1940 Buick Series 50 Super

The ascension of Harlow Curtice to the presidency of Buick in 1933 signaled a turning point for the foundational GM division. Although the automotive industry was still grappled with the realities of the Great Depression, Buick soon prospered and solidified its growing reputation for superior engineering, refined styling, affordable pricing, and luxurious amenities. An integral part of the company's success was its powerful and modern 'Valve-in-Head' overhead-valve, eight-cylinder engine.

Buick expanded its model range throughout the 1930s, culminating in the revised 1940 lineup with no less than 10 open models. The model range included the entry-level Series 40 Special, the Series 50 Super line, the larger Series 60 Century, and the Series 70 Roadmaster. The top-of-the-line models included the Series 80 and 90 Limited models. Total calendar-year production reached 310,995 units, including the four millionth Buick automobile built. This placed Buick in fourth place in American sales rankings and marked the GM Division's best product in its history to that point.

The 1940 Buick Series 50 shared its 121-inch wheelbase chassis with the Series 40 Special line. Body styles included a four-door touring sedan, four-door convertible phaeton, 2-door Sport Coupe, 4-door Estate Wagon, and the 2-door Convertible Coupe. The interior was done in Smart Bedford cord upholstery in two-tone Tan. Additional interior features included the engine-turned dash panel and glove compartment.

For 1940, Buick introduced the new Fore-N-Aft Flash-Way directional signals and sealed beam headlights. The 1940 Buick convertibles were among the first production automobiles to be equipped with a power-hydraulic folding top. Power was supplied from an overhead-valve inline eight-cylinder engine displacing 248 cubic-inches and delivering nearly 110 horsepower. They had a semi-floating rear axle, independent front setup with coil springs, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, and a three-speed manual transmission.

The 1940 Buick Super's introduced many important future styling cues. They had a modern appearance with the deletion of side-mounted tires and running boards, yet retaining the classic Buick design cues of the past.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019