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Buick Special Convertible - Sunny Day Cruiser

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Created on May 1, 2019

Reading time 6min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

41

GM/Buick

12

Archiv

4

Bruno von Rotz

41

GM/Buick

12

Archiv

4

Buick Special Convertible (1955) - niedrige Gürtellinie und Panorama-Windschutzscheibe

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - elegantes Cabriolet

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - deutlich über 5,2 Meter lang

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - knapp zwei Tonnen schwer

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - perfekte Verkörperung des "American Way of Driving"

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - die Panorama-Windschutzscheibe macht das Einsteigen nicht allzu viel schwieriger

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - einsteigen und losfahren

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - attraktives Innenraumdesign

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Zweifarben-Look auch im Innern

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - zwei Fahrpedale und ein zusätzlcihes Pedal für die Parkbremse

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - komplette Ausstattung

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - grosszügig instrumentiert, aber ohne Drehzahlmesser

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Markenzeichen auf der Lenkradnabe

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Tacho bis 120 Meilen pro Stunde, bei etwa 100 MPH war aber Schluss auf flacher Strecke

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - auch der Pilot weiss immer, was er fährt

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Zusatzanzeigen für Strom, Öldruck, Wassertemperatur und Benzinstand

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - mit aufpreispflchtigem Sonomatic-Radio

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - mit Zeituhr

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Platz für sechs Leute im Cabriolet

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - vorne haben drei Leute Platz

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - 190 SAE-PS leistet der V8 bei 4800 Umdrehungen

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - gute Zugänglichkeit zum Motor ist garantiert

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - robstes Triebwerk mit immerhin 35,3 mkg Drehmoment nach SAE-Messmethode

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - längs eingebauter Fireball-V8-Motor mit 4,3 Liter Hubraum

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - massiver Kühler für den 4,3-Liter-V8

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - das V steht für den V8-Motor

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - das V als Kühlerfigur

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Markenschriftzug auf dem Bug

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Kühlergrill-Design

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - viel Chrom an der Front

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - die Experten kritisierten damals, dass bei der Panorama-Scheibe die Linienführung nicht mehr so klar sei ...

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Panorama-Windschutzscheibe

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - mit aufpreispflchtigen Speichenrädern

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Modellbezeichnung auf der Flanke

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - das zusätzliche Reserverad (Continental Kit)

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - viel Chrom, viele Spiegelungen

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - stehende Heckleuchten

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - viel Chrom

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - das verschalte Reserverad am Heck

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - zwei Reserveräder, eins aussen und eins im Kofferraum

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Buick Special Convertible (1955) - Blick auf das zusätzliche schön verpackte Reserverad am Heck

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Buick Eight (1950) - Werbung für den Buick in der Schweiz

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Buick Eight (1943) - Buick Eight - Modell 51

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Buick Roadmaster Convertible Sedan (1949) - Der erste mit den Bullaugen

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Buick Super (1951) - als Cabriolet

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Buick Special (1953) - das kleinere Modell mit Reihenmotor - am Automobilsalon in Genf 1953

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Le Sabre (1951) – Chefstylist Harley Earl neben einem Modell von dem, was später einmal sein Alltagsauto werden sollte

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Le Sabre (1951) – zusammen mit seinem Vorgänger, dem Buick Y-Job von 1939

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Le Sabre (1951) – Harley Earl erläutert das "Laboratorium auf Rädern"

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GM Le Sabre (1951) – Der Auspuff mündet in die Ecken der Stossfänger

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Le Sabre (1953) – 1956 vor dem Auditorium des General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan

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GM Le Sabre (1953) - nicht alle Designelemente schafften es in die Serie

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Buick Skylark Convertible (1953) - elegant und attraktiv

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Buick Skylark Convertible (1953) - vor einem PanAm-Gebäude

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Buick Skylark Convertible (1953) - vor moderner Architektur

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Buick Super Riviera (1956) - als viertüriges Limousinen-Coupé ohne sichtbare B-Säule

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Buick Skylark (1953) - ein 'Sportwagen' im amerikanischen Sinn - am Automobilsalon in Genf 1953

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Summary

The Buick Special was one of the most successful cars in the USA in the 1950s. With the V8 introduced in 1953, a new era began that was characterized by a great deal of faith in the future and foresight. Various versions and a long list of optional extras provided customers with plenty of choice, while the Convertible was one of the rare variants that are particularly popular today. This driving report portrays a Buick Special Convertible from 1955 and tells the story of the successful Buick post-war model series.

This article contains the following chapters

The new Buick after the war
A new engine
Traditional chassis technology
Three "valve ports"
Design evolution in steps
Successful model series
Comfortable thanks to automatic transmission
The elegant convertible
Character cruiser
Further information

Estimated reading time: 6min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The history of the Buick brand dates back to 1899, but it only really got going in 1903, when the "Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company" became the "Buick Motor Company". This marked the foundation of the oldest American car brand still in existence today. 50 years later, Buick, part of General Motors since 1908, introduced its first own V8 engine. After the production break enforced by the Second World War, Buick began building cars again in 1946, although these were a continuation of the pre-war models with in-line eight-cylinder engines. In 1949, the Buick Special was given a completely new body after having been smoothed and modernized year after year.

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