'55 BuickStreet

Jeff's 55 Buick Tourback Sedan Specifications: Year: 1955 Make: Buick Model: 41 Body Type: 4 door Tourback Sedan Engine: 264 Nailhead V8 Transmission: Dynaflow Location: San Diego, CA, USA Jeff writes... This is my '55 Buick Special. I purchased this car only a few months ago, but I have already grown quite attached to it. It's my very first classic car, and it's everything I could have ever hoped for. For a nearly 50 year old lady, she rides like a dream. The story as to how I came across this particular car is quite interesting. For a long time, I've spent my spare time at work thumbing through the pages of www.collectorcartraderonline.com, dreaming of the day when I could get an old car of my own. I spent most of my time looking up old Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Mercurys, and Hudsons. I wanted something that was different then most the other classic cars you see on the streets. Everyone has an old Ford or Chevy, I wanted something different. So one day in the early summer, I was browsing the site and came across a green '54 Buick being sold by a place out in Illinois. Looking into that car a bit further, I discovered that the place that was offering it had a website called www.countryclassiccars.com. And that's where I found it. A black '55 Special, in good running shape, decent body, great interior, and at a great price. The only problem was that it was in the midwest, and I was in Southern California. I was in luck however, because only a few weeks later, I was going to be going on a huge cross-country road trip from San Diego to Chicago and back in celebration of my recent graduation from college. The plan was to drive out there to see a Cubs game at Wrigley field in Chicago, we had been planning the trip for months. And wouldn't you know it, that beautiful '55 was on the way, sitting right on good old Route 66. It was just too perfect to pass up. When I got out there, I fell in love with it right away. My first drive in it was around the farms that surrounded the car lot. It was an awesome experience. I bought the car that very afternoon, and had it shipped out to San Diego later that month. I know that some people think that a four-door sedan isn't as cool as some of the other cars of the era, particularly the two-door hardtops and the convertables, but I honestly love it. I wanted a big old car, and you can't really get any bigger than a old Buick four-door sedan, unless you drive a school bus. There's nothing quite like the feeling of driving down the road and having every eye turned towards your car. I'm glad to share my pictures and my story with all of you! Jeff This car reminds me of me of a 'GM' 56 sedan I used to own. These cars are real head turners. I used to get people throwing me a thumbs up or yelling out "Cool car!". Taking a drive in a 50's car is something I recommend everyone do at least once in their lives. Other folks like lucky Jeff here get to drive them everyday. Thanks for sending in your car Jeff. Just back it in over here at number 55 BuickStreet. By the way, Jeff has a beautiful website devoted to 'Sleds' where you can find out more about this and other cars. It's called Loungespot.com and is one of the most stylish websites I have come across. http://55buick.loungespot.com Nice Job Jeff. Well done! Bill S. P.S. Jeff has updated his 55 Buick's webpage to resemble an old time ad. Black and white and everything! Really stylish I suggest you check it out by clicking on the Loungespot link above.

Joseph's 1955 Buick 76-R Specifications: Year: 1955 Make: Buick Model: 76-R Body Type: 2 Door Hardtop Location: Birmingham ,Al USA Joseph writes... " Attached are photos of my 1955 76-R which were taken in 1979 right after I drove it from Birmingham,Al. to Minneapolis,Mn for the annual National Buick Show. It won 3rd place in that show and these photos along with a short story about it appeared in the June 1980 edition of the Buick Bugle, as the featured cover car. Then like an idiot I let it sit in the garage for 22 years during which time it deteriorated badly. I am now in the process of restoring it and hope to have it in Class 2 (or better) condition by June 1. Joseph Birmingham ,Al USA" Thanks for sending in these photos Joseph. Even if the condition of the car has deteriorated since these photos where taken it is good to hear that it has survived all these years and to see what it looked like in 1980. - Bill

Bob's 1955 Buick Special - 2 Door Hardtop Specifications: Year: 1955 Make: Buick Model: Special Body Type: 2 Door Hardtop Engine: 1964 425 'Nailhead' V8 Transmission: 1966 'Switch Pitch' ST400 Rear End: 1977 Lincoln Versaile 9" Front End: Mustang II - 2" Drop Spindles Location: Anaheim Hills, CA. USA Bob writes... " This is my modified '55 Buick Special 2 dr hardtop. I've owned it since 1995 and I'm still fiddling with it. It was in a 'mid 3' condition at the time and a very good driver except for the brakes. The brakes worked fine but were not power and the car is heavy... difficult to stop. Within two weeks of purchase I had lowered it a couple of inches, added custom wheels, new tires and dual exhaust with glass packs. It was now a cool cruiser. One problem though, I hated the brakes. I decided I had to have power disk brakes on it. I began a search for anybody that could help me in determining what I had to do to make this conversion. Well, since this car had king pins instead of ball joints in the front suspension nobody new what to do. Spindles that disk brakes could be adapted to didn't exist at that time ('95/'96). After driving it for two years and hating those brakes, I finally decided to do something. This quest for better brakes turned into something else. In order to get the brakes I wanted, I put a Mustang II front suspension on it. Since it was torn down I dropped in a '64 Buick Riviera 425 dual quad engine with a '66 buick Electra ST400 tranny with switch pitch converter. That meant I couldn't use the original torque tube rear end. I ended up with a '77 Lincoln rear end with disk brakes and triangulated four bar suspension. My car ended up with four wheel power disk brakes! Well, anyway, one thing led to another and years later I'm still playing with it. Just because I wanted better brakes. Jeeeeezz! Here's a list of Modifications: 1964 425 dual quad Nailhead engine bored .030 over,blue printed and balanced. KenneBell C118 hydraulic cam. Two Edelbrock 600 cfm AFB carb's with a progressive linkage. Hand made block hugger headers. Blue printed and re-curved distributor. Pertronix ignitor module. MSD 6A ignition. ST400 automatic trans' with switch pitch converter and shift kit. 1977 Lincoln Versaile rear end (9"ford) with disk brakes and 3.25 gears. Triangulated 4 bar rear suspension. Power brakes. 2.5 inch dual exhaust with two chamber mufflers. Mustang two front suspension with 2" drop spindles. Air bag springs front and rear. 215x70 15" white wall tyres front, 255x60 15'' white wall tires rear. Custom offset steel wheels. Vintage Air air conditioning system 1976 Chevy van tilt steering column. All new glass except for the rear window. Body is nosed, decked and shaved. Remote door latches. Smoothed bumpers (attach bolt heads removed) 3 stage yellow and white paint. Charcoal gray vinyl tuck'n roll upholstery. Alpine AM/FM radio with cassette and CD controls and a Six CD changer. Bob T. Bob, you didn't miss a trick. Yellow and chrome, lowered, Dual quad 425 Nailhead, Switch Pitch 400 trans... The perfect recipe for a classic Buick. Thanks for submitting your '55 Special Bob. It certainly made my day when I received the photos. - Bill Bob has generated a lot of interest with this 55 and I am receiving many requests for information about it (and rightly so) He has given permission for me to share an email address where he can be contacted and if he can help I'm sure he will. Bob can be contacted at bob55buick at aol dot com or by clicking here. 'Good onya' Bob. What a guy.