Buick Y-Job

The Buick Y-Job, produced by Buick in 1938, was the auto industry's first concept car (a model intended to show new technology or designs but not be mass-produced for sale to consumers).[3] Designed by Harley J. Earl, the car had power-operated hidden headlamps, a "gunsight" hood ornament, electric windows,[4] wraparound bumpers, flush door handles, and prefigured styling cues used by Buick until the 1950s and the vertical waterfall grille design still used by Buick today. It used a Buick Super chassis, indicated by the word "Super" located above the rear license plate.

Buick Y-Job
Harley Earl in the Buick Y-Job, 1939
Overview
ManufacturerBuick (General Motors)
Model years1940
DesignerHarley J. Earl
Body and chassis
ClassConcept car
Body style2-door convertible coupe
Powertrain
Engine5.2-liter (320 ci) Buick straight-8
Dimensions
Wheelbase126 in (3,200 mm) [1]
Length208.7 in (5,301 mm) [2]

The car was driven for a number of years by Harley Earl, until he replaced it with a 1951 model car. Sometime after that, the car was restored at the Henry Ford Museum, until 1993 when it was returned to the GM Design Center.[5]

The "Y" in the name has two explanations:

  • All experimental cars were called "X", so Earl simply went to the next letter in the alphabet.[6]
  • The "Y" designation was selected by Earl because it was used extensively in the aviation industry denoting the most advanced prototypes.[4]

In 2001, Buick recreated the Y-job with modern advancements called the Buick Blackhawk drawing extensively from the Y-job.

Buick Y-Job, the first concept car
  • Front view
  • Rear view
  • Interior
  • License plate

References
  1. "1938 Buick Y-Job Concept Images, Information and History (YJob, Dream Car, First Concept Car)". Conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  2. "Buick Y-Job Concept". Supercars.net. 2004-03-01. Archived from the original on 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  3. "Inside Line: News, Road Tests, Auto Shows, Car Photos and Videos". Edmunds.com. 2009-01-22. Archived from the original on 2009-07-18. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
  4. Concept Cars by Larry Edsall pp19 Edizione White Star ISBN 978-88-8095-956-4
  5. "1938 Buick Y-Job Concept Images, Information and History (YJob, Dream Car, First Concept Car)". Conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
  6. "1938 Buick Y-Job and Harley Earl-GM PhotoStore". Gmphotostore.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2011-03-21.
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