Dunbar [2] (United States)

The David Dunbar Buick Corporation was established in 1923 in Walden, New York, as a venture to manufacture automobiles. The company was named after David Dunbar Buick, the founder of the Buick Motor Car Company, who had previously been ousted from his own company by William C. Durant in 1908. Despite his engineering talents, particularly in developing the valve-in-head engine, Buick struggled with business management and faced a series of failures in his subsequent endeavors, including a stint at Lorraine Motors Corporation.

The Dunbar Corporation aimed to capitalize on Buick's name recognition, promoting the vehicle as being built by Buick without explicitly stating that it was not associated with the General Motors brand. The company produced a single prototype, a roadster equipped with a six-cylinder Continental engine, which was intended to attract investors. However, the venture appeared to be more focused on financial gain than on actual vehicle production.

Ultimately, the David Dunbar Buick Corporation failed to achieve its goals. The promotional efforts led to the sale of stock, but the company ceased operations shortly after its formation, leaving investors disappointed. Following this venture, Buick attempted various careers, including in oil and real estate, but he did not find success in these fields either. He passed away in 1929 while working at the Detroit School of Trades. The brief existence of the Dunbar Corporation serves as a cautionary tale of the intersection between automotive innovation and financial speculation.