The Buick Master Six Brougham Sedan was only built from 1925-1928 and has the rare opera oval windows. It was last licensed in 1942 and was a California car. It’s not every day that you come across a car that hasn’t been on the road for 76 years, let alone such a unique car. Only 6,850 were made on the 128-inch wheelbase making this a very rare car as it was Buick’s high-end model in 1927. the 128-inch wheel based Master Six was a step up from the Standard Six model. It appears to be untouched other than the wheels being restored and tires replaced a decade ago. The seller states that there are less than 10 known to exist but I was unable to verify that information. This Buick is listed here on Craigslist in Sweet Home, Oregon with an asking price of $4,500.
This car is in desperate need of a restoration from top to bottom. The seller states that there needs to be structural repairs done on the passenger side along with metal work on the running board skirt. On top of that, the interior is lacking curb appeal and would have to be gutted. However, all the glass is there and I would imagine replacing the oval windows with originals would be next to impossible. Although the upholstery has deteriorated poorly over the years, the wood appears to be in rather decent shape for being 91 years old. A lot of work needs to be done but I believe enough is there for this car to be restored to its former glory.
The seller states a gauge is missing but it comes with two extras that can be seen sitting on the front seat. The original steering wheel is all there but will need to be refinished and the brake and clutch pedals are missing. It seems like most of the parts are included with a few missing here and there. Although we all know it can be a tedious process tracking down specific parts that you need on any car, let alone a low production pre-war sedan.
This Buick features a 274 cubic inch straight 6 engine. The seller does not give any information on the engine’s condition but assuming that it’s been sitting 76 years, it will need to be gone through completely. 1927 was towards the end of production for the straight 6 as it would be dropped completely in 1931. This car is in need of a total restoration and it will be a challenging task considering the car is not complete. Although it being such a rare car, I personally believe there is enough left for it to be restored. Do you believe there is enough of this car left to be saved?
Evedently someone thought there was enough left to be restored as the day I saw your posting, clicked the Craigslist link, it had been deleted!
I am assuming that it sold?
Hopefully, it will not be “restored” but kept original to the greatest possible extent.
I’m assuming it sold too because it was only listed 3 days and it was gone within a couple hours after I was done writing it.
Where are the people commenting on the poor performance potential of this old car … lacking disc brakes, big block V-8, Ferrari type suspension ? Compared to that 72 SS Chevelle, this car is slow and old, lumbers along like a hay wagon, and has street presence like no post-classic era vehicle can ever muster. Dive it anywhere and you’ll see more smiles, pointing fingers, and thumbs up than any post-war car lover can imagine. 20’s cars are dirt cheap, require the added commitment of sourcing work and parts, but well worth the effort, if backroads roadtripping and making smiles wherever you take it are part of one’s old car interest.
Terrific car but it does need restoring. And how spectacular it will look. One of the rare things about this car is it went out of service in 1942 yet managed to servive the scrap drives during ww2. Makes me think it was hidden away with the intension of reuse after the war, but the new stuff in 1945 put it into obsolescence. Of course that is all speculation on my part but plossible. This would look stunning in white with either navy blue or emerald green fenders. Natural wood wheels and a saddle tan leather interior. One question I do have and I’m sure one of you guys knows was this still part of the wood frame era of cars before the all steel bodied cars…….?
Yup, that’s exactly right Mark, it…… “managed to survive the scrap drives during ww2.” What a shame if it was able to survive the WW-II scrap drives and all those many years in storage in largely original, unmolested condition only to have some well-meaning but uninformed, “enthusiast” destroy all those years of preservation and spray it “white with emerald green fenders”. Good grief Mark, come on. Really?
Ok Dirk your right it should go back to original colours. And original fabrics inside. The way it is now it would be like riding around inside someone’s dirty underwear. I know your a preservationist and I respect that but I think it would be more interesting to see what it was when it was fresh and new not what it’s become. I now I may have gotten carried away with my dicription but I resently saw a 1927 Essex suiside door coupe that a friend restored meticulously down to the last bolt even poured new babit engine bearings. He painted it white with black fenders. And it looks incredible. So I was letting my imagination get the better of me. My freind is the chief engineer of the steam trains at heritage park here in Calgary he’s in charge of summertime operations and year round maintenance on the locomotives. I’m not sure why he changed from original colours but I’m glad that he did. I know we don’t agree on weather to restore or leave as is. But my thinking is this is a little to far gone to leave it unrestored. It needs rescuing.
I looked it up and answered my own question 1936 which was the start of the turret topped cars. Which means this will need a close inspection of the wood frame inside and possible repairs.
James, nice write up, but these early cars have flat glass. It is easy to have it cut to size, including the oval windows on this one. I think in 1927 this car would not yet have been equipped with laminated safety glass, so I would replace all of it unless that has already been done.
This is a neat car, although this one will require specialty restoration skills. I hope the purchaser sees it through to the end. I would love to see it when completed.
– John
I believe that someone will have enough love and money to bring it back to what it should be! This would be a very valuable car!
The only real issue I have with the car is
the wooden superstructure behind the
metal body. Hopefully, the existing wood
is sound enough to make the patterns
you’d need to replace it. As for me, I
would use a 3D printer to reproduce these parts. That way, you’ll never have
to replace it again. The material they use
in the printer is 10 times stronger than
steel and termite proof. I’m a sucker for
these old Buicks and I hope it finds a good home. Sadly for me, it won’t be
mine.
Its a 1924 Engine and Steering wheel by the looks.
I found one in Rancho Cordova in 1961 maroon and black and I bought it for $100.00 and got to drive it around Sacramento while in High School. Another one was stored on our ranch in 1992 and it was the same color combo, the same oval window model Buick, but not the same vehicle. Both were 1926 and I still have a motor that came with the ranch in one of the barns and was told it was running before being stored and put out of service as a power plant.