- Well-maintained award-winning restoration
- 1 of just 500 examples built in 1940 by the Biehl Body Company
- Buick Club of America Senior Award winner and AACA National First Prize
- Designed by the dynamic duo of Harley Earl and Harlow Curtice
LOT 397
Selling on Saturday
From The Great Outdoors Collection; Body by Biehl
1940 Buick Model 59 Estate Wagon
OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE
Today, many are aware of the Buick Estate Wagon, as it had a dominant run from 1970 to 1996, so it seems safe to assume it was a vehicle that had always been in the Buick lineup, but this isn't the case. Buick began building automobiles in 1904, but it wasn't until 30 some years later in 1940 that the loved Estate Woodie Wagon would be introduced. The story of how the Wagon was thought of and introduced in the Buick lineup is truly remarkable.
At a gathering hosted by Hollywood director Norman McLeod and his wife, Bunny, at their home in Toluca Lake, California, Buick General Manager Harlow Curtice found himself in a conversation about cars. When Bunny pointed out that Buick didn't offer a station wagon, Curtice took note. Once he traveled back to Michigan, he collaborated with Harley Earl to design Buick's first-ever station wagon. The dynamic duo commissioned the Biehl Body Company to construct a mere 500 of these vehicles.
Body No. 1 would play a special role in the car's debut. Buick introduced the new model at a surprise event at the Coconut Grove nightclub, located in Los Angeles' iconic Ambassador Hotel. Among the guests were Norman and Bunny McLeod, where Bunny was presented with the first-ever Buick station wagon as a thoughtful gesture recognizing her role in inspiring its creation. Today, not many of the original 500 Biehl-bodied examples survive, making them a rare and sought-after automobile in today's world.
One of the charming Woodie Wagons among The Great Outdoors Collection, this 1940 Buick Estate Wagon sports a well-maintained award-winning restoration. Finished in a subtle dark maroon that plays well with the black leatherette top and nicely varnished wood doors and paneling, its stance is truly memorable. Living a very pampered life since its comprehensive restoration, it was a familiar face among the show circuit on the East Coast, winning the Carolina Regional AACA Senior Award in 1998, an AACA National First Prize in 2000 and a Buick Club of America Senior Award that same year.
Meticulously maintained both mechanically and cosmetically through the years, the 248-cubic-inch Buick Dyna Flash eight-cylinder engine fires right up and the three-speed column-shifted manual transmission goes into gear smoothly, transporting in one was the ultimate form of class and comfort of the early '40s. The stunning wood flows into the cabin where it is inlaid throughout and combines nicely with the engine-turned dash to create a charming appearance. Nicely equipped, the interior boasts an AM radio, a clock, GM Master under-the-dash heater, and carpeted mats. With plenty of room for guests and their luggage, this Model 59 is the ideal choice for weekend getaways at the cabin or multi-day road trips.
From its raked-back and split windshield to its curvaceous and sleek rear-window, the striking 1940 Buick Estate Wagon ranks as one of, and according to many the best looking 'Woodies' ever built. Beautifully presented and well-maintained throughout the years, this proven award winning, limited production Estate Wagon would make a wonderful addition to one's pre-war collection or to many more AACA and classic car events throughout the country.
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