1929 Model 129-50 series Inquiry

[Guest BJM]

Yesterday I posted I had located a Craigs List ad on a 1929 Buick 50 series 2 door coupe, production 732, lowest of all 1929 Buicks - and cut and pasted the photo set the seller had sent me but Thriller said he could not see the photos.

Can someone assist as I would really like opinions? I can email you the 14 photo set. I have emailed back on offer of $400 off a $750 request.

In 1-2 photos I see non running Buicks in the background. This was out of Minnesota. Perhaps the seller is a BCA member.

[Mark Shaw]

Here are the photos:

[Mark Shaw]

Here are a couple more....

Edited December 15, 2009 by Mark Shaw (see edit history)

[Guest BJM]

Thanks Mark.

Now for the analysis. Can you decipher enough from that body plate to determine what this was?

I have not received a reply from the seller for my offer of $400. Yet he forwarded the photo set almost immediately. It's either sold or?

I think it's restorable as I know of some 20's parts cars up in Canada that could yield some missing parts, others should be fabricated.

[keiser31]

I only see one door....THAT is gonna be tough to find the other door.

[Guest ewing]

looks like a great parts car

my humble opinion

[keiser31]

looks like a great parts car

my humble opinion

I must agree with that statement, however I have seen way worse cars restored. The radiator still looks pretty good!

[Guest BJM]

If it were a lesser series, I would agree. If it were a lesser series high production model, then by all means it's a parts car. But the seller claims this is a model 129-58, a "senior" very long wheelbase 2 door coupe one of 734, lowest production of the model year (for the 129-50 series cars)

My Buick Standard Catalog has a photo of it. 129 inch wheelbase would compete for customers with LaSalle, Pierce Arrow, Packard, Marmon and Cadillac.

I no longer have an up to date Roster, but I would be very curious to know how many if any 129-58's were owned by BCA members. What if it is discivered that there are none? Then - is it best to restore it for a very rare example or part it out?

Keiser and others - you are correct - the one door worries me but if you have one you can fabricate another from it's template.

Also - like I said I know of some parts cars. This would not be for the faint of heart but rarely is there a basket case like this that is worth the effort. Having the drivetrain and chassis is what is critical to me. You can't "fabricate" a 1929 Buick 310 cubic inch straight 6 motor.

Thriller has the model 129-51. Having done the reading after finding this basket case, I instantly have a lot of admiration for his car and could use it for reference.

I think with the roof cut off, a person could make a model 129-54 CC convertible coupe. Only these 2 models, a formal 2 door coupe 129-58 and the CC 129-54 comprised the 2 door models for the series 129 for 1929, totalling only 2755 2 door models. I suspect only a handful remain, especially since this was still a wood framed body and the convertible accounted for 2021 production - and these would have been tended to degrade faster then the coupes.

So how many remain in the roster?

[bubba]

It's a Business Coupe, 2 Pass., 116"W.B. Model 26 Style 8370

[Thriller]

I count 6 model 58, but there are 5 1929s listed with no model number.

bubba - do you know the car, or did you see something to come to that conclusion? I'm not expert enough on the '29s to make that determination from these photos.

[Guest kevin]

The Engine is a standard series. Water outlet to the radiator is on the front of the block. The master motor has a water jacket rising up next to the top rocker cover and then to the radiator.

Kevin

[bubba]

Thriller, Don't feel bad that you didn't know what it is. If you spend a good deal of time looking at cars on the net, something I should be doing less of by the way, you learn how to tell the differences between a great car and a piece of junk and how to tell what is correct on the car and what is not. I see lots of cars advertised where the seller doesn't represent what he has correctly because he doesn't know or care to find out. In this case we have an obvious junk car with the assumption , by the seller, that it's a 129-50 series coupe. The 29 Buick came in 3 wheelbases with the 40 and 50 series having the same motor. The 20 series had the smaller motor and just like all the smaller or "Standard" series of the previous years , the smaller motor does not have the water manifold pipe that brings the heated water from the back of the engine to the front. THe smaller motor has a short pipe that comes out of the front of the engine directly below the radiator. That eliminates the two larger series. That leaves us with a Model 26 which could either have a rumble seat (26S ) or a trunk (26). This one has a trunk. Now if you didn't know any of this, you could tell right away that it's not a Model 58 because it has two windows on each side and this has one. THat would make it a 46 or a 26 but I eliminated the 46 by the motor. Hence a Model 26.

I have a 1925, 1931, 1932 Buick and have owned a 1924,1927, 1929 and 1934.

Hope this helped.

bubba

[bubba]

Here is the 1929 Model 58. You can see the long water manifold on the carb side of the engine which means a large series and it has the two windows on the side. Priced a bit too high I think. Nice wire wheels though.

1929 BUICK COUPE

[Thriller]

Thanks Bubba...I only have the one example in my garage to go by...I have seen small series cars, but can't say I've looked all that closely to remember details like that.

[Guest BJM]

Exactly why I posted. I am not an expert on the 29 Buick. By posting, several who are chimed in. It's interesting to note that there has been no acceptance of my offer and I do believe this CL seller was a Buick collector.

I am kind of surprised to actually see another 129-58 on Craigs List at the same time! bubba you know how to find them.

I agree overpriced, but seeing it as a whole car - it is an impressive beast.

[Fred Rawling]

The job number 8370 is a 116 inch wheel base coupe. Also the water outlet at the front of the cylinder head instead of the water tube on the top of the head says it is a 116 inch w.b. car.

It is stil worth $400 for the parts if you are working on a small series car.

[Guest BJM]

Fred,

I thinkyou are right. The guage pack can be restored and sold for something, the hard parts that are there, drivetrain, etc - worth $400 in parts but not to consider restoring.

[1929series]

Hello, just trying to find out info on a ‘29  129 series 51.  What would be appropriate value restored?   Thanks