1942 Buick Super Series 50 Convertible Coupe
Few prewar American convertibles carry the visual impact of the 1942 Buick Super. The redesigned “Airfoil” front fenders stretch continuously along the car’s flanks to the rear, giving the body an elongated, flowing profile.
A wide chrome grille, spanning nearly the full width of the car, anchors the front end, while twin parallel body side speedlines run front to rear. The styling proved so successful that when civilian production resumed in 1946, Buick essentially carried it forward with minimal changes.
Inside, engine-turned dash trim and highly stylized gauges give the cabin a distinctly art deco character, with deeply tufted seating throughout.
Under the hood sits the 248 CI Fireball straight-eight rated at 110 horsepower, paired with a three-speed manual transmission. Compound carburetion was available on the Super in 1942, a Buick feature introduced for 1941 and not continued after the war.
Production of the Model 56C convertible was cut short when General Motors transitioned fully to war production in February 1942, leaving approximately 1,312 examples built.
The Super Series 50 sat between the Special and Roadmaster in the Buick hierarchy, riding a 121-inch wheelbase and combining the larger Super body with the 248 CI straight-eight, giving buyers a spacious, well-appointed car at a more accessible price than the top-line Roadmaster.
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