The Buick Special was an
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with Wheel, wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, pe ...
produced by
Buick
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
. It was usually Buick's lowest-priced model, starting out as a full-size car in 1936 and returning in 1961 (after a two-year hiatus) as a mid-size. The Special was built for several decades and was offered as a coupe, sedan and later as a station wagon. When GM modernized their entry level products in the 1960s, the Special introduced the modern
Buick V6
The Buick V6, popularly referred to as the 3800 in its later incarnations, originally and initially marketed as ''Fireball'' at its introduction in 1962, was a large V6 engine used by General Motors. The block is made of cast iron and all use tw ...
that became the core engine for GM for several decades and lives on in current upgraded V6 products.
By 1970, Special was no longer offered as a standalone model but the name would later be used for the entry trim on 1975 to 1979 and 1991 to 1996
Century
A century is a period of 100 years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages. The word ''century'' comes from the Latin ''centum'', meaning ''one hundred''. ''Century'' is sometimes abbreviated as c.
A centennial or ...
models.
The entry level Buick can trace its heritage to the
Buick Model 10
The Buick 4 was a series of passenger cars produced by the Buick Division of GM from 1909 through 1918, and was available as a touring car, phaeton or roadster. It was available with the Buick Model B as a larger alternative offering a larger en ...
, a companion to Buick's first car, the
Buick Model B
The Buick Model B was Buick's first model as an independent company, later becoming part of General Motors in 1908. It was built in Jackson, Michigan. A model B was exhibited in 1905 at the New York Auto Show as a promotion of the model C which wo ...
. The Model 10 started out as one of the independent brands merged into Buick, called the
Janney Janney is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
*Allison Janney (born 1959), American actress
* Christopher Janney (born 1950), American interactive sound and light artist
*Craig Janney (born 1967), American retired hockey player
*Edw ...
.
Series 40 (1930, 1934–1935)
When the Series 40 was introduced, it had the overhead valve
Buick Straight-6 engine
The Buick Straight 6 was an engine manufactured by Buick from 1914–1930 and was exclusively used in the Buick Six platform, then later in the Buick Master Six and Buick Standard Six. They were OHV, like their previous engines, as Buick had been a ...
that produced 80.5 bhp of power at 2,800 rpm, and 74,257 examples were made, being the highest number of Buicks for 1930. For the year 1931, the Series 40 was temporarily discontinued, with the introduction of the
Marquette Model 30 and the Series 50 being repositioned as the Buick entry level product.
The 1935 version returned with the
Buick Straight-8 engine
The Buick Straight-8 engine (Fireball 8) was produced from 1931 to 1953 and sold in Buick automobiles, replacing the Buick Straight-6 engine across the board in all models in 1931. Like many American automobile makers, Buick adopted the straight-e ...
and 93 bhp. Starting with this generation, all GM cars shared a corporate appearance as a result of the Art and Color Section headed by
Harley Earl
Harley Jarvis Earl (November 22, 1893 – April 10, 1969) was an American automotive designer and business executive. He was the initial designated head of design at General Motors, later becoming vice president, the first top executive ever ...
and modest yearly changes were introduced to freshen the appearance.
1933 was the first year all GM vehicles were installed with optional
vent windows which were initially called “No Draft Individually Controlled Ventilation” later renamed "Ventiplanes" which the patent application was filed on Nov. 28, 1932. It was assigned to the Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, a GM subsidiary that manufactured components for
Fisher Body
Fisher Body was an automobile coachbuilder founded by the Fisher brothers in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan. A division of General Motors for many years, in 1984 it was dissolved to form other General Motors divisions. Fisher & Company (originally Allo ...
and they were added to the Special when it was introduced in 1935.
Additional manufacturing locations also opened across the country under the
Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac Assembly Division Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac Assembly Division was a designation applied from 1933–1965 to a group of factories operated by General Motors. The approach was modeled after the Chevrolet Assembly Division where cars were assembled from knock down kits ...
.
The Series 40 was the most affordable Buick offered, with 6 body styles offered, and the five passenger Sedan Model 41 was US$925 ($ in dollars ), while a
LaSalle Series 50 was US$1,000 ($ in dollars ) more. A standard feature offered on all Buicks was a dashboard mounted selector handle that would alter spark timing and allow either low grade or premium fuel to be used.
In 1936 the name changed to "Special".
File:Buick Series 40 (1929).jpg, 1930 Buick Series 40 coupe
File:1935BuickModel41Sedan.jpg, 1935 Buick Series 40 sedan
File:1935 Buick Series 40 Sedan (24118456373).jpg, 1935 Buick Series 40 sedan
File:Buick Series 40 in Moscow Retro Cars museum.jpg, Buick Series 40 Sedan
1936–1942, 1946-1949
Starting with 1936, the Buick Special Series 40 model range represented the marque's entry level
full-size
Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars, it is the largest size class for cars. In Europe, it is known as E-segment or F-segment.
...
automobile. The '36 was a very successful year for Buick and also marked the first time of using names rather than the simple serial numbers which had been in use before.
The first Specials rode on a wheelbase, but for the next model year this was increased to as all Buicks grew for that year. The eight cylinder engine was also new, and was now of rather than . The Special (and all other Buicks as well) underwent a full restyling for 1939, with a more enclosed nose and a wider grille. The wheelbase was also two inches shorter.
For 1940, there was the usual restyle and the wheelbase increased by an inch. This was also the only model year that a four-door convertible Special ("Sport Phaeton") was offered, although only 552 were built. Prices started at US$795 ($ in dollars ) for the Business Coupe to US$925 ($ in dollars ) for either the 4-door Touring Sedan or 2-door Convertible.
For 1941 the bodywork was again all new, with the front fenders now very closely integrated into the cars overall design. The
Estate Wagon migrated from being a
Super into the Special lineup. A fastback was offered in Century and 40 Special trim as a four-door touring sedan and two-door business coupe and the 46S sedanette. Also new was the 40-A series (the regular Special now being the 40-B), a version on a three inches shorter wheelbase which shared its body with the 1941
Oldsmobile Series 70
The Oldsmobile Series 70 is a full-size midrange automobile produced by Oldsmobile between the 1939 and 1950 model years. Oldsmobiles of this time period were in an unusual "middle" position in GM's hierarchy of automobile brands. Chevrolet and P ...
. These two series, with a restyle reminiscent of the 1939
Y-Job, continued into the abbreviated 1942 model year. Production ended on 4 February 1942. The Special was now offered as the entry-level luxury vehicle that the
LaSalle previously held.
After production resumed, only the larger 1946 B-body Special range remained available, which is rare, representing less than two percent of Buick's production that year. The Special continued with minor changes until the prewar body was finally replaced halfway through the 1949 model year. Post-war Specials were only available as a four-door sedan or a two-door "sedanet", until the new 1949 models arrived.
In the movie ''
Mildred Pierce
''Mildred Pierce'' is a psychological drama by James M. Cain published by Alfred A. Knopf in 1941.
A story of “social inequity and opportunity in America" set during the Great Depression, ''Mildred Pierce'' follows the trajectory of a lower- ...
,'' Veda Pierce, Mildred's daughter, played by actress
Ann Blyth, was given a 1940 Buick Special convertible as a gift, valued at US$1,077 for the Model 46C ($ in dollars ).
The movie ''
Small Town Conspiracy'' features a 1939 Buick Special 8 that the main character of the film John Haleran (
Zen Gesner
Zen Brant Gesner (born June 23, 1970) is an American television and movie actor. He is perhaps most recognized for his roles as Sinbad in the syndicated television series ''The Adventures of Sinbad'', and was a regular cast member on the ABC d ...
) drives as his official police car. The car remained the property of director
Ralph Clemente and was untouched for many years until sold to Florida restorer and car collector
Axel Caravias.
File:Buick 37 46S Opera Coupe 1937.jpg, 1937 Buick Special Series 40 Sport Coupe Model 465
File:1938 Buick Special four-door sedan, front left (Hershey 2019).jpg, 1938 Buick Special Series 40 Touring Sedan Model 41
File:Buick Special 46 Business Coupe 1939.jpg, 1939 Buick Special Series 40 Business Coupe Model 46
File:1940 Buick Series 40 Special Coupe.jpg, 1940 Buick Special Series 40 Sport Coupe Model 465
File:1941 Buick Special Estate Wagon.jpg, 1941 Buick Special Series 40-B Estate Wagon Model 49
File:1941 Buick Special four-door Touring Sedan Model 41-41, front right.jpg, 1941 Buick Special Series 40-B Touring Sedan Model 41
File:1946 Buick Series 40 Special Sedan.jpg, 1946 Buick Special Series 40 Touring Sedan
File:1947 Buick Eight Special sedan (8703738896).jpg, 1947 Buick Special Series 40 Touring Sedan
File:081012-Buick-eight.jpg, 1948 Buick Special Series 40
1949–1958
Halfway into the 1949 model year, the Specials received all-new bodywork to include a dramatically styled grille where nine grille bars also served as bumper guards and extended over the front bumper, and the first fully postwar design for the series.
New was also the 40D-series, a better equipped version called the Special DeLuxe. The engine remained the which had been used since 1937, but for 1951 this was replaced by the larger "Fireball" straight-eight. A two-door hardtop coupe was also new for 1951, but the unusual grille was revised with the grill bars shortened. The 1954 Specials had an all-new body and chassis, much wider and lower, and were now equipped with the all-new, more powerful
"Fireball" V8 engines. In 1953 ''
The Buick-Berle Show'' introduced
product placement
Product placement, also known as embedded marketing, is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. Much of th ...
commercials on TV, and later in 1955 ''
The Honeymooners
''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fol ...
'' was one of the sponsors.
Introduced in the middle of the 1955 model year the four-door Buick Special
Riviera
''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...
(along with the
Century Riviera, the
Oldsmobile 98 Holiday, and the
88 Holiday) were the first four-door pillarless
hardtop
A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, which for modern cars is typically constructed from metal. A hardtop roof can be either fixed (i.e. not removable), Convertible#Detachable hardtop, detachable for separate storing or retractable ha ...
s ever produced. By then, the Buick Special was one of America's best selling automotive series. For 1956 the larger V8 engine was shared with the rest of the range, although it was replaced by the bigger, 364 V8 for 1957. This year also brought all-new bodywork, as well as a four-door hardtop station wagon called the Buick Riviera Estate. The 1957 wheelbase remained 122 inches. In the June, 1957 issue of
Popular Mechanics
''Popular Mechanics'' (sometimes PM or PopMech) is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do-it-yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation and transportation o ...
, the Special was rated with a 0-60 mph time of 11.6 seconds, fuel economy of at , and ground clearance of . 1958 brought the most chrome yet and twin headlights, as the car grew longer and wider, albeit on an unchanged chassis.
1949-1957 Buick Specials had three
VentiPort
Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General Mo ...
s on each side while more senior Buicks (with the partial exception of the
Buick Super
The Buick Super is a full-sized automobile produced by Buick from 1940 through the 1958 model years, with a brief hiatus from 1943 through 1945. The first generation shared the longer wheelbase with the top level Roadmaster while offering the sma ...
, which switched from three to four in 1955) had four. Earlier versions had a "
Sweepspear" inspired character line alongside the body, while later versions had the "Sweepspear" moulding attached to the side of all models. GM renamed the Buick Special the
LeSabre for the 1959 model year, taking the name from the 1951
Le Sabre concept car
The General Motors Le Sabre is a 1951 concept car. Possibly the most important show car of the 1950s, it introduced aircraft-inspired design elements such as the wrap-around windshield and tail fins, which became common on automotive designs duri ...
.
File:1950 Buick Special Sedan.JPG, 1950 Buick Special Tourback Sedan
File:Buick De Luxe Tourback 1951 2.jpg, 1951 Buick Special Deluxe Tourback Sedanette
File:1952 Buick Special DeLuxe Series 40D.jpg, 1952 Buick Special DeLuxe Tourback Sedan
File:1953 Buick Special-2.jpg, 1953 Buick Special Riviera coupe
File:1954 Buick 40 Special 2 door Hardtop - Flickr - Sicnag.jpg, 1954 Buick Special Riviera coupe
File:Buick Special sedan ca 1955.jpg, 1955 Buick Special 4-Door Sedan
File:1955 Buick Special Convertible.jpg, 1955 Buick Special Convertible
File:Buick Special Station Wagon 1955.jpg, 1955 Buick Special Estate Wagon
File:Goodwood Breakfast Club - 1956 Buick Special Riviera Sedan - Flickr - exfordy.jpg, 1956 Buick Special 4-Door Riviera
File:1957 Buick Special 2 door Hardtop.jpg, 1957 Buick Special 2-Door Riviera
File:1957 Buick Special Estate (22075340806).jpg, 1957 Buick Special Riviera Estate hardtop station wagon
File:Buick Convertible 1958 2.jpg, 1958 Buick Special convertible
1961–1963
In 1961, the car returned after a short absence of two years, but this time it was on the brand new
unibody
A vehicle frame, also historically known as its '' chassis'', is the main supporting structure of a motor vehicle to which all other components are attached, comparable to the skeleton of an organism.
Until the 1930s, virtually every car ha ...
compact
Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to:
* Interstate compact
* Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines
* Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in British ...
GM Y platform
The Y platform, or Y body, designation has been used twice by the General Motors Corporation to describe a series of vehicles all built on the same basic body and sharing many parts and characteristics. The first was for a group of entry-level com ...
. The Special was powered by a
innovative aluminum-block 215 in³ V8, and had
Dual Path transmission and power steering. In mid-year a
Skylark
''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...
option was released with special trim, optional bucket seats and a four-barrel version of the 215 that made .
In 1962, the Special was
the first The First may refer to:
* ''The First'' (album), the first Japanese studio album by South Korean boy group Shinee
* ''The First'' (musical), a musical with a book by critic Joel Siegel
* The First (TV channel), an American conservative opinion ne ...
American car to use a
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik ...
in volume production; it earned ''
Motor Trend
''MotorTrend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949.
Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles published ''MotorTrend'' until 19 ...
''s
Car of the Year Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous automotive awards.
The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by ''Motor Trend'' magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of th ...
for 1962. This
198 cid Fireball was engineered down from the 215 and used many of the same design parameters, but was cast in iron. Output was 135 hp (gross) at 4600 rpm and at 2400 rpm. In their test that year, ''
Road & Track
''Road & Track'' (stylized as ''R&T'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines and is published 6 times per year. The editorial offices are located in New York, New York.
History
''Road & Track'' (often ab ...
'' was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum
V8 in most respects." In 1963, the Special's body was restyled. Mechanically, however, the car was identical to the 1962 model. There was also some minor interior restyling, particularly to the dash and instrument cluster. The 1963 Special was available as a 2-door pillared
hardtop
A hardtop is a rigid form of automobile roof, which for modern cars is typically constructed from metal. A hardtop roof can be either fixed (i.e. not removable), Convertible#Detachable hardtop, detachable for separate storing or retractable ha ...
coupe
A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors.
The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...
, a four dour
sedan, a
convertible
A convertible or cabriolet () is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary among eras and manufacturers.
A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving expe ...
, and a
station wagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
. Engine choices were a standard V6 with a twin-barrel carburetor and optional V8 with (two-barrel) or more powerful four-barrel ( in 1962, in 1963).
[Flory (2004), pp.143 & 205.] Transmission choices were a three speed
column shift
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission (mechanics), transmission ...
, a floor shift Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual, or a two-speed
Turbine Drive automatic. The two speed "Dual Path Turbine Drive" automatic was a Buick design and shared no common parts with the better known Chevrolet Power-Glide transmission.
The 1962 model sold 153,763, including 42,973 Skylarks.
The 1963 body was only produced for one year; it sold 148,750 copies, including 42,321 Skylarks. The entire car was redesigned for 1964. After that, the 215 found its way into the
Rover P6
The Rover P6 series (named as the 2000, 2200, or 3500, depending on engine displacement) was a saloon car produced by Rover and subsequently British Leyland from 1963 to 1977 in Solihull, Warwickshire, England, UK.
The P6 was the first winner ...
3500S in 1968, but was never sold in North America in any great numbers. It was also employed in other British cars, including the
Morgan Plus 8
The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car maker Morgan from 1968 to 2004 and again in revised form between 2012 and 2018. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous ...
,
MG MGB GTV8,
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British brand of predominantly four-wheel drive, off-road capable vehicles, owned by multinational car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), since 2008 a subsidiary of India's Tata Motors. JLR currently builds Land Rovers ...
, and
Triumph TR8, as well as retrofits into
MGA MGA can refer to:
Transport
*MGA, IATA code for Augusto C. Sandino International Airport (Managua International Airport) in Managua, Nicaragua
*Monongahela Railway, a former coal-hauling short line railroad in the United States
*The MG MGA, a pop ...
s and MGBs. The engine had really earned its stripes as being the sole engine powering the Range Rover for a couple decades and eventually finding its way into the original Series/Defender Land Rover; and several other Land Rover Models including the Discovery and the Forward Control.
The
Skylark
''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...
became a separate series for 1962.
File:1961 Buick Special (14482955232).jpg, 1961 Buick Special 2-door sedan
File:1962 Buick Special DeLuxe.jpg, 1962 Buick Special DeLuxe 4-door sedan
File:1963 Buick Special Convertible (18409526983).jpg, 1963 Buick Special convertible
File:1963 Buick Special 4119.jpg, 1963 Buick Special Deluxe 4-door sedan with factory 4-speed manual transmission
File:63 Buick Special (9131795376).jpg, 1963 Buick Special Deluxe station wagon
1964–1967
The Special, along with the upscale
Skylark
''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...
, were redesigned for the 1964 model year with separate body-on-frame construction—renamed the
A-body—and marketed as an
intermediate-sized car. The Skylark was expanded to a full top-line series that now included two- and four-door sedans, two-door hardtop coupe and convertible, along with a station wagon. The other series models included the base Special and the slightly fancier Special Deluxe, in a more limited range of bodystyles.
Also new for 1964 were engines. The capacity of the V6 engine was increased from 198 to 225 cubic inches, while the aluminum V8 was replaced by a new cast iron-block 300 cubic inch V8 with aluminum cylinder heads. In 1965, cast iron heads replaced the problematic aluminum ones. This reliable engine, produced until 1967, was based on the aluminum V8, and many parts (such as the cylinder heads) were interchangeable.
File:64 Buick Special (14344479209).jpg, 1964 Buick Special station wagon
File:1966 Buick Special Deluxe four-door Town Sedan, front left.jpg, 1966 Buick Special Deluxe 4-Door Sedan
1968–1969
The Special nameplate was used on lower-priced intermediate-sized Buicks through the 1969 model year. In 1968 and 1969, the Buick Special was dropped and only Special Deluxes were manufactured. In 1970, the end of the Special came about when the Special Deluxe was dropped too in favor of the slightly upscale Buick Skylark.
The 1968 model year was one of significant change for the Buick Special and Skylark.
Hagerty.com
History of the 1968–1972 Buick Skylark - Retrieved on 07/22/2013 Although still using the same basic chassis, all of GM's mid-sized cars adopted a policy of using two different length wheelbases. Two-door models used a shorter wheelbase of , while four-door models used a longer wheelbase of 116 in (the Buick Sport Wagon
The Buick Sport Wagon was a mid-size station wagon built by Buick and was shared with the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser, Pontiac Tempest Safari and Chevrolet Chevelle Greenbrier. Featuring a raised roof and skylights over the cargo and second seat ...
and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser
The Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser is a station wagon manufactured and marketed by Oldsmobile over three generations from 1964 to 1977.
The first and second generation Vista Cruisers are noted for their fixed-glass, roof-mounted skylights over the sec ...
used an even longer wheelbase of 121 in). All of GM's mid-sized cars received all-new sheet metal, incorporating a semi-fastback
A fastback is an automotive styling feature, defined by the rear of the car having a single slope from the roof to the tail. The kammback is a type of fastback style.
Some models, such as the Ford Mustang, have been specifically marketed as ...
appearance, which was a revival of a streamlining on all GM products from 1942 until 1950 as demonstrated on the Buick Super Club Coupe (sedanette). More Federally mandated safety features improved occupant protection and accident avoidance, including side marker lights, shoulder belts (on all models built after January 1, 1968), and parking lights that illuminated with headlights.
In a reshuffling of models in the lineup, the Special Deluxe replaced the previous Special. The Skylark nameplate was shuffled down a notch to replace the previous Special Deluxe. The previous Skylark was replaced by a new Skylark Custom.
The Special Deluxe was available as a pillared two-door coupe, a pillared four-door sedan, or a 2-row station wagon.
The previous V6 was discontinued and the associated tooling was sold to Kaiser Industries, which used the V6 in its Jeep trucks and sport utility vehicles. The base engine in the Buick Special (and Buick Skylark) coupes & sedans) became a 250-cubic-inch Chevrolet I6, that produced at 4200 rpm using a single-barrel Rochester carburetor.
Optional on the Special Deluxe coupe & sedan and standard on the Special Deluxe station wagon was a new 350-cubic-inch V8 derived from the 340, using a two-barrel Rochester carburetor that produced at 4400 rpm. Optional on the Special Deluxe was a 350-cubic-inch V8 using a four-barrel Rochester carburetor that produced at 4600 rpm. The Buick Special name was dropped after the 1969 model year. A locking steering column with a new, rectangular ignition key became standard on all 1969 GM cars (except Corvair), one year ahead of the Federal requirement.
For 1970, the Buick Skylark name was moved down another notch, replacing the previous entry-level Buick Special.
File:Buick Special DeLuxe 1.jpg, 1968 Buick Special Deluxe coupe
1975–1977
The Special returned briefly to the GM A platform as an entry level subseries of the Buick Century
Buick Century is the model name that was used by Buick for a line of upscale full-size cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, as well as from 1973 to 2005 for mid-size cars.
The first Buick Century debuted as the Series 60 then renamed in 19 ...
. Although officially sold as the Buick Century Special, it was sometimes also referred to as just the Buick Special.
Century Specials were usually powered by Buick's own 231
Year 231 ( CCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Claudius and Sallustus (or, less frequently, year 984 '' Ab urbe ...
V6; a V8 (from either Buick, Oldsmobile, or Chevrolet) was offered but rarely optioned. It used the "colonnade" roofline but was fitted with a landau roof that covered most of the rear quarter windows. The opening that was left was the same shape as the windows on the higher series formal-roof cars.
1978–1979
In 1978 and 1979, the Special trim continued on the redesigned Century fastback and wagon models.
1991–1996
Special returned once again as the entry level trim on the Century sedan (starting 1991) and wagon (starting 1993). The "Special" designation was discontinued with the Century's redesign in 1997.
References
{{Authority control
Special
Special or specials may refer to:
Policing
* Specials, Ulster Special Constabulary, the Northern Ireland police force
* Specials, Special Constable, an auxiliary, volunteer, or temporary; police worker or police officer
Literature
* ''Specia ...
Buick Special
Buick Special
Buick Special
Buick Special
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Buick Special
Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States