1936 Buick Series 40 Special 4 Door Sedan
A quick explanation of the Buick Series nomenclature boils down to simply knowing what the number represents. 40 is Special, 50 is Super, 60 is Century, 70 is Roadmaster, 80 is Roadmaster, (or Limited in 1940), 90 is Limited. It gets a bit more detailed when a second digit was added to denote body style such as the 56C or 79R. Eventually, Buick and other manufacturers switched the names rather than numbers and confusion subsided. Thx to the aaca.org
For consignment, a 1936 Buick Series 40 Special 4 door sedan that's been reborn as a street rod. It will come with a folder of build receipts and photos so you can see how it went from cool old car to super rad show car that's been chopped, frenched, shaved, lowered, and painted in colors and patterns that would have not entered the American psyche in 1936. In fact, shades of gray, beige, dark blues, dark greens, and of course black were the primary choices back in the day.
Note: This vehicle is sold with a Pennsylvania reconstructed branding on the title
Exterior
Pearl White meets Hot Pink in an angular pattern, separated by a gray and blue swatch that lands at the rear fender and bounces over it to delineate the pink fender. Straight on you'll see a hot pink car coming your way as the grille, fenders, and bumper are all one color. Then the hood, roof, and upper section of the car reveal coverage of the white. The chopped windows seem to raise the shoulder line of the car and the body has been lowered on the wheels creating an aggressive stance and an impressive presence for a large vehicle. Frenched taillights are accompanied by a brake light behind the frenched in "36 Buick" 3rd brake light above the humpback trunk. 15-inch Weld wheels add even more shine to the car and billet side mirrors look right at home, while trumpet-like dual exhaust blasts out the back. The door handles are shaved, and the paint is bright and dramatic and we note just a few imperfections. A couple of bubbles are seen down low, a crack in the rocker panel along with some extra paint and some chips, and other areas of chipped or rusted seams on the bottom.
Interior
Gray tweed covers the door cards including the window frame, arm rests, and door pulls. Power windows and power locks are present! The back doors, which open suicide style, receive the same treatment. Tweed covers the walls and spills onto the bench seats, front and rear, for a clean monochromatic look. Rear passengers have ample space and a handlebar mounted on the back of the front seats. Soft and spacious, the bench seats are in great shape save for a hole on the front passenger side. A wings style hotrod steering wheel recalls the outside wheels and the metal dash is smooth, painted in body color white. VDO vintage line gauges relay the important information including RPMs, while a panel of tiny lights let you know what gear you are in. An AM/FM/Cassette radio is on the right side of the dash and vent controls are found lower on a tweed panel. A Lokar knob sits atop the floor mounted automatic shifter, and can you guess the material covering the floor? Tweed, it is! Everything matches including the headliner which is in fine shape. Yep, in the trunk as well where we find a spare tire and the battery.
Drivetrain
Open the big hood to find a very clean and dressed up 350ci engine with pink ignition wires to match the car! Polished valve covers, air element, alternator, and pulleys make for a shiny presentation. An Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor is under the air element and above an Edelbrock intake manifold. What can't be seen from the top is the 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission that sets the car in motion. What slows that motion are power disc brakes in the front helped by power drums in the back.
Undercarriage
Headers lead to dual exhaust that find their way to Flowmaster mufflers, then out to the trumpets in back. Plenty of surface rust underneath but that's better than invasive rust which we don't see. We also don't see any fluids leaking and that's a good thing as well. For suspension, this car is equipped with a Mustang II front end and leaf springs in back. Our consignor notes rack and pinion steering is included.
Drive-Ability
The big cabin feels cozy with the shorter tinted windows, but off we go onto the test loop in this bold car that can be seen easily by drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike that runs in front of the mall. The big 4-barrel kicks into action and provides good throttle response and acceleration. It's a nice driver and our consignor says he's driven to eleven states and we have no doubts. All systems work and we get clearance from the tower to land this heavy 40 back in the mall.
What's pink and white and tweed all over? This amazing '36 Buick Special. It's big, it's bright, and it's got room for your whole family including cousins and their luggage! It has a spectacular presence and will never be able to sneak into shows, or anywhere for that matter. A beautiful street rod that is looking for a new garage.
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