The Crittenden Automotive Library

Buick

Buick
Vehicle Manufacturer

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Wikipedia: Buick Page Sections Reference Desk History Multimedia Motorsports Photographs Documents Article Index Merchandise

A manufacturer of cars and SUVs. A division of General Motors.

Vehicle names used by Buick currently and throughout history include: Bengal, Centurion, Century, Electra, Enclave, Encore, Envision, Envista, Estate, GL8, Gran Sport, Lacrosse, LeSabre, Limited, Lucerne, Model 10, Model 35, Model 60, Model C, Park Avenue, Rainier, Reatta, Regal, Rendezvous, Riviera, Roadmaster, Series 90, Skyhawk, Skylark, Somerset, Special, Special Deluxe, Sport Wagon, Super, Terraza, Velite, Verano, and Wildcat.

Dealerships include:
Auffenberg Chevrolet Buick GMC (Farmington, Missouri)
Briggs Buick GMC (Manhattan, Kansas)
Buick-Losey Company (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Carl Black Kennesaw (Kennesaw, Georgia)
City Cadillac Buick GMC (Long Island City, New York)
Crown Buick GMC (Metairie, Louisiana)
Lincoln Park Buick (Chicago, Illinois)
Reichert Chevrolet Buick (Crystal Lake, Illinois)
Reichert Chevrolet Buick Pontiac (Woodstock, Illinois)
Richard Karr Motors (Waco, Texas) Rick Weaver Buick GMC (Erie, Pennsylvania)
Turan Foley Chevrolet Cadillac Buick (Gulfport, Mississippi)
Wakefield Buick (Spartanburg, South Carolina)
Young Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC (Owosso, Michigan)

History

The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Buick page on 1 May 2016, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Buick, formally the Buick Motor Division, is an upscale automobile brand of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). For much of its existence in the North American market, Buick has been marketed as a premium automobile brand, selling luxury vehicles positioned above GM's mainstream brands, e.g. Chevrolet, while below the flagship luxury Cadillac division.

Buick retains the distinction of being the oldest active American marque of automobile, and the original Buick Motor Company was a cornerstone of the establishment of General Motors in 1908. Before the establishment of General Motors, GM founder William C. Durant served as Buick's general manager, while his friend Louis Chevrolet worked as a racing driver for Buick and later learned automotive design working there.

Buick-branded vehicles are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Taiwan. In 2015, Buick sold 1,231,941 vehicles, a record for the brand. Since restructuring in 2009, GM has also started to share technology, vehicles and development between Buick and GM's European Opel division.

Early years

Buick, founded in 1899 in Detroit, is one of the oldest automobile brands in the world and the oldest in America, (Autocar, originally an automobile maker but currently strictly a heavy truck maker, and Oldsmobile, a now defunct early auto maker owned by GM, were both founded in 1897. Ford produced his first car in 1896 but did not start the Ford Motor Co. until 1903, and during the period in between was involved with other automobile manufacturers such as Cadillac). It was founded by David Buick as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, an internal combustion engine manufacturer. The first two Buick automobiles were made in 1899 and 1900 by Buick chief-engineer Walter Marr, but David Buick was reluctant to begin making automobiles, being satisfied with stationary and marine engine production, so Marr left Buick in 1901 to found his own automobile company under his own name. His replacement was Eugene Richard, who applied for a patent in 1902 for the valve-in-head engine, which patent, number 771,095, was awarded to David Buick in 1904. This was the world's first overhead valve internal combustion engine, although it was called "valve-in-head" because the cylinders were horizontal so the valves were not actually "overhead." In 1903, the third Buick automobile was made by Richard, but that same year Buick moved to Flint, Michigan, and Richard stayed behind. Marr was rehired in 1904 in Flint as chief engineer, to begin making automobiles in production. That year, 37 Buick automobiles were made, production increasing to 750 in 1905, 1,400 in 1906, 4,641 in 1907, and 8,800 in 1908, taking the number one spot away from close competitors Oldsmobile, Ford, and Maxwell.

David Dunbar Buick incorporated his company as the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903, in Detroit, Michigan. In 1904, the company was purchased by James H. Whiting (1842–1919), owner of Flint Wagon Works, in Flint, Michigan, who moved Buick to a location across the street from his factory, with the idea of adding Buick's engines to his wagons. David Buick stayed on as secretary, and re-hired Walter Marr as chief engineer. The engine Buick and Marr developed for this automobile was a 2-cyinder valve-in-head engine of 159 cubic inches, with each cylinder horizontal and opposed to each other by 180 degrees. Whiting built only a few automobiles in 1904, by bringing Buick engines across the street where his workers shoehorned them into his wagons and drove them back across the street as Buicks, before running out of capital, causing him to bring in William C. Durant that year as controlling investor. Durant was co-owner, also in Flint, of the Durant-Dort Carriage Company, which was the largest carriage-making company in the country. Durant spent the next 4 years turning Buick into the biggest-selling automobile brand in the US. In 1907 Buick agreed to supply motors to R. S. McLaughlin in Canada, who made automobiles there, and in 1908 Durant founded General Motors. David Buick was kept for several years as an employee. He sold his stock for a small sum upon departure, and died in modest circumstances 25 years later.

Reference Desk

The Crittenden Automotive Library's "Reference Desk" is a collection of materials that cannot be shared due to copyright restrictions. Information from these resources, however, can be shared. Go to the Reference Desk page for more information.

Type	Title
1968 Book	1968 Buick Owner's Manual (LeSabre, Wildcat, Electra); General Motors Corporation
1972 Book	1972 Buick Owner's Manual (Skylark, GS, Sportwagon); General Motors Corporation
1987 Book	Buick Mid-Size Rear Wheel Drive Models Automotive Repair Manual by Peter D. du Pré; Haynes North America, Inc.
1999 Book	Buick, Oldsmobile & Pontiac Full-size models 1970 thru 1990 Haynes Repair Manual by Ken Freund & John H. Haynes; Haynes Publishing Group
2002 Book	From a Buick 8 by Stephen King; Scribner

Multimedia

Date	Media or Collection Name & Details	Files
1930's	Sell the Difference! The Jam Handy Organization for Buick	Topic Page - 278MB - 12:21

Motorsports

Buick Regals were used in NASCAR's Winston Cup through the end of the 1991 season.

Championships Won in Buicks

Year	Series	Driver	Model
1981	NASCAR Winston Cup	Darrell Waltrip	Regal
1982	NASCAR Winston Cup	Darrell Waltrip	Regal
1983	NASCAR Winston Cup	Bobby Allison	Regal
1988	NASCAR Busch Grand National Series	Tommy Ellis

Photographs

	Source: Famous GM Cars View Famous GM Cars: Buick - 20.3MB
	Source: Famous GM Cars View Famous GM Cars: Buick - 18.3MB
	Subject: 1919 Buick H-6-44 Source: Hand Book of Automobiles, 1919 Edition View Buick H-6-44 page of Hand Book of Automobiles, 1919 Edition - 446KB
	Subject: 1919 Buick H-6-47 Source: Hand Book of Automobiles, 1919 Edition View Buick Sedan H-6-47 page of Hand Book of Automobiles, 1919 Edition - 526KB
	Subject: Buick Four-Passenger Six-Cylinder Coupe Advertisement Source: Amarillo Daily News Date: 31 December 1922 View 1922 Buick Advertisement - 265KB
	Subject: Buick Coupe Source: Washington Times-Herald Date: 31 December 1922 View 1922 Buick Advertisement - 3.7MB
	Subject: 1925 Buick Advertisement Source: Barrington Review Publication Date: 23 April 1925 View image of 1925 Buick Advertisement - 236KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,838KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,547KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,122KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 2,840KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,597KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,335KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,144KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 4,030KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,938KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,758KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 3,925KB
	Subject: 1928 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 The Cars Time Forgot Car Show View photo of 1928 Buick - 4,609KB
	Subject: Custom 1932 Buick Woody Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 Johnsburg Car and Bike Show View photo of Custom 1932 Buick Woody - 4,633KB
	Subject: Custom 1932 Buick Woody Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 Johnsburg Car and Bike Show View photo of Custom 1932 Buick Woody - 3,716KB
	Subject: Custom 1932 Buick Woody Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 Johnsburg Car and Bike Show View photo of Custom 1932 Buick Woody - 5,632KB
	Subject: Custom 1932 Buick Woody Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 Johnsburg Car and Bike Show View photo of Custom 1932 Buick Woody - 3,589KB
	Subject: Custom 1932 Buick Woody Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2009 Johnsburg Car and Bike Show View photo of Custom 1932 Buick Woody - 3,653KB
	Subject: Buick Eight Photographer: Bill Crittenden Location: Klapp Motor Sales Date: 2009 View photo of Buick Eight - 4,228KB
	Subject: Buick Eight Photographer: Bill Crittenden Location: Klapp Motor Sales Date: 2009 View photo of Buick Eight - 3,656KB
	Subject: 1938 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2013 Mecum Chicago Auction Auction Info: Reserve not met, high bid $12,000. View photo of 1938 Buick - 3.3MB
	Subject: Dad's Home Artist: Ken Eberts Car: 1940 Buick Source: View "Dad's Home" - 1940 Buick Art - 84KB View "Dad's Home" (Framed) - 1934 Ford Art - 47KB
	Subject: 1953 Buick Advertisement Source: The Saturday Evening Post View photo of 1953 Buick Advertisement - 48.9MB
	Subject: 1953 Buick Wagon die cast by Danbury Mint Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: C.A.R.S. in Miniature October 2010 Meeting View photo of 1953 Buick Wagon - 3,769KB
	Subject: 1955 Buick Photographer: John Walczak Event: 2007 Lensing Autumn Classic Car Show View photo of 1955 Buick - 3,222KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 3,737KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 2,981KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 3,751KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 3,011KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 3,314KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 3,429KB
	Subject: Modified 1958 Buick Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 4th Annual Grass Lake PTO "Cars for Kids" Classic & Hot Rod Show View photo of 1958 Buick - 2,979KB
	Photo ©2007 John Walczak View photo of Buick - 3,549KB
	Subject: 1962 Buick 400SL scale model Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info: Fantasy car to compete with the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. View photo of 1962 Buick 400SL Model Car - 2.7MB
	Subject: 1962 Buick 400SL scale model Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info: Fantasy car to compete with the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. View photo of 1962 Buick 400SL Model Car - 2.4MB
	Subject: 1962 Buick 400SL scale model Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2012 Cedarville Model Car Contest and Swap Meet Model Build Info: Fantasy car to compete with the Mercedes-Benz 300SL. View photo of 1962 Buick 400SL Model Car - 2.5MB
	Subject: 1962 Buick Limousine scale model Photographer: Bill Crittenden Event: 2012 Attack of the Plastic Model Build Info: Made from two '62 Buick model kits. View photo of 1962 Buick Limousine Model - 4.0MB
	Subject: Buick Gran Sport Station Wagon Photographer: Bill Crittenden Date: 12 June 2010 View photo of Buick Gran Sport Station Wagon - 3,825KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden June 12, 2010 View photo of Buick Gran Sport Station Wagon - 3,788KB
	Photo ©2010 Bill Crittenden June 12, 2010 View photo of Buick Gran Sport Station Wagon - 4,110KB

Documents

Date	Document Name & Details	Documents
31 March 1967	NHTSA Recall 67V034000 1967 Buick, 1967 Oldsmobile, 1967 Pontiac	Recall Page - 1 page

Article Index

Date	Article	Author/Source
22 February 1909	BUICK CAR MAKES 100-MILE RECORD	The New York Times
20 February 1910	THREE BUICK MACHINES SOLD BEFORE EXHIBIT	Los Angeles Herald
2 July 1922	NEW MOTOR BUILDING.	The New York Times
2 August 1922	AUTOMOBILE PRICE WAR IS PREDICTED	The New York Times
31 December 1922	GIVES REASONS FOR NEW MARK SET BY BUICK	The Bisbee Daily Review
4 March 1954	Buick Borrows Features from 'Dream' Cars	The Spartanburg Herald
17 October 2002	GM Dealer, Eric Dickerson, to Join National Buick Dealer Advisory Council	General Motors Minority Dealers Association
29 November 2003	Buick Works Hard to Perk Up Its Image	John Birchard, VOA News
21 January 2006	Advice for Buick	Bill Crittenden
21 April 2007	'Super' Buicks: The Return	Jerick Brooks
8 March 2009	Buick: More than a Century of Excellence	Ronnie Tanner
24 January 2011	The Formidable Buick GS	William Jason
5 September 2011	Americans Owe A Debt Of Gratitude To One Of America's Auto Pioneers	Kenneth Cobbler
2 August 2012	Used Buick Cars	Clint Dixon
18 October 2012	A New Vision for General Motors	Bill Crittenden
13 November 2012	Buick's Verano a Miscommunication	Bill Crittenden
24 June 2015	Why Won't Anyone Make a "Jitterbug Car?"	Bill Crittenden
14 April 2016	SoCal Buick GMC Breaks Digital Agency Ranks, Becomes Fastest Growing Region in the U.S.	Flash Point Communications
13 November 2020	OKCarz Helps Customers Shop by Detailing Used Buick Models	OKCarz
21 January 2006	Advice for Buick The recent image of Buick has been that it's an "old people's" brand. That image is entirely accurate. The average age of Buick's "customer base" (according to USA Today) is 63.	Commentary (text) Publisher: Byline: Bill Crittenden Topic: Buick
22 June 2023	Proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement for the Buick City Site in Flint, Michigan The settlement requires the Settling Party to, if necessary, execute and record a Declaration of Restrictive Covenant; provide access to the Site and exercise due care with respect to existing contamination.	Federal Register Notice (text) Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Byline: Douglas Ballotti Topic: Buick
28 August 2023	Proposed Prospective Purchaser Agreement for the Buick City Site in Flint, Michigan; Reopening of the Comment Period Additionally, a public meeting will be held in Flint, Michigan prior to the closing of the reopened comment period.	Federal Register Notice (text) Agency: Environmental Protection Agency Byline: Thomas Short Topic: Buick

Merchandise

Type & Item #	Name	Details
Die Cast - Motor Max 73116	1949 Buick	1:18 scale convertible