1938 Buick Y Job
The Y-Job was GM’s first concept car and an icon in the automotive industry. 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.
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.
• A stunning tribute of the first GM Dream Car by Harley Earl
• Hand formed, all steel body
• Constructed over a four-year period
• Modern GM LS V-8 engine, Corvette suspension and brakes
The Y-Job was characterised by its low height of 1473mm, significantly lower than any production cars at the time, and its imposing length of 5301mm. Its proportions were further emphasised by small 13-inch wheels and the horizontal chrome elements on the front and rear fenders.
The absence of running boards, the inclined double windshield, the fenders merging with the body and the button-operated doors (no conventional door handles) improved aerodynamic efficiency and gave the car a sleek look.
The concept car also introduced the ‘bombsight’ hood ornament, serving as a styling nod to the fighter aircraft of its time.
Moving to the back, the long rear deck was covered by a metal panel, fully enclosing the retractable roof and its mechanism for a cleaner look. The handle for the rear lid was flush with the bodywork and popped out when in use.
Other cool elements were the tail-lights incorporated into the edges of the rear fenders, the additional lights between the fenders and the boat-like tail, the covered rear wheels and the large chrome wraparound rear bumper.
The Y-Job is a very important piece of automotive history, not only because of its futuristic looks, streamlined body and low stance that influenced car design for more than a decade, but also for changing the way automakers communicate their ideas to the public.
The first-ever concept car was a very beautiful piece of design, questioning the conventional proportions and styling details of its time. It brought a new interest in automobiles after the dark era of the Great Depression and showed that styling mattered, when done right.
