Buick Century is the model name that was used by Buick for a line of upscale full-size cars from 1936 to 1942 and 1954 to 1958, as well as from 1973 to 2005 for mid-size cars .
119-540: The first Buick Century debuted as the Series 60 then renamed in 1936 as a shorter and lighter model featuring the same engine as the bigger Roadmaster and Limited series giving it more performance while using the shorter wheelbase body of the Buick Special . During the 1930s and 1940s it was Buick's companion to the top level Roadmaster and was offered as a 2-door and 4-door sedan and convertible. The Century name
238-587: A Cadillac Series 61 . The 1950 restyling featured a "toothy" grille. The Sweepspear design was made standard on most body styles at the beginning of the 1950 model year, and on the station wagon and a new long-wheelbase sedan mid-year. The long-wheelbase sedan was lengthened by 4 inches (102 mm)). Like the convertibles, the Riviera and the long-wheelbase sedan came with power windows and seats as standard equipment. Roadmaster sales fell to 75,034, with Roadmaster's share of total Buick output plummeting to 12%. For
357-458: A Dynaflow automatic transmission, with the intent of giving Buick a performance vehicle. Included in the model lineup during this period was a station wagon model, a body style that had been unavailable during the Century's first production period of 1936 until 1942. In 1953 The Buick-Berle Show introduced product placement commercials on TV, and later in 1955 The Honeymooners was one of
476-534: A 1975 Buick Century "Free Spirit" edition replica based on the Indy Pace Car for the public with patriotic graphic decals and the Buick Hawk on the hood. This 1975 vehicle had a transmission shifter on the floor with bucket seats and "Hurst Hatch" T-tops installed. The white exterior and blue/white interior were based on the 1975 two-door sheet metal. The engine was a 350 V8, as opposed to the 455 V8 used on
595-551: A 5 in (127 mm) greater wheelbase than the C-body Buick Park Avenue . It was also larger both in wheelbase (2 in (51 mm)) and overall length (6 in (152 mm)) than the K-body Cadillac DeVille . A Buick Roadmaster Estate station wagon was introduced in 1947 and was manufactured in several generations through 1996. The 1932 Series 80 was the first Buick with
714-538: A V6 engine; a four-cylinder engine was only available in China. Plainer "Custom" and fancier "Limited" trim levels were carried over from the previous generation. The redesign moved the Century to the W-body platform, rejoining its former Regal sibling for the first time since the 1981 model year. The Century and Regal were nearly the same cars, distinguished only by seating configurations, trim, and engine differences. While
833-414: A black version. This also matched the change from a two-tone woodgrain instrument panel to a two-tone gray instrument panel, with silver-finished instruments. A new optional custom trim option was offered: cloth upholstery with leather bolsters, robe cord cover, and lower door panels trimmed in leatherette. Convertibles included power operation for windows, seats, and the top. The Dynaflow was introduced,
952-534: A bored-out 364 cu in (6.0 L) engine in 1957 and 1958, the last model years for the full-sized Century line. In 1956, the Century's base price was US$ 2,963 ($ 33,206 in 2023 dollars ). Power windows were standard in the convertible. A padded safety dash became optional. For 1957, Buick styling was notable for its three-piece rear window design. This was a feature in all series fixed-roof body-styles, (excluding wagons and convertibles). Oldsmobile also used this 3-piece rear window design that year, marketed as
1071-430: A cassette player. Additionally, the "Century" nameplate on the front doors was removed, and only seen on the vehicle's taillights. A Special Edition option package was produced for 2005 that included dual-zone automatic climate control, 16-inch chrome-plated aluminum wheels, touring tires, anti-lock brakes, a chrome grille with revised tri-shield and a rear Special Edition emblem. Only four exterior colors were offered with
1190-473: A corporate appearance as a result of the "Art and Colour Section" headed by Harley J. Earl and modest yearly changes were introduced to freshen the appearance. In 1931, the running board was reduced and the OHV 220.7 cu in (3.6 L) Buick Straight-8 engine was introduced that developed 90 bhp (67 kW). Aesthetically, the Series 60 remained almost unchanged, and the same fact occurred also in
1309-410: A divided grille with horizontal bars. The center section of the grille was painted to match the body of the car. Fenders became squared off and the headlight shells were streamlined. Overall height was reduced by 1.5 in (38 mm) while keeping the same interior space. A new carburetor and revised camshaft raised the engine rating to 130 hp (97 kW; 132 PS). The engine also received
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#17327755803091428-429: A four-inch-chop from the standard Roadmaster's windshield, the absence of VentiPorts, and a new Sweepspear that anticipated Buick's 1954 styling. Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels and a solid boot cover were standard. At US$ 5,000 ($ 56,940 in 2023 dollars ) only 1,690 units were produced. The following year, and for one year only, it would become separate series built on the all-new 122 in (3,100 mm) Century chassis. This
1547-454: A listed price of US$ 1,675 ($ 37,224 in 2023 dollars ). Total production from 1933 to 1935 was 31,385. In 1936, the model changed its name to "Century". Buick renamed its entire model lineup for the 1936 model year to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models, introducing a " streamlined " appearance. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special ,
1666-511: A longer hood extending to a now nearly vertical grill, taller bumper guards, and redesigned hubcaps. Changes were made to both engine and chassis. The ride was improved by replacing the rear leaf springs with coil springs and incorporating double-acting shock absorbers four times the size of others. The frame X-member was changed from I-beam to channel construction, and all wood structural elements were replaced with steel. The engine combustion chambers were redesigned and new "turbulator" pistons raised
1785-549: A new intake manifold, oil pump, cooling system, and a quieter overhead valve mechanism. A Formal Sedan, featuring a roll-down glass partition between the front and rear compartments, was added to the Roadmaster line for US$ 1,641 ($ 34,780 in 2023 dollars ), of which 452 were sold. The price of the sedan was raised to US$ 1,518, and that of the phaeton to US$ 1,856 ($ 39,337 in 2023 dollars ). Overall Roadmaster sales increased to 16,129. Styling changes for 1938 were modest, with
1904-515: A new, more angular front fascia. Wheelbase was 104.9 in (2,664 mm), with 189 in (4,801 mm) overall length. Both four-cylinder gasoline units and diesel V6 engines were offered in this generation, although neither became popular. Performance versions of several Buick models, including the Century coupe, were marketed in the mid-1980s under the T-Type name. With Buick's 181 cu in (3.0 L) V6 producing 110 hp (82 kW),
2023-460: A one-piece design. All the significant gauges were relocated directly in front of the driver, and the gear shift was changed to a steering column mount. The four-door phaeton could now be ordered with the built-in trunk appearance or as a fastback, but only three of the latter were sold. Although prices were reduced to US$ 1,545 ($ 33,842 in 2023 dollars ), sales only rose to 6,097, with Roadmaster's share of Buick's total sales falling to 2.9%. In 1940,
2142-437: A senior Packard , 15 more than any Cadillac, and 25 more than the largest Chryslers , it was the most powerful engine available that year on an American car. A new body style for this year was a two-door convertible, which sold 1,845 units. There was also a Brunn-designed convertible, but no orders materialized because of the $ 3,500 price ($ 72,502 in 2023 dollars ). Overall, Roadmaster sales were 15,372. The 1942 Roadmaster
2261-399: A separate upper bar was used. The Roadmaster name appeared in red-filled script on a chrome button within the bumper guard crossbars, front, and rear. All new was an Estate wagon body style. It sold 300 units and became the top line in the station wagon market. The 1948 models featured a series script on the front fenders, and the white Tenite steering wheel used previously was replaced with
2380-548: A slight increase in the compression ratio. With the now-standard Dynaflow, this contributed to giving the new Buicks a top speed of 110 mph (177 km/h). In the middle of the year, the Riviera joined the body style lineup, selling 4,314 units. Featuring power windows as standard equipment, the two-door Buick Roadmaster Riviera , along with the Cadillac Series 62 Coupe de Ville and the Oldsmobile 98 Holiday,
2499-453: A taller, more-formal grille, while coupes got an angled, body-colored front end along with new bodyside sheet metal that lacked the traditional "sweepspear". The Gran Sport option was discontinued with the 455 engines and only 231 V6 or 350 V8 were available on the last 1,288 made vehicles merely with appearance and suspension option package. Buick Centuries were used in the 1975 and 1976 Indianapolis Motor Speedway as pace cars. Buick introduced
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#17327755803092618-581: A two-door coupe or four-door sedan in 1931 capable of seating five- or seven-passengers, then replacing the coupe with a Victoria five-passenger coupe in 1932. The 1933 model year saw convertibles for both the coupe and four-door sedan convertible reviving the "phaeton" nameplate again, and additional manufacturing locations opened across the country under the Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac Assembly Division . The equipment levels and refinement of materials used were on par with
2737-436: A war-inspired "bombsight" hood ornament was adopted. The instrument panel was two-toned with woodgrain facings except on convertibles, which used body-colored panels. Series identification was found on cloisonne emblems centered in the bumper guard front and rear. Compound Carburetion was discontinued, and the compression ratio was reduced to 6.60:1. The 1946 Roadmaster's horsepower rating went from 165 to 144. The torque rating
2856-568: A year later with a 180 hp (134 kW) 5.7 L L05 Chevrolet small-block V8 shared by both wagon and sedan. In 1994, both received a substantial power and performance boost with an upgrade to a modified version of the advanced 5.7 L sequential point fuel-injection LT1 V8 introduced two years earlier in the C4 Corvette . Coupled with standard dual exhaust, it increased output to 260 hp (194 kW). Buick Straight-8 engine The Buick straight-8 engine ( Fireball 8 )
2975-518: The Buick Limited , and after 1940, the Oldsmobile 98 . Between 1946 and 1957, the Roadmaster served as Buick's flagship. It became the marque's largest vehicle when it was resurrected for the 1991 through 1996 model years. The Roadmaster sedan, a C-body vehicle over its eight previous generations, shared the B-body for the first time in its history. It was 10 in (254 mm) longer with
3094-653: The Buick Y-Job . The four-door phaeton was discontinued. Coupes adopted the Sedanet fastback style that was introduced in 1941 on the Century and Special . The new one-piece hood was double-hinged so that either side of the engine compartment could be opened, while in later updates, the hood would open at the front and extend up and towards the passenger compartment. At the beginning of 1942, new automobiles were available only to those in occupations deemed essential to
3213-553: The GM C platform . The 1932 models introduced a new high-performance engine developing 113 hp (84 kW; 115 PS). In 1933, the styling of all Buicks was updated with a new, corporate "streamlined" appearance shared with all GM cars for that year as influenced by GM's Art and Color Studio headed by Harley Earl . The 1933 models were the first year all GM vehicles were installed with optional vent windows that were initially called "No Draft Individually Controlled Ventilation" that
3332-618: The Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon ). The car was over a foot shorter, several inches narrower, and several hundred pounds lighter than its predecessor. Big-block engines were discontinued and the new base powerplant was Buick's new 196 cu in (3.2 L) V6 introduced specifically for the Century and Regal. The 231 cu in (3.8 L) V6 and the Chevrolet 305 V8 were options. The Pontiac 265 cu in (4.3 L) and 301 cu in (4.9 L) replaced
3451-570: The Roadmaster ) was considerably heavier and this weight adversely affected vehicle performance and handling. In earlier years the engines used cast-in-place bearings that were then machined, which made engine rebuilding an expensive procedure, but after 1937 they began using drop-in bearings. Initial compression ratio varied between 4.5:1 and 4.75:1 in different engines, with 77 bhp (57 kW), 90 bhp (67 kW) and 104 bhp (78 kW) for 221, 273 and 345 engines respectively; when
3570-409: The 160 hp (119 kW) 3.3 L Buick V6 was replaced with a 3.1 L V6 with the same power rating, and power on the 2.2 L I4 was up to 120 hp (89 kW) with the introduction of MFI . Midway through the 1994 model year, a round speedometer replaced the wide rectangular one, but the car still carried on with the original dash. Despite its dated design, the Century and its sibling
3689-477: The 1951 model year, the long-wheelbase sedan was also called a Riviera, although it was not a hardtop. The Sedanet and regular wheelbase sedan were discontinued. Styling changes were minimal in 1951 and 1952. Power steering was added as an option in 1952, and the engine rating climbed to 170 hp (127 kW; 172 PS) primarily to a new four-barrel carburetor. Sales continued to decrease to about 66,000 in 1951 and totaled 51,000 units in 1952. A new V8 engine
Buick Century - Misplaced Pages Continue
3808-474: The 1954 model year, the Buick Roadmaster and Super shared with Cadillac and Oldsmobile 98 the new General Motors C-body , adopting the new " ponton " appearance, and the addition of " Dagmar bumpers " to the front. These were large, roomy cars, as much as five and a half inches longer in wheelbase and more than nine inches (229 mm) longer overall than in 1953. Roadmaster script was placed on
3927-406: The 1991 model year, the Century received another slight facelift featuring a bigger radiator grille and different headlamps. The interior featured new door panels with the window switches and door lock switches relocated to a more convenient configuration found on more modern cars, where the switch location corresponds with the window location in the car body. This feature never appeared on its sibling
4046-634: The 1996 model year. In Japan it was sold as the Buick Regal because of the Toyota Century limousine. The Century received a facelift in late 1988 for the 1989 model year, gaining a new more-rounded roofline, but continuing on the A-body platform. Black plastic inserts with the Buick tri-shield emblem replaced the rear quarter windows. The front end received flush headlamps and a rounded grille, and
4165-581: The 320 engine was introduced, it produced 120 bhp (89 kW), increasing to 170 bhp (130 kW) later. The last year for Buick's straight-eight was 1953, but only in the lower-cost Buick Special . All other lines using the same basic chassis received the new V8 322 cu in (5.3 L) Fireball . Starting in 1954, the Special received the V8 as well. 1952 Production Engines and Ratings This article about an automotive part or component
4284-532: The 344.8 cu in (5,650 cc) OHV Buick Straight-8 engine developing 104 hp (78 kW; 105 PS) at 2,800 rpm. It was positioned as an upper category trim package and shared with the Series 90 . The Series 80 was a new approach for Buick by marketing a luxury sedan with an eight-cylinder engine - that became expected from luxury brands - comparably as the Oldsmobile L-Series on
4403-628: The August 22, 1983 cover of Fortune magazine as examples of genericized uniformity, embarrassing the company and ultimately prompting GM to recommit to design leadership. In October 1983, a station wagon was added to the lineup to replace the discontinued Regal wagon. The 1984 model year also had an Olympic version of the Buick Century, commemorating the 1984 games in Los Angeles, California . In 1985, all 1986 versions were "freshened" with
4522-546: The CHP door emblems were changed to a generic highway patrol emblem. (In later seasons, he drove a four-door Century but these were not California Highway Patrol owned vehicles.) Power brakes were optional. Tubeless tires were new. The Century remained Buick's performance line, with engine power rising from 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS) (SAE gross) in 1954, to 236 hp (176 kW) in 1955, to 255 hp (190 kW) in 1956, and topping out at 300 hp (224 kW) from
4641-584: The Century T-Type's performance was modest, but the Buick 3.8 V6 SFI engine, producing 140–150 hp (104–112 kW), offered performance in this comparatively lightweight vehicle. For 1985 and 1986, Hess & Eisenhardt /Car Craft of Lima, Ohio converted 124 finished Buick Century coupes into coachbuilt convertibles . Although these convertibles were sold as new cars through Buick dealerships, these conversions were not factory authorized. In 1986,
4760-514: The Chevrolet engine for 1979. One of the more rare models of this time was the 1979 to 1980 Century Turbo Coupe, powered by a turbocharged version of the 3.8 L V6, which offered V8-like performance with more reasonable fuel consumption and reduced emissions. The Turbo Coupe was not nearly as popular as the similar Regal Turbo Sport Coupe of the time, and total production is estimated to be less than 2,500. The two fastback models (along with
4879-495: The Dynaflow transmission. A brand new four-door Riviera hardtop, proved to be the most popular Roadmaster, with 24,770 units sold and beating the pillared sedan by more than two-to-one. Overall sales were 53,427 (which was 9% of model year production). A padded dash became standard. The 1957 Roadmaster featured a lowered body style with an even more panoramic windshield with reverse slanted pillars. A red-filled Sweepspear lined
Buick Century - Misplaced Pages Continue
4998-508: The ECM after startup, but had no balance shaft. An interior refresh came in 1989 for 1990 models. The 1989 model had seatbelts mounted on the b-pillar, for 1990-1996 the seatbelts were mounted on the door. From 1989 to 1992, the Century had a black bumper and side trim, and from 1993 to 1996 the Century had a bodycolored trim. Originally for 1990, the Century, as with the rest of the A-body range,
5117-562: The GM C-body and D-body chassis reserved for top of the line Buicks and Cadillacs. It rode on the same 115.9 in (2,944 mm) wheelbase since the wagon series was downsized from the C-body in 1977, yet it was three inches shorter than the 1990 model. The Roadmaster sedan, a C-body vehicle over its eight previous generations, shared the B-body for the first time. It stood not only as
5236-563: The Oldsmobile Ciera, which retained the inline switch bank mounted flush with the door panel, the rear switch being the driver's door window. The Century windows switches were not backlit, but illuminated by a small bulb in the door panel trim above the switch bank. Other interior changes included new seat covers, and relocating the front outboard seat belts from the A-pillar into the door, functioning as "automatic" seat belts so that
5355-609: The Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera still sold well during the 1990s and proved both reliable and profitable to GM since their tooling costs had been monetized. Production The Century was redesigned for the last time in December 1996. The four-door sedan was the only body style offered (the station wagon was dropped due to decreasing sales) and in North America was exclusively offered with front-wheel-drive and
5474-542: The Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon) proved unpopular. For 1980, the fastback four-door sedan was dropped in favor of a conventional notchback four-door sedan. After 1980, the Century fastback coupe was discontinued. With the introduction of the new front-wheel drive Century in 1982, the existing notchback sedan and wagon models were transferred to the Regal line. Production Figures: In January 1982, GM debuted
5593-406: The Regal had more performance and luxury features, the lower-priced Century kept a more traditional image, and was equipped with a front bench seat and column shifter as standard, a softer suspension, monotone interior colors, and less-powerful engines. The Regal only came with a console-mounted shifter and bucket seats, and although bucket seats and a fixed center console were optional on the Century,
5712-508: The Roadmaster Convertible replaced the exclusive Roadmaster Skylark convertible. In 1956, Roadmaster had a shallower Sweepspear that did not dip down to the rocker panel as on other models. Twin chrome strips were on the decklid, and Roadmaster was spelled between them. Roadmaster script was positioned on the doors beneath the vent windows. Fender tip dual bombsights were standard. Two stator wheels were adopted to improve
5831-400: The Roadmaster's larger displacement straight-eight engine . The Century offered four different types of 2-door body styles to include convertibles and only one 4-door Sedan, with the ratio remaining coupes over sedans until 1938 when there were three coupe and three sedan choices. The 1940 Series 50 Super combined the longer Roadmaster body with the smaller displacement Special engine. While
5950-489: The Series 60 became the Century, the Series 80 became the Roadmaster , and the Series 90, Buick's longest and most luxurious vehicles, became the Limited . The terminology "Series 60" and "Series 70" were shared with Cadillac, while "Series 60", "Series 70", "Series 80" and "Series 90" were shared with Oldsmobile. The basic formula for the 1936 to 1942 Century was established by mating the shorter wheelbase Special bodies to
6069-530: The Series 60 had the 331.4 cu in (5.4 L) OHV Buick Straight-6 engine from the Series 70, developing 99 bhp (74 kW) at 2,800 rpm. It had, at the beginning of the generation, a full-length running board denoting the top model for Buick at the time, shared with the short wheelbase, entry level Series 40. In 1930, GM built 38,180 cars. The bodystyles available were torpedo , sedan, coupe, and roadster convertible , using GM's " B-body " platform. Starting with this generation, all GM cars shared
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#17327755803096188-597: The Series 80 was renamed Buick Limited . The Roadmaster name was transferred to the new Series 70, which was introduced simultaneously as a brand new Series 50 Super . The Roadmaster featured a cutting-edge "torpedo" C-body . The new C-body that the 1940 Buick Roadmaster shared with the Super, the Cadillac Series 62 , the Oldsmobile Series 90 , and the Pontiac Torpedo featured shoulder and hip room that
6307-569: The Special Edition option package, Sterling Silver Metallic, Cashmere Metallic, Cardinal Red Metallic and Glacier Blue Metallic. The 2005 Buick LaCrosse was introduced in late 2004 to replace both the Century and Regal, and was based on the third-generation W platform. The last Buick Century was assembled at GM's Oshawa plant on October 25, 2004. The Buick Century was produced in China as the New Century from 1998 to 2000. The engine
6426-549: The Special two-door sedan body shell with Century powertrain, of which 135 were Dynaflow automatics and 135 were manual transmissions. Broderick Crawford was shown driving a two-door Century sedan during the first season of his popular syndicated TV series Highway Patrol . These Century two-door sedans were actual police vehicles owned by the California Highway Patrol and were loaned to the TV production company,
6545-402: The Special was powered by Buick's OHV 233 cu in (3.8 L) straight-8 engine , rated 93 hp (69 kW) at 3200 rpm, Centurys produced between 1936 and 1942 were powered by the OHV 320 cu in (5.2 L) straight-8 producing 141 hp (105 kW), making them the fastest Buicks of the era and capable of sustained speeds of 100 mph (161 km/h), hence
6664-538: The Stage I required a Turbo-Hydramatic 400. The 1974 Buick Century and Regal were introduced with HEI (High-Energy Ignition systems) instead of points and ignition coil. The 1974 Buick Century Gran Sport was still, "Available only as a Hardtop Colonnade Coupe, it carries the Rallye ride and handling suspension with stabilizer bars, front and rear. Plus a specialized blacked-out grille and head lamp doors, an accent stripe on
6783-566: The United States, the standard colors available on all Buicks were Judicial Black, Liberty White, Pewter Gray, Potomac Blue, Continental Blue, Concord Green, Constitution Green, Mount Vernon Cream, Buckskin Tan, Musket Brown, Boston Red and Independence Red, with specially available colors on select models Congressional Cream, Revere Red, Colonial Yellow and Firecracker Orange. In 1977, the V6 engine
6902-522: The V8 engine enabled Buick to reduce Roadmaster's wheelbase by 4.75 in (121 mm) across the line. However, styling differences behind the engine cowl, apart from the new V8 emblem hubcaps, were nonexistent. Buick also introduced a new "Twin-Turbine" Dynaflow as a companion for the V8 engine. Estimated to increase torque at the wheels by 10 percent, the new transmission provided faster and quieter acceleration at reduced engine speeds. Both power steering and power brakes were made standard. Air conditioning
7021-475: The actual Indy 500 Pace Car. Alternatively, in 1976, Buick introduced the "Free Spirit" edition of the Indy Pace Car; it was downsized to the 1976 Special facelift sheet metal with a 231 V6. The original Indy Pace Car had the turbocharged 231 V6. The replica featured a silver, black, and red paint with a black interior. The vehicle included a positive-traction differential. To commemorate the Bicentennial of
7140-407: The appearance was changed to a more rounded appearance, with a new OHV 278 cu in (4.6 L) eight-cylinder engine and 100 hp. In 1935, the model remained almost unchanged while the body style selections were similar to larger Buicks but more affordably priced. Six choices were available to include both 2- and 4-door convertibles using the term "phaeton" for the 4-door convertible with
7259-437: The belts could be buckled and the door opened and closed while still buckled. The driver and front passenger could enter and exit the vehicle while the seat belt was still fastened. For 1993, the 2.5 L I4 was replaced with a new 115 hp 2.2 I4. For 1994, the slow-selling coupe model was dropped (603 sold for 1993, or 0.5% of overall Century sales), and all models received a standard driver's-side airbag . Also in 1993,
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#17327755803097378-399: The bodyside, and a chromed rear fender lower panel filled the area between the wheelhouse and the bumper end, continuing to offer " Dagmar bumpers " at the front. A new centered fuel filler was located in the rear bumper, the ends of which the single or optional dual exhaust passed through. Roadmaster script was placed within the deck and grille emblems. Two-door models had a trio of chevrons on
7497-513: The column shifter was retained, and the Century lacked a tachometer. After the 1998 discontinuation of the Skylark, the Century became Buick's entry-level car for the first time. For 2003, the Limited trim was eliminated, leaving one standard model. As a result, many features standard on the Limited became options, such as anti-lock brakes, OnStar, driver side-impact airbag, rear glass antenna and
7616-450: The compression ratio from 5.9 to 6.5:1, resulting in an increase to 141 hp (105 kW; 143 PS). The four-door convertible phaeton changed from the built-in trunk design to a "fastback" rear appearance. The Limited continued to be offered, and a new fastback sedan was added to the line with 466 being sold. The Roadmaster sedan price was increased to US$ 1,645 ($ 35,607 in 2023 dollars ). The overall automobile market decreased for
7735-441: The control of an imaginary fighter airplane. Upon seeing this, Buick chief Harlow Curtice was so delighted that he ordered that (non-lighting) VentiPorts be installed on all 1949 Buicks, with the number of VentiPorts (three or four) corresponding to the relative displacement of the straight-eight engine installed. Dynaflow was now standard equipment, and engine output was increased to 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS) through
7854-552: The downsized fifth generation Century, using the front-wheel drive A platform , in coupe and sedan forms. The fifth generation Century shared the front-wheel drive A platform with the Cutlass Ciera , Pontiac 6000 and Chevrolet Celebrity , and together the A-bodies became enormously popular — as well as synonymous with GM's most transparent examples of badge engineering , highlighted almost indistinguishably on
7973-750: The engine distributor was replaced by a coil-pack ignition system that proved to be far more reliable than the system that it replaced. The "Chevrolet Century" were sold in South America and the Caribbean. In Mexico, it was sold as the Century Limited (with no brand, although it wears the Buick logos). Introduced for 1984, it was the top model for General Motors Mexico, and it survived the import car wave from 1991 (previously new car importations were forbidden in Mexico) and continued in production until
8092-430: The first passenger car torque converter transmission. Optional on Roadmaster in its first year, it became standard equipment for 1949. Overall sales were just under 80,000 in both 1947 and 1948, over four times greater than in any prewar year. The Roadmaster received its first major postwar restyling in 1949. Its wheelbase and overall length were reduced, but its weight was marginally increased. The most significant change
8211-436: The following year. In 1931 and 1932, a total of 55,135 were produced. In 1933, the length of the body increased and the radiator was now concealed behind a façade with a grille. The engine power increased to 97 hp (72 kW), and 1933 was the first year all GM vehicles were installed with optional vent windows which were initially called “No Draft Individually Controlled Ventilation” later renamed "Ventiplanes". In 1934,
8330-400: The four-barrel 350 to 190 hp (140 kW). While the Stage I 455 was somewhat diminished from its performance heyday due to emission controls, output was competitive for the era at 270 hp (201 kW) and 390 lb⋅ft (529 N⋅m). A Saginaw three-speed manual was standard with either 350 engine. A Muncie M-21 four-speed was available with either 350 or with the regular 455, while
8449-417: The fourth generation Buick GL8 minivan was marketed as the Buick Century. Buick Roadmaster The Buick Roadmaster is an automobile built by Buick from 1936 until 1942, from 1946 until 1958, and then again from 1991 until 1996. Roadmasters produced between 1936 and 1958 were built on Buick's longest non-limousine wheelbase and shared their basic structure with the entry-level Cadillac Series 65 ,
8568-493: The front fenders like the larger Buick Roadmaster indicating its status equal to the Super, denoting it was a junior level Buick using the shorter B-body . It also introduced the "Panoramic" one-piece wrap around windshield on all GM cars for 1955. In 1955, the California Highway Patrol placed a large fleet order for 270 Century two-door sedans, a body style unavailable to the general public. It combined
8687-463: The front fenders. On the rear deck, the Roadmaster name was spelled out in block lettering beneath a Buick emblem housing the trunk lock keyway. Wheelhouses had bright moldings, rocker panels had an ebbed molding, and a large rear fender bright flash with ribbed inserts replaced the previous year's chromed rear fender lower panel. Four headlamps were standard. New brakes featured cast-iron liners in aluminum drums. Sales fell further to about 14,000. There
8806-408: The front. The Roadmaster sedan weighed 4,098 pounds, about 88 pounds more than Cadillac's new Series 60 . The sedan sold for $ 1,255 ($ 27,556 in 2023 dollars ), $ 440 ($ 9,661 in 2023 dollars ) less than the least expensive Cadillac. The only other body style was a four-door convertible phaeton, priced at $ 1,565 ($ 34,362 in 2023 dollars ) (a total of 1,064 were produced), at a time when a Cadillac in
8925-482: The largest Buick, 10 in (254 mm) longer with a 5 in (127 mm) greater wheelbase than the apparent top-of-the-line C-bodied Buick Park Avenue , but larger both in wheelbase (2 inches) and overall length (6 inches) than the K-body Cadillac Sedan de Ville . The standard engine for the 1991 wagon was a 170 hp (127 kW) 5.0 L L03 Chevrolet small-block V8. It was replaced
9044-407: The model year. The idea for VentiPorts grew out of a modification Buick styling chief Ned Nickles had added to his own 1948 Roadmaster. He had installed four amber lights on each side of his car's hood wired to the distributor to flash on and off as each cylinder fired, simulating the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. Combined with the bombsight mascot, VentiPorts put the driver in
9163-466: The name Century (100), earning the Century the nickname "the banker's hot rod". Prices listed for the 2-door Victoria Coupe started at US$ 1,055 ($ 23,164 in 2023 dollars ) to US$ 1,135 ($ 24,861 in 2023 dollars ) for the 2-door Convertible. By 1940 prices rose to US$ 1,175 ($ 25,554 in 2023 dollars ) for the Sport Coupe to US$ 1,620 ($ 35,232 in 2023 dollars ) for the 4-door Convertible Phaeton. The Century
9282-567: The pillared coupe and the Estate wagon were no longer offered as body styles. Overall sales dropped to 50,571 (which was 11% of model year production). and the Roadmaster Convertible was listed at US$ 3,521 ($ 39,948 in 2023 dollars ). Air conditioning was provided by Frigidaire optionally on sedans and hardtops, which consisted of a self-contained unit that was retrofitted at the customers' request. In 1955, broad lower rear fender bands, gold-colored Roadmaster deck script and hood ornament, bars on
9401-409: The previous year so that the pillared sedan was dropped from the model lineup. Also, new was a mid-year production (March 1957) Roadmaster designated as Model 75 that featured standard power seats and windows, carpeted lower doors, a one-piece rear window (instead of a three-piece that was a design feature of the smaller Special and Century models), Deluxe hubcaps, and a Series 75 script identification on
9520-651: The rear deck, special tail lamps and Gran Sport grille ornamentation. And if you go for the Gran Sport, you can add the Stage 1, the high performance engine." For 1975, the Luxus was renamed Century Custom. The new 110 hp (82 kW) 231 V6 was installed as standard equipment along with a three-speed manual transmission on coupes and sedans, and the big-block 455 was no longer available. The four-barrel 350 V8 became standard on station wagons. A new landau top became available for fastback coupes that partially covered
9639-411: The rear quarter body panel of the Roadmaster coupes and the rear door panels on the Roadmaster four-door body styles, thus replacing the standard three chevrons found in the same location on the standard full model year Roadmaster model lines. Overall, Roadmaster sales dropped to about 33,000. The overall economy was in a recession starting in late 1956 and extending into 1958. For the 1958 model year, GM
9758-528: The rear quarter glass, giving an appearance similar to the formal-roof Century Custom. A Century Special coupe was added to the lineup, using the fastback roofline. The Special was marketed as an economy variant of the Century and was only available with the V6 engine. In 1975, the US government legalized rectangular headlights and Buick added them to the Century for the 1976 model year, positioned side-by-side on coupes, and stacked vertically on sedans. Sedans received
9877-430: The rear quarter panels and within the rear deck ornament. Rear fenders had a blunted fin at the rear edge, with dual "bullet" taillamps below. A new panoramic windshield with vertical side pillars was used. Seats had chrome bands on two-door models, and rear seats had an armrest on four-door models. The front suspension was refined, and Roadmaster's engine output was increased to 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS), while
9996-534: The rear quarters, while the four-door models had a Roadmaster emblem nestled within the Sweepspear dip. Interiors featured a padded dashboard, broadcloth and nylon in four-door models, nylon in two-door versions, and leather in convertibles. Front hip room was 65.3-in. A new 364 cu in (6.0 L) engine was rated at 300 hp (224 kW; 304 PS). A new ball-joint suspension system improved handling. The four-door Riviera hardtop proved popular
10115-441: The rocker panel just before the rear wheel, and then curved around the rear wheel in a quarter of a circle to go straight back to the taillight. The "Riviera trim", as it was initially called, was also made available on the Roadmaster convertible late in the model year. With 88,130 sold, the all-time annual record for Roadmaster, the model accounted for 27% of all Buick sales, a high proportion despite its price being slightly less than
10234-622: The same body style sold was priced from $ 2,745 ($ 60,272 in 2023 dollars ). Buick sales went from just over 48,000 to nearly 158,000, with the new Series 80 Roadmaster contributing 16,049 units to that total. Buick was the only GM car, along with the Chevrolet Standard, to retain the basic 1934 styling for 1935, thus the 1936 re-style brought Buick up with the rest of the GM marques. For the 1937 model year, Buick moved to newly re-styled bodies along with all other GM cars. The Roadmaster gained
10353-477: The sponsors. Introduced in the middle of the 1955 model year, the four-door Buick Century Riviera along with the four-door Special Riviera , the four-door Oldsmobile 98 Holiday , and four-door 88 Holiday , were the first four-door hardtops ever produced. For the first time, the Century was repositioned below the C-body Buick Super and priced lower. It continued to feature four " VentiPorts " on
10472-421: The stand-up hood ornament was now standard. All sedan models were easily distinguished by their full-width taillights that followed a Buick tradition of big taillights. The 3300 was introduced in 1989 as a replacement for the 3800 cc engine, offering an increase of 10 horsepower, but a loss of 15 lb-ft of torque. The smaller engine featured multiport fuel injection, waste spark distributor-less ignition controlled by
10591-552: The top-level Limited and was a contender with the Packard Eight . The origins of the Roadmaster name date to 1936, when Buick added names to its entire model lineup to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 was named the Special , the Series 50 became the Super , the Series 60 was named the Century and the Series 90 — Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicle —
10710-404: The war effort. By mid-January, cars with no exterior chrome trim apart from the bumpers were being produced. By February passenger car production was shut down completely. Despite the abbreviated model year, a total of about 8,400 were sold. When postwar automobile production resumed in the 1946 model year, chrome was more sparingly applied, swept-back fenders were fitted to sedans and coupes, and
10829-409: The wheel covers, and a gold-accented grille were added to distinguish Roadmaster. The engine rating was increased to 236 hp (176 kW; 239 PS), and a new variable-pitch Dynaflow , in which the stator blades changed pitch under hard acceleration, provided quicker off-the-line getaway. Back-up lights were now standard. Overall sales were 64,527 (which was 8% of the model year production). and
10948-404: The year, but Buick's share increased even with Roadmaster sales falling to 5,568 and now making up 3.3% of Buick's total output from its previous 7.3%. Styling for 1939 featured a new two-piece “waterfall” grille with thin vertical bars. The hood was narrower, the front door pillars were narrower, and the hubcaps were larger. The window area increased substantially with the rear window changing to
11067-565: The “Twin-Strutted Rear Window.” Because the Century was considered the senior "small Buick", the model received a version of GM's hardtop station wagon, the Century Caballero Estate for the 1957 and 1958 model years and was not continued for 1959. For 1959, Buick renamed the Century the Invicta . The Buick Century nameplate was revived for the 1973 model year on the rear-wheel drive intermediate A-body platform, which
11186-541: Was a complete restyling for 1959, but this time, the names of the various series were changed. Not until 1991 would there again be a big Buick known as the Roadmaster; the biggest Buick models were renamed the Electra . The Roadmaster name returned to the Buick line for the 1991 model year after a 33-year absence, with the third generation Buick Estate wagon becoming the Roadmaster Estate . A four-door sedan
11305-494: Was a much larger two-piece, curved glass windshield that the sales brochure described as like an “ observation car .” It was also in 1949 that Buick introduced " VentiPorts ." Four were displayed on each of the Roadmaster and Century's front fenders, with three on the fenders of the Super and Special to denote junior level products. The sales brochure noted that VentiPorts helped ventilate the engine compartment, possibly true in early 1949, but they became non-functional sometime during
11424-467: Was a new option, and a 12-volt electrical system was adopted years before many other makes. A new body style for 1953 was the Skylark convertible. The Buick Roadmaster Skylark was one of three specialty convertibles produced in 1953 by General Motors, the other two being the Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta and the Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado . The Skylark featured open wheel wells, a drastically lowered beltline,
11543-463: Was added to the Roadmaster line for the 1992 model year, the first rear-wheel drive Buick sedan since 1985. Combined sales showed an over tenfold increase over 1991 thanks in part to an extended production run which had 1992 models going on sale in March 1991. As with its precursor, the new Roadmaster Estate wagon was based on GM's full-size rear-wheel drive B platform , which was closely related to
11662-701: Was also an option. The base Century and Century 350 coupes had a fastback roof with large rear quarter glass, while the Century Luxus featured a more formal notchback roofline with narrow opera windows. The Century Estate replaced the Buick Sport Wagon . By replacing the Skylark, the Century inherited the Gran Sport performance option. The package was available with any engine and included upgraded suspension, additional instrumentation, and unique appearance treatment. Dual exhaust increased output of
11781-427: Was among the first hardtop coupes produced. The Riviera Hardtop was conceived by taking the convertible and welding a steel roof, which simplified manufacture and improved the car's appearance. The Riviera was also notable for its popular optional " Sweepspear " chrome body side molding, which would soon become a Buick trademark. This chrome-plated strip started above the front wheel, then gently curved down nearly to
11900-401: Was available in the well-equipped "75" version, and the body was adorned with bulkier and more heavily chromed styling while the top trim package Limited was the most expensive and fully optioned vehicle. A new "drawer pull" grille was used that Buick called "Fashion-Aire Dynastar", made up of rectangular chrome squares. For the first time since 1948, there were no distinguishing VentiPorts on
12019-456: Was discontinued at the end of the abbreviated 1942 model year due to World War II , when production of passenger vehicles stopped on February 4, 1942, during which total model production only accounted for about 10% of Buick's total output. Buick reintroduced the Century using the same formula of mating the smaller, lighter Buick Special body to its largest and most powerful 322 cu in (5.3 L) "Fireball" OHV V8 engine mated with
12138-578: Was intended to be phased out in favor of the more modern W-body line of midsized cars. However, the Century, as well as its sister the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera , continued to remain popular nearing the end of their initial runs. Thus, it was decided that the older Century and Cutlass Ciera would instead continue production alongside their proposed replacements, the Regal and Cutlass Supreme respectively, as lower priced alternatives. For
12257-594: Was introduced for 1953, Buick's Golden Anniversary year. Although the Nailhead (as it was popularly called) was nearly identical in displacement to the straight-eight Fireball (322 versus 320 cubic inches), it was 13.5 inches (340 mm) shorter, four inches (102 mm) lower, and 180 lb (82 kg) lighter, but with 188 hp (140 kW), it was 11% more powerful. The compression ratio increased from 7.50:1 to 8.50:1 and torque increased from 280 to 300 lb⋅ft (380 to 407 N⋅m). The compact dimensions of
12376-458: Was introduced in a year when Buick's overhead valve straight-eight engines were heavily revised. Buick reduced the number of engines from four sizes to two: a 233 cu in (3.8 L), 93 hp (69 kW; 94 PS) version for the Special, and a 320.2 cu in (5.2 L), 120 hp (89 kW; 122 PS) engine for the other series. Buick also adopted an all-steel "turret top" and hydraulic brakes. Coil springs were used in
12495-489: Was later renamed "Ventiplanes" for which a patent application was filed on November 28, 1932. The patent was assigned to the Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, a GM subsidiary making components for Fisher Body . At the end of 1933, the 80 series was discontinued after 24,117 units were produced. In 1936, the model changed its name to "Series 80 Roadmaster". Body style choices were limited to
12614-413: Was longer, lower, wider, and roomier than before (a Harley Earl trademark), due in part to a longer wheelbase. There was also a new vertical-bar grille and "Airfoil" fenders that swept back to the rear fenders, which in subsequent generations became the chromed " Sweepspear ". Both features became a Buick icon exhibited in one way or another for years to come, and were influenced by the concept car called
12733-416: Was named the Limited . The Series 50 was retired, but new for the model year was the Series 80 Roadmaster. The 1936 Buick sales brochure describes, "It literally named itself the first time a test model leveled out on the open highway." The terminology "Series 60" and "Series 70" were shared with Cadillac, while "Series 60", "Series 70", "Series 80", and "Series 90" were shared with Oldsmobile. The Roadmaster
12852-415: Was newly introduced, and 3,991 units were sold. The coach-building firm of Brunn designed several custom-bodied Buicks for the Series 70, 80, and 90. Only one Roadmaster example is known to have been produced in 1940, an open-front town car, that was dubbed "Townmaster". Overall sales more than tripled to 18,345. Styling updates for 1941 were modest, but there were mechanical changes. The compression ratio
12971-418: Was not affected. Nevertheless, The Roadmaster's I-8 still produced more horsepower than a top-of-the-line Chrysler's. Due to wartime inflation, prices were substantially higher than pre-war models. The most significant change was in sales proportions. Roadmaster increased its share of Buick sales from 4% in 1941 to 20% in 1946, with a total of about 31,400 sold. For the 1947 model year, a new stamped grille with
13090-413: Was over 5-inch (127 mm) wider, the elimination of running boards and exterior styling that was streamlined and 2-3" lower. When combined with a column-mounted shift lever the cars offered room for six-passengers. The 1940 Roadmaster had a shorter wheelbase, weighed less, and was less expensive than the previous year's model. The formal and fastback sedans were discontinued. A two-door coupe body style
13209-599: Was produced from 1931 to 1953 and sold in Buick automobiles, replacing the Buick Straight-6 engine across the board in all models in 1931. Like many American automobile makers, Buick adopted the straight-eight engine in 1931 as a more powerful alternative to the previous engines. Unlike most other car makers at the time, Buick had been using a valve-in-head/OHV overhead valve reverse-flow cylinder head design or I-head since their inception and continued this practice in their straight-eight designs. The engine
13328-402: Was promoting their fiftieth year of production, and introduced anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. The 1958 models shared a common appearance on the top models for each brand; Cadillac Eldorado Seville, Buick Roadmaster Riviera, Oldsmobile Holiday 88, Pontiac Bonneville Catalina, and the all-new Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala. In 1958, the Roadmaster
13447-476: Was raised from 6.6:1 to 7.0:1, the "turbulator" pistons were redesigned, smaller spark plugs were new, and "Compound Carburetion" was introduced. This Compound Carburetion was the forerunner of the modern four-barrel carburetor and consisted of twin two-barrel carburetors. One unit operated all of the time, while the other operated only under hard acceleration. The new engine was rated at 165 hp (123 kW; 167 PS). This made it have five more horsepower than
13566-399: Was redesigned for this year. The name replaced Skylark for Buick's mid-sized cars. The Century Regal coupe was added at the top of the model range and later became a separate series, dropping the Century name for 1976. It was available with two- and four-barrel versions of the Buick 350 , putting out 150 and 175 hp (112 and 130 kW), respectively. The 225 hp (168 kW) 455
13685-437: Was revised to be even-firing , and a 403 cu in (6.6 L) Oldsmobile V8 was added as an option for station wagons. Production Figures: GM downsized its intermediate line, reducing wheelbase by 4 in (102 mm) and curb weight by nearly half a ton. The Century was initially offered as an "aeroback" fastback two-door coupe and a fastback four-door sedan along with a station wagon model (sharing bodies with
13804-467: Was sold in different displacements depending on the model of car and the year and was constructed upon two distinct (possibly more) block castings. The engine block in the smaller displacement versions internally resembled the 1937-53 inline Chevrolet 216, 235 & 261" straight six (the combustion chamber design was quite different), albeit with additional cylinders. The large block version (320 cid and 345 cid; used in large-chassis models such as
13923-489: Was the 3.0 liter LW9 V6 engine which was also used in the first-generation Buick GL8 . A four-cylinder model was also available paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The Century was replaced by the Buick Regal due to poor sales. After the discontinuation of the model in 2000, the New Century name was used as a trim level of the Buick Regal, sold until at least 2005. 2,986 cc (182.217 cu in) In China,
14042-479: Was the last year for the Roadmaster Estate , and it was the last wood-bodied station wagon mass-produced in the United States . Its body was a product of Ionia Manufacturing, which built all Buick station wagon bodies between 1946 and 1964. Priced at US$ 4,031 ($ 45,905 in 2023 dollars ), the Estate was second in price only to the Skylark, with 670 being sold. Overall, Roadmaster sales went up to 79,137. For
14161-657: Was used on six generations of cars of varying sizes as well as performance and trim levels. In 1969, Buick developed a concept car known as the Century Cruiser . In the 1970s, the Century Regal became a separate model and market positioning between the two products changed from year to year depending on sales. The Century was updated to front wheel drive in 1982 and was Buick's 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan and station wagon, with regular updates and feature upgrades as customer preferences changed over time. Originally,
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