It took a while for me to make the historical connection to Buick’s Riviera name. While most know it as a luxury coupe introduced in 1964, the name dates to the 1950 model when it appeared on Roadmaster and Super two-door hardtops – a whole new concept in B-pillarless, airy, automotive design. Now, there is some evidence that the Riviera actually made the scene in mid model year ’49, but there are other sources that contradict its arrival date. Regardless, today’s subject, a 1950 Super Riviera, a tip forwarded by Ted, is an initial example of that clean styling that dominated auto design through the mid-seventies. Located in Brookville, Indiana, this beautiful two-tone Super is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $20,000.
Buick’s lineup in 1950 spread across three model lines, the esteemed Roadmaster at the top, the Super occupying the rocking chair, and finally, the Special, bringing up the markers (there’s that automotive “three” again). Both the Roadmaster and the Super offered Riviera two-door hardtops; a four-door version would follow in ’55. Sales were brisk – our featured car is one of 56K assembled three-quarters of a century ago.
The seller describes his car by stating, “Paint is a good driver quality. Chrome is near perfect if not perfect.” That near-perfection chrome reference is most succinctly portrayed by this big Buick’s “snaggletooth” grille. The black finish with a contrasting silver top is worn perfectly by this body style. Note the three-pane rear window – I consider it one of GM’s styling hallmarks that would continue across their different marques for some years to come. While the narrow white stripe tires would be considered not period-correct, I like the look and deem it as an improvement.
I’m going to fall short on the interior as no real image is included, just two of the dash/instrument panel. That’s concerning, as I expect a car of this stature to have an equally enticing interior, but…The seller does claim, “Only thing it still needs is carpet.” That’s fine, but I’d prefer a visual. Back to that dashboard business, Buick did as good a job, or better, than their competition in this era with their designs and gauge layout. As is typical, there is a beautifully, heavily chromed radio speaker surround occupying the dash, stage center, and it serves as a mounting point for other controls. Equally refined is the circular clock, positioned just to the right of the grille, though it’s likely not an optimal location for driver viewing.
Fireball equipped? You bet, a 128 gross HP, 263 CI, inline eight-cylinder engine, joined to a Dynaflow automatic transmission, makes the motion happen. The seller claims that this 30K mile example “Runs and drives great.” As for that low-mileage claim, the odometer looks like it’s showing 60K miles of use, so there’s a matter that will require some investigation – no mileage documentation is presented with the listing.
A cool car, undoubtedly. This vintage Buick is one of those sleek models that you recognize the second you spot it. Future prospects? Well, 20 large doesn’t seem out of line if a carpet is all that’s needed. Of course, the other thing that is definitely needed is a new owner who has an interest in Buicks, or cars in general, from this 75-years-ago period. Might that interest be with you?
Buick’s first hardtop (or hardtop convertible, as it was originally called) was definitely introduced in 1949. The cars exist, so there should be no question.
Ad copy referred to it as “Buick Riviera,” so whatever sources are saying 1950 was the first year should probably be set aside.
The confusion, I believe, stems from its mid-model year introduction, or so one of my BF colleagues informed me. The ’49 sales brochure makes no mention of the term “Riviera” or a model so endowed, and the ’50 does. Two other sources that I used (one of which is admittedly sketchy on accuracy) stated ’50.
JO
Could the confusion arise because of the industry’s practice of introducing a year’s new model well before that year arrived?
Thus, in this instance, the 1950 Riviera could have appeared as early as July or August, 1949!
That is one handsome car!
That’s a nice looking Super!
There is also a 4 door Riviera that used the longer Roadmaster body. It had rear vent windows.
If you look at the odometer closely it is easy to tell the first digit is a 3, and the odometer reads 30086 miles. This car is a sweetheart..
What a beauty! Some wide whites would look great. I would drive the daylights out of this though I can almost feel the gas gauge racing towards E.
Sure might have been nice if we could see a few interior and underside photos just for fun.
One rear quarter panel of this road warrior would make two Kias and have left overs for a couple extra fighter aircraft.
I’m somewhat suspect of a speedometer doing cruise speed while sleeping. We all know that should be a pretty straightforward fix.
Wish I was closer.
Now this is what one should look like, not like the one shown a few weeks back. I actually went to look at it in Raleigh and it was very shabby. The guy wanted $4500 and swore he had someone in the Northeast who was drooling to buy it as a parts car. The interior was toast with major rust in the floors. Half of the snaggle tooth grille was missing. There was other rust, but I guess that some parts would be okay. He also swore that a mechanic friend got it running and moving forward and backwards with an external gas can, but I didn’t hear it.
Hello, Folks! As for that grille; there is some visible inconsistent spacing, which would not have been the case in 1950 (I remember well when these were new in the showrooms; and I would want to examine what would be required to even things out again. I also would examine closely for tell-tale little indentations on the bumper near the base of those particular “teeth”, suggesting that damaged “teeth” had been replaced at some point). I never liked the 1950 Buick very much. Cadillac and Oldsmobile got new post-war bodies on some of their 1948s, and 1949 saw the rest of the G.M.s follow suit, except for the senior Cadillac which still retained that post-war modernised 1941-1942 model set-up. But, Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile did themselves no favours for 1950! The ’49s were stylish and sleek, but the ’50s looked stodgy. At least Oldsmobile cleaned things up for 1953, as a way of looking ahead to 1954. But the 1949 Buick was SO MUCH PRETTIER than the 1950! ’51 got rid of the damage-prone wrap-around-bumper grille, and changed the setting of the tail-lights and trunk-lid badging slightly for a better look. 1952 saw only little chrome fins added above the tail-lights, then they called it a day (they must have consulted with Packard!). The 1953 Buick’s attempt to accommodate the general squaring upright rear trend, whilst predicting their coming all-new ’54, was simply ugly to the core. I have fond memories of these ’50-’53 Buicks just the same, from friends and relatives who bought them, new; and they lasted nearly “forever” (when was the last time that you saw one of their beautiful 1954s still in service on the road?). As late as 1962, Tenafly, New Jersey, was still running an entire fleet of plain-jane grey 1953 Buicks as everyday taxicabs! Back to this 1950 Super Riviera: if you love it, then GET it, and it probably will serve you reliably for decades to come, so long as you don’t bump into anything with the front of it. Not my style, particularly. With all of the 1950-’53 Buicks, RADIO-failure seemed to be endemic as they got older. But, should you present me with a 1949 Buick in this condition, I would be sorely tempted! Now, THAT was a vehicle of grace and beauty! I have serviced a number of ’49 Buick clocks — and they were items of quality, not the typical junk that Detroit tended to throw into dashboards from 1949 through about 1975. However, the ’49 Buick radio was as failure-prone as their similar units from 1950 through 1953, despite that rather neat set of “B-U-I-C-K” pre-set station push-buttons which they all had. Maybe I should go after a Packard instead? (they used the same clock-movement as the Buick, and their radios were supreme). LOVE these old cars! — when Detroit was ALL-AMERICAN!!! I agree, incidentally, that this 1950 Buick Super Riviera REQUIRES wide whitewalls! Also, with all of these Buicks, be sure to WARN any and all mechanics and filling-station attendants on how the bonnet [hood] opens to the side, lest you risk having it permanently sprung out-of-line by some grease-jockey trying to force it open from the front!
Shout-out toTenafly!
Back when Buick was a BUICK!
Was Buick the only GM division to have that unique radio antenna mounted atop the middle of the front windshield? There was a knob inside, above the rear view mirror, that could be rotated 180° for either it’s up or down position.
As a young kid, I always wondered why my Dad wouldn’t let me play with that white “golf ball” just above the rearview mirror in our 1952 Buick Special.
Yes, only the Buicks had that windshield mounted antenna.
UDTFROG, all 1950 Buicks had the ventiports mounted in the sides of the hood.
Hudson also had these.
Didn’t know that. Never saw many Hudsons while growing up.
YET ANOTHER GOSH DNG IT!!! vey nice, at 74 years old a 19 years younger than me That ‘snaggle tooth grill is a favorite. Interesting the hood ports are what was used in the Specials??? Did I miss the AC??? $20 K is fair but a bit less would make it affordable to me.
OEM hubcaps/trim rings missing, replaced by the amorphous chrome things shown. Front springs a little weak, rears appear to have been overstretched.
All in all, nice and very representative of the marque. Having grown up with both a ’37 Special and a ’46 Super, both 4-doors, I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for Buicks. Learned to drive the ’37 at about age twelve in our dead straight 75 foot long driveway… even made it into second before nailing the brakes to avoid the garage doors! Took my driver’s license test in the ’46.
Then I found little FIATs and haven’t looked back for the past 67 years.
Well..the thumps up thingy is in-op, as per usual..
Sorry all the great knowledge and observations are going with out gold star at-a-boys!
What the hell is going on with this forum…