Buick Special 2-Door

The Buick Special was a passenger car model series that was manufactured by GM in the USA in the 1930 model year and then from 1934 to 1958. Until 1935, the model series was only called Series 40; from 1936, the designation Special was added. The Special reappeared in the model years 1961 to 1969, but without the serial number 40.

From 1940, the Special was given a new body without running boards and with headlights integrated into the front fenders. The radiator grille again had horizontal chrome bars, but its contours corresponded to those of the previous year. In 1941, the headlight housings merged completely with the now more voluminous front fenders. In the last year of pre-war production, 1942, the Special was given a new look once again. The flat, horseshoe-shaped radiator grille now had vertical chrome bars again and the engines produced 110 hp, slightly less than in the previous year.

Car production restarted in 1946 with only minor changes to the last pre-war models. The engine was retained unchanged and, in addition to a four-door saloon, there was only a two-door sedanette (hatchback saloon). Up to and including 1949, there were only cosmetic changes.

From 1950, the vertical chrome bars of the radiator grille extended into the front bumpers. A two-door coupé was added as a third body style and a one-piece windshield was also reintroduced.

The 1951 model year brought, above all, a larger engine. The new in-line eight-cylinder had a displacement of 4315 cm³ and produced 120 hp at 3,600 rpm. The radiator grille with narrower vertical chrome bars was framed by the front bumper, which was lowered in the middle, and a solid chrome bar above the radiator grille. The two-door hardtop coupé was also new.

In 1952 there were again only a few cosmetic changes. In 1953, the Special was the only remaining Buick model with an in-line eight-cylinder engine, which was replaced by the V8 engine the following year.