Buick Special Convertible Sedan, 1940
Buick Special I
Buick Special I•
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Chassis No.: 43799475
Auction: Monterey 2017
Auction date: August 19, 2017
Lot No.: S54
$30,000 | High bid
- Exterior: Yellow
- Interior: Red
- Body: Convertible Sedan
- 1 of 597 Special Convertible Sedans produced in 1940
- 248 CI Dynaflash inline 8-cylinder engine
- Carter downdraft carburetor
- 3-speed manual transmission
- Semi-floating rear axle
- Sequoia Cream with Red interior and Brown folding top
- Simulated woodgrain dash
- Sonomatic radio
- Bumper guards
- Cigar lighter
- Chrome hupcaps and trim rings
- Wide Whitewall tires
The 41-C body was noted in the 1940 Buick advertising campaign as a five-passenger sport phaeton. A challenging sales era for convertibles, as the winds of war were already blowing across Europe, the company’s final tally of sales of this model at year’s end was a mere 597 units. It would be the final year a four-door convertible sedan was offered in the Buick Special model line-up, which makes this a uniquely exclusive classic from the late prewar era. Buick has always prided itself on engineering, and one such innovation was the “Dynaflash 8” 248 CI straight-8 engine, which used valve-in-head technology before most competitors.
Introduced in 1932, it had been refined by 1940 with crankcase ventilation, full-pressure lubrication, a Carter-supplied downdraft carburetor and “Micropoised” engine balancing. Behind the crank is a 3-speed manual transmission. Suspension science also came into play, with an X-braced frame, “BuiCoil” coil sprung rear suspension, torque-tube drive and semi-floating rear axle. The wheelbase on the car is 121 inches.
Of course, the body lines of the 1940 Special featured headlamps now more integral to the front fenders, the strong horizonal grille ribbing, long fluted inserts on both hood sides, a centered chrome rib running from the grille to cowl and the words “BUICK EIGHT” spelled out in attractive block lettering on the forward edge above the grille. Bumper guards are also on this car. The convertible sedan used a set of center-opening “suicide doors” as well, retaining the running boards, full fenders and rear-opening trunk. The color combination is extremely attractive: Sequoia Cream with a red interior and brown folding top.
Inside is a simulated wood-grain dash, Buick’s exclusive Sonomatic radio, column shift and cigar lighter. Complete with chrome hubcaps and trim rings, wide whitewall tires and an advertised 2,637 square-inches of window and windshield glass, this final-year phaeton release from Buick will surely draw attention and admiration wherever it is displayed or driven.
https://www.mecum.com/lots/303006/1940-buick-special-convertible-sedan/
