Vehicle Description
1940 Buick Limited Model 81 Eight
The Limited was Buick's flagship Series between 1936 and 1942 and,
during model year 1958 during GM's Fiftieth Anniversary, the halo
car for Buick. After the vehicle was retired in 1959, Buick has
intermittently used the "Limited" name for several decades to
denote those models which featured a high level of trim and
standard options in its various model ranges. Vehicles given the
Limited nameplate were in direct competition with Cadillac senior
sedans for clientele who wanted a GM luxury sedan but regarded
Cadillac as "ostentatious" or "flamboyant" as Buick had over time
earned a reputation of low-key conservative appearance while
focusing on durability and reliability.
For consignment, "look up in the sky it's a Cadillac!" No! it's a
Buick Limited from 1940 and its now gracing our hallowed halls in
all its black painted and big chromed style limousine length. This
fine example is recognized by the CCCA as a full classic.
Originally restored in Germany 30 years ago with an "open
checkbook" it has been fully chronicled, and the restoration has
held up swimmingly! Some recent refreshing of normal wear items has
been performed over the course of the last 2 years, and it's a
turnkey and impress the pants off your neighbors and car show
enthusiast's showpiece.
Exterior
Caressing this fine automobile with my eyes nearly brings a tear to
them with its deep end of the pool black paint, highlighted by an
overabundance of tastefully adhered chrome. It has a grandfather's
mustache style grille which rises to a bulbous hood which is nearly
a mile long. Fenders which are now melting into the sides have a
bullet style headlight casing which is nearly engulfed by each
front fender. Atop are some rocket styled chrome trimmings. A
central vertical trim piece falls from the hood down the center,
and as it reaches the bottom of the front grille it has "Trippe"
lights which now serve as the turn signals. These float above a
shiny curved bumper with a trio of vertical bars spaced evenly
across the shiny chrome. As we go past the pontoon fenders which
frame wide whites with shiny moon caps and polished trim rings, we
run into an inset spare tire covering which has nearly fully melted
into the side of the hood. Just above a stainless-steel trim spear
runs from stem to stern and then the passenger roofline and windows
take over with all excellent glass and their respective trimmings.
Doors share a common latch pillar making the rear doors suicide
style. Another pontoon fender on each side of the back of the car
which gracefully lowers to form the rear fender housing the small
taillight. These are on either side of a humpback trunk which is
below a rear split glass window, has some beautiful badging which
houses the turn signal lamps and a handle in the center and another
curved shiny bumper with 2 vertical add ons for the bumper. Quite
the car I'd have to say!
Interior
More luxury for the eyes and of course more tears for this
beautifully appointed and restored interior. Slipping past fuzzy
padded broadcloth covered tan door panels, we see shiny cranks and
handles with bakelite knobs. Window surrounds are in brown and
sport some faux painted wood grained metal. The dash is a work of
art unto itself utilizing a brown painted metal dash top and some
machined spin pattern panels for the instruments and glovebox. A
wonderfully aged deep creamed coffee colored bakelite steering
wheel with banjo styled shiny ribs and a chromed horn ring fronts
the dash. The round instruments are on the machined panel behind
the steering wheel. A round clock is inset into the glove box
machined panel. In front and rear are two beautifully covered large
overstuffed benches bathed in ribbed tan broadcloth with slightly
darker upholstered "tubs" on their sides and backs. The back seat
has leg stretching room and offers up a gracefully aged wood cased
tube radio which sits atop a tiger maple lacquered liquor cabinet.
The amenities continue on the arms of the rear bench with an inset
armrest with lighter and ashtray for either side. Pillar panels and
headliner are near perfect broadcloth in a dark tan broadcloth and
are shown in tight panels. Dark tan carpeting very clean shows
throughout on the floors. To the ball Jeeves...
Drivetrain
Under that big hood is a big 320ci inline 8-cylinder engine. It's
fully restored and is badged with BUICK 8 Dynaflash oil cushioned
valve in head on the valve covering which is bathed in gray. All
shiny tubes and wires along with an oversize air cleaner covering
in black are hanging from the passenger's side of the engine. It
cleans air for a single 2-barrel carburetor. On back is a rebuilt
3-speed manual transmission. Still operating on its 6 volt electric
system.
Undercarriage
Also fully restored with little surface rust and a black painted X
frame, solid floor pans and rockers inside the frame. Independent
coil springs are in front and a 3 link with coil springs rear
suspension is on and looking like new. Our consignor states that if
he were to keep the car he would replace or rebuild the front shock
absorbers.
Drive-Ability
This car is a wonderful piece of automotive art and a true pleasure
to drive. All is working famously, and it performs like a Buck
Rogers Rocket. The rear heater has been bypassed, so stock up on
the liquor!
A very nice piece of rolling automotive styling and art form
straight black painted and chromed steel. Even better than a
Cadillac, and GM eventually ordered Buick to stand down because it
was outshining the more expensive Caddy of the era. Hurry on in,
these do NOT last very long.
TRIM TAG
MODEL NO 81-Model 81
STYLE NO 40 4819-1940 Series 80 Limited Touring Sedan
BODY NO 965-Flint Body #
TRIM NO 811-Tan Wool Broadcloth
PAINT NO 541-Black
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
