1930 Marquette Series 30

Several automakers used the name Marquette over the years, the earliest being an electric car produced at the turn of the century, in 1904, by the Berwick Auto Car Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Another Marquette company was formed in 1909 in Saginaw, Michigan (hyphenated as Marquette-Buick) and used by William (Billy) Durant for his racing segment of Buick. The Marquette-Buicks were raced by individuals such as Louis Chevrolet and Bob Burman. The road-going production version of the Marquette wore designs by A.B.C. Hardy and was introduced near the close of 1911. Two wheelbase sizes were available, and power was sourced from a T-head four-cylinder unit. Production of the Marquette was brief, coming to a close shortly after Durant lost control of his company.

The Marquette name was revived by Buick in 1930 (entering production on June 1st of 1929), with headquarters located in Flint, Michigan. The Marquette was envisioned to be a companion marque to Buick, much like LaSalle had been to Cadillac and Oakland with Pontiac. Using the same formula as its Pontiac and Cadillac siblings, the Marquette was marketed by the Buick Motor Company and rested on a 114-inch wheelbase, and was powered by an L-head six-cylinder engine. (Buicks continued to use their hallmark valve-in-head technology). Prices began at $990 and rose to $1,060, and body styles included a sport roadster, phaeton, business coupe, special coupe, sedan, and two-door sedan. The wheelbase measured 114 inches and the 212.8 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine offered 67 horsepower at 300 RPM. The engine was backed by a three-speed floor transmission.

The styling was similar to the rest of the General Motors vehicles, with only slight distinguishable features, mostly reserved to its unique herringbone-pattern radiator core.

The Marquette company of Flint, Michigan, had a brief existence and was a victim of the stock market crash, the poor economy, and the limited pool of buyers. It is believed that a total of 35,007 examples of the Marquette were built.

by Dan Vaughan

Phaeton
Chassis number: 23643

As a result of the Great Depression, the Marquette Phaeton, manufactured by the Buick Division of General Motors (whose president, at the time, was Edward Thomas Strong) was limited to a thirteen-month production period. This companion car was intended to compete with Oldsmobile and the Cadillac LaSalle, which were more costly automobiles. Only 889 Phaetons rolled off the assembly line. Of that total, only twelve are believed to still be around, although only the existence of five has been documented. Of the five, two are in the possession of Mr. Giokaris of Lima, Ohio and fully restored as of June 27, 2021.

The original owner of this car was the U.S. Ambassador to Chile, William Culbertson (1884 - 1966), a renowned and respected intellectual in the Diplomatic Corps. Ambassador Culbertson served as the Chilean Ambassador from 1928 to 1933. Upon his death, the car was passed to his daughter and son-in-law who remained in Chile.

This Model DX351 (Domestic Export) serial number 23643, has a 212.8 cubic-inch engine and 67.5 horsepower @ 300 RPM, is capable of accelerating from 10-60 mph in 31 seconds, and features a three-speed floor transmission. The original list price was $1,020. The frames were manufactured in Flint, Michigan. However, seventy-two of those frames were shipped to Cape Town, South Africa, where they were assembled by the Stewart Body Company. The odometer and the speedometer are measured in kilometers, while the gas gauge is measured in imperial gallons.

Although the Valve-in-Head engine has been used in all Buicks dating back to 1904, a special engine, an L-head, was made for the Marquette. The total cost for the engine rebuild was $8,200.

The restoration was completed on June 27, 2021. All parts and components are as original as possible, with the exception of the windshield which was replaced with modern safety glass. This Marquette Phaeton embodies a slice of history preserved for future generations and enthusiasts alike.