A 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible "Rain Man" is up for auction.

Posted on January 20, 2022
Classic cars
A 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible "Rain Man" is up for auction.

A 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible used in the 1988 film "Rain Man" will be auctioned on January 27 at Bonhams in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The car is featured prominently in "Rain Man" because the film centers on a cross-country road trip by brothers Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) and Raymond Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman). The car being auctioned is one of two used in the filming, and was purchased by Hoffman after the film ended.

Hoffman has owned the car ever since, but according to the auction listing, it has rarely been seen in public, except for an appearance at a 1989 Buick Car Club event.

"The Buick has been in storage for far too long," Hoffman said in a statement accompanying the listing.

The Roadmaster was powered by a 320 cubic-inch inline 8-cylinder (Buick engines at the time were inline 8s, not the more common V-8) that produced 150 horsepower. Its power is sent to the rear wheels via a two-speed automatic transmission. The Buick's suspension was independent suspension in the front, live axle in the rear, and four-wheel drum brakes.

Bonhams expects the "Rain Man" Buick to sell for $150,000 to $250,000 because of its strong Hollywood ties. This is not the only movie car recently sold at auction. A 1994 Porsche 911 Turbo from "Bad Boys" sold for $1.43 million at a Mecum auction in Florida. A 1976 AMC Pacer from "Wayne's World" will be offered at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction the same weekend as the Bonhams auction.

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