Would you like to be the hit of your town’s next parade? This 1916 Buick D45 four-door tourer has just been put back on the road after having been stored in a barn since 1950! Thanks to Ikey H. for sending us this cool find! It’s listed for sale here on craigslist and is located in Redding, California. The price for this running, driving piece of history is a mere $7,500.
Last plated in 1941, this car is one of 73,827 D45s produced in 1916 (it was Buick’s most popular model that year, and represented just under 70% of all Buicks produced in 1916). New styling and an attractive price point led sales of the 1916 “D” models to more than double the 1915 “C” model sales. As a side note, wasn’t it nice when car name and numbering systems actually made sense? Discuss.
Back to this car — the seller tells us that they purchased the car last year, honed the cylinders and installed NOS piston rings. The valves were lapped while the head was off. Apparently the Babbit bearings (link for those that aren’t familiar with the term) are in good shape and the car now runs, drives, shifts, and stops. The seller calls it 98% complete and original with the only major things missing being the fabric top and the wood for the top bows. A little searching shows that a lot of original documentation and information is available for these cars from the Buick Heritage Alliance.
The Buick is not a small car, with a 115″ wheelbase and a 56″ track both front and rear. It’s hard to tell from the pictures what color the car was to begin with, but one source I found lists only two standard paint schemes for the D45, Buick Green or Blue-Black with black fenders. Perhaps that’s a hint of green on the cowl area?
One item I would restore is the steering wheel; the idea of getting splinters driven into my hand when the front wheels hit a pothole, even at 10 mph, is not a fun concept. The seat might get a recovering as well — or just a blanket.
Under the hood we have a 224 cubic-inch valve-in-head inline six-cylinder engine with a nice round-numbered bore and stroke of 3-1/4″ by 4-1/2″ respectively. I saw various horsepower ratings from 25 to 45 in different reference sources, but the majority said 45 so we’ll go with that. It’s attached to a three-speed manual transmission. I found restored D45s for sale in Hemmings for $25,000 – $30,000, which means despite this car running well, you aren’t going to make any money cosmetically restoring it and might well be better off buying a restored example if that’s your end goal. However, if you are looking for a fun car to drive in parades “as-is”, I doubt that you’ll do much better than this Buick. And, (for those of a certain age) Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick anyway?
Wow – some wood, hammer and nails, an old rocking chair and a couple of wooden barrels – voila! – the Klampetts ride again! I like it like it is, but it would be hard to resist puttin’ Jethro back out on Route 66.
I would actually run errands with this lol. Not on a regular basis, not for far, but I would do it. Awesome car for a reasonable price!
Assuming they haven’t been replaced, those 70+ year old tires look pretty good. Back then the rubber was quality, now it dry rots in 10 years or less.
Removed. High school classmate lives there. Danny Ide.
His family been there since time was invented. The Ide House sign on I-5.
Funny if his family had it. He drove his Ford Model A to school.
Great shape for a 104 year old car ! About 20 years ago I was traipsing around our local huge old time junkyard in CT. , which had been around since the early 1940s, and they never crushed anything. the farther into the woods you went, the older the cars you found. I came across the rusted remains of one of these Buicks and all that was left was the rear body tub , some frame pieces some wood spokes on hubs and the engine block. If it didn’t have Buick stamped on the casting, I wouldn’t have been able to identify it.
Maybe this one isn’t worth a major restoration, but a decent paint job ,interior work and a new top would really make this car stand out again
What an interesting car.
2016 D models vs 2015 C models? Were we to discuss that?
No, that doesn’t make sense. Did you just happen to miss 100 years there?
Thanks! Fixed :-)
Please thank Ikey H. on my behalf. I’d have never found this outstanding car if not for his posting it on Barn Finds. It will soon find it’s way to the greater Seattle area.
How many mass-produced 1916 cars could boast 6 cylinders, overhead valves, and 45 HP?
And yes, the car runs and drives. The seller sent me a video of him backing the car up his driveway.
Not the original tires, these are 10 years old and cracking.
Congratulations @jageater! I hope you enjoy this one.
If personal Finances were different thank they are, This would be fining its new home not to far from where it is now. Awesome find. Alas, I can dream and Someday, the finances will be different! Good luck with it Jageater!
Reminds me of the time my brother Charles and I were passing through the town of Hermiston, Oregon when we past by a business of sorts with a bunch of old stuff for sale, so we stopped went in the gate and spied a 1927 Buick 4 door sedan parked inside the fenced in yard. The old man running the place said he wanted a grand for the car which was complete but hadn’t run or even been moved for many years. We considered purchasing the car, but decided it would take to much just to get it out of the yard and hauled to a place where we could begin work on it.
God bless America