1936 Buick Model 4499

[Allan_Faust]

Hello,

I'm trying to find information for a friend of mine. He has in his possession a 1936 Buick 8 Model 4499. It has no drivetrain. He recently purchased a body manual, and would like to get as much info as possible on the car itself. He only speaks french, which is why I'm writing. We are up in Canada (so any model differences between his and the US models would be appreciated) and he's also looking for information on possible parts sources etc (body parts if anyone makes them, etc) I've added a link to a pic of the car, and if you have any questions, I'll make sure you get answers by checking out the car, pics, whatever necessary. Thanx in advance,

Allan Faust

Photobucket Buick Pic

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Allan:

On the car frame next to the battery tray you'll find a tag with an 8 digit number. If you post that and any other info on that body plate, I can probably help you. I would especially need any info on a plate tht says "GM of Canada".

As far as parts, there's a man named Bob James in Canada that can help you.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Allan_Faust]

Thanx, I'll get back to you on the numbers (probably by tomorrow) and as for Mr James, would you have more info for me (addy, web addy, tel #, etc). You can pm me if posting this type of information publicly is not wanted.

Allan

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Bonjour Allan,

There is at least one other forum member from Quebec (P. Racicot if I remember the spelling).

I can't really help much, other than to say by 1936, there was very little difference between McLaughlin Buicks and American Buicks. Typically, there would be slightly different badging for the McLaughlin (Canadian) Buick and possibly items like hub caps. As for drivetrains and mechanical parts, they should be identical.

Another possibility is to get in touch with or join the McLaughlin Buick Club of Canada.

Bonne chance with the car.

[Allan_Faust]

Ok, here are the numbers on the tag;

Buick 1936

Ser: L644991298 (the first letter could be an L, an I or a 1)

Engine: 2943384

Body: 765

Trim: 169

Paint: 610

Thanx for those who have responded to date, and thanx in advance for info pertaining to the tag.... it really is appreciated.

Allan

[Mark Shaw]

I just love seeing Dave Corbin doing his thing for all of us Buick nuts....

Way to go Dave... What would we do without you?

THANKS!

[Guest imported_Thriller]

I'm looking forward to Dave's information as well...there are some differences with the body tags and serials between Canadian and American cars...I'd forgotten that in my earlier post. Between the <span style="font-style: italic">Standard Catalog of Buick</span> and the BCA Judging Manual, I haven't had any success with this information.

Go Dave!

[Glassesguy]

Allan:

Are you sure that body tag doesn't read 364419......? Your picture shows a 36 Special 4 door trunkback sedan Fisher style 4419 which is how Mclaughlin identified their model #'s in their sales literature. The first 4 stands for Buick; the second 4 stands for series 40; the 19 stands for a 4 door trunkback sedan. Buick called it a Model 41.

Body parts should interchange with US models. Some chassis components related to brake drums, suspension and wheels can differ according to some of my literature for 37 to 40 models. What does Mr. Corbin have to say?

[Allan_Faust]

I'll check on the tag (have to see it myself, this was directly from my buddy).... once I see it, I'll be able to confirm.

Allan

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Allan:

I'm slightly lost here. You say the car has no drivetrain, but you give me an engine number, which seems unlikely because the engine number is stamped on the engine which would be missing.

If it is an engine number, it's for a 1935 engine. If it's a frame number, the car was built in April 1936. It could easily be body #765, as Buick built 77007 Model 41's plus 1796 for export, and McLaughlin built 4722 Buicks for 1936. I don't have McLaughlin paint and trim data, so I'm not any help there.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Allan_Faust]

Dave,

I took a picture of it this morning before going to work, and I'll have the picture of the plaque up tonight. The numbers I gave you are all written on the plaque as is the engine number, and I'll post it tonight since my camera is still at work and I'm on my lunch break.

Allan

[Allan_Faust]

Here is the tag in its entirety...

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Allan:

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The photo leaves no doubt that it is a GM of Canada car and that Canadian trim and paint data would apply, not Buick. The engine number given is for a 1935 engine. I suspect, but can't prove, is that this is one of the differences between Buick and McLaughlin. Why? I don't know. The engine may have been shipped in and not used in 1935, and McLaughlin used them up in 1936.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Allan_Faust]

Dave, thanx for the info, would you know where I could find the data for the paint, etc... ie the code data (I have yet to find a site that has this info). As for the differences between canadian and american cars, I understand completely why...(I myself have a 1950 canadian dodge and have researched this info). The problem was the border. It isn't like the swiss cheese of today, getting stuff across even legally was difficult, so companies like GM, Chrysler and Ford made deals with chevy, buick, mclaughlin, dodge, plymouth, mercury, etc to "join forces" so to speak, which is why my Canadian Dodge has dodge front end trim, a chrysler/desoto 25" engine (rather than the 23.25" dodge/plymouth engine in the US), a plymouth body, with some plymouth trim, etc.... so gm and ford did the same (which is why a monarch was a mercury body with ford trim etc) and the same happened with gm bodies etc as well.

The market was just not big enough to warrant the full lines, and everyone wanted a piece of the market, which created the export hybrids... that were actually sent worldwide afterwards for the same reasons.... shich is how I found my oil pump in turkey, my shop manual in israel, etc.

Allan

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Allan:

First, you need to contact Bill Laughlin of the McLaughlin Buick Club there in Canada. He would be a good source of information and is a good friend of Bob James, who I menioned previously concerning parts.

What you probably need is a "Master Parts Book" from about 1940. It would have the paint and trim data your friend needs. Remember that a USA book won't work, you need a GM of Canada one.

Absent one of those, I woud suggest taking off one of the window surrounds, the piece that goes around any of the windows. Under it, you should find both paint and upholstery that isn't faded or weathered that you can match.

For your informtion, here is the annual production of Buicks by GM of Canada. 1928 - 10,986, 1929 - 7131, 1930 - 4603, 1931 - 3582, 1932 - 2026, 1933 - 2382, 1934 - 4091, 1935 - 3272, 1936 - 4722.

It's also important to remember that Walkerville started producing Buick engines as early as 1923 and that Buick switched to a totally new engine design for 1936 here in the USA. I think this is the reason that your friend's 1936 has a 1935 engine in it. Given the drops in production, GM sure isn't going to pitch out a bunch of engines when they switch designs. Giving GM of Canada a good deal on them is the best route.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Dave,

I don't recall if I ever asked before or not...do you have a model breakdown of the production numbers you just cited? I think you know my interest is in the 1929 numbers in particular.

Thanks.

Allan - I know that GM Canada Vintage Services (1-888-467-6853 - 8 to 5 Eastern time) doesn't have all the production information going back that far, but they may have information regarding the paint and trim codes. You have to be prepared to pay for it though (not excessive).

[Allan_Faust]

Well I tried emailing the only email I found for the Mclaughlin club (we'll see what comes out of that) and I'll go from there. I've found a few sites for parts, but I'm still interested in more, and I'll probably try the vintage services(thanx derek). Thanx for the production info Dave...

Allan

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Derek:

Simple answer: No, but I wish I did. I've looked all over for it and that was one of the reasons I went to Oshawa in 2006. What I have is all makes of GM of Canada year by year (1908 - 1971), including those makes that are Canadian only, like Arcadian.

IF ANYONE KNOWS OF, OR HAS EVER SEEN, A BREAKDOWN BY MODEL WITHIN YEAR FOR MCLAUGHLIN/GM OF CANADA, PLEASE SEND ME INFO ON ANYTHING YOU KNOW AND YOUR SOURCE.

IF SOMEONE KNOWS OF THIS INFORMATION FOR GM OF CANADA FOR ANOTHER MAKE (CHEVY, CADILLAC, ETC), PLEASE RESPOND !!!

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Allan_Faust]

http://gm.ca/inm/gmcanada/english/about/OverviewHist/hist_timeline.html

Don't know if this can help some Dave.

Allan

[Allan_Faust]

Well, I got a reply from Bill McLaughlin, and he cannot help me with the info I require because he specializes in the 1929 models. His site is here;

http://www.29buick.ca/

And Dave, although I didn't ask, he could probably have a lot of information at least for the 1929 model year.

As for Bob James, I have his contact info, and will try to get more info from him in future.

Allan

[Guest model61]

Allan,

The only difference I have found between 1936 Mclaughlin Buick and Buick are the wheels,hubcaps,trunk emblem and interior trim.The MclBuick has clips on hubcaps rather than on the wheel.I have spare wheels but have been unable to find a fourth Mclaughlin buick hubcap since 1999.

Your best source for used body or mechanical parts is Dave Tacheny in Minnesota.

Dave,

I can provide a list of all McLaughlin Buick models from 1930 to 1937 but not the production numbers for each model. For example , model 4419 was a 5 passenger regular sedan with trunk while the 4499 was a 5 passenger deluxe sedan with trunk.Model 4416 was a chassis only.They made 22 different models in 1936.1930-14,1931-20 etc.

My Mclaughlin Buick shop manuals list models but not the totals for each.

I have a 1935 4499

a 1936 4499

a 1930 model 47

and a 1930 model 61

Stan Gisborne

[Guest imported_Thriller]

That's a shame Dave. I did some math though. Based on production listed in the <span style="font-style: italic">Standard Catalog of Buick</span>, 7014 out of 187861 1929 Buicks were model 51 (like mine) which works out to about 3.7%. If one extrapolates that to the 7131 1929 McLaughlin Buicks produced, there would have been 266 Model 51 McLaughlin Buicks. Of course, that is simply an estimate. With our cooler climate, I would expect a higher proportion of closed cars in Canada when compared to the US.

I wonder though if those production figures include the McLaughlin Buicks.

Anyway, back on topic, Allan, Keith Horsfall might be a good person to contact. He's been involved with the McLaughlin Buick club and is formerly the BCA Technical Advisor for McLaughlins (although on my 1929, he deferred to Bill McLaughlin and Lind Coop, who deal with 1929s). I've got an e-mail address for him around here somewhere...I'll send it to you shortly.

[Allan_Faust]

Stan,

Would you have the coordinates for M. Dave Tacheny?

Allan

[R Walling]

Allan, I have a the drive train out of a 38 Buick if you friend could use it. The engin is not turning and the trans is rusted up. (better than nothing?)I'm located in Ma.