1938 Buick Series 60 Century

The 1936 Buick models were updated with a more elegant appearance and many improvements including modern all-steel 'Turret Top' body construction. Additionally, there was an advanced overhead-valve inline eight-cylinder engine, which would remain in use through 1952. These new models, along with a landmark advertising campaign, helped Buick post-sales in excess of 225,000 by 1937 and climbed to a sixth-place sales ranking.

For 1938, Buick offered the Series 40 Special, Series 60 Century, Series 80 Roadmaster, and the Series 90 Limited. Each rode on a different wheelbase, had different engine output, body style, and cost. This diverse model range appealed to a wide audience. The Buick Special was the entry-level model, priced from $945 to $1,400, and rested on a 122-inch wheelbase platform. It was equipped with an eight-cylinder engine displacing 248 cubic-inches and delivering 107 horsepower. The Century had a 126-inch wheelbase, the Roadmaster had a 133-inch wheelbase, and the Limited rested on a 140-inch wheelbase. Prices for the Century ranged from $1,225 to $1,715. The Roadmaster's price began at $1,645 and the Limited began at $2,450.

The Century was the fastest and lightest car in the Buick lineup, able to achieve speeds of 100 MPH or more, hence the name 'Century.' It shared its engine with the Roadmaster and the Limited, a 320.2 cubic-inch inline-8 with overhead valves, mechanical valve lifters, five main bearings, and a Stromberg carburetor. The engine produced 141 horsepower at 3,400 RPM and was backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a single dry plate clutch. Braking was handled by hydraulic drums on four wheels.

Six body styles were offered on the 1938 Buick Century, including a two- and four-door touring sedan, convertible phaeton, convertible coupe, sport coupe, and sport sedan. The four-door touring sedan was the most popular, with a base price of $1,300, with 12,364 examples produced. 1,515 examples of the $1,270 four-door sport sedan were built, and 1,380 of the ($1,250) two-door touring sedan. 208 examples of the $1,710 convertible phaeton were built, and 642 of the $1,360 convertible coupe.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2019