“The 1958 Buicks hit showrooms across the country in October of 1957. Edward Ragsdale, general manager of Buick, described the 1958 models as “dazzling” with chrome and stainless steel, which many drivers admired and enjoyed. As a young kid growing up during the 1960s, the 1958 Buicks would always remind me of the space age designs of the Buck Rogers comics.” “From bumper to bumper, these cars featured nearly 19 feet of fins and chrome styling. The front grille on the 1958 Buick received a lot of attention because it contained 160 chrome squares within a huge shell.” Hello, We often hear them remark that the most extensively decorated, chrome-laden automobile of the period must be the 1958 Buick. Buick sported a colossal, chromium-plated bumpers and heavy-handed bright metal treatments around the headlamps and rear fender caps. Both feature emblems and badging galore, and both carry enough stainless trim molding that if you laid it all out end to end, it might stretch a good part of a city block. “1958 Buick Limited that we described in our clue: 15 identical chrome strips on each flank of the car in addition to huge expanses of chrome or stainless steel on the bumpers, a long strip down each side and covering the fuel filler door, shiny strips on the taillights, in addition to brightness on much of the front end, including 160 chrome "knobs" making up the grille.” Lesser models of the big Buick that year had loads of chrome, but not that total of 30 strips down the sides. Luckily, our dad had just bought his 4 year trade in of the next line of Buick sedans. a nice dark blue two door 1957 Roadmaster sedan. So, my brother and I made a slight “whew” to think we may have been driving around in a huge chrome laden 58 Buick sedan instead of a one of a design 57 two door, Roadmaster. Jnaki But upon meeting my future wife and then having her grandparents at our wedding, we traveled to their old classic house in Santa Ana and low and behold, a giant 1958 Buick sitting in the drive way. For us, driving that huge car would have been horrendous, but her grandfather was a feisty guy and smart to boot. We saw him drive that Buick sedan into and out of his tiny single car garage at record speed and never scratched the sides or bumpers. The driveway was open, but as it went back to the garage door, it was very narrow and close quarters for any car, let alone a huge, wide 58 Buick sedan. Santa Ana in So Cal The 1958 Santa Ana small 40s house, with a smaller single car garage, barely enough room to fit a large 58 Buick Sedan. But, it did and the old grandfather drove it past his 90 years age. YRMV
The Jalopy Journal
