1913 Buick Model 31 Five-Seat Pheaton

Please note this is indeed a five-seat vehicle, not a four-seat vehicle as erroneously mentioned in the catalogue description.

Scottish-born inventor, David Dunbar Buick, built his first automobile in Detroit, Michigan in 1903. That first Buick was a twin-cylinder touring car with 'valve-in-head' engine, 37 of which were completed in the first year of production (1904). Powered by a 'T'-head side-valve engine, the first four-cylinder Buicks appeared in 1907 and were available with a choice of transmissions: 3-speed sliding gear or 2-speed planetary. The first 'valve-in-head' Buick four – the Model 10 – was introduced in 1907. More designer than businessman, Buick lacked talent in the latter role, a shortcoming that led to a number of changes of ownership in the firm's early years before its founder was eventually eased out in 1908, his departure from the Buick Motor Company coinciding with its establishment as the cornerstone of new owner, William C Durant's General Motors. Under Durant's stewardship, production rose dramatically from 750 cars in 1905 to 8,802 in 1908, when Buick's most popular model was the four-cylinder Model 10, priced at $900 and a direct competitor for Ford's Model T. The first six-cylinder models appeared as part of the 1916 line-up, and their refined and flexible overhead-valve engines would help establish Buick's image as a quality automobile for the prosperous owner/driver. Four-wheel brakes and a strengthened chassis and axles were new introductions on Buicks for 1924, the last year of the base-model four-cylinder car.

By the time this Model 31 was built, Buick's four-cylinder cars were powered by an overhead-valve engine, the one in this example displacing 201ci (3.3-litres). It was imported by our vendor from Hershey in late 2016 and duly registered on 22nd June 2017, with all import duties being paid prior to it being UK-registered. Our vendor, an enthusiastic collector of Edwardian and vintage automobiles, went through the car in fine detail prior to it turning a wheel, and found that the only weak point was its gearbox which was consequently totally rebuilt and now functions correctly. The car presented very well at the time and still does today, showing that its earlier restoration was done to a good standard, although no detail was forwarded with the car so it's without history. The car is regularly used within the show season, has a strong engine and is said to drive well.

This is a very stylish five-seat tourer that has patently been well restored in the past and looked after ever since. Sensibly guided at £22,000 – £26,000, it would make a fine entry into the world of Edwardian VCC and VSCC motoring and would surely be welcomed anywhere.