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1936 Buick 8/40 century sloper coupe?


Guest Besty

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Can anybody work this out I've just picked up a 36 sloper coupe Australian built body #104, plate tells me its a 40 series, so it should have 233 CI motor and wheel base of 118" I have measured the wheel base and is 122" same as the 60 series it has three piece exhaust manifold and the clutch pedal is the same set up as the 60, I am pretty sure the motor is 320 CI it has the 15X7 tyres wich leeds me to beleave it a 8/60 century.

Body # 104

Chasis # 2972113

Engine # 3124384

The Buick car club of australia lists the production numbers for 1936 of the 8/40 sloper as 121 and a total of 35 for the 8/60.

Can any body help sheed some light on this as I only found the body plate yesterday going through boxs of parts and the 40 stamped on this plate has thrown me off, were the centurys stamped as 8/40s ?

Any help would be much apriceated. Thanks Besty

post-72696-143138394538_thumb.jpg

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From what you describe the car must be a Century and the assumption is the body tag is not the correct one for your car.

The Century was the only Buick in 1936 to run the 15" wheels and they are not interchangeable with the 16" wheels ( different stud pattern )

The Century headlights also have a piece of stainless trim on the top which the 40 Series lights don't.

For your interest I have attached a photo of a 1936 Aussie sloper which I owned back in the early 70's. I was restoring a 39 sedan at the time and purchased this vehicle via a council tender ( abandoned vehicle ) thinking it would be a good parts vehicle. I bought it site unseen ( for $20 ) and when I picked it up realised it was a Century. It was accident damaged and I sold it several years later and have never seen it since.

I'm assuming you are in Australia - where exactly?

post-31244-143138394542_thumb.jpg

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Thanks for the reply Stuart, yes I'm in Australia, Binalong NSW, I starting to think the vehicle has had other parts added as the front guards, are they diferent with wheel wells to the ones with out ? the car original came from QLD, the fella I got it off lived near Goulburn but passed away 2 years ago, he was a panel beater by trade and has done most of the body work, the car was offered to my wife as she did some accounting work for these people and they knew we own a smsh repair business doing restoration work as well, the car is 6 wheeler, I am currently fitting the car up so I can work out where old mate was up to and whats missing and what needs to be repaired, everything on this car is original, paint, engine mounts dont even look like they have been touched, the compliance plate is I'm pretty sure 99% is off this vehicle, I was reading some of your other comments about gurad length and wheel well measurements which I'm about to check very soon, the running board on LH side runs shot as well by a couple of inches, fair bit of head scratching going on as this is the first Buick of this age I've worked on, Theres going to be plenty more questions later on.

Thanks Adam Best

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..Can any body help sheed some light on this as I only found the body plate yesterday going through boxs of parts and the 40 stamped on this plate has thrown me off, were the centurys stamped as 8/40s ?

Any help would be much apriceated.

The body plate may not be off the body you have

It may that a 8/40 sloper body has been put a century chassis. Unsure if that can be done for 1936, but been told it can done for 1938 & 1939. Wheel base is the key.

A side view photo will show those in the USA what a sloper is.

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~oldsclub/36hist.html

Edited by 1939_buick (see edit history)
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Adam,

Great find! Only 35 1936 Buick Century slopers were made by Holden. Please post more images of the car as you progress.

Grandpa

Will do, just fitting it up at the moment getting all gaps right and making sure everything fits, then I will strip it back down and start soda/sand blast and start repairs (most of it is in pretty good condition) and paint chasis, motor and body.

Cheers Adam

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Adam,

Found photos of a 1937 Buick Special sloper.

Grandpa

Yep. I took those photo's Nov 2003 at Yarra Glen near Melbourne, Australia (but sadly not my car) Edited by 1939_buick
added Melbourne, Austalia (see edit history)
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Guest kaycee

Grandpa,

Your picture of the '37 Special 2 dr fastback is just like my late fathers '37 when I was young, except his was dark blue. Great looking cars! Like many, I wish he and it was still in my life many years later!

:) kaycee

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Yep. I took that photo about 5 years ago near Melbourne, Australia (but sadly not my car)
Grandpa,

Your picture of the '37 Special 2 dr fastback is just like my late fathers '37 when I was young, except his was dark blue. Great looking cars! Like many, I wish he and it was still in my life many years later!

:) kaycee

That "sloper" body shape is unique to GM Australia. Very different to the GM USA body of the time. Only the front sheet is the same for Australia & USA

From

Buick Car Club of Australia Inc. in N.S.W. -1936 Buicks we've seen

Aust 1936 Buick Sloper

Aust 1936 Buick Sloper

Buick Car Club of Australia Inc. in N.S.W. -1937 Buicks we've seen

Aust 1937 Buick Sloper

More Here http://www.buickcarclub.org.au/index.php?ID=75

Edited by 1939_buick (see edit history)
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Definitely a Century.

Very impressive, the body fit looks pretty good at this early stage.

Is the body frame wood all okay?

Do you have it all - interior seats etc.

I recently purchased a 1936 radio head from a fellow in the UK who in passing mentioned he had sent a set of side-mount guards to Australia a few years ago. I'm pretty sure most Aussie slopers had the spare in the boot ( sorry, trunk for you American readers ) so I'm wondering if this is them. They don't look original to that car but will certainly dress it up nicely.

You should have this ready for the Australian Nationals to be held in Tasmania in May 2012!!!

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Definitely a Century.

Very impressive, the body fit looks pretty good at this early stage.

Is the body frame wood all okay?

Do you have it all - interior seats etc.

I recently purchased a 1936 radio head from a fellow in the UK who in passing mentioned he had sent a set of side-mount guards to Australia a few years ago. I'm pretty sure most Aussie slopers had the spare in the boot ( sorry, trunk for you American readers ) so I'm wondering if this is them. They don't look original to that car but will certainly dress it up nicely.

You should have this ready for the Australian Nationals to be held in Tasmania in May 2012!!!

G'Day Stuart all I have of the interior is seat spring, front folding seat frame and tracks have got the hinge mount assy for back folding seat, would love images of original interior so i can keep this thing as original as possable, not sure where guards came from, all body panels are fitting very good quite happy with them but would like to refit panel with rubbers in place as this will change all the gaps but I think this will improve them. Is the Austrailan Nationals run the Buick club? as I have only joined the NSW Club last week.

Looks like I've got a dead line May 2012 Cheers Adam

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Adam,

The combined Australian Buick Clubs ( N.S.W., Qld, Vic and W.A. ) hold a National Meet and tour every 2 years. The NSW Club you have just joined will keep you across whats planned but it usually involves a 2 or 3 week tour afterwards.

Your interior seat frames should be the same as Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Chev slopers ( Holden bodies ) as they shared a lot of components. This widens the range when looking for seats etc.

Send me a PM with your email address and I'll put you in touch with a Victorian who is currently restoring an identical 1936 Century Sloper.

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The exterior of the Fisher bodied model 44 is indeed similar to the Holden " Sloper " body but it is the interior which is most unique to the Australian body.

It could most closely be compared to a modern hatch-back car.

The Fisher bodied Buick model 44 was a 5 passenger 2 door sedan and had limited trunk space because of the attractive swept back design.

The Australian "Sloper" was also a 5 passenger car but the rear seat could be laid flat giving a large utility area for luggage or even to sleep in.

A 1936 General Motors Holden publication " The Changing Trend " described this innovative arrangement - The rear seat, which provides comfortable enclosed accommodation for three people, can, by an ingenious arrangement, be folded in such a manner as to disappear and leave very large luggage space in its stead. On placing the hand at the rear of the rear seat and pulling upwards, the seat comes forward close to the rear of the front seat and stands there vertically, and in the same operation the rear squab comes down flat on its face, firmly held there by wing supports, with its back forming a level floor continuous with the floor of the rear luggage compartment.

This provides a total luggage space capable of carrying eight to ten hundred-weight of luggage and materials. This is a really Australian car, suitable as a sedan for the city or country, yet instantly convertible into a utility vehicle while still preserving the external appearance of a smart car for general use.

They proved to be popular with travelling salesmen.

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Hope you don't mind my adding Chrysler's 1937 version of the American "sloper"...for a comparison.

Looks nice but I reckon the Aussie one is gunna look better when its finished, I'll post images as it progresses

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest DaveCorbin

Dear Besty:

The numbers you give for the frame and engine match to a 1936 model year car shipped from Flint in a disassembled stage in early June 1936.

Easy way to tell 40 from 60 is take a tape measure to the engine, If it's 30 inches long, it's a small engine and a 40 series. If it's 34 inches long, it's a 320 and you're looking at a 60 series car.

I hope this helps.

Regards, Dave Corbin

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Dear Besty:

The numbers you give for the frame and engine match to a 1936 model year car shipped from Flint in a disassembled stage in early June 1936.

Easy way to tell 40 from 60 is take a tape measure to the engine, If it's 30 inches long, it's a small engine and a 40 series. If it's 34 inches long, it's a 320 and you're looking at a 60 series car.

I hope this helps.

Regards, Dave Corbin

Thanks for that Dave shes definatly a 60 series

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  • 4 months later...
Stuart,

Keep us informed, please. I think these Holden body cars deserve a Bugle article someday.

I do not recall exactly, but I seem to remember some previous posts - was the leather interior standard?

John

John,

I believe leather interior was standard and looks like a good reproduction of the original from the photos on eBay.

This photo

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae16/charger49/1938%20Buick%20Sloper/IMG_0531.jpg

is not usually seen. It shows the Sloper rear seat in the down position which gives a load area similar to a modern hatch back sedan. Advertising of the day suggested you could sleep in there. Not sure if any of the US Slopers had this folding seat arrangement or if the rear seat was fixed.

This link will take you to a lot more photos of the car on ebay - supplied to me by the seller.

http://s953.photobucket.com/albums/ae16/charger49/1938%20Buick%20Sloper/

Edited by 50jetback (see edit history)
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1938 Buick sloper straight 8 | eBay<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

Last day, 7 bidders, 26 bids and sitting around AU$21K ( US$22K ).

STOP BRINGING THIS BACK IN FRONT OF ME :mad::mad::mad:

You don't know how much I have resisted bidding on this and you keep taunting me:mad:

Anything under A$30- K is cheap IMHO.

Heck what is it's value? there were so few made and this one is a so nice.

A$26,500- at present with 2 hours to go (reserve not met)

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Reserve met and car sold!!

Spirited bidding towards the end - 9 bidders in total, 39 bids and a sale price of AU$34.600 ( around US$37,000 ).

What could it have brought if the engine bay had been detailed??

Anyway Brian, no more temptation - hang on, I seem to recall some Victorian Buick Club members owning 1937/38 Slopers!!

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Reserve met and car sold!!

Spirited bidding towards the end - 9 bidders in total, 39 bids and a sale price of AU$34.600 ( around US$37,000 ).

What could it have brought if the engine bay had been detailed??

Anyway Brian, no more temptation - hang on, I seem to recall some Victorian Buick Club members owning 1937/38 Slopers!!

And thank the Lord for that :D

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Hello Stuart- Was the "sloper " the Holden body version of the "sedanette" here in the states? The earliest "sedanette" I can remember here was '40 or maybe '41 so it may have been an advanced design that the Buick hierarchy liked and modified to suit there production needs. What do you think? Mark

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Hello Stuart- Was the "sloper " the Holden body version of the "sedanette" here in the states? The earliest "sedanette" I can remember here was '40 or maybe '41 so it may have been an advanced design that the Buick hierarchy liked and modified to suit there production needs. What do you think? Mark

Hi Mark,

In a book titled THE HISTORY OF HOLDEN SINCE 1917 authored by Norm Darwin ( probably available on Amazon Books ) there are a couple of photos of a Holden built 1936 Sloper body being boxed for shipment to General Motors Export Co, New York U.S.A.

The date of shipment was November 1935 and the photo description tells us

" In Nov. 1935 GMH shipped an enclosed coupe to the USA, the body was bound for the GM design studios where designers would review Holden's concept. "

The photographs show the body before being boxed and then one of it boxed and being loaded. In bold print across the side of the box is declared

Australian Design Australian Made

HOLDEN COUPE BODY

For

SHIPMENT to UNITED STATES

Specially ordered by cable

From that it appears some interest was shown back at the GM design department for them to request a body be sent over for closer inspection.

So this may well have led to the later released Sedanette style.

What the US didn't seem to adopt was the unique folding rear seat which gave a large load area combining the trunk and rear passenger compartment.

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/ae16/charger49/1938%20Buick%20Sloper/IMG_0531.jpg

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  • 1 year later...
Guest 36sloper

I am slowly restoring a 36 Buick series 40 sloper, body number 92, my body trim tag says Black B11 F6. This car had dark blue leather upolestery and was 6 wheel equiped. One of my front springs was still painted white which says chassis model 46C, S, or 48 with fender wells. 61, 66C, S, and 68 the springs were yellow for fender wells. My car is in rough shape for the termites got in to it and in 2 weeks ate all of the wood and 1 front seat, like super termites. So I am cutting all of the wood and replacing it, with no paterns. The only missing parts are the front door window surrounds. My second problem is that the guards have either been modified or fitted with Olds 8 guards, I have yet to work around that one yet.

Cheers, 36sloper, Qld AU

1936 Buick Sedan, and 36 Buick Sloper Coupe

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Guest Rob McDonald

I'm glad you brought this back to our attention. I'd never heard of this beautiful offshore derivation of mid-30s Buicks. I'm seeing some influence of the '33 Cadillac V-16 Aero-Dynamic Coupe. The Sloper is even sweeter with leaning B-pillars and a break line in the rear deck. We'd love to see more pics of these special cars.

post-59990-143138990426_thumb.jpg

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Google Aussie sloper bring up several, including the Mopar versions

Hand Publishing - Norm & Heather Darwin Norm Darwin's book site

Slopers

1938 Plymouth Sloper

Aussie Icon - SLOPERS - THE H.A.M.B.

Very few made, less survive and are popular with hot rodders

Some image are in the Aust Buick club sites (each state has a separate club/web site) as my post above

Edited by 1939_buick (see edit history)
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