This is the mesmerizing 1948 Norman E. Timbs Buick Streamliner. Mechanical engineer and prolific designer, Norman E. Timbs created this dramatic looking machine in the mid to late 1940’s and much of the project was designed and fabricated by himself. The car took 2 and 1/2 years to be built and utilized a 1947 Buick “Straight 8” engine, a hand-formed aluminum body by Emil Diedt and the suspension from a modified 1947 Ford. One of the Streamliner’s first major media appearances came in October of 1949, where it appeared on the cover of Motor Trend. The Streamliner is a staggering 18-feet long, while sitting only at 47-inches high from the floor to the top of the windshield. In the early 1950’s, the Streamliner was purchased by and located in California. Subsequently, after having been shown around and featured in a number of TV/film appearances, the car was left abandoned exposed to the harsh California sun for a number of years. In 2002, it was re-discovered and sold “as found” during the 2002 Barrett-Jackson at the Petersen Museum Classic Car Auction. From here, the car was restored partially by the new owner alongside some friends and family until 2005, when the Streamliner would then become the recipient of an extensive, multi-year restoration carried out by Custom Auto. The car’s official re-introduction took place at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2010, where it won the American Open Car class. In November of 2018, the car was a almost completely destroyed in the Malibu Woosley Fire. It was rebuilt and restored yet again, retaining as much originality as possible, and this time, with a computer-designed body created by Lucy Bothwell. Just recently, during the 2024 @ameliaconcoursofficial, the Streamliner was shown yet again, as closely as it appeared to the day it was finished new.
How many made? 1 of 1
Engine: Buick Straight-8
Debut: 1948
Top Speed: 120mph
0-60: N/A
Photo Credit: @undiscoveredclassics
Research: @rarecarsonly