Image 1 of 15
Image 2 of 15
Image 3 of 15
Image 4 of 15
Image 5 of 15
Image 6 of 15
Image 7 of 15
Image 8 of 15
Image 9 of 15
Image 10 of 15
Image 11 of 15
Image 12 of 15
Image 13 of 15
Image 14 of 15
Image 15 of 15
-
This rare example of a model 80 Roadmaster phaeton joined the NB Center collection in 2014. The car had been previously restored to a high standard and required little more than servicing when purchased.
The car is finished in lovely silver-gray with a rich burgundy leather interior. It was traditional for convertibles to get leather interiors while closed body styles, such as sedans, got cloth. -
Company
General Motors
Make
Buick
Model
Special, 37-80C
Body Style
Convertible Phaeton, 4- door, 5-pass.
Body Manufacture
Fisher Body Co.
Model year
1937
Wheelbase
131 inches
Length
210.25 inches
Engine
inline-eight, OHV, 320.2 cid
Horsepower
130 @ 3400 rpm
Transmission
3-speed manual
Original Base Price
$1,856
Brand Production
220,346 model year
This Car Production
1,040 -
The Buick Roadmaster name would remain a mainstay of the Buick product line until 1958 and reappear again in 1992. The Roadmaster was not the top of the line initially, that was the Limited, but it always represented the best that Buick had to offer. In 1936, when the Roadmaster name first appeared, it was offered in only two body styles. For 1937, the Roadmaster remained on the same 131” wheelbase chassis of the previous year but the body offerings grew to three with the addition of a six-passenger formal Sedan.
The 1937 Roadmasters shared the same styling cues as the entire product line for the year. The new graceful grille with its fine horizontal bars and vertical center section painted body color. Slimmer more streamlined headlights coupled with the continuous beltline molding gave the cars a more polished and refined look. The engine remained the 320.2 cubic inch inline eight but now producing 130 hp, 10 more than the previous year.
The Phaeton, a four-door convertible sedan, was again the only convertible offering in the Roadmaster and Limited series. It was also the price topping offering in the Roadmaster series.
The attractive styling changes of the 1937 cars coupled with a few more available body styles helped to drive sales and production to new post-depression highs. Buick advanced in the production rankings from 7th to 6th place.