1937 Buick Special Sedan - Model 41 🇮🇹

Out of the entire range of American automobiles, the Buick brand is among the favorites of our collection. This Buick Special Sedan joined the Bulgari Collection in 2005. The car had been in France since before the Second World War and had old French license plates. This is a Series 40 – Model 41 version: a 4-door Sedan with 5 seats and a “built-in trunk” body, so called because of the protruding trunk at the rear, very much in vogue at the time of production.

On arrival in Italy, in the garage in Rome, a total professional restoration was carried out, removing the body from the chassis. While the eight-cylinder inline engine was completely reconditioned in Switzerland, and the chrome and paintwork was brought back to its original splendor by Italian specialists, along with the upholstery and interior trim. Obviously the original colors and specifications were rigorously respected. The original color of the paintwork is listed as code number 505 corresponding to Wellington Gray, whereas the code for the interior trim is 300, indicating Gray cloth fabric.

After ascertaining that the three-speed manual transmission was in good condition, all the components of the car were reassembled with the utmost skill and care. Today this Buick is enjoying a new lease of life on the roads of Europe.

Company
General Motors

Wheelbase
122in

Interior trim
Beige cloth

Brakes
front and rear drums

Make
Buick

Length
210in

Engine
inline 8 - 248cid

Tires
6.50x16

Model
Special Sedan - Model 41

Width
78in

Carburetor
1 carb. Stromberg

Original Price
$1,021

Body style
4-door Sedan “built-in trunk”

Weight
3489lbs

Horsepower
100hp @ 3200rpm

Production
82,440

Model year
1937

Exterior paint
Wellington Gray

Transmission
3-speed manual

The Buick Special produced in Flint, Michigan, was launched in 1936 as a entry-level full-size car, and was offered well into the late fifties. That year proved highly successful for its maker, with many innovations along the way, including the adoption of names to create a new identity rather than the serial numbers used previously.

The first Specials (1934-'36) rode on a 118 in. wheelbase, but for the next model year this was increased to 122 in. as all Buicks grew for that year.
The styling of the Buick Special Series 40 was modified for 1937 with several noticeable changes, mostly to the front. The 1936 Series 40 had a single grille with vertical bars; the 1937 model had horizontal bars and a divider down the center. The center section of the grille was painted to match the color of the body. The fenders were revised and given squared-off ends. Though not very visible, the height was lowered by nearly 2 inches, with interior room remaining nearly the same due to the floors being lowered as well.

There were eight body styles to select from, including the convertible phaeton, sport coupe, business coupe and convertible coupe. There was also a two- and four-door touring sedan available with an optional rear trunk. The most popular Series 40 bodystyle - also Buick’s most popular vehicle for 1937 - was the four-door Touring Sedan with the trunk. Pricing for this vehicle was $1020. This placed it in competition with the Packard 120C, Oldsmobile L-37 and the Pontiac Deluxe Series 26.

Powering the Series 40 was an inline overhead valve Eight-cylinder engine (248 cid) that offered 100 horsepower. It had a three-speed sliding gear transmission with floor shift controls and a single dry plate clutch and shaft drive. The car rode on pressed steel wheels and braking was handled by four-wheel hydraulic drums. Options included a heater, defroster, dual side mounted tires, white sidewall tires, and a grille guard. A dash-installed radio with a built-in speaker could also be added for an additional fee.

Mechanical improvements to the 1937 Series 40 included a new oil pump and improved overhead valve mechanism that was much quieter than the previous version. The intake valves were updated and the cooling system was improved. The Series 40 had a wheelbase that measured 122 inches, up from 118 inches the prior year. For the 1937 range Buick produced a total of 220,346 cars, of which 82,440 Model 41 trunk-back Sedans.