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Buick Downunder


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Hi All,

I come from the land Downunder, in the National Capital -Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

I am  a retired Rock Doctor (geologist). I have two Buicks, one recently restored barn find - a 1938 Buick 480 Special with dual sidemounts and body built by Holden Australia; the rest came from Flint -before and after images. The other is my Buick jigsaw puzzle - a 1927 115/25 open car Tourer also a Holden body car. I have just started work on the jigsaw puzzel. It was a farm workhorse tured into a trayback to earn its salt.

I have a collector virus and its hard to shake off. I also own, and restored, a 1972 BMW sedan 2500 series; an unrestored 1948 Packard (its on the waiting list), a 1970 Holden Brougham 5L V8 sedan (Aussies first true luxury car -the image is one of its former glory) an every day drive but now on the waiting list too, a 1984 Mercedes 380SEC S Class coupe hard top - this was my daily drive until last year when I added a new daily drive -2010 Maserati Quattroporte GST Sport sedan (4.7L Ferrari engine version).

I have been searching for a few parts for my 1927 Buick and reading about how and what mistakes to avoid and stumbled on this forum. I hope to learn more from the valuable experience no doubt residing here. Glad to a newbie. Hope the images are interesting enough.

cheers,

Mike

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18 hours ago, MacMike said:

Hi All,

I come from the land Downunder, in the National Capital -Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

I am  a retired Rock Doctor (geologist). I have two Buicks, one recently restored barn find - a 1938 Buick 480 Special with dual sidemounts and body built by Holden Australia; the rest came from Flint -before and after images. The other is my Buick jigsaw puzzle - a 1927 115/25 open car Tourer also a Holden body car. I have just started work on the jigsaw puzzel. It was a farm workhorse tured into a trayback to earn its salt.

Welcome to the forum

Are you a member of any Buick Clubs in Australia? [separate and state based]

https://buickclub.org.au/

 

Are you on the Buick Australia Pre War mailing list?

https://buickcarclubaustralia.com/aussie-pre-war-buicks/

Have not linked the PreWar email address as that can attract unwanted emails from internet scanners/scammers

 

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1 hour ago, 1939_Buick said:

Welcome to the forum

Are you a member of any Buick Clubs in Australia? [separate and state based]

https://buickclub.org.au/

 

Are you on the Buick Australia Pre War mailing list?

https://buickcarclubaustralia.com/aussie-pre-war-buicks/

Have not linked the PreWar email address as that can attract unwanted emails from internet scanners/scammers

 

 

Thanks for the welcome Buick_39. I am not a member of any Buick clubs: Australia or any state entity., nor am I on the mailing list to which you referred. I shall explore your links.

Thanks for the pointers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Mike,

welcome to the world of Buick and Buick ownership and the forum. As a fellow ‘38 Buick owner in Australia, the photo of your 1938 certainly attracted me enough to write.

 

The Australian pre-war Buick group and the US based 36-37-38 group are worth looking at. The pre-war forum here is also good to tap into. With a wealth of information from many guys who have come across many of the same issues that you face, they are really helpful.

 

with all the shut downs now being enforced, you should have you ‘27 Buick up and running in six months 😀😀😀😀😀

 

Enjoy, just my two bobs worth.

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

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7 minutes ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Hi Mike,

welcome to the world of Buick and Buick ownership and the forum. As a fellow ‘38 Buick owner in Australia, the photo of your 1938 certainly attracted me enough to write.

 

The Australian pre-war Buick group and the US based 36-37-38 group are worth looking at. The pre-war forum here is also good to tap into. With a wealth of information from many guys who have come across many of the same issues that you face, they are really helpful.

 

with all the shut downs now being enforced, you should have you ‘27 Buick up and running in six months 😀😀😀😀😀

 

Enjoy, just my two bobs worth.

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

GDay Rodney,

Nice to hear from another Au member. I see your '38 is a Sloper - most likely very nice indeed. Not too many around this hemisphere. Wish I had one too but - no room; the '48 Packard is already on nearby farm adjistment..

Yes, these forums are a great source of information and I have already got some very helpful advice from willing members about my '27. Although the weather is likely to become more unfavourable as winter approahes here in CBR, I can still get stuck into outstanding '27 jobs. The lockdowns are another encouragement too. Mind you I am helping keep the local electroplating business afloat just on my own at present, but it won't go on forever.

Thanks for your contact.

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Couldn’t resist the opportunity! 😀

 

in 1938, GM produced only 43 of these “ all enclosed coupes”, mine body number 40. Interesting  times, the late ‘30s with getting over the depression years and then the looming prospect of war, hard to say what was in the minds of the Australian new car buyer. A doctor up near Newcastle, NSW bought this to do his rounds and kept it until he died!

 

 

 

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11 hours ago, rodneybeauchamp said:

Couldn’t resist the opportunity! 😀

 

in 1938, GM produced only 43 of these “ all enclosed coupes”, mine body number 40. Interesting  times, the late ‘30s with getting over the depression years and then the looming prospect of war, hard to say what was in the minds of the Australian new car buyer. A doctor up near Newcastle, NSW bought this to do his rounds and kept it until he died!

 

 

 

D38341A4-895F-4EF6-AFA5-C813A351BCC5.jpeg

1F6151A9-85C4-448F-8E80-F0A3549F840F.jpeg

09DB4751-DD87-4868-9F18-CECE044F5D35.jpeg

 

Well, Rodney your Sloper looks just as smart as I had expected, and you appear to have it on full registration too.

Do you tend to use it frequently?  My 840 Special is on concessional registration but was on full registration for a few years earlier.

Being body number 40 also makes your vehicle quite rare; many Buicks and other thirties vehicles were consumed by SIMS Metal and now appear as Toyota bodies etc on our modern roads. Its great to see that these rarer models have survived that great wrecking yard onslaught and are now restored and being used. There was a 1936 Sloper here in Canberra and owned at one time by a friend but later sold to another resident; but I have not seen it for a few years.

Thanks for these photos; great to see them.

Stay healthy,

Cheers,

Michael

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5 minutes ago, MacMike said:

 

Well, Rodney your Sloper looks just as smart as I had expected, and you appear to have it on full registration too.

Do you tend to use it frequently?  My 840 Special is on concessional registration but was on full registration for a few years earlier.

Being body number 40 also makes your vehicle quite rare; many Buicks and other thirties vehicles were consumed by SIMS Metal and now appear as Toyota bodies etc on our modern roads. Its great to see that these rarer models have survived that great wrecking yard onslaught and are now restored and being used. There was a 1936 Sloper here in Canberra and owned at one time by a friend but later sold to another resident; but I have not seen it for a few years.

Thanks for these photos; great to see them.

Stay healthy,

Cheers,

Michael


hi Michael,

it is on Historic registration. When transferring the registration from the previous owner, it was given a current rego number. However I was able to select an older style number that was not being used. 
 

I’m a “numbers guy” and think that modern number plates on a vintage vehicle sort of looks out of place, so have always tried to make a plate “look period” if I can. 

 

I am trying to use it more and more, however with so many events shut down, it might just mean a drive locally. 

 

interesting that with so few all enclosed coupes being produced, they tend to get saved more than a four door sedan. So their attrition rate  is probably far less than we think. I have been made aware of several ‘37 and ‘38 Slopers under restoration, but have only seen photos. Not aware of any others on the road.
 

This one was painted and trimmed quite some years back and appears to have been almost rust free as there is only evidence of a small repair to the rear roll pan where they collect water. Motor is still original and still goes well.

 

Keep in touch,

Rodney 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mike, 

 Welcome to the Forum.  I have a 1925 Master Buick. and am located in Kempsey NSW.  Even though they look the same nothing is inter-changeable between the  Master and Standard. Buick were making changes year to year, but many 1926 and 1927 standard parts are the same.  Do you have all the body for your car.  There is lots of information in the Buick Pre War section of this forum. There are a number of people with 20,s Buicks and  If you have any questions there will be somebody who will be able to answer them.

  Rod

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Hi Rod,

Thanks for your welcome. When I was built it was in Coff Harbour but I resided in Sawtell in the early days . So know Kempsey fairly well, along with many towns in between. Your message says QLD is your location too, that's an interesting achievement.🤔.

Yes,  I have all the body parts but my vehicle was turned into a ute and everything from the front seat back was in a pile of extras at the time of acquisition. I have sorted out much of the jigsaw puzzle. I am still lacking a speedometer. So, I'm on the lookout for one, and a crank handle , and maybe rear bumperettes but there was a full sizes rear bumper in the pile of extras. Because of the ute treatment the back seat, floor and main wooden rails were just unknown to me. A generous member here has helped me out with solving that puzzle. I' m not yet at the physical solution in wood but feel I am equiped to get there. I am busy with sheet metal repairs welding, painting, chrome plating etc. Things are getting done especially under the shadow of Covd-19 restrictions. Heading to below zero weather here in Canberra so things will slow down shortly. Trying to get mudguards and doors completed before the freeze.

I have read a lot about no interchangeability between Masters and Standard and agree that '26 models were/are potential sources for my project if things get tough.

I am glad to have joined this forum. There is a great deal of knowledge and generosity.

Regards,

Michael.

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Michael,  I am on similar journey but with a 23-4-35 , to help with the interchangeability parts problem  get a copy of the master parts list  1916-1932 .  Very handy when buying parts from those expert sellers , it should fit your car....... Kind regards Norm

 

 

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Hi AussieBuick,

Hope your journey is smooth and enjoyable; however a few bumps are to be expected. Thanks for your sound advice with regards Master Parts book. I saw a number of references to it during my roamings through the forums and promply ordered one. Also managed to get a NOS service and repair manual. I am sure these will be help relieve stress when there are unexpected progress bumps to overcome. The expert sellers are sometimes a source of unexpected stress as I have also learned.

Thanks Norm for your encouragement, interest and advice. Lets hope will will both be drivers of our finished projects in the not to distant future.

kind regards,

Michael

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Hi Rod,

Great!  Thank you for showing your photo of your wood replacement for your '25.

This gives me great insight about generally where I am heading. Your construction looks very neat👌. I hope my effort reaches a similar standard.

 

Did you varnish your new wood after fixing it into its final position, and prior to undertaking the interior refurbishment. I was wondering if that was a good idea thereby expecting to reduce future movement of the body/panel after completion?

 

Enjoy your MidCo life!

Regards,

Michael

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  • 3 years later...

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