1912 Buick Model 35

David Dunbar Buick gained his early fame and fortune by inventing a method to attach porcelain to cast iron. By developing this process, he gave the world the 'modern' white bathtub that we all know today.

In 1903, Mr. Buick developed an automobile and, by early 1904, had formed the Buick Motor Company in Flint, Michigan. Not being a businessman by nature, Buick released control of his automobile company to William C. Durant, who used Buick as the basis for forming the General Motors Company in 1908. Buick soon became one of the best-known and best-selling automobiles on the market.

All of the early Buicks were powered by the famous 'valve-in-head' engines. Today, overhead valve engines are seen in virtually all automobiles, but during the first part of the century, most automobile engines had the valves placed to the side of the pistons as on top of the pistons.

For 1912, Buick offered 6 models consisting of two bodystyles (a roadster and a tourer) along with three engine options. The Model 28 and 29 were powered by a four-cylinder, 201 cubic-inch four offering 26 Horsepower. The Model 34, 35, and 36 were powered by a 165 cubic-inch four offering 23 (SAE) horsepower. At the top of the line was the Model 43 fitted with a 318 cubic-inch four offering nearly 50 horsepower. All engines were mated to a three-speed sliding gear transmission with mechanical brakes on two wheels.

The Model 35 was available as a Tourer selling for $1,000. It was the most popular Buick model, with 6,050 examples produced. The standard body color was dark blue with the wheels finished in gray.

The Buicks of 1912 featured four-cylinder 'valve-in-head' engines. Improvements bestowed upon all 1912 Buicks were grease cups to the spring shackles, steering knuckles, and clutch. The lubrication arrangements for the pushrods improved, and a three-speed sliding gear transmission replaced the previous two-speed planetary unit.

Mechanical Specification
The Model 35 rested on a 101.75-inch wheelbase and rode on 32 x 3.5 tires with wooden wheels. The four-cylinder engine displaced 165 cubic inches and had mechanical valve lifters, a Schebler carburetor, and a cast iron block. The three-speed sliding-gear transmission had a leather-faced, aluminum cone clutch and was operated via floor shift controls. The shift lever and emergency brake were enclosed in a panel attached to the non-operating front right-hand door. Mechanical brakes operated on two wheels.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2015