David Dunbar Buick and Walter Marr created the revolutionary Buick overhead-valve engine in 1901. Since the first Buick was built in 1903, Buicks have only had overhead-valve engines. David Dunbar Buick also invented the method of affixing porcelain to cast iron, creating the bathtub.
Successful carriage maker William C. Durrant took over Buick in 1904. A Buick racing team was started to build the brand’s name with Bob Burman and Louis Chevrolet as the stars. Chevrolet and Durrant would go on to create the Chevrolet brand. The fame and profits achieved by Buick racing and its overhead-valve engine allowed Durrant to make a series of acquisitions, ultimately resulting in General Motors in 1908.
1915 was a record production year at Buick with 42,533 units produced, only to be outdone by the 124,834 units sold in 1916 under the salesmanship of Richard “Trainload” Collins, famous for selling Buick’s by the trainload. Richard Collins would go on to be president of Cadillac. By 1916, Buicks were the 3rd best selling cars in the United States.
