Buick Roadmaster I (Series 80) gallery (1936–1937)

The first generation of the prestigious pre-war Buick Roadmaster Series 80 featuring an inline-eight engine.

All photos 11 I (Series 80) 0 1936–1937 II (Series 80) 1 1938–1939 III (Series 70) 0 1940–1941 IV (Series 70) 0 1942–1948 V (Series 70) 1 1949–1953 VI (Series 70) 9 1954–1956 VII (Series 70 / 75) 0 1957–1958 VIII (B-body) 0 1991–1996

The Buick Roadmaster nameplate was introduced for the 1936 model year as part of a significant brand-wide restructuring where alphanumeric designations were paired with evocative names. Designated as the Series 80, the first-generation Roadmaster was constructed on the rear-wheel-drive General Motors C-body platform. Body styles encompassed four-door sedans, convertible phaetons, and two-door convertibles featuring Fisher Body all-steel Turret Top construction. Power was provided by the advanced 320 cubic inch (5.2-liter) overhead-valve Fireball Straight-8 engine producing between 120 and 130 horsepower. Power was transferred to the rear axle via a floor-shifted three-speed manual transmission. The vehicle stood out for its innovative independent front suspension, hydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels, and elegant streamlined design. Primarily marketed in North America, this generation established the Roadmaster as Buick's premier luxury and high-speed touring vehicle of the late 1930s.