1936 mclaughlin 8 90 lim0

[Guest stevesbuicklimo]

hi all i live in the uk and have just purchased a buick mclaughlin limo,what a wonderfull car it is.the thing is i was wondering if any of u guys could let me know if there is a way to trace the first owner of this vehicle,through its engine and chassis numbers,i have been told ,that this car was owned by Wallis Simpson but unable to prove it as all records were destroyed before 1956 so im led to believe any sugestions would be gratefull.

[Rusty_OToole]

Somewhere around here I have a history of the Buick company that includes pictures of the king's 1936 Buick limousine take before it was delivered, shortly after it was completed by General Motors of Canada in Oshawa Ontario. There are interior shots showing Oshawa and Toronto newspapers tucked in the side pockets.

Your car was made in Oshawa by GM Canada. All McLaughlin Buicks were made in Canada. The McLaughlin company started producing horse drawn vehicles in 1867 and was the biggest vehicle maker in the British Empire in the days of horse drawn carriages. When they went in for motor cars they bought Buick chassis from their old friend William Durant and installed their own design of bodies.

The McLaughlin Buick was made up until 1938. By that time they used the same mass produced bodies as their American counterparts so the McLaughlin name was rather pointless. It was not revived after the war.

I suggest you write to GM Canada, Oshawa Ontario. Send them the serial numbers of your car. They can't have sent many Buick 90 limousines to England that year. There were 2 supplied to the king and Wallis Simpson, other than that who knows?

[Rusty_OToole]

General Motors of Canada's official website.

http://www.gmcanada.com/english/home/index.html

[Rusty_OToole]

Interesting Wikipedia entries on GM Canada http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_Canada and Colonel Sam McLaughlin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_McLaughlin.

These barely scratch the surface but contain some interesting information.

[Rusty_OToole]

Picture of the king's Buick taken when it was new. Note where it was taken. The same shot appears in the Buick book mentioned above.

http://www.prewarbuick.com/cars/177/1936-Buick-The-Kings-Buick

[Rusty_OToole]

One more. Here is an excellent article on the king's Buick, in the form of a lavishly illustrated advert for the car.

http://www.sjwillderantiques.co.uk/

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Stevesbuicklimo:

There is a photo that I have seen that shows the King's new car at Lendrum-Hartman (the English Buick distributor) that has a 36 Roadmaster in the background. That car was a gift from her husband to Wallis Simpson. Obviously, you don't give the Mrs. a new car if you know she's playing "footsy's" with someone else. The original photo was the property about 20 years ago of Dave Norton, who probably knows more than any one else about the Lendrum-Hartman situation. Another contact there in the UK is Dave Hayward, who has studied Buicks/Mclaughlin for years. Send me a PM and I'll send you Dave Hayward's e-mail address.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Stevesbuicklimo:

Does the car you bought have UK plates? If so, the motor vehicle registry folks might be able to help you. Also, it is my understanding that there is a "system" to your plate numbers that allows you to figure out the first year of registration. My memory is that there is a letter character that has that info coded in it, but that system may not have started until sometime after WW2.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest OracleUK]

Hi! Is that you Mr SR? For everyon'es interest here is a copy of my file on THE ROYAL McLAUGHLIN-BUICKS. A photo of the original car appeared in the 1936 London Motor Show Catalogue.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The first ?Royal? Buicks were various 1924 Models which were used when the then Prince of Wales opened a massive dock in Southampton, and a photo of the Prince getting into Southampton registration CR 9161 appeared in CANADIAN AUTOMOTIVE TRADE magazine of September 1924. The caption reads ?At the opening of the new dry-dock at Southampton, England, just prior to his trip to Canada, HRH. the Prince of Wales used nine Canadian built McLaughlin-Buick motor cars to transport himself and [his] party. This is the first time that any but English cars have been used by British royalty in England?. The actual car was registered with CR 9161 in Southampton County Borough, but the details of the registration do not exist. It is believed that the car was actually given to him as a present, just before he sailed for Canada and just after he opened the British Empire Exhibition in April 1924 at Wembley, as the Canadian centre had a large General Motors of Canada display in it. These are the details of the two similar cars from registration records:

CR 9162 BUICK MONARCH 7-SEATER TOURING , registered in 1924

CR 9161 BUICK MAJESTIC TOURING GREY 27.3 H.P. 6-CYLINDER 1924 BORE 3 3/8 INCHES SERIAL # 89839 ENGINE # 1171579 registered 10 July 1924

On 27 June 1924 the Prince of Wales rode in CR 9162 when officially opening the Prince of Wales Floating Drydock in Southampton. Nine cars were used for the official party, and this was the first time that the Royal family had used anything other than British cars. The occasion was just before the Prince sailed for Canada, and the U.S.A., and shortly after the opening of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley 23 April 1924, the Canadian Pavilion being the most visited. A photograph of the car with the Prince getting in was published in Canadian Automotive Trade, September 1924. It is believed that the cars were all supplied by local dealers, Southern Traction Limited of Southampton, and registered, temporarily in some cases, CR 9161 to CR 9168. Southampton City Council records show that CR 9161 was a 6-cylinder 27.3 H.P. Majestic Touring Model 24-X45 painted grey Serial # 89839 Engine # 1171579, on the short chassis. CR 9162 was it seems a 7-seater Monarch Touring Car, Model 24-X49, but as the car appears to have been sold or transferred to another County, there are no records of the issue of the number and it was not re-allocated. CR 9163 was a 4-cylinder 18.9 H.P. Majestic Touring in grey, # 81606 Engine # 1100295. CR 9164 was a four-cylinder 18.3 H.P. Model 24-X37 Saloon, Serial # 82245 Engine # 1105067. CR 9166 was a Model 24-X49 Monarch 7-seater Touring Car in yellow and blue, Serial # 91431 Engine # 0013287. Finally, CR 9168 was a 4-cylinder 18.3 H.P. Coupé in Maroon, Model 24-X33, Serial # 80773 Engine # 1110096. The missing numbers must have been for Buick cars that were sold and the numbers re-used, although in two cases we know that the numbers were allocated to 1925 Model Buicks sold by Southern Traction?.

At the Exhibition the marques exhibited included various GM of Canada-sourced cars: a Superior Chevrolet Tourer, and at least one Buick Tourer [Models 24-34 Standard Four or 24-55 Master Six], an Oakland Tourer and an Oldsmobile Tourer. The Oakland was in fact a Model 6-54A, one of 783 Oaklands built in Oshawa, and the Olds was a Model 30B six-cylinder Tourer, one of 1,481 Oldsmobiles built in Oshawa in 1924. Three photographs and a brief reference appeared in General Motors World in July 1924?.

Then, as illustrated on the front cover of Driving Force by Helen Earley [car in National Museum of Science & Technology, Ottawa, as is the 1939 Royal Touring Car] For a tour of Canada in 1927, General Motors of Canada Limited provided two special 1928 Model 28-496 Touring Cars, one of which was Serial # 139645, Engine # 2034106, painted in Desert Sand with turquoise stripe, and seated seven with lizardskin seats and spare wheel cover.

1928 MODEL McLAUGHLIN-BUICKS [2 OF] MODEL 28-496 TOURING CAR

NMST cars is Serial # 139645 ENGINE # 2034106. This would be a Model 28-49 Touring Car in U.S. parlance.

General Motors of Canada

Ltd.

Made in Canada

Oshawa, Ontario

Model 28496 Serial no. 139645

Engine no. 2034106

The first Royal McLaughlin-Buick in the next decade was acquired by a member of the Royal Family, Lady Patricia Ramsey, who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She ordered a Freestone & Webb limousine to be built on a 1934 NA chassis. The chauffeur, Fred Rix went to the Willesden works [New car Production Department] daily to see the building of the chassis, and then to the coachworks. The car was registered AYL 237 in London in 1934, and was built especially tall so that the owner, who was over 6 ft. tall, could enter and alight gracefully. The car was used well into the Sixties.

The most famous Royal [McLaughlin-] Buicks were the 1936 models of H.M. King Edward V111, though there were in fact several cars acquired between 1936 and 1939 by both the King, later H.R.H. The Duke of Windsor, and his brother, the Duke of Kent: both series 49 Limited and 48 Roadmaster.

Mr Johns recants the tale that during the Autumn of 1935, the then Prince of Wales paid a visit to the Albemarle Street showrooms of Lendrum & Hartman, and Captain Hartman himself was called from a local hairdressers to personally attend on his Royal client. The works manager, Ted Taylor, who had been recruited by Hartman from the Buick Company, then had an appointment to visit the Prince at York House to take instructions on the requirements of the client. Taylor was then sent to Oshawa to supervise the building of the two cars ordered: one the main car, the other a back-up. The cars were in fact Model 4933 Limited chassis, with special Limousine bodywork. The fittings included a 2-wave radio with controls in the rear-seat armrest, the rear quarter windows were replaced by panels, and inside mirrors with recessed lights, and folding rear lamps were covered by sliding panels. The rear window was only 5 in. high, which ultimately necessitated a rear-view mirror mounted on the side-mount. The rear window could be covered by an electrically-operated rear blind. Two Batteries were fitted below the driver?s seat, with a double-pole throw switch enabling the spare battery to be switched in an emergency. Marchal headlights and fog lamps were fitted, with wiring modified to reduce voltage drop. A Smith?s ?Jackall? hydraulic system was fitted, together with Goodyear ?Lifeguard? innertubes to make blowouts unlikely. The interior fitments of the special car included a pipe-rack, cocktail-shaker, drinks and glasses cabinet, a food container, cutlery, telephone directories. Gold cigarette boxes presented by Captain Hartman, and a holder for Swan Vestas smokers? matches. There was also a second car, which seems to be forgotten about, which was back-up car. The first car was unusually registered, as Royal cars in the ownership of the King, as the Prince had become in January 1936, did not carry registrations though other Royal cars in the Royal Mews were registered, though often with special numbers. The first car was registered CUL 421, which was in March 1936, the registration following shortly after a large batch of London Passenger Transport Board buses! This car was driven generally by Mr George Ladbroke, Head Chauffeur. There was clearly no effort to allocate a special number and perhaps this was for reasons of anonymity? The second car was given the registration CLN 6 and was clearly delivered slightly later, registered in London as before in June 1936? The other car ordered was in fact purchased by Mrs Wallis Simpson?s second husband, Mr Ernest Aldrich Simpson an American-born British natruralized businessman living in London, for her personal use, and was delivered at the same time as CUL 421, but allocated CUL 457, and driven by a Mr Wagstaff, Second Royal Chauffeur. This car was not a Model 4999, but a series 48, Model 4899 Roadmaster chassis four-light Limousine built on the series 48 [u.S. 80 series equivalent] chassis by Oshawa. Both cars were ceremoniously photographed together outside the Buick House emporium with Captain Lendrum standing behind. A photograph of either of the two original cars was featured in the London Motor Show advertisement for Buick in 1937 Show Catalogue. CUL 421 was registered 6 March 1936 and carried Serial number 649990164 and Engine number 2943885

I have just been watching a BBC documentary on Edward and Mrs Simpson and just after he abdicated it shows the king leaving Fort Belverdere in CUL421 folowed by a buick limo with the rear quater windows intact and a large rear window,the reg no was CXF436 as far as I could make out..

Later in the season, the Duke of Kent acquired a 1937 Model 49 Limited Limousine, a standard model, which was registered with his personal registration YR 11 [London County]. This car was then exchanged for a special 1938 Model with wind-down black glass to the rear quarter-lights. This new car had the registration transferred to it as well, so there were two YR 11 cars. This was actually ordered by Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, and was fitted with ?purdah? glass that could be wound up to obscure both rear quarter-windows. Servicing was carried out at her Belgrave Square address, and the car was driven by chauffeur Mr Field. A photograph of the original YR 11 was published in General Motors World of December 1936, which described the car as ?A special Canadian-built, McLaughlin-Buick 90 Limousine, purchased by His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, through Messrs Lendrum and Hartman of London-Since the car is to be used for official purposes, it is fitted with the Royal Crown and with the Royal Ensign?. The car naturally had dual sidemounts, plus fog-lamps.

There were to be two further special Model 49 Limited models ordered by the Duke of Windsor in 1938 and 1939 whilst he was living in France, though R.H.D. and four-light configuration as per CUL 421.

*One of the cars is currently held by the Canadian Museum of Science and Technology, Ottawa, and both cars were Model 4929 (Series 90) Royal Touring Cars, the car in the Museum being serial # 9492902502, Engine # W3422857, i.e. a Walkerville-built unit. The chassis was an extended 155? wheelbase 4900 series, and the body a four-Door 7-seater Touring Car, 29.

</div></div>

[36artdeco]

Can anyone tell me how many 1936 buick series 90X came to New Zealand. I have 3 and would like to know if thier were more

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear HBbuick1:

Total worldwide production of 1936 Model 90X was 119. I would think if you already own 3, you've probably nearly cornered the market in NZ.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest OracleUK]

I was going to suggest that GM New Zealand imported McLaughlin-Buicls and not the Flint product. However I know of a '39 that was an imported (NZ) Flint car so it is possible that they imported rhd Flint Buicks.

There were at least two export versions of the 49xx series, 4916 was the chassis:

UK rego CCD 776 BUICK HEARSE 64916001 was registered 14/2/36

The Sedan was 64933. Here are two more British cars:

CLM 562 # 649330008

GV 5087 # 649330296 ENGINE # 3077413

[Guest stevesbuicklimo]

In have just compared the engine and chassis no on my buick.to the one above on reg no gv 5087 they are identical,could this be the orional reg no for my car? and cxm 45 a replacement.is there any history on the british car gv 5087

kind regards Steve

[pepcak]

Hi,

I am the owner of McLaughlin Buick 28-49 too, but its a bit mystery. Is it known how many of them (of 28-49, 7 passenger tourings) have been built in Canada? Excellent book by Terry Dunham says two, but it deals with US (Flint) production. My car has been nicely rebodied into 7 passenger limo with divider and has Buffalo wire wheel and dual side mounts. I just cant find the firewall plate now... The pictures of it are at www.pepcak.webzdarma.cz. Car is located in the Czech Reblic, since 1933 served in volunteer fire dept. Previous history is unknown to me. There is also another 28-49 in test nof Spanish magazine, (http://motor.terra.es/coches-clasicos/pruebas/articulo/buick_master_six_model_28-49_23966.htm) but I can speak any Spanish....

Any information is welcome.

Josef

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Josef:

I think I can answer some of your questions.

As to the question of "How many cars were made by year and by model within the year?" I have to sadly report that this information was thrown away by GM of Canada or by McLaughlin many yeas ago. All that survived is the total number of cars built each year by make (Buick, Chevrolet etc.) and I'm reasonably sure that that list got "sanitized" to only GM makes, as I have a McLaughlin catalogue for an electric car which McLaughlin offered on a Rauch & Lang chassis. I assume that they built a few, but there is no report of anything except GM makes.

As to your questions about the report in Spanish, I read it and it is a very complete description of the technical specifications of a 1928 Model 49. If you have a good piece of Buick sale literature for your car, you already have most of the information.

One thing that was interesting was the technical comparision to a similiar year Rolls-Royce, in which the writer noted that the Buick rode and drove as well as the Rolls. This is not too surprising, as Rolls-Royce had a very thorough program of testing competitive makes and had identified Buick as early as about 1915 as the best volume produced car in the world from an engineering/engine/ride point of view. The Spanish writer apparently didn't know about the Rolls-Royce annual review of Buick, which usually resulted in the Buick being disassembled and it's components subjected to a piece by piece testing and inspection. If you set a Buick next to about a 4 years later Rolls and open the hoods, you'll quickly see what I'm talking about.

Regards, Dave Corbin

FYI: I worked at ENASA in Madrid in 1980 to 1982. Before the Spanish Civil War, it was Hispano Suiza. That's the "why" of being able to read that test drive in Spanish.

[pepcak]

Dave, thanks for the feedback. I am trying to find this (production number) information for years with no success. Looks Canada built more tourings in 28 than US, considering at least 3 preserved. The information about Rolls-Royce regularly testing Buicks is very interesting, is this story available anywhere in more detail? I am tempted to talk to some of proud owners of 20/25 Rollses in here :-) (I do not dare to think about Phantoms). I always thought Buick car is very good value for money even from today prospective when restoring it. Everything is just straight and simple, understandable, robust enough and aesthetic in the same time. I could not afford Rolls, but this Buick is at least comparable in size and noblesse in my eyes and far more affordable for common guy, with still quite lots of parts around us. Last year I started the "serious" work on the car, hopefully I will make some progress in 2009. BTW - in 1980 I was just 5 years old....

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Pepcak:

It's good that young people are enjoying these earlier cars. I'm about 36 years older than you (70 on May 19th, 2009) and joined the BCA in 1972.

As to the story on Rolls, I'd have to dig out source material that's probably older than you.

The sad story about the production figures is enough to make you cry. I've spent a lot of time since 1999 trying to find out exactly what those numbers looked like for the USA and Canada In the USA, I've succeded in finding bits and pieces from many sources and now have completed a huge data file covering 1904 thru 1958, both for frame numbers and engine numbers for USA cars only. IF your car has a USA engine, I can tell you when the engine was made to within a month. Producton at McLaughlin is usually about 6 weeks later. This research included an actual trip to Canada in 2006, specifically to GM of Canada. I did find the actual archives of George William McLaughlin at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. The archivist let me study thru them for 3 full days, but no production figures were found.

I also have a chart which I've made from well over 200 McLaughlin serial numbers that seems to be very accurate in establishing year from just the McLaughlin serial number. If you post yours, I can confirm year.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[critterpainter]

I belive that in the last few weeks a 36 or 37 or 38 limo(I don't recall which year) was involved in an accident in GB and will be totaled. I spoke with the insurance adjuster who was trying to find parts and he strongly doubted that the car would be fixed.

All I know about the car is that it was being used by a livery service as a "wedding car"

I wish I could supply more info but the insurance adjuster did not give me any ownership information but did make the comment that it was problably going to "the breakers"

Hope someone can find the car and at least use it as a parts car

Bill

[pepcak]

Dave, I found the plate from my car, see attached. The engine nr. is matching with engine in the car.

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Pepcak:

It looks like a numbers match McLaughlin plate to me. McLaughlin serial numbers for 1928 ran from 134001 to 144987. This would put 140320 about 60% of the way thru the model year.

The engine number of 2,091,312 is about 47% of the way thru the 1928 Buick engine number run from 1,960,500 to 2,240,299 or the 130,812th engine among 279,799 engines.

This is acounted for because of the shipping time from Flint to McLaughlin in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. This causes the car to be later in the year than the engine.

I hope this helps.

Regards, Dave Corbin

PS: For the rest of us, this is a good example of one of the reasons engine numbers are higher than frame numbers.

[pepcak]

Dave,

thanks for the info. It makes perfectly sense, one would not expect that the engine has been changed/replaced here in middle of Europe... Any idea what "R" after model designation does mean? And, also I would be interested in the Rolls testing Buick components story.. Thanks again Josef

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Josef:

Is the car right hand drive? I can't tell for sure from the picture. Also, is that you in the picture?

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Josef:

Could you measure the wheelbase of the car and post it? (The distance between the centerline of the front axle and the centerline of the rear axle is "wheelbase".) If you post in metric, that's ok for me. It's probably 120 inches or 128 inches. (3.05 meters or 3.25 meters)

Regards, Dave Corbin

[pepcak]

Dave, its 128 inches as one would expect, left hand steering. I have understood that (Flint) export cars had right hand steering and X designation. This one is not the case. At the picture is the guy I bought the car from. There is no body builder tag anywhere.... The common praxis in pre-war Czechoslovakia was to import chassis only (due to high import duties) and build the body locally. As you can see its a bit different from common Fisher jobs (much longer rear portion and windows in wood framing) on the other hand the double beltline is very "american" to me, wings and side aprons are true factory parts. Windscreen is horizontally split what would implicate usage of "touring" windscreen. Not sure if the rear portion of a "touring" is that long though. Some time ago I have seen Graham Paige for sale in Great Britain having exactly the same style of window wood frames. Some of door hardware is stamped "Bororo" what I think was Italian lock manufacturer. External door handles are beaten brass, valve rocker cover is thick nickel plated, front (drivers seats) are leather, rear compartment is in cloth.

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Josef:

It looks like the McLaughlin equivalent to a Buick 1928 Model 50 sedan. McLaughlin used their own model designators, so I'm not exactly sure what a model 49 McLaughlin is. The R is even more of a mystery since the car isn't right hand drive.

Since Buick exported all over the world, an export (X) car is not always RHD. There were even some RHD cars for the USA for postal delivery work.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[pepcak]

Dave,

1) I have a part list for 1928 Master models titled "McLaughlin Buick" (not "Buick") and there is model designation list at the front. I dont have it in front of me but I would bet that model designation is the same as US products i.e. 28-50 is 7pass sedan, 28-50L 7pass limo with divider, 28-49 7 pass touring etc.

2) If you look at the plate above, the designators are the same as for US cars. I wouldnt think they used same designators for different body style than US couterpart.

3) The Spanish report we talked about is also about Canadian made 28-49 that is 7 pass touring. I did not tell you I never opened the driver door, because they are frozen for whatever reason, so there may be a builder tag there....

4) Royal 28-49 was also 7 pass touring; all sources I have seen so far mention 2(3) cars built, one (Serial# 139645 engine# 2034106) is preserved in Canadian museum. <span style="font-weight: bold">Where is the second (and third) one? Does anybody know their serial and engine#?</span> I do not dare to say that "R" stands for "Royal” with serial nr. “just” 375 apart.... :-)) Mystery goes on......

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear Josef:

I checked the numbers you give for the 1928 McLaughlin model 49 and can tell you that 139645 is a 1928 Mclaughlin serial number and engine 2,034,106 is the right size engine for a model 49.

The frame numbers for the 2 USA Buicks were: 1,932,864 and 1,932,865. I would expect the engine numbers in those 2 cars to be between 1,990,500 and 2,015,499.

By the normal Buick model numbering system, a model 49 would be a 7 passenger touring car, probably on the 120 inch wheebase for 1928, although the 128 inch wheelbase is also a possibilty. It appears that there are more cars from Canada.

Please check your McLaughlin list and post it so I can see how it is the same and how it is different from the Buick list.

You mentioned in an earlier post that the car had been rebodied. The possibility of having a model 49 plate and a model 50 body needs to be checked.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[7buick7]

About the Rolls story, although I have not been able to verify this myself, I have read that Buick advertising people used this in a 1940 advert.

Without directly naming Rolls they mentioned the fact that "a famed English car builder" bought a Limited every year".

[pepcak]

Guys,

all posts regarding 28-49 McLaughlin in Prague has been moved into own thread, see

http://forums.aaca.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/573935

Sorry for mixing them up with 1936 topic.

Josef

[Guest P.M.O.]

Dear Pepcak:

It's good that young people are enjoying these earlier cars. I'm about 36 years older than you (70 on May 19th, 2009) and joined the BCA in 1972.

As to the story on Rolls, I'd have to dig out source material that's probably older than you.

The sad story about the production figures is enough to make you cry. I've spent a lot of time since 1999 trying to find out exactly what those numbers looked like for the USA and Canada In the USA, I've succeded in finding bits and pieces from many sources and now have completed a huge data file covering 1904 thru 1958, both for frame numbers and engine numbers for USA cars only. IF your car has a USA engine, I can tell you when the engine was made to within a month. Producton at McLaughlin is usually about 6 weeks later. This research included an actual trip to Canada in 2006, specifically to GM of Canada. I did find the actual archives of George William McLaughlin at Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. The archivist let me study thru them for 3 full days, but no production figures were found.

I also have a chart which I've made from well over 200 McLaughlin serial numbers that seems to be very accurate in establishing year from just the McLaughlin serial number. If you post yours, I can confirm year.

Regards, Dave Corbin

Thank You

[Guest P.M.O.]

Somewhere around here I have a history of the Buick company that includes pictures of the king's 1936 Buick limousine take before it was delivered, shortly after it was completed by General Motors of Canada in Oshawa Ontario. There are interior shots showing Oshawa and Toronto newspapers tucked in the side pockets.

Your car was made in Oshawa by GM Canada. All McLaughlin Buicks were made in Canada. The McLaughlin company started producing horse drawn vehicles in 1867 and was the biggest vehicle maker in the British Empire in the days of horse drawn carriages. When they went in for motor cars they bought Buick chassis from their old friend William Durant and installed their own design of bodies.

The McLaughlin Buick was made up until 1938. By that time they used the same mass produced bodies as their American counterparts so the McLaughlin name was rather pointless. It was not revived after the war.

I suggest you write to GM Canada, Oshawa Ontario. Send them the serial numbers of your car. They can't have sent many Buick 90 limousines to England that year. There were 2 supplied to the king and Wallis Simpson, other than that who knows?

1942 McLaughlin Buick was dropped and in 1918 GM Canada became out of McLaughlin Car Company dated back to 1908 by Durant.

[Guest Itime]

I have a 1937 mclaughlin 8 90 limo with a Thrupp & Maverly body and I am trying to find the original owner documentation. I was told it was Wallis Simpson's. Can you help?

[1939_Buick]

What is the engine number, frame(chassis) number & registration plate ?

OracleUK (as above) is the person who may know

Phtotos of the car would assist

Is this the same car as in post 1 (1936 90)?

Is it this car 1937_Buick McLaughlin ?

This Series 90 8-passenger Limousine (3 front, 3 rear and 2 occasional drop-down seats) with division, was very similar to that of Edward VIII and, like the Buicks of the King, was ordered via London agents, Lendrum and Hartman, for Sir Percival Bates, Chairman of the Cunard Shipping line. Originally finished in black, this, as with the majority of large American cars of the time, was commandeered by the War Office in 1939 and is understood to have served with RAF Bomber Command, later featuring in the film ‘The Dam Busters’, notably in the scenes of the bouncing bomb testing. Subsequently the car was repainted in white and more recently has received a new headlining in West of England cloth, upholstery in Bedford cord and the front compartment in red leather, all to the original specification. Mechanically it has been maintained as part of a large collection and kept in ready to drive order.

A new thread would have been better

Edited September 5, 2011 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[Guest Itime]

It is not that car. I don't know how to post a photo but the body is much more British looking. Sorry for the delay.

The serial number is CM1297591-2

The engine although a 90 series engine is not the original from the car but I believe I can get the number.

[1939_Buick]

Itime

Thanks for the reply: we are always interested in the series 80-90

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[Guest Oracle]

I can't seem to find the 1928 McL-Buick thread so pleasde move this posting by all means.

These were the '28 models in the 128 series:

SERIES 128:

28-49 7-PASSENGER TOURING

28-50 7-PASSENGER SEDAN

28-50L LIMOUSINE

28-51 BROUGHAM

28-54 DE LUXE ROADSTER

28-54C COUNTRY CLUB COUPÉ, 4-PASSENGER

28-55 DE LUXE TOURING

28-58 5-PASSENGER COUPE

The 1937 was a CO series, Model 4916 chassis bodied by Thrupp & Maberley with a 7-seat limousine body.

Serials ran # 749160001 to # 00412

[Guest Itime]

the engine number is 3188304

the vin # CM1297591-2

In the last thread was mentioned Wallis Simpson's limo I think this is it but is there an original picture? how can we tell?

[Guest David Morgan]

Hey Steve,

Glad to see my Buick is still looking well, i bought it in 1986 for £3000, and sold it for £13,000.

Hope it's going well,if you want to sell it please let me know.

If you want to chat about the car please call me on,07789 441011.

I never found any royal connection,and it was sold by Lendren and Hertman of London , May 1936.

 

Did you manage to sort the wheels out?Because they had a lot of filler and were out of balance and i brought them back from New Hampshire.The donor car had sat in a field for 30 years, when i bought it it had 1934 wire wheels and had the rear hubs machined as it had been driven from Scotland with all the wheel nuts loose.

 

Kind Regards, David .