Buick

US, 1903 to date

(1) Buick Motor Car Co, Detroit, Mich., 1903

(2) Buick Motor Car Co, Flint, Mich., 1904 to date

David Buick’s first car followed conventional American design in having a flat-twin engine mounted amidships under the floor, a two-speed planetary transmission, and final drive by chain – but unusual were its mechanically-operated full overhead valves, a feature of all cars bearing the name of Buick to the present day, apart from Buick fours of the 1906 – 1909 period, which had side-valves in T-heads. Capacity was 2.6-litres, and it sold for $1.250. Developments of this original Buick model were selling in England for £294 in 1907, but there was already a companion 4.2-litre four with front-mounted engine, and 1908 saw a ‘square’ Buick four (95.2x95.2mm) with planetary transmission added to the range. In 1908 W.C. Durant formed General Motors, Buick being one of the original members of the group. In 1909 Bob Burman drove a Buick to victory in the first race ever held at Indianapolis Speedway. Sales had exceeded 30.000 Buick cars by 1910. For the next few years Buicks with English bodywork were sold in Britain first as ‘all British Bedfords’, and then as ‘Bedford-Buicks’. By 1912 planetary transmission had been dropped and 4-cylinder Buick cars were available in 2.7-litre, 3.3-litre and 5.2-litre sizes, still with rhd, but with the brake and gear levers faired into the driver’s door. Delco electric lighting and starting were standard on all Buick models by 1914, in which year Buick marketed their first six, the Buick B-55. Nearly 126.000 Buick cars were sold in 1916, and the company entered the post-World War 1 era with a 2.8-litre four and a 3.9-litre six, cars which brought Buick into fourth position in US sales, behind Ford, Dodge, and Chevrolet, all far cheaper vehicles; a Buick Six tourer cost $1795 in 1921.

Drastic change came in 1924. The Buick cars acquired front wheel brakes as standard equipment, while cylinder heads were now detachable, and the rounded radiator shell gave way to an angular, Packard-like outline that was to continue until 1928. Prices of Buick fours started at $935, and the cheapest Buick six was listed at $1565. The 6-cylinder cars became the staple in 1925 and the ‘back-to-front’ gear shift pattern shared with Dodge was discarded in 1927. The Buick cars were completely re-styled in 1929, when hydraulic shock absorbers were added, and the capacities of the two basic Buick models were increased to 3.8-litres and 5.1-litres respectively. Prices ran from $1.195 to $2.145, but for Buick customers with slenderer pockets there was the Buick Marquette. Buick went over to an all-straight-8 programme, still with overhead valves, in 1931. Expanding brakes were now standard at front and rear. Synchromesh was standardized on the more expensive Buick models and available as an extra on all, and was standardized throughout the range in 1932.

Buick’s evolution up to World War 2 followed General motors policy; cruciform-braced frame and no-draught ventilation in 1933, Dubonnet-type ifs in 1934, and turret-top styling, down-draught carburation and hydraulic brakes in 1936 with the Buick DA-series – one example of which became famous when it took Mrs Ernest Simpson into exile at the time of the British Abdication crisis. Despite Buick’s upper middle-class position in the GM sales picture, the 1937 range of 4.1-litre and 5.2-litre eights covered everything from a sedan on a 10ft 2in wheelbase at $855 up to a seven-seater Buick C090 limousine at $2095; prices in Britain, where the Buick cars were consistently well received between the Wars, were £500 and £865 respectively. 1938 Buicks had coil springing all round, and that year the Division produced GM’s first ‘dream car’, a two-seater convertible coupé styled by Harley Earl on a Roadmaster chassis. Buicks used the same engines up to 1952, though they came out with a 2-speed Dynaflow automatic transmission in 1948. In 1948 they pioneered the now popular hardtop convertible body with their Buick Riveira. The smaller engines were, however, enlarged to 4.3-litres in 1952, and the following year the Division’s first ohv V8 unit appeared; its capacity was 5.3-litres, and its output 188bhp. All 1954 Buicks used this type of engine.

Buick sales dropped in 1958, but the 1959 cars were style leaders with the delta tail and fins. Buick’s first effort at a compact car in 1961 was the Buick Special with an all-aluminium 155bhp, 3½-litres V8 engine, replaced the following year by a cast-iron V6, used also by Oldsmobile. The demand for cars with a sporting flavor resulted in the handsome Buick Riviera sports coupé of 1963, which by 1966 was giving 340bhp from 7 litres, and was capable of 120mph. Automatic transmission was, of course, standard. The 1966 Buick range had a more sporting atmosphere than in the past, and embraced the Buick Special with a 9ft 7in wheelbase and a choice of V6 or 4.9-litre V8 engines; the Buick Skylark with the same chassis dimensions and a 6.6-litre V8 engine; and the bigger Buicks in the shape of the 5½-litre Buick Le Sabre, the 6.6-litre Buick Wildcat, the Buick Electra, and the top-line Buick Riviera. These models continued without basic change until 1971, though concealed screenwipers (found on other GM cars of that year) and the option of front disc brakes came in 1967, and cylinder capacities were increased: the biggest V8 ran to 7046cc in that year, to 7456cc in 1970. The small 3½-litre V8 abandoned by Buick in 1963 was taken up by Rover of England in 1968 and was subsequently supplied by them to Morgan. The 1971 Buick station wagons featured glide-away tailgates. By 1972 all but the economy Buick Skylarks had front disc brakes as regular equipment. Engine outputs were reduced (from 370bhp to 250bhp in the case of the most potent V8), and the Buick Riviera was restyled in the Chevrolet Corvette hardtop idiom. Only V8s, of 5736cc and 7456cc, were offered in 1973; the Buick Skylark gave way to a new car with an old Buick name, the Century, that reverted to the single-headlamp layout.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

White

US, 1900 – 1918

(1) White Sewing Machine Co, Cleveland, Ohio, 1900 – 1906

(2) The White Co, Cleveland, Ohio, 1906 – 1918

Rollin H. White of the Cleveland sewing-machine concern produced their first White steam car in 1900. This White steam car was a light chain-drive Stanhope with tiller steering and a simple 2-cylinder under-floor engine. The White steam car had an underslung frontal condenser, and 193 White steam cars were sold in 1901, the first year of full production. This gave way in 1903 to a White steam car model with a front-mounted compound engine under a bonnet, condenser in the normal ‘radiator’ position, wheel steering, and shaft drive.

These White car and subsequent White steam cars used a semi-flash type of boiler, and could run a hundred miles between fillings of water. Frames of the White steam cars were of armoured wood, and a tonneau White car cost $2.000.

The White steam cars did well in early Glidden Tours, and racing versions, such as Webb Jay’s Whistling Billy with an underslung frame, were also successful; this White steam car covered a mile at 74.07mph. Theordore Roosevelt used a White steam car during his tenure of the White House. 1905 White steam cars had a 2-speed back axle, and also a ‘free engine’ enabling the pumpt to work without manufal assistance when the White car was stationary in traffic. 1906 was the best sales year for the White car company, with 1.534 White cars devlivered, but steam-car production was held at over 1.000 White steam cars a year to the end. By 1908, the White steam car company was offering two models, a 20hp White Model L at $2.500, and the big seven-seater Model K White car with a 10ft 2in wheelbase at $3.700. Joy valve motion replaced the Stephenson link type on 1909 White steam cars, which had both sets of brakes working on the rear wheels of the White car.

White steam cars continued to be listed into 1911, though the 1910 White MM and White OO were the last new White steam cars. For the 1910 season the White car company offered a 3½-litre sv petrol car with a monobloc engine inspired by the Delahaye; the 4-speed gearbox of the White car had a geared-up top. This White car was joined in 1912 by a really big six rated at 60hp, and this White car was selling for $5.000, still with 4 forward speeds. Electric lighting and starting were added on these White cars during the year, and these 4- and 6-cylinder White cars were continued until 1916.

The 1917 models White cars were 16-valve fours of over 6½-litres’ capacity, with magneto ignition, these White cars were selling at $5.000 upwards.

By this time the White car company was firmly established in the truck field, and after 1918 private White cars and White steam cars were made to special order only, and in very small numbers. The last of these ‘special White cars’ was made in 1936.

Rollin White was subsequently responsible for the Rollin car in 1923, while the White car firm also absorbed two truck-makers who had previously built private cars, Autocar and ReO.

US, 1909

George White Buggy Co, Rock Island, Ill.

This White car was a high-wheel buggy, but the mounting of the engine at the front under a bonnet gave the White car more the appearance of an ordinary car than many of its kind. The engine of this White car was a 2-cylinder 12/14hp unit which drove via a 2-speed epicyclic gear and propeller shaft. Two- and four-seater bodies were available on White cars.

US, 1914

White Manufactuing Co, Waterloo, Iowa

The White car was a cyclecar and used a 9hp ohv V-twin engine. This White car had chain final drive.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS, GNG 

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com