3972plymdodge Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 When I was in high school and working at a gas station, (1960-- so we are talking the dark ages here) I used to drool over one of my customer's cars, and wanted to own it soo bad because it was sooo beautiful (at least in my eyes).It was a 1939 Buick Coupe. Absolutely gorgeous I thought it was, perfect in styling in every way. From the front, from the side, from the back---absolutely perfect. Could have bought it too if I had had $500. But $500 was way too expensive for me and my 75 cents an hour salary. (Settled for a 1939 Plymouth Coupe, a very pretty car in its own right, which I bought for $45 and which served me very well over the years--still sitting in my garage in fact)But I still remember that 1939 Buick Coupe as the most beautiful Buick ever made. Possibly the most beautiful car ever made. Subjective I know, but what is the most beautiful, perfect in every way stylewise, Buick you owned, (or wished you could have owned)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 3972plymdodge, this is a great topic, and, as you might expect, some of us think that there were exceptionally good-looking Buicks from every decade. I'm hard-pressed to narrow it down, but let me submit the 1937 Buick as perhaps the most beautiful Buick ever. The 1937 model is, in my view, the pinnacle of late-1930's styling excellence. Here are a couple of examples: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dans 77 Limited Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 1.)1965 Riviera GS. 2.)1970 Wildcat 3.)1960 LeSabreDan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3972plymdodge Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 Absolutely stunning car, the 1937--------but I still think that the front end of the 1939 Buick, especially as exemplified in coupe form, had that "je ne sais quoi" ---down and dirty and mean look reflected for years and years in Buicks--beginning of the buck teeth Buicks was the 1939 and the best example --I think.Talk old Buicks, talk that mean and hungry look. And the 1939 front grill treatment was, in my opinion, the meanest and hungriest ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3972plymdodge Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 I wish I had a picture of a 1939 Buick Coupe to display from all angles. It is a gorgeous car and the beginning of the "mean looking" Buicks. Anybody got any pictures to display? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest my3buicks Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 boy, that's a tough one, my first thought goes to the 53 Skylark, but then I think of the 49 Roadmaster Riviera Hardtop and then I really like the Sedanettes, and of course I forgot............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guffin Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 There are many "most beautiful Buick" models. It is difficult to chose the best. My favorite are the Buicks between 1931 and 1941. The 39 was my favitite, but this one is not bad either. http://www.aaca.org/photopost/showphoto....=500&page=1Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Much as I love my '41 Century (pictured below), I have to agree that the '37-38 Buicks were heart-stoppers. A '38 convertible coupe will probably be my next project (if I ever finish this one!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Guffin, your photo should display if you edit the photo address to eliminate "?1762" after ".jpg". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bkazmer Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 37-38 Buick, 39 LaSalle, 39-40 Cadillac and 40-41 Packard are to me similar in approach, and the final flowering of the deco look. The 41 GM fastbacks and 41 Packard Clipper are the beginning of another look (yes, Silver Arrow and Zephyr are earlier predecessors). And I like both types. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3972plymdodge Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 But still and all--none of those possess that hungry look, that kick-ass look of the 1939 Buicks ---which lasted in buck tooth fashion for years and years.That "mean and nasty and hungry look" to me exemplifies Buick styling at its best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bkazmer Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 at the risk of drawing your ire, no sidemounts on the 39 please. They did not integrate well with the fender lines, IMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3972plymdodge Posted February 1, 2005 Author Share Posted February 1, 2005 I agree---No sidemounts on the 1939. Not in any way necessary and would actually detract from the elegant but simple styling of that year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Man Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 Just about ANY pre-42 Buick would have to be considered gorgeous if for no other reason than the fact that it managed to escape being crushed and turned into a Jeep or a truck. Over the years, the collector magazines, Web sites and conventions have cirulated tons of stories of perfectly good, running cars that went to the junkyard from '42-'45 for the war effort. I've heard of '20's to mid-'30's LaSalles, Cadillacs, Packards, Buicks, Lincolns, Auburns and many other makes literally being DRIVEN in near-pristine condition to a crusher. What a shame. As for those of you that collect and protect these pre-'42 cars, GOOD ON YOU! These cars have never been my cup of tea as far as knowing how to work on them and restore them. For those of you that know them and restore them, thanks for keeping this form of rolling art protected for the rest of us to enjoy!Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted February 1, 2005 Share Posted February 1, 2005 While I agree that the '39 Special and Century series cars may look better without the sidemounts, they look great on the larger Roadmaster and Limited series cars, on which they are better integrated into the overall design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles2 Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 I agree with you that 1939 is probably the best looking Buick line of all time. A close second would be the 1940 and then the 1938 lines. I suspect, though, that there will be some disagreement and a wide range of opinion on this topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUICK EVER....Mr Harley Earl's 1938 Y Job(As I'm sure you all were sick of having to scroll over I'll repost another photo later) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philippe Racicot Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 It's hard to choose one, there are so many! Here is a partial list:(in Chronological order)1-1938 Century Phaeton2-1941 Century Sedanet3-1948 Roadmaster Convertible 4-1949 Roadmaster Riviera5-1953 Roadmaster Riviera 2dr.6-1955 Century Riviera 4dr.7-1959 Invicta convertible8-1960 Electra 225 Riviera.9-1965 Wildcat Custom sport coupe10-1967 1/2 Riviera GS11-1973 Riviera GS12-1974 Estate Wagon13-1975 Electra Park Avenue14-1978 LeSabre Sport coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chub chub Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I give you...THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUICK EVER.... </div></div>great! where and when can i pick it up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chub chub Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Talk old Buicks, talk that mean and hungry look. And the 1939 front grill treatment was, in my opinion, the meanest and hungriest ever. </div></div>i think the '52 was pretty mean and hungry too! see the attachmment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_bjr Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 What about the 54 Buick. It has the best looking grill ever. It's the grill that all the custom cars use. Of coarse that's just my opinion. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 60Buick Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 The most beautiful buick to me is what USED to be my definition of the ugliest car I have ever seen. Don't take this the wrong way but I just find it funny how things turn around in time. The best looking car around is the 1960 Buick but the first 60 Buick I had ever seen was a very straight Lesabre 2 door post about to go through a demolition derby. It was not very recognizable with out any bumpers or trim so I had to get a book and see what they looked like in one piece. I thought it was downright ugly. About 6 months later I saw a tail fin in a junkyard and remembered that 2 door from the derby. It is was a 60 Lesabre 4 door sedan which I still own. Over time they have become my definition of the best looking car of all time.On a side note my grandfater had a 39 Buick coupe which landed him in a Mississipppi jail after WW2. He was speeding and tried to out run the cops and the engine siezed. All the oil sat on the valvetrain and burned the bottom end. It did still run but barely. He then sold the car for a few dollars when my grandmother bailed him out. I wish he kept it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 70 Electra Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 I don't suppose I'd surprise anyone by joining the Richard (aka "60buick") and voting for the 1960! I guess my favorite is the short body (Invicta, LeSabre) in the 2dr hardtop body style.By the way, the 1960 convertible picture posted above by DaveatMoon is actually my car while it was in the hands of the previous owner (circa 1999).Another spectacular (and rare) car is the 1940 Century convertible recently purchased by a good friend of mine. [sorry-I don't have a pix of it] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junqueboi Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 Hello people. I personally favor the '67 Special or '67 GS as the most handsome Buick ever -- the front-end styling just does it for me. The '66 Wildcat & LeSabre, & '66-7 Riviera are about as beautiful to me though.I was born in '71, so these are the cars I saw tooling around while I was a kid. I remember being about four years old, riding around in Mom's Mark III Lincoln (what a beauty!) & being enthralled with the '66 Buick Taillights. Of course I didn't know I was looking at a '66 Buick then, but the mental picture just stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allcars Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 Best looking Buick ever? Depends on the day of the week! A black '48 Roadmaster Sedanette is one of my personal favorites. '63 Riviera ... or maybe the '66, or what about a red '65 Wildcat Sport Coupe? '31 8-94 Roadster gets me when I'm in the right mood, and I think '33s are really elegant and well-designed. And I love that '37 Century Coupe. But, tonight, I'd have to say the '40 Century Convertible Coupe, which 70 Electra mentioned in his post.The car transporter just delivered it to me here in Michigan today...had to drive it a short distance in the snow to storage, hence the winter photo. It looked really nice in the sunshine. I wish I had a '40 Roadmaster Convertible to compare it to, I'm sure I'd enjoy forever trying to decide which I like best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imported_48Rdmstr68Skylrk Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 It may come as no surprise, but I have always liked the 48 Roadmasters. The front grille and headlights remind me of the old cartoons where the vehicles, or flower beds, or whatever inanimate object comes to life and sings a song. Here is a pic of mine - I only wish mine was in mint condition..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted February 11, 2005 Share Posted February 11, 2005 <span style="font-weight: bold">Allcars:</span> Was your car at Doug Seybold's for an engine rebuild recently? I think I was there and helped them pull the front end sheet metal off the car. If so, I think you'll really enjoy the car. It's the perfect condition to go out and have a good time and it's a great road car. A '40 Century convertible is about the best pre-war hot-rod around. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allcars Posted February 12, 2005 Share Posted February 12, 2005 No, it wasn't our '40, but it may have been it's twin. I have talked to the man who did the work on our car and who sold it to the man we bought it from in 1985. He said he had done a show restoration on an identical car at almost the same time he was working on ours ? I think both cars were sold at Hershey in ?85. The restorer was and is from the Cleveland area. Our car is actually fairly original -- untouched underneath (but seems solid), a lot of what seems to be original components, including the Fisher Body rubber mat with carpet inserts on the floor (that has to be uncommon), the correct 40/60 series cowl antenna, 9-39 date-coded glass including the windshield and such. It has never had an outside rearview mirror installed. It was basically painted, had seats covered and had a new top back in 1985. He said he obtained the car from an estate in the Canadaigua, New York area. The engine is detailed but I don't think is was rebuilt, although it seems to run fairly well -- needs a carb rebuild, though. The fellow we bought it from had done very little to it since 1985. It shows 77,000 miles. We'll have to get down to Doug Seybold's sometime soon to talk Buicks (we're in the Detroit area). I enjoy your ?41 restoration website and it will have new relevance now as we start to do some upgrades/maintenance on the '40. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest norb Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 My vote for the best looking Buick ever, 1960 225 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! There will always be as many opinions as there are Buicks and people. I like the "Gangster era" Buicks with the side mounts and the sweeping fenders, but I also think the 37-38 coupes and convertibles were COOL! The 53 Skylark should also be high on everyones list. If I were blind, i would think the 70 GS455 Stage one has the sweetest sound ever made by an engine ( especially with headers and Flow Masters) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick_S Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 Flowmasters = Barf... we need to get you a pair of 3" large body Dynomax's!! The car would probably be a tad quicker, too. I agree on the rest of the 70 GS though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 I have dynomax on my 37 coupe with a 455, and flowmasters on my 72 GS ,and the dynomax bark too much in acceleration. Thay are quieter on the road, but are quite a bit louder on acceleration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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