As told by historians Terry Dunham and Lawrence Gustin in The Buick: A Complete History, Evelyn “Bunny” McLeod, a Hollywood socialite and wife of director Norman Z. McLeod, gave a party at her Beverly Hills home. In attendance were GM’s Harley Earl and Buick president Harlowe Curtice. Mrs. McLeod happened to mention that she did not own a Buick because the marque did not offer a station wagon. Upon return to Detroit, Earl set out to design one, and Curtice placed an order for 501 bodies: 495 for U.S. sales and six for export.

This handsome 1940 Super Estate Wagon received a 5,000-hour restoration at Doug Seybold Restorations in Westlake, Ohio. The body is framed in northern ash, with African mahogany panels. All hardware is polished stainless steel, as is the exhaust system. Its list of awards is long: AACA First Junior, First Senior, Grand National, Senior Grand National, and an AACA National award for the “Best of the Best.” Buick Club of America awards include BCA Senior, BCA Gold, and a BCA award for the highest-scoring car at a national meet. At the Glenmoor Gathering, it was the best woodie of 21 shown. At Stan Hywet in Akron, Ohio, it won 1st in Class, Spectators’ Choice, and Judges’ Choice. It was also the Top Pre-war car at the Arthritis Foundation show in Columbus.

This is truly an exceptional example of the scarce and desirable “year one” Buick Estate Wagon.