The Buick Blackhawk is a retro 2+2 convertible concept built by Buick in 2000 to mark the marque’s centenary in 2003. It borrowed its face from the 1939 Buicks and the Y-Job, and its body from the 1941 Roadmaster coupe.
Buick Blackhawk at a glance
| Type | retro 2+2 convertible concept |
|---|---|
| Built | 2000, for Buick’s centenary in 2003 |
| Grille | based on 1939 Buick and the Buick Y-Job |
| Body | based on the 1941 Buick Roadmaster coupe |
| Engine | 1970 455 cu in (7.5 L) Buick GS Stage III V8 |
| Power | 463 hp (345 kW) at 4,600 rpm |
| Torque | 510 lb·ft (690 N·m) at 4,200 rpm |
| 0–60 mph | under five seconds |
| Transmission | electronically controlled four-speed automatic |
| Roof | retractable hardtop, handmade mechanism |
| Wheels | 18-inch five-spoke alloys |
| Sold | 17 January 2009, $522,500 at Barrett-Jackson |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Blackhawk. No free photographs of the car are available on Wikimedia Commons.
History of the Buick Blackhawk
The Blackhawk was created as a birthday present to itself: Buick’s centenary fell in 2003, and the concept was finished in 2000 to preview the celebration. Its design deliberately mixed decades. The grille echoes the 1939 Buick range and the Buick Y-Job show car, while the main body is based on the 1941 Roadmaster coupe.
The details are pure hot rod. There is a retractable hardtop with a handmade mechanism, shaved door handles and hidden headlights. The car is built entirely by hand in steel, using some original 1940s Buick sheetmetal, along with a carbon-fibre top and frame. The chassis has fully independent suspension, and there is keyless entry and a dual exhaust with three-inch pipes.
Under the bonnet sits a 1970 455-cubic-inch Buick GS Stage III V8 of 463 hp (345 kW) and 510 lb·ft (690 N·m), driving through an electronically controlled four-speed automatic. That is enough for 0–60 mph in under five seconds, from a car wearing pre-war styling.
The interior was taken from the 1996 Buick Riviera, and the car rolls on 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with Z-rated tyres. The Blackhawk became familiar to a wider public through the film Bad Boys II, in which Will Smith drives it after the mortuary scene.
On 17 January 2009 the concept was sold at Barrett-Jackson for $522,500 including buyer’s premium, passing from GM’s own collection into private hands.
Design and features
- Mixed-period styling: a 1939-style grille on a 1941 Roadmaster body.
- Retractable hardtop: a handmade folding roof, unusual for a retro show car.
- Stage III V8: a 1970 455 engine rated at 463 hp.
- Hand-built steel body: original 1940s sheetmetal plus a carbon-fibre top.
Buick Blackhawk versions
- Blackhawk (2000): the single concept car, now in private ownership.
The Blackhawk quotes the Y-Job in its grille and the Roadmaster in its body. Another centenary show car is the Centieme, and more Buicks are in the Buick collection.
Sources
- Buick Blackhawk, English Wikipedia: design sources, engine, construction, auction
