The Buick Super Eight was built from 1940 through 1958, with the second generation running from 1942 to 1948. The Super Eight combined the full-sized Roadmaster wheelbase with the smaller Straight 8 engine from the Buick Special. The Super Eight was known for its luxury more than its outright performance, and remained a favorite in the Buick line.
One way to correct that less-than-stellar performance is to take the powerplant from one of Buick’s muscle car heroes, the 455 cubic-inch V8 from a 1970 Buick GS Stage 1, and transplant it into a stylish 1948 Buick Super Eight. Add modern power seats, a custom turquoise and green paint scheme, and other luxury touches like air conditioning, power brakes, power steering, and tilt wheel, and you not only have a comfortable, stylish cruiser with more than adequate power, but also an early example of what would come to be known as a restomod.
The exterior of our feature Buick Super Eight is finished in an attractive turquoise with green metallic that covers the roof and runs down onto the top of the hood. Chrome appears to have been well-preserved, and the considerable stainless trim retains good shine. Each of the front fenders still sport the “Super” script, which was new for 1948. The steel wheels are topped with chrome hub caps and shod in wide white radial tires.
Under the hood, the original Buick Straight 8 has been replaced by a considerably more potent 1970 Buick 455 cubic-inch V8 from a Stage I GS, booting power from 110 horses to 350. The 455 moves power rearward through a three-speed Turbo Hydramatic automatic transmission. The engine bay is relatively clean, but is characterized by the exposed hoses and wires that were the hallmark of 1970s GM V8s. A 1970s vintage Frigidaire air conditioning compressor (the ones that would freeze you out of the car!) is fitted.
Inside the Buick Super Eight has been fitted with more modern power front seats, with power controls mounted on the floor between the seats and doors. The turquoise and green theme has been carried into the interior, as the seats and headliner are done in colors matching the exterior. A tilt steering column, painted to match the interior, has been mounted, and wears a modern leather-wrapped three-spoke billet steering wheel. Additional auxiliary gauges reside in the dash, and an aftermarket tach is strapped to the steering column. The original radio still resides in the dash, with an aftermarket AM/FM/cassette and climate controls mounted to the underside of the dash. The large factory clock dominates the passenger side of the dash.
This 1948 Buick Super Eight is being offered by MAXmotive for $33,900.
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Comments
The information that I have indicates the the 1948 Super and 1948 Roadmaster did not share the same wheelbase. The Super was 124 inches while the Roadmaster was 129 inches. ”SEVERTY YEARS OF BUICK” BY George H Dammann, Crestline Publishing, copyright 1973 is my source. Thank you.
Beautiful.
Looking at it I realized just how high up this sits and how high the roofline really is. Not a very long trunk line. Kind of makes me think it looks a little SUV-like back in those days.
“Luxury touches” AKA todays standard equipment.
I was almost born in a 48 Buick 63 years ago
The Buick would look better and probably command a higher price if it had different color paint. What an ugly combination for this car. Buick was always marketed as one step below a Cadillac in the day. This car looks like one step below a Nash!!
Buick was known as the ‘Drs Car’. The rear passengers area was huge in these things.
Too bad they didn’t leave the car a bit more original.
I had an AC class where they had cut open and had a side view of that AC compressor. It had what they called a swash plate kinda like a / that pistons attached to and as the compressor turned the plate / would move back and forth inside the housing to act as a compressor. I was really cool. Wish i could be more descriptive. JMB
Where is this car and is it still available?
Love Cadillacs and Buicks from this period.
Yes, they were cool. My farther had 48 model and 1952 Roadmaster. They were the masters of South African gravel roads. In South African black community, Buick was well respected and more popular brand than Caddy. There were also wedding songs about Buick. I am planning to write a book about our 52 Buick, that used to be the meeting point for us after school and that’s where we learned a lot of things, that I will reveal in my book later. I will forever love Buicks, as long as they are full size originals not the newer small front drive flops.
It’s a great looking Buick, but why did you get rid of the Fireball straight eight engine. It would have been better as a original automobile.
Ugly color scheme. Put original straight 8 back in.