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1937 Buick Hot Rod Comes Out of Storage, Goes Spring Cruising

Summer is nearly upon us, but for some cars that spend a lot of time in storage, it's barely spring. This 1937 Buick hot rod has spent a few good months in the garage waiting for winter to go away so it can once again flex its V8 engine on public roads. If you're into cold starts and pure vintage muscle exhaust notes, you've come to the right place.
1937 Buick Special street rod 1 photo
Photo: Quick Speed Shop/YouTube
When it comes to classic hot rods, nothing compares to late 1920s and early 1930s Ford coupes. But I've grown fond of late 1930s coupes in recent years, mainly falling in love with their bubbly roofs and hunched rear decklids. They look rather classy in stock form, but remove the bumpers, drop the suspension, and go with a flashy color, and you're all set for hot-rodding heaven.

Based on a second-generation Special Coupe, this Buick checks all the right boxes. It was introduced in 1936 as the brand's entry-level full-size car and soldiered on with multiple and notable redesigns until 1949. This particular example is an early version of the Special Coupe and one of the last to feature headlamps attached to the sides of the nose.

The Special Coupes were fitted with a then-new overhead valve (OHV) inline-eight engine, but this hot rod hides a different mill under the hood. As you might have already guessed, the owner made the switch to a V8, in this case, a 400-cubic-inch (6.6-liter) small-block with an Edelbrock carburetor.

It mates to a Turbo 350 automatic, which General Motors used from the late 1960s to the 1980s. Long discontinued, the TH350 is still very popular with drag racers and hot rodders, so I'm not at all surprised to find it here.

Upgrades to this Buick go beyond the body and the engine. It rides on a Pontiac Firebird front subframe and a posi rear end from a Chevrolet Camaro. The project was finished back in 2001, so we're talking older gear, but it's still a big improvement over the original Special Coupe frame.

It takes a while for the owner to get the V8 going, but this thing purrs like a kitten once it gets warm. The engine also has a nice growl to it under full throttle, and the owner showcases that by revving it up before he takes the car for a cruise. Getting hot rods out of winter storage is definitely a great way to spend your spring months.

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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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