History/Comments on Buick Hood Ornaments in the 30's

[BJM]

Say experts,

What is correct sequence and application of hood ornaments on Buicks in the 1930's?

Easy to know in the post war era but I have seen 30's Buicks with and without hood ornaments and some in the same years have different ornaments.

Photos would help. Any comments appreciated.

[Mark Shaw]

BJM,
Pick up almost any good book on Buick history with photos and drawings and you will see hood ornaments progress from factory ornaments to aftermarket moto meters to French art glass. What is the purpose of your question?

[jscheib]

Jake,

I am not 100% sure, but Buick used radiator caps until 1933 and thereafter they were hood ornaments, with the radiator and cap inside the hood. The exact transition, I am not sure. I do know for 1932, see page 21 of the May Bugle show the two options, the standard "flying" 8, and the figurine on the model 67 and 91.

John

[BJM]

BJM,
Piche Bk up almost any good book on Buick history with photos and drawings and you will see hood ornaments progress from factory ornaments to aftermarket moto meters to French art glass. What is the purpose of your question?

I have never seen a hood ornament on a 36 Buick, which I own.

There is a seller on the Buick Buy/Sell selling a described 35 Buick hood ornament. The so-called "Flying Lady" I think.

I took several photos at the 1997 St Louis National meet (or 1998) of the pre war Buicks including several of the "Flying Lady" BUT not necessarily of the cars the "Flying Lady" was attached to.

I do not recall hood "ornaments" (i.e. no purpose other then ornamentation) after 1935.

1936? 1937? etc no ornaments. Until the "bombsight" which was incorporated into the hood design in my opinion and not vertical.

But I may be mistaken. I wouldn't mind a hood ornament on the 36 but if there was no "optional" factory ornament I would pass.

Which lead to my inquiry.

[BJM]

BJM,
Pick up almost any good book on Buick history with photos and drawings and you will see hood ornaments progress from factory ornaments to aftermarket moto meters to French art glass.

Mark
I have the Gustin/Dunham book and on pags 164-166 it shows the 36 Buicks in all series incl an 80 sedan with a singular Art Deco ornament so I would assume the flying lady was 34-35 only.

Thanks for the hint to check references.

I guess part of the reason for my inquiry was the uniformity of hood ornaments from 1946 through 58ish, when Harley Earl incorporated the ornament into the style of the car whereas I could not recall a similar discipline in the 30's.

[BJM]

Jake,

I am not 100% sure, but Buick used radiator caps until 1933 and thereafter they were hood ornaments, with the radiator and cap inside the hood. The exact transition, I am not sure. I do know for 1932, see page 21 of the May Bugle show the two options, the standard "flying" 8, and the figurine on the model 67 and 91.

John

Thanks John. I also have the Collectible Automobile Febr 2012 issue on the 31-32 Buicks.

That's interesting what you note about the transition from external radiator cap to internal and then the "cap" becomes purely ornamental.

[kaycee]

Mascot Mania is a good source with pictures and comments on most cars. I keep the site on as a favorite to view radiator caps and ornaments.
kaycee

[Grant Magrath]

Try The Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1942. It's a brilliant book.
Cheers
Grant

[danhar1960]

This was posted here some time ago.

Danny

[38Buick 80C]

This was posted here some time ago.

Danny

So to answer BJM's initial question
1930 - radiator cap with no ornamentation just plain boring cap
1931 - rad cap with one of two options a #8 (for 8 cyl) or an Apollo (see notes on 1932)
1932 -possibly the same as '31 or I am mixing them up with '31, John Schieb will correct me if needed.
1933 - Goddess on rad cap
1934 - not a cap from here out - Goddess
1935- Goddess (note supposedly for 34-35 one year eyes are open, one year they are closed, seriously, I can't recall which one is which)
1936 & on - as show in the picture by danhar1960

Note - to me the '36 and on look like stylized trains, which I think is more than coincidence since 3 of the 4 series names debuting in '36 (Special, Century and Limited) were train related names. With '36 being a train/goddess combo almost.

[eric_b_1937]

GM was in the train design business at the same time of these ornament designs, interesting theory Brian.

My interpretations of the Buick ornamental hood sculptures.

1936 Art Deco interpretation of flying goddess
1937 Art Deco interpretation of 1936 flying goddess but moving faster and lying down
1938 Aerodynamic Train
1939 Air ship or rocket
1940 Aerodynamic Train
1941 Aerodynamic Train
1942 Rocket
1942 Airplane

Does anyone know the name of the Sculptor? It appears to me that the early 1930's ornaments had a different sculptor than the late 1930's and post 1945 seems more like 1936-1942.

[Bob Engle]

The 33 Buicks had the flying 8 with the 8 sloping back. The base on 33 caps is not round like earlier years. 33 also had the Mercury/Apolo sculpture like 31 and 32.

Bob

[50jetback]

I have read that the mascot used on 1933/34 and 35 Buicks was modelled on the dancer Isadora Duncan who was killed in 1927 when a scarf she was wearing became entangled in the spokes of a motor vehicle, reportedly a Bugatti.

The second part of this is that it was designed in her likeness by Ternstedt at the request of Harley Earl, who had some liaison with Isadora. This part seems unlikely as she was 15 years his senior and seemed to be based in Europe when Harley was forging his career in the motor industry in the US.

A nice story but can anyone cast any light on what may be fact and what is fiction.

[BJM]

Thanks all. This post was partially to confirm that the "Flying Lady" was not optional for my 36.

But there is a lot of interesting information in this post, especially the sequence from radiator cap to hood ornament and later emphasis on high speed trains.

I am going to pass on a hood ornament.

[FLYER15015]

Yup, they look like 'deco trains, and in '42 with the war on, I can understand adding the wings.
So now the question is when did the "gunsight" come out, and how long did they last ?
Mike in colorado

[danhar1960]

Here you go.
This is a very good site for all Hood Ornaments.
Just a Car Guy: Hood ornament identification guide

Danny

[smithbrother]

The GUN SITE was originally scheduled for the 1941 Buick, but because of the war effort it was pulled so as NOT TO OFFEND.

When the war was won it was put on the 1946 Buick's. This is how I recall such. The original 1946 ornaments DIDN'T have the cross bar, but later in the production year it was added to prevent the theft of the ring.

I looked for years for an original 1946 piece WITHOUT the cross bar, and now have one mounted on my 1941 Limited, I might add it bolted right up to the original hood holes. Pictures of the Brunn custom Limited's show the bomb site on the proposed 1941 Limited.

Just my 2-cents.

Dale Smith in Indy