Buick Y-Job Restoration: Reviving The Dream
FOR RELEASE: March 20, 2002Buick Y-Job Restoration: Reviving The Dream
DETROIT - When the Beatles posed the musical question, "Will you still love me when I'm 64?" they expressed the angst of a generation of Baby Boomers. But in the case of the 64-year-old Buick Y-Job concept car, the answer from the staff of the General Motors Design Center was an emphatic "Yes!"
BUICK Y-JOB WAS DRIVEN DAILY BY GM DESIGN
CHIEF Although the Y-Job was GM's first concept car and an icon in the automotive industry, it did not lead a pampered life. Constructed in 1938 under the direction of Harley J. Earl, GM's first design chief, the Y-Job made the rounds of the auto show circuit. But the Y-Job was not a turntable queen; Earl regularly drove the low-slung two-seater on the streets of Detroit where its appearance must have seemed as alien as a flying saucer.
MILESTONE VEHICLE STORED IN GM MUSEUM
But dream cars, like yesterday's newspapers, have a short shelf life. The Y-Job's innovative styling and advanced features soon paled alongside even more futuristic products from GM's supercharged design staff. The Y-Job was eventually consigned to a warehouse, and later transferred to the Sloan Museum in Flint, Mich. There the Y-Job languished in dusty anonymity - until a burgeoning interest in Detroit's fanciful dream cars rescued the Y-Job and its descendants from obscurity.
As historians and enthusiasts began to appreciate the significance of these landmark vehicles, the Y-Job was returned to its former glory as the centerpiece of a concept car revival at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. In 1993, the Y-Job came home to the GM Design Center in Warren, Mich., where it now resides as an honored member of GM's heritage collection.
64-YEAR-OLD Y-JOB WILL PERFORM AT GOODWOOD
The Y-Job will complete its odyssey when it appears at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Sixty-four years after its creation, the industry's first concept car will drive again.
The Y-Job was prepared for its day in the sun by the GM Design Center's mechanical assembly staff under the direction of engineering supervisor Dale Jacobson. The shop is the last stop for GM concept cars before their appearances in media previews and auto shows. Refurbishing the Buick Y-Job for its transatlantic journey became a labor of love.
GM DESIGN STAFF RESTORED Y-JOB TO FORMER GLORY
"The staff has really taken an interest in the Y-Job because of its historical significance," said Jacobson. "The car is in remarkable condition with its original paint and bodywork. The goal was not to make it a perfect restoration, but to preserve its character. The car still shows the wear and tear from when Harley Earl drove it daily."
Although mechanically sound, the Y-Job required the vigorous application of tender loving care to make it a runner again. The radiator was refurbished and its hoses replaced; new springs and shock absorbers were fitted and the transmission and axle seals inspected. New fuel lines and a rebuilt carburetor were installed to ensure an adequate supply of gasoline for the 320-cubic-inch inline eight-cylinder engine. The brake system was flushed and refilled with new fluid.
INNOVATIVE FEATURES RESTORED TO WORKING CONDITION
Several of the Y-Job's innovative features were more problematic. The power-operated convertible top had been damaged, so the Design Center staff had to rework the mechanism to restore it to working condition. The hydraulic system that operates the power-assisted windows required a complete overhaul.
With is appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Buick Y-Job will have come full circle. From auto shows and country clubs in America to the annual celebration of speed at Goodwood, the Buick Y-Job makes a statement about the power of design that has endured for 64 years - and the passion of the people at General Motors for exceptional automobiles. </p
