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1923 Buick


Guest Alexandra

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Guest Alexandra

I'm from Portugal and I have recently, purchased a 1923 Buick Touring Model. I only know that's a right hand drive. Spare tire on the back. Wheels with wooden spokes. The number stamped on a plate attached to the chassis in back of the left front wheel is 1080770 and the body data is 945519. The number on the engine is 1080564 and it's a 4 cylinder. Can anyone point me in the right direction for info on this model?:confused: This is all new to me. Any info will be appreciated. Thanks

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Alexandra, you have a Model 23-35 Touring if it has a front and back seat. It was priced at $885 US dollars. It weighed 2,520 lbs, and used the 109 inch wheelbase chassis. Buick built 36,935 for domestic sales, but only 63 for export. Since you have right hand drive it appears that you have one of the export cars. A very rare car indeed.

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Hallo Alexandra.Open this prewarbuick site and you will found a lot of early Buick:s.I couldn`t find a 1923-35 model , but 45 and 55 model looks similar but have 6 cyl engine.

Leif in Sweden.

Buick 1923-34 4cyl.

Buick 1924-35 4cyl.

Buick 1925-25 6cyl.

Buick 1956 Roadmaster Convertible.V8

PreWarBuick - The Largest Vintage Buick gallery on the web - PreWarBuick.com

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Guest Alexandra

Hi!

Really?! It's a 35 Model?! I thought it was a 45 because in the site

1912 - 1923 PreWar Buick Gallery - PreWarBuick.com

there is a picture of a 45 model that is very much like my car!

So, if I understood correctly, it isn't a 45 model because it's a 4 cylinder, right?

And I have another doubt.

You say that is a 23-35 (2 digits - 2 digits).

It means that is a Buick from 1923 and that is a 35 model, right?

But when I made a search to find Buick models, I realise that sometimes the Buick models are identified by "2 digits - 1 digit - 2 digits".

What it means that "1 digit"? (If it means something...)

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Hi.As you can see on this scan all ser.30s is 109" wheel base 4cyl.-Most (not all) of ser.40s is 118" wheel base and Ser 50s has 124"wheel base.All ser 40s and 50s are 6 cyl as you can see on the scan.Ser.40s and Ser.50s cars are a little bit bigger than Ser 30s. All 4cyl.cars belong to ser 30,in late 1923 there also came a more equipped Roadster insted of model 34 it`s model 39. 23-35 tells it`s a 1923 model 35.

I don`t know what meens with 1 digits,can`t remember I have seen it any time.

Leif in Sweden.

post-31268-143138771543_thumb.jpg

Edited by Leif Holmberg (see edit history)
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Guest Alexandra

Someone said to me:

"your engine numbers indicate your engine is a 1924. In 1924 Buick only exported model 33 which is a two door coupe 4 passenger so what you possibly have is a late model 1923 35 sold in 1923 with 1924 components. Buick was notorious for this and did not keep very good records."

I have to go a little deeper on this informations...

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Didn't the 4 cylinder cars in 1924 go to 4 wheel brakes...I believe 23 was the last year for the 2 wheel brakes. Also the 1924 cars adopted the "packard look" radiator shell and the 1923 cars still had the round radiator. The picture from Portugal looks like a 1924 and the posting from hemmings looks like a 1923.

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I checked my records and that serial number is not a McLaughlin-Buick one for 1923 or 1924, so I assume that it's a Flint car. As an export cvar it is properly a 23-X35

1923 MASTER FOUR MODELS:

23-33 4-PASSENGER COUPÉ [Rumble Seat

23-34 2-PASSENGER ROADSTER

23-35 5-PASSENGER TOURER [LONG CHASSIS]

23-36 3-PASSENGER COUPÉ

23-37 5-PASSENGER SEDAN

FOUR-WHEEL BRAKES WERE FITTED FOR 1924:

1924 MASTER FOUR MODELS:

24-33 4-PASSENGER COUPÉ WITH RUMBLE SEAT

24-34 2-PASSENGER ROADSTER

24-35 5-PASSENGER TOURER

24-37 5-PASSENGER SEDAN

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Alexandra

Your car is a 1924 model 35, The 1924 cars are a very different looking car to 1923. 1924 also had front wheel breaks where as 23 didn,t. chassis/frame numbers for 1924 started at 1060178 so your,s is an early 1924 car (see attachment) as they had a production run of 21,854 for domestic sales and 4,294 for export 1924 was the last of the 4 cylinder cars.

Rod

post-64273-143138772863_thumb.jpg

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Guest Mike Hanning

Your car is a 1924-35, I have a Canadian special version but yours appears to be the Flint model. They are a great wee car.

Merry Christmas.

Mike Hanning, New Zealand.

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Guest Alexandra

The person that sold me the car, sold me as a 1923 Buick.

I dont know were he got this information and I think he really didn't care.

I think he just wanted to make money with it by renting for weddings but after he buy it, he had a big problem... It's very difficult to buy any spare parts or even get any information about Buick, here in Portugal...

On the other hand, I dont think it was restored by professional people because there are some "severe abnormalities".

For instance, as I think you can see on the picture of the back, the escape it isn't in the right position, so the paint on the side has suffered a little bit with the eat and is now "jumping out". :( :mad:

This is one of the reasons I want to identify correctly the Buick model I have, so I can also correctly identify what's right and what's wrong in the car...

About the engine, it works ok.

There are some leaks I have to solve but in general I think it's all working ok.

Has you all can imagine, it's a success in the neighborhood! :cool:

Even for people like me, that dont know anything about old cars!... :o:D

Everyone stops to see the car pass.

It's a beautiful car!:)

(When I have a time I will take a engine picture.)

Have a Merry Christmas!!

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I fully agree with Rod's post and whoever said that Buick was notorious for mixing components (especially near the end or beginning of a new model year for export models).

It appears that you also have the same choke adjustment as a 1923 model. But the bottom line is that with four wheel brakes, it must have been built and sold as a 1924 Buick.

My own opinion is that Buick didn't waste anything when switching to a new model year. And it seems that they built many export models with "left over parts" from the previous year because there would be less chance of anyone knowing the difference.

My $0.02

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Guest Alexandra

So, if I understood well, if my Buick is a Flint car, then the body data number that is on the wood near the right front door it's from Stewart Body Company, right?

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Alexandra take a look and read what Humber 349 has written about his 1928,and you can also see that his pedals looks the same as yours.If you contact me at leife.holmberg@telia.com I can tell you what I think not`s right on your car.

Leif in Sweden.

http://forums.aaca.org/f165/rhd-buick-accelerator-pedal-316633.html

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I would use 30 weight, non detergent if you can get it. 30 weight detergent is OK too.

Also see the two little flaps on top of the valve cover, you need to squirt oil into the little cups under them. Usually take about ten squirts with a pump oil can to fill them. Do it once every week or fifty miles. This is what keeps all you rockers and upper bushings lubricated.

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Guest Alexandra

It's very difficult to find SAE 30 engine oil. :(

I only found 1 place that had, but it was the SAE 0W30 or the SAE 5W30...

Here, the most comun on the market are the SAE 5W40, the SAE 10W40 or the SAE 15W40.

Sometimes there are also SAE 15W50 or SAE 20W50, but not often.

I will continue to look for it, but mean while, what do you think should I use? :confused:

When it's cold the oil looks ok, but when I put the engine running for a while it get's different... I dont like the color of the oil...

I want to replace all the engine oil...

Edited by Alexandra (see edit history)
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Alexandra you need 3.8 litre in engine,ask for single oil just sae 30,40 or 50 and not SAE 5w30 ,you can use this oil if you dont find a single oil as SAE 30 or thicker, it`s the same oil as used in lawn mower engines.I think you can bay them in 1 litre plastic bottles.

Rear axle 1,5 litre,gear box 2 litre.Rear and gearbox You can use the same sort of oil as is used on up to at list 1960-1970s cars.Don`t use vegetabilisk oil,use mineral oil.

Leif in Sweden.

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Guest Alexandra

First, Happy New Year to you all! :D

Mr. Holmberg, this time my english wasn't enough and I didn't understood your last question. Can you repeat it in an other way, please? :o

And I have another question. Are you saying that the oil that is used for the engine is the same that the one that is used for the rear and gearbox? :confused:

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At the first I`m not sure if the oil is called stright or single oil but I don´`t think you need to wonder about that,what you need in your engine is SAE 30-SAE 50,and that`s the same oil as used in most lawn mower engines.

The second is that you can`t use engine oil in the rear axle or in the gear box,you need an oil called Hypoid oil as 75W85-80W140.This oil is much thicker and and can be used were it needs a "stronger" oil.

I think you can ask in your gas station what they recomend .

Hope this is more clear. Leif in Sweden

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