1911 Buick Model 26 Roadster Engine no. 534

1911 Buick Model 26 Roadster Engine no. 534
210ci OHV Inline 4-Cylinder EngineSingle Rayfield CarburetorEst 30bhp at 1,200 rpm 3-Speed Manual Transmission 4-Wheel Leaf Spring SuspensionRear Mechanical Brakes*Offered from the Paul Bush Collection*Sporting 2-place Roadster coachwork*Large-capacity, overhead-valve 4-cylinder engine *A powerful, fast, and well-balanced sports modelTHE EARLY BUICKSBy 1911, the company founded by David Dunbar Buick, the Buick Manufacturing Company of Flint, Michigan, was an important player in the US auto industry, both in sales numbers and success in competition. After going through numerous reorganizations and changes of management, Buick had really stepped up its game with the involvement of super-salesman William C. Durant in 1904. Durant used Buick as one of the cornerstones of his new General Motors Corporation, and it remains so today. Buick produced 13,389 units in calendar year 1911, making it one of the industry's major producers. The 1911 Buick line was wide-ranging – from a tiny 2-cylinder chain-drive Roadster, through 10 different series and models, all of those larger automobiles with 4-cylinder engines. The Model 26 Roadster was a larger version of the Models 14 and 14B, built on a 106-inch wheelbase. Its cast-iron engine block was of 210 cubic inch displacement and developed about 30 horsepower. The Model 26 Roadster had very good power and performance for its size. There was shaft drive from the 3-speed transmission and a multi-disc clutch to the rear axle. A top and windshield were optional. The Model 26 Roadster featured a large rear-mounted gas tank, weighing 2,100 pounds, the Roadster was produced in just 1,000 examples.THE MOTORCAR OFFEREDThough the history of its earliest days remains to be uncovered, this Buick Roadster was acquired by the late Paul Bush during the mid-1980s. The car is indeed believed to be one of the rare Model 26 Buick Roadsters, and was restored decades ago by Ben Roney of Hale Center, Texas. Although in running condition, the car has seen little use in the past decades. The white exterior shows a lovely patina, and the brass-work, including the Atwood-Castle Co headlamps, was recently polished. Its sporting Roadster body style sets it apart as a rare example of one of America's first performance cars, and this wonderful Buick will surely be a highlight and a point of pride in any serious collection of Brass-era motorcars.