63 Buick Special
In 1962, the Special was the first American car to use a V6 engine. This 198 in³ Fireball was reverse-engineered from the 215 and used many of the same design parameters, but was cast in iron. Output was 135 hp (gross) at 4600 rpm and 205 ft·lbf at 2400 rpm. In their test that year, Road & Track was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum V8 in most respects." In 1963, the Special's body was restyled. Mechanically, however, the car was identical to the 1962 model. There was also some minor interior restyling, particularly to the dash and instrument cluster. The 1963 Special was available as a 2 door pillared hardtop, a four dour sedan, a convertible, and a station wagon. Engine choices were a 198 cubic-inch V-6 with 2-barrel carburetor, a 215 cubic-inch V-8 with two-barrel carburetor, and a 215 cubic-inch V-8 with 4-barrel carburetor. Transmission choices were a 'three on the tree' manual transmission, a floor shift Borg-Warner T-10 4-spd. manual transmission, and a two-speed automatic. The two speed "Dual Path Turbine Drive" automatic was a Buick design and shared no common parts with the better known Chevrolet Power-Glide transmission. The 1963 body was only produced for one year as the entire car was redesigned for 1964.
In 1962, the Special was the first American car to use a V6 engine. This 198 in³ Fireball was reverse-engineered from the 215 and used many of the same design parameters, but was cast in iron. Output was 135 hp (gross) at 4600 rpm and 205 ft·lbf at 2400 rpm. In their test that year, Road & Track was impressed with Buick's "practical" new V6, saying it "sounds and performs exactly like the aluminum V8 in most respects." In 1963, the Special's body was restyled. Mechanically, however, the car was identical to the 1962 model. There was also some minor interior restyling, particularly to the dash and instrument cluster. The 1963 Special was available as a 2 door pillared hardtop, a four dour sedan, a convertible, and a station wagon. Engine choices were a 198 cubic-inch V-6 with 2-barrel carburetor, a 215 cubic-inch V-8 with two-barrel carburetor, and a 215 cubic-inch V-8 with 4-barrel carburetor. Transmission choices were a 'three on the tree' manual transmission, a floor shift Borg-Warner T-10 4-spd. manual transmission, and a two-speed automatic. The two speed "Dual Path Turbine Drive" automatic was a Buick design and shared no common parts with the better known Chevrolet Power-Glide transmission. The 1963 body was only produced for one year as the entire car was redesigned for 1964.