David Dunbar Buick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Dunbar Buick
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Buick in 1891
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| Born | September 17, 1854 |
| Died | March 5, 1929 (aged 74) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Burial place | Woodmere Cemetery, Detroit |
| Occupation | Inventor, entrepreneur |
| Known for | Buick Motor Company |
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David Dunbar Buick (born September 17, 1854 – died March 5, 1929) was an inventor from Scotland who later lived in Detroit, USA. He is famous for starting the Buick Motor Company. He led this company and its earlier versions from 1899 to 1906. His work helped create one of the most successful car brands in American history.
Early Life and Inventions
David Buick was born in Arbroath, Scotland. When he was two years old, his family moved to Detroit, USA. He left school in 1869 and began working for a company that made plumbing supplies.
In 1882, when the company faced problems, David and a partner took it over. This is when Buick started to show his talent for inventing. He created many new things, like a lawn sprinkler. He also found a way to permanently coat cast iron with a smooth, glass-like material called vitreous enamel. This made it cheaper to produce "white" bathtubs. Even though cast iron bathtubs are not common today, his method for enameling them is still used. Thanks to Buick's inventions and his partner's good business skills, their company became very successful.
Starting the Buick Motor Company
In the 1890s, David Buick became very interested in internal combustion engines. These are the engines that power cars. He started spending less time on the plumbing business. His business partner became impatient, so they ended their partnership, and the plumbing company was sold.
Now, Buick had time and money to work on engines full-time. In 1899, he started a new company called the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company. Its goal was to sell engines for use in farming. However, Buick soon began working on building a complete car, not just engines. He focused a lot on research and development, but not much on making or selling cars. By early 1902, he had spent all his money and only had one car to show for it.
In early 1902, he created the Buick Manufacturing Company. This company aimed to sell engines to other car makers and to build and sell its own cars. But there were still problems with making and developing the cars. By the end of 1902, Buick was out of money again, with only one car finished.
Despite the money problems, his focus on development led to a big invention: the "Valve-in-Head" overhead valve engine. This type of engine was much more powerful than the "side valve" engines used by other car makers at the time. Today, most car engines use a design based on Buick's invention.
In 1903, Buick needed more money. He got a $5,000 loan from a friend named Benjamin Briscoe. With this help, he formed the Buick Motor Company. This company would later become a very important part of the General Motors car empire.
Later Life and Legacy
In 1906, David Buick left the company he had started. He received a payment and kept only one share of the company. Later, William C. Durant, who was then the president of Buick, bought that share from him for $100,000.
After leaving Buick, David tried other businesses. He invested in oil in California and land in Florida, but these were not successful. He also tried to make carburetors (a part of an engine) with his son, Tom.
In 1921, Buick briefly returned to the car business as the president of a company called Lorraine Motors, which did not last long. In 1923, he designed a car prototype called the Dunbar.
In 1928, David Buick told a historian that he was almost completely broke. He could not even afford a telephone. He worked as a teacher at the Detroit School of Trades. He passed away on March 5, 1929, at the age of 74, from colon cancer. He was buried in Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.
A writer named Theodore F. McManus once said that David Buick "sipped from the cup of greatness, and then spilled what it held." This means he had a taste of great success but then lost it. However, in 2000, a car historian noted that "over 35,000,000 motor cars have been built in his name, which will never be lost to history."
David Dunbar Buick was recognized for his contributions to the car industry. He was added to the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1974.
See also
In Spanish: David Dunbar Buick para niños
