The Buick Special was an automobile produced by Buick . It was usually Buick's lowest-priced model, starting out as a full-size car in 1936 and returning in 1961 (after a two-year hiatus) as a mid-size. The Special was built for several decades and was offered as a coupe, sedan and later as a station wagon. When GM modernized their entry level products in the 1960s, the Special introduced the modern Buick V6 that became a core engine for GM for several decades and lived on in upgraded form until 2006.
123-573: By 1970, Special was no longer offered as a standalone model but the name would later be used for the entry trim on 1975 to 1979 and 1991 to 1996 Century models. The entry level Buick can trace its heritage to the Buick Model 10 , a companion to Buick's first car, the Buick Model B . The Model 10 started out as one of the independent brands merged into Buick, called the Janney . When the Series 40
246-458: 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
369-539: 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,
492-557: A " hard-boiled crime writer", his novel Mildred Pierce (1941) was mostly a psychological work, with little violence. The adaptation, released four years later, was designed as a thriller, and a murder was introduced into the plot. The novel spans nine years (from 1931 to 1940), whereas the film is set from 1939 to the 1940s and spans only four years. Its characters do not age as a consequence. Mildred's physical appearance does not change, although her costumes become more elegant as her business grows. Veda ages from around 13 to 17. Mildred
615-534: 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
738-538: 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
861-536: 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
984-417: A bratty social climber, and 10-year-old Kay, a tomboy. Mildred's principal goal is to provide material possessions for Veda, who longs for high social status and is ashamed of her mother being a baker. Mildred hides her other job as a waitress, but Veda learns the truth and treats her mother with disdain. Mildred meets Monte Beragon, a Pasadena society playboy with an almost-depleted inheritance. Beragon owns
1107-430: 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
1230-474: 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
1353-611: A couple decades and eventually finding its way into the original Series/Defender Land Rover; and several other Land Rover Models including the Discovery and the Forward Control. The Skylark became a separate series for 1962. The Special, along with the upscale Skylark , were redesigned for the 1964 model year with separate body-on-frame construction—renamed the A-body —and marketed as an intermediate -sized car. The Skylark
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#17327754176291476-436: A fatalistic path full of deception, money for greedy people, murder, and doom (only here an optimistic ending is added). Like classic femme fatales , Blyth is the catalyst for the moral protagonist to reveal not so admirable traits – indeed, Blyth personifies Crawford’s sublimated greed and ambition due to an impoverished upbringing. [ Mildred Pierce ] is also a standard “ woman’s picture ,” a soap opera about suffering mothers in
1599-419: A floor shift Borg-Warner T-10 four-speed manual, or a two-speed Turbine Drive automatic . The two speed "Dual Path Turbine Drive" automatic was a Buick design and shared no common parts with the better known Chevrolet Power-Glide transmission. The 1962 model sold 153,763, including 42,973 Skylarks. The 1963 body was only produced for one year; it sold 148,750 copies, including 42,321 Skylarks. The entire car
1722-429: A four dour sedan , a convertible , and a station wagon . Engine choices were a standard 198 cu in (3.2 L) V6 with a twin-barrel carburetor and optional 215 cu in (3.5 L) V8 with 155 hp (116 kW) (two-barrel) or more powerful four-barrel (190 hp (140 kW) in 1962, 200 hp (150 kW) in 1963). Transmission choices were a three speed column shift manual transmission ,
1845-533: A four-door sedan or a two-door "sedanet", until the new 1949 models arrived. In the movie Mildred Pierce , Veda Pierce, Mildred's daughter, played by actress Ann Blyth , was given a 1940 Buick Special convertible as a gift, valued at US$ 1,077 for the Model 46C ($ 23,423 in 2023 dollars ). The movie Small Town Conspiracy features a 1939 Buick Special 8 that the main character of the film John Haleran ( Zen Gesner ) drives as his official police car. The car remained
1968-456: 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 ,
2091-491: A loveless marriage to improve her social status, with Monte's price being a one-third share of her business to allow him to settle his debts. Veda, eager to live out her dream as a debutante, pretends to reconcile with her mother and moves into Beragon's lavish mansion. Eventually, the cost of supporting Monte and Veda's affluent lifestyles—and Monte's underhanded ploy to retain his share in the business while causing his wife to forfeit her own—bankrupts Mildred, forcing her to sell
2214-512: A motive, and does not deny the crime. Mildred protests that he is too kind to commit murder and reveals her story to the officer in flashback. Mildred and Bert are unhappily married. After Bert splits with his business partner, Wally Fay, Mildred must sell her baked goods to support the family. Bert accuses Mildred of favoring their two daughters over him. Their quarrel intensifies after a phone call from Bert's mistress, Maggie Biederhof, and they separate. Mildred retains custody of 16-year-old Veda,
2337-515: 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),
2460-450: A notch to replace the previous Special Deluxe. The previous Skylark was replaced by a new Skylark Custom. The Special Deluxe was available as a pillared two-door coupe, a pillared four-door sedan, or a 2-row station wagon. The previous V6 was discontinued and the associated tooling was sold to Kaiser Industries, which used the V6 in its Jeep trucks and sport utility vehicles. The base engine in
2583-431: A short absence of two years, but this time it was on the brand new unibody compact GM Y platform . The Special was powered by a 155 hp (116 kW) innovative aluminum-block 215 in³ V8 , and had Dual Path transmission and power steering. In mid-year a Skylark option was released with special trim, optional bucket seats and a four-barrel version of the 215 that made 185 hp (138 kW). In 1962,
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#17327754176292706-533: 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 was used on six generations of cars of varying sizes as well as performance and trim levels. In 1969, Buick developed
2829-483: A shorter wheelbase of 112 in (2,845 mm), while four-door models used a longer wheelbase of 116 in (the Buick Sport Wagon and Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser used an even longer wheelbase of 121 in). All of GM's mid-sized cars received all-new sheet metal, incorporating a semi- fastback appearance, which was a revival of a streamlining on all GM products from 1942 until 1950 as demonstrated on
2952-413: A single disc edition which includes an 86-minute documentary about the career and personal life of Joan Crawford . The documentary features contributions from fellow actors and directors, including Diane Baker , Betsy Palmer , Anna Lee , Anita Page , Cliff Robertson , Virginia Grey , Dickie Moore , Norma Shearer , Ben Cooper , Margaret O'Brien , Judy Geeson , and Vincent Sherman . Mildred Pierce
3075-401: A special edition which includes a host of special features, including "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star", a 2002 feature-length documentary, a Q&A with actor Ann Blyth from 2006, a conversation on the film between critics Molly Haskell and Robert Polito , an excerpt from The David Frost Show featuring Joan Crawford, a booklet with an essay by critic Imogen Sara Smith, and more. It
3198-438: A take-off of the film called "Mildred Fierce", with Carol Burnett as Mildred, Vicki Lawrence as Veda, and Harvey Korman as Monte. In the third episode of The Deuce , "The Principle Is All", Darlene watches Mildred Pierce with one of her regulars. In 2017, Feud showcased the famous rivalry of Crawford and actress Bette Davis ( Susan Sarandon ), in which Jessica Lange portrays Joan. Lange can be seen throughout
3321-453: 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
3444-877: A working woman/businesswoman. Since she’s the type of woman who attracts bland losers such as [Bruce] Bennett, [Zachary] Scott, and Jack Carson, one can’t be too impressed. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , the film holds an approval rating of 88% based on 50 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Tied together by a powerhouse performance from Joan Crawford, Mildred Pierce blends noir and social drama to soapily intoxicating effect.". American Film Institute lists A 5-part miniseries of Mildred Pierce premiered on HBO in March 2011, starring Kate Winslet as Mildred, Guy Pearce as Beragon, Evan Rachel Wood as Veda, and Mare Winningham as Ida. Separate actresses portray Veda at different ages, as opposed to Ann Blyth alone in
3567-430: Is also included in a Region 2 signature collection of Crawford's films with Possessed , Grand Hotel , The Damned Don't Cry , and Humoresque . The Region 1 edition is a flipper single disc with "Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star" documentary and a series of trailer galleries on the reverse of the film. Mildred Pierce is available on DVD and Blu-ray from The Criterion Collection for Regions 1 and 2 in
3690-523: Is more of a tycoon in the film; her restaurants are glamorous places, and she owns a whole chain (Mildred's) instead of the novel's three. Evil, spoiled Veda, who is prodigiously talented and brilliantly devious in the novel, is somewhat less formidable in the film. All references to the Depression and the Prohibition era , which are important in the novel, are absent from the screenplay. The plot
3813-514: Is simplified and the number of characters reduced. Veda's training and success as a singer (including her performance at the Hollywood Bowl ) were dropped in the film and her music teachers only mentioned in passing. Lucy Gessler, a key character in the novel and Mildred's good friend, is eliminated. Ida, Mildred's boss at the restaurant where she works as a waitress, is given much of Gessler's wise-cracking personality. Monte does not die in
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3936-487: Is successful. Wally helps Mildred buy the property, and soon she owns a chain of restaurants throughout Southern California. Veda secretly marries well-to-do Ted Forrester for his money and position, but his mother objects. Veda agrees to dissolve the marriage but claims she is pregnant and demands $ 10,000 (equal to $ 186,477 today) from the Forresters. Veda smugly confesses her pregnancy is a sham to Mildred, who tears up
4059-730: The Stella Dallas tradition. But here is the rare case in which we think the mother is foolish for leading her life to please her daughter – because, unlike the daughters in those other films who were basically flawed but decent girls, Blyth isn’t worthy of anyone’s devotion. Peary also wrote, Crawford’s faltering career was saved with her Oscar-winning portrayal of Mildred Pierce, regarded by many as her quintessential role, one that melded together several of her screen personae. But she’s really not very good, playing every scene in an understated manner. Her Mildred isn’t an interesting character to begin with – despite her strength, despite being
4182-545: The Academy Award for Best Actress . In 1996, Mildred Pierce was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry . Monte Beragon, the second husband of Mildred Pierce, is murdered. The police tell Mildred her first husband, Bert Pierce, is guilty of the murder, because he owned the gun, had
4305-550: The Buick Super Club Coupe (sedanette) . More Federally mandated safety features improved occupant protection and accident avoidance, including side marker lights, shoulder belts (on all models built after January 1, 1968), and parking lights that illuminated with headlights. In a reshuffling of models in the lineup, the Special Deluxe replaced the previous Special. The Skylark nameplate was shuffled down
4428-618: 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
4551-409: 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
4674-491: The 1930s and 1940s. It accentuates common ground of the two: Women must be submissive, live through others, and remain in the home. In his 1986 book Guide for the Film Fanatic , Danny Peary wrote, [ Mildred Pierce ] is essentially a film noir piece where it’s a woman, [Joan] Crawford, rather than a man, who is led by a greedy, manipulative, evil femme fatale – in this case, the woman’s daughter, [Ann] Blyth – down
4797-464: The 1945 film. Wally Fay's character in the original has been changed back to the novel's Wally Burgan, and is portrayed by James LeGros . The cast also includes Melissa Leo as Mildred's neighbor and friend, Lucy Gessler, a character omitted from the Crawford version. The film is told in chronological order with no flashbacks or voice-over narration, and eliminates the murder subplot that was added for
4920-490: The 1945 version. The 1981 film Mommie Dearest mentions the screen test Crawford (played by Faye Dunaway ) must endure, a rehearsal scene at her home for the film, a portrayal of her at home during the Academy Awards radio broadcast announcing the 1945 winners, and her acceptance speech outside her home for a team of reporters. In 1976, the ninth episode of the tenth season of The Carol Burnett Show featured
5043-407: 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
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5166-635: 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
5289-530: The 233.0 cu in (3,818 cc) Buick Straight-8 engine and 93 bhp. Starting with this generation, all GM cars shared a corporate appearance as a result of the Art and Color Section headed by Harley Earl and modest yearly changes were introduced to freshen the appearance. 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" which
5412-507: The 40D-series, a better equipped version called the Special DeLuxe. The engine remained the 248 cu in (4.1 L) which had been used since 1937, but for 1951 this was replaced by the larger "Fireball" straight-eight. A two-door hardtop coupe was also new for 1951, but the unusual grille was revised with the grill bars shortened. The 1954 Specials had an all-new body and chassis, much wider and lower, and were now equipped with
5535-630: 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
5658-555: The Buick Special (and Buick Skylark) coupes & sedans) became a 250-cubic-inch 250 cu in (4.1 L) Chevrolet I6 , that produced 155 hp (116 kW) at 4200 rpm using a single-barrel Rochester carburetor. Optional on the Special Deluxe coupe & sedan and standard on the Special Deluxe station wagon was a new 350-cubic-inch V8 derived from the 340, using a two-barrel Rochester carburetor that produced 230 hp (170 kW) at 4400 rpm. Optional on
5781-498: The Buick Special was dropped and only Special Deluxes were manufactured. In 1970, the end of the Special came about when the Special Deluxe was dropped too in favor of the slightly upscale Buick Skylark. The 1968 model year was one of significant change for the Buick Special and Skylark. Although still using the same basic chassis, all of GM's mid-sized cars adopted a policy of using two different length wheelbases. Two-door models used
5904-494: The Buick Special was one of America's best selling automotive series. For 1956 the larger 322 cu in (5.3 L) V8 engine was shared with the rest of the range, although it was replaced by the bigger, 250 hp (186 kW) 364 V8 for 1957. This year also brought all-new bodywork, as well as a four-door hardtop station wagon called the Buick Riviera Estate. The 1957 wheelbase remained 122 inches. In
6027-548: 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
6150-481: The California beaches and sunlight but sets the bleak tone of domestic film noir, and scored by Max Steiner with a sensational bombast that's rousing even when it doesn't match the quieter, pensive mood of individual scenes, Mildred Pierce is professionally executed and moves at a brisk clip. In 1978, historian June Sochen argued the film lies at the intersection of the "weepie" and "independent woman" genres of
6273-584: 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,
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#17327754176296396-426: The Century sedan (starting 1991) and wagon (starting 1993). The "Special" designation was discontinued with the Century's redesign in 1997. Buick Century 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 . The first Buick Century debuted as the Series 60 then renamed in 1936 as
6519-514: 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
6642-457: 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,
6765-554: The June, 1957 issue of Popular Mechanics , the Special was rated with a 0-60 mph time of 11.6 seconds, fuel economy of 17.4 mpg ‑US (13.5 L/100 km; 20.9 mpg ‑imp ) at 50 mph (80 km/h), and ground clearance of 6.9 in (175 mm). 1958 brought the most chrome yet and twin headlights, as the car grew longer and wider, albeit on an unchanged chassis. 1949-1957 Buick Specials had three VentiPorts on each side while more senior Buicks (with
6888-563: 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
7011-610: 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
7134-542: 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
7257-406: 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,
7380-460: 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
7503-547: 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
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#17327754176297626-531: 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
7749-518: The Special Deluxe was a 350-cubic-inch V8 using a four-barrel Rochester carburetor that produced 280 hp (210 kW) at 4600 rpm. The Buick Special name was dropped after the 1969 model year. A locking steering column with a new, rectangular ignition key became standard on all 1969 GM cars (except Corvair ), one year ahead of the Federal requirement. For 1970, the Buick Skylark name
7872-569: 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
7995-549: 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,
8118-471: The Special was the first American car to use a V6 engine in volume production; it earned Motor Trend ' s Car of the Year for 1962. This 198 cid Fireball was engineered down from the 215 and used many of the same design parameters, but was cast in iron. Output was 135 hp (gross) at 4600 rpm and 205 lb⋅ft (278 N⋅m) at 2400 rpm. In their test that year, Road & Track
8241-403: 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
8364-539: 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
8487-519: 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
8610-475: 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
8733-567: The all-new, more powerful "Fireball" V8 engines. In 1953 The Buick-Berle Show introduced product placement commercials on TV, and later in 1955 The Honeymooners was one of the sponsors. Introduced in the middle of the 1955 model year the four-door Buick Special Riviera (along with the Century Riviera , the Oldsmobile 98 Holiday , and the 88 Holiday ) were the first four-door pillarless hardtops ever produced. By then,
8856-407: 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
8979-438: 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,
9102-411: The building that Mildred wants to purchase for a restaurant, and he pursues a romantic interest in her. While the two are at his beach house for a weekend, Kay contracts pneumonia and dies after a trip to Lake Arrowhead with Veda and Bert. Mildred channels her grief into work and throws herself into opening a new restaurant. With help from her friend and former supervisor, Ida Corwin, Mildred's restaurant
9225-450: The check and throws her out of the house. Bert, too distraught to tell Mildred about Veda's latest escapade, takes her to Wally's nightclub, where Veda performs as a lounge singer. After seeing several sailors in the audience wolf-whistle at Veda in her sexy costume, Mildred begs her to come home. Veda sneers and says her mother can never give her the lifestyle she deserves. Desperate to reconcile with her daughter, Mildred coaxes Monte into
9348-513: 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
9471-474: The daughter, scores dramatically in her first genuine acting assignment. Zachary Scott makes the most of his character as the Pasadena heel, a talented performance. Harrison's Reports wrote that Crawford delivered a "good performance", but the story "lacks conviction, and the main characterizations are overdrawn. For example, the daughter's hatred for her mother has no logical basis, consequently, it weakens
9594-553: 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
9717-750: 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
9840-424: The film, especially the screenplay, and wrote: At first reading James M. Cain's novel of the same title might not suggest screenable material, but the cleanup job has resulted in a class feature, showmanly produced by Jerry Wald and tellingly directed by Michael Curtiz ... The dramatics are heavy but so skillfully handled that they never cloy. Joan Crawford reaches a peak of her acting career in this pic. Ann Blyth, as
9963-568: The film. A review in The New York Times stated that, although Crawford gave "a sincere and generally effective characterization", the film "lacks the driving force of stimulating drama", and it did "not seem reasonable that a level-headed person like Mildred Pierce, who builds a fabulously successful chain of restaurants on practically nothing, could be so completely dominated by a selfish and grasping daughter, who spells trouble in capital letters." William Brogdon of Variety liked
10086-497: The five passenger Sedan Model 41 was US$ 925 ($ 20,557 in 2023 dollars ), while a LaSalle Series 50 was US$ 1,000 ($ 22,776 in 2023 dollars ) more. A standard feature offered on all Buicks was a dashboard mounted selector handle that would alter spark timing and allow either low grade or premium fuel to be used. In 1936 the name changed to "Special". Starting with 1936, the Buick Special Series 40 model range represented
10209-437: 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,
10332-400: 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
10455-482: The fourth generation Buick GL8 minivan was marketed as the Buick Century. Mildred Pierce (film) Mildred Pierce is a 1945 American melodrama/ film noir directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Joan Crawford , Jack Carson , and Zachary Scott , also featuring Eve Arden , Ann Blyth , and Bruce Bennett . Based on the 1941 novel by James M. Cain , this was Crawford's first starring role for Warner Bros. , after leaving Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , and she won
10578-545: 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
10701-404: The investigating officer tells Mildred that Wally cannot be the killer because he has no motive. In the present, the detectives admit they knew all along that Veda committed the murder. Mildred tries to apologize as her daughter is sent to jail, though Veda claims that she will get by. Mildred leaves the police station to find Bert waiting for her outside. Although James M. Cain was often labeled
10824-534: The lead role in Mildred Pierce , which most lead actresses did not want because of the implied age as mother of a teenage daughter. Warner Bros. and director Michael Curtiz originally wanted Barbara Stanwyck to play the title role, but she declined. Curtiz did not initially want Crawford to play the part, thinking she was not right for the role. He ultimately approved Crawford's casting after seeing her screen test. At first, Curtiz and Crawford were at odds on
10947-408: The marque's entry level full-size automobile. The '36 was a very successful year for Buick and also marked the first time of using names rather than the simple serial numbers which had been in use before. The first Specials rode on a 118 in (3.0 m) wheelbase, but for the next model year this was increased to 122 in (3.10 m) as all Buicks grew for that year. The eight cylinder engine
11070-407: The murder; Mildred reluctantly agrees. Fed up with Wally's misdeeds—helping Veda blackmail the Forresters, hiring her to sing in his seedy nightclub, assenting to Monte's business move against her, and making constant sexual overtures toward her—Mildred tries to pin the murder on Wally by luring him to the beach house. Police officers arrest Wally when he flees in panic after seeing Monte's body. Still,
11193-472: 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
11316-533: The novel, and Veda never goes to jail. The murder portion of the story was invented by the filmmakers because the censorship code of that time required evildoers to be punished for their misdeeds. The 2011 HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce follows the novel more faithfully in this respect. The working title for Mildred Pierce was House on the Sand ; and filming began on December 7, 1944. Ralph Bellamy , Donald Woods , and George Coulouris were considered for
11439-534: The partial exception of the Buick Super , which switched from three to four in 1955) had four. Earlier versions had a " Sweepspear " inspired character line alongside the body, while later versions had the "Sweepspear" moulding attached to the side of all models. GM renamed the Buick Special the LeSabre for the 1959 model year, taking the name from the 1951 Le Sabre concept car . In 1961, the car returned after
11562-630: The patent application was filed on Nov. 28, 1932. It was assigned to the Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, a GM subsidiary that manufactured components for Fisher Body and they were added to the Special when it was introduced in 1935. Additional manufacturing locations also opened across the country under the Buick-Oldsmobile-Pontiac Assembly Division . The Series 40 was the most affordable Buick offered, with 6 body styles offered, and
11685-463: The property of director Ralph Clemente and was untouched for many years until sold to Florida restorer and car collector Axel Caravias . Halfway into the 1949 model year, the Specials received all-new bodywork to include a dramatically styled grille where nine grille bars also served as bumper guards and extended over the front bumper, and the first fully postwar design for the series. New was also
11808-652: 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
11931-528: 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
12054-526: The rest of a highly competent cast. In a 2005 review, Jeremiah Kipp of Slant Magazine gave the film a mixed review: Mildred Pierce is melodramatic trash, constructed like a reliable Aristotelian warhorse where characters have planted the seeds of their own doom in the first act, only to have grief-stricken revelations at the climax. Directed by studio favorite Michael Curtiz in German Expressionistic mode, which doesn't quite go with
12177-436: The restaurant chain. After driving to his beach house to confront Monte, Mildred finds Veda in his arms. Veda scornfully tells her mother that Monte intends to marry her after divorcing Mildred, who runs to her car in tears after dropping a gun she intended to use on Monte. When Monte tells Veda he would never marry her because she is a "rotten little tramp", she shoots him with Mildred's gun. Veda begs her mother to help conceal
12300-570: The role of Bert, while Bonita Granville , Virginia Weidler , and Martha Vickers were considered for Veda. Scenes for the film were shot in Glendale and Malibu, California . Permission had to be granted from the U.S. Navy to shoot in Malibu because of wartime restrictions. In 1942, Joan Crawford asked for her release from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer due to a mutual agreement, and joined Warner Bros. seeking better film roles. Crawford campaigned for
12423-431: The series in a variety of flashbacks depicting Crawford's famous roles. The Mildred Pierce bit recreates the slapping scene between Mildred and Veda. The eighth track on the 1990 album Goo by alternative rock band Sonic Youth is titled "Mildred Pierce". The Gainesville, Florida , restaurant Mildred's Big City Food is named after the film's title character. Mildred Pierce is available on Region 2 DVD in
12546-465: The set, with producer Jerry Wald acting as peacemaker. Eventually, Curtiz and Crawford became good friends, and worked together several years later on Flamingo Road The film was a box-office success. According to Warner Bros., it earned $ 3,483,000 (equal to $ 64,949,792 today) in the United States and $ 2,155,000 (equal to $ 40,092,464) in other markets. Contemporary reviews praised Crawford's performance but had mixed opinions about other aspects of
12669-477: 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
12792-421: 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
12915-437: The story." John McCarten of The New Yorker wrote: Certainly, despite its unconscionable length—it takes almost two hours— Mildred Pierce contains enough excitement to jolt even the most lethargic customer...it is pleasant to report that Miss Crawford is no longer as frantic in appearance as she once was. Despite all kinds of chances to go berserk as a Cain mother, Miss Crawford remains subdued and reasonable, like most of
13038-565: 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
13161-635: 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
13284-445: Was also new, and was now of 248 cu in (4.1 L) rather than 233 cu in (3.8 L). The Special (and all other Buicks as well) underwent a full restyling for 1939, with a more enclosed nose and a wider grille. The wheelbase was also two inches shorter. For 1940, there was the usual restyle and the wheelbase increased by an inch. This was also the only model year that a four-door convertible Special ("Sport Phaeton")
13407-456: 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
13530-411: Was expanded to a full top-line series that now included two- and four-door sedans, two-door hardtop coupe and convertible, along with a station wagon. The other series models included the base Special and the slightly fancier Special Deluxe, in a more limited range of bodystyles. Also new for 1964 were engines. The capacity of the V6 engine was increased from 198 to 225 cubic inches, while the aluminum V8
13653-399: Was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum V8 in most respects." In 1963, the Special's body was restyled. Mechanically, however, the car was identical to the 1962 model. There was also some minor interior restyling, particularly to the dash and instrument cluster. The 1963 Special was available as a 2-door pillared hardtop coupe ,
13776-578: 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
13899-506: Was introduced, it had the 257.5 cu in (4,220 cc) overhead valve Buick Straight-6 engine that produced 80.5 bhp of power at 2,800 rpm, and 74,257 examples were made, being the highest number of Buicks for 1930. For the year 1931, the Series 40 was temporarily discontinued, with the introduction of the Marquette Model 30 and the Series 50 being repositioned as the Buick entry level product. The 1935 version returned with
14022-599: Was moved down another notch, replacing the previous entry-level Buick Special. The Special returned briefly to the GM A platform as an entry level subseries of the Buick Century . Although officially sold as the Buick Century Special, it was sometimes also referred to as just the Buick Special. Century Specials were usually powered by Buick's own 231 V6; a V8 (from either Buick, Oldsmobile, or Chevrolet)
14145-474: Was now offered as the entry-level luxury vehicle that the LaSalle previously held. After production resumed, only the larger 1946 B-body Special range remained available, which is rare, representing less than two percent of Buick's production that year. The Special continued with minor changes until the prewar body was finally replaced halfway through the 1949 model year. Post-war Specials were only available as
14268-402: Was offered but rarely optioned. It used the "colonnade" roofline but was fitted with a landau roof that covered most of the rear quarter windows. The opening that was left was the same shape as the windows on the higher series formal-roof cars. In 1978 and 1979, the Special trim continued on the redesigned Century fastback and wagon models. Special returned once again as the entry level trim on
14391-462: Was offered in Century and 40 Special trim as a four-door touring sedan and two-door business coupe and the 46S sedanette. Also new was the 40-A series (the regular Special now being the 40-B), a version on a three inches shorter wheelbase which shared its body with the 1941 Oldsmobile Series 70 . These two series, with a restyle reminiscent of the 1939 Y-Job , continued into the abbreviated 1942 model year. Production ended on 4 February 1942. The Special
14514-486: Was offered, although only 552 were built. Prices started at US$ 795 ($ 17,456 in 2023 dollars ) for the Business Coupe to US$ 925 ($ 20,310 in 2023 dollars ) for either the 4-door Touring Sedan or 2-door Convertible. For 1941 the bodywork was again all new, with the front fenders now very closely integrated into the cars overall design. The Estate Wagon migrated from being a Super into the Special lineup. A fastback
14637-586: Was redesigned for 1964. After that, the 215 found its way into the Rover P6 3500S in 1968, but was never sold in North America in any great numbers. It was also employed in other British cars, including the Morgan Plus 8 , MG MGB GTV8 , Land Rover , and Triumph TR8 , as well as retrofits into MGAs and MGBs. The engine had really earned its stripes as being the sole engine powering the Range Rover for
14760-399: 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
14883-411: Was replaced by a new cast iron-block 300 cubic inch V8 with aluminum cylinder heads. In 1965, cast iron heads replaced the problematic aluminum ones. This reliable engine, produced until 1967, was based on the aluminum V8, and many parts (such as the cylinder heads) were interchangeable. The Special nameplate was used on lower-priced intermediate-sized Buicks through the 1969 model year. In 1968 and 1969,
15006-437: 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
15129-491: 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,
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