I love to come across a car I’ve never heard of, and that’s what happened with this 1929 Marquette. Actually, it’s a lower priced Buick that was introduced just before the Great Depression hit. As best as I can tell, around 30,000 Marquettes were built in just two years and then the marque was gone. This particular car is located in Orem, Utah and is being offered here on eBay. The buy-it-now price is $5,000 but there is the option to make an offer. Stored for the last ten years in a garage, it’s evident that the car is going to need a lot of cosmetic help. The engine, a flathead 6-cylinder, was actually sourced from Oldsmobile although it was obviously modified for the application; there is a beautiful “Marquette” cast into the block. Like the Chrysler I posted the other day, this would be a nice change from the typical Model A. I think the Chrysler is a better buy though, unless you are a died-in-the-wool GM fan. Had you ever even heard of a Marquette before?
Yesterday’s Chrysler is a better deal. This one has a LOT of work to be done. It would make a beautiful Gangstermobile.
This one needs many, many thousands of parts and labor to bring it to the level of the Chrysler, which is only a couple thousand more.
It would be stunning restored though. Quite the piece.
By way of History — In the late 20s GM wanted to fill the price gap between their brands of automobiles. It was the roaring 20s and pre depression era. The economy was in great shape. Cadillac came out with the LaSalle, (1927 – 1940). Buick came out with the Marquette (1929 – 1930), a downscaled Buick a with a total of 35,007 cars built. Oldsmobile came out with the Viking (1929 – 1930), an upmarket companion to the Oldsmobile. Oakland (at the time a major brand) came out with the Pontiac with a total of 500,000 cars built in 1929. Shortening a long story, the Pontiac survived and the depression killed the Oakland, the Viking and the Marquette.
I’ve been more and more interested in the prewar stuff lately, and as much as I dig it I still can’t help thinking that the Chrysler from the other day needs less work and will probably be easier to source parts for. Still, its really cool and I hope someone saves it, for its historical value if nothing else.
Money pit ! This will NOT be a cheap project. Decent drivers can be had reasonably……….prewar cars are relatively cheap now.
.
. Further, and very important, Buick had an OHV 6 that was a MUCH better motor, here is the one in my 28 Buick Speedster , and it is a sweet running motor, that demonstrates Buick was always in the forefront of automotive engineering and design.
As a member of our local Buick Club here in Norcal, our past director has a beautiful restored original 1930 Marquette Coupe and driven to local events. This 1929 is an interesting find, would like to have it but way too much work and $$ for me. Hope someone will step up and take on the job to preserve it.
Marquette (n.) — a female marque.
The Marquette engine was sourced out from Oldsmobile.
I have a friend that has a restored Marquette–the only one I have ever seen. I have always wondered why GM dropped the less expensive Marquette and kept the more expensive Buick–at a time when few could afford expensive cars.
Amazing! Just this morning at the local Cars and Coffee show I was relating the story of my first car, — yes, a 1929 Marquette! Bought by myself and 4 friends (also 16 year olds) in 1962 by pooling our allowances, it lasted just 2 weeks before one of our group rear-ended a police car at a traffic light after mistakenly applying the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal — which was easy to do in a panic situation because the accelerator pedal was placed BETWEEN the other two. I’m not sure if this was so on the American versions but it was on the ones we got in the Antipodes.
Of course, the police promptly confiscated the Marquette and had it crushed the following week. Probably just as well as it was going to be my turn having the car next.
Reg.
Just brought home a 1930 Marquette four door with dual side mounts and trunk . Found in back of a building and is only missing a couple parts. Oil filter and window crank.
Sounds like fun!
I have a 1929 Marquette that I got in 1970 in Kansas. All original and used to run. Now going to get it going again. Wish I had seen this one for sale. Might have been interested.
Hey guys, I’m driving a 1930 Marquette sedan 4 door nice running we kept inside all those years only 50,000 miles and no wood rot doors windows everything really works good having radiator clean right now otherwise drive it almost every other day