I’ve always thought that the rear wheel openings make this generation of Buick. It’s the star of the show and the rest of the car almost takes a nod to this fact. The swooping side trim starts almost at the rear taillights, follows the arc of the before mention wheel well, spears just below those famous portholes, and then sharpens just shy of the headlights. The only other focal point perhaps being those perky dagmars that frame the grille opening.
This particular ’55 Buick did nothing to distract from this balance of line and style. Instead, the builder (Michigan based custom man Steve Austin) emphasized the clean lines by frenching the headlights, shaving the distracting brightwork such as the door handles, fitting a ’54 Chevrolet grille, and molding in a set of 1956 Packard taillights. It’s all capped with black paint work complimented by a gold top.
The interior is just as understated as the exterior. Two simple benches covered in what looks like a vintage tweed, cooled by Vintage Air, and capped by the Buick dash featuring aftermarket gauges and a ’56 Nomad steering wheel. The only stretch for attention being the microphone that shifts the 700R overdrive tranny.
On one end of that tranny rests a 357 horsepower, 350-inch GM crate motor. On the other end is your venerable Ford 9″ with a 3:73 posi gear. This all rests on a well thought out and detailed chassis – disc brakes all around and a Ridetech parallel 4-link suspension out back sprung by coil-overs and supported by a panhard bar.
Questions From The Jalopy Journal:
What’s the worst aspect of the Buick?
”Small rock chips up front drive me crazy at times… and black paint means I’m washing this car quite a bit.”
What’s the best aspect of the Buick?
”I don’t own a trailer, so driving a road worthy custom just makes me smile. Also, this thing is a chick magnet.”
Thoughts From The Jalopy Journal:
What you have here is the ultimate road trip car. On the outside, it’s a pretty damned traditional mild custom, but under that skin there is a modern and proven reliable drivetrain that will get your ass home. Plus, with that suspension and the A/C… you are gonna get home comfortably and without breaking a sweat.
To me, this is a fly-in and drive it home car…
