JEWELER DONATES CLASSIC CAR TO BUICK GALLERY

DETROIT - Although the Alfred P. Sloan Museum's Buick Gallery and Research Center in Flint is only seven months old, it already has attracted two major donations from an international car collector.

During a recent visit to Buick's hometown of Flint, avid Buick collector Nicola Bulgari, vice chairman of the contemporary Italian jeweler Bvlgari, was so impressed by the gallery's gleaming car collection he decided to donate a nearly mint condition 1942 Buick Roadmaster to the collection.

The car is a key addition to the Buick Gallery and Research Center collection, which had been lacking any representative models from the immediate pre-World War II period. The car, among the last pre-war Buicks built before Flint assembly plants were converted to military production, was one of 8,559 Roadmasters built in the 1942 model year. Buick production totaled only 94,442 vehicles in that model year, down from 377,428 the previous year. Car production in Flint didn't resume until late 1945.

The 10,000-square-foot Buick Gallery opened last year primarily as a car museum and library specifically for Buick researchers and vintage Buick enthusiasts, as well as for people interested in general automotive history. Buick provided a $100,000 grant for initial renovation of the building that houses the center and continues to provide financial support, to donate historic material and place Buick vehicles on loan there. The Buick Gallery also has been promised support from a foundation created by the Buick Club of America, an organization of vintage Buick owners.

Bulgari's donation of the 1942 Roadmaster is his second significant grant to Buick in the past seven months. Last December, Bulgari presented a silver scale model Buick Park Avenue Ultra to then-Buick general manager Robert E. Coletta in New York. The model, which measures 2.5 inches tall and 8.5 inches long, is valued at $30,000.

Buick placed the silver model on display at the Buick Gallery and Research Center, along with a short history detailing Bulgari's love of Buicks. Bulgari saw the exhibit when he toured the gallery June 3.

Buick Rivieras

The 1942 Roadmaster is one of about 50 automobiles in the Bulgari Buick Collection, one of the world's largest private Buick collections. The collection includes models ranging from a 1934 Model 61 sedan to the second-to-last 1999 Riviera Silver Arrow built.

Some of the more notable cars in Bulgari's collection are a 1938 Model 90L (Limousine) that had been part of the official Vatican fleet for many years (he purchased it from the Vatican), a multi-carbureted 1941 Century sedan, a rare 1942 Woodie wagon and the last Reatta coupe and convertible produced.

Bulgari was attracted to Buicks as a child in Rome before World War II. He was introduced to Buicks and American cars at age 5, pouring over National Geographic magazines and studying the ads. He fantasized about owning a Buick, most unusual for a young boy growing up surrounded by more exotic automobiles, including Mercedes-Benz luxury cars that his father drove.

"I fell in love with the Buicks," Bulgari said. "To me, they were the symbol of America. They had glamorous styling, personality, power and responsiveness."

Unlike most serious car collectors, Bulgari keeps all of his cars in ready-to-drive condition - and he drives them as often as possible. His primary collection, more than 40 cars, is housed in a spectacular setting in Rome. In a previous life, it was an auto dealership service center. It has since been beautifully restored and decorated as a General Motors dealership and service facility, complete with signage and neon clocks. It is staffed by a full-time mechanic.

In the United States, his collection is shared between his country home and a private museum of exotic cars owned by a close personal friend. They too are kept road-ready and exercised as often as possible.

Many of the Buicks in Bulgari's collection in Italy have been modified for high-speed European driving. Included in this collection-within-a-collection of "export" Buicks are a 400-plus horsepower 1987 Grand National, modified Park Avenues and Park Avenue Ultras and a four-wheel-disc-brake Roadmaster station wagon. One car, the last retail sale Riviera Silver Arrow, has an enhanced supercharged engine, upgraded suspension, special disc brakes and speed-rated tires.

Bulgari also owns the last retail sale Roadmaster sedan (1996), which has been fitted with a 502-horsepower GM engine, special GM transmission, four-wheel disc brakes and a host of suspension upgrades. It will be used for high-speed touring in Europe.

"For me," says Bulgari, "Buicks are the most elegant cars. Mercedes are no longer a status car. To me, they are just taxis."

During Bulgari's visit to Flint he visited a number of historic sites including the Durant-Dort Carriage Company office building, said to be virtually the birthplace of General Motors, and a home of Charles W. Nash, who served as president of Buick and General Motors beginning in 1912.

Bulgari also saw the old Buick engineering building he recalled visiting more than 30 years ago on his first pilgrimage to Buick's hometown. Bulgari wrapped up his visit of the area with a tour of the private Cadillac collection in Warren.

The Buick Gallery and Research Center is located at the southeast corner of Longway Boulevard and Walnut Street in Flint. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $3 for adults, $2.50 for senior citizens and $2 for children aged 5 to 12 years old. Children 4 years old and under are admitted free. For more information contact the Buick Gallery at (810) 760-1415.