1928 UK built Buick Standard 6

[humber349]

I now know 4 previous owners of my Buick. They all owned it in the same condition, restored rolling chassis but no bodywork.

I still have no paperwork and have not found the chassis number yet.

The earliest owner was in Bedford UK around 1995.

Does anyone remember seeing my Buick before that please?

Anyone know who did all the restoration work?

Edited March 15, 2011 by humber349 (see edit history)

[jscheib]

Phil,

I am thinking out loud here (I know some times a dangerous thing to do), but if this was imported as a "cowl job", and some custom UK body was provided, it is possible, and perhaps likely, that this body was later transfered to a different chassis. I understand this was, perhaps not common, but someting that did occur both in your country and the US. There has been recorded changes for Brewster Bodies, I believe, and also Rolls Royce, as docummented in the records of the Rolls Royce Club in the US. RR kept records of every chassis sold, and the original buyer and I believe also what coach work went on the chassis, but I am afraid Buicks were not so ducumented.

Ihope this post turns up something for you. I asume your plans for this chassis will depend on what turns up of the history. Is their no tag on the cowl firewall? I am sure you have seen other posts about looking on the frame near the front wheel for a Buick Chassis Number tag. If you find the engine number that might shed some light as to when it was built.

Just my thoughts, for now.

John

[nzcarnerd]

Like everyone else I would be just guessing about the fate of the body from your car. I would presume that David Hayward should be able to tell you more about the possibilities of what it might have started out as. My guess is that it was assembled mechanically in Canada and may well have gone to UK as a rolling chassis/cowl, as you have it, and one of the local bodies fitted (but built by whom??). I reckon it is likely that the original simply rotted off. Many of them were fabric covered and did not last very long. If there is no id plate, maybe your car has a murky past, or maybe some well-meaning would-be restorer put it in a safe place and then forgot where that was. Somewhere I have a copy of the Brooklands Book of Buick road tests, mostly from Motor and Autocar, which shows some of the British bodies.

Here in NZ the 1934 models, that I am familiar with, were assembled from CKD kits supplied from Flint, USA. They were not fitted with the id plate on the firewall as seen on the US and Canadian cars, but instead had the 'chassis' plate with just the serial number tacked to the wooden body rail just below the drivers seat (RHD). Of course any car left to rot outside quickly loses its identification. I have a 1934 Australian-built car (Holden body) - that also has its id plates tacked to the wooden floor. When I say Australian-built, I believe that the cars arrived as chassis/cowls and had bodies fitted. I don't believe they had any mechanical assembly done in Australia, and I think the same would have applied to those cars going to UK. Figures I have show that Buick (US) produced 5194 cars for export in 1928. I wonder how many of those were stripped chassis going across the border to Canada and eventually finding their way to UK as McLaughlins.

[humber349]

I agree with the rotted off theory. The English climate has never been kind to wood and steel. I have the body id plate and my Buick was sold as a 2 door 5 seater 'Dominion' saloon.

The GM LTD UK instruction book that says the chassis number was on a plate on the bulkhead. The bulkhead has been stripped and painted and the plate has been lost sometime in the cars later movements between owners, along with some other important parts. Anyone got a thermostat for the top of the radiator please?

[Guest Mike in England]

Hello Phil

My family came from around Burton but thats not really relevant is it. Anyway I have a 1927 Standard 6 and am in Devon if you ever need to look at a complete car. I have a book, "American cars in England" which has a picture of a Dominion on the front cover (in Somerset actually). I also have several other books on Buicks if you need any info on build numbers and locations etc.

Good luck.

cheers

Mike

[humber349]

Thanks Mike. Yes I would like to look at your car please. Can you email me please humber349@aol.com

Update time-

I have now found all 7 post war owners of my Buick. The first of which found the car in a barn in 1987, and he did all the restoration work.

I am hoping to get the original registration number plates and photos of the restoration.

The car is registered with the DVLA and did have a V5 registration document when it was sold in 1998.

It would be great to find the V5 and the chassis id plate, but they are still missing unfortunately.

I am really enjoying the research and may even start work on the car eventually.

[Guest Oracle]

Good luck!

David HaywARD

[Mark Shaw]

Is there a chassis number plate behind the left front wheel?

[Guest buick 33]

if any help there is a 1930 buick light 6 rhd for restoration in wakefield w/yorkshire uk if need parts for yours

[humber349]

Hi Buick33

Yes that might be very helpful. Can you email the details please.

humber349@aol.com

Thanks

Phil

[humber349]

As already reported elsewhere, I am pleased to say I now have the V5 UK registration document in my name, and the original brass chassis plate, and the old brown logbook.

The chassis number is 144379 and the model is shown as 28-20C.

The old log book shows a saloon body type, and suggests that my Buick was purchased by the golf course in 1936, specifically to tow the mower. The body would have been removed then, to qualify as a tractor, and therefore pay no road tax.

Edited June 17, 2011 by humber349 (see edit history)

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Phil:

144379 is a late 1928 McLaughlin serial number. As near as I can estimate, 1928 McLaughlin serial numbers ran from 134001 to at least 144967.

I hope this helps a little.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[jscheib]

Would it not be a woinderful story, if the original body was found hidden in a shed at the golf course. I wonder just what they did with it? Scrap metal, probably.

John

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Re: Finding the Humber body in the golf course shed:

Stranger things have happened. A friend of mine found a strange body for a Cord with a tag on it saying E-106. It was sent to the ACD museum. Some years later, the museum got a call from the local electric company saying "We've got this odd old V12 Auburn engine as a backup in the power plant. Do you want it?" They got it. A couple of years later, one of the museum people noticed the tag E-106 on the engine. At virtually the same time, the museum found in their archives the prints for an experimental V12 Cord. All of a sudden, lights went on!!

The car has now been restored, It was apart from about 1935 to about 2004. If you have a good imagination, imagine a Cord L29 with a 18" longer hood !!!!

It's in the Clive Cussler Museum in Arvada, CO. See their listing of cars

Regards, Dave Corbin

Edited June 19, 2011 by DaveCorbin (see edit history)