1938 Buick Series 80 Roadmaster

A Scottish industrialist named David Dunbar Buick developed a process for annealing porcelain to steel for bathtubs, earning him a wealth that he applied to the horseless-carriage phenomenon. His first car, appearing in 1903, was a runabout with chain drive and a flat-twin power with overhead valves, a rarity then but has been a hallmark of nearly all Buicks since.

The 1938 Buicks included the Special, Century, Limited, and Roadmaster. This was a very diverse range of vehicles on several different platform lengths and in many different body styles. Customers could certainly find a vehicle within the Buick model range that would satisfy their needs. The Series 40 had a 122-inch wheelbase platform and was powered by an overhead-valve inline eight-cylinder engine displacing 248 cubic-inches and offering 107 horsepower. Prices ranged from $945 to $1,100, and body styles included a convertible coupe, convertible phaeton, 2- and 4-door touring sedans, a sport coupe and sport sedan, business coupe, and two-door sport sedan. The touring sedan was the most popular model in the Buick lineup, accounting for nearly half of Buick's total 1938 sales, with 79,510 examples sold.

The Buick Century had a 126-inch wheelbase and a 320.2 cubic-inch eight-cylinder engine that it shared with the Roadmaster and the Limited. It had overhead valves, a cast-iron block, mechanical valve lifters, a Marvel or Stromberg dual downdraft carburetor, five main bearings, and delivered 141 horsepower at 3,600 RPM. This engine produced 11 more horsepower than the previous year thanks to crowned 'tubulator' pistons and a compression ratio of 6.5:1 (compared to 5.9:1 the previous year). All engines were backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission with floor shift controls and a single dry plate clutch. Hydraulic brakes were on all four wheels, along with pressed steel wheels. The 1938 Buick Century had a price range of $1,230 to $1,720.

The Limited was the top-of-the-line Buick, resting on a 140-inch wheelbase and prices that ranged from $2,075 for the touring sedan and rose to $2,450 for the eight-passenger Limousine. The 8-passenger touring sedan had a price of $2,350. The Limited was an exclusive automobile with fewer than 1,500 examples sold in 1938.

The Roadmaster had a 133-inch wheelbase and a length of 213.25-inches. The Sport Phaeton had a price of $1,980, the Sport Sedan at $1,650, the Formal Sedan at $1,760, and the Touring Sedan at $1,645. The Touring sedan was the most popular body style with 4,505 examples built. 350 were sport phaetons, 466 were sport sedans, and 247 of the formal sedan. The Formal Sedan, Touring Sedan, and Sport Phaeton were carried over from the previous year (albeit listed as a Phaeton and Trunk Back Sedan in 1937), and the Sport Sedan was a new addition to the lineup.

Part of the success of the 1930s Buick's was due to the increasing influence of Harley Earl's Art & Color Department, Buick's General Manager Harlow Curtice, and the Engineering Manager at Buick, Charles Chayne. Under Chayne's guidance, the 1938 Buick's received several refinements, including a strengthened chassis with an X-member frame replacing the I-beam and suspended in place by a full coil spring suspension. The full coil spring setup would not be seen on most other marques for two decades or more and provided Buicks with a comfortable ride and advanced handling. This was the last year that the Roadmaster and Limited Series would use wood in body construction. Optional equipment included single or dual side mount tires, fog lamps, grille covers, centerline radio, an electric windshield defroster, and a dual heater defroster.

Despite an overall market slump, Buick enjoyed a good sales year with over 170,000 cars sold, earning it fourth place in industry sales, a position it would retain for years to come.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2019