ARE ORIGINAL BUICK FACTORY RECORDS STILL AVAILABLE FOR AN INDIVIDUAL CAR?
No. Buick production records for vehicles built prior to 1970 were destroyed
by the company many years ago. Unlike other General Motors divisions such as
Cadillac and Pontiac, information pertaining to individual serial numbers is
no longer available. Unfortunately, there is no program currently in effect
to supply data from the more recent records that Buick has maintained.
HOW IS THE DATA IN A PACKAGE BROUGHT TOGETHER FOR A SPECIFIC SERIAL NUMBER?
Automotive Research Services has developed a sophisticated and highly complex
computer data base. It contains information for every year and model produced
by Buick from 1904 to 1965. It would not be possible to produce a research
package without this data base. Confidential Buick production information has
been included which makes it possible to take a specific Buick serial number
assigned between 1927 and 1965, and make a highly accurate computation as to
the vehicle’s date of production. This has never before been possible to do
for a vintage Buick!!
WHAT ELSE DOES THE RESEARCH PACKAGE DO?
If you have a photograph of your Buick that you like, it can be scanned into
the computer and made a part of the research package, thus personalizing the
package to your car even further. Photographs are returned when the package
is mailed. If a personal photograph of your car is not available, other image
sources such as a sales catalog or a factory photograph will be used. The
research package will also contain an interpretation of the data on your
Fisher Body plate.
WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS CONCERNING MY RESEARCH PACKAGE?
Supplying answers to questions relating to vintage Buick automobiles is the
reason Automotive Research Services was originally set up. Written or e mail
inquiries normally work best due to time constraints.
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
Production numbers appearing on virtually every vintage Buick are used to
gather the data which makes up the package. You will need to supply the year
and model of your vehicle, the serial number, the engine number, and a rubbing
of the Fisher Body plate on the fire wall. If you are unsure as to where
these numbers are located, the following reference information will assist you.
Accuracy is extremely important. Serial and engine numbers should always be
taken directly from the vehicle itself, not from titles or registrations which
are often incorrect. A rubbing of the Fisher Body data plate is required (see
below), because the actual layout of the data on the plate can supply
information to a trained researcher. The charge for a research package is
$50.00. If the package is to be shipped out of the country, there is an
additional $10.00 charge. It will normally take between two and three weeks
from the time a request is received to complete and ship the package.
WHERE ARE THE NUMBERS LOCATED ON MY CAR?
The information that follows is the best currently available. No one source
verifies this data, and omissions are possible. The references to "right" and
"left" are as viewed from the driver’s seat of the vehicle.
SERIAL NUMBERS
1914 - 1918 - Stamped on an oval plate attached to the chassis under the left
headlight.
1919 - 1922 - Stamped on an oval plate attached to the left rear side of the
chassis by the gas tank.
1923 - 1925 - Stamped on a plate attached to the chassis in back of the left
front wheel.
1926 - 1931 - Stamped on a plate attached to the chassis in back of the right
front wheel.
1932 - 1935 - Stamped on a plate attached to the frame under the right front
fender.
1936 - 1937 - Stamped on a plate attached to the right frame side rail,
located under the right front fender and behind the wheel.
1938 - 1939 - Stamped on a plate attached to the top of the right frame side
rail, and located ahead of the front body bracket.
1940 - Stamped on a plate attached to the right frame side rail, and located
just ahead of the fire wall.
1941 - 1948 - Stamped on a plate attached to the upper right side of the fire
wall. 1948 vehicles will also have the serial number stamped on a plate
attached to the left front door pillar.
1949 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number
is also stamped on a plate located on the upper right side of the fire wall.
The serial number can also be found on the left front frame cross member
extension after the following break points: Flint, Michigan-15143558; South
Gate, California-25150454; Linden, New Jersey-35102400; Kansas City,
Kansas-45164190; Wilmington, Delaware-55113800; Atlanta, Georgia-65173901;
Framingham, Mass.-75119885.
1950 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number
is also stamped near the front of the left frame side rail, or on the left
frame cross member extension.
1951 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The number
is also stamped near the front of the left frame side rail.
1952 - 1953 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The
number is also stamped on the left frame side rail near the master cylinder.
1954 - 1956 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar.
1957 - 1965 - Stamped on a plate attached to the left front door pillar. The
number is also stamped on the engine block, just ahead of the left push rod
cover. (1957 was the first year that vehicle serial and engine numbers were
identical.)
ENGINE NUMBERS
(Note: Do not confuse a casting number which is cast into the engine block
during production, for an engine number. Look for a number which has been
die-stamped onto a machined pad or tag.)
1914 - 1922 - Four cylinder engine - die-stamped on a plate on the upper left
side of the engine between the number one and number two cylinders.
1914 - 1922 Six cylinder engine - die-stamped on the upper left side of the
engine at the number one cylinder.
1923 - 1925 - Stamped on the upper left side of the engine near the
carburetor.
1926 - 1928 - Stamped on the upper left side of the engine in front of the
rear breather tube.
1929 - Stamped on the right upper rear side of the engine to the rear of the
starter motor.
1930 - Stamped on a boss located at the upper left front corner of the engine.
1931 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the oil filter.
1932 - 1933 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the rear
push rod cover on 50 series, above the front push rod cover on 60-80-90
series.
1934 - 1935 - Stamped on the upper right side of the engine above the front push
rod cover on 50-60-90 series, below the front push rod cover on 40 series.
1936 - Stamped on a pad on the right side of the engine at the front push rod
cover for all series.
1937 - 1938 - Stamped on a pad on the right rear side of the engine, below and
to the rear of the push rod cover.
1939 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push
rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine on 40 series,
near the rear on 60-80-90 series.
1940 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push
rod cover. The number is located near the front on 40 & 50 series, near the
rear on 60-70-80-90 series.
1941 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push
rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine near the
crankcase ventilator outlet on 40A, 40, & 50 series, near the rear of the
engine below the push rod cover on 60-70-90 series.
1942 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push
rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine near the
crankcase ventilator outlet on 40, 40A, 40B & 50 series, near the rear of the
engine below the push rod cover on 60, 70 & 90 series.
1946 - 1947 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below
the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the engine on 40
& 50 series, near the rear on 70 series.
1948 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below the push
rod cover. The number is located to the front of the distributor on 40 & 50
series, near the rear of the engine on 70 series.
1949 - 1952 - Stamped on a raised boss on the right side of the engine below
the push rod cover. The number is located near the front of the motor - ahead
of the distributor on 40 & 50 series, near the rear of the engine on 70
series.
1953 - 40 series - (Straight-eight) Stamped on a raised boss located on the
right side of the engine between the ignition coil and the distributor.
1953 - 50 & 70 series (V-8) stamped on the top outer edge of the left cylinder
bank, between the middle branches of the exhaust manifold.
1954 - 1956 - Stamped on a machined surface on the top outer edge of the left
cylinder bank, between the middle branches of the exhaust manifold.
1957 - 1965 - (4400 - 4600 - 4700 - 4800) Stamped on the left side of the
engine block with the number facing forward so that it is readable to a person
standing in front of the vehicle.
1961- 1965 (4000 - 4100 - 4300) Stamped on the crankcase at the front end of the block just
forward of the right cylinder head. The engine
number is readable to a person standing in front of the vehicle.
FISHER BODY DATA PLATES
Fisher Body data plates were first attached to Buick fire walls beginning with
vehicles produced in January of 1926. Data plates are always located on the
fire wall.
Some early wooden car bodies used by Buick had the body numbers die-cut into
the wood sill, just inside the right front door.
From approximately 1910 through the 1932 model year, a series of open car
bodies were produced for Buick by the Stewart Body Company which was located
right on the Buick plant complex in Flint. Body numbers on some of these
vehicles these vehicles can often be found die-cut into the wooden body sills
or stamped in the wood support frame for the front seat. The numbers may also
be located on an aluminum plate located on the front seat frame. The seat
cushion must be raised to read the number.
From the mid 1920’s through the 1932 model year, Stewart body information can
often be found stamped on a plate attached to the fire wall. These plates
were identified only as "Buick Motor Company." The Stewart Body Company name
will not appear on the plate.
All body information found on the vehicle should be included with research
package requests, along with a description of where the information was
located on the body.
The various companies producing Estate Wagon bodies for Buick from 1940-1964,
also attached body plates to the fire wall. The information contained on
these plates should be included with research package requests.
Fisher Body Data Plate
Place a piece of white typing paper over the plate. Remove the protective
wrapping from a crayon, and rub the paper with the long side of the crayon.
The information on the plate will transfer to the paper. Enclose the rubbing
with your order. If any data on the plate did not transfer well, be sure to
note on the rubbing exactly how the data reads and where it is located on the
plate.
Protecto Plate Data
Beginning in the early 1960’s and continuing into the 1970’s, the original
purchasers of General Motors vehicles were supplied with warranty information
that included a protecto plate. These metal plates, located in the warranty
book that originally came with the car, are reverse embossed and contain
significant vehicle build and option details. If the protecto plate for your
car is available, supply a photo copy of the plate, or a rubbing as described
above, with your order.
All
photographs will be returned.
Your complete satisfaction with your research package is guaranteed. If you
are dissatisfied with the package for any reason, return the package within
ten days for a full refund.
HOW TO ORDER the research data on YOUR Buick
Any other questions, send us an email 
BUICKOHV@aol.com
