1934 Buick Series 60

Prior to World War II, Alfred P. Sloan built a very clear hierarchy at General Motors that started with Chevrolet, followed by Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, LaSalle, and Cadillac. Buick was positioned between Oldsmobile and LaSalle, offering affordability and value, style, performance, and a selection of standard equipment.

Harlow H. Curtice was appointed the President of Buick in 1933, and among his primary goals was offering more speed for less money. Within the division, Buick had a hierarchy consisting of four series - the 40, 50, 60, and 90 - offering cars that ranged from $820 to $2,000.

Harley Earl and the Art and Colour department at General Motors applied all-new, modern styling in 1929 that was continually updated as the years progressed. The six-cylinder engine of the 1920s was replaced completely with a new range of eight-cylinder engines powering the entire 1931 Buick lineup. The Series 116 and Series 129 of 1929 were replaced by the Series 40, Series 50, and Series 60 of 1930. The Series 60 rested on a 132-inch wheelbase platform and was powered by a 331.5 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine for 1930, before moving to a 118-inch platform in 1931. The eight-cylinder engine of the 1931 Series 60 had overhead valves, a cast-iron block, mechanical valve lifters, five main bearings, and developed 90 horsepower at 3,000 RPM.

The 1931 through 1933 Buick model lineup included the Series 50, 60, 80, and 90. In 1934, the Series 40 re-joined the lineup, serving as the entry-level model and resting on a 117-inch wheelbase. The Series 50 was slightly larger at 119-inches, the Series 60 at 128-inches, and the range-topping Series 90 at 136-inches. The Series 40 employed a 233 cubic-inch inline-8 developing 93 horsepower, while the Series 50 had a 235 CID inline-8 with 88 horsepower. The top-of-the-line Series 90 had a 344.8 CID inline-8 with 116 hp. The Series 60 used a 278 CID inline-8 with 100 horsepower at 3,200 RPM. All of the 1934 Buick engines received a three-speed sliding gear synchromesh transmission with helical gears, a single dry plate clutch, and floor shift controls. Each vehicle used its different axle ratio with the Series 60 having a 4.7:1 setting. Mechanical drum brakes on all four wheels provided the stopping power. The suspension used a 'knee action' independent front setup with a 3/4 floating rear axle and a 'Ride Stabilizer' anti-roll bar.

1934 Buick models had an octane selector handle that switched the spark timing to permit the use of either premium or standard fuel, a helpful feature during an era when gasoline quality was anything but consistent. Improvements to the headlights resulted in approximately twenty-percent more illumination, along with four-different light patterns that included country and city beams, a parking light, and a passing beam.

The body styles of the 1934 Buick Series 60 remained the same as the previous year's options, albeit with an inch longer wheelbase. A new club sedan joined the list with a base price of $1,465. The sport coupe was the least expensive with a price of $1,375, followed by the victoria coupe with a built-in trunk at $1,395, a sedan at $1,425, a convertible coupe with a rumble seat at $1,495, and the range-topping convertible phaetons priced at $1,675. The most popular body style was the new club sedan with 5,395 examples built, followed by 5,171 of the sedan, 1,935 of the victoria coupe, and 816 of the sport coupe. The convertible phaeton and convertible coupe remained the most exclusive, with 444 and 253 examples built respectively. More affordable prices, growing popularity for the closed body styles, and the all-weather practicality had buyers throughout the industry trending to closed configurations.

The combined 14,014 examples produced of the Series 60 accounted for approximately twenty percent of Buick's total 1934 production.

1935 Buick models received turret top bodies, hydraulic brakes, new styling, and new model designations. The Series 40 became the 'Special,' the Series 60 the 'Century,' The Series 80 the 'Roadmaster,' and the Series 90 the 'Limited.'

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2021