Peter and Harry will take to the road in a retooled 1925 Buick that has already seen many rallies in its long history.

Fittingly, this model was the first of its kind to be driven around the world in a publicity stunt that showcased the durability of Buick’s cars.  Driven in relay by a succession of different drivers, the 1925 Buick completed its global circuit with flying colors.  Built to withstand prairie and desert conditions, the car is the ideal choice for the Peking to Paris route.

A car with a history

Two years ago, Harry saw a 1925 Buick for sale and snapped it up.  The car, shipped into the UK from Australia, bore a sticker from an Australian car club.  On a whim, Harry got in touch with the car club, and managed to trace the previous owner who shared some of the car’s history with Harry and Peter.

That owner picked up the car, which had been badly damaged in a brush fire, in the early 90s.  He replaced the hood and upholstery, repainted it and fitted aluminum pistons to the original engine, and drove the car on many rallies in Australia, covering around 16000 miles and three states.  The car never once broke down, and in 1996, it won him the Touring Trophy for the most club events attended in a single year.

Last-minute repairs

Since purchasing the car for the rally, Harry did some additional work, installing comfortable bucket seats in front and restoring the springs, transmission, differential and chassis.

It looked like a smooth road ahead for this well-preserved rally car, but during training in March, the water pump began to leak, and the engine wasn’t running optimally.  Worried that their participation in the rally was in jeopardy, Harry and Peter called in Arthur Archer, an 80-year-old vintage car expert.  His garage, opened by his father in the 1800s, is one of the world’s premier car restoration centers, with equipment for custom manufacturing car parts and bearings.  Mr. Archer oversaw the work on the 1925 Buick, which required 24-hour sessions with rotating crews in order to get the car rally-ready in time to be shipped to China in mid-July.

With the engine rebuilt, Peter and Harry just needed to get the car from Dunmow to Nottingham to have the exhaust system replaced.  However, it was a “Catch 22”—the car couldn’t be driven until the exhaust was installed.  Unfazed, the rally partners loaded the car onto a trailer and drove it to the final destination.  They consider that this was good practice for the rally, where they’ll need to show ingenuity and determination to get to the finish line, even if it means pressing a couple of donkeys or camels into service!

Ready to rally!

When the car is retrieved from the shipping yard in China, it will probably need some fine-tuning, but Peter and Harry are confident they can handle whatever fate throws their way.  Their 1925 Buick is a tried-and-tested rally veteran, restored by one of the world’s foremost vintage car specialists.  It’s ready to hit the open road on September 10^th!

Check out more pictures of the car in the Photo Gallery