So, previously if you fellas remember I had visions to create my Pontiac Lemans Super Duty wanna- be that went up in flames. So, another project entered my head and lucky that the fellas posting Craigslist Posts here had one that turned up. I didn’t buy it, but worked out a trade on an off - topic Mid 90’s GM performance car I had that just didn’t excite me. So, the fella I traded with is giving it to his wife who is excited to get it. So here it is……55 Buick Special Tudor Sedan. Nothing fancy and as you know, I lean towards odd ducks. Always thought of them as an old farts car and I guess I'm entering that Twilight Zone part of life. WTH... try to make something odd look cool right ? 264 Nailhead with 3 on the tree. Runs , Drives, Stops….. nothing fancy, it's a driver. Is an older amateur restoration / amateur paint job that looks ok from 20 feet. I’ll continue an amateur upgrade taking the orbital sander to it, re- spraying it from the current white / blue changing to white/ black. It will match the new black interior put in last year. Definitely the strongest part of the car. Nice seats, carpet, door panels, package tray, headliner. May heat the front coils to drop it an inch or two. May just tire rake it to start. I really don't want to tear the front suspension apart if I don't have to. Lazy huh ? I’ll leave the rear the same height as is a Delco double hydraulic shock set up. I just want to rake it forward down a little bit. I haven’t decided on the wheel and tire I want to run. Carb needs a kit. It has a dead spot I need to look at further. It has the rare carb that you press on the gas pedal to start it, no key- only a switch flip and push down on the gas pedal to start it up. So purchasing a remanufactured one to unbolt/ bolt is that rare earth material unobtainium. Love this era of car for its dash panel is cool. Chrome is fair at best, a bump here and there. Trunk is solid. Drivers floor has a patch. Mileage is 79,902 and I’m leaning towards it’s legit / not spun over. The first pic was right off the trailer dirty. The rest of the pics after giving the old girl time to get her hair and nails done at the car wash. .
If that Buick is like almost every other car with coil springs up front, do yourself a favor and cut them, don' heat them. Perhaps the ever popular Aerostar springs may fit; they seem to work on everything else.
Remember I mentioned the Carb, issue with a dead spot or maybe a butterfly shaft play and being a rare carb that starts by the gas pedal. I found this below by @Brad54 from his HAMB post 19 years ago….answers my questions on options. “Bad thing about the early Buicks is that the starter circuit runs through a switch on the base of the carb. That's why when you flip the ignition on and then mat the gas pedal, the engine fires up. You'll either have to completely rewire the ignition system, wire a push button starter into or ????, or find yourself a stock 4bbl carb from a '54-'56 Buick. There is a difference in those carbs, as well--the body on some of the years is taller than the '54 (don't remember the specifics). That will be an issue only if you plan on using the stock air cleaner assembly.”
What is that rocker/lower quarter panel trim? Never saw that before. I know it's not a democracy, but some Olds Fiesta flippers on there with wide whitewalls, a bit lower in front, maybe exhaust cutouts, and removal of what appears to be black window tint film, would make a very nice looking car out of this. A careful cut and buff on that paint probably wouldn't hurt, either. Interior looks to be in nice shape, and a stick is a huge bonus in one of these, very rare and very desirable considering the Dynaflow's reputation for running slow and leaking fast.
Don't know on the rocker and quarter trim. Looks really good though and stainless. I have a set of Fiesta's that I tried one yesterday and determined it's a little bent so I have to find one. Definitely looks better with Fiesta's. ( Everything looks better with Fiesta's....all time fav for hub caps.)
yup, nose down, nose and deck it, shaved handles and emblems. needs loud duals, already has the required 3rd pedal and hand shaker... cool man....
I had that same motor in a 54 Special. I put a 4bbl from a 55 Super on it and what a difference it made. Felt like I put a bigger motor in it. Also don't heat the springs, I cut 1 1/2 coils on mine and it looked great.
Nice Buick & a plus it happens to be a stick shift as finding parts & someone familiar with the automatic at a reasonable price can be an issue.
Neat car, it's unusual to find one with a manual transmission. It is kind of a sharp turn from a Super Duty Lemans, though. I know they have a lot of sharp pointy bits that aren't safe in an accident, but 1950s dashboards were so cool.
Move the necker's knob to the left side of the steering wheel! Otherwise you can't use it when shifting.....and other things!
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