Super on the left, Special on the right
I’ve long described my beloved ’53 Buick Special as the most modern ’30s car one could drive, but for a little extra money, one could drive Buick’s future in a similar package. The Super and Special looked so similar, in fact, that when I bought my Special in 2005, I was surprised it was labeled in the classified as as a Special; for the two years I had ogled it in a local driveway, I had thought it was a Super. To the trained eye, however, it’s clear that the Super and Special had less in common than one would think.
1953 Special Riviera
General Motors’ body-sharing schemes in the early 1950s were about as easy to understand as nuclear physics to a liberal arts major. The 1953 Special (mine is picture above) shared a body with the 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88, and as far as I can gather, nothing else. Over the years, I’ve learned to appreciate the slimmer body of the Special.
1953 Super Riviera
Notice how much farther inward the wheels and tires of the Super are tucked. Partially because of that extra width, little is shared between the Special and Super, regardless of how similar they look.
1953 Super Riviera
From the rear, one can see the Super’s detachable quarter panels and heavier “door break.” I’ve long felt that this and the wider body gave the Super a much more monolithic appearance, which is certainly what Buick was looking for. The Super shared its body with the other upscale brands, including Oldsmobile and Cadillac.
1953 Special Riviera
The Special’s quarters are welded to the body as a unit, which would have made replacement far more difficult. Also notice that the backup lamps are incorporated into the bumper of the Super, whereas they’re a part of the tail panel on the Special. Even the tailpipe is located on the opposite side, because the Special was the recipient of many “lasts” in the Buick line.
1953 Special 263 Straight Eight
The Special was the last of the straight-eight Buicks; with 263 cubic inches and 130 horsepower (with Dynaflow), the Special also used up the last of the six-volt electrical parts lying around the shop. The Super and Roadmaster introduced the new “Nailhead” V8; with 322 cubic inches, the Super gave the buyer 40 more horsepower and a 12-volt electrical system standard.
1953 Super Riviera Interior
The Super’s dashboard was almost completely different, as well. Notice the large central speedometer flanked by smaller gauge clusters with an ammeter, fuel gauge, engine temperature gauge, and oil pressure gauge.
1953 Special Riviera Gauges
Meanwhile, the Special’s gauges were slightly less ornate, in keeping with the money one would save in buying the bottom-of-the-line nameplate.
1953 Super Riviera
Although the Super was wider than the Special, it was surprisingly similar in length: At 207.6 inches, the Super Riviera was a mere 1.7 inches longer than the Special Riviera, and that was most likely attributed to the backup lights protruding from the rear bumper. Notice that the Super and the Special both share three portholes. In 1953, only the Roadmaster earned four; however, the Roadmaster was the same length as the Super in 1953. In earlier years, the Roadmaster’s nose was several inches longer to account for the 320 straight eight’s additional length. With the introduction of the Nailhead, that was no longer necessary, so the Roadmaster came one step closer to the lesser nameplates in 1953. In later years, other models such as the Super also received four portholes, further diluting the Roadmaster’s prestige, but that was still a few years away in 1953.
As might be expected given their similar length, all Buicks in 1953 shared a 121.5 inch wheelbase (aside from the Super and Roadmaster Riviera sedans).
1953 Special Riviera
From this angle, one can see the more horizontal door break on the Special, and how much less distance there is between the door handle and the bodyline itself compared to the Super (also see the picture below). As I said earlier, the Special looks somewhat lighter than the Super, even though the factory shipping weights were within 150 pounds of each other. As someone who has extracted a straight eight from the gaping mouth of a ’53 Special, I must imagine the additional weight of the Super was a result of its wider body and not its drivetrain.*
*I checked this: According to the manuals on teambuick.com, the 263 weighs 746 pounds dry, and the Nailhead is said to weigh somewhere in the range of 650-700 pounds (I assume with all accessories attached).
1953 Super Riviera
I wasn’t able to talk to the owner of this Super, but my guess is that its color is Glacier Blue, which was a Spring 1953 addition to the color palette. This is something I know because my car was originally painted Glacier Blue with a dark blue roof, but when I bought it, it had already been resprayed in a lighter color. When I had mine repainted back in 2010, I stuck with the lighter color so I wouldn’t have to worry about the trunk and dashboard. In retrospect, however, the slightly more subtle Glacier Blue would have been an attractive option.
1953 Special Riviera
The Super’s new engine and more imposing presence may have been two of the reasons that 91,298 Super Riviera hardtops were sold compared to 58,780 Special Rivieras in 1953, even though the Super cost over 350 dollars more (which is about 16 percent). Both were among the best sellers in Buick’s lineup that year, but a V8 future was calling, and the sales charts clearly reflected that.
1954 Super Riviera
The next year would bring brand new bodies to both the Special and Super lines, and the differentiation was arguably greater this time. This is the 1954 Super. The new driveline earned a modern silhouette that was perhaps more in line with the jet age.
1954 Special Convertible
This is the 1954 Special, equally modern but sharing few body panels with its larger linemate. Notice how the ’53 model’s towering hood was lowered to be more nearly level with the fenders for ’54. Harley Earl had always liked domed hoods because they indicated power, but selling cars was more important, and times change.
1953 Special Riviera
Therefore, to me the ’53 was the last of the “old school” Buicks. It wouldn’t have mattered much to me if mine had actually been a Super with its new 322 V8 (indeed, it would have been a less dicey freeway ride with the extra power), but I’m happy I ended up with the last of the classic Buick straight eights. It’s not much of a bragging point these days, but listening to that burbling idle is reward enough, even if it was a step down on the ladder of nameplates.
Always loved the early fifties Buicks. An aunt had a ‘53 Special 4dr sedan and a neighbor who drove carpool had a ‘52 Special 2 dr sedan. Both with straight eights and Dynaflow. Can still recall the soft moan of the straight eight as it pulled away, like a motorboat leaving the dock.
The ‘54’s were significantly different, with V-8’s across the board and the wraparound windshield. Suddenly, everything else looked dated.
As someone who has owned a Buick straight eight, although sixteen years earlier, there’s something wonderful about that engine configuration that the mundanity of a V-8 cannot match. Start by popping the hood in front of a non-antique automobile oriented person, and seeing the look of amazement on their face when they see the engine configuration.
If I had ever been in the position to choose between a ’53 Special and Super, it would have been no contest. Special all the way. Sometimes horsepower is not the answer. Fifty five years after I took ownership of that ’37, that car is still the only eight cylinder automobile I’ve ever owned.
Aaron: The distinction between the two body types is something I never knew but now it is clear as day. Not many people know this; it is sort of like those baseball stats way in the back of my mind.
I have always liked Buicks and owned several (newer) ones. Buicks were not common at all in my neighborhood or town (but the market adjacent Oldsmobiles were and I did study those).
The dashboard difference intrigued me so I looked at some other images. Same style dashes seem be used on the two different models for 1952 which I guess means the same two body types applied to Super/Special then also.
My general understanding of Buicks of the ’50s was: Roadmaster – big engine, long body; Super – small engine, long body; Century – big engine, small body; Special – small engine, small body. That was probably only a year or two though and now I know better. Thanks for the education.
You’re welcome! I think your Buick chart was correct in the ’30s and ’40s (and even as late as ’52), but things obviously became a little more convoluted by the time the ’53 rolled around.
Nice write up Aaron, who would have thought there would be so many differences in two cars that look like they came out of the same mold. Now I have pull out my Seventy years of Buick book out look a little closer. Your car is a stunner. And for those who have never heard a Buick straight eight at idle, it is indeed intoxicating.
Thank you…I have a short YouTube clip of the Special idling in the link labeled “Buick #4” above.
Brought back memories of a ’53 Special that I owned in ’70-71. By then, it was just another $50 winter beater. It had some memorable features though. I loved the center mounted knob that would twist the radio antenna down over the windshield. I guess it was to accommodate low clearance parking areas or car washes. As others mentioned, the engine had a wonderful sound that just exuded turbine-like smoothness. Wonderful with the Dynaflow even if it made acquiring forward momentum something better timed with a calendar than a stop watch. And was there ever a better sounding AM radio than the famed Buick Sonomatic? I think not.
Your Special is on what GM called the “OB” body, which was used only by Oldsmobile and Buick for their smaller models in 1951-53 That was an odd period when they lacked a “true” B body. I recall researching that the OB body was within a fraction of an inch in width of the A body, and I believe that the OB was probably an offshoot of the A body intended to fill a big hole in GM’s lineup.
In that era when GM’s A-B-C body program was thought to be a given, the Special was a body nomad for several years. The 48 Special used the prewar B body, there was no 49 Special (or what few were technically 49 models were identical to the 48s) and the 50 was a single year that was on the shorter wheelbase of the big C body. It was 1954 before a new, genuine B body came back, with Buick offering cars on both the B and C bodies.
I am with you. While I usually prefer bigger models, it would be hard to resist a straight 8, even when you have to take the smaller Special to get it. Buick really did a good job making the car look bigger than it is. Yours is a beautiful car!
Thanks JP…Did you also do an article on GM body plans from the ’50s? I linked Vince’s article above, but I seem to remember that you did something along those lines, too.
Yes, The Case Of The Missing B Body
Part 1 (https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-1949-50-the-mystery-of-the-missing-b-body-part-1/)
Part 2 (https://www.curbsideclassic.com/automotive-histories/automotive-history-1949-50-the-mystery-of-the-missing-b-body-part-2/)
Vince and I disagreed on one point: he discerns a B body in the Fisher Body stew of those years while I do not.
Between Aaron65 and JPC’s notes above, this may explain why the family’s 1950 Riviera hardtop had front wheels that, to me, seemed too far in from the fender edges.
The dashboard definitely had a single large center speedometer flanked by two smaller pods, one on each side.
A very old and almost forgotten question, buried in my mind since we got that car used in the mid ’50s, has been answered. Unless I misunderstood something, somewhere in this post.
I think you have it, Mr. Plaut. The whole thing can make your head spin a bit.
Here I am at age 70, and I never noticed the difference before. And we had Buicks in the family when I was young. Glad you pointed these out.
I have to say I much prefer the look of the Special, either as a ’53 or a ’54. You have a very attractive car.
Thanks…I love my Special more than almost anything.
In 1953 I would have wanted the V-8 and the 12-volt electrics (the first on an American car since the 1926 Dodge, IIRC). Now, the burbling Straight Eight holds more appeal.
Incidentally, if you ever listen to a lot of old-time radio, it’s obvious they based a generic “powerful-motor” sound effect on the Buick Straight Eight. Buick’s 3-speed gearbox also had a notoriously noisy first gear–it had quiet helical gears in second and third, but first used straight-cut gears–and it emitted a low-pitched growl that also seemed to have been associated with power. Not the only time the public has confused noise with performance! But you’ll hear a representation of the Buick low gear on many radio shows as well.
Even though it’s a little leaky, I’m glad mine has the Dynaflow. It too has a distinct sound, but it’s easier to find parts for. Apparently, the three-speed is also a touch weak (but I have no first-hand experience).
This is Stan Kenton’s “Dynaflow”: He apparently wrote it as a riff on the sounds of his Buick’s transmission.
https://youtu.be/6myNmqDxqiQ?si=ebIHWE0nSqPqtmcy
Do the Super and Special have the same track width, because the Super looks like a kid wearing his dad’s suit, while the Special looks to be wearing a well tailored suit.
By 1955 all the GM car divisions had their own OHV V-8 – it seems a shame that Buick didn’t stick with the Straight Eight for their top-line models to give themselves some bragging rights. Imagine an OHC aluminum hemi-head S8 with dual carbs and free flowing dual exhaust purring silently as only a S8 can under the hood of a Roadmaster. In other words, a Duesenberg at a Buick price – it would have embarrassed Cadillac, which is probably one reason it couldn’t happen.
Surprisingly, they did NOT share the front or rear track widths. The rear track in particular was three inches wider, and as you can see, the body itself was almost four inches wider.
A Duesenbuick sounds like a cool idea. 🙂
Very interesting, I never knew the Special and Super were so different aside from the engines.
That rear-quarter view of the Super just isn’t working for me. It’s possible my ability to accept this sort of widening was ruined by the Koenig w126 Mercedes kit (https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1887-mercedes-benz-560-sel-koenig-specials/).
Hey, at least the wheels extend to the quarters on the Mercedes! 🙂
Great amount of information and I, at eighty, admit that I never paid much attention to the difference in the Riviera bodies. Perhaps the front end is why we ignore these differences. The 1953 Buick offered different styling for its headlamps, other than the Kaiser. As for the radio, I had a 1953 Lincoln Capri with one whale of an AM radio. It would draw in signals that cars of the late sixties could not. Beaucoup tubes. The Buick straight eight was modified for transit bus service, meaning heavier crankshaft and bearings, if not more. While not fast, this S8 was durable. Your ’53 is a cool ride. You made me rethink automobile sounds on radio and probably the Buick’s engine was the preferred one for use for sound effects. “What’s that sound?” “I think he got away!” (organ music here, please.)
I didn’t either until I owned one! With that being said, you don’t see a whole lot of Specials OR Supers these days.
Buy a “Super (Duper) Special!!!” Problem solved! Many peeps say I’m Super Special in an “Olympic” way of course! 😛
Aside from the Roadmaster, one could say that Buick’s naming scheme lacked a little creativity. But I still love them.
Very, very cool post and pictures. I do love the looks of the ’53s, and I think the detail changes between the Super and Special for a non-expert like me is one example of the net effect of their seemingly little differences being greater than their their sum.
Thanks Joe!
Wow, it’s amazing that two cars that look almost identical could be so different. They are based on different platforms not just different trim levels. I guess that GM could do whatever it wanted to, and since Buick was the foundation of GM, it got special attention. I was somewhat familiar with the different models but it’s interesting what was going on during this transitional period. Maybe GM wanted to cover their bets and offer the last of the straight eights alongside the new V8. Some traditional buyers may have rejected the new motor and purchased the straight eight, but a few years later would trade in their old car on a new model. Kind of like GM holding onto the old rear wheel drive Brougham and Roadmaster models when the new FWD flagships were already available. A lot of buyers preferred the RWD models up until the end.
Buicks from this era are all beautiful in my eyes, the personification of traditional American luxury. I noted that the dual dash gauges in the Special were also used in the first 1960’s Rivieras. They were reprised in my ’97 Riviera, which also happens to be the same length as those Fifties beauties. It’s too bad that Buick’s glory days are long gone. But not forgotten!
Good catch, Jose. The Riviera does have a similar setup, except the gauges are reversed, with the speedometer on the left, and the gauges have become mostly warning lights.
Another look…
They are based on different platforms not just different trim levels.
Not really “platforms”; they are two different GM bodies by Fisher. The Special uses the OB Body (shared with the Olds) and the Super and Roadmaster share the C Body (along with Cadillac).
Buick simply modified their frame and chassis to accommodate the two different bodies, with a wider rear axle on the wider Super/Roadmaster.
There Were A Lot of Buicks
When I was a kid in the early 1950s there were a lot of Buicks in my life. Daddy was a Packard Man, but my buddy Ricky, who lived next door with his grandpa and his mom enjoyed the luxury of a Buick as that seemed to be the car of choice for both his mom and grandpa.
My other buddy, Randy, who lived on the other side of us attended a church whose preacher drove a Buick. Buick’s were known as Preacher’s Cars, and our preacher, G.W. Swinney, always drove a Buick. In fact, our church would present Preacher Swinney with a new Buick every three or four years.
At one time or the other, I rode in all of those Buicks, but the one I remember most was the two-door that Ricky’s mom drove. Ricky’s dad was a soldier, but he was absent from Ricky’s life. His mom was drawn to the military, and when Fort Bragg had an open house after the Korean War ended, she decided that Ricky, Randy, and I should enjoy a Saturday outing on the giant military base.
The trip was a big event in our lives at the time as we all had aspirations of being soldiers. We certainly seemed to gravitate to neighborhood ‘War Games’ every Saturday and in the summertime, we staged full-scale battles with ‘home-made’ mortars, grenades, and our toy rifles. But, due to the availability of actual war surplus equipment, we had real canteens, belts, backpacks, and helmets complete with liners. The steel pots were usually discarded in favor of just the liners at some point during the day.
The Saturday spent at Fort Bragg was one of the most memorable events of our lives. We crawled in and out of planes, and trucks and got a close-up look at artillery pieces. The Air Borne put on a demonstration of jumping from transport planes at low altitudes, and we saw trucks and Jeeps pulled from the rear door of planes just a few feet above the landing zone by their chutes as the planes raised clouds of dust as they climbed out of the drop zone.
In the days and weeks afterward, all Ricky, Randy, and I talked about was joining up when we were older. Ricky later served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and Randy was drafted and served in the Army for twenty years with several years in Vietnam. I had dreams of joining the Navy and studied Daddy’s WWII ‘Blue Jackets’ manual every chance I got. Fate had other plans for me and my dreams of being at sea were never realized.
Buicks were a big part of my childhood and the hours I spent riding in them and the places they took me to were some of the most memorable times of my life as a kid.