Vehicle Description
West Coast Classics are proud to present this 1949 Buick Super 8
Woody Estate Wagon. This 1949 Super Estate Wagon is an example of
arguably one of the most desirable body styles of this generation,
the Estate Wagon. Wood-bodied construction was nearing the end of
its popularity, and this generation of Buick woody wagons showed
how well integrated the wood could be with more modern styling. Its
older restoration shows very well, with a lovely finish on its wood
surfaces including the veneered door panels and interior trim. The
Rare Model 59 Super 8 Woody Estate Wagon 1 of 1,830 produced, less
then 5% of total Buick production in 1949 One of the most expensive
and rarest body styles offered in 1949 Built at the Ionia assembly
plant 248 CI Straight Eight engine Dynaflow Drive automatic
transmission ($212 option) Fender skirts, stone guards Full-size
wheel covers Wide whitewall tires First year for 3 round Ventiports
Royal Maroon Paint Recently acquired from. the 'Automobile Driving
Museum' of El Segundo, CA This was the last wood-bodied station
wagon mass-produced in the United States. Its body was a product of
Ionia Manufacturing that built all Buick station wagon bodies
between 1946 and 1964. Priced at $3,178, the Estate was one of the
highest priced cars of its day with only 1,830 built. Some of the
most beautiful American cars in the post-World War II era were
Buicks, perhaps most notably the magnificent 1949 Super 8 Woody
Estate Wagon. While the wagon bodies built in Ionia, Michigan, had
less wood than in previous years, the 1949 Estate Wagon still
qualified as a woody, employing elegant mahogany veneers outside
and within, where they were complemented with fine leather
upholstery, Foamtex seat cushions, a flexible spoke steering wheel,
anti-glare rearview mirror, an electric in-dash clock, rear cabin
light and luxurious interior carpeting. The torquey Fireball 248 CI
Straight Eight and innovative Dynaflow automatic transmission were
standard equipment, as were back-up lights, turn signals,
windshield washers, stone guards, fender skirts and wide whitewall
tires matched with full-size chromed wheel covers. Two new features
would come to symbolize the brand: sweepspear chromed body-side
moldings and VentiPorts, the latter the brainchild of self-taught
designer Ned Nickles, who was also responsible for the bombsight
hood ornament. Nickles had installed amber lights in four holes
along each side of the hood of his company Buick, each fitted with
a light connected to the distributor and activated by a cylinder
firing. When Buick President Harlow Curtice first saw Nickles trick
setup, he immediately ordered itminus the lights, as it was too
costly for production: three on the Super, four on the Roadmaster!
For fans of genuine wood-bodied wagons, the 1949 Buick is the
absolute pinnacle of desirability. If youre under 30 years old, you
may not understand why cars like this 1949 Buick Eestate wagon
speak to collectors here in the 21st century. Everyone else,
however, remembers spending awesome summer vacations in cars very
much like this, travelling the country and seeing why America is
great. And if family travelling by highway was your thing, the
Buick woody represented first class accommodations that were
unmatched by just about everything else. In short, the Buick Estate
Wagon was the finest, most luxurious wagon built in America and
everyone knew it. Only 1,830 were built in 1949 and today
reportedly very few are known to still exist. For fans of genuine
wood-bodied wagons, the 1949 Buick Roadmaster is the absolute
pinnacle of desirability. Buick wagons were still farmed out to the
Ionia Body Company in Ionia, Michigan, but the integration of wagon
bodywork with Fisher steel panels is seamless, creating a sleek
profile that looks expensive from any angle. Of note, it appears
that the woodwork is the product of an older restoration and mostly
all original, with a soft golden hue that comes from some beautiful
maturity, although every piece has a glowing layer of varnish to
keep it looking its best for years to come. The doors fit well and
close with authority (no swollen joints here) and the mammoth hood,
which opens from both sides, sits neatly between the fenders. 1949
is also notable for the introduction of Buicks famous portholes in
the front fender, and this car proudly wears three of them,
denoting the Super Estate Wagon. The car looks so impressive, from
the toothy grille to the massive bumpers to the lovely taillights
out back. The stainless trim along the flanks has been fully
polished and the bombsight hood ornament is crisply rendered. The
tailgate hardware is virtually irreplaceable, but fortunately the
hinges and handles are in excellent condition and youll find ornate
Super and Dynaflow script emblems on the front and rear fenders,
respectively. For sheer eyeball appeal, its hard to beat the Woody
wagon, and this cars passenger compartment is the pinnacle of
late-40s style and elegance with interior appointments that had to
justify its premium price. Beautiful mahogany door panels are
topped by bright red window garnish moldings that match the
dashboard, which was a one-year-only design as well. The leather
upholstery remains in excellent condition with almost no signs of
wear, even in the drivers seat, and the rear seat looks completely
unused. Plush carpets are a luxurious touch that you dont usually
find in utilitarian station wagons, but then again, this is no
ordinary wagon; even the cargo bay is expensively finished in
matching materials. The driver sits behind a massive steering wheel
that makes guiding this big car effortless and gauges are arrayed
in round pods, with the speedometer front and center and auxiliary
dials on either side. Secondary controls are the chrome pull
switches underneath and theres a Sonomatic AM radio up high in the
center of the dash. Step on the gas pedal and the big 248 cubic
inch OHV straight-8 springs to life quickly and easily, immediately
settling into an easy idle that sounds muscular but muted. It
drives superbly with big Buick torque available at any speed. It
wears correct Buick Turquoise engine enamel and following the war,
all large-series Buicks used single 2-barrel carburetors, which is
what is on the car today. Even the original oil bath air cleaner is
still in place. Buicks Dynaflow automatic transmission is always a
source of controversy, but we?ve found that if you know how it
operates, its quite reliable. There are no shifts, which will feel
strange to those of us accustomed to modern automatic
transmissions, but you will also find yourself cruising at 60 MPH
with no apparent effort, suggesting that the transmission is
efficiently doing its thing. The brakes have been serviced and the
floors are beautiful originals that have never been rusty or
patched. Correct painted steel wheels with unique 1949 hubcaps and
235/75/15 wide whitewall radials complete the look. For many wagon
enthusiasts, the 1949 Buick Super 8 Estate Wagon is a rare find
that embodies all that we love about these land yachts. With a
quality restoration performed some years ago and enough driving to
ensure that its now properly sorted and dialed in, this is an
excellent example thats ready to use and enjoy. These rarely come
to market, so its a genuine honor to have it in our inventory, and
we invite you to come see and drive it, because that's really the
best way to appreciate these wonderful machines.
