News
News update 10/16/11: Images added below.
News update 10/11/11
Weaver Garage Company was founded in 1898 by C.H. Weaver, an early pioneer in the automotive industry. For several years prior to establishing the company, “Curt” Weaver had succeeded in building the first car to travel the streets of Oil City, PA. It was his ambition to erect a plant in Oil City and build cars. When he was unable to promote the necessary capital, Weaver turned his attention to servicing cars produced by other manufacturers. At that time there were no service stations or repair shops, and a breakdown meant waiting for a factory mechanic to come and make the necessary repairs. The Weaver Garage Company was established and repair work was carried on in a small storeroom. With the repair shop came sales and on April 15, 1903 he signed a contract with Buick.
In 1917 C.H. Weaver formed a partnership with his son, Earl Weaver and his son-in-law, John D. McCarthy. In 1936 John D. McCarthy expanded the original garage and installed modern ramps to meet the increasing demands of a growing industry. In 1953 the dealership was owned and operated by John D. McCarthy’s son, C.H. Weaver’s grandson, Thomas E. McCarthy. He graduated with a degree in engineering and spent six years working for the Allison Division of General Motors where he worked in the experimental test department and design section. In 1976 Thomas E. McCarthy received the Pennsylvania “Dealer of the Year” award and was recognized nationally by winning the Time Quality Dealer Award. That same year, John D. McCarthy II took ownership as the fourth generation to operate Weaver Buick Company on Main Street. “Mickey” McCarthy served the local community until his death in 1992, bringing to a close an era as the "The World's Oldest Buick Dealership."
01 Garage early 1900’s
02 Service bay early 1900’s
03 Garage 1910
04 Garage 1930
05 Parts counter 1948
06 Showroom 1948 (left to right: Thomas E. McCarthy, Sam Coon, John D. McCarthy)
07 Letter from Motor magazine 1948
08 Thomas E. McCarthy visits Flint plant 1961
09 Letter from Buick 1963
10 Thomas E. McCarthy receives plaque from Buick acknowledgment of “World’s Oldest Buick Dealership”
11 Garage 1980’s
12 Head shots: A-C.H. Weaver, B-John D. McCarthy (Jack), C-Thomas E. McCarthy, D-John D. McCarthy (Mickey)
12 Head shots B-John D. McCarthy (Jack)
.jpg)
12 Head shots: C-Thomas E. McCarthy
12 Head shots: D-John D. McCarthy (Mickey)
.jpg)
Board Member David Landow, and wife Susan, won the Guy Bennett, Sr. award
Buick Heritage Alliance Board Member David Landow, and wife Susan, won the Guy Bennett, Sr. award at this year’s Buick National Meet held in Danvers, Mass., on July 9, 2011.
This beautiful 1931 Convertible has been a Lifetime winner garnering the Best of Show trophy in Flint at Buick’s 100th Anniversary. With David at the helm, and much new work done to the car over the Winter, the Guy Bennett, Sr. Award was a fitting tribute to the year-long project.
Each year, this award provided by Guy and Anita Bennett, also Buick Heritage Alliance Board Members and owners of the oldest Family Owned Buick Dealership, is presented to the Best Pre-War Buick at the National Meet.
BHA and the AACA Museum Continue Strong Partnership
Jeffrey R. Brashares
"Leading the Pack - 100 years of Indy Pace Cars" exhibition.”
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 Race, and the AACA Museum in Hershey, PA commemorates the event with a special exhibition of Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replicas, some actual pace cars, and several actual Indy race cars. The Buick Heritage Alliance and the AACA Museum continue their strong working relationship, as a number of BHA members are participating in the 100th Anniversary Pace Car Exhibit. You may recall that the Buick Heritage Alliance has a permanent display in the Museum, which currently features and celebrates Buick’s 50th Anniversary; and Riviera’s 20th Anniversary.
Through the recruiting efforts of Board member Richard Sills, all of the Buick Pace car/Parade car years are represented in this special display:
1939 Roadmaster Convertible (tribute car) Henry and Janet Lewis
1959 Electra 225 Convertible (tribute car) Tom McQueen
1975 Century T-Top Free Spirit (Factory replica) Jeffrey and Angie Brashares
1976 Century T-Top Free Spirit (Factory replica) Alan Oldfield
1981 Buick Regal Pace Car (Factory Replica) Guy and Anita Bennett
1983 Riviera Convertible Parade Car Jeffrey and Angie Brashares
1983 Riviera XXth Anniversary (Factory replica) Jeffrey and Angie Brashares
The cars identified as "tribute cars" represent Buick Pace Cars that are believed to no longer exist, with authentically reproduced pace car lettering. In the early years, manufacturers did not produce pace car replicas to be distributed to select dealers or sold to the public.
BHA Board member David Landow and his wife Susan, most generously sponsored the opening reception for the 100th Anniversary display as well as the printing and graphics for same. In addition, David’s 1979 Mustang Pace car will be on site throughout the exhibit.
The Brashares Family Foundation has three Buicks at the display: the 1975 Buick Century T-Top, originally from the McDorman collection; a 1983 Riviera Convertible Parade car from Buick Club member Jack Jones who purchased it new, from the track; and a 1983 Buick XXth Anniversary sedan, one of only 502 built to honor the 1983 Indianapolis 500, from the Len Immke collection.
Guy and Anita Bennett placed their “no miles-just like new” 1981 Regal in the display. The Bennetts own the oldest continuously operated family-owned Buick Dealership in the country, in Wayland, New York.
Tom McQueen, former Director of the Metro Chapter BCA, contributed the use of his 1959 Electra 225 convertible. This dramatically styled car features "delta wing" fins and slanted quad headlights. Tom bought the car from the estate of the original owner in 1983.
Museum Curator Jeff Bliemeister and Executive Director Mike Barrett were successful in acquiring three actual Indy race cars with significant provenance for the exhibition. These are the 1956 Peter Schmidt Special #88, which competed at Indy for four years (1956-1959), the 1964 Dayton Disc Brake Special #77, and the 1988 Pennzoil Penske PC-17.
This special exhibit will continue through October 9, 2011, which includes the week of the AACA Fall Meet in Hershey. Every Buick enthusiast will be proud to see the representation of our marque in this display. The Buick Heritage Alliance is thankful to the AACA for this opportunity and especially grateful to Jeff Bliemeister for all his efforts on behalf of the AACA Museum.
For more information, click here:www.aacamuseum.org
1062 Tom McQueen’s 1959 Tribute Pace Car. Photo courtesy of the AACA Museum.
998 Guy Bennett and David Landow with their 1981 Regal and 1979 Mustang, respectively. Photo courtesy of David Landow.
1067 The Buick Pace Car line up at the AACA Museum in Hershey. Photo courtesy of AACA.
The Buick Heritage Alliance would like to welcome our new partner:
The Marquette Owners Registry for Enthusiasts
The Marquette was the "companion car" built and sold by Buick for the 1930 model year. It went on sale June 1, 1929. Many early Marquettes were registered as '29s and selling alongside the late 1929 Buicks in showrooms. Even with the market crash of 1929, the Marquette had a fairly strong US production run of 35,007 cars and chassis being produced plus a commonly missed additional 3,117 cars and chassis produced in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and 301 Cars produced in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada for a grand total of 38,425. Not too bad for a one year "failure"! Unfortunately for the Marquette, its sales cut into the Oldsmobile market share rather than the Nash, Dodge or DeSoto sales, for which it was targeted. With the end of the 1930 model year the Marquette name faded from existence. The model planned as the 1931 Marquette Eight became the Buick Series 50. Many of the early 1931 Series 50 Buicks carried over a large number of the 1930 Marquette components.
Read more on the Marquette Owners Registry website
A Tribute to John Ball
Read the Tribute (pdf)
Become a member of the Buick Club of America!
There are many benefits to becoming a BCA member. Visit the BCA website or download the membership brochure to learn more!
Download BCA Membership Brochure (pdf)
Literature at the The AACA Museum
Ever wonder what the BHA collection of literature looks like at the AACA Library in Hershey, PA?
View pictures »
3/3/10 - A true blue Buick "Guy"
Guy Bennett carries on family tradition running 1919 car dealership in Wayland, NY
Read article on EveningTribune.com
On Display at the The AACA Museum
The Buick Heritage Alliance in conjunction with their Library and Display partner The AACA Museum in Hershey, PA have provided two new displays for the car collector community. Thanks to a most generous donation of two display cases by BigLots in Columbus, OH the BHA has provided a display celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Buick in 1953 as well as the 20th Anniversary of the Buick Riviera in 1983.
View pictures »
A Flashback to 1955: GM's 50 Millionth Automobile
General Motors in 1955 celebrated the production of their 50 millionth automobile with a parade through Flint, Michigan.
Watch the video!
3/28/10 - Car Donation
The Buick Heritage Alliance has received their second car donation. Daniel and Ann McDowell of Columbus, Ohio donated a 1994 Buick Century Wagon with 87,000 miles on it. It had been in storage for three years as an "historic cream puff" when Ann decided it should be donated to the Alliance for safe keeping. A big thanks from the Board for for the donation of this early 90's gem.
2010 Glenmoor Gathering
In 2010 the Glenmoor Gathering will recognize not one automobile, but a large of them - "The Historic Motorcars of Cleveland" - automobiles built in Cleveland, Ohio, which once rivaled Detroit as a center for automobile manufacturing; you'll see many examples in 2010.
Read full Article (pdf) or view the schedule.
12/28/09 - Buick Roadmaster Class at 2010 New England Concours d'Elegance
Hemmings Motor News recently announced special classes for the 2010 New England Concours d'Elegance — among them, a class devoted to Buick Roadmasters.
Read full article (pdf).
11/25/09 - BHA Board Member Attends Buick Motor Division Luncheon
Thanks to the generosity of Mike and Nancy Book at the Buick Club of America main office, it was my honor to attend the Buick Motor Division’s luncheon at the GM Heritage Center on November 3rd. The luncheon was absolutely terrific and Buick did a wonderful job of rolling out the red carpet for all of the BCA members who were able to attend this informative event.
Read full article (pdf).
11/1/09 - Donor Anthony Gatta tells his story about growing up with Buicks and acquiring his expansive collection of literature
Mr. Gatta has generously donated a large quantity of Buick literature to the Buick Heritage Alliance and he has written an interesting letter describing his family's three generation association with the Buick automobile. The letter goes on to point out how that association resulted in his lifelong love of Buick cars, and how it became the incentive for acquiring his Buick reference collection.
Read full letter (pdf).
10/12/09 - The Buick Heritage Alliance Receives Two Major Donations
During the past six months the Buick Heritage Alliance has received a major literature donation and an automobile has been donated.
Read full article (pdf).
9/28/08 - Last Chance in 2008 to Rock with the General
The Hilton Head Island Concours d' Elegance held October 30 through November 2, will be the last chance in 2008, to see the traveling Buick Heritage Alliance collector car display honoring General Motors. This display has visited Columbus, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; Canton, Ohio and now Hilton Head Island.
Read full article (pdf).
8/18/08 - Rare and Unusual Cars Featured at GM Display
As part of the 27th Annual Arthritis Foundation Classic Auto & Cruise-In's planned celebration of the 100th Anniversary of General Motors, Rob and Katie Eberst of Image Design Studios traveled to the Motor City to provide us with photos of the GM collection's many rare concept cars, and their magnificent photography then became the cornerstone of our year-long advertising campaign.
Read full article (pdf).
4/23/08 - Traveling Buick Display Available For Your Event
As part of our commitment to the Buick community, the Buick Heritage Alliance is proud to announce the "opportunity" to provide historical Buicks at your show. This year, a number of Buicks are touring the United States as part of the 100 year celebration of General Motors.
The BHA will be expanding their reach by offering your club/event the opportunity to show a number of different Buicks to promote our General Motors heritage. While there may be a cost associated with this offering, we want to work with your Show Coordinator to maximize the historical benefit of participating with the BHA.
Read full article (pdf).