Buick

This Buick is none other than "The Buick", the first Buick. This Buick was the only Buick to ever support Tiller Steering. Built somewhere between 1899 and 1901, and Sold to William Lorenzo Marr on 27 July 1901 for $225. By 1904 Marr Started production of his own car based on this first Buick, building some 100 cars looking strikingly like this Buick that he and Buick built together, other than it supported the innovative steering that along with other innovations was to be the end of Buick. Most of the Marrs and probably the Buick were destroyed in a fire that was the end of the Marr.

Buick is another of those riches to rags stories typical of the early years of the automobile. David Dunbar Buick, a successful plumbing manufacture, inventor of the method of bonding porcelain to cast iron, the Lawn Sprinkler, and many more plumbing innovations, caught the automobile bug and sold his business for $100,000 to begin building cars. Buick started the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company in 1899. Although somewhat successful building stationary engines, Mr Buick had only built one car by 1902 and his company was in grave danger. Buick was not happy with the first Buick spending too much money on researching a more efficient car, instead of manufacturing the Buick he had. By 1902 Mr Buick sought financial backing and reformed as Buick Manufacturing Company. Buick's second car was never competed, although it was extremely advanced in design. With his second Company Buick again called on the help of Machinist, William Marr, and together they literally invented the steering wheel, and they were the first engine builders to move the valves from the block up to the head. By 1903 Buick was near bankruptcy. James Whiting, of Flint Wagon Works, took over what remained of Buick, renaming it to the Buick Motor Co. in 1904, and talking none other then William C. Durant, the rich coach maker, as his partner. Under the direction of Billy Durant Buick would soon not only become successful, but the father of General Motors, the worlds largest auto manufacture. David Dunbar Buick sold his shares of his company and went on to invent the Carburetor, and too again venture into the Auto Industry in 1923, again building but one car before going bankrupt. Buick, died a pulper.

Buick has long used women as a symbol of their automobile. In the early years Buick supported the head of a very beautiful woman as their radiator cap, and by the thirties that evolved into the full figured woman. The Mascot appeared both clothed and nude depending on the angle you looked at it, probably meant to be a shear dress, bathed in chrome. Notably at the time, the female nude from was considered a figure of purity, and not considered lude as she is today. And even today Buick continues to use women in their advertising, as a symbol of both beauty, elegance, and I'm am sure they still intend, that purity.