Buick At 110- Eleven Milestones for Eleven Decades

 With the 110th Anniversary of Buick speeding toward us like an Intercooled Grand National, the time seemed right to look back on our long and illustrious history and see some milestones- I've chosen eleven significant Buicks out of our eleven decades.

First is the car that made the company- the sturdy, moderately priced Model 10 runabout of 1908-1910. Introduced at a base price of $900 and offered as roadster or touring, the Model 10 was an instant hit and lifted Buick up to a solid #2 in the industry for sales. It cannot be argued that the sporty Model 10 put Buick on the map as a volume producer of automobiles.

The Master Six was introduced in 1925. That year, Buick eliminated four cylinder models and concentrated on two different six cylinder offerings. The Master Six, seen above with comedian Harold Lloyd and wife Mildred Davis, established Buick as a leader in upper middle class transportation, a place where it remains to this day.  

The Depression hit Buick and other premium manufacturers hard, but the boys from Flint bounced back. They introduced the Series 40 in 1934, renamed it Special for 1935 and gave it (and the whole line) modern new styling for 1936. The Century (shown above) was capable of 100 mph. They backed up their new look  with a new Ad Agency that knew how to sell. The Glory Days of Buick began in '36.

The modern production Hardtop was born in 1949 with the introduction of the Roadmaster Riviera Hardtop Coupe. Although only 4.343 were sold for 1949, the style was an instant hit and Buick went on to produce a half million within the first five years. 

Buick had a banner year in 1954. They introduced their high compression engine for 1953 in the Super and Roadmaster lines, and brought it across the board in 1954. Handsome new styling, panoramic windshields, the V-8 engine and the reintroduction of the sporty Century added up to a home run, and Buick passed Plymouth to take third place in sales. Then they followed it up with a record setting year in 1955 as well. 

The 1959 Buick was totally new from stem to stern, and represented the most radical styling they had ever attempted. Giant delta wing fins, floating rooflines with massive areas of glass, and diagonal headlamps gave the '59 Buick a look unlike any other car on the road. Three new series were introduced for 1959- Le Sabre. Electra and Invicta. It was a courageous car that was almost too daring for the motoring public, but is considered s styling tour de force and highly prized today

 A modern classic on the day it was introduced, the iconic Riviera of 1963 was not only Buick's entry into the Personal Luxury segment, but also an image defining statement for all Buick models. It was a home run all around and is considered a modern masterpiece.

Performance cars were the rage in the late 60s and early 70s, and the mighty 1970 Buick GSX is among the very fastest production cars of it's era. Available with two different 455 engines, the optional Stage 1 produced 360 hp and a whopping 510 lb/ft of torque. It's known in performance car circles as the "Hemi Killer."

Performance made a comeback in the 80s, and Buick was right there. The legendary performance car of the decade was the Grand National, and the special limited edition GNX was the Grand National to end all Grand Nationals. Only 547 of these monsters were produced, and featured independent rear suspension, a special engine with a ceramic turbocharger, and a list price of $29,290.

 The fourth generation Regal made its debut in 1997 as a five passenger front wheel drive sport sedan. The GS shown here featured the L67 Supercharged 3800 engine and developed 240 HP. It was a calm and comfortable way to gobble up a lot of miles quickly.

And now we have the sixth generation Regal. In GS trim, it features a 2.0 liter Turbo Four that develops a whopping 270 HP and is paired with either a six speed automatic or six speed manual gearbox. It's a high speed tourer that recently clocked a top speed of 162 mph in desert testing. Sure sounds like there's plenty of good days ahead yet for the venerable brand from Flint.

Wagon Wednesday

Our Reynolds Buick GMC Facebook Page is busier than ever with daily images, special offers, and lively conversation with Buick folks. Each day is built around a theme, such as Fast Friday for the performance minded folks and Sharing Saturday when we look at the photos all of you have sent us during the week.

One of our most popular days is Wagon Wednesday, where we look at some of the great Buick Station Wagons of days gone by. Of course, the wood bodied wagons are real crowd pleasers. They're not "Woodies" according to the Buick recordkeepers- but rather "Estate Wagons" and were offered between 1940 and 1953. At the time, Buick wagons were very popular cars among celebrities and on some of the finest Estates. Think of them as the luxury SUV of their day. 

  Here's a sampling of Buick Estate Wagons from our Reynolds Facebook Page- why don't you drop by and check it out soon?  

Buick didn't offer wagons until 1940, but that didn't stop Jim Pascoe from building his own.

This 1940 Estate Wagon was featured in the 1978 Buick brochure.

The hinged tail lamps on this 1948 Estate Wagon can be seen with the tailgate lowered.

This 1953 Super Estate Wagon has been restored in a fanciful color.

Note the detailing on the tailgate of this 1951 Estate Wagon:

This 1951 Estate Wagon outfitted with a wooden canoe.

1941 Buicks in the Petersen Showroom

1941 Buick Super sport coupe

1941 Buick Limited

1941 Buick Roadmaster convertible sedan

1941 Buicks in the showroom

Great news for Buick lovers in Los Angeles this summer (and who reading this doesn't fall into that category), the Petersen Auto Museum in Museum Row is having a very special display of the much loved and wildly popular 1941 Buick. We received the following press communique from Bill Anderson of the Buick Heritage Alliance and he explains it so well, we'll just let him describe it:

"Today, the experience of looking at new 1941 Buicks at a dealership in downtown Los Angles is again a reality. On the first floor of the Petersen Automotive Museum at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, you will find a 1930s dealership showroom faithfully re-assembled within the museum’s confines and featuring samples of the “Best Buick Yet.”

Greeting you as you enter the Buick showroom is a Monterey Blue Super convertible sedan with a red leather interior. In the center of the showroom is a Super sport coupe in Mermaid Green over Cedar Green upon which every dealer-installed 1941 Buick accessory has been applied.

Finally, the “dealer” has a Limited Formal Sedan finished in Silver French Grey over Lancaster Grey, if your finances are really secure; the sticker price is $2,310.

Perhaps one of these cars is for you. If not, Buick has a full lineup of 26 different 1941 models, including many sedans, with prices starting at $735.

This step back in time featuring one of Buick’s most popular model years was made possible by the Buick Heritage Alliance in conjunction with Petersen Automotive Museum curator Leslie Mark Kendall and the generosity of each car’s owner. This special display will continue through July 29."

The Buick Heritage Alliance is a not-for-profit organization focused on preserving the heritage of Buick automobiles and the people who made them. Find the BHA online at http://buickheritagealliance.org .

The Petersen Automotive Museum is located on Museum Row at 6060 Wilshire Blvd,  Los Angeles, CA 90036. It can be found at  www.petersen.org.

A Buick for Bill Mitchell- the 1956X Century

 We've written before about GM's Bill Mitchell and how his job was even better than being King, because he got GM to build him special cars whenever the mood struck. Lots of cars surface with claims of Mitchell in their provenance, but this one screams authentic. The car in these photos is a 1956 Buick Century convertible known as the "1956X" with a host of modifications- the owner says it was a car for Mitchell. The first clue that supports his claim is that the building in the background is the General Motors Styling Center- brand new at the time!


Lots of special details are visible in this shot. Start with the special color- Eldorados had metallic aqua in 1956 but Buicks did not. Moldings are Roadmaster in style and the hood and trunk color break is custom. Wire wheels and side exhaust are special touches. Rear CENTURY lettering is unique and name badges on the sides are relocated. Bumpers have color inset and a ribbed and bright applique. Tail lamps are custom.

See the note that says Madler? Neil Madler was a GM Photographer and he took this picture on August 20, 1956. The paint on the other side of this wall was scarcely dry then. This profile shows off the lowered suspension and the custom rocker molding with exhaust outlet. Note hard boot, a'la Eldorado. Wire wheels are wearing narrow whitewall tires, which GM is showing on Motorama cars this season.

Special paint break moldings on the hood as well. Note the 1955 style hood ornaments now on the fender tops and the standard 1956 bombsight is removed. Undercarriage and wheel wells are Dante Red. The highlight of the interior are those special bucket seats with power headrests. The driver's seat swiveled 90 degrees, the passenger seat rotated a full 180. The seats are very similar in style to those in the 1956 Buick Centurion dream car. 

The car exists today in an unrestored state. The seats were no longer with the car when it was discovered but otherwise it is described as being largely intact. We have requested photos of the car as discovered and will share them when we receive them.

Do any of our readers recognize the car? If so, please leave a comment or drop us a line. 

Get to know: The 1972 GSX

1972 GSX in Flame Orange with Black vinyl roof- 1 of 1

1972 GSX in Sunburst Yellow- 1 of 3

1972 GSX in Stratomist Blue- 1 of 4

It's somewhat ironic that the final year of GSX production offered the most choices and sold, by far, the fewest cars- only 44 cars left the factory in 1972 with the GSX option. There are many reasons why the production itself was so low- it's no secret that the entire industry was turning away from the high compression muscle car bu 1972- emissions requirements were taking hold and the game was changing.

Buick had great plans in place when GM made the unilateral decision to lower compression effective with the 1971 model year in order to run unleaded fuels. An entire proposal for a factory racer was withdrawn, and future focus changed from power to fuel economy. "What'll she do" became "What'll she get."

The changing landscape combined with the redesign of the GM intermediate bodies created a very logical transition point for the GSX. The new bodies were originally intended for 1972, but the long GM strike and the adoption of new bumper regulations pushed the new model back to '73, so the existing bodies were continued for one additional year, and although GSX sales were minimal, there was no reason not to offer it a final time for 1972.

The package itself had deteriorated to three cosmetic options on the GS coupe, and that approached was retained for 1972 amid an even wider range of choices- the number of GSX colors increased from six in 1971 to twelve, and in addition vinyl roof coverings were offered for the first time, in four colors. Stratomist Blue, Arctic White, Seamist, Heritage and Hunter Greens, Sandalwood, Burnished Copper, Cortez Gold. Fire Red, Silver Mist, Sunburst Yellow and Flame Orange were the exterior colors for 1972, and the newly optional vinyl roofs were offered in black, white, beige and brown.

Divide the total production of forty-four cars by twelve colors and the average is about four cars in each color. When the roofs are considered (and they were tracked), it turns out that eighteen of the cars were finished in unique, one off exterior combinations and the most produced in any one unique exterior combination was five units.

Interiors were a bit more consistent- fifteen cars had white bucket seats, twelve had black, and only three cars had unique interior choices- one each of Saddle bench seats, white notchback, and black notchback.

Powertrain wise, 24 of the 44 had the 455 Stage 1 engine, 4 had the base 455, and 16 were equipped with the 350. Forty of the forty four were automatics, so the four speed is extremely rare- only two Stage 1's, one base 455, and one 350 are so equipped. Chassis options were freeflow as in 1971, but remember that the option is still limited to GS coupes. Production spanned the entire model year, with the first invoice being generated on September 9, 1971 and the last car produced on July 3. 1972.

In all, the last GSX serves as a fitting close to a unique and exciting chapter in Buick's history. The extremely low production and high degree of one off examples makes them particulary exciting to collectors and so far the GSX registry has documented seven survivors. Hopefully that means the rest of us have a chance at discovering the missing 37 in barns and garages nearby. If you do see one, let us know. We have a trailer and everything.

Silver Arrow- a Riviera for Mr. Mitchell

Silver Arrow at the Styling Pond, GM Tech Center

There's an old line that "It's Good to be King," and while that may be true, it might have been even better to have been GM's Bill Mitchell. Because Bill not only avoided all those dreary court functions, he also got GM to build him special cars whenever the mood struck. Take for example the fall of 1963, and the gorgeous new 1963 Buick Riviera had just begun rolling off Buick's assembly lines. Riviera was a personal favorite of Mitchell's, but as is often the case, he didn't get absolutely everything he wanted on the production car.

Wasn't it nice that he had the talented craftsmen of the GM Design Center at his disposal? He had a silver production 1963 Riviera sent over for some touches. First, the top was shopped two inches and the front fenders and hood lengthened about four. The vent windows were eliminated. Cibie headlamps were mounted behind the vertical fender grilles. The side scoops were enlarged. Genuine wire wheels were fitted, although the actual tire choice varied between whitewalls and black- both were seen.

Inside the car had special silver leather bucket seats, revised instrumentation including a tachometer and a clock mounted in the wood trimmed console. Mitchell's signature chrome strips over leather floor covering was utilized, and even the black gauge faces were unique to Silver Arrow. It was also the first car to display the R logo stand up hood ornament.

The car was named Silver Arrow and when not being displayed at Auto Shows, it was Mitchell's personal transportation. Perhaps the only car that could top a 1963 Riviera was this magnificent Silver Arrow.

After about a year the car was revised. The egg  crate grille was replaced with four thermostatically controlled cooling slots. The wire wheels were replaced with art deco inspired color matched wheel discs and the car was fitted with wide whitewall tires. This is the look the Silver Arrow wears to this day, and became a Mitchell signature that would be seen again and again.

Silver Arrow was so popular that it became an icon for the Buick Riviera, and the exercise was to be repeated on subsquent generations of Riv. It resides today in the Buick Heritage Gallery of the Sloan Museum in Buick's hometown of Flint.

Silver Arrow upon completion at the GM Tech Center

Winter Shot alongside the GM Styling Center

After Revision, on display at the Pebble Beach Concours

After

Silver Arrow on display at the Buick Gallery in Flint

Mitchell's signature color matched wheel cover and wide whitewalls

Special silver leather buckets and unique instrumentation

Special rear side scoop

Revised tail lamps and special Silver Arrow badging

Get to Know: The 1970 GSX

The success of the GSX show car all but guaranteed a production version, so no one was really surprised in the spring of 1970 when Buick announced the introduction of the very limited edition GSX. This was no stripe kit, but rather a very inclusive production option priced at $1196, plus of course a base GS455 Coupe.

The package included the standard 350 HP 455 V8 engine with 10.0:1 compression and 4 speed manual close ratio transmission with a Hurst shifter, plus a hood tach, G60-15 Polyglas tires on 7 inch wide V2 Chrome wheels, front air dam fiberglass rear spoiler, and outside color keyed sport mirrors. Special two color striping and GSX badging set off the exterior. Only two colors were offered, Apollo White or Saturn Yellow, which was a GSX exclusive color. Black was the only interior color.

Inside there was a custom interior with bucket seats, rally gauges and clock, 15' sport steering wheel, and special GSX identification. The chassis was loaded with goodies too- power front disc brakes, 3.42 rear axle with positraction, heavy duty cooling, large diameter front and rear stabilizer bars, heavy duty front and rear shock absorbers, and firm ride control arms and bushings. Quick ratio power steering was an often selected option, as was a Turbo HydraMatic 400 transmission.

But the biggest performance option of all was the Stage 1 455 engine, an additional $113 option for which the compression ratio was upped to 10.5 to 1 and the engine produced well in excess of its advertised 360 HP. There's a story there, but it's for another day.

The GSX sold rather well for such an expensive offering, with 678 examples assembled for 1970. Of those, statistics from the GSX Registry reveal that X00 had the Stage 1 455 engine and 479 had the Turbo HydraMatic transmission. Sensibly, a vast majority of buyers opted for quick ratio power steering- 613 in all. Color choices were a bit lopsided as well, with the Saturn Yellow accounting for 491 units and Apollo White only 187. But above and beyond its own sales, the GSX was a halo car for Buick and made the division's image more youthful and vital. After all, twelve year old boys don't hang posters of Electra Sedans on their walls. And yes, we were impressing the boys with our own 1970 Stage 2 drag car, but Buick decided to do it on a larger scale.

But was it really all that? In a word, a resounding yes. Motor Trend magazine got a hold of one and made a 13.38-second pass at 105.5 mph, prompting the magazine to name the GS 455 Stage 1 "the quickest American production car we had ever tested." Great plans were made for the future, including a Buick factory drag racer developed by Dennis Manner himself. But alas, it was not to be. The GM Corporate decision to reduce compression on the 1971 models triggered a swift decline for the supercars, and the GSX was quickly wound down. But the passage of time does not diminish the moment, and the 1970 GSX has a revered spot in the history of the performance car.

1970 GSX in Saturn Yellow

Another view of a Saturn Yellow 1970 GSX

The formidable 455 Stage 1 Powerplant

All '70 GSX models came with this black bucket seat interior

'70 GSX in Apollo White

Great shot of the spoiler- special striping was the same either color.

Monday Memories- Unconquerable

 Perhaps the name was too inaccessible. Latin, of all things. Never mind that it meant unconquerable, many people didn't know how to pronounce it. Noble name, but for whatever reason it never caught on.

Invicta. In-VIC-ta. Introduced with the 1959 models as one of three new model names. Its sisters Electra and LeSabre would go on to become classic Buick names. But Invicta would soon disappear. 

By 1962, when this gorgeous convertible was produced, it was already obsolete. A sporty midyear coupe was already announced which was called Wildcat. By 1963, all of the Invicta models except one would be Wildcats.

Look at the sumptous leather interior- bucket seats, no less. Loaded including tilt wheel and factory air conditioning. The Invicta was advertised as being "The Most Spirited Buick", and this convertible seems to capture the sporty flavor pretty well. 

Many options- tilt wheel, bucket seats, leather trim, Sonomatic radio, Turbine Drive Automatic Transission, even Buick Carpet Savers over the loop pile carpeting. The clock was standard on Invicta.

Optional rear seat speaker behind a chrome grille with a tri-shield logo- sporty!

 The Most Spirited Buick- Invicta!

The Wildcat took the place of the Invicta for 1963 and was a sporty and popular offering, and the Invicta was all but forgotten, except that now and again a gorgeous Invicta like this Bimini Blue example rolls into a car show and makes our hearts go all a-flutter again. In that sense it truly is unconquerable.