1938 Buick Series 80 Roadmaster Sport Phaeton

The Buick model lineup for 1938 included the Special, Century, Limited, and Roadmaster offered on a variety of wheelbases, engine output, body styles, and prices for customers to select. Charles Chayne was the engineering manager at Buick and he tended to the mechanical details. The vehicle designs reflected the increasing influence of Harley Earl's Art and Color Department throughout General Motors.

For 1938, Chayne made refinements to Buick's Dynaflash overhead-valve straight eight, replaced the I-beam with a strengthened X-member frame, and introduced the full coil spring suspension. 1938 was also the last year that the Roadmaster and Limited Series would use wood in body construction.

The refinement made to the vehicles and the investments in tooling for steel panels, even for such low production lines, helped solidify the marque's hold on fourth place in the Detroit sales race, a position it would hold for years to come. Despite an overall market slump, Buick enjoyed a good sales year with over 170,000 cars sold.

This particular Roadmaster Model 80C four-door Sport Phaeton is one of 350 examples built. It was treated to a body-off restoration in 2013 that cost in excess of $150,000. Over the past two years, it has been driven just five miles and a total of 50 miles since the restoration.

This Buick has covered dual side-mounted spare tires, bullet-shaped headlights and parking lights, dual spotlights, contrasting color-keyed steel wheels with bright hubcaps and trim rings surrounding period-style wide whitewall tires. The exterior is finished in Titian Maroon paint with a tan canvas convertible top and accessory boot for top-down driving. The engine is a 320 cubic-inch Dynaflash overhead valve straight-8 engine offering 141 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual transmission and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2018