1915 Buick Model C-36

Sold for $19,250 at 2015 RM Sotheby's Hershey Auction.
In 1899, David Dunbar Buick sold off his plumbing business to the Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Company and organized the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company. The purpose of this new venture was to produce gasoline engines for marine and farm use. It was re-organized in 1902 to Buick Manufacturing Company. Walter Marr joined Buick's venture along with Eugene Richard. Together, they built the valve-in-head engine with testing performed in 1903. Financial backing for this new project was Detroit sheet-metal manufacturer Benjamin Briscoe.

In 1903, the company was re-organized into the Buick Motor Company. A prototype Buick was shown in the summer of 1904 with the first sale of a Buick following in August. Within a few short months, the company had orders for sixteen Buicks. By the close of the year, a total of 37 examples were produced.

By 1915, the company enjoyed a record year of production. Body styles included a roadster and tourers in several trim levels with power being supplied from four and six-cylinder units. Prices were lower and many important mechanical improvements made the 1915 Buicks very desirable. They were given cantilevered rear springs on the 6-cylinder models and an improved electric starter on the 4-cylinder engine. The bodystyles became more streamlined due to concealed door hinges.

This Buick has red wooden artillery wheels, folding windshield, jaunty top, and Macbeth headlight lenses. It has a cream paint scheme, a 1914 Buick Delco electrical system manual, a vintage Sunoco spark plug cable set, and two of Doc Wilkinson's medical bags.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2015