Lot 175: 1951 Buick Series 70 Roadmaster Estate Wagon

At the end of 1930 Buick adopted an all eight-cylinder range that would carry it through to WW2 and beyond, its products of the immediate post-war years, like those of major rivals, being revised 1942 models. The first significant styling changes arrived in 1949, and then in 1950 the 'bucktooth' range was introduced, so called because of its bold vertical grille bars. The following year saw this styling device revert to less exaggerated proportions. In 1951 the Buick Estate Wagon was the only car in General Motors’ line-up that offered real wood body construction as opposed to simulated wood-style trim. It was available on the mid-price Series 50 Super and top-of-the-range Series 70 Roadmaster chassis, the latter being powered by the 320.2cu in (5.2-litre) ‘Fireball’ straight eight engine.

One of only 679 Estate Wagons built on the Roadmaster Series 70 chassis in 1951, this example was manufactured in GM’s plant in Georgia and has the Dynaflow automatic transmission which was standard on the Series 70. The current owner, a prominent private collector of American automobiles, bought this car while on a business trip to Miami, Florida in 1992. It was immediately imported to Belgium where it has been kept in heated and dehumidified storage together with the rest of the vendor’s collection. Finished in black with red leatherette interior, the latter affording an impressive load space, the car is presented in good condition and performs well, the Fireball ‘eight’ pulling it briskly up to a comfortable cruising speed. Both body and woodwork are well preserved. Representing an opportunity, rare in Europe, to acquire one of these highly desirable ‘woody’ estate wagons, so redolent of 1950s America, the car is offered with 1992 bill of sale and EU customs papers.

Un des 679 breaks construits sur le châssis Roadmaster série 70 en 1951, cet exemplaire fabriqué à l'usine GM de Georgie possède la transmission automatique Dynaflow standard sur la série 70. L'actuel propriétaire, important collectionneur de voitures américaines, a acquis cette voiture lors d'un voyage d'affaires en Floride à Miami en 1992. Elle fut aussitôt importée en Belgique où elle a été conservée dans un garage chauffé et déshumidifié avec le reste de la collection du vendeur. Peinte en noir avec intérieur en simili rouge offrant un impressionnant espace de chargement, la voiture se présente en bon état et fonctionne très bien, le huit-cylindres Fireball l'emmenant rapidement à une confortable vitesse de croisière. Représentant une rare occasion d'acquérir en Europe un de ces désirables break en bois dits “ woodies ”, si évocateur de l'Amérique des années 1950, la voiture est offerte avec sa facture d'achat de 1992 et ses papiers de dédouanement dans l'Union Européenne.