Buying a brand-new 1941 Buick before production stopped for WWII


I've always been fascinated by cars, but I have to admit that anything before the 1960s has always been kind of a blur to me. Over the past few years, with a little help from my friends, I'm getting better at recognizing at least eras, if not actual model years for the years before I was born. This image from the Duke University website ROAD (Resource of Outdoor Advertising Descriptions) just caught my eye. Let's time-travel.

It's 11:39 am, on May 12th, 1941 and we're in Trenton, New Jersey, considering buying a new Buick from Brock. At this point we would have had no idea that we wouldn't be able to buy a new car until World War II ended. Production of American automobiles ended in 1942, to switch over to support the needs of the war effort, and there wouldn't be a new American car until after the war ended, which no one knew would be.


My thought is this: I've been working hard, saving my money, and I always wanted to buy a new car. I've heard rumors that you won't be able to buy a new car next year, or for a very long time. The price is $915 FOB Flint, Michigan so I suppose Brock will add a bit to the price. I wonder if they're let me buy it on tick? I have good credit!

What do you think I should do? That's such a beautiful car, and my old jalopy is just falling apart. Yeah, I'll go get it. I wish I knew what the future will bring, if we'll be going to war or not. I guess we just have to wait and see.

Image from the Duke University Library Digital Collections
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