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1942 Buick Special Series 40B

The Buick Special was introduced for 1936, succeeding the 1930 through 1935 Buick Series 40, and offering upscale Buick prestige, style, luxury, and immense value for the money, a tradition that continued through 1958 as a full-size model and returned on the new General Motors mid-size chassis for 1961. The Special nameplate ceased being a standalone Buick model line for the 1970 model year, rather re-assigned as a trim level for 1975 to 1979 and the 1991 to 1996 Century.

Prior to America's full-scale entry into World War II, the Special continued to be known as the 'Series 40,' and the second-generation Special range was refined, enlarged, and updated with the re-styled 1940 models. The wheelbase length increased by an inch and the bodies were restyled. All-new bodywork arrived a year later, with the Special and Century wearing front fenders that extended nearly to the front doors. The front had a wider grille and the headlights were almost fully integrated with the line of the front fenders.

The 1942 Buick Special consisted of the 40-A subseries that used a three-inch shorter wheelbase and bodies with the 1941 Chevrolets. The 40-B designation was assigned to the original Series 40 Buick Specials with the regular 118-inch wheelbase platform and an overall length of slightly more than 202 inches. Both were powered by an inline-8 with overhead valves, a 248 cubic-inch displacement, five main bearings, mechanical valve lifters, and delivering 110 horsepower at 3,400 RPM. The engine was backed by a three-speed sliding gear transmission with a single dry plate clutch and column controls. Stopping power was provided by hydraulic drums at all four corners.

The styling was inspired and reminiscent of the 'Y-Job' of 1938, which had been designed under Harley Earl and generally regarded as the world's first 'true' concept car. Buick would continue this design theme into the war-shortened 1942 model and would return in the post-war era.

The 1942 Buick Series 40A was priced from $990 to $1,260 with body styles that concluded a utility coupe, convertible coupe, touring sedan, family sedanette, and business sedanette. The Series 40B was priced from $1,020 to $1,450 with body styles that included a touring sedan, business sedanette, family sedanette, and estate wagon.

Optional equipment included fender skirts, Super Sonomatic radio, windshield wiper, EZI mirrors, fog lamps, and under-seat heater and defroster.

Buick ended civilian automobile production on February 2nd of 1942 and its factories were transformed to support the war effort. Introduced on October 3rd of 1941, the shortened 1942 model year resulted in 16,601 vehicles built during the 'calendar year' and 94,442 'model year production.'

by Dan Vaughan

Estate Wagon

This is perhaps the most famous Buick Estate Wagon still on the road, the 1942 Buick Roadmaster 49 super Estate Wagon which was originally purchased by Warner Bros. studios in Hollywood for use in several motion pictures, including 'Now, Voyager' and 'White Heat.' Widely known as the 'Bette Davis Buick,' the vehicle - with a Burgundy exterior and matching interior - was gifted by Warner Bros. to Bette Davis. This famous Super, owned by jeweler and Buick collector Nicola Bulgari has only 37,471 original miles.

Estate Wagon
Chassis number: 14364415

Hollywood film director Norman McLeod's wife was asked by Buick company president Harlow Curtice why she did not have a Buick in her garage. Her response was that Buick did not have a station wagon. The first Buick estate wagon subsequently appeared soon thereafter, in mid-1940, and quickly sold out.

Two years later, in 1942, Buick introduced new styling changes throughout its range which were inspired by Harley Earl's 1938 Buick Y-Job concept car.

The Series 40B was available in several bodystyles with the estate wagon being the rarest variant, with just 327 examples built before General Motors' facilities were abruptly converted to wartime production in February 1942.

The Series 40B was powered by a Fireball DynaFlash straight-eight engine offering 115 horsepower, which was transmitted to the rear axle via a three-speed manual gearbox. The wood-paneled body was produced for Buick by Hercules of Evansville, Indiana, and, for the 1942 model year, featured fenders that extended deep into the front doors.

It is believed that approximately half of the wagons were acquired by the government and used for the war effort.

This particular example is believed to have been one of the wagons used by the U.S. government. It is believed that it was assigned to a General Arnold Milhop as a staff car, and was returned to the US after the war for use as the general's personal car for a number of years. It passed through a series of subsequent owners before coming into the care of Myron Golden of Brattleboro, Vermont, in 1994.

Mr. Golden treated the car to a no-expense-spared restoration in 1996. It was finished in seafoam green with a dark green leather interior. The work was completed in 2001 and earned a number of concours awards, including First Junior (2001), Senior (2002), and Preservation Awards at AACA shows.

Currently, only three 1942 Buick Estate Wagons are known to have survived.

by Dan Vaughan

Buick introduced the Series 40 in 1930 as a replacement for the Series 116. The Series 40 rode on a 118-inch wheelbase and powered by a 258 cubic-inch six-cylinder engine which produced 80 horsepower. Braking was through mechanical drums found on all four corners. The suspension was comprised of semi-elliptic springs and Lovejoy hydraulic shock absorbers. During its first year, there were six body styles to select from, including a Sedan, Sport Roadster, Business Coupe, and Special Coupe in two-door configuration. A Phaeton and Sedan version were offered with four doors, with the four-door sedan with seating for five being the most popular body style on the Series 40. Pricing was rather competitive, starting at $1260 and continuing through $1300. The Phaeton had seating for four or five, and had the lowest sales in the Series 40, total just under 1000 examples.

The name 'Series 40' remained dormant for a few years, making its re-appearance in 1934. They were again Buicks entry-level vehicle, though much had changed in these few short years. The Series 40 lightweight vehicles powered by an eight-cylinder engine that measured 233 cubic-inches and produced nearly 100 horsepower.

The name 'Series 40' would stick with Buick until 1959 when a new series naming scheme was introduced. During this time, the Series 40 would be powered by eight-cylinder engines which grew in size in power throughout the years.

For 1934, the Series 40 rested on a 117-inch wheelbase and had an entry price of a mere $795. The top-of-the-line Series 40 would set the buyer back $925. The four-door Club sedan continued to be the most popular of the Series 40, selling nearly 11,000 examples in 1934. Five body styles were available, including a two-door Touring Sedan, Sport Coupe, and Convertible Coupe.

For 1935, little changed. A few extra colors were added and the trim was revised slightly. Mechanical problems from the 1934 Series 40 were resolved, such as clutch and timing chain issues. A new body style was added, the Convertible Coupe.

Changes occurred both visually and mechanical for 1936. The car now rested on an enlarged, 118-inch wheelbase. Over 77,000 examples of the four-door sedan were sold, which was a drastic improvement over the prior year's sales figures. Much of the vehicle's aesthetics received attention. The windshields and roof lines became more rounded. The spare tire was mounted discretely in the trunk for some body styles and mounted on the left-hand side of the vehicle for others.

Sales continued to be strong throughout the 1930s for the Series 40. The car grew even larger in 1937, now sitting on a 122-inch wheelbase. The engine now measured 248 cubic-inches and produced 100 horsepower. Production continued until the onset of World War II, when the American automobile producers switched to aid in the production of war-time materials.

When production resumed in 1946, the Series 40 was the only model in Buick's lineup to utilize the prewar Fisher B-body styles of the postwar era. There were two body styles available, both resting on a 121-inch wheelbase and had seating for six. The four-door version cost $1,580 while the two-door version was priced at $1520. These were Buick entry-level vehicles, just as they had been in prior to World War II. Sales were slow, with around 3000 examples produced from the combined sales of the two- and four-door versions. The 248 cubic-inch engine was rated at around 110 horsepower.

Major changes did not occur on the Series 40 until 1950, when the cars were given changes to their styling. The styling was modern and memorable, with the grille being one of the more distinguishable features on the car. Three vent-ports were now located on the side of the engine bay. The public approved of these changes, and sales were strong, reaching over 200,000 for the Series 40 and Series 40D. The Series 40D was a Special Deluxe model that had the same styling and size as the Series 40, but added improvements to the interior, adding trim and molding, and 'Special' on the front fenders.

In 1954 the Series 40 was given a new body that was lower and wider than it previously had. The front had a new grille design which many termed as the 'electric shaver' design. The front and rear windows were curved and there was enough glass throughout the drivers and passenger's view to provide a nearly 360-degree view. Mounted under the hood was a new 264 cubic-inch V8 engine that produced over 140 horsepower. The vehicles outfitted with the Dynaflow gearbox had even more power. A new steering linkage and suspension gave the vehicle a smooth ride, complementing the car's appearance.

By 1956, the Series 40 was given visual changes to its grille, ornamentation, and headlights. New bumpers were added to the front and rear of the vehicle. On the inside, the instrumentation was the same as other Buick models, a trend that had not been seen on Buicks since the pre-War era. Improvements to the engine meant an increase in horsepower, now rated at over 220 for the Dynaflow version. Sales were strong with the 2-door Riviera Hardtop being the most popular, with over 113,000 units sold in 1956. The price ranged from $2410 to $2775. The most expensive Series 40 was the six-person Estate Wagon which saw over 13,700 units being purchased.

There were many changes in 1957 to the Series 40, including a new grille insert, the 'B U I C K' name on the front of the car, chrome wings in the rear, along with a slew of other changes. In the back was a single exhaust pipe, with dual exhausts being offered for an additional cost. The three portholes on the side signified 'Super' while other models received four. Horsepower for the Dynaflow version had now reached 250 with 380 foot-pounds of torque. Sales continued to be strong, though they dipped a little from the prior year.

For 1958 the Buick Series 40 were given dual headlights in the front and an exorbitant amount of chrome. There was a circular ornament with a 'V', symbolizing V8, placed on the front and in the center of the hood. Dual horizontal moldings ran along each side of the vehicle, from front to back. Sales were strong, but they were still on the decline.

For 1959, Buick introduced their Series 4400 as a replacement for the Series 40. The Series 4400 was a very wide car with a modern style indicative of the era.

The Series had served Buick for many years, as their entry-level vehicle. The V8 engine found under the hood (except for the initial years) was more than adequate to carry the large and elegant bodies. Offered in a variety of body styles, the cars were versatile and accommodating to many individual's wishes and needs.

by Dan Vaughan