1951/52 Buick Sport Coupe bodystyle

[Dosmo]

I’ve been wanting to ask this question for a while. Concerning 1951/52 Buick Special Sport Coupes in the Standard Series, is the entire greenhouse, along with the rear side windows, shorter from front to back as compared to the regular two door sedan? Of course, the rear windows could not be more different. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one of the sport coupes except in photos. But the photos I’ve seen look pretty different than the two door sedans. How similar is the Buick Sport Coupe greenhouse to the Pontiac & Chevrolet sport coupes, along with the Oldsmobile club coupe?

[JohnD1956]

Don't know the answer to your question but I just want to say thank for posting pictures of the car from each year. I never realized the difference in the rear windshield treatment. Gotta say I think the 51 is very nice!

[Dosmo]

Don't know the answer to your question but I just want to say thank for posting pictures of the car from each year. I never realized the difference in the rear windshield treatment. Gotta say I think the 51 is very nice!

My original post is probably not worded as clearly as it should be. What I meant to say was that the Sport Coupe series (green car) was apparently produced in 1951 AND 1952. I believe that the cars in both photos are from the year 1952. I'm just struck by the apparent difference in the greenhouses between the coupe and the regular two door sedan. I can't recall having ever seen a sport coupe.

And, you're quite welcome. Thanks for your comments.

Edited May 11, 2013 by 54nuyorkrwagon
re-wording (see edit history)

[JohnD1956]

The green one is a 51, the other is a 52. I do not even know that there was a sport coupe. But the roof lines are definitely different.

[1953mack]

The green one is a 51, the other is a 52. I do not even know that there was a sport coupe. But the roof lines are definitely different.

Guess again. The green one is NOT a 1951.

Buick called this Model a Tourback Coupe.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited May 12, 2013 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[retirednow]

Interesting... the green one does not have the "fins" of most '52s, but does seem to have the more squared off 1952 trunk lid as opposed to the more rounded '51

Edited May 12, 2013 by retirednow (see edit history)

[Guest my3buicks]

1952 46S 2 door Tourback Coupe(2700 made) 48D 2 door Deluxe Tourback Sdn(32,684 made)

Edited May 12, 2013 by my3buicks (see edit history)

[1953mack]

1952 46S 2 door Tourback Coupe(2700 made) 48D 2 door Deluxe Tourback Coupe(32,684 made)

Talk about confusing an issue.

Not knowing what's in the rear seat area for sure, the green car in Post #1 could also be a Model 46.....as advertised by Buick.

In addition, the Model 48D is advertised by Buick as a Tourback Sedan, and is correctly stated as such in Post #1, pic of the blue car.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited May 12, 2013 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[Dosmo]

So, it is pretty apparent that the roofline on the green car is different than the one on the blue car. It also looks to be different than the roofline on the Chevrolet, Pontiac & Oldsmobile coupes, with their various model names. The green car has a shorter roofline from front to back than the Buick two door sedan, but is still longer than the other GM coupes from the same model years.

I'm sort of surprised that General Motors would have produced a body to be used only by one marque, especially one that appears to be near the bottom of the pricing structure. Was the Buick "coupe", if that is the correct term, similar to a business coupe with no rear seat?

I'm just curious about this model that I've never actually seen in the "flesh", so to speak.

[Guest my3buicks]

Talk about confusing an issue.

Not knowing what's in the rear seat area for sure, the green car in Post #1 could also be a Model 46.....as advertised by Buick.

In addition, the Model 48D is advertised by Buick as a Tourback Sedan, and is correctly stated as such in Post #1, pic of the blue car.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Model 46? I see no such listing after 1950

[Guest shadetree77]

Those "sport coupes" are really rare. I've only seen a handful of pictures in my 2 years of internet searches. Wish I had saved those pictures. Can't find them now.

Dave, apparently not ALL '52's had the fins. If you look at some of Buick's advertising materials and model type picture lists some of the models did not come with the fins. Of course, they could have changed all of that around during production so who knows?

Keith, there is no listing in the official numbers(that I can find)for a model 46 in 1952....BUT. There are advertising materials out there that do list a model 46. I'll post a picture below. Who knows if they ever got produced?

While we're on the subject of rare '51 and '52 models with weird roof lines, check this one out. I think I posted about it at one point but I can't find my thread. I don't remember if the mystery was ever solved. If I remember correctly, this car was listed on EBAY and the seller didn't know much. Check out the roof line in the back. It's a 1951 Super with a 1950 roof line. I'll post comparison pictures. Check out the body tag too. The model number is BLANK.

Edited May 13, 2013 by shadetree77 (see edit history)

[1953mack]

Model 46? I see no such listing after 1950

Just saying, the information that you posted in Post #7 above is exactly what's on Page 215 in the 2011 BUICK CLUB OF AMERICA MEMBERSHIP ROSTER and it's not correct. You are looking in the wrong book.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

[1953mack]

.....While we're on the subject of rare '51 and '52 models with weird roof lines, check this one out. I think I posted about it at one point but I can't find my thread. I don't remember if the mystery was ever solved. If I remember correctly, this car was listed on EBAY and the seller didn't know much. Check out the roof line in the back. It's a 1951 Super with a 1950 roof line. I'll post comparison pictures. Check out the body tag too. The model number is BLANK.

Nothing rare or weird about this Model at all. It's nothing but a 1951 Buick Super, Model 51, 4-door 6-passenger Tourback Sedan with the shorter (121.5") wheelbase............one of 10,000 made.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

[Guest shadetree77]

Thanks Al. When I posted about it before nobody had any information on it. I couldn't find anything on it either. Granted, I only have limited resources for model information but the few things I do have don't list this style. I've also never seen another one. Do you have any photos(illustrations/advertising would work too)of this model?

[Guest my3buicks]

Just saying, the information that you posted in Post #7 above is exactly what's on Page 215 in the 2011 BUICK CLUB OF AMERICA MEMBERSHIP ROSTER and it's not correct. You are looking in the wrong book.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Al, What book/source do you feel is right, and how do you know that your source is right and the BCA source is wrong, and if it is wrong have you sent a documented update so next issue it can be corrected?

Edited May 13, 2013 by my3buicks (see edit history)

[1953mack]

Thanks Al. When I posted about it before nobody had any information on it. I couldn't find anything on it either. Granted, I only have limited resources for model information but the few things I do have don't list this style. I've also never seen another one. Do you have any photos(illustrations/advertising would work too)of this model?

In response to your Posts #11 and #14 above, here are a couple of items:

The Fisher Body Style Number listed in a BUICK CHASSIS PARTS BOOK matches the Style Number on the BODY BY FISHER cowl tag picture in your Post #11 above.

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edit. Below is a Pic of a 1951 Buick Super, Model 52 4-door 6-passenger Riviera Sedan, with a 125.5"-wheelbase for a quick comparison of the two roof lines and rear door quarter windows......92,886 units made. It is listed as having a starting base price of $2436.78.....or $99.48 cheaper than a Model 51 for this same year (pricing taken from THE BUICK, A COMPLETE HISTORY, sixth edition).

Edited May 16, 2013 by 1953mack
Added Model 52 pic and comparison to Model 51 info. (see edit history)

[Centurion]

Another very interesting and rarely seen 1951 Buick is the model 56-S, the Super 2-door Sedanet with the jetback styling. I've noted previously that this was the only jetback Buick which also had the sweepspear bodyside trim, which I think is a very cool combination. As I recall, only about 1,500 were produced.