1938 Buick Series 40 Special

By the late 1930s, Buick's role in the General Motors prestige hierarchy was solidly established at number three, trailing Cadillac and LaSalle, but ranking ahead of Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. It had come to be known as 'the doctor's car,' an enviable nickname that reflected Buick's essence: not quite ostentatious, definitely a cut above common, and dead solid reliable - a critical factor in an era when house calls were still part of a physician's routine.

However, it's unlikely that Buicks such as this 40-Series four-door convertible saw much service with doctors. There were eight body styles in the 40 Special inventory, plus a bare chassis version for coachbuilders. All were propelled by Buick's familiar in-line eight: 248 cubic-inches in the Specials, rated for a modest 107 horsepower - not much in the Phaeton, the heavyweight of the lineup at 3,705 pounds.

This car was acquired by the current owner in 2006, ending 25 years in storage. The car was restored in 2010 by Doug Saybold's Buick shops in Elyria, Ohio. Of the 141,301 Buick Specials produced for the 1938 model year, 946 were four-door convertibles. How many have survived is unknown, but this example is just one of four registered with the Buick Club of America.