The Buicktown Chapter (Flint, MI) of the Buick Club of America will host Buicks on the Bricks, in collaboration with Back to the Bricks. Located just two blocks west of Saginaw Steet, in the historic Carriage Town District, vintage and newer model Buicks converge at 303 W. Water Street, where Factory One and the Durant-Dort headquarters are located. It is the privilege of the Buicktown Chapter (Flint, MI) of the Buick Club of America to highlight the birthplace of General Motors where Billy Durant and J. Dallas Dort began manufacturing carriages in the early 1900s, and honor the decades of Buick production in Flint.
Featured in 2022 for its 80th anniversary, will be a 1942 Buick Special owned by Brian Updike. This model 41-SE is “Super Equipped” with many features that would have been standard on the Century or Roadmaster models of the day – radio, upgraded fabric, and compound carburetion. Built in Flint late in 1941 before the attack on Pearl Harbor, it is a very rare car. Once production moved to the war effort in 1942, any cars that were built were without the beautiful chrome bumpers and trim and other needed materials.
Turbo Buicks which led the way to the fuel-injected Grand National and GNX packages will also be featured. The community is invited to see a 1987 Regal Turbo T owned by Gary Kantrud of Fenton, 1978 Buick LeSabre Turbo Sport Coupe owned by Tim Murray of Flint, 1979 Century Turbo Coupe owned by Dave Pettengill of Flint, and 1985 Riviera Turbo owned by Al Jones of Burton. These early turbo cars fine-tuned production of the Grand National. Attendees can also see a beautiful example of the GN on Water Street (pictured), owned by Mike Bolander of Swartz Creek. His 1986 GN has been “Best GM” twice at the Sloan Auto Fair and scored 399 out of 400 points at the Buick Club of America Nationals. The car has never been driven in the rain and only has 4,777 miles as of this writing.
Food and Amenities
The Arrowhead Vets Club, located on Water Street, will be open to the public that day for breakfast from 7-10 a.m., and offer grilled burgers and hotdogs starting at noon until they are gone. Coffee, soft drinks and water also available for carry out.
Ice cream from Cops & Robbers Ice Cream and Gifts in Flushing will be sold from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Water Street site as well. Scoops of Country Dairy Ice Cream (specially made with organic milk from happy cows in western Michigan), homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches, and root beer floats will be available!
Some tent space for shade will be provided. Bring your own chairs. Restrooms available on site.
Hours for Buicks on the Bricks are 6 a.m. – 5 p.m. Any vintage Buick is welcome to participate including show cars, barn finds, modifieds and works in progress. No club membership required and no entry fee. Please enter from Grand Traverse Street at Water Street (one block north of the Flint River). If you are walking from the Big Show on Saginaw Street, cross west in front of the UM-Flint Residence Hall (formerly Hyatt Hotel) and use the wooden bridge to access Water Street.
For more information on turbo cars visit: www.drivingline.com
