14 AM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: jscheib]
DBT Offline
Member


Registered: 09/22/07
Posts: 46
Loc: Singapore
Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Dave [Corbin] - so if I understand you correctly its certain that the car was a Flint CKD. What has me puzzled is the McLaughlin badging on the car and that it is a RHD version.

Would Flint have records of what it was and where it was being sent to? I havent found any tags on the body yet [not sure I am looking in the right places though]. Assuming its destination was East Indies would it have been sent perhaps to the factory in Australia and built up there?.. Aaarrrgh so many blanks to fill in!

The classic car Canada website have also advised that the engine is a Flint engine and were able to confirm the body style from the body number [which I thought was impressive].

John S - I will approach GM Singapore and ask but my feeling is that is going to be a long shot. Singapore was occupied during the war so a lot of documentation was destroyed or lost [The surrender of the British forces in 1941 was taken at the Ford factory!].

I was in Shanghai a few weeks back and Buick there is a HUGE brand! I rode in a Buick MPV from the airport got into a Buick Royaum [aka Holden Statesman] from the hotel to the office and noticed quite a few American Buicks as well on the way. Very popular.

Regards
David
_________________________
David Thomson
BCA#43539,
Buick Car Club of Australia, NSW

1938 90L McLaughlin-Buick
1966 3.8 Jaguar Mk2
1971 Morris Minor 1000

Top
#452163 - 09/29/07 12:01 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DBT]
serb Online
Member


Registered: 02/11/05
Posts: 625
Loc: Lockport, NY (Buffalo/Niagara...
David,

Congratulations, you have a great car that looks like it got a lot of tender loving care over the years. Good luck in your quest to find out the history.

We all welcome you to the BCA Forums and hope that you have joined the BCA.

In spite of ourselves, we actually are a great bunch of people.

Stevo
_________________________
1983 Riviera Convertible:

ROA:
BCA:
Niagara Frontier Chapter BCA,
Upstate NY Chapter BCA,
Buicktown Chapter BCA,
BDE BCA,
PWD BCA,
AACA:
Lake Erie Region AACA

Top
#457193 - 10/19/07 01:43 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: serb]
jscheib Offline
Member


Registered: 09/05/03
Posts: 696
Loc: CT
I am adding to this post with a question. While showing my '32 Buick at Hershey this year, I was visited by an individual with a 1931 McLaughlin Buick, which has a custom body likely fabricated in England (Lucas headlights he says), so I am wondering if there was any better info regarding tracking McLaughlin that were sent outside the US and Canada. This car is now in the Netherlands and I believe has been for some years.

I am providing what I think is his corect e-mail address . The name is H. van der Veen and he can be reached at oliecom.vanderveen@orange.nl.

I have not yet had an answer back from him at that address, but I did not get the message back. He is interested in learning the history of his car. Although it is of an earlier vintage then this posting, it is a similar situation. I did encourage that he look at the buick club site to share some info and he may be posting here as well.

John
_________________________
'32 - 57-S '68 Riviera Assistant Director - Yankee Chapter BCA ROA, AACA, BDE

Top
#457355 - 10/20/07 01:18 AM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: jscheib]
DBT Offline
Member


Registered: 09/22/07
Posts: 46
Loc: Singapore
John

I'm kind of hoping Oracle or Dave Corbin jump onto the forum soon and rescue us on this one.

I'd love to know ANYTHING more about my 38 Limited. Dave's left me on tender hooks with his tidbits of info..

...and Oracle has this amazing habit of writing a small treatise as if he had owned your car himself for the whole period..

I hope these wise and esteemed sages of the Buick universe are able to elucidate and illuminate soon and deliver us from our unenlightened misery.

There.. see if I have buttered them up enough now!

David
_________________________
David Thomson
BCA#43539,
Buick Car Club of Australia, NSW

1938 90L McLaughlin-Buick
1966 3.8 Jaguar Mk2
1971 Morris Minor 1000

Top
#457672 - 10/21/07 05:19 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DBT]
DaveCorbin Offline
Member


Registered: 02/19/06
Posts: 595
Loc: Texas
Dear David:
You don't have to "butter me up" to get me to talk Buick, as virtually everyone who has met me will tell you.
First thing is that RHD cars were produced at both Flint and McLaughlin. I wasn't sure that the body number you gave was McLaughlin, because I've seen mis-posted info from people before, and 1 is the Flint plant code. 4933 is Fisher body speak for a 90L and 102 could be the Fisher body number. However, in a later post, you specifically mentioned a McLaughlin plate, which tells us exactly the point of origin.
I'm back from a week on the family farm in Ohio and from Hershey, so that's why I've been "missing".
Regards, Dave Corbin

Top
#458234 - 10/23/07 08:36 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DaveCorbin]
DBT Offline
Member


Registered: 09/22/07
Posts: 46
Loc: Singapore
Dave

Thanks for this

I want to try and summarise;
So I have McLaughlin badged but Flint built RHD body & engine.
The car engine was built late Sep 1937. The body early 1938.
The car was sent [possibly in CKD form] to Oshawa for final assembly.
Note I have no body plate [that I can see in the usual place] but only the normal badging which is all McLaughlin.
Sound right?


As you can tell I am trying to build up the history of the car. I can't really track the car until after the war when it was sold by the Dutch consulate in Melbourne.

The mystery is where it went between these dates! [Oooooh!..] And the "mythstry" about Dutch royalty is very strong in the Australian Buick community begging a few articles on the web and in the papers over the years.

The East Indies theory sticks because it was Dutch until the war and it was RHD. This would also explain why the car ended up in Melbourne [a number of officials from invaded states in the region setup in exile in Melbourne during the war]. Additionally I cant imagine why they would order RHD for the Netherlands.

Now this could all just be phooey and the car was an embassy car in Melbourne and thats that.

But I kind of like the other story!

Given the Flint origins, does that mean there would be more information available in the Flint archive? Or would they simply reflect a CKD being sent to Oshawa and nothing more?
Who would attach the body plate when all is said and done? Oshawa I am assuming.

Many Thanks
David
_________________________
David Thomson
BCA#43539,
Buick Car Club of Australia, NSW

1938 90L McLaughlin-Buick
1966 3.8 Jaguar Mk2
1971 Morris Minor 1000

Top
#458254 - 10/23/07 09:39 PM Re: Royal beginnings? 38 Mclaughlin-Buick 90L [Re: DBT]
jscheib Offline
Member


Registered: 09/05/03
Posts: 696
Loc: CT
David,

Could you check my posting about a similar car, but a 1931 in the Netherlands. I suspect there is some "slight connection" between the cars dispite the years difference. The gentleman in the Netherlands has a nameplate in Dutch and does not mention Buick, but General Motors. His has a Mayfair Carriage coachbuilt body, but there sure is not much about Mayfair anywhere and they traded in UK until mid-1970s from one source I found. I believe you said you also had a coach built body, or is it "standard" Buick/McLaughlin?

He too, although there is not much to indicate such, thought this might be a McLaughlin chassis shipped to England for the coachwork and then to the Netherlands to some wealthy owner.

I have alerted the gentleman in the Netherlands to check through this site, but he has not good internet service where he lives and English is not his first language but we manage to communicate. I will try to post a photo of his car after I master the photo part.

John
_________________________
'32 - 57-S '68 Riviera Assistant Director - Yankee Chapter BCA ROA, AACA, BDE

Top
Page 1 of 2 12>


Moderator:  BUICK RACER, R W Burgess, 24T42, Peter J.Heizmann, Steve Moskowitz, Brenda Shore, gagliaj 
Hop to:

Generated in 0.075 seconds in which 0.005 seconds were spent on a total of 13 queries. Zlib compression enabled.