by Georgiana

Created on: February 24, 2008

The 50th anniversary of the Buick factory was celebrated with a completely new car in 1953. Every year, the company praised its models as "completely new." But in 1953, the client finally got something really new for his money. And this was a great surprise for the clients of Buick.

The new cars not only had a completely new coach, but also (at last) a new V8 engine. The factory had invested 60 million dollars since 1948. But it was worth the effort.With a displacement of 322 cu.in. and a compression ratio of 85:1 (the highest ratio for an American passenger car that year), the output was between 166 and 190 hp, depending on whether a two-barrel or four-barrel carburetor. The old familiar eight/in-line-engine could be ordered in the 40 Special, the least expensive series of the Buick family. The side-valve engine was able to gain 129 hp from 263.3 cu. in. The Dyna flow automatic was also improved (80% of all Buicks were equipped with it). The brake system, which was boosted in the Roadmaster Self was improved, too. In the cars with the inline engine, the engine hood could still be opened from both sides, but the new V8 engine was covered by a hood which opened in a normal way, and thus could be turned on a hinge at the windshield.

The cars were found magnificent by the public. In 1953 about 485,353 cars were sold. Only the manufacturing year of 1950 was better because 535,807 cars were sold at that year. In 1952, sales stalled at 321,048, a result with which one could not really be dissatisfied in those days. No less than 488,755 cars were sold of the 1953 model.

The latter Series could easily be recognized by the four (instead of three) oval 'holes' in the front mudguards. Of the cars produced in 1953, 172,000 hardtops, 15,500 cabriolets and something more than 2,500 station wagons were counted.The news of that year was the Buick Skylark, a sports cabriolet providing enough space for six people.

The model was presented at the exhibitions exclusively as a dream car till 1952. But in 1953, there were another reason to celebrate: the seven-millionth car left the conveyor-belt at the Buick factory on June 13.

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