1946 Buick Roadmaster Sedanette - Model 76S 🇮🇹

October 7, 1945 Buick debuted the 1946 model year cars. It had been 3 years and 8 months since Buick produced a car for civilian consumption and the public was ready for them. The 1946 Buicks would be warmed over versions of the 1942 cars. After all, the 1942 model year was a shortened production run and Buick hardly had time to design all new cars when the war was raging. Besides, many of Buick's offerings in 1942 were restyled and considered quite advanced for the times. 

For 1946 the styling tweaks would be subtle including a revision of the grille and leading edge of the front fenders, elimination of the beltline moulding,  the first use of the “bombsite” hood ornament that would adorn Buick's through the 1948 model year and variations for years to come. The most noticeable change was the extension of the front fender line through the body side connecting with the rear fender on Super and Roadmaster bodies. This styling was called “Flow through” by Buick and was a clear hint of the styling changes coming in the near future. 

Buick would offer a reduced number of models and body styles for the return to civilian production. The Century and Limited were eliminated completely, although they would eventually return to the line-up in future years. The Special would only come in two body styles while the Super offered four bodies and the Roadmaster offered the same three as 1942. 

Mechanically the 1946 cars were nearly identical to the 1942 cars with one major exception, the troublesome “compound carburation” installed on 1941-42 model cars was now gone. While the complex dual carburetor system allowed for more horsepower, it was at the expense of reliability and fuel consumption. Horsepower suffered from this change but customers were generally happier. 

Buick enjoyed a strong reputation worldwide for delivering performance and reliability at a reasonable price. With the automobile industry in Europe all but destroyed by the hostilities, it was no surprise there was strong demand for Buicks for export. Nearly 9,500 Buicks were shipped abroad in 1946.