Buick Roadmaster

Buick Roadmaster

Manufacturer	General Motors
Also called	Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
Production	1936-1958 1991–1996
Class	Full-size

The Roadmaster was an automobile built by the Buick division of General Motors. Buick first used the Roadmaster name between 1936 and 1958. In 1991, Buick again applied the Roadmaster name to its full-size rear-wheel drive sedan and station wagon models as a replacement for the Buick Estate.

1 1936-1958
2 1991-1996
- 2.1 Year-to-year changes
3 Pop Culture References
4 External links

1936-1958

First generation

Production	1936–1958
Predecessor	Buick Series 80
Successor	Buick Electra
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 2-door coupe 2-door convertible 5-door station wagon
Engine(s)	Buick straight-eight 322 in³ Nailhead V8 364 in³ Nailhead V8

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

Roadmasters produced between 1936 and 1958 were built on Buick's longest wheelbase and shared its basic structure with senior Oldsmobiles. Between 1946 and 1957, the Roadmaster was Buick's premium and best appointed model, and was offered in sedan, coupe, convertible and station wagon bodystyles between 1936 and 1948. In 1949 a hardtop coupe, designated "Riviera" joined the model line up; a four-door hardtop joined the model range in 1955.

1950 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon Model 79

The 1953 Buick Roadmaster station wagon, Model 79-R, was the last wood-bodied station wagon mass-produced in the United States. Its body was a product of Iona Manufacturing which built all Buick station wagon bodies between 1946 and 1964. Priced at US$4,031, the wagon was second in price to the Buick Skylark. Only 670 of these final woody wagons were produced for 1953.

In 1959, Buick again introduced a model range that represented a significant shift in its body design, and the Roadmaster was renamed the Electra.

1991-1996

Second generation

Production	1991–1996
Assembly	Arlington, Texas
Body style(s)	4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Layout	FR layout
Platform	GM B platform
Engine(s)	5.0 L L03 V8 5.7 L L05 V8 5.7 L LT1 V8
Transmission(s)	4-speed automatic
Wheelbase	115.9 in (2944 mm)
Length	215.8 in (5481 mm) (sedan) 217.5 in (5525 mm) (1994-96 station wagon) 217.7 in (5530 mm) (1991-93 station wagon)
Width	78.1 in (1984 mm) (sedan) 79.9 in (2029 mm) (station wagon)
Height	55.9 in (1420 mm) (sedan) 60.3 in (1532 mm) (station wagon)
Fuel capacity	23 US gallons (87.1 L/19.2 imp gal)
Related	Buick Park Avenue Buick Estate Chevrolet Caprice Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser

Buick Roadmaster Limited Estate Wagon

Buick revived the Roadmaster name for a B-body station wagon in 1991, replacing the Estate station wagon in the lineup. The wagon was called the Roadmaster Estate Wagon. A sedan joined it for 1992. The Roadmaster was very similar to the Chevrolet Caprice, and Oldsmobile sold a nearly-identical Custom Cruiser wagon for 1991 and 1992.

Standard on all Roadmaster Estate Wagons were woodgrain sides and a "Vista Roof", a fixed sunroof over the second row seats. The Estate Wagon could seat up to eight with an optional third row seat. All these wagons initially used Chevrolet's 5.0 L small-block V8, but both Buicks used the larger 5.7 L version from 1992.

GM discontinued both the Roadmaster sedan and the Roadmaster Estate Wagon in 1996. This was blamed on the smaller but more expensive and luxurious Park Avenue growing in size; the Roadmaster trim levels never exceeded that of the smaller but still full-sized Buick LeSabre. Another reason was largely a response to the SUV craze, as the Arlington, Texas factory where RWD GM cars were built was converted to truck and SUV production. When discontinued, the Roadmaster Estate and the similar Chevrolet Caprice wagon brought up the end of the era of the full-size family station wagon, and an end to General Motors' production of rear-wheel drive, full-size cars.

Year-to-year changes

1992: A 4-door sedan joined the Roadmaster wagon as an early 1992 model, carrying the 5.7 L TBI (Throttle-Body Injection) V8 engine that developed 180 hp. That engine also went into the Estate Wagon, replacing the 5.0 L.
1993: Window lockout feature and the addition of a new spoke wheel cover mid-year.

1994: A redesigned dashboard included a new instrument cluster, with climate controls mounted higher and a knee bolster below. Dual airbags were also installed. The 5.7L TBI is replaced with a detuned 5.7L LT1 engine from the Chevrolet Corvette. This LT1 had cast iron cylinder heads and produced 260 hp (194 kW) (40 less horsepower than the Corvette). A new electonically controlled 4L60-E 4-speed automatic transmission replaces the 4L60.
1995: Only a handful of minor changes were made to 1995 models, including long-life automatic-transmission fluid. Larger, foldaway style mirrors were installed as well, and radios received bigger controls. Sedans wore new bodyside moldings, while Estate wagons added a shade for the "Vista Roof" as well as a cargo cover. Heated seats also became an option.
1996: Final year. Engine coolant could last 5 years or 100,000 miles (160,934 km), and automatic climate control became standard. The General also updated the onboard diagnostic system (OBD I to OBD II). The Roadmaster Estate Wagon and the Chevrolet Caprice wagon would be the last American full-size station wagons until the introduction of the Dodge Magnum in 2005.

Pop Culture References

Janet Evanovich's fictional bounty hunter Stephanie Plum occasionally drives a powder blue '53 Roadmaster, nicknamed "Old Blue," when she has no other options, such as her car's frequently being destroyed. The car belongs to her Grandma Mazur, who received it from Stephanie's Uncle Sandor.
This car is featured in Stephen King's book From a Buick 8.
Humboldt von Fleischer drove a Roadmaster in Saul Bellow's novel Humboldt's Gift.
A 1949 Roadmaster plays a vital role in the movie Rain Man as the only link between Charlie and Raymond Babbitt.
Jack Nicholson and Leonardo DiCaprio's characters were driven around in a 1994 Buick Roadmaster in the movie The Departed although the car is rarely seen from the outside.
This is the car Neil Young drove from his home in Canada the entire distance to L.A where he started his solo career. He also wrote a song dedicated to it, "Long May You Run".
This car is also featured in the movie "City Hall" in which a city official committed suicide inside his Buick Roadmaster.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Buick Roadmaster

v • d • e Buick road car timeline, 1940s–1980s — next »
Type	1940s				1950s										1960s										1970s										1980s
Type	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Subcompact																														Skyhawk
Compact																																					Skyhawk
																												Apollo												Somerset
																														Skylark					Skylark						Skylark
Mid-size																Special			Special				Special					Century					Century				Century
Mid-size																Skylark			Skylark				Skylark					Regal					Regal										Regal
Full-size	Special			Special					Special					LeSabre						LeSabre						LeSabre						LeSabre									LeSabre
									Century					Invicta
	Super			Super					Super									Wildcat								Centurion														Electra
	Roadmaster			Roadmaster					Roadmaster					Electra						Electra						Electra						Electra								Estate Wagon
Personal luxury								Skylark					Limited					Riviera			Riviera					Riviera						Riviera		Riviera							Riviera

v • d • e « previous — Buick, a division of General Motors, automobile timeline, United States market, 1980s–present
Type	1980s										1990s										2000s
Type	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Subcompact	Skyhawk
Compact			Skyhawk
						Somerset
	Skylark						Skylark						Skylark
Mid-size	Century		Century															Century
Mid-size	Regal								Regal										Regal							LaCrosse
Full-size	Riviera						Riviera									Riviera
	LeSabre						LeSabre						LeSabre								LeSabre						Lucerne
	Electra					Electra						Park Avenue						Park Avenue
	Estate											Roadmaster
Crossover																							Rendezvous						Enclave
SUV																									Rainier
Minivan																										Terraza
Sports									Reatta

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