1939 Buick Century

Sedan

strait 8

Manual

Clear

1939 Buick Century  Completely original rust free  survivor. Runs and drives excellent.  Never any damage or rust. Rare dual side tire mounts, high end recent paint. New tires.   Often called "the first   "the banker's hot rod," Century combined the smaller Special body with the 120-HP straight eight from the bigger Roadmaster and Limited. The result was an excellent power-to-weight ratio giving a top speed in the vicinity of 100 mph and lively acceleration. At about half the price of an Auburn speedster, the Century was a performance bargain. By 1939, the 320-cubic-inch eight was putting out 141 horsepower. That was one more than Cadillac's most powerful V-8 This car has several rare options such as sidemount spares and "streamboards," which replaced standard running boards for a more streamlined look. Unfortunately, streamboards were delicate and few have survived. A much more popular option was the heater, which was mounted under the dash, near the passenger's feet. Buick had several firsts in 1939. The most significant was the industry's first standard turn-signal lights. Unlike modern turn signals, these were not incorporated into the taillights, but were part of the trunk medallion. Buick also offered the first pushbutton radio tuning that year. New for Buick (but not the industry) was a column shifter that left the front floor unobstructed.