It's funny just as Moose is creating this Inspiration another Hamber has been recently sharing a 55 Custom T-Bird capsule at the link below with a similar flame and color scheme...coincidental but interesting... https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/55-tbird.1252016/
Transition from the above to: Hello, The resurrection of the original Buick custom is a find. As odd as it looks, that was a custom car in the making. Perhaps the owner was ahead of its time creating a custom Buick and pickup at the same time. The body is still relatively a 57 Buick sedan. Our dad bought a 1957 Buick two door Roadmaster Sedan so he could say that he had a two door sedan to be as sporty as my brother’s 58 Impala that was purchased in late 1957. The big Buick sedan was comfortable, but two teenagers in the back were a little cramped, even though the seats were powered forward a lot. (Our dad was 5’7” and was a 10-2 steering wheel driver.) In my version, I know the big Buick motor always ran a little hot and at one time, did have a boil over coming back from a vacation road trip. So, as big motors go, the Buick portholes became a sticking point as to why they were never opened for ventilation from the factory. They were decorative and so were the ones in the rear of your model serving no purpose. So, in this version, they have become “real” as it should have been in 1957, on the fenders. I also proportionately shortened the pickup bed to get a not so big butt look. The 1957 Buick was normally a long sedan and the original custom looks to have a longer bed and rear section. One last thing was a shortened headlight profile. The old one looked to be a shark nose that stuck out too far forward. Symmetry and all that the original Buick design showed was the basis of the profile. Jnaki an early @themoose modification As far as rims, Buick Skylark wire wheels would be my choice. My wife has always like the Buick Skylark convertible with the wire wheels. I even put on a set of Skylark Wire Wheels on my black 58 Impala. Again, our HAMB pro Photoshop artist @themoose did a wonderful job of modifying an all-black Impala with red interior and Buick Skylarks. A recent custom creation: based on a copy of the Ritchie Valens 58 Impala (SATURDAY ART) Thanks, again @themoose So, color coordination of wheels to body color is a choice of the builder. For some, it adds a little custom touch, for others it doesn’t belong. You be the judge. Old Friday Art The dark blue, custom, Buick El Camino with blue Skylarks and Goodyear Blue Streak tires. or stock blackwall tires... For those that enjoy color coordination, yellow Buick Skylark Wire Wheels to match the yellow flames. YRMV
I, for one, love the super long decklid. I think the proportions are kick ass just as they are, and it's basically a long bed pickup car like an El Camino with a decklid instead of a tonneau and tailgate. Fabulous. It's a custom, it's supposed to be long and low. Shortening the car is counterproductive to achieve those ends. This car has it all; loads of custom work, great lines and overall design, killer drivetrain.... what more could you want?
So last night I decoded data plate, turns out it started life as a 2dr hardtop special riviera. up till now I always thought a 57 Buick was a 57 Buick… oh how very wrong I was. turns out there are two different size Buick’s in 57 which means 2 different windshields, which wouldn’t be that big of a deal but I broke an absolutely mint one the other day… super bummed about that. so if anyone knows of some used windshields that will fit a 57/8 special, century or the Oldsmobile equivalent please let me know!!!
Oh also does anyone have any experience chopping pot metal vent windows? I’ve seen a handful of Buick’s that have been chopped with rechromed vent windows, just curious how they were chopped? I looked here on the hamb for some info about it and couldn’t find anything (that said I’m not the best with the search bar)
That's absolutely correct, much like their were 2 different size Oldsmobiles. The 88 and 98 based cars are totally different from the firewall back. Buicks are easy to denote, 3 port hole cars are smaller Specials, 4 port hole cars are bigger like the Roadmaster. In regards to the vent windows, I think you'd have a much easier time building from scratch with stainless u channel than trying to cut and braze pot metal back together.
this thread might be worth a look, getting to the vent windows now, believe they're stainless though. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/lets-chop-50fraud.1234986/
Crap shoot on welding it, cause you never really know what it's made from. They sell filler rod for it, don't remember the name.
"Muggyweld" is what you're thinking of. Bought some to fix a pot-metal headlight door, my experience is it works well if you follow the directions implicitly. I agree that the best course of action is to build the vent windows from stainless, that way it matches the color and feel of the window frames.
I remember trying to use that stuff years ago and not having a whole lot of luck with it. I’m sure someone out there is good with, hoping at least
I tried using the filler rod (muggyweld) years ago. The original part had pitting, as I applied heat the pits just blew wide open. My difficulty was due to the corrosion of the original part more so than a problem with muggyweld, but it wouldn't fill the part I was working. I haven't tried it since. I am a more experienced welder than the first go round. So there may be a future for me and muggyweld.
Very cool, wouldn't change a thing. Go with the builders original vision, a tribute to an out of the box thinker.
I was a friend of Chris, and his family. Knew them from New York. Went down for Autofest for years. I took these pictures a few years back at his garage.
Mr Valvoline, do you still have that Eelco fuel tank? If so I would like it. I am in Nassau County too. Thanks! pacersauto@gmail.com
The Jalopy Journal
