Leif in Calif Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 Wish the pictures were better.... https://sacramento.craigslist.org/cto/d/galt-1939-buick/7590242539.html Series 60. Straight 8. Runs. Clean Title. Located in Galt, Ca. $18,500 obo Contact Using Email 1ff5939a070a3c6c9334d351d34bbf15@sale.craigslist.org 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamInNH Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 I’ve never been able to get past the aesthetic of the ‘39 Buick grille. Before or after, sure. ‘39, not so much. 😖 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 Adam, I agree completely. I can make allowance for the fact that this was a very transitional period style wise, from vertical to horizontal, but geez '39 Buicks have ugly grilles. It's such a shame, because a lot of folks see these as Buick's glory years. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamInNH Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 The grille is too small and dainty looking. It’s as if the grille belongs on a much smaller car. How it ever made it past the drawing board is a mystery to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suchan Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 The '39's had a number of issues, a frame that ended short of the rear of the body, shift linkage, early models had the grill bars too close together (as this one appears to) and resultant overheating. I kind of like the grill, but IMHO it suffers in comparison with the great designs of the years before and after. It's a Century, but condition looks like a #3 minus/4 plus. Hope the seller is real flexible on that OBO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Trucker Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 (edited) I guess I'm the odd man out. Always liked the '39 Buick grille. They were very popular with customizers in the '40's and '50's. Here is a '39 Mercury with a '39 Buick grille. '39 and '40 Fords and Mercs were the most popular adaptations, but many other similarly styled cars got the treatment, too. (Note: chopped, padded "carson" top, '37 Desoto bumpers, and "flipper" hub caps - very popular modifications.) Edited February 18, 2023 by Crusty Trucker (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 15 hours ago, Crusty Trucker said: I guess I'm the odd man out. Always liked the '39 Buick grille. They were very popular with customizers in the '40's and '50's. Here is a '39 Mercury with a '39 Buick grille. '39 and '40 Fords and Mercs were the most popular adaptations, but many other similarly styled cars got the treatment, too. (Note: chopped, padded "carson" top, '37 Desoto bumpers, and "flipper" hub caps - very popular modifications.) ... as were (1949?) Plymouth 3-Ribbed bumpers, and later on, stretching the rear fenders to adapt a 1956 Packard, Buick, or Lincoln tail light assembly, among others... and then mechanically, a CROWN adapter kit to match the Mercury/Ford transmission with a Cadillac 331 ci V-8 to make it a Ford-illac/Merc-illac 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Trucker Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Marty Roth said: ... as were (1949?) Plymouth 3-Ribbed bumpers, and later on, stretching the rear fenders to adapt a 1956 Packard, Buick, or Lincoln tail light assembly, among others... and then mechanically, a CROWN adapter kit to match the Mercury/Ford transmission with a Cadillac 331 ci V-8 to make it a Ford-illac/Merc-illac Don't forget the Lincoln transmission gears behind a hot flathead, Lincoln door buttons (before solenoids) and the use of Packard or Cadillac 3-speeds behind Olds or Cad overheads in early Ford conversions.. The list goes on, but the memory fades. Such is life. PS My high school ride had a "custom" length of bailing wire connected to the inside trunk latch on the smoothed off deck lid. Not hi-tech, but it worked, after a fashion. Honest Charlie's speed shop supplied whatever else you needed that you couldn't find in the junk yard. Edited February 18, 2023 by Crusty Trucker (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marty Roth Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 On 2/18/2023 at 5:29 PM, Crusty Trucker said: Don't forget the Lincoln transmission gears behind a hot flathead, Lincoln door buttons (before solenoids) and the use of Packard or Cadillac 3-speeds behind Olds or Cad overheads in early Ford conversions.. The list goes on, but the memory fades. Such is life. PS My high school ride had a "custom" length of bailing wire connected to the inside trunk latch on the smoothed off deck lid. Not hi-tech, but it worked, after a fashion. Honest Charlie's speed shop supplied whatever else you needed that you couldn't find in the junk yard. Honest Charlie's speed shop later became a segment of Coker Tire, if my memory is still reasonably intact Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deac Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 (edited) Well it is a series 60 and a few years back something around 18 might have bought this Buick but the current market is just not there. I had a 39 Special coupe a few years ago and it performed well for me. The grill is acceptable to me. On the early 39's the grill bars were too to tight but I believe Buick had a campaign that replaced those grills. Moreover Buick decided to nix the rear part of the frame which was not a good idea. Lastly the torque ball leaks and that I don't care to fix it. The repair doesn't sound fun! If you're looking for a 39 and the speedometer shows the the numbers ending in 5's: 5 - 15 - 25 that indicates an early build date. So look at the grill and rear frame on those! Edited February 21, 2023 by deac (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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