Buick Special 40 Sedan

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The McLaughlin Carriage Company began life in Ontario, Canada, in 1876 making horse drawn sleighs and carriages. In 1907 they entered into a deal to buy Buick engines and running gear to which they continued to add their own coachwork, widely regarded to be superior to Buick’s own offerings at the time.

In 1918 the company was bought by General Motors and became General Motors Canada, effectively producing identical cars to the US models although the McLaughlin name continued to be used until the outbreak of World War Two. Specials were also still occasionally made, including a custom touring car for a visit by the Prince of Wales in 1927, and in 1939 two huge convertible limousines for the visit of King George and Queen Elizabeth.

Restyled for the 1939-model year, the Buick Series 40 Special range was immediately distinguished by its highly stylised ‘Catwalk Cooling’ front end, inspired by the contemporary Auto Union grand prix cars. With independent front suspension and a coil-sprung ‘live’ rear axle, it was powered by a 4,064cc 'Dynaflash' OHV straight-eight engine allied to three-speed 'Handi-shift' manual transmission. Performance was good with a lazy 107bhp on tap, and the model proved popular on both sides of the Atlantic, the right-hand drive export versions being made in Canada by the Buick-McLaughlin subsidiary.

This particular RHD car was supplied new by prestigious London dealers, Lendrum & Hartman of Willesden, in December 1939 to Mr Desmond Rought-Rought, of W.Rought Ltd, Hatters and Furriers of Brandon, Suffolk. The Rought -Rought family kept the car right up until 1971 with correspondence and bills on file from Lendrum & Hartman to show extensive use, probably by two generations, over 32 years!

The second owner was a Mr Bone, also from Brandon, who drove the car for a further 10 years until he sold it to a London dealer. In about 1982 it was purchased by a Mr Lenny Taylor of Worthing who unfortunately left the car outside for three years where it was spotted by Mr Dyer and his son who bought the car, restored it, and had it back on the road by 1987 and kept it for the next 16 years.

When the Dyers sold the car in 2003, the new owner turned out to be an acquaintance of Lenny Taylor and was delighted to discover that Taylor still had the early history of the Buick in his loft and was happy to hand it over. What a stroke of luck!

Sold again in 2009, it has continued to be used regularly and last year received new front and rear screen rubbers, brake cylinders, wheel bearings and a stainless steel exhaust system. It comes with an extensive history file back to the 1940s and a quantity of useful spares.

Complete with twin side-mounts, air horns and original leather upholstery, it is thought to be one of just three left in the UK and has been driven some 25 miles to the sale.