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

Related Reading : Buick Century History

In 1930 Buick introduced their Series 60 which served as a replacement for the Series 129. There were seven body styles to select from, all sitting atop a 132-inch wheelbase. The four-door phaeton with seating for seven cost the least, selling for nearly %241,600. Only 807 examples of this body style was produced in 1930. The Most expensive body style was the Limousine, also with seating for seven,....
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Related Reading : Buick Century History

The name Buick Century was the model name utilized by the Buick division of GM for their line of full-size performance cars from 1936 until 1942, from 1954 until 158 and from 1973 until 2005 for a mid-size vehicle. For the 1936 model year Buick renamed its entire model lineup in celebration of the engineering modifications and design advancements over their 1935 models. For this lineup, the Buicks....
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1938 Buick Series 60 Century Vehicle Profiles

1938 Buick Series 60 Century vehicle information
Estate Wagon

Coachwork: Wilanger
Chassis #: 13335600

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

1938 Series 60 Century
$1,713-$9,500
1938 Buick Series 60 Century Price Range: $1,226 - $1,713

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Other 1938 Buick Models

Century

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
24,364
122.00 in.
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 120.00hp
$1,035 - $1,135
33,457
126.00 in.
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 130.00hp
$1,170 - $1,525
18,100
126.00 in.
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 141.00hp
$1,226 - $1,713
23,430
126.00 in.
8 cyl., 248.00 CID., 107.00hp
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 141.00hp
$1,175 - $1,713
9,473
126.00 in.
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 141.00hp
$1,130 - $1,620
4,571
126.00 in.
8 cyl., 320.20 CID., 165.00hp
$1,300 - $1,350

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