Did Buick ever make a side valve engine?

[Oz Dodge 4]

I was at a car do a couple of days ago and someone was talking about a side valve Buick, and I said "Buick never built a side valve engine EVER", and I promptly got shot down in flames by several others that were there, including a good friend who's former father in law was a noted Buick collector. He had most model Buicks from a 1910 two cylinder up until the 1970s and I don't remember him ever having a side valve. OHV was one of Buicks early claims to fame and I still haven't heard of a side valve, Did Buick ever make a side valve engine?

[DavidMc]

I believe the 1910/11 Buick Model 14 known as the "Buggeyabout" had side valves.  The engine had two cylinder horizontally opposed

Edited March 23 by DavidMc
correction (see edit history)

[Dandy Dave]

There is one early Buick engine model that had the valves in the block. It is an inline 4 Cylinder. Very few built. Very rare. I saw one at the 100th Anniversary of GM Celebration in Flint in 2008. Looking in the Standard Catalog of Buick a Model 5 is listed in 1908 and this model had a "T" head engine. It would have had two cams, and valves in the block on both sides. 255 CID. 30 HP. This engine was introduced in late 1906 as an 07 year. Models were D,S,H, and K. Continued on in 09 as a model 6A. 1910 "T" head continued as a model 19. Dropped in 1911.

Look here to see one of these engines. https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/19680/lot/325/1908-buick-model-s-tourabout-chassis-no-1199/

 

Edited March 23 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[58L-Y8]

During Alfred Sloan's mid-'20's to early '30's "Companion Car" marketing program to develop a second nameplate for the established GM makes to augment their product lines, Buick participated for 1930 with the Marquette Series 30.  It was a 212.8 ci L-head six-cylinder, 114" wb priced $1,000-$1,060 dependent upon body style. With the Great Depression taking hold, after 35,007 cars built, the Marquette was unceremoniously dropped.

[Frank DuVal]

42 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

During Alfred Sloan's mid-'20's to early '30's "Companion Car" marketing program to develop a second nameplate for the established GM makes to augment their product lines,

And all failed except Pontiac. Yep, Oakland went away.

 

I looked at a 1930 Marquette a few years ago (5?) that was woodless (best description) and decide not to buy it. At the time I thought the engine was an Oldsmobile derivative, but don't quote me! Research needed. My friend who was with me to look at it thought maybe a steel superstructure could be fabricated faster than making all  the wood needed to hold all those sheet metal panels together.🤣

 

Buick, Valve In Head.👍  99.99%

[jdome]

photos of 1913 Buick model 4 truck I restored 20 years ago during my truck phase. Buick built these as a truck, from ground up.  Engine is 4-cyl, side valve, L head, monoblock with "flat he Buick used this flathead in the 13 &14 trucks and used a regular car ohv -4 in the 15 & 16 model 4.n

[Larry Schramm]

Better?

 

 

Edited March 23 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[Jim Skelly]

that's one sharp truck!

[wayne sheldon]

Buick's trucks of the mid 1910s was my first reaction to the question. However, should we also count the Canadian McLaughlin "Buicks" as Buick? Some of those had L head engines in the late 1920s and early 1930s. I think they used a knockoff of the Oldsmobile six L head in those McLaughlin cars. 

While technically not part of GM's Buick division, the McLaughlins are generally thought of as Buicks.

A few times over the years I have seen photographs in club magazines showing what clearly looked like a Buick with the hood open showing the flathead six. It would take a fraction of a second for me to realize the car was a Canadian McLaughlin.

[Oz Dodge 4]

Thanks guys, question well and truly answered, and it looks like I was wrong with my assertion, but with a bit of a qualification !

It looks like Buick did build enough side valves that we can say "yes" they did, but they were mostly either very rare or commercial with the exception of "some" McLaughlin Buicks from Canada. Being in Australia and part of the "jolly olde British empire" a lot of our "US" cars were sourced through Canada for import duty reasons, and "McLaughlin's" were definitely sold out here although I don't remember ever seeing a side valve. Our conversation revolved around four cylinder cars from the teens and twenty's and although actually wrong, I feel I at least have a "little bit" of justification. It's nice to know the truth, so a big "THANKYOU" to those who have replied.

Graham

[1912Staver]

There was a McLaughlin in the late teens that was 99% a Oakland 6 . It was sold as a smaller, cheaper car once the 4 Cyl model was dropped by Buick. But that one was OHV.