1939 Buick Century Touring Sedan - Model 61 🇺🇸

This particular car was purchased at auction in May 2000 from the estate of a funeral director. At the time of purchase, the car was an all-original, untouched car with just 14,283 miles. The car was filthy, with tires that were at least 40 years old and the rest of the car in need of service. It received a full mechanical and cosmetic recommissioning, returning it to the glory of its as-delivered condition.

The car was used for many years after the car was purchased, accumulating several hundred more miles until the engine finally required more attention. Even low mileage cars suffer long term damage from sitting for long periods. The car received a complete engine rebuild and has been returned to service. 

Company
General Motors

Make
Buick

Model
Century, model 61

Body Style
Touring Sedan, 4- door,  5-pass.

Body Manufacture
Fisher Body Co.

Model year
1939

Wheelbase
126 inches

Length
203.563  inches

Engine
inline-eight, OHV, 248 cid

Horsepower
107 @ 3400 rpm

Transmission
3-speed manual

Original Base Price
$1,246

Brand Production
197,324 +10,932 (chassis & export) = 208,256

This Car Production
18,462

All 1939 Buicks featured new styling, with a low, wide 'waterfall' grille.  Windows grew larger in area while roof posts grew slimmer, increasing visibility dramatically. Buyers had the option of standard running boards or the new more modern looking ‘streamboards’. The Sport Sedan and Business coupe disappeared from the offerings. Both the convertible and coupe lost their rumble seats in favor of interior “opera” jump seats.  The cars sat 2 inches lower because of revised frame designs. Despite the many changes, the mechanical components remained unchanged from the prior year. 

Century models rode on a 126-inch wheelbase, six inches longer than the Special of the same year. The extra length was added ahead of the cowl, to accommodate the larger engine used in the Century. New for Buick, but not the industry,  was a column shift, designated “Handishift” that left the front floor unobstructed for more comfortable three-across seating. 

Buick also offered two significant industry firsts  in 1939. Directional signals became standard, operated from a switch on the column-mounted shifter.  Unlike modern turn signals, these were not incorporated into the taillights, but were part of the trunk medallion. Buyers who purchased the optional radio got the first programmable push button radio tuning in the industry. 

Sales for the four-door Touring Sedan rose to 18,462 accounting for the vast majority of the 24,415 Century models produced. Overall, Buick produced 208,259 cars for the model year and 231,219 cars for the 1939 calendar year. This was 7.9% of the market, enough to keep Buick in 4th place in industry rankings. 

The Century name plate would remain in the Buick lineup until 2005.