Finding a hundred-year-old anything is notable, but a car? One hundred and three, to be exact; well, that’s over the top! But that’s the case with this 1923 Buick Tourer. I believe this is a model 23-Six-45, but I don’t know that with certainty. Mother Nature appears to be working on a takeover, though the seller does state, “car runs and drives. No, you cannot drive it home.” OK, let’s take a closer look and see if there’s anything viable still here. Timbo, Arkansas, is where you’ll find this bit of Flint antiquity, and it’s available here on craigslist for $3,000. Terry gets the nod for this discovery!
Trying to drill this model down is a challenge, as Buick offered several similar models along with the usual array of roadsters and sedans in two and four-door form. Assuming I called this one correctly, it retailed for $1,195, and it’s one of at least 45K assembled. Of course, if anyone has a better fix on this model’s ID, please let me know via the comments. Anyway, it has been sitting a long while, certainly long enough to have a garden sprouting up through its missing floorboards. Really, it appears more like a parts car than anything else. And speaking of parts, the seller adds, “(It) comes with another grand touring car, same year, that is in pieces and a whole bunch of other boxes of parts. It is a 1923 Buick, same as this one that’s in 5 million pieces, should be able to take two cars and make at least one good car, and have a whole bunch of parts left.” So, if one wreck is not enough, a second is available!
The engine is an undersquare 242 CI, in-line six that does feature overhead valves. I know the seller claims it runs, but this image doesn’t really project a running prowess. The transmission is a three-speed manual sliding gear unit.
As for the interior, what interior? Sure, parts of the seats are still present, but that’s about it. The steering wheel has been reduced to splinters, the gauges are missing, the folding top is in shreds, and as stated previously, there doesn’t appear to be much of a floor remaining.
Oh boy, what to do here. Yes, we always want to save them all, but this one looks like it’s too far around the bend! There are no included images of the other car or the available parts, so a detailed inquiry would need to be made to ascertain exactly what your $3,000 is getting you. So, what’s your thought: a worthy project, one that absolutely needs to be saved, or a pig in a poke?
Ah, the 242 Iris motor!
Looks like it would make a good Beverly Hillbillies clone for those of you that know what that refers to.
Y’all Come Back Now Here…
Well, J.O, I am looking for a Buick, but this is pushing it. For 1923, this was really a modern car. Research shows, I believe this is a 1923 Model 55 Sport Touring, or 1923 Buick Model 23-Six-55 Master Six Sport Touring, to be exact, the disc wheels are the clue. Buicks claim then was speed. This car could do almost 60 mph, unheard of then, but with only 2 wheel rear mechanical brakes, stopping was another matter. Some early OHV engines had exposed valves, but on this, the cover is missing. While this will never be restored, the parts are unobtainable today. I think/hope someone would want it for that.
Jennings Motor Sports could have that running/driving in no time. Look him up on You Tube. The kid is amazing what he can get running!