Holden Body
This 1939 Buick was last registered in March 1970 and it's last known registration was JYG 882.
Wallaby Ritz in 2004, still owned by Fern Chadband and the rear yard where our Buick once resided. The Buick was parked to the right, opposite the small shrub.
In 1984, our 1939 Buick was behind the shop at 55 High Street, Mansfield. The shop was "Raspberry Creek Fashions" now known as "Wallaby Ritz", Christine Blake & Fern Chadband purchased this shop and business from John and Julie Wilson, the 1939 Buick was thrown in with the sale for $1.00, Christine was told that the Buick still turned over and she recalled that it was home to many stray cats!! Fern remarked that when women came to the shop to purchase clothes, while the women tried on clothes, the men would always go out the back to look at the "old car" and lift the bonnet and marvel at the Straight Eight Motor.
In the late 1980's, Fern and Christine sold the 1939 Buick to an employee of AG Power, Alan Rose
The 1939 Buick was for sale in the yard at "AG Power" in Mansfield, Victoria in 1991. It was purchased from Alan Rose by Graham Barr on behalf of his father, John Barr. The Buick was transported to Echuca, Victoria.
Mr Brian Love purchased this Buick from John Barr and was transported to Rochester, Victoria in 1992.
This Buick was purchased in 1993 By Mr. Bob Thwaites.
The car was transported to Dandenong and then Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria and restoration was commenced, the body was removed, repaired and painted, Bob purchased a second body with a full chassis and replaced the 3/4 chassis with the full chassis, the full chassis was sandblasted and painted and the car was reassembled.
The motor was reconditioned and balanced, drive train was rebuilt and all major components were restored and/or replaced.
Bob, during removal of the Bonnet mascot found evidence of the cars original paint, Bob had this colour matched and had the car painted in its original factory paint "Myln Maroon"
Rex and Lyn Stubbs purchased the 1939 Buick 8/40 as above on the 18th April 2002.
The car was transported to Rowville and the restoration of this wonderful vehicle was recommenced.
On the 10th of January 2003, This 1939 Buick Special was registered
Since 1993 when Bob Thwaites layed eyes on this very sad and forlorn Buick sitting in Rochester, Victoria, bringing her to Bob's work location at Dandenong Rebores and then to his home in Upper Beaconsfield. Completing the body off restoration to the stage that Lyn and I purchased her in April 2002. The wonderful and professional job that Bob did on this vehicle up until we purchased her is something to truly behold.
Since April 18th 2002, the restoration had recommenced with a lot of work to get the Buick to its on road condition, this would not have being possible without the support and help from my wife Lyn and our children, Rebekah and Maddison. The immense work and help put in by Will and Sharon Shillingford , the storage in their garage, the late night sessions in the garage, the visits in the early hours of the morning, the visitors coming to have a look at the restoration progress on the Buick, to these great friends we say THANK YOU.
The fun now begins !!
I stand and look at this beautiful car and think that really we are but a part of the history of this car and that this car has already given pleasure to someone for over 50 years prior to Bob Thwaites bringing her back to her former glory and then been passed to us to finish off. Who knows what the future will hold for "Jessie", the name our 4 year old daughter, Maddison has bestowed on our Buick, but I'm sure she will preveil.
Excerpt from history section of Buick Car Club NSW Web Site:
Buicks for 1939 featured all new body styles and again Holden bodies showed significant differences, two rear windows, rather than one in Fisher bodies. More obvious was the entirely different boot shape and door handles incorporated in the body mould, a feature not available in Fisher body cars until the 1940 Super & Roadmaster series and not until 1941 in Special & Century models. Local catalogues now only listed the Special and Century sedan, the "sloper" coupe was gone from the Buick line (although it cont inued in the Chevrolet, Pontiac and Oldsmobile lines). Holden body production was 1538. An 8/90 was displayed at the Melbourne Motor Show.
With the outbreak of World War II in 1939 car sales dropped, Holden's Buick production was down to 475-8/40's and 68 -8/60's, all sedans, however their figures also show 176-8/40's being made in 1941. These are believed to all be carry over 1940 models and probably supplied to the military. Again as in 1939 all featured leather upholstery.