1929 Master drive train rescued

[J.H.Boland]

When I purchased my 1929 McLaughlin-Buick a number of years ago, there were no spare parts that came with it. Being a retired parts guy, I always feel more comfortable surrounded by extra stuff. I was pleasantly surprised recently to see an ad on Kijiji for a 1929 complete drive train for sale. The fellow had found a badly decomposing 29-51 Master Sport Sedan sitting under an evergreen tree near Brantford Ontario. He bought it with the intention of making a rat truck out of it. I bought the complete engine, transmission,rear end, brakes,and steering gear.He assumed the engine was stuck. 

On getting it home, I put a Johnson bar to the front crankshaft nut and it moved. I attached jumper cables to the starter and the engine turned over nicely. There is no appreciable wear to be seen anywhere .The odometer read about 34000 miles. The only casualty of removing the engine from the car was the carburetor. It and the Marvel heat stove above it were broken when the engine fell over. On removing the valve and side covers,and the spark plugs, everything looks quite clean. With a replacement carb and heat stove,it will likely run. My '29 developed a wrist pin noise this year. Although likely an easy fix (remember, I'm a parts guy,not a mechanic), I feel better having a nice, tight spare.

Jim

[Thriller]

Interesting. A 29-51 with spoke wheels and no side mounts. Makes for quite a different car than mine. That said, what I wouldn't give for access to some of the odds and ends on this car. 

 

[KongaMan]

Why not buy the whole car?

[J.H.Boland]

7 hours ago, KongaMan said:

Why not buy the whole car?

The guy that found the car is already working on his rat rod. I was fortunate to get what I did. By the time he took it apart,there was enough wood left to fill a bushel basket !

[J.H.Boland]

7 hours ago, Thriller said:

, what I wouldn't give for access to some of the odds and ends on this car. 

 

What are you looking for,Thriller? I can check for you.

Jim

[Thriller]

Thanks Jim. The one part that I don't believe is reproduced is the McLaughlin-Buick emblem for the front of the car. I can't tell if it is there or not on the light tie bar. I know I need at least one exterior door handle - if I recall I believe it would be the locking one from the passenger door but perhaps another. The windshield crank is also broken on mine. 

 

That said, those are things that are available as reproduction items. 

 

 

[J.H.Boland]

Hi Thriller

 

You might try  "thehandleman@comcast.net" .He helped me with a rare inside handle and a dome lamp switch bezel for my '25 Buick.He usually needs a picture to match up. The guy that's building the rat rod plans to use the front doors so will likely keep the handle.The windshield crank was broken.I think there were 2 styles of front emblems.One mounted on the rad core and the other one on the headlamp tie bar. I don't know if mine is original or a repro but it mounts on the tie bar.There were no McLaughlin-Buick emblems or even hub caps left on the car.

Jim

[Thriller]

Thanks. The American Buick was mounted to the rad (holes through for that) while the McLaughlin-Buick emblem like yours were mounted on the tie bar. I wouldn't have expected to see it in red. I haven't looked all that hard. Door handles are reproduced at least. 

 

So, for 1929, McLaughlin used a different radiator as ours don't have the holes for mounting a badge on the car. 

 

[50jetback]

3 hours ago, Thriller said:

Thanks. The American Buick was mounted to the rad (holes through for that) while the McLaughlin-Buick emblem like yours were mounted on the tie bar. I wouldn't have expected to see it in red. I haven't looked all that hard. Door handles are reproduced at least. 

 

So, for 1929, McLaughlin used a different radiator as ours don't have the holes for mounting a badge on the car. 

 

 

Derek,

I don't believe there were dedicated holes for mounting to the radiator core - just thin mounting rod/wire which is delicately threaded through the honeycomb core.

 

[George K.]

This is what mine looks like. 

[KWalker]

I have one of these in pieces anyone interested. 

[Barry Macaluso]

Hi. my  brother is restoring what,s left of a 29 Yellow Coach taxi, which used the buick master engine. The car has about a million miles on it and has been repaired over the years with a hammer and bailing wire to keep it going. If you ever feel you can let go of the engine, or parts, please drop us a line. The car is on long Island new york and since the body had been cut off, will be eventually made into  period woody wagon.

Thanks Barry

[Bill - 29 Buick]

Barry:

 

If your brother has a photo of what's left of the 29 Yellow Coach taxi, which used the Buick Master engine, I'd like to use it in the 1929 Silver Anniversary Buick Newsletter.  Send it to <Bill@29Buick.ca>.

 

Thanks.

 

Bill McLaughlin

[Donlock]

Do you still have rad badge I need one and what kind of dollars

Don Gower

Clinton on. Canada