It’s said that the model name of Buick’s first Century in 1936 was the result of its ability to top 100 mph, which itself was the result of dropping the Roadmaster’s 320 into the Special’s lighter body. Some even consider the ’36 Century to be the first muscle car, and even if that’s stretching the truth a bit, Buick got a lot of mileage out of the name. It was reintroduced in 1954 after a post-WWII hiatus, now using the biggest Nailhead at the time in, once again, the lighter Special body. With 236 horsepower for 1955, the Century was still one of the fastest cars on the road. This convertible with its “Skylark” wire wheels looks the part of a dashing speedster, but it’s definitely a project. You can find it on eBay being sold in Lynnwood, WA.
Yes, it has some rust. The seller says that it’s a “great restoration candidate” or a decent daily driver with a little work. The claim that it has 24,000 miles is a little harder to believe, but time is often worse than mileage when it comes to vintage vehicles. The undercarriage has some typical scaly rust, but it doesn’t look too bad.
Based on pictures I’ve seen, the upholstery could be original. There’s some evidence of water intrusion in the door panels, but a good detailing and perhaps a replacement carpet would go a long way toward making the interior hospitable. The power windows are a cool touch, but I’d find myself wishing for the standard cranks if I were a potential buyer. Complexity leads to trouble, but that’s just me.
Under the hood is Buick’s famous 322 cubic-inch “Nailhead” V8, backed by a Dynaflow automatic. The seller says that the Century runs and drives but is not really “roadworthy.” As anyone should expect from a car that’s spent at least a decade sitting, it will need brakes, so you might as well budget for everything. And those big whitewalls are not inexpensive.
Still, almost any ’50s convertible is a showboat, and a Buick with wires and rounded rear wheelwells is extra special (ha! a pun); it’s about as close as Buick got to the discontinued Skylark for ’55. This one is for sale with no reserve, and with about four days left in the auction, the high bid is currently $8,100. I’d be tempted to repair the mechanical bits, detail the interior and replace the carpet, and drive it around as the coolest “beater” in town. What would you do with it?
This is a very nice starter and worth restoring fully. It takes you back to when times were good, and America was discovering itself in so many different ways. Beautiful as she sits but will be a real trophy when finished. I hope someone buys her and puts her back, power windows and all!
Agree it’s a very nice starter car and the price, if it stays in that ballpark, is pretty for a complete convertible of that era. However, you are misremembering “when times were good”….maybe for some folks, but for a lot of others, including my family, times weren’t so good. These are the good old days, not them.
I owned a similar ’55 Century droptop in the early sixties, it was red (leather interior), Medium blue (metallic) paint on the body, same wire wheels, and instead of the Dynaflow, it had a factory option three-speed manual, wide whites and a white top. Perfect parade car, red, white ‘n blue. I note the small irony that I live less than 20 miles from the auction item here…
1. strip the paint down to bare metal & repaint it.
2. replace the carpet.
3. replace the cvt. top with a white one.
4.clean those wire wheels & scrub the whitewalls!
5. Enjoy!
Give or take, that would be my to-do list of I had this. My second favorite year Buick!
You should also rebuild the engine and transmission and rear end put new bearings in the back end big al341777.
Why? If it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it. Unless you intend restoring it totally then it’s a different story. In South Africa I never got more than 6 to 7 mpg out of my ’51 Buick Super due to there being a total lack of decent mechanics at the time that I could trust with improving the mileage per gallon. I sold it to an up country citrus farmer who has a magnificent mechanical workshop and the mechanics that go with it, and he decided to totally restore it. Well. it’s been at least 5 years so far and it’s far from finished as yet.
Didn’t Broderick Crawford drive something like this in “Highway Patrol”?? Not a convertible of course
“Twenty one fifty to headquarters…..’ “Headquarters by”….
2150 to headquarters. 10-4
His car was a Buick Invicta, similar
Oh no no no he did no such thing. 2150 by drove a 55’ Buick Century. There was times he drove Oldsmobile or Dodge Coronet but never ever Invicta.
I’m looking at photos of my grandfather’s black soft top, white over black version of this car. The interior in this one is not original. Sam’s car had smooth, very slippery leather. I remember flying back & forth in the back seat as he careened.
” And those big whitewalls are not inexpensive.” Nor are they necessary.
Wide whitewall tires ARE 1955!
Black body, white top….
My Uncle had a 56 Buick 2 door hard top what a road car , traded for a 59 Buick Electra 225 also a nice car !!
SO pleased I bought 54with the 4225 ??engine, Its sweet and fast.
I certainly see a lot of potential here if a big mid fifties convertible happens to be your huckleberry. After getting it roadworthy the next job would be trying to halt the advance of the dreaded tin worm. I hope someone can give this vehicle some love. It is deserving IMO. GLWTS.
It needs a lot of metal work on the lower side to do it right would be costly. Being from Washington this is a surprise maybe it started its life on the east coast.
I love 55 Buicks. My first one was a Super I bought in 1964 in Puyallup, Washington for $275.00. Red over white low mileage 4 door sedan was so smooth and quiet you couldn’t even hear the engine running. I’d love to get this convertible but it’s too far from Houston.
God Bless America
I wonder what it’ll cost to have it shipped to Ontario Canada.would love to have it.takes me back to my very first car 56 special 4 door hardtop.I agree with the guy ahead about not being able to hear the engine run.they were so quite.bought it for $175 canadian back in 66.loved it then and still do
Sold on 11/04/2024 for a high bid of $16,600.
Steve R
many years ago….late eighties I almost bought a complete and near cherry 55 Century for…..3,000.00. What I remember and why I didnt buy it was the driver’s seating position. The steering wheel was waaaay far away from the dash…..felt like I was in the back seat :)
But they sure are beautiful. This one will take a lot of metalwork and much to be discovered.