Vehicle Description
Buick was on a roll in 1933, and while overall production was down
due to the Great Depression, Buick didn't stop moving forward. This
1933 Buick Series 57 sedan's combination of awesome styling, big
car comfort, and a powerful straight-8 powerplant was the envy of
the industry and it remains a great combination that still works
for today's hobbyist.
1933 was Buick's lowest production year ever, making this a fairly
rare car with just 19,109 being built. That seems like a big number
until you realize that it was nearly half of Buick's total that
year. Yikes! Fortunately, they didn't skimp on the good stuff,
giving the car a thorough restyling that made it sleek, modern, and
very attractive. The laid-back grille was clearly an evolution of
the 1932 piece, but it's now mostly painted to match the body and
fitted with a pretty mesh insert instead of the usual louvers. The
dark blue paint is very correct for a car from the early 1930s, as
many owners with the means to buy such a car didn't wish to attract
attention. Nevertheless, this is a handsome car from any angle. The
skirted fenders hold sidemounts that make it look far more
expensive than it is and permit a rear-mounted trunk rack that
expands cargo space. The paint was probably done in the 1970s, so
there's definitely some patina, but the overall look is that of a
car that's led an easy life and has been maintained properly. Just
look at the photos; there's not a bad line anywhere on this
Buick!
The olive-colored mohair interior is quite possibly original and
it's in decent shape. You could restore it, but that would put you
upside-down pretty quickly, and the originality is something that
you should cherish rather than replace. The carpets are certainly
replacements that fit well and look good, and for the most part,
it's in pretty nice shape. There's the usual wear where the
driver's seat might drag across the upholstery, but there are no
rips, tears, or splits to note and the door panels are all quite
good. The woodgrained dash is full of big, round gauges and the
giant steering wheel makes guiding the big sedan something you can
do with your fingertips. There's massive space in the back seat
area, which includes more wood garnish moldings, a pair of assist
straps for climbing in, and a very exclusive feeling.
Buick's 230 cubic inch overhead valve straight-8 was
state-of-the-art in 1933, a time when everyone else was still using
flatheads. Smooth, torquey, and comfortable at modern speeds, it's
a great powerplant that has proven its durability over the years.
It's fed by a correct updraft carburetor that's been recently
rebuilt and remarkably, the manifolds are not cracked or broken. It
idles quietly at about 500 RPM and pulls with a wonderful eight
cylinder growl from the single tailpipe out back, although it's
quite different from the familiar V8 sound. The three-speed manual
transmission has synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd, so it feels like your
modern car, and clutch action is light. Brakes were still
mechanical, so plan your stops, although these are more capable
than many of this car's peers. The undercarriage is largely
original and it's greasy, but there are no trouble spots that you
need to worry about, even with the newly-introduced steel floors.
Pretty 17-inch artillery-style wheels were standard equipment and
it's nice to see that they selected blackwall tires, which likely
would have been original equipment as well.
A big, handsome, relatively fast sedan, this Buick makes for a
great entry to AACA events and tours, where you'll be the envy of
many thanks to the car's great road manners. Call today!
