The Buick 60 Special is an early American racing car, two of which were built by Buick in 1910. It is one of the first US-built cars with just a single seat for the driver that was centrally located. The car is nicknamed the Buick Bug.
History
General Motors founder William Crapo "Billy" Durant pursued motor racing for its promotional and sales value, and brought the Chevrolet brothers and Bob Burman on as drivers. When the American Automobile Association's Contest Board discovered Buick entering custom-built racing cars in stock production racing classes, they disqualified these so-called "Buick Roadsters" on 27 May 1910. The Buick 60 Special was built in response to that disqualification.
The 60 Special was designed jointly by Chief Engineer Enos Anson (E.A.) de Waters, Louis Chevrolet, and Burman. Some of the tracings needed for parts designed for the car were done by Leo Goossen.
The car was built in the Buick Engineering department for the Buick Racing Team. Construction took just two or three weeks. Only two 60 Specials were built. Just twenty-five days passed between conception and the cars being unloaded at Indianapolis.
The 60 Special was among the first American-built racing cars without a seat for a riding mechanic, and that centered the driver laterally in the chassis.