For fans of the home team favorite from Flint, Michigan, there’s nothing better than the waterfall grille that gave classic Buicks their menacing sneer. How can something be so sinister and so beautiful at the same time? If you’re of that mindset, welcome to the club. If you’d like to join the club of straight-eight Buick owners, this 1947 Super might not be a bad place to start. The seller says that it’s an original-paint car (Sherwood Green, most likely) that is rust-free from stem-to-stern, and given that the current owner is the third, you could have the opportunity to be the fourth owner in 79 years. All-star Barn Finder T.J. grabbed it from eBay and sent it our way; it’s located in Fate, Texas (a good omen?), with an asking price of $6,995 or best offer.
The Super used Buick’s “small-block” straight-eight, the 248-cubic-inch version of their long-lived overhead valve engine. The 248 was still bolted to a three-speed manual in 1947 (the Dynaflow was still a year off, and only then available in the Roadmaster), which means that it also has solid lifters. In this configuration, it produced 110 horsepower and breathed through a Carter two-barrel carburetor. The seller provides a video of the engine starting and running, and aside from some valves that might benefit from an adjustment (although video tends to magnify valve noise), it seems to run on all eight and idle smoothly.
The seller has clearly poured some money into the Buick. The door panels and seats were reupholstered by a professional, and the tires were recently replaced with a new set of wide whitewalls. Additionally, well-known Buick expert Pete Phillips “install[ed] new brakes, torque ball seal, new battery, [and] rear shock links.” The torque ball seal is a common leak point at the rear of the transmission on torque-tube Buicks, and the battery itself is not cheap, as these cars still had a six-volt electrical system. It’s good news that this work has all been done.
The trunk was also reupholstered, and the seller will include the spare tire and jack, in addition to the original air cleaner, which was an oil-bath unit that is quite easy to maintain. Every once in a while, you clean the screen and change the oil in the air cleaner sump with about a quart of 50 weight. Done.
One slightly odd thing that I noticed is that the front and rear bumpers have “Roadmaster” emblems on them; it’s possible that someone swapped the bumpers at some point, as Supers and Roadmasters shared a body.
Regardless, the 1946-48 Buick C-Body was a handsome car with its swooping front fenders whose outline spilled into the doors and, of course, that waterfall grille. Torque-tube Buicks aren’t for everyone, but if you find yourself entranced by the burbling idle of a Buick Eight, by all means join the club!
What’s not to love about this Buick? There was a bunch of work done and the price seems reasonable, there’s even a “best offer” option which usually indicates a motivated seller. And check out those new whitewall tires! I wish I had the storage space, I am sorely tempted.
Like ToddJ says this one seems very reasonably-priced.
Someone on Barnfinds need to grab this and share the experience with us.
This shows that there are still affordable options for new (and experienced) collectors out there. If only I had the garage space to care for it properly.
Sold 0933 hrs today….
Prominent in my wife’s photo albums are the 50’s pics of her Dad’s pride and joy at that time,a 2 door convertible version of this Buick. A real stunner even in black & white. :-) Terry J
This car is like seeing that attractive gal ( or guy, I suppose) from the back, then they turn around, OH MY GOD,,,Holy orthodontist, Batman. I often wondered if the “sad” look was an offshoot of the war casualties, on an otherwise beautifully styled car. Luckily, the Buick was such a fantastic car, it didn’t matter. One thing was clear, a Buick was coming your way. I read this car cost just over $2 grand, about average for a car like this. I’m sure many a GI dreamed of that new Buick Super 8 they heard about once they got home while slogging through the trenches of France( or the story was told), this guy made it back, and why guys like me can tell this story. The straight 8 was not much of a performer, a tad better than the flattie, but this car weighed almost 4,000 lbs., with family, 5,000, ma alone was almost 300, but get this car a rollin’, well, it’s what made a Buick worth singing about.
Others have suggested that the grilles of these cars had a “sad” appearance. I never thought so, however, reserving that impression for the down-turned grilles of Oldsmobiles of that era.
According to “Seventy Years of Buick” by George Dammann, this Super cost $1929 and weighed 3910 pounds. 83,576 were built. This model was the most popular Buick in ’47
This car would be worth it to have just for what it says on the valve cover. Imagine pooping the hood on this beast at a show and seeing that.
I can’t fathom anyone “pooping” on any hood…just kidding :>) My big fingers sometimes add extra letters
the first time i “attempted” to drive was in 1948, I was 4. We had an awesome 47 Super Sedanette, black, big and comfortable. My dad had given me the old key from our 39 Buick and had no idea it would work on the 47. We lived in a logging camp in Oregon, 17 miles of mud, gravel and curves before any true pavement. Got the 47 started but didn’t have the clutch, brake release, gear shift thing down—beginners need a little instruction about those things. Boy, did I get a whipping when my dad heard the engine roar. I waited about 10 years before the next attempt at driving. By the way, my dad let my oldest bro (15 years old) drive the car a few months later, he was more successful. He did have a minor mishap however, landed the Buick on a tree stump.
I seriously doubt they “swapped bumpers” from a Roadmaster. All they had to do was put a set of Roadmaster emblems in the cross bar (they’re only held on with a clip). All 1946-1948 Series 50-70 bumpers are the same. These are 1946 emblems, anyway, with the cloisonne. 1947-1948 emblems were solid pot metal with indented (and painted) lettering.
I’m aware that emblems are interchangeable; I think I was just hoping that someone didn’t do that. It seems super lame to “fake” a Roadmaster that way.
“It seems super lame to “fake” a Roadmaster that way.”
Agreed. It’s the automotive equivalent of a man’s placing lifts in his shoes to appear taller.
Bought a black one in 1959, in Honolulu, at Aloha Motors for $100. Ran great for the three years I was there. Sold it to another student for $100. It had an unusual windscreen visor, adjustable from the inside.