1941 Buick Special Sedanet - $21,500 - Indiana - Not Mine

[Malo48]

Dual carb, good looking interior.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/780287995989313/?ref=search&referral_code=marketplace_search&referral_story_type=post

[kingrudy]

I am a little biased regarding Buicks of the pre war era. IMO this is a mixed bag, the car looks great on the exterior and interior, but the engine compartment could be freshened up a little and if the wiring is original I would be concerned. All that water under the bridge, I still really like this car. 

[Brooklyn Beer]

How tough is it to get the dual carbs dialed in ?

[Matt Harwood]

14 minutes ago, Brooklyn Beer said:

How tough is it to get the dual carbs dialed in ?

 

Not bad at all. The front carb does all the work. The rear carb only comes online when needed and doesn't have a choke and only a very simple idle circuit. They aren't difficult to set up properly, especially if the car has Strombergs instead of Carters (Strombergs are a lot easier to tune). If you like the car, the carbs shouldn't stop you from owning it.

[carbking]

19 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

Not bad at all. The front carb does all the work. The rear carb only comes online when needed and doesn't have a choke and only a very simple idle circuit. They aren't difficult to set up properly, especially if the car has Strombergs instead of Carters (Strombergs are a lot easier to tune). If you like the car, the carbs shouldn't stop you from owning it.

 

Matt - I find it interesting that you feel the Strombergs are easier to tune than the Carters.

 

I haven't had problems with either.

 

Brooklyn - I would be far more concerned about the condition of the auxiliary air valve beneath the rear carb AND the condition of the heat risers than I would be in dialing in the carbs, regardless of the brand. Memory isn't as good as it once was; but I don't remember EVER working on a set that I didn't have to machine a box for the air valve (the originals I have seen were always warped). And I also do not remember one with a working heat riser.

 

Very difficult to set up the carbs if either of the above are true.

 

Jon.

Edited June 29, 2021 by carbking (see edit history)

[deac]

pretty nice!

[Brooklyn Beer]

What was the first year for dual carbs on Buicks and what year/model, in peoples opinion, was the best combination for both?

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

1941.

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

Dual carbs were only available in 1941-42. Available on all models, optional on Special and standard on the rest. Both the 248 and 320 cubic inch engines had dual carbs. The factory used both Stromberg and Carter carbs. There's an argument that the Carters work better but the Strombergs are easier to tune, and I'll agree. There are two pages of tuning instructions in the manual for Strombergs and 28 pages for the Carters. But the Carters idle smoother and have better throttle response. Is it noticeable? Meh.

 

What's the "best" one to own? That's a personal decision. Big series cars (Century, Roadmaster, Limited) have the bigger engine and can cruise at higher speeds. But the Specials (like this car) and Supers are nice cars and if you only drive around town or on secondary roads, they're perfectly delightful. I loved my '41 Super convertible and miss it very much, but also enjoy my giant Limited. There's not one that's better than the rest, just one that fits you best. This one in the ad looks like a decent car and none of the parts are particularly difficult to find. They're durable, well-built, well-engineered cars with lots of guys here who can help you with just about any problem you'll face. 

 

Let me know if you have other questions, I'm happy to help.

[carbking]

8 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

 There's an argument that the Carters work better but the Strombergs are easier to tune, and I'll agree. There are two pages of tuning instructions in the manual for Strombergs and 28 pages for the Carters.

 

AHA!!!!! Now we know the rest of the story! The Strombergs are easier to tune because it takes less time to read two pages than 28 pages     

 

All joking aside, both are excellent carbs; and someone familiar with either will have no issues with either.

 

Matt - in the FWIW category, Stromberg was testing dual SINGLE-BARREL carbs for Buick in 1935. Obviously, the project never made production.

 

I still like replacing the secondary carb with two primary carbs (or single carbs of the same size) and running solid linkage rather than progressive.

 

Jon

[bryankazmer]

Which is best is certainly subjective, but I'll throw in an opinion.  The Century, with the big engine in the smaller body, has the best performance.  That's my favorite.

[neil morse]

On 6/29/2021 at 4:56 PM, Matt Harwood said:

But the Specials (like this car) and Supers are nice cars and if you only drive around town or on secondary roads, they're perfectly delightful.

 

I would add that the Special or Super is actually fine on the highway if you have the optional 3.9 rear end.  I have a Super with the 3.9 and and it cruises comfortably at 60-65 mph.  The standard rear end on the Special and Super was 4.4.  I have not driven one with that set up, but I have heard that it's not comfortable over 50-55.

 

11 hours ago, bryankazmer said:

Which is best is certainly subjective, but I'll throw in an opinion.  The Century, with the big engine in the smaller body, has the best performance.  That's my favorite.

 

In previous years, the Century was lighter than the Roadmaster and therefore performed better.  However, I recently learned from Pete Phillips's excellent article on the '41 in the May issue of the BCA Bugle that the Century in '41 actually weighed the same as the Roadmaster.  As Pete says:

 

"... the 'banker's hot rod' or Roadmaster engine in the lightweight Special series body does not apply this year.  With the same weight, same wheelbase, and same engine as a Roadmaster, one has to assume the the '41 Century is no faster than a '41 Roadmaster."

[kingrudy]

I suppose it all depends on what type of driving that you do and what the terrain is like in your neck of the woods. I purchased my '40 Super with a 263 in the Los Angeles area where most of my driving was on roads that were very flat and the car performed well with the 4.4 gears, but it would have been nice to have more top end. When I moved to Asheville, NC I found that there are no such thing as a flat surface and the additional bottom end sure helps with the hills in this town. I just tuned the car up and installed a rebuilt carb and the performance is like night and day.