timjohnson Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 Hi, I'm new to this forum and am hoping someone can help me. My name is Tim Johnson and I'm a volunteer doing research for the Harold LeMay Automotive Museum, which is located in Tacoma, Washington. I am trying to research what is reported to be a 1916 Buick Abadal, which is in the museum's collection. This is a car with a Buick chassis and motor, but coachwork done in Barcelona, by Abadal. The car is done in a towncar/chauffeur style. We know that the car did spend some time in Chile, because there are import papers that came with the car. The engine serial number is 574728.I had followed another thread on this forum about a serial number search for a 1916 right hand Buick speedster. That engine number was quite a bit lower that the Abadal's number, so I'm now not sure this car is even a 1916. The Abadal is also right hand drive.Any help that anyone can give me would be great. This is definately one of the toughest cars I have researched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 11, 2007 Share Posted November 11, 2007 TC, Buick exported cars to several RHD countries in the teens. I am sure several members of this forum will help with your research. Dave Corbin is a regular on this site and will probably chime in to help. Buick numbers are his specialty. I am in Vancouver Wa and would be glad to help by comparing my cars to this one. I also have a stash of drive train parts for 1912 through 1931 Buicks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timjohnson Posted November 11, 2007 Author Share Posted November 11, 2007 Thanks, Mark. If you want to see the Abadal, go to www.lemaymuseum.org , click on "Collection" at the top of their home page and you'll see the car listed, third from the top. There is only the one image, but I have quite a few here on my computer. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 WOW..... The chassies may be Buick but the body sure isn't. Post some pictures of the motor and drive train if you can. That's one high class Buick-Abadal. Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rlbleeker Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 The engine is definitely later than '16, is there a frame number? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted November 12, 2007 Share Posted November 12, 2007 I look forward to seeing this car. Unfortunately, I could not tour the museum last summer during the BCA national meet. Is it on display to the public? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Rawling Posted November 13, 2007 Share Posted November 13, 2007 1915 to 1918 frame numbers are located on an oval tag on the chassis under the left headlight.1919 to 1922 are on an oval tag on the rear of the chassis on the left by the gas tank.The frame numbers for 1916 run from 144717 to 254501.There were 2 wheel bases for 1916: 130 inches and 115 inches. The 130 inch wheel base was dropped in 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timjohnson Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Thanks for the replies and information. Since my first post, I've been contacted from another source and told the engine number is from 1920. We could not find a chassis number, but we will take another look. I'll contact the museum's curator today. (The car is nearly an hour from my house.)The car is currently at the maintenance facility and not available to the public. The engine was running some time ago, but is now seized and has at least some bent push rods and probably other issues.I'll try posting some pictures, but the ones I have are high resolution, and I'm not sure how to downsize them for posting. (Required, if this site is like most other car forum sites.) I'll try and get a chassis number and post it soon.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timjohnson Posted November 13, 2007 Author Share Posted November 13, 2007 Thanks for the replies and information. Since my first post, I've been contacted from another source and told the engine number is from 1920. We could not find a chassis number, but we will take another look. I'll contact the museum's curator today. (The car is nearly an hour from my house.)The car is currently at the maintenance facility and not available to the public. The engine was running some time ago, but is now seized and has at least some bent push rods and probably other issues.I'll try posting some pictures, but the ones I have are high resolution, and I'm not sure how to downsize them for posting. (Required, if this site is like most other car forum sites.) I'll try and get a chassis number and post it soon.Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manel fernandez Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Thanks for the replies and information. Since my first post, I've been contacted from another source and told the engine number is from 1920. We could not find a chassis number, but we will take another look. I'll contact the museum's curator today. (The car is nearly an hour from my house.)The car is currently at the maintenance facility and not available to the public. The engine was running some time ago, but is now seized and has at least some bent push rods and probably other issues.I'll try posting some pictures, but the ones I have are high resolution, and I'm not sure how to downsize them for posting. (Required, if this site is like most other car forum sites.) I'll try and get a chassis number and post it soon.TimPlease, can you give us photos of this car Abadal-Buick for our collection?we have published two books of enterprise Abadal in url: ASOCIACIÓN CULTURAL PACO ABADAL. BIENVENIDOSmanel fernandez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest WEB 38 Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I Have a 1920 k-45 touring and the engine no. is 548511 hope this helps. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 Manel,You might have noticed this was a posting that started in 2007. I have checked the current info on the web site for the LeMay Museum and do not find the car listed, so it is not certain where that car is now. In checking the web site you listed it seems one photograph is what seems to be a 1934 Buick, but I need to review that some more. I would like to corrospond with you directly as I have an interest in coach built Buicks of all years and I am not sure how the Abadal built bodies escaped my attention prior to this. I would like to see what photos you may already have and/or some indication as to how many Buicks were provided with a custom body by Abadal. And what years they may have been built.You can write me direct at j.scheib@comcast.netJohn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JV Puleo Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 I did notice that it wasn't there but missed the 2007 date. Did anyone notice the "20/25 Silver Ghost"? Really, I'd think that RR is one of the best documented car companies ever so mixing up a small HP British car with an American made Ghost is a big gaff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob McDonald Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 (edited) MANEL, you have a beautiful website! Although it doesn't have many photos of Abadal-bodied Buicks, the factory images - including the parts stores, office, and workshops - are fascinating. Many speedsters that exist today are cutdown from regular touring cars and sedans but one of the site's photos shows two Buick speedsters at a European car show, probably prior to 1910. The company's work on Hispano-Suiza chassis was mostly very elaborate but also included buses!I hope through this Forum you're able to find the ex-Lemay Museum Buick Abadal. We are all looking forward to seeing photos of it. Edited December 9, 2012 by Rob McDonald (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Manel, Earlier this week, I found and purchased the September 1969 issue of "Car Classics" magazine. "Abadal Buick The Mystery Car" a two page article with four black & white photos starts on page 32 and describes Bert Lobberegt's project car purchased and restored in Washington State. It describes many of the differences between the Abadal Buick and the assembly line Buicks built in the USA. This very interesting article ends with a promise of more photos in a later article in the same magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscheib Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Mark.Any chance the article can be scanned and shared with the forum? Thanks.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Yup, there is a chance.....Stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superbuick Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 I have seen the car completed with a write up in one of my Bugles- it may take some to to find it ( I think it is one of the 1969's as it has an article of my 1938 Buick from the last owner I got the car from. I saw the car at Bert's house about 14 years ago. Bert was hosting a all Riviera show at his house and gave a nice tour of his old car museum at his house. I remember the car well. I also talked to some guys in the horseless carriage club that new him well, and remember he had a hard time getting the car out of Spain. I think it was dismantled and put in a container and claimed as car parts ( which it was at the time). After getting the old Buick home he performed a complete restoration as did did on all of his cars. When I saw it at his house Bert was in his middle 80's and health was slipping. He knew his fate and said most of the cars or going to a good home. I heard he passed away in the next year and was happy to see the car going to LeMays. Always nice to keep some of the neat old ones locale. I could get more information from others that knew him well with the car was restored. Let me know- And merry Christmas to all.Steve Fisher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Here are the two scanned pages.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rob McDonald Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Very cool car! MARK, it's hard to tell from the scanned pictures - is this a town car, with an open chauffeur's compartment, that converts to an entirely open car? That would make it pretty unique, I think. Surely it's going to show up soon, with all this high level AACA interest.Curious: would a special car like this be eligible for CCCA Classic status, on application? Or is it either too old or have a modified chassis that's too ordinary for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manel58 Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I Have a 1920 k-45 touring and the engine no. is 548511 hope this helps. BillPlease, are your car a Abadal Buick?Cand sou send mi a foto??Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest manel58 Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 MANEL, you have a beautiful website! Although it doesn't have many photos of Abadal-bodied Buicks, the factory images - including the parts stores, office, and workshops - are fascinating. Many speedsters that exist today are cutdown from regular touring cars and sedans but one of the site's photos shows two Buick speedsters at a European car show, probably prior to 1910. The company's work on Hispano-Suiza chassis was mostly very elaborate but also included buses!I hope through this Forum you're able to find the ex-Lemay Museum Buick Abadal. We are all looking forward to seeing photos of it.1920 Abadal BuickHere you have a website where you can see the Buick Abadal Lemai. I think he is up for adoption.You can spend your mail to my account info@pacoabadal.comthanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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