Featured is a beautifully restored 1940 Buick Series 90 Limited Limousine. These Series 90 models were named the Limited. .All Buick‘s since 1931 were built with the Buick Straight-8 engine which helped give Buick a fine reputation for producing rugged engines.
The Buick Series 90 Limited
The model shown in this article Introduced in 1940 is a Buick Series 90 Limited. This large automobile was built on a D-Body.
For the 1940 model year Buick offered five different lines. These were the Special, Super, Century, Roadmaster and Limited.
Buick’s Series 90 models featured sleek styling on the outside with limited chrome usage along with an interior that had room for eight adults. Styling for 1940 included a horizontal-bar grille,-integrated headlights and side mounted spares gave the automobile a very dignified appearance. The Series 90 Limited, introduced in 1936, were the top of the line models for 1940 and were built with the largest Buick straight eight engines.
Although GM’s Buick has a reputation of being positioned between mainstream and luxury automobiles, the Limited was a very luxurious model for Buick and in many ways rivaled the Cadillac.
Cadillac was always considered General Motor’s prestige line of automobiles however during the 1930’s and early 1940’s Buick made a good run at it. The Series 90 Limited offering was limited to touring sedans and limousines. For 1941 there were a total of four Limited models available.
The 1940 total production was 300,000 vehicles.The four-door Super Eight Sedan was Buick’s most popular model that year with 95,875 vehicles produced. Only 1,740 Limited models were built in 1940.
The Buick Limited was built all the way until February 1942 when all civilian production was stopped due to World War Two. After the war Buick dropped the long wheelbase and the Series 90 Limited was eliminated. The Limited however did come back to Buick for 1958 and was again the line’s top model.
1940 Buick Series 90 Limited Specifications
Engine for the 1940 Buick Series 90 Limited was a 320 cubic inch straight eight delivering 141 HP. The engine was often referred to as the Fireball Eight. The higher horsepower was a result of higher compression. Straight-eight engines powered all 1940 Buick’s. The Buick straight eight replaced the Buick straight six in 1931. The Buick straight eight was in all Buick models through 1952.
Transmission was a three speed manual.
Dimensions included a wheelbase of 140.0 inches, overall outside length of 204.0 inches, width 75.8 inches, height 66.0 inches. Vehicle weight was 4,600 lbs.
New car price for the Series 90 Limited Limousines were about $2,100. These were Buick’s priciest models.
Related Auto Museum Online articles are found on the links below…
Reference material for this article includes..The Buick: A Complete History (90th Anniversary Edition) (Automobile Quarterly Library Series) by Terry B. Dunham…Standard Catalog of Buick, 1903-2000: Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick by Ron Kowalke…Complete Book of Collectible Cars by the Editors of Consumer Guide.
1940 Buick Series 90 Limousine Collector Automobile
Vintage Buick’s are getting a lot of attention from car collectors and restorers. Buick’s were quality automobiles with some unique styling details and with reliable and rugged engines. The Buick straight eight is a good example of this.
The cars were mostly chauffeur driven and garaged which is why survivors you see are typically in very good condition.
As rare as the 1940 Buick Limited 140 inch wheelbase model is, they don’t appear for sale at auctions very often. Prices that have been posted for restored examples generally are above $40,000 with some instances being in the $100,000 range.
(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)