Special Potato Special

What has four doors, eight cylinders, a torque tube and a rattle can in the trunk? This 1941 Buick Special, that’s what. Watch as Steve dives in to reveal what set the 1941 Buicks apart from the 1940 models - and the mysterious inner workings of a spray paint can.

[@SuperOperator4]

Have an earworm, "Wouldn't You Really Rather Have a Buick?"

[@Joe-ov1ut]

“Than any other car this year”!

[@hughmarloweverest1684]

100 mph in a Buick Century with anything other than new nylon tires and a decent paved road, have your Will in order.

[@stoneylonesome4062]

8:37 “… cameras and shit” -Steve Magnante, 2023.

[@usddcm]

If everybody didn't already know, Steve is a regular guy. 🤣

[@bencelooney8686]

He’s a regular guy’s regular guy.

[@randyauer7303]

Good video Steve I've watched it a half dozen times Hope you're well soon Senior post you lost weight but you're alive thank you God

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

LOL!!! The greatest line stated from S. M. since the very first Junkyard Crawl "Cameras 'n' sh*t" LOL!! the BEST!

[@SteveMagnante]

You caught that...I don't usually "go blue" but that snuck out. I am NO fan of complicated systems in vehicles. Don't get me started on the back-up camera phenomenon. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@tomwesley7884]

@@SteveMagnante Okay, you don't like the overly complicated sh!t

[@googleusergp]

Yes, 1942 was also a "blackout" year with very austere trim in most cases with savings of normally used materials reserved for war time use. These would have been made at a few plants: Flint, MI (aka Buick City, which operated from 1904 to 1999), Linden, NJ (closed in 2005), Southgate, CA (closed in 1982) and Kansas City, KS (Fairfax, closed in 1987, Fairfax II still operates today). That address in Worcester, MA now appears to be some sort of market/shopping area. Looks like someone that owned this car was a Montgomery Ward's shopper as that's the name on the right rear tire. The paint fades to the same color (rust) on a lot of these older cars, so it might be code 560 Black, code 561 Ranier Blue, or code 582 Nightshade Blue (or just about any other color). No tag, can't brag. There was the VIN on the firewall, but you were too far away from it to get it. So, no VIN, can't win.

[@SteveMagnante]

Hello googleuserGP, I did take a picture of the shiny tag on the firewall in my pre-video reconnaissance visit (from which I make my notes before returning to shoot the video) and the digits were simply too lightly struck or corroded to be of much use when I blew up the image on my desktop. I looked again in-person before we shot and its really very lightly struck. I'd have had to lay over the fender and use a soft bristle brush and perhaps pencil and tracing paper to get the info. In this case, I didn't see the juice as being worth the squeeze so i focused on the other areas of the car. I DO scout the VIN on every car that still has one but only occasionally showcase it and its info because it is somewhat tedious to do this live to camera and in many cases I simply have no idea what certain codes even mean. So I "focus on what I can use". Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@googleusergp]

@@SteveMagnante Yes, some were faintly stamped as they were likely done by hand back then. Well as to not knowing what they mean, that's pretty easy. Because without the VIN you can't win and without the tag, you can't......ah you know the rest. LOL.

[@The_Bermuda_Nonagon]

Even in unmodified stock form that would be such a cool car to own.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon

[@vet-7174]

Good Morning Gents ! 🇺🇸

[@ericesterby2895]

When my parents got married in 1951, one of these ‘41 Specials was their wedding car.

[@vettekid3326]

The rope thing on the back of the front seat was called a robe rail. It was supposedly there for storage of a robe or blanket for the backseat passengers to cover up with. The first car of my parents I can remember was my dad's 1954 Buick Roadmaster and it had one. Myself and my siblings were always told not to hang on to it because it wasn't meant to be pulled on.

[@bertgrau3934]

My dad had a 47 DeSoto, it had the rope behind the front seat, and according to DeSoto, it was for rear seat passengers to hold onto.

[@bad74maverick1]

@@bertgrau3934 Yep. My brother had a 53 ford custom line 4 door. The rear rope was the hold on bar.

[@johnbartol4313]

That’s good information I never knew that I thought it was similar to a grab bar

[@tomwesley7884]

This is an issue Steve should research

[@bad74maverick1]

@@tomwesley7884 That's actually a fantastic idea!

[@robviousobviously5757]

my late Aunt had a 42 Buick Special that was the greatest car she ever had in her lifetime.. according to her...

[@IowaBudgetRCBashers]

These make great looking street rods, with enough room for the whole fam damily

[@tommyv8777]

Amazing how much steel went into those beautiful beasts!

[@58raceguy]

@tommyv8777 yes, and it was all American steel.

[@djmtndew]

​@@58raceguyexactly what I came to say❤

[@snoopy5736]

Murica

[@wyatberp3611]

What's amazing is how much plastic goes into todays cars

[@samholdsworth420]

​@@wyatberp3611Tupperware cars

[@rosshodge333]

"Cloisonné" is the art of enameling things like badging on automobiles.

[@burthenry7740]

This was a good looking car when new. By 1939-1940 most other makes had already gone to incorporating the headlights into the fenders. One of the few times GM was behind the times, styling wise. It took GM a year or two to catch up. Locomotive is a good term for these engines. I had a '50 Buick with the Dynaflow, and once you got rolling, it kept on pulling. And, if you pulled both hood releases, you could lift the whole hood off for easy service. Great cars!

[@garyszewc3339]

GM is always behind the times. Last with electronic ignition. Last to have delayed wipers. Until they finally cleared up with bose they had the worst audio systems. Even today, my girlfriend just got a brand new Buick enclave avenir the top-of-the-line vehicle they sell. It has a manual shade on the sunroof.

[@Guns_N_Gears]

​@garyszewc3339 I tend to disagree about the stereo comment. The GM stereos didn't sound bad up through the 90s, EXCEPT their trucks. Pure junk. They never put anything good in them for speakers. GM really liked the 4x6, and used em for years, even in cars, but cars used 6x9 in the rear which helped a lot. The JBL stuff ford was using sounded like shit in everything they sold.

[@peterantonopoulos2572]

Morning Steve...

[@bensonsspeedshop1191]

Packard used the hood hinge design for Years!

[@TheopolisQSmith]

The only thing about any of the straight eights was having to open the trunk to change the last spark plug.

[@pinchus34]

Love Buicks and these are my favorite pre-war models. They’re gorgeous.

[@kenzollweg1304]

Hello from Detroit, happy 4th of July

[@davidp2888]

Looking at that brochure and seeing the variety of options available back then, compared to today's "you get what you get, you can't customize it and you'll like it" attitude is really striking.

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

Or the variety of packages that require you to get x,y& z options to get option A. It "saves" money if we package it so they claim

[@tomwesley7884]

@@jarrodwidiger5472 Since when does one "save" money when purchasing a car

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

@@tomwesley7884 you missed the point

[@markzabel831]

My 53 international truck has the side to side operating hood opening.

[@Fore-Four-Dee-Too]

Get well soon Steve!

[@Slimjim260]

So sad to see this beautiful car abandon like that , what possibly could have been that bad to park in a junk yard ?? Academy Award for this one Steve & Shane well done , enjoyed!

[@jllucci]

Agreed. Probably too far gone now to restore

[@loopwithers]

A straight eight with three forward gears. Yes please.

[@will7its]

OD would be even better......

[@vermontguy7692]

Thanx for another very enjoyable video from my favorite yard, Steve. 1946-50 Packards also have hoods that can be opened from either side or completely lifted off the car.

[@wreckerjonny6144]

In my younger years I tried to drag home a straight 8 from an old Pontiac. I tried to roll it into a little wagon well epic fail it flattened it. I went back a few months later and they cleaned up property. Took me two days to get up out of the frame rails onto the wagon

[@burthenry7740]

Those flathead straight 8s were one massive lump of cast iron! And no matter who made them, Pontiac, Packard, Chrysler, etc. they reminded me of an anvil. And if you changed the oil once in a while, just as durable. 😁

[@tarkus522]

Actually 1940 & 41 Buicks had similar styling. Each year had a close but unique grill. May Dad had a 40 Special in the early 50s. One of his favorite cars.

[@kevinclemence4661]

I like your nickel on edge idle analogy. Th straight eight idle was described to me in much the same way by my college instructor waaay back in the 70's. Thanks Mr M.

[@JDWorkshop-wn9tt]

Beautiful cars back then for style cruising

[@christophertaylor9100]

That hood is kind of a throwback to the old hoods that opened on either side

[@johnmcenaney7539]

My dad had a’41 like this one when I was a kid. I loved riding around in that car and my friends all thought my dads old cars were so cool! I think his Buick was the first manual shift car I ever drove. And the turn signal lever was on the right side of the column between the steering wheel and the shift lever. 12:17

[@rstuartcpa]

My very first rattle ball!

[@marioncobaretti2280]

Good morning Katie , currently under house arrest.,my thoughts are with you sweet dog.

[@will7its]

These older cars had a much larger rear seat area compared to newer cars as the more important people didn't ride up front. People were driven around. The front seat was for the driver and the help. Years before this the front seat may not have had a cover over it at all. Lots of people were conceived in the larger rear compartment as well. Later on in the 60's rear seats became cramped and uncomfortable and people would call "shotgun" so they did not have to ride back there.

[@burthenry7740]

My older neighbor would say " When you got in the back seat with a girl, and she used the 'robe rail' as a clothes line, you knew you were in for a good time!" Commodious indeed! 😉

[@will7its]

@@burthenry7740 Yeah and those handholds came in handy too.....😍

[@debbiebermudez5890]

Mr. B. Here ! ☕️☕️🍩 ! Morning Mags ! These body styles are very cool , and the changes that were coming ! Very informative & interesting. Thanks Steve 👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@tomwesley7884]

Morning

[@debbiebermudez5890]

👍🍺🍔

[@TheOldParakaoStoreCafeBar]

Cool love Buick’s I have a 41 sedanette model 48SS had twin carbs someone took them off I will have to find some more.Great stuff 👍🏼take it easy mate 👍🏼🇳🇿😎🍻

[@Jasona1976]

What a grand vehicle this was.....sad to see rotting away in a junkyard.

[@johnmcneil9164]

"Ram air for the people...not the engine"... a true laugh out loud moment.

[@charlesdalton985]

Trends in the automotive industry are fascinating. In the early 40s we turned away from running boards. With the proliferation of SUVs today, they appear to have made a comeback. And as Mr. Magnante pointed out, plastic was a miracle material in 1940. Today we wrinkle our noses and consider it a cheap product. Thank you as always ~ Chuck

[@bobhill3941]

Yes, along with leather originally was the economy material because it was durable and cloth being the luxury one because it resembled sofas and now it's the other way around.

[@charlesdalton985]

@@bobhill3941 Absolutely. Leather was used in less expensive open cars.

[@bobhill3941]

@@charlesdalton985 Yes, and in the chauffer section of cars like the Bugatti Royale.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

Great vid, really enjoyed!! 👍👍

[@jeffreycarleton1535]

Good whatever it is where you are, y’all!

[@marshallcollins3376]

Cooling was a shortcoming of many straight eights. Front cylinder cold, rear cylinder hot.

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

Man what a beautiful car that must have been in it’s hay day’s! Sad seeing it rotting away to the elements! Great video and history Steve!

[@Raptor3388]

At work I recently sold a 1948 Packard Club Coupe that had the hood that opens on both sides. Very interesting design.

[@bennettcom]

Wow. Peanut shells on the rear floor board. Cool.

[@artoodiitoo]

I think those front grille and lights were used in a custom Holden Monaro in Mad Max 2/Road Warrior, look it up :> uh oh a bomber... Greetings from Magnante! The Lord Magnante! The Warrior of the Wasteland! The Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla!

[@SteveMagnante]

We Go In! We Go In!!! -Steve Magnante

[@daledavies2334]

A fellow in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada used to race Straight 8 Buicks and beat many SBCs.

[@butcher390]

Christie & Thompson service reviews , out of Worcester ?? Never knew that . Thanks Steve 🙏

[@googleusergp]

Probably like the local Chilton, Motor, Alldata, Mitchell of their time. When I worked at the auto parts company, one of the older guys who worked there was a technical writer for Motor. At the time, they were located in Manhattan, NY which is where he lived. He was an older man and did things his way which eventually did him in. The company told him he had to start to use computers. One sat on his desk and he never used it. Eventually, he left. I was told he died shortly thereafter. He was a very nice man, just did things the old fashioned way, literal cut and paste to put the catalogs together. The company was trying (and did a good job of) going electronic very early on, which was what was needed with the vast amount of data that we were handling. RIP, Mike.

[@SteveMagnante]

@@googleusergp I'm 58 but as a kid - up into the late 1980's, Christie and Thompson was the GO TO machine shop in the Worcester area - including Boston to a degree. They had a stellar reputation as a rebuilder shop and were always very busy. I'm guessing somebody at Christie and Thompson realized they could create a subscription service (note the "$3.50 per year" cover price on the Paper Prop i show). For the $3.50 annual subscription fee, members got Frequently Asked Questions and Shortcut Techniques from C&T's decades of experience. I'm guessing that's what this item is a part of. Not a bad idea though no doubt modern Copyright Lawyers would take issue with this use of factory documents re-purposed for gain without paying a licensing fee. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@googleusergp]

@@SteveMagnante Yes, now the diagrams, charts and the like in the aftermarket systems will say, "Courtesy of General Motors" (or whatever OEM it is).

[@The_Smith]

Not a car of course, but International trucks could be opened from either side or easily taken right off. My Dad was a garage mechanic, and he used to say he loved working on Internationals for that very reason.

[@jaylestingi5418]

"Cameras and shit" We heard that Steve!!🤣😂 All good 👍🏼

[@edwardaustin740]

This is by far my favorite body style.

[@rickcentore2801]

Nice Lebanon Valley Dragway pic at12:11.

[@SteveMagnante]

That's me in my old Wilshire Shaker Match Bash Chevy Nova! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@stevehenderson2571]

Get well Steve. We miss you buddy.

[@HotRod-wv4vm]

Thanks Steve my dad owned several Buicks including a 48, 2 55’s, 57, 73 Grand Sport and 2 Electra 225’s, one being the Limited Edition

[@aa64912]

I’d love to have one.

[@skylinecollector]

My guy you were practically petting a black widow when you took that hub cap off. How you havent been bitten is insane to me

[@BeerHunter1953]

A friend raced 6 cylinder coupes back in the 60’s. He said he used Buick straight 8 rods in his Chevy 6 for a slightly longer stroke and better torque for coming off the corners.

[@jarrodwidiger5472]

Rods won't change the stroke.

[@RoadNoise29100]

That's a beast!

[@jakespeed63]

Pops was a Buick man for a long time

[@bobbluedog]

Great video. I’m looking forward to seeing your car

[@chilee6994]

Awesome Steve

[@danielstrachan8988]

I really like learning about all these old cars and how they did things back in the day,very interesting to me 😁😁👍👍

[@juaankeither7583]

Love these videos

[@jeffclark2725]

Great video thumbs up sure,will never drive again, but is still there surviving

[@bobhill3941]

I love this styling, this would make a really cool hotrod. I'd restore the body and engine, modern GM automatic/chassis/suspension/brakes. Cloth interior Make a restomod basically. If the straight 8 wasn't there I'd install a 455/TH400.

[@ReadTheBible8]

And a 12 bolt differential so to eliminate the torque tube. I have a 1974 Ford truck that I installed a 455 Buick engine and a Turbo 400 transmission. It has 3.70 gears and is fast and fun to drive. Good day to you.

[@bobhill3941]

@@ReadTheBible8 I forgot about that, thanks. That's an awesome car, it sounds like fun. Good day to you too.

[@ReadTheBible8]

@@bobhill3941 👍

[@bobhill3941]

@@ReadTheBible8 👍

[@Ron_Lockwood]

I love most Buicks. Thank you for the fine content.😎

[@ericheld4382]

1948-50 Packard 22nd and 23rd series had Buick style opening.

[@mymoparstoo]

Just imagine the size of the dies used for stamping those fenders!

[@melvinyosten3776]

Looks like it's a factory chop! My sister rented a house that had one in the yard. Don't know what year it yas. I was just a kid but the straight 8 fascinated me. Dad had it hauled off. Sad

[@ricksaint2000]

Thank you Steve

[@neilswheels6783]

Steve I was waiting patiently for you to mention ‘ventiports’ but you never did!

[@SteveMagnante]

Well according to Buick history, the Ventiports didn't arrive until model year 1949. Google "Ned Nickles 1947 Buick" But I can see how the rectangular outlets in the hood-sides could be seen as more of the same - before they existed! Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante

[@charlesacker8552]

Enlightening video. I love the old straight eights. This Buick looks like it could be saved, albeit with a lot of effort. I have a 1941 Studebaker with a straight eight. These old eights would appear to have a lot of potential but I am told that they are limited due to the crankshaft length which allows excessive torque stress. Still, it would be fun to see a fire breathing straight eight.

[@waiting4aliens]

If you recall Buick called theirs the fireball eight.

[@tedecker3792]

A couple of years ago I saw an early 50s Buick on a trailer headed to Bonneville. It had a GMC blower on the straight eight.

[@javierdenardo2607]

Coldwarmotors has started one in one of their episodes

[@mexicanspec]

If you have never driven a car with a straight 8 you are missing out.

[@styrenerelics]

Another great video Steve. I have always liked the 41 Buick's styling. Cool find.

[@brianbloom1799]

I wonder if anyone has ever Injected one these motor,s I bet they would double in hp, If they were as smooth as Steve says, I would like to see it done. Great Video Steve Like always.

[@jimc3688]

Those long crankshafts didn’t hold up well to very high torque/ hp.

[@toddbob55]

Buick was Decent but I like the way the old Fords drove the best out of all of em

[@randyauer7303]

Another great video professor Steve get well soon

[@johnhoffman2818]

Oh yeah! Love that car. I would buy that today if they would make them new again.

[@deltabloo]

When I was akid, my Dad showed me what was in a spray can. Over the years have torn apart many spray cans to find out what color marble it held.

[@edwardpate6128]

There was a series 80 which was a lower end limousine body with the Series 90 being top of the line.

[@bjr2379]

I hope you are doing well Steve! 💪👍

[@savedin87ify]

Cool old Buick. Question would you want to go 100 mph in those roads back then? It almost looks savable.

[@kenschmidt6522]

Also, 100 MPH without airbags, seat belts, disc brakes, etc.

[@garyszewc3339]

Back then people knew how to drive.

[@georgefalconer9810]

My concession to safety was to slow down to pass(really)

[@tsmith578]

Awesome video Steve! I love all those old Buicks, those cars were built with wonderful engineering, and there is nothing that compares to one of those streigh eight engines regardless of what size it was. I really enjoyed seeing that catalog, I just wish you would spend just a bit more time with showing it up close so I could have gotten a bit better look at all the cars in it. Thank you for all your cool videos.

[@thomasknox2325]

Again great video thanks Steve

[@jasonstewart92fs]

Very Cool, I love the old cars

[@Huffy_Turns_a_Wrench]

Wow!!!! Cool stuff!!! Love your videos.....

[@gillboardman8998]

Alright, Buick. The GM car of choice in China. '94 Roadmaster wagon and '90 Reatta here. 😎👍

[@garyszewc3339]

GM Love's China so much that one of the models is only built there for the US market. Of course GM is half owned by China

[@daviddamico4288]

Cool looking car ,Steve

[@WayneTheBoatGuy]

I find it so cool that you basically produce these videos in 'one take'!

[@robertbeckler5058]

Groovy

[@wmfthe5th376]

The 1950 Packard, and I suppose by default the other years with the same body had a hood that opened from either side, or it could be lifted off the car if you released both sides. We had a 1950, and I can recall sitting on the fender with the hood removed and there was enough room to dangle my legs in the engine compartment.

[@davewoodmancy5124]

This particular Buick that you are showing today has a two-piece windshield. I have a very good friend that is working on a 1933 Buick as a street rod that is Factory equipped with a one-piece windshield. I thought the one-piece windshield would be more modern than the two piece windshield

[@burthenry7740]

As car bodies grew wider and the roofs more 'rounded' in the late 1930s the front and back windows were made in two pieces to fit the curvature. The more expensive to manufacture curved glass mostly started out in the smaller back window, as seen on this car. The much larger one piece curved glass windshields would become common in the 1950s. At 6:12 you can see the need for the 2 piece windshield.

[@davewoodmancy5124]

@@burthenry7740 that is understandable. That's 33 Buick is no wider inside that a Volkswagen Beetle

[@steveashcraft718]

Series40 is a Special. Dynaflow first appeared in the 48 Buick Roadmaster.

[@mschiffel1]

I recently owned a 1941 Buick Super 4 door torpedo back. That inline eight was an extremely smooth runner. You could drive away at 5 MPH in second gear without so much as a shudder from that eight. It had tons of low RPM grunt. I rescued it from the junk pile and my buddy Dave Quail (RIP) made it into a rat rod. It's still on the road. PS, it also had factory installed turn signals with the lever on the right side of the steering column right under the gear lever. Kinda cool.

[@gilbertwashburn7095]

Thanks for another video I enjoy them learning stuff I didn't know about really old cars speaking of dual quads I used to own Great Lakes dragaways 64 and 1/2 Buick ambulance it was a nail head would dualquads dual air conditioners and do a heaters it was so heavy it couldn't get out of its own way but it was really cool I think more engines and trannies and junk were holding them people it had the gurney the red light the siren the hole ball of wax it was fun to drive around I had that in the '70s paid $450 for it I eventually tore it apart and put the motor and tranny and something else it was a turbo 425 transmission had oil cooler transmission cooler and a million zerk fittings to grease everything it was cool car the exhaust shop hated me they did exhaust on it and said they never do another one again ever have a great day I wish I had kept it but you can't keep everything where did you put it

[@moldyapples]

I had one of those back in 1979, same model/body style. It was nice to be able to unlatch both sides & completely remove the hood. I went through the fun of removing the rear axle after my transmission died when a ball bearing got loose inside & got between two gears & split the case (!). Luckily, when I bought it, it came with a spare trans. It had the tube radio which I was able to get working. Mine wasn't as rusty as this one but it was pretty bad. Daily drove it for a year and a half before selling it when I bought a '73 Dodge Dart 340 Sport for $400.00.

[@MikeyMack303]

Love what you do to show us all the different stuff from yesteryear. Thank you, Steve!

[@jakegarvin7634]

0:10 I believe that's the difference between headlamps and headlights