1937 Buick top speed? - Page 3 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

t walgamuth · #31 04-14-2009, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

During his stint in the "Battle of the Bulge" and 1944-45 tour of Europe courtesy of a rich uncle SAM. My Dad and cronies captured quite a few German vehicles and put them into use; one of which was a Mercedes 540k, they would use to scrounge the countryside for food to keep German prisoners well fed. They used that 540k like a pick-up truck filling it with live chickens, cabbages, turnips, and anything else that could be consumed.
My Dad said the big Mercedes rode and drove like a truck; powerful when you stepped on the gas, but that was all. It was a real handful to drive and took some muscles to steer and and stop the thing. He said is was quite crude compared to American cars of the same era.
They put some kublewagens to use but had to abandon them because they couldn't keep up with the American vehicles. (The Germans may have abandoned them because they were worn out;... 2 cylinders.)

Interesting.

The German cars may have been designed for the Autobahn which meant all paved roads, and for fast running on paved roads a firmer suspension and quicker steering would be good, battlefield conditions would make the American cars (if designed for non paved roads) a lot more comfortable.

Just my conjecturing. I have not seen such thoughts in print.

daveuz · #32 04-14-2009, 08:18 PM

pop & blow · #33 04-14-2009, 08:48 PM

Well lets see it was a flat head 6 and we didn't have all the stuff on like today to choke it down, Straight pipes all the way to the back with a muffler we were running white gas thats pure moonshine white lighting straight from the still 101 proof leaded shine, they would do a hundred easily had to so the moonshine cops couldn't catch us, Shine is still made in certain parts of the Tennessee and Georgia Mountains. hoped up flat heads were the thing in those days, beats that 87 octane we have today white gas ammaco white gas was good to.

tonkovich · #34 04-14-2009, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pop & blow

Well lets see it was a flat head 6 and we didn't have all the stuff on like today to choke it down, Straight pipes all the way to the back with a muffler we were running white gas thats pure moonshine white lighting straight from the still 101 proof leaded shine, they would do a hundred easily had to so the moonshine cops couldn't catch us, Shine is still made in certain parts of the Tennessee and Georgia Mountains. hoped up flat heads were the thing in those days, beats that 87 octane we have today white gas ammaco white gas was good to.

my goodness, you must have been pals with junior johnson.

anyway, on the ww2 angle, the most popular car (at least among the germans) was the traction avant - citroen. great suspension and front wheel drive.

t walgamuth · #35 04-15-2009, 01:18 AM

Actually it was an overhead valve straight eight.

86560SEL · #36 04-15-2009, 01:24 AM

I dont think its mentioned in the 1937 Buick sales brochure, as I didnt see it, but if anyone wants to take a look, click this link. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/main.php?g2_itemId=7444

Buick made 4 different models in 1937, all on different wheelbases. Here was the top of the line Limited model. All had straight 8 engines with 130 hp, so it would not suprise me if they wouldnt do 100 mph.

The cars speedometer registers 120 mph...

I am not sure if the picture a few post up is supposed to be a '37 Buick, but it definitely is not... the above car which is actually a '37 Buick is a much more substantual car.

And yes, as Tom said, it is an 8-cylinder car...

Botnst · #37 04-15-2009, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Kenny

I had my 1941 Buick special with optional "compound carburetion" up to 105 one time and was still pulling.... I chickened out, with recap tires and all.

It was 1978 and I was a stupid 20 year old.
This 1941 Buick was essentially the same mechanical set up as a 1937.

(compound carburetion was two carburetors; the engine ran on one carb until floored, then it open up the other carb.... sort of like secondaries.)

Don Corleone's neighborhood?

t walgamuth · #38 04-15-2009, 06:59 AM

That car has nice lines.

MS Fowler · #39 04-15-2009, 08:21 AM

From Wiki:
Buick renamed its entire model lineup for the 1936 model year to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Series 80 became the Roadmaster and the Series 90—Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles, became the Limited. The Century took the place of the Series 60.

The basic formula for the 1936 to 1942 Century was established by mating shorter wheelbase Buick Special bodies to Buick's most powerful eight-cylinder engine. While the Special was powered by Buick's 233 in³ was rated 93 hp (69 kW) at 3200 rpm, Centuries produced between 1936 to 1942 were powered by Buick's inline 320.2 in³ at 120 hp, making them the fastest Buicks of the era and capable of sustained speeds of 95 mph plus, earning the Century the nickname "the banker's hot rod."

The Century was discontinued at the end of the abbreviated 1942 model year, during which total model production only accounted for about ten percent of Buick's total output.

end of quote.

So, if the Century was not capable of sustained speeds in excess of 100 mph, then it must be obvious that no other Buick of that era was capable of that speed.

t walgamuth · #40 04-15-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

From Wiki:
Buick renamed its entire model lineup for the 1936 model year to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Series 80 became the Roadmaster and the Series 90—Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles, became the Limited. The Century took the place of the Series 60.

The basic formula for the 1936 to 1942 Century was established by mating shorter wheelbase Buick Special bodies to Buick's most powerful eight-cylinder engine. While the Special was powered by Buick's 233 in³ was rated 93 hp (69 kW) at 3200 rpm, Centuries produced between 1936 to 1942 were powered by Buick's inline 320.2 in³ at 120 hp, making them the fastest Buicks of the era and capable of sustained speeds of 95 mph plus, earning the Century the nickname "the banker's hot rod."

The Century was discontinued at the end of the abbreviated 1942 model year, during which total model production only accounted for about ten percent of Buick's total output.

end of quote.

So, if the Century was not capable of sustained speeds in excess of 100 mph, then it must be obvious that no other Buick of that era was capable of that speed.

Now that sounds more like it!