Eric Minoff
Vice President, Head of Department - US
LOT 31 ¤
1930 Marquette Model 34 Sport Roadster Chassis no. 23933
Sold for US$17,920 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 31¤
1930 Marquette Model 34 Sport Roadster
1930 Marquette Model 34 Sport Roadster
Chassis no. 23933
Chassis no. 23933
212.8ci L-Head Inline Six-Cylinder Engine
Single Marvel Type "E" Updraft Carburetor
67.5bhp at 3,000rpm
Three-Speed Manual Transmission
Live Axles with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
Four-Wheel Mechanical Drum Brakes
* One-year only junior Buick-based marque
* Sporting and handsome Sport Roadster coachwork
* Distinctive herringbone grille
* Bright, coordinated colors
THE CAR OFFERED
General Motors acquired Ranier and Welch in 1911 and renamed that year's offerings as 1912 Marquette models. They disappeared after that year. GM's Buick revived the Marquette name in 1929 as a 1930 model. It didn't have a "valve in head" engine, a foundation of Buick engineering, just a 213 cubic inch L-head six. There was nothing different about the design, layout or engineering. Buyers, who were recovering from the 1929 Wall Street crash, bought only 35,007 Marquettes.
Because of this relative failure, Buick abandoned the naming, just as they had 18 years before.
One thing that distinguished the 1930 Marquette was an imaginative chrome herringbone grille that was unlike anything else at the time. Romantics might attribute it to the creativity of Harley Earl who had recently resuscitated LaSalle with his sense of style and form.
It had a short run, but the 1930 Marquette Model 34 Sport Roadster remains beautiful. Finished in straw with brown beltline and lower body accents and orange striping, it has black fenders and aprons. The wire wheels are bright orange that highlights the striping and carry whitewall tires, carried over to the two cloth-wrapped side mounted spares. The 114-inch Marquette wheelbase is shorter than its sister Buicks but stands more imposing than economy counterparts.
It has a generous equipment complement including wind wings, rumble seat, wood rim steering wheel with black spokes, rumble seat, luggage rack and premium Tilt-Ray headlights. The interior is upholstered in brown leatherette, and the top is beige cloth.
The restoration is aging with a few concerns including a broken right inside door handle, dirty floorboards without carpet or rubber covering, and aged running board covers. The paint is sound, as is the upholstery, top and chrome. The engine compartment is not restored.
Marquette may be an overlooked one-year marque, but this Sport Roadster stands out and offers a rare opportunity for sympathetic recommissioning and upgraded presentation.
Additional information
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