1941 Buick Series 40 Special

1941 was a record sales year for Buick. More than 370,000 of the completely re-styled line of cars were sold. The Estate Wagon was popular, especially with Hollywood movie starts, directors and studios.

The body of the Estate Wagon was built by the Hercules Body Company in Evansville, Indiana from 1941 thru 1948. Initially, a Canadian company supplied soft wood for the bodies instead of the hard maple specified, and deterioration of the wood was rapid.

This car was most recently restored in 2003. The base price of the Special Estate Wagon was $1,463.

Buick, founded in 1903, had come a long way from its original 2-cylinder models by the time this beautiful Estate Wagon was built. In 1941, Buick was a prestigious car prized world-wide for its performance, style and durability.

Buicks were often featured in movies of the era. Warner Bros. Studios owned several that were used both for crew transportation and in their films. One of these, a 1941 Series 40 Special Estate Wagon is the very car you see here. This Warner Bros. Buick was ordered fully optioned, with fender skirts, 'Sonomatic' radio and 'Compound Carburetion' (dual carburetors).

This Buick appeared in many movies made in the 1940s and can be spotted in later films as well. One of its last appearances was in the 1968 movie, 'Cool Hand Luke' - yes, this is the wagon that Luke/Paul Newman 'dies' in at the end of the film. The Estate Wagon was sold at a Warner Bros. property auction in 1969, by which time it had logged only 28,000 miles. It was subsequently 'sympathetically restored' and has been proudly held by the present, fourth, owner since 1995.

The wooden bodies for the 1941 Buick Estate Wagons were produced by Hercules Mfg. Co., of Evansville, Indiana. Only 838 examples of the lovely Estate Wagon were built in 1941 and very few survive today.

Sold for $29,700 at 2016 RM Sothebys.
The 1941 Buick was a very versatile vehicle, offering five separate models with 26 body styles. The Models included the Special Series 40, Super Series 50, Century Series 60, Roadmaster Series 70, and Limited Series 90. This was the widest array of body styles for Buick to date. With the onset of World War II and the plethora of available vehicles, Buick moved into 4th place in industry sales, increasing production by an impressive 34 percent. Buick's most popular model was the Special, with 242,089 sales of the 377,428 cars Buick sold that year. Included were 87,687 domestic and 461 export sales of the Special Sedanet, which had a base price of $1,006.

The 1941 Buicks were quite different from their predecessors. They no longer had fender-mounted spare tires, or exposed running boards and door hinges. They were given new and much sleeker looking fender lines, and headlights were completely enclosed in the fenders for the first time. Hoods could be opened from either side.

For 1941, Buick offered Compound Carburetion as standard equipment on all models except the Specials, which offered it as optional equipment. Compound Carburetion was the forerunner to the four-barrel carburetor and also to the multi-carburetor setup.

The 1941 Buick Special was powered by a 248 cubic-inch 'Fireball' eight-cylinder engine offering 115 horsepower. It was backed by a three-speed manual transmission and hydraulic drum brakes could be found at all four corners.

This particular example, a Special Sedanet, is finished in maroon over a tan cloth interior. Options include windshield sun visor, dual spot lights, rear fender skirts, bumperettes, tissue dispenser, Sonomatic radio, and tissue dispenser.
By Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2016

Buick introduced the Series 40 in 1930 as a replacement for the Series 116. The Series 40 rode on a 118-inch wheelbase and powered by a 258 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine which produced 80 horsepower. Braking was through mechanical drums found on all four corners. The suspension was comprised of semi-elliptic springs and Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers. During its first year, there were six bodystyles to select from, including a Sedan, Sport Roadster, Business Coupe and Special Coupe in two-door configuration. A Phaeton and Sedan version were offered with four doors, with the four-door sedan with seating for five being the most popular bodystyle on the Series 40. Pricing was rather competitive, starting at $1260 and continuing through $1300. The Phaeton had seating for four or five, and had the lowest sales in the Series 40, total just under 1000 examples.

The name 'Series 40' remained dormant for a few years, making its re-appearance in 1934. They were again Buicks entry-level vehicle, though much had changed in these few short years. The Series 40 lightweight vehicles powered by an eight-cylinder engine that measured 233 cubic-inches and produced nearly 100 horsepower.

The name 'Series 40' would stick with Buick until 1959, when a new series naming scheme was introduced. During this time, the Series 40 would be powered by eight-cylinder engines which grew in size in power throughout the years.

For 1934, the Series 40 rested on a 117-inch wheelbase and had an entry price of a mere $795. The top-of-the-line Series 40 would set the buyer back $925. The four-door Club sedan continued to be the most popular of the Series 40, selling nearly 11,000 examples in 1934. Five body styles were available, including a two-door Touring Sedan, Sport Coupe, and Convertible Coupe.

For 1935, little changed. A few extra colors were added and the trim was revised slightly. Mechanical problems from the 1934 Series 40 were resolved, such as clutch and timing chain issues. A new bodystyle was added, the Convertible Coupe.

Changes occurred both visually and mechanical for 1936. The car now rested on an enlarged, 118-inch wheelbase. Over 77,000 examples of the four-door sedan were sold, which was a drastic improvement over the prior years sales figures. Much of the vehicles aesthetics received attention. The windshields and roof lines became more rounded. The spare tire was mounted discretely in the trunk for some body styles, and mounted on the left-hand side of the vehicle for others.

Sales continued to be strong throughout the 1930s for the Series 40. The car grew even larger in 1937, now sitting on a 122-inch wheelbase. The engine now measured 248 cubic-inches and produced 100 horsepower. Production continued until the onset of World War II, when the American automobile producers switched to aid in the production of war-time materials.

When production resumed in 1946, the Series 40 was the only model in Buick's lineup to utilize the prewar Fisher B-body styles of the postwar era. There were two body styles available, both resting on a 121 inch wheelbase and had seating for six. The four-door version cost $1,580 while the two-door version was priced at $1520. These were Buick entry-level vehicles, just as they had been in prior to World War II. Sales were slow, with around 3000 examples produced from the combined sales of the two- and four-door version. The 248 cubic-inch engine was rated at around 110 horsepower.

Major changes did not occur on the Series 40 until 1950, when the cars were given changes to their styling. The styling was modern and memorable, with the grille being one of the more distinguishable features on the car. Three vent-ports were now located on the side of the engine bay. The public approved of these changes, and sales were strong, reaching over 200,000 for the Series 40 and Series 40D. The Series 40D was a Special Deluxe model that had the same styling and size as the Series 40, but added improvements to the interior, addition trim and molding, and 'Special' on the front fenders.

In 1954 the Series 40 was given a new body that was lower and wider than it previously had. The front had a new grille design which many termed as the 'electric shaver' design. The front and rear windows were curved and there was enough glass throughout the drivers and passengers view to provide a nearly 360-degree view. Mounted under the hood was a new 264 cubic-inch V8 engine which produced over 140 horsepower. The vehicles outfitted with the Dynaflow gearbox had even more power. A new steering linkage and suspension gave the vehicle a smooth ride, complimenting the cars appearance.

By 1956, the Series 40 was given visual changes to its grille, ornamentation, and headlights. New bumpers were added to the front and rear of the vehicle. On the inside, the instrumentation was the same as other Buick models, a trend that had not been seen on Buicks since the pre-War era. Improvements to the engine meant an increase in horsepower, now rated at over 220 for the Dynaflow version. Sales were strong with the 2-door Riviera Hardtop being the most popular, with over 113,000 units sold in 1956. The price ranged from $2410 through $2775. The most expensive Series 40 was the six-person Estate Wagon which saw over 13,700 units being purchased.

There were many changes in 1957 to the Series 40, including a new grill insert, the 'B U I C K' name on the front of the car, chrome wings in the rear, along with a slew of other changes. In the back was a single exhaust pipe, with dual exhausts being offered for an additional cost. The three portholes on the side signified 'Super' while other models received four. Horsepower for the Dynaflow version had now reached 250 with 380 foot-pounds of torque. Sales continued to be strong, though they dipped a little from the prior year.

For 1958 the Buick Series 40 were given dual headlights in the front and an exorbitant amount of chrome. There was a circular ornament with a 'V', symbolizing V8, placed on the front and in the center of the hood. Dual horizontal moldings ran along each side of the vehicle, from front to back. Sales were strong, but they were still on the decline.

For 1959, Buick introduced their Series 4400 as a replacement for the Series 40. The Series 4400 was a very wide car with modern style indicative of the era.

The Series had served Buick for many years, as their entry level vehicle. The V8 engine found under the hood (except for the initial years) were more than adequate to carry the large and elegant bodies. Offered in a variety of bodystyles, the cars were versatile and accommodating to many individuals wishes and needs.
By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2007