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Buick produced 119, 1934 model 98C convertible phaetons for the US market and 19 cars for export. Of those 138 cars produced, only six are known to survive today. This example was purchased for the NB Center from a collection in Illinois in 2001. At the time it was purchased it had a mellowing older restoration and was a fully functional and usable car. The car quickly proved to be a refined and reliable driving machine that was used often. Nonetheless, the car was deemed a restoration candidate because none of the other known survivors were fully restored.
A ground-up restoration was completed in time for the Fall Meet of the Antique Automobile Club of America in Hershey, Pennsylvania in October 2015. Now finished in a correct 1934 color of Glacier Blue (paint #352) with light grey canvas top and grey leather interior the car matches the one depicted in the 1934 advertisements.
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Company
General Motors
Make
Buick
Model
34-98C
Body Style
Phaeton, 4-door, 5-pass.
Body Manufacture
Fisher Body Co.
Model year
1934
Wheelbase
136 inches
Length
216 inches
Engine
OHV, 8-inline, 344.8 cid
Horsepower
116 bhp @ 3200 rpm
Transmission
Sliding gear, 3-speed manual
Original Base Price
$2,145
Brand Production
63,647 + 7,362 export, model year
This Car Production
119 + 19 export
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On December 27th, 1933, the 1934 Buicks were unveiled to the public. Buick’s new president, Harlow “Red” Curtis was just officially two months into his new position and had his hands full rebuilding the brand. The cars were not stylistically too far removed from the 1933 cars they replaced but underneath they sported one of the major innovations that would help rebuild Buick’s tarnished image in the years to come. The innovative independent front suspension utilized hydraulic knee-action shock absorbers coupled with a new ride stabilizer in the rear. The suspension proved such an engineering leap that none-other than Rolls Royce would eventually license the patent to use the same system on their V12 powered cars starting in 1935.
While the big news for Buick was the new entry level Series 40, the Series 90 continued to carry the torch as the top-of-line Buick offering. The Series 90 was offered in a variety of body styles starting with the most expensive 90L Limousine seven-passenger with a division window between the front and back seats. The second most expensive car offered was the new for 1934 98C convertible phaeton. Convertible phaeton was a fancy name for a convertible sedan, a four-door with a fully collapsible roof. This style afforded owners the comfort of four-doors with two full width seats and roll-up windows for foul weather comfort but the option of complete open air motoring weather permitting.
Sales of 1934 Buicks would mark a significant uptick from 1933 but nowhere near the peak of 1926. The 90 Series accounted for just over 14% of Buick’s total production in 1934. Compare that to slightly over 40% of production attributable to the new entry level Series 40 in the same year.