Now that’s my idea of a convertible. And just the thing to tool around in a German city. Finding a parking spot might be a bit of a challenge; maybe that’s why the driver is sitting in it, because it’s not a legit parking spot? But who would dare give this Strassenmeister a ticket?
As a matter of fact, from this view it’s quite obviously not a parking spot, but a space being held open for that truck unloading in front of it.
Has the other half come back from her errands/shopping, or is the Roadmaster the ultimate chick magnet?
Shot and posted at the Cohort by Hannes.
I find it so very depressing that Buick have gone from cars like this to selling re-badged Opels.
Maybe it’s in Germany to inspire Opel! 🙂
I’ll pay that one!
Hey, if the Encore is a Pokemon of a Buick, maybe it evolves into a vintage Roadmaster?
If that’s the case I’d buy an Encore tomorrow and start training it.
The LaCrosse is still pretty much a Yank Tank, albeit with a stupid name. But Buick is as much a Chinese brand as American now anyway.
Depressed about what happened to Buick? You should be an American!
Good job parallel parking.
Zaftig.
Great find. This was indeed master of the road in 1947.
I’ve noticed more than a few cars of this vintage having the amber fog lamps, something that’s long disappeared from modern cars. Wonder why?
I don’t know about elsewhere, but in the UK there used to be the famous London fog – which was actually smog, caused by burning coal to heat buildings. This was made illegal in the early 1950s, and nowadays fog only happens one or two days a year at most.
It used to be generally accepted that amber fog lamps worked better. Science has subsequently established that this is not the case. Reflector design is much better these days – and all the amber colour did was reduce the light output.
Nice lines on that Yank Tank. The whitewalls look good! The Buick would probably fit better on Berlin’s expansive streets.
That background ad appears to be for a distance-learning school. “Education for Success.”
Not for ITT I hope. 🙂
It’s a German firm, ILS.
A shame about ITT; private vocational schools like that have been helpful for several relatives of mine, & a good value compared to overpriced universities. Otherwise vocational education isn’t respected in America, even though much of our higher education is effectively skills training. Germany’s system is better in this respect.
I wonder if there’s a German equivalent of other Buick trademarks.
Geschwungenspeer? Lufti-Schnittstelle? Nagelkopf Rechtacht? DynaSchneematsch?
And the famous Buick porthole models….Bullaugen? Schiffluken? ‘Bullaugen Buick’ has a nice ring to it. We’ll need Paul’s help on this.
This is very similar to the Buick featured in Rain Man, right?
That Buick was a ’49. Next body style.
Ah, thanks.
Just spot on, and not badly parked either.
A Buick Roadmaster and a Muji store! Geez…some cities have it all.
Guessing the location may be Hamburg, given the “HH” code on the plates
Yup, you are correct. Ironically, the letter combination, HH, was supposed to be prohibited due to its interpretation as the Hitler greeting. However, Hamburg adopted the letter combination in 1906, standing for Hansestadt Hamburg (Hanseatic City of Hamburg) so…
I hadn’t thought about it before, but the grand-piano hood hinges allow such a beautifully clean cowl area. Although I’m more of a Century fan myself, this is beautiful work by Harley Earl. And in 1947, the Buick 8 was about the most powerful automotive engine in wide production–OHV V-8s, Jaguar’s XK engine, twin-H power, and such were still to come.
Chick magnet? My father had a ’48 Super convertible that according to the stories we heard was the reason my mother went out with him. For some reason I’ve always liked these cars whether the convertible or the sedanet-even the 4 door looks good. ’47 should be a good year Roadmaster-big eight and no Dynaflow! I’ll take one!
The parking issues caused major headaches. Therefore he sent his SO into the “Apotheke” (Pharmacy) to stock up on aspirin.
A German chemist synthesized aspirin back in the 19th century, as he foresaw such problems.
Let the Bayer beware…
In the second photo it appears that might be the aluminum deck of a roll back tow truck in front of the Buick.
My late father had a 47 Roadmaster convertible in the early 50s when he was still single.
Somewhere in a old photo album is a photo of it l’ve seen a few times that would cause classic car lovers to gasp. It was taken on the morning my dad and grandfather were going to build a new staircase at grandpa’s house. The Buick is sitting at the curb, top down, with two long 2x12s resting on burlap sacks, setting on the trunk lid and extending up in the air out over the windshield frame and lashed to the bumpers with rope! When I chided him about it as an adult he said the lumber yard did’nt deliver on Saturday.
I am long over due to sort through those old pics. If I do l’ll post it to the Cohort.
Never seen a beige car that looked so good before!
My aunt and uncle had one in maroon. My dad told me the story about my grandfather, a Buick enthusiast going back to the 1920’s, putting down a $50 deposit to ensure his spot on the waiting list for postwar cars. As my aunt was about to get married, he offered them the option of buying the car, which they did and proceeded to take on their honeymoon.
There is a picture of my aunt posing next to a similar car years later. But the Roadmaster was the first in a series of Buicks my aunt and uncle owned, all the way up to a ’63 Wildcat and ’68 Electra 225. I believe they also had a ’56 Century but that predated me.
Yes, the photo was taken in Hamburg. Actually the vehicle in front was an ambulance. The driver was not amused when he tried to load his customer in a wheel chair via the extended ramp once the Buick parked there. They had to leave obviously. Impressive parking skills with such a land yacht though.
Drop. Dead. Gorgeous. The (off?) white is just perfect.
I’ve always found these Buicks to be, in my opinion, the best-looking American cars of the 40’s. This one does nothing to dispel that impression!
Simply _beautiful_ .
-Nate
a friend was working on this in Sacramento – not sure what happened, but he wasn’t planning on painting it. I thought it was divine the way it was..