Off and on from 1936 to 1996, the Special nameplate appeared quite frequently at Buick. It usually served as the entry-level model, which was also the case when the seller’s ’57 Estate Wagon was built. This Special looks to have been sitting in the desert in and around Tucson, Arizona, for quite some time. The transport will need loads of work, which may be why it’s been available here on Facebook Marketplace for several months (or the seller forgot to take the listing down). Our thanks to Barn Finder “Zappenduster” for this vintage tip.
With a restyle on the GM B-body platform, the 1957 Buick Special led off an impressive roster including the Super, Century, and Roadmaster. Buick went on to produce 405,000 automobiles in ‘57, of which the Special was their biggest seller (at 54% of assemblies). Two station wagon versions of the Special were sold (7,000 Estate Wagons like this one and a similar number of glitzier Estate Wagon Caballeros).
We get the impression that this Buick has spent all of its life in Arizona. That may have helped prevent corrosion from consuming this classic, but it’s not rust-free at 65,000 miles. There is an ample amount of patina along with holes in the floorboards and passenger-side sheet metal. The old gal isn’t complete as the radiator and radio have been pirated, hardly major issues.
The 364 cubic inch “Fireball” V8 (if the original 250 hp engine is the one we see) has a cracked block, so a partial or total replacement will be needed. The seller indicated he would keep the car and put a Ford Crown Vic chassis under the machine if it didn’t sell quickly. We wonder if he ever did that (and why).
In the classic car game, there a do-ers and there are talkers.
Like Rex said “..do-ers and talkers.”
Let’s hope this seller is a TALKER. Be a shame to drop this on a Crown Vic platform.
Find a totaled Regal and use that instead!
I couldn’t agree more. I would not want to see a Buick wagon like this dropped on a Crown Vic. It needs a lot of work, but it would be phenomenal restored. I know I’d walk right over to it at a show.
I love these old Buck barges. My parents had a 57 Caballero that they shipped to France for duty there when I was a kid. But no one, including the GIs on the base, could work on it, so it’s probably been a chickn coop in Orleans for the last 60 years. Still, this one? You’d better be Bill Gates if you’re going to take this one on.
I find the styling of this eras Buick and Olds Stationwagons clunky. They look like the wagon part was tacked onto the car as an afterthought.
The Chevs and Pontiacs on the other hand were beautiful .
From the beltline up it certainly does appear the the wagon part was an afterthought. The profile view suggests the design was intentional rather than an afterthought. The top of the passenger doors mimics the curve of the swept spear below it. If the C-pillar was parallel to the B-pillar the car wouldn’t look right.
To some [most??], these cars are just downright ugly and they got worse in ’58.
Kinda rough. Maybe a bit overpriced considering the amount of work needed but it could be a nice ride when done.
Needs surf boards
expensive to restore especially the chrome work but worth a lot when redone. these are a very rare wagon