Colorized Mario's Tribute to 1951 Buick XP300

The 1951 Buick XP300 is a Concept Car developed by GM. The plans were developed along side the 1951 GM LeSabre XP8 Concept Car.

It can run on gas or methanol. It measures over 16 ft in length but only 39 inches in height. Many features from push-button power windows and seats to hydraulic jacks and de Dion axles.

The XP300 was designed by GM VP of Eng Charles Chayne with Ned F. Nickles. Chayne had previously assisted Harley Earl in designing the 1938 Buick Y-Job.

Charles A. Chayne, Harley J. Earl and Ned F. Nickles were three genuine automotive enthusiasts whose passion for beautiful cars led to the creation of the Buick XP300.

GM VP of Eng Charles Chayne with designer Ned F. Nickles. The car's name reflects the fact that it produced over 300 horsepower and was an experimental (XP) vehicle.

Part sports car and space ship the car had an electric shaver grille, a wraparound windshield, a tri-finned tail with the electric radio antenna protruding from the center fin.

In May 1951 Chayne granted approval for construction of the XP300 along with a counterpart GM concept car, the Le Sabre.

Claimed to have attained a top speed of 140 mph during testing, the XP300 was displayed at auto shows across the USA.

Buick XP300 dream car at the GM Motorama.

Buick XP300 dream car at the GM Motorama.

In 1966 the XP300 was refurbished and donated to the Alfred P. Sloan Museum in Flint, Michigan, where it remains today.

The interior of the XP300 features pleated blue leather bucket seats, inflatable air bladders and center console. It also has a telescoping steering wheel and Tachometer. The gauges resemble that of a jet aircraft.

It boasted many safety features including dual brakes, power adjustable seats, adjustable steering wheel, seat belts and curved safety glass windshield.

The XP300 features a wraparound windshield, three tailfins, and a grille that resembles an electric razor, push button power windows and seats.

The XP300 was more in line with Chayne's conception of the future of Buick production cars, and its front end design ultimately foreshadowed the 1954 Buick line.

The XP300's body and frame were welded together into a single unit. It also had heat treated aluminum body panels.

Advanced 225ci 335hp V8 Compression 10 to 1. Same engine as in the 1951 LeSabre Concept Car. It also boasted a chain-driven camshaft and hemispherical combustion chambers.

Aluminum block V-8 featured a supercharger and alcohol injection to make 335 HP from its 225 CI V8. It is mated to a custom Dynaflow automatic transmission.

A chrome fin runs down the center of the car's trunk, hiding hinges for the twin deck lids.

A floodlight style, sealed beam backup lamp mounted in the center imitates the exhaust of a jet engine.

It has four hydraulic jacks that could raise either the driver or passenger side of the car for easier tire changes.

It features four coil springs and a hydraulic system which operates the car's cowl vents, door locking devices, hood, jacks, seats, and windows.

The car features heavy and wide drum brakes that necessitated two sets of brake shoes for each wheel.

The XP300 was painted Venus White, it has functional chrome louvers running down its rocker panels.

Both Buick dream cars had heat-treated aluminum bodies.

The XP300's engine could run on either gasoline or methanol, and the car featured two separate fuel fillers and fuel tanks, one for each fuel.

The car had a Bendix Eclipse 2 barrel carburetor one using gasoline and the other methanol. The methanol carburetor automatically cut in once the gasoline carburetor reached 40% throttle.

Chayne used the XP-300 as if it was his personal car. Chayne reported that he attained a top speed of 110 mph in the car, which bears his initials on the trim panels at each front fender.

Both cars stressed Harley Earl’s love of long, low, sleek and heavily stylized designs and the use of bright metal trim, which he had a taste for even when it became passé.

Together with the Le Sabre, the XP300 pioneered the wraparound windshield which was copied by all the manufacturers in the fifties.

A VERY RARE IDEAL TOY CO. 1951 BUICK XP300 MOTORAMA DREAM CAR REPLICA

Approximately 1.18 scale.

Battery operated lights and horn.

Interior 1951 BUICK XP300 MOTORAMA DREAM CAR REPLICA