Occasionally, a car will appear on our desks here at Barn Finds that takes our breath away. That is the case with this 1926 Buick Master Six. This isn’t because it is a stunningly restored classic, but because this is a completely unrestored survivor with nearly a century under its belt. The seller found it languishing in a barn, a spot that it had occupied since the mid-1930s. He has revived it and returned it to a roadworthy state and now feels the time is right for it to find a new home. If you find yourself drawn to this classic, it is located in Bel Air, Maryland, and listed for sale here on eBay. The owner has set a BIN price of $12,900, but he does leave the option for interested parties to make an offer.

The back story of this old Buick is a fascinating one. It seems that a family doctor purchased it to use for house calls. He did so until the mid-1930s and parked it in his garage for the winter. Sadly, he passed away at around that time, and the car remained parked in that spot for more than six decades. The seller located this classic and went through the process of reviving it. What he discovered was quite astounding. The car wears its original combination of Dark Green and Black paint and has never undergone any form of repair or restoration work. There is no history of accident damage and no signs of any repainting work. Due to the lack of exposure to adverse conditions, the car has also remained entirely rust-free. The paint now shows its age, but it’s still quite presentable for a vehicle that is nearly 100 years old. The buyer may choose to treat it to a cosmetic restoration, but I believe they should preserve it as it currently stands. The exterior trim is in great condition for a vehicle of this age, while the wooden wheels are also excellent. With glass that appears to be flawless, it seems that the exterior of this old Buick needs nothing.

If this Buick’s overall condition isn’t enough to take your breath away, some of the documentation that remains with the vehicle should seal the deal. Not only is all of the original dealership paperwork, including the window sticker, intact, but so is the original Owner’s Manual. Buick referred to the manual as the “Reference Book,” which sounds terribly formal in the modern era. The owner includes all of this documentation in the sale. It is not something that you will find with every classic of this age in today’s market.

Lifting this  Buick’s hood reveals the original 274ci six-cylinder engine that would have pumped out 75hp in its prime. That power found its way to the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. When the seller discovered this Buick, it had been sitting for more than six decades. He worked through the process of reviving this classic and added one of the few aftermarket components. To improve reliability, the original fuel pump made way for an electric unit. He says that the car now runs and drives extremely well and only has one flaw that the buyer may want to address. He says that the radiator will overflow slightly when the car is run at high speed. He suggests that it needs flushing and rodding, although it might be tempting to treat it to a recore. Otherwise, this car appears to have no vices or issues. He believes that the odometer reading of 34,500 miles is genuine, making this an incredible low mileage survivor. While it appears that he may not have documentary evidence to support this claim, if its ownership history is accurate, the claim does appear to be plausible.

The theme of originality with this Buick continues when we open the doors and survey the interior. It presents superbly and appears to need nothing. The cloth upholstery on the front and the rear seat is in excellent condition, with minimal wear or physical damage. The carpet is also excellent, while there is no evidence of wear on the wheel. The dash and gauges look crisp and clean, and overall, this has to be as close to showroom fresh as a car with nearly a century under its belt could look.

If this 1926 Buick Master Six proves nothing else, it demonstrates that there are still some fantastic cars hidden away in barns across this great country. All it needs is the right person to be in the right place at the right time, and the world will see these cars emerge into the light of day once again. I hope that somebody purchases this classic, and they leave it exactly as it stands today. It has survived for nearly a century without any significant work, and I suspect that it will be around long after you and I have left this planet. Are you tempted to be the one to preserve this car for the future? If so, I could hardly blame you.