A prewar Buick woodie with a Biehl-built body, straight-eight, three-speed manual and seller-documented three-owner history is museum-grade wagon material. The seller says only 495 were built and roughly a dozen survive.
Classic · Woodie · Manual · Provenance
1940 Buick Series 50 Super Estate Wagon
A prewar Buick woodie with a Biehl-built body, straight-eight, three-speed manual and seller-documented three-owner history is museum-grade wagon material. The seller says only 495 were built and roughly a dozen survive.
Source review: September 25, 2026. Listing-page text was retrieved. No independently verified new sold/ended result was established in this review; preserve the previous dated status. Retrieved content may be a cached snapshot. The last confirmed observation date is unchanged; this is not direct seller confirmation. Recorded source
Waghoon data snapshot
Source checked September 21, 2026Fast, fact-backed context
Listing facts and simple derived context only. No proprietary score.
Why it is curatedBIEHL WOOD BODY · STRAIGHT-8
SignalClassicSignalWoodieSignalManualSignalProvenance
Method: model-year age uses 2026 minus model year. Mileage pace is shown only when the listing supplies mileage not qualified as shown, non-actual or unknown. Always verify the original listing and vehicle.
Listing-backed facts
| Data point | This car | What it tells you | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asking price | $99,500 | Advertised asking price; verify fees and current availability. | Vintage Motors of Sarasota ↗ |
| Mileage | 49,000 miles shown | Shown as described by the seller; lifetime mileage is not established. | Vintage Motors of Sarasota ↗ |
| Location | Sarasota, Florida | Use location to plan an independent inspection, title work and transport. | Vintage Motors of Sarasota ↗ |
| Listed specification | 248ci straight-eight · Three-speed manual · Biehl wood body · Three-owner history claimed | Seller-listed facts that should be checked against the car and documents. | Vintage Motors of Sarasota ↗ |
| Curation signals | Classic, Woodie, Manual, Provenance | Listing-backed attributes used for editorial selection—not a score. | Vintage Motors of Sarasota ↗ |
Potential model issues to inspect
These are documented model, platform or age-related inspection priorities—not a claim that this specific vehicle has each problem. “Not stated” means the listing does not establish that the item has been addressed.
| Issue / inspection priority | Evidence source | Evidence for this car |
|---|---|---|
| Structural wood and jointsThe body depends on timber structure. Probe lower rails, pillars, roof bows, door frames, fasteners and hidden joints for rot, splitting, movement or poor prior repairs. | Original listing photos ↗ | Specialist wood inspection is still required |
| Provenance and rarity claimsAuthenticate Biehl construction, body numbers, ownership documents and the seller's production and survival figures with independent Buick records. | Original listing ↗ | Three owners and rarity figures are seller claims |
| Brakes, cooling and roadworthinessInspect hydraulic brakes, steering, tires, fuel system and straight-eight cooling under a sustained hot drive. Transport plans should reflect prewar performance limits. | FTC used-car guidance ↗ | No independent mechanical report supplied |
Who should shortlist it
A serious prewar collector who can commission marque and wood-body specialists and values documented history as much as presentation.
What Waghoon could not verify
Independently verify the body builder, production and survival claims, ownership chain, restoration history, structural wood, chassis numbers and the displayed mileage. Waghoon has not independently inspected this vehicle. Confirm current availability and arrange an independent pre-purchase inspection before money changes hands.
Understand the model before choosing this car
The specification guide is separate from this individual listing and its dated availability.
- Why station wagons exist — Explore the origins, regional names and changing role of the wagon.
Build a better wagon shortlist.
Compare the configuration, then check the individual car.