Buick’svenerableandtrailblazingValve-in-Head
straight-sixdisplaced274.2-cu.in.andmade
75 horsepowerinthe 1926 MasterSixmodels.
Itsoverheadvalvesallowedformorepowerand
greaterefficiencyinasmallerdisplacementpackage
thanthetypicalL-headenginesoftheday.coupepicturedherehasbeenawesternNewYork-ownedcar
sinceitwasfirstdeliveredataBuffalodealership 83 yearsago.
Thecurrentowner,JoeKurtz,ofnearbyLockport,isjustthefifth
persontobeabletocallthecarhisown.
Alsoanownerofa 1980 BuickRegalturbo,Joespotted
thisprewarbeautyduringavisittohislocalBuickdealershipin
1995.“Iwaslookingforapartformy 1980 Regal,”Joesays.“I
justhappenedtosee,overinoneofthebays,thiscar.Andithad
thebigheadlamps.Iwentoverandsaid,‘That’saBuick!’Iwent
backtotheguyandsaid,‘WhoownsthatBuick?’Hesaid,‘Well,
itwastakeninonatradefromaguyinourBuickclub.It’sthe
dealershipowner’scarnow.’”
Joeapproachedtheownerand,afteraskinghimifthecar
wasforsale,couldonlygeta“maybe”outofhim.Hedidgeta
chancetotestdrivetheBuickalongwithafriendfromtheBuick
ClubofAmericawhowasbetterinformedontheprewarcars.
Theclutchwasn’tgreat,butthecarotherwisecheckedout.Still
onthefence,JoeandhiswifePattiwentonatriptoLasVegas,
whereavisittotheImperialPalaceAutoCollection(sinceclosed)
inspiredJoetotakeachanceonaprewarcar.Onhisreturn,he
madeadealwiththeBuickagencyandbecametheownerofthis
1926 MasterSixModel 48 four-passengercoupe.
ThoughtheBuickwascompleteandinfairlygoodshape,
Joerecallshisgoalwhenheboughtit:“Iwantedtobringitback
tojustthewayitwasin1926.”Unfortunately,thatjobwasnotas
simpleasitseemed.Onthedrivehome,whichwasarelatively
shortdistance,Joehadtocallaflatbedservice,astherewasa
fuelingproblemfromthetank.Infact,theflatbedtookthecar
straighttoJoe’smechanic.
Fuelproblemsolved,Joewasbackontheroad,yet,“Every-
thingjustwasn’trosyatthebeginning,”hesays.“Iwasdriving
downoneofourmainroadshereandallofasuddenatabout
50 mph,itjustletlooseandIjustdroveitovertotheside.”Theculpritthistimewasalittlemoreserious:thetimingchain.The
enginerebuildtooksometime,becauseJoewanteditdoneright.
Eventhen,otherproblemspoppedup,andastheydid,Joehad
themtakencareof.
Theradiatorstoppedcooling,soJoeshippeditofftoOhio
andthatshopsentpartofitofftoavintageradiatorspecialistin
theU.K.Whygotoallthetroubletosendoffaradiatoracross
theocean?“Iwantedtobringitbacktoexactlythewayitwasin
1926.Ididn’twanttoputaregularradiatorinit,”Joesays.After
theradiatorwasrebuilt,themechanicalproblemsweremostly
sorted.HefoundacompleteclutchassemblyatHersheytotake
careoftheissuethathadplaguedhimsincethatfirsttestdrive.
Joewaswellintothecarbynow.Inadditiontohavingit
paintedinthetwo-tonebluebodywithblackroofandfenders,
hethenrebuiltand/orrestoredtherunningboards,gastank,and
wheels.Whenitcametimetodothemohairinterior,heturned
toBillStump,awell-knownupholstererfromLatrobe,Pennsyl-
vania.Billdidaspectacularjob,butit’sabittersweetmemoryfor
JoesincehiscarwasBill’slastbeforehepassedaway.Joedoes
relishthesmallvasethatBillgavehim,anitemtheupholsterer
hadbeensavingfor“averyspecialcar.”BillfeltthatJoe’scarwas
worthyofthelong-heldvase.
Morethan 24 yearsafterheacquiredthecar,Joeremains
enamoredwithit.“WhenIgoouttomygaragetolookatit,Isay,
‘I’mnotgoingtoseeanotheronegoingdowntheroad.’”Buthe
doesn’tjustkeepitinthegarageforhimself.Ofthemanyshows
hetakesitto,hesays,“It’snicetohavethecar,butIliketohave
peopleenjoyit,too.”Sincethecarwascompletedin2003,Bill
hascollectedahandfuloftrophieswithit,includingfromthe
HemmingsConcoursd’Elegance.Hisplansareaboutassimple
asanyonecouldwantwithavintagecar:“It’saspecialcarand
IjustwanttoenjoyitwhileI’mliving.”Wecouldn’thaveputit
betterourselves.It’s a special car and I just
want to enjoy it while I’m living.
26 HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR OCTOBER 2019 I Hemmings.com