The Buick Y-Job is a convertible built by Buick in 1938 and generally regarded as the first concept car in the industry — a machine meant to show new ideas rather than to be sold. It was designed by Harley Earl, who drove it for years.
Buick Y-Job at a glance
| Type | concept convertible |
|---|---|
| Built | 1938 |
| Designer | Harley Earl |
| Chassis | Buick Super |
| Engine | 320 cu in straight-eight |
| Power | 141 hp at 3,600 rpm |
| Transmission | three-speed manual |
| Steering | Bendix power steering |
| Length | 208 in |
| Notable | first concept car in the industry |
| Later | recreated as the Buick Blackhawk in 2001 |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Y-Job. No free photographs of the car are available on Wikimedia Commons.
History of the Buick Y-Job
The Y-Job was built in 1938 as a rolling showcase. It had power-operated hidden headlamps, a gunsight bonnet ornament, electric windows and a power-operated convertible top, wrap-around bumpers and flush door handles. Its styling pointed to cues Buick used until the 1950s, including the vertical waterfall grille the brand still uses today.
Underneath it was a Buick Super chassis — the word «Super» appears above the rear licence plate. According to the GM Heritage Center, the 1938 car had a 320-cubic-inch straight-eight of 141 hp at 3,600 rpm, a three-speed manual gearbox and a Bendix power steering unit, and measured 208 inches long.
The «Y» in the name has two explanations, both given by Earl. Since experimental cars were all called «X», he simply took the next letter of the alphabet; he also liked the aviation use of «Y» for the most advanced prototypes.
Harley Earl drove the Y-Job himself for several years, until he replaced it with a 1951 model. It was later restored at the Henry Ford Museum and returned to the GM Design Center in 1993.
In 2001 Buick recreated the idea with the Blackhawk, a retro concept that drew heavily on the Y-Job, including a grille based on the 1939 Buicks and the Y-Job itself.
Design and features
- First concept car: a show car with no production intention.
- Hidden headlamps: power-operated, a first for the industry.
- Waterfall grille: the vertical design Buick still uses.
- Electric everything: windows and a power-operated roof in 1938.
Buick Y-Job versions
- Y-Job (1938): the single original car.
- Blackhawk (2000): the later Buick concept that drew on it.
The Y-Job’s ideas returned in the Blackhawk, and its chassis came from the Super. More Buicks are in the Buick collection.
Sources
- Buick Y-Job, English Wikipedia: design, equipment, chassis, name, later history
