[Closed] The 1949 Buick Roadmasters -- from TSM, Motor City, Brooklin, and Motor Max (PICS)

The 1949 Buick Roadmasters -- from TSM, Motor City, Brooklin, and Motor Max (PICS)

Here's to the red, white, and Buick! In the annals of the great American automobile, there's no doubt that "Buick Roadmaster" ranks high among the offerings by the popularly-priced nameplates. Many of the pre-war Roadmasters are now recognized as True Classics by the Classic Car Club of America, and the postwar offerings were, through 1958, among the most highly-regarded models of the medium-priced marques.

Buick was a year late to the party with GM's new postwar design. While Oldsmobile Ninety Eight and Cadillac introduced the new body design for 1948, Buick's Harlow Curtice insisted on delaying the new car. He wanted a new Buick that was thoroughly sensational, setting the stage for a remarkable decade ahead.

Buick stylists achieved everything that Curtice hoped for, and, in the process, introduced some styling cues that would identify Buicks for the years that followed. The "Ventiports" and "sweepspear" appeared for the first time, and would help create the "Buick look" through 1957.

It is perhaps no surprise that the '49's have been a popular subject among makers of 1/43-scale models, including Brooklin's early '49 Roadmaster Sedanet. But the models produced by Motor City under its various labels have remained the gold standard. As others have noted, Motor Max's '49 convertible captured the shape of the car beautifully at a low price point, but lacks the intricate details of the higher priced models.

I had looked forward to the new TSM models since they were first announced, and my initial purchase is the Roadmaster Riviera 2-door hardtop in black with a white roof. While a Calvert Blue / white version is offered, I opted for the black / white rather than replicate the color scheme of the Motor City version in my collection.

How does TSM's new Roadmaster compare to earlier examples of the type? The photos below will illustrate my points. Mostly, though, I hope that the photos will help convey the beauty of the car's design -- and of a different and memorable time in American automotive history.

With TSM on the left and Motor City on the right, the differences are readily apparent. TSM kept the rear quarter windows in the "up" position, which gives the car an appearance more like that of a 2-door sedan. Since the Roadmaster Riviera's claim to fame was that it was the industry's first production pillarless hardtop, this seems like a shame.

Both cars captured the details well, and, in this regard, the TSM model is a great effort.

I like the bright belt line molding on the Motor City version, as well as the bright rear window dividers.

The TSM model lacks the heft, of course, of the Motor City model, and seems narrower overall.

If the TSM disappoints, it is because the model seems to lack the stance and feel of the 1:1 cars that I've seen. Firsthand, the '49 Rivieras strike me as a powerful highway locomotive, and the Motor City model captures the soul of the car.

Had I never succeeded in obtaining Motor City's beautiful '49 Riviera, I doubtless would have been more than happy with TSM's model, particularly if the current prices are taken into account. And I do look forward to adding one of TSM's '49 convertibles (not yet released), as a companion piece to the Motor Max yellow convertible.

While shooting the Roadmaster Rivieras, I had the other '49 Buicks from Motor City (and its various labels and iterations), as well as a couple of '48 models from Motor City's Design Studio series. Brooklin's superb '48 Roadmaster Estate Wagon also appears in this series. Enjoy!

The magnificent Flxible Premiere funeral car is among my favorites.