Stunning antique roadster commands the stage at one-car Cobble Beach show
Family holds their own celebration after pandemic cancels eighth Concours d'Elegance
Cobble Beach Concours d'Elegance chairman Rob McLeese wanted the eighth annual show at his Georgian Bay resort community near Owen Sound to be extra special. He planned to debut the 1931 McLaughlin-Buick Model 64 sport roadster that was completely restored by noted Canadian antique car specialist Peter Fawcett, and everyone was excited to see it roll across the podium.
“I always hoped to be able to win a concours — but I didn't think it would be the only car there,” he said with a laugh.
What was to be the eighth running of Canada's premier Concours d'Elegance on Sept. 20 was cancelled because of the pandemic.
Cobble Beach Concours chief judge John Carlson viewed the restoration and said it was stunning.
“Freshly restored concours vehicles with this body style are truly works of rolling art,” he said.
“A vehicle of this calibre would certainly be an award winner.”
Despite the cancellation of the much-anticipated show, McLeese and his family planned their own celebration at the time the event would have taken place.
The car is extra special because McLeese's wife, Rosemary McLaughlin McLeese, is the great-granddaughter of George McLaughlin, who co-founded General Motors of Canada in 1918 with his brother Sam McLaughlin.
“At Sam McLaughlin's 90th birthday, 36 Buicks were assembled in the circular drive in front of his Parkwood Estate in Oshawa,” Rob McLeese says.
“Sam McLaughlin looked at all of the Buicks and selected this 1931 McLaughlin-Buick Roadster Model 64 as his favourite of all of the 36 Buick cars in his driveway.”
This McLaughlin-Buick was assembled in Regina, but has always been an Ontario car.
It was originally purchased by two ladies who lived in Toronto's tony Rosedale district. The second owner was Gordon B. Wilson, co-founder of Wilson-Niblett Motors in Richmond Hill, which bills itself as Canada's No. 1 Corvette dealer.
Ironically, Wilson had Peter Fawcett's father, Ron, restored the car 60 years ago at the same shop in Whitby where
Peter re-restored the Buick to concours standards over the past year.
“Rosemary is the third owner of the car, which is now 90 years old,” McLeese says.
“It's been driven only 45,000 miles since new.”
He takes pride in this car being part of his wife's family history. “That car drove my brother-in-law from his wedding at Toronto's Trinity College to the reception in 1975, and was used at the wedding of another friend in 1979,” he says.
With the show cancelled, refunds have been given to those who requested it.
Remaining tickets purchased will be valid for the 2021 show.