"GLEASON:" "Hi, friends." "Art, Audrey, Joyce and I are real happy to be part of this year's Buick team." "We know it's a winning team." "And you're a grand, grand bunch." "Altogether we've got what it takes to outweigh every competitor and make this the biggest year in Buick's history." "Now, I'm no car expert, but I do know TV." "And I've noticed that many of the things that make TV shows a hit are the same things that make the '56 Buick the best Buick yet." "Take planning and design." "Anyone in the business knows they are the backbone of every successful TV show." "It's the same with automobiles." "And this year, more than ever before," "Buick has planned and designed to give people more of what they want." "Things like more comfort, greater convenience, and outstanding beauty." "The result of this extensive planning and design is the '56 Buick, America's most wanted car." "Though Buick's new beauty needs no fanfare," "I'm going to have a man with all the answers point out some of the technical details that make the '56 Buick the best Buick yet." "Some traveling music, please." "NARRATOR:" "Thanks, Jackie." "Let's start with the front end." "I know you'll agree that the completely new V-profile front not only adds to Buick's distinctive new sweep-ahead styling, but is like nothing ever seen on a highway." "Notice the V-front grill." "It has brightly polished horizontal bars which give the '56 Buick a wider, lower look." "See how the wings on the brand-new emblem sweep almost the full width of the grill, adding to Buick's wide appearance." "Both the series and year are etched deeply into this satin-finished emblem." "And just above is the new modern hood ornament." "A swept-wing jet bomber." "It symbolizes Buick's combination of power, sleek lines, and ultra-modern design." "The completely new lower hood and higher front fenders give greater see-ability, greater forward vision, plus a rakish sports-car appearance." "The bright chrome headlamps are cut back for good side illumination, and incorporate a visor to minimize upward reflections." "New lower parking lamps are now independently mounted into the fenders." "And from the side, there's the long, low look that characterizes Buick's dash and dare." "Rakish, sweep-spear molding and high full-fender cut-outs, both front and rear, are now standard on all models." "The Ventiports, a distinctive Buick hallmark, are entirely different." "Their streamlined shape and styling add to the new sweep-ahead thrust that characterizes every '56 Buick." "At the rear, unified Buick design is found in the sweep-ahead thrust of taillight assembly and the curve of the massive sturdy bumper." "Here is safety integrated with beauty as only Buick's stylists can do it." "And notice how exhaust pipes blend smoothly into bumpers on all Roadmasters and on other series when equipped with dual exhausts." "The grill emblem is repeated on the trunk lid of the Special, Century, and Super series, giving harmony and balance to front-to-rear styling." "In every detail, Buick '56 styling is for those who enjoy zestful living." "Yes, going or coming, Buick catches and holds every eye." "GLEASON:" "Besides eye appeal, variety is another thing that makes a television show rate high." "The '56 Buick is bound to rate tops because it, too, offers variety to suit every taste." "NARRATOR:" "Variety is right, Jackie." "There are over 200 various color combinations." "Prospects are sure to discover the color that's just for them." "They'll also find their favourite body style among one of the widest selections offered in the industry," "18 models in four series." "This wide combination of colors and body styles enables them to select the Buick which is practically custom-built to their needs and desires." "This two-door sedan in Seminole Red and Dover White represents the value-packed Special series." "Here's big-car luxury in any of six models at a price everyone can afford." "Now here's the new estate wagon in the Special series, which offers Buick utility and comfort at a low price." "Next there's the distinctive Century series for those who want go-ahead power with get-ahead looks." "You can choose this handsome four-door Riviera, shown here in Bedford Blue and Dover White, or any of three other spirited models." "This flashing Seminole Red convertible is one of the Super series, offering power and roominess tailored to meet the most exciting dreams." "For the ultimate in luxury, Buick makes the Roadmaster series available." "This two-door Riviera is finished in Cambridge Blue and Bedford Blue." "And now another style leader, the new four-door Roadmaster Riviera." "You know how popular the four-door Riviera has been in Special and Century series." "Well, in 1956," "Roadmaster and Super series will also have four-door, hard-top models, making both two- and four-door Rivieras available in all series." "Furthermore, notice how different Roadmasters are." "From the front, a bombsight on each fender and the slim headlamp door chrome identify it instantly as a Roadmaster, the ultimate in fine car fashion." "From the side, it's distinguished by the higher arch of the flat sweep spear." "Plus its name proudly emblazoned in chrome script on the front door." "From the rear, notice that Roadmaster is spelled out in block letters and there are two chrome handles with chrome moldings." "From any angle, everyone can plainly see that this is truly a prestige car." "The step beyond success." "Eye-appealing beauty with variety helps make a winner on TV or in an automobile." "Another reason for TV's broad appeal lies in the fact that it's enjoyed in the comfort of the home." "Buick, too, offers armchair comfort along with outstanding convenience." "Every model offers room to relax, plenty of hip, shoulder, and leg room." "Buick's roomy interiors shorten long trips and make every trip a delightful experience." "Every new Buick owner will take real pride in the interior appointments" "GLEASON:" "Hold it." "Let's get the ladies' viewpoint on this from Audrey Meadows, sometimes known as Mrs. Ralph Kramden." "MEADOWS:" "Gee, Jackie, any woman who had as much as a peak at them would be happy to talk about Buick's interior appointments." "They offer luxury that you'd expect only in the finest living rooms." "The kind of Ralph and I as Honeymooners never seem to get." "Choosing from among Buick's 52 interior combinations is real fun." "Each fabric is so beautiful with its brilliant and individual texture, which gives it real richness and character." "For instance, Buick Roadmaster owners can get this sparkling star pattern in four rich colors." "Four other distinctive trims are available, in addition to four genuine leather-trim combinations for convertibles." "Boy, would Ralph love those." "The other series, including the Special, have three standard and four custom trims available this year." "Each one gives real fashion color harmony inside and out." "You know, choosing color and upholstery combinations for your Buick is as much fun as furnishing your home." "This matching quarter beam rubber-backed instrument panel cover is standard on the Roadmaster and optional on the other series." "Even I can see that here is distinction and safety rolled into one." "Well, here's my good neighbor, Trixie Norton, also known as Joyce Randolph." "And is she sold on the new Buicks." "RANDOLPH:" "You're not the only one to be impressed, Audrey." "And new is right." "Look at this all-new instrument panel." "Isn't it beautiful?" "It has grace and symmetry, yet is very functional in its design." "Being a woman, I really appreciate having controls which you can reach and still stay behind the steering wheel." "In fact, Buick's convenience is one big reason" "I think the '56 Buick is the best Buick yet." "For example, notice the Red Liner speedometer Buick uses on every model." "It's the easiest thing in the world to read." "MEADOWS:" "And another thing, Joyce." "All the instruments operate like the Red Liner speedometer." "A quick glance is all it takes to read them." "And now there's also real living-room comfort, even in the backseat, through another Buick first, perimeter heating." "Of course, heating is more of a man's responsibility, so I'm going to let the narrator tell you how it works." "NARRATOR:" "Well, perimeter heating is a radical new concept in automotive heating." "Notice the openings blended into each corner of the instrument panel by the doors." "These are the new heater outlets." "They direct the flow of air around both sides." "In this way, they destroy annoying drafts and distribute warm air evenly throughout the entire passenger compartment." "Truly a revolutionary advance in car heating to provide winter comfort you never dreamed possible in a car." "And in the summer, used as a ventilating system, it keeps you fresh, even in muggy summer rains." "Instead of recirculating moisture-laden air, as in other systems, it uses 100 percent outside air." "There's a strong cooling breeze too, because the blower has twice the capacity of last year's blower." "And for the ultimate in comfort, there's a completely new four-season air-conditioning unit integrated with the heating system." "Both heater and air conditioner are easy to operate too." "A single knob controls the four-way adjustable outlets to direct warm or cool air where it's most wanted." "And a single panel controls the blower and temperature." "You need never take your eyes off the road, because any adjustment can be made by touch alone." "Here's still another way Buick gives you living-room comfort." "One three-way switch moves the new power seat six ways, forward and back, up and down, while permitting it to tilt back and forth." "You can customize the seat position to assure maximum comfort." "By the way, speaking of living-room comfort, in Buick, you ride on coil springs." "And this year Buick's million-dollar ride is worth more than ever." "Because deep oil cushioning shock absorbers at the rear wheels displace about three times more oil than before." "GLEASON:" "There are still more reasons why the '56 Buick is the best Buick yet." "We've already seen many of Buick's new features that add up to greater beauty, greater luxury, and greater comfort than you've ever seen or known." "In short, they mean the best Buick yet." "But more about Buick features after we turn the record." "NARRATOR:" "And now there's power that makes headline news with 220 horsepower in the Special series and 255 horsepower in all other series." "Up to 32 more horsepower than last year." "And there's power with economy through compression ratios of 8.9 and 9.5 to 1." "Here are a new highs in compression ratios that get the most in economical power from every gallon of gasoline." "There's power with performance from a brand-new variable pitch Dynaflow with double action take off." "Now you can switch the pitch in all speed ranges." "Think what this means in crossing dangerous intersections." "Or in reduced passing time on the open highway." "Believe me, you'll really go when you drive a Buick." "Yet you'll have improved economy in all types of driving." "And here's more good news." "Dynaflow is now standard equipment on the Super and Century series, as well as the Roadmasters." "And now let's look at more of Buick's great engineering advances for 1956." " First-- CARNEY:" "Just a minute, kid." "That's my department." "You know, in my job, I have to come up for a little fresh air now and then." "When I stick my head out of a manhole," "I got a different viewpoint for most folks." "Sort of a worm's-eye view, you might say." "Heh." "I don't get a good look at many new Buicks, because, boy, they blow by pretty fast." "But I've seen enough to come up with, uh, what appears to me to be a pretty professional report." "Now, untechnically, here's how I see it." "Sure, they got power." "Everyone knows that." "But what counts is how much of it you get fight down on tetra firma, the road." "Boy, that's where Buick engineers have it over the others." "And remember, no one gets a closer look than me." "I read how the new Dynaflow gives almost 40 percent more low-end torque than a 1955." "That's a highfalutin name, but it means, according to this report, that Buick's got real terrific pickup." "And that I know." "They did it by adding a second stator to give better acceleration, even without switching the pitch." "And here's another reason Buick zooms by." "GLEASON:" "Sorry, Art" " I, uh, mean, Ed." "Hadn't you better get back on the job?" "CARNEY:" "You're right." "Absolutely right." "But I'll be back." "Can't keep a good man down, you know." "Heh." "GLEASON:" "I hated to do that, but I think Norton was wandering a little too far from his sewers." "I'll let the narrator take over again." "NARRATOR:" "Okay, Jackie." "Here's more big news." "Buick's new exhaust manifold." "It's called a double-Y manifold, and is specially designed for a V8 engine." "This feature makes Buick's dual exhaust system a true dual, not just a makeshift affair." "There's also a new intake manifold with a new throttle body heating system." "It does a better job of vaporizing fuel so that the engine performs better right from the start, even on damp, cold winter days." "Another thing Ed Norton learned is that he has to be careful leaving his job via a manhole, because Buicks are so quiet, he can't hear them coming." "Buick has a completely new concept in muffler connections, ball-joint connectors that eliminate vibration noises." "Furthermore, there are no gaskets, yet they are leak-proof for protection from dangerous fumes." "There's greater quietness throughout the new Buick." "For instance, the new power steering uses a flexible coupling that insulates against road and engine noise." "And the new Dynaflow is quieter than ever." "It has needle bearings in place of bushings, plus other improvements which remove and muffle the smallest objectionable sound." "Here's a big innovation, a completely new rear axle that's the quietest ever for the best Buick yet." "It's quieter because it has new gears in a new gearbox in a new housing that's up to twice as strong." "In short, it's a completely new rear axle with sturdy rugged construction to handle today's performance requirements." "Ed Norton has often mentioned how Buicks really hug the pavement." "Rough roads or smooth, Buick takes them all with ease." "One reason it's even better in 1956 is because the entire rear-end design has been changed to give it better tracking and greater side-to-side stability." "Speaking of road-ability, believe it or not, the new rear axle even helps the car ride smoother." "A rubber torque ball eliminates sliding friction and lets the axle ride free of the body, instead of transmitting drive stresses to it." "Buick also has a new steering geometry." "There's a seven-degree increase in kingpin angle which provides a better feel of the road and lets you really hang on to the corners." "In addition, the completely new safety power steering has a unique reaction valve that feeds back into the system, making turning effort proportional to the degree of a turn." "But where you and I will really appreciate this power unit is behind the wheel of a Buick, where the new system combined with new front-end geometry gives a solid feel of the road and instant response for matchless driving ease." "And when it comes to stopping, the '56 has an improvement that really gets to the heart of the matter." "Notice the central groove in the brake lining." "It eases the high-pressure zone over the center of the shoes." "This spreads braking force more evenly over the whole lining area to give positive even braking." "Speaking of stopping, with tubeless tires as standard equipment, you don't see many Buick owners using a jack." "Should one be needed, here's a revolutionary new design." "It locates easily and can be foot-operated." "This is an example of how Buick engineers are interested in every detail, large or small." "How about that, Jackie?" "GLEASON:" "Yes, with automobiles, as with TV, it takes new ideas to make a winner." "Many things go into any good TV show." "Each element is important." "But it's the total combination that sells the show." "And it's the same way with cars." "Let's just add up Buick's many advanced features which we have just seen." "There's beauty you can be proud of now and for years to come, with Buick's sweep-ahead styling with V-front grill." "There's big-car luxury and fashion color harmony, inside and out, with a wide choice of trims and colors." "You'll relax in superb comfort with Buick's great new luxury ride with deep oil cushioning." "You'll have the newest and best in heating, Buick perimeter heating." "And if you like, all-weather comfort with Buick's combined heating, ventilating, and air conditioning." "NARRATOR:" "And in addition, Jackie, there's the mightiest horsepower ever in all series." "Plus the new variable-pitch Dynaflow with double-action take-off for maximum safety in today's modern traffic." "And there are many other Buick innovations which place Buick ahead of the entire industry." "The new more rugged, quieter rear axle." "The revolutionary double-Y exhaust manifold." "The ball-joint muffler connections." "The completely new power steering and sure-action brakes, the smoothest ever." "And don't forget Buick's many retained features, such as the panoramic windshield, the million-dollar ride, and vertical valve V8 design, always a plus." "Put all these features together and no matter what series you choose, the facts add up the same:" "The 1956 Buick is the best Buick yet." "Agreed, Jackie?" "GLEASON:" "Absolutely, pal." "Uh, don't you agree, Norton, my, uh, down-low friend?" "CARNEY:" "Engineering-wise, it can't be beat." "MEADOWS:" "What a beauty, inside and out." "RANDOLPH:" "And how right the price." "GLEASON:" "You've been a grand, grand bunch." "And don't forget, you've got a great Buick to sell." "And greater sales opportunities than ever before." "There's no doubt that 1956 is Buick's year." "A little traveling music, please." "[ENGINE HUMMING]" "That Buick engine makes real traveling music." "And away we go with the best Buick yet."