1930 Buick 30-44 Sport Roadster (RHD)

Description

Established in Flint, Michigan in 1902, David Dunbar Buick’s eponymous company built its first automobile just two years later, powered by the advanced valve-in-head motor.  Joining the General Motors empire in 1910, the Buick Motor Company was riding high by the 1920s, with a reputation for building high quality, strong performing cars at a reasonable price.  All Buicks were equipped with front wheel brakes as standard from 1924, along with mechanical refinements like a detachable cylinder head, while six-cylinder engines were adopted as the only choice from 1925 onwards.  Improvements kept coming and for 1926 the styling was revised, the chassis, driveshaft and back axle all made stronger and the frame had Zerk lubrication.  The gearbox pattern reverted to a more conventional layout in 1927 while the so-called ‘Pregnant Buicks’, with a pronounced bulge below the beltline, saw a dip in sales for the 1929 model year, something hastily rectified for 1930.  The radiator featured a new thermostatically-controlled shutter system, while a two-inch reduction in height and a body-length beltline gave the latest Buicks a much sleeker appearance.  Three different models were offered to North American customers in 1930, namely with the Series 40, intermediate Series 50 and longer wheelbase Series 60.  Two versions of the smooth six were available, the Series 40 powered by a 257.5-cid unit developing 80 horsepower while the Series 50/60 models used a more powerful 99 horsepower 331-cid unit, both driving through a three-speed sliding gear transmission.  Buick had a long involvement with Australia, dating back before the First World War when the first examples were imported by local agents, and through the 1920s when a number were imported from Canada in CKD form to be assembled locally.  In 1926, General Motors opened facilities in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth and contracted Holden Motor Body Builders to supply coachwork that was often quite different in build methods and general styling to their American counterparts.  The Buick is a robust, well-made vintage car with enough power to make driving in modern conditions a pleasant experience.  There is a strong club scene for the Buick here in Australia, with plenty of support available to owners both locally and in the USA.