Buick Special

Buick Series 40 Buick Special Series 40 Buick Special Buick Century Special
Production period:	1930-1979
Class :	Upper class (1930–1958) Upper middle class (1961–1979)
Body versions :	Touring car , roadster , sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Previous model:	Buick series 116
Successor:	Buick LeSabre

The Buick Special was a series of passenger cars manufactured by Buick in the 1930 model year and then from 1934 to 1958 as the successor to the 116 series in the USA. Until 1935 the series was only called Series 40 , from 1936 the name Special was added. In the model years 1961–1969 the Special reappeared, but without the serial number 40.

In the 1975 model year, another Special appeared as an entry-level model in the Century series. From 1976 this car was called Century Special and was manufactured until 1979.

Series

Series 40 (1930)

Series 40 (1930)
Buick Series 40 Glasses Cabriolet (1930)
Production period:	1930
Body versions :	Touring car , roadster , sedan , coupé
Engines:	Otto engine : 4.2 liters (59 kW)
Length:
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2997 mm
Empty weight :	1545-1676 kg

The new small six-cylinder models for 1930 had a top-controlled engine having a displacement of 4220 cc, and a capacity of 80.5 hp (59 kW) at 2800 min ^-1 . The wheelbase of the cars, available with six different two and four-door bodies, was a uniform 2997 mm. Compared to the previous model in the 116 series , the cars were 50 mm lower and more elegant.

In the following year, the six-cylinder models were discontinued and the 50 series with eight-cylinder engines served as the entry-level model. In the only year of production, 74,257 Buick 40 series were built.

Series 40 / Special Series 40 (1934–1936)

Series 40 (1934–1935) Special Series 40 (1936)
Buick 41 Special 4-door Sedan (1935)
Production period:	1934-1936
Body versions :	Sedan , coupe , convertible
Engines:	Otto engine : 3.8 liters (68 kW)
Length:
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2972-2997 mm
Empty weight :	1357-1522 kg

In 1934 Buick again offered a Series 40 as an entry-level model. However, this was equipped with a series of eight-cylinder engine with 3818 cc of a power of 93 HP (68 kW) at 3200 min ^-1 rendered. The cars with the diagonally sloping radiator grills and the rocket-shaped headlights had a 2972 mm wheelbase and were available as a two-door coupé or four-door sedan (with and without a separate trunk).

In the following year there were no stylistic or technical changes, but a 2-door convertible was also offered.

In 1936 a major facelift was due: the wheelbase grew to 2997 mm and the previously one-piece windshields took on a slight V-shape with a central bar.

174,056 vehicles of the 40 series / Special 40 series were built in three years.

Special Series 40 (1937–1953)

Special Series 40 (1937–1953)
Buick Special Sedanette 460 (1950)
Production period:	1937-1953
Body versions :	Touring car , limousine , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 4.05–4.3 liters (74–92 kW)
Length:	5031-5302 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2997-3099 mm
Empty weight :	1531-1803 kg

Buick 41 Special Sedan (1939)

Buick 48D Special Sedan (1951)

In 1937 the special appeared substantially revised. The wheelbase had grown to 3099 mm and the radiator grille had an accentuated V-shape with a chrome-plated center bar. In addition to four-door sedans with and without a separate trunk, there was a two-door convertible, various two-door coupés and a four-door Phaeton. The displacement of the eight-cylinder in-line engine was 4064 cm³ and its output 100 hp (74 kW) at 3200 min ⁻¹ .

New in model year 1938 was the semi-automatic transmission, in which the clutch only had to be operated to start up. The engine power increased to 107 hp (79 kW) at 3400 min ^-1 . A two-door sedan was added.

In 1939 there was a new styling of the front mask . The new “waterfall grill” split in the middle had vertical chrome bars and was raised in the middle towards the bonnet. The wheelbase was reduced to 3048 mm.

In 1940 there were new bodies without running boards and with headlights integrated into the front fenders. The radiator grille again had horizontal chrome bars, but its outlines corresponded to that of the previous year. The wheelbase grew again to 3073 mm.

In the 1941 model year, the headlight housings were completely integrated into the front fenders, which had increased in volume. The Phaeton was dropped, but a five-door station wagon was added to the range. Almost all bodies were available with a choice of two different wheelbases: 2,997 mm for the 40A series and 3073 mm for the 40B series. The engine output increased to 115 hp (85 kW).

In 1942, the last year of pre-war production, the Special got a new face. The flat, horseshoe-shaped grille was now back on vertical chrome bars. The 40A and 40B series now had the same wheelbase of 2997 mm. With 110 hp (81 kW), the engines produced slightly less than in the previous year.

In 1946 automobile production began again with the last pre-war models, which were only slightly changed. The engine was taken over unchanged; the wheelbase was a uniform 3073 mm. In addition to a four-door sedan, there was only a two-door sedanette (hatchback sedan). Up to and including 1949 there were only cosmetic changes.

In 1950, the vertical chrome bars on the radiator grille extended into the front bumpers. A two-door coupé was added as the third body shape. The wheelbase grew slightly to 3086 mm. There was again a one-piece windshield.

The 1951 model year brought a larger engine above all. The new in-line eight cylinder had a capacity of 4315 cc and provided 120 hp (88 kW) at 3600 min ^-1 . The radiator grille with narrower vertical chrome bars was framed by the front bumper lowered in the middle and a solid chrome clasp above the radiator grille. The two-door hardtop coupé was also new .

In 1952 there were few cosmetic changes. In 1953 the Special was the only remaining Buick model with an inline eight-cylinder engine. Its output increased again to 125 hp (92 kW). In the following year it was replaced by the V8.

In the six years before the Second World War , 846,810 series 40 cars were built, in the eight years after that there were 895,838 units.

Special Series 40 (1954–1958)

Special Series 40 (1954–1958)
Buick Special 2-door hardtop (1958)
Production period:	1954-1958
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 4.3–6.0 liters (105–184 kW)
Length:	5207-5340 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	3099 mm
Empty weight :	1658-1997 kg

Buick 49 Special Station Wagon (1955)

In 1954 the Special appeared with a completely new pontoon body. All fenders were integrated into the body and there was a small swing of the hips in the area of the rear doors. The windshield was designed as a panoramic window . Consisting of 4326 cc, a power output of 143 hp (105 kW) at 4200 was new, above all, the V8 engine, min ^-1 scooped. For the cars with the fully automatic transmissions that are now available, it was 150 hp (110 kW). From this model year there was also a five-door station wagon again.

1955 shows the Special with a large shark's mouth in front and small tail fins in the back. The engine output increased to 188 hp (138 kW) while the displacement remained the same.

In the following year, the shark's mouth became wider and a four-door hardtop sedan was offered as an additional body shape. There was a larger engine with 5277 cc capacity and a power of 220 hp (162 kW) at 4400 min ^-1 .

Buick Special 4-Door (1957)

While the front remained almost the same in 1957, the tail fins and the swing of the hips were significantly enlarged. The V8 engine was also enlarged to a displacement of 5965 cm³. The power increased to 250 hp (184 kW).

The Buick Special from 1958 was completely redesigned. The shark's mouth had mutated into a grille over the entire width of the vehicle, over which double headlights were enthroned. The tail fins grew into gigantic shapes and there were wide chrome strips on the sides of the rear doors and rear fenders. Technically, nothing changed in the last year before the model was replaced. The following year the LeSabre replaced the Special.

In five years, 1,265,605 cars of the last 40 series were built.

Special / Special Deluxe (1961–1969)

Special (1961–1967) Special Deluxe (1961–1969)
Buick Special Deluxe Coupe (1968)
Production period:	1961-1969
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , coupé , convertible
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.2-5.7 liters (99-169 kW)
Length:	4785-5199 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2845-2946 mm
Empty weight :	1182-1714 kg

Buick Special Convertible (1965)

After only a two year hiatus, a new special appeared on the brand new, much smaller GM-Y platform. At 2845 mm, the wheelbase was smaller than the last model in the 40 series. The cars with the double headlights installed in the wide radiator grille were available as a two-door coupé, four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. There were more simply equipped Special Standard models and better equipped Special Deluxe models. A “small” aluminum V8 engine with 3523 cm³ displacement and an output of 155 hp (114 kW) was new. The rights to this engine were taken over in 1965 by the automobile manufacturer Rover , who built it from 1967 to 2004 and initially used it in its P5B and P6B ("B" stands for Buick).

There were hardly any stylistic changes in 1962, but a two-door sedan and a two-door convertible were now also offered. The coupe fell away. In addition to the V8 engine from the previous year, now with either 155 or 190 hp, a smaller V6 engine with 3245 cm³ and an output of 135 hp (99 kW) was also available on request, but only for the standard models.

Buick Special Deluxe (1963)

The 1963 Special was a little more angular, but basically little changed. Technically nothing changed either. The Special Deluxe was only available as a sedan with four doors or a station wagon with five doors.

In 1964 a thorough revision was due again. The bodies became significantly longer and heavier; the wheelbase increased to 2921 mm. The front and rear were clearly contoured; the muzzle was slightly V-shaped and the twin headlights were set back. The two-door sedan was now also available as a Special Deluxe. In order to maintain the performance despite the greater weight, larger engines were needed: the new V6 had a displacement of 3,687 cm³ and developed 155 hp (114 kW), the V8 had a displacement of 4916 cm³ and brought it to 210 hp (154 kW).

There were few changes in 1965 Special and Special Deluxe were now available again in all body variants.

In 1966 there was another slight facelift . The twin headlights were a bit smaller and were closer together. The contouring of the front continued to increase and there was a slight hip bend in the area of the C-pillar. The two-door sedan gave way to a two-door coupe. The engine output of the V6 rose to 160 hp (118 kW).

In 1967 there were again hardly any stylistic changes - with the exception of the slightly modified radiator grille. The convertible was omitted; there was a two-door hardtop coupé for this model year , which was only available as a Special Deluxe. In addition, there was only the limousine as a Special Deluxe.

In 1968 the Special Standard was dropped. The Special Deluxe was available as a two-door coupe, four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. The two-door model got a smaller wheelbase of 2845 mm, the four- and five-door models added another 1 ″ to 2946 mm. The engines were also new: an in-line six-cylinder with 4096 cm³ displacement and 155 hp (114 kW) and a V8 engine with 5735 cm³ and 230 hp (169 kW).

In the last year of construction for the time being, 1969, there were hardly any changes to the Special Deluxe. In 1970 the Skylark was Buick's entry-level model.

794,909 copies of the Special and Special Deluxe were made in nine years.

Special / Century Special (1975-1977)

Special (1975) Century Special (1976-1977)
Buick Century Special Coupe (1977)
Production period:	1975-1977
Body versions :	Coupe
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.8 liters (94-99 kW)
Length:	5321-5329 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2845 mm
Empty weight :	1589-1637 kg

In 1975 another Buick Special appeared as a simple version within the Century / Regal series. However, there was only one two-door coupé with a V6 engine that delivered 110 nhp (approx. 155 PS / 99 kW) with a 3785 cm³ displacement. The car had simple headlights next to the slightly V-shaped grille, which was bordered by two parking lights.

Instead of the individual, round headlights, there were rectangular, stacked double headlights and a radiator grille in modern Mercedes style with a hood ornament in 1976. The engine output fell slightly to 105 nhp (94 kW). The simplest version of the Century series was now offered as Century Special .

In 1977 the rectangular twin headlights were again next to each other. Indicator and parking lights were installed underneath. The backward sloping beads in the sides of the vehicle, which were supposed to represent a line of the front fenders, had disappeared again.

Together with the corresponding Century model, 180,633 units were produced in these three years of production.

Century Special (1978-1979)

Century Special (1978-1979)
Buick Century (1978-1979)
Production period:	1978-1979
Body versions :	Sedan , station wagon , coupé
Engines:	Petrol engines : 3.2-5.0 liters (66-118 kW)
Length:	4978 mm
Width:
Height:
Wheelbase :	2746 mm
Empty weight :	1360-1501 kg

In 1978, a scaled-down Century Special appeared, the wheelbase of which had shrunk to 2,746 mm. The new cars now had individual rectangular headlights, which were flanked inside and outside by narrow indicators and parking lights. Now there were all three body styles of the Century - two-door coupé, four-door sedan and five-door station wagon - also in the simplest version, Special. In addition to the previously known V6 engine, the basic engine was a smaller V6 with 3212 cm³ and 90 nhp (66 kW) and, on request, a V8 with 4998 cm³ and 145 or 160 nhp (106 or 118 kW).

In the last year of construction 1979 there were no more significant changes. The small V6 engine now developed 105 nhp (76 kW), the large V6 engine 115 nhp (85 kW). The V8 engine had a displacement of 4933 cm³ and, depending on the carburettor equipment, made 140 or 150 nhp (103 or 110 kW).

A total of 53,866 Century Specials were built in these two production years. In 1980 there was no longer a Century Special. The Century model series was built on; it was reissued several times and remained the mid-range Buick model until 2004.

Web links

Commons : Buick Series 40 - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Commons : Buick Special - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

swell

Beverly R. Kimes, Henry A. Clark: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942. Krause Publications, Iola 1985, ISBN 0-87341-045-9 .
John Gunnell (Ed.): Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975. Krause Publications, Iola 2002, ISBN 0-87349-461-X .
James M. Flammang, Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999 . Krause Publications, Iola 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0 .