1928 Buick Town Brougham

Description

This handsome 1928 Buick Master Six Model 47-S sedan is one of those big, powerful, capable cars which, for reasons we can't quite understand, remain extraordinarily affordable. The fact that it was treated to a quality restoration is quite a rare thing, since today this car would likely have ended up as a parts car for a roadster or touring model. Today it's beautifully preserved, drives like it should, and offers a lot of old car fun for not a lot of money.

Buick offered two series in 1928, the Standard and the Master, and the Model 47-S was the top-of-the-line. 16,398 were built, and the Town Brougham is easily recognized by its landau bars just aft of the quarter windows. Buicks were painted standard colors depending on the body style, and this lovely 4-door sports Washington Blue with traditional black fenders and trim, making it highly correct. Finish work was done to show standards sometime before the current owner acquired it in 1980 and it still presents today as a high-quality example of a seldom-seen model. The hood opens and closes easily, the doors have a wonderfully solid feel when they latch, and the graceful curve of the fenders gives it the look of a much more expensive vehicle. Cowl lights and a single rear taillight are included, and details like the fabric roof and all the nickel trim (not chrome!) are authentically restored. It's not perfect, but if you want to make a grand entrance, few cars will do it better than this!

You'll find that onlookers are also impressed with the handsome mohair interior. Epitomizing luxury in the 1920s, the seats are inviting with a simple, elegant, and masculine design that offers a purposeful look and lots of room. The doors have been upholstered to match, with nickel-plated hardware and simple wood garnish moldings around the windows. In back, there's room for three, with a foot rest and robe rail behind the driver's seat and a dome light overhead. That lovely steering wheel is real wood, with controls for the throttle and spark in the middle, while a variety of gauges are clustered in the middle of the woodgrained dash. Buick finally switched to a conventional H pattern for the shifter in 1928, but you'll still need to familiarize yourself with the non-synchro gearbox. You'll ultimately find it's easy to drive and intuitive once you're underway, with relatively light control efforts and plenty of power on tap.

The engine is Buick's rugged and reliable 274 cubic inch inline-six, which featured overhead valves (a very big deal in 1928) and made about 80 horsepower. Torque is the real story here, and with the overall gearing, this Buick is content to cruise at 45 MPH and climbs hills easily. The engine was detailed for show when it was restored but now shows a few signs of use, but it is complete and runs beautifully, still using the original vacuum tank fuel system, which was just rebuilt. Buicks were also some of the first cars to adopt 4-wheel brakes, and the external contracting units are adequate, but you'll need to adjust your driving style to accommodate them. And those beautifully finished wooden spoke wheels are in excellent shape, wearing correct Firestone wide whites.

In the '20s, Buicks were cutting-edge cars that enjoyed an excellent reputation. This gorgeous sedan offers a taste of the good life in 1928. Call today!