This 1941 Buick Super 8 convertible completed a trip that most cars would be envious of. It participated in a repeat of the fabled Peking to Paris Motor Challenge that first began in 1907. As best we can tell, the car managed to complete the 9,300-mile, 36-day endurance race (or rally), though it was custom fitted for the trip. A potential museum piece, this Buick is in Lakeland, Florida, and is available here on eBay where you’ll have to do better than $14,100 to crack the seller’s reserve.

The history of the Buick goes back to 2005 when Jim Taylor bought this convertible to prepare it for and run it in the 100^th celebration of the first Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. That would give him two years to get the car ready and then get it to the starting point. The drop-top had previously been restored and had already collected a few awards of its own, such as from the Buick Club of America. Part of the mods for the big adventure included overflow tanks for gasoline and water, upgraded gauges, all sorts of spare parts that might likely be needed, and Michelin radial tires. Mechanically the Buick stayed mostly stock except for some stronger springs. Receipts for all of this were kept.

Taylor and his riding partner shipped the Buick to Hong Kong where it first participated in a rally to Beijing where the big show would begin. The car and its occupants survived the journey in style, but little is said regarding what the car has been doing since this grand trip. The odometer reads 5,000 miles and – if accurate – that would imply at least 105,000 since the auto was built the year before U.S. auto production shut down for the war effort of 1942 to 1946.

A dealer is involved in the sale of this vehicle, so perhaps they acquired the storied machine from Taylor. The car got its name from the Straight-8 engine that lies under the hood. While the body is said to be rust-free, the hood has some damage. The convertible top and interior look quite presentable for being an older restoration. Perhaps the next owner would like to repeat Taylor’s feat or something similar. Here are some details about the Peking to Paris Challenge, with the focus on the next rally which will be held in May and June of 2024.