“Model T’s are everywhere but when have you seen a 100-year-old Buick?” the ad for this car states. Think about it, that’s a pretty fair question. This 1918 Buick was found in a barn in middle Georgia and is said to run! It can be found here on Hemmings.com with an asking price of $11,900. Located in Tyrone, Georgia, it has a current Georgia registration. The car is being sold by Tommy’s Antiques and Collectibles and you can find their ad here.
The drivetrain is said to be original and the engine runs. If you’ve never heard one of these exposed rocker engines run, they sound pretty neat clicking along. It looks like most of the wiring has been replaced, which is not a surprise. There are plenty of reproduction cloth-wrapped wires available if the new owner wants to do a period-correct installation.
Obviously, the seat upholstery is gone. The frame and springs look to be in decent shape though, so it shouldn’t be too bad to rebuild. The floorboards look pretty solid but are probably newer. The door panels will need to be re-done, but other than that, the dash, gauges, and other interior bits look like they are in decent shape.
Overall, this is a pretty neat looking car. I hope it gets a second lease on life and is restored to factory original or driven as-is. I am a hot rod guy, but I’d hate to see this car end up as a hot rod or custom. What do you think will be the fate of this century-old car?
Oh please please make. It drive like it is. There’s so much glass around let it live.
As DrinkinGasoline might say, all this Buick needs is to
Drop the shackles in the rear, trip Stromberg 97’s, Offenhauser heads. Isky cam and Fenton headers piped into Smithy’s mufflers dumping out of 3″ echo cans. On to the exterior…….Fulton sunvisor with dash mount sightglass.
Twin Baby Lorraine spotlights, skirts, wide whites with flipper wheel covers. Maybe some headlight visors or eyelids, or both.
I have no idea what is being stated, and I don’t really want to know, but there is no glass around the old Buick with these superficial changes.
Don’t mess with it. You wouldn’t tart up your 100 year old mother would you?
Restore, restore,restore; One shoild not destroy history and these are ai
aitomotive history.
What must the original owners felt when taken first drive?
Passing pedestrians and horse drawn buggys, leaving the past behind, and anticipating the road ahead.
A new modern age was beginning, an age that they only caught a glimmer of.
Possibly a daring man, not cut out of ordinary cloth, an adventurous soul.
Then again he could of just been a wealthy a- hole showboat.
Glad the auto outlived who ever owned in past, and deserves to outlive us.
Hear!Hear! Some sanity raises its head! Not everything is about hot rods. I enjoy them but not exclusively.
Too close to being a very nearly complete, nearly original to rod it now. Restore it and enjoy. SBC something else.
Just fix what needs to be fixed, dress her up in a new coat of paint,
and enjoy her as she is. Might wanna make some new wheels with
a 3D printer though as the wooden rims can be quite dangerous to
use. Could see me and my family driving this car to our monthly
car show downtown. We are, after all, a Buick family so yes we’d
really rather have a Buick!
Looks like an easy restoration. Last week, I went to a regional AACA car show at Red Boiling Springs TN. The show, which has been going on for about 60 years, used to be strictly for restored cars, but would die if they insisted on that now. I’d say it’s over 80% modified cars- very sad.
One of the few restored cars at the show, a 30’s Packard.
Fred, small world. Not many people know of Red Boiling Springs. I have done business for many years with a contractor there. Great people. Interesting place with a lot of cool history.
Correct any mechanical faults, and freshen up the trim and drive it! I wouldnt paint it either. Original is even better than restored! A bit of patina always adds class to an antique driver.
I love all the comments here about dealing with this old Buick. You are my kind of folks! Thanks a bunch!!
You need a woman in a broad brimmed hat holding onto it,with one hand as you fly along the back roads…at 30 mph.A really nice looking car with even more interesting lines than a Model T.
Restore, restore,restore; One shoild not destroy history and these are aitomotive history.
What must the original owners felt when taken first drive?
Passing pedestrians and horse drawn buggys, leaving the past behind, and anticipating the road ahead.
A new modern age was beginning, an age that they only caught a glimmer of.
Possibly a daring man, not cut out of ordinary cloth, an adventurous soul.
Then again he could of just been a wealthy a- hole showboat.
Glad the auto outlived who ever owned in past, and deserves to outlive us.
(1) If we look forward another 100 years or more, I would think an original car will live on longer than a rodded one.
(2) The bonnet & engine bay is too small for a big block so if you want to rod it the engine would have to go behind the driver to make a mid engine hot rod!
(3) Note in the engine photo an ignition coil is hung on the side of what looks like a magneto.
No magneto on 1918 Buicks. That’s the starter/generator combination. And it’s heavy! Better have two strong arms if you have to remove it for any service work.
Yes 39486 ounces or less. Maybe a lot less, but heavy.
I’m in the restore it camp in order to keep it viable to go another 100 years. As for the wooden spoke wheels there are wheel makers that can handle that, I’d have a few spares made while I was at it. I’m curious as to how they kept the valve train oiled must have had oiler cups to take care of that. It would be an oily mess under the hood and across the bottom but built in rust protection. Once restored this really belongs in a museum and maybe brought out on parade day. As for hot Roding it aren’t there enough repop parts out there to build one from scratch why mess with this little gem?
Anyone who cares about a 100 YO car is dead now. Cars like this are worthless.
I like 100 year old cars, and while I been feeling poorly last couple days I think I am still alive.
Then again maybe I am dead and don’t know it.
if so, being as I am unemployed, maybe I can become an extra on that program “Fear the Walking Dead”.
Or better yet start a series spin off called , ” Fear the Dead who Drive 100 Year Old Cars”.
Chillymost, I am disappointed you feel that way as I think it worthwhile to respect those history makers who helped develop the world we live in today. Such vehicles are a living history and to drive one is a great honour.
I’d say repair rather than restore. Shiny cars tend not to be everyday drivers due to fear of damage. Build something you’d be happy to subject to Paris parking (i.e. no handbrake but leave it in gear).