1951 Buick Roadmaster Series 70 Estate Wagon

There were around 679 examples of the Roadmaster Estate Wagon constructed in 1961. Only twelve are known to exist in modern times. This example shown, finished in light blue with wood door panels was owned by a single family from new until 2006. It is powered by a 320 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine capable of producing around 150 horsepower. There is a Dynaflow automatic transmission and four-wheel drum brakes.

The Dynaflow transmission was offered by Buick in 1948, which was a fully automatic gearbox. It was instantly popular and doubled Buicks estimated production for that year. For the following year, Buick freshened up its line with an updated look. More visual improvements followed in 1950. The Buick cars introduced some signature design features such as the portholes in the fenders, known as VentiPorts.

This 1951 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon was offered for sale at the 2007 RM Auctions held in Amelia Island, Florida. The car was estimated to sell between $80,000 - $100,000. It is in very original condition with the exception of a repaint, thou to its original color. The wood is all original, as are the seats and door panels. It has spent most of its life in Dallas, Texas where it was in single ownership until 2006.

At auction, the car failed to find a buyer. An opportunity was lost, as it is hard to find an Estate Wagon that is in original condition and has been this well treated. With only a few still existing, the opportunity to own one comes only so often.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2007