All cars taken out of long-term storage should be as nice as this 1954 Buick Special Deluxe Series 40 two-door sedan. It’s an entry-level vehicle (the kind my father always bought) but it’s very nice for the most part. It’s on eBay in Winchester, New Hampshire at $9,500 or best offer.
This Buick is a bare-bones edition, but it’s led an extremely sheltered life. The car was in long-term inside storage for 45 years, and has only 42,139 miles on it. It’s been hauled out of its tomb and now runs nicely, but will reportedly need a carb rebuild and a brake master cylinder to be roadable.
The Buick’s bench-seat interior is quite nice, with no seat rips or wear spots, but the floors need covering. Luckily, an OEM front floor mat is included to replace the aged, cracked original. Amazingly enough, the original bias-ply tires (including the spare) are still on it and hold air. Driving on these ticking time bombs is not encouraged, but they could be retained for shows. The body has surface rust and paint imperfections but is quite nice, including the chrome. The underside is said to be exceptionally clean. The right rear quarter molding is missing.
The owner will answer calls about this lovely, patina-heavy Buick. The styling for ’54 abandons the wonderful Rain Man look that prevailed from at least ’48 through ’53. For ’54, the Special got a new, wider and lower body and chassis, and also the much-loved “Fireball” V-8 engine (replacing the straight eight), and it’s clearly visible in photos of this car.
In ’55 the Special line grew to include the four-door pillarless hardtop Riviera. This ’54 isn’t as handsome, but it’s nicely two-toned with still-serviceable dark blue paint, and has unblemished Dagmars up front. Don’t ask how the Dagmar got its name; I’ve told that story before.
I’m sure most of our audience knows that Specials had three Ventiports and Roadmasters four. The Super had three, but got four in 1955. The Special became the LeSabre in 1959, but the name came back for a new compact line.
Somebody should buy this ’54 Buick and get it back on the road carefully, with minimal disruption to the period ambiance it projects. Hagerty says a ’54 Special two-door sedan is worth $16,300 in good condition, but prices are trending down. The high-water mark of mid-50s cars may have been reached. Meanwhile, mid-century modern furniture is going wild.
I’m really liking that it’s a V8 with a 3 speed stick. I’m wondering if the original owner got it that way to be thrifty ( it’s Special) or for some performance ( it’ll have no problem walking away from one with a Dynaflow.) Nice solid looking old Buick. That dashboard and big Buick steering wheel would make anyone who drove it feel “Special” thats for sure.
If the original purchaser had wanted performance, they would have opted for the Century with the 322. This Special has the 264 (the underbored version of the 322). Don’t know for sure, but the stick shift was probably standard, with the Dynaflow being optional.
Oy, there’s a face only a mother could love. Ennhhhh, again with the stick. It will sell like snow shovels in the summer, nobody wants them. Yeah, yeah, I know, WE can handle a car like this, but I can just imagine the sheer horror of someone that had no experience,,,pump the gas? pump the brakes, what’s with all the pumping? Again, a wonderful find, and still enough of us shifty characters around, that will enjoy this, going on memory only. For most , a family Buick was out of reach, and had to make do with the old Chevy. While the least expensive Buick at $2209, there were some options here, and at closer to $2500, almost a grand more than a Chevy. It took families another 10 years before dad could finally afford a Buick. I sure would like to know the story on this car. I love the simplicity of the dash. There’s your 1954 “info screen”. Told you all you needed to know, not the barometric pressure in Rome, for heavens sake. Heater controls even I can operate.
Quick note on the “Ventiports”, or “portholes, we called them. Dagmars aside, the portholes were still a nod to our WW2 fighter planes, almost 10 years later. I have seen where some put lights connected to the plug wires, and an impressive sight at night. What ever happened to that ingenuity?
I’d gladly pay the additional charge for that 1954 “info screen” were it offered as an option today.
I would love to have this car, the price is right and it could make a great driver. It would turn heads with a lot of TLC and a few benjamins. If I only had more time and wasn’t an octogenarian. I think that means “in my eighties”.
I used to know what “octogenarian” meant, but darned if I can remember now…
It means you remember what’s important. Eating, where you live and going to the bathroom before you leave home after eating.
I’m 82 and I’m wanting to know when this middle age thing starts.
A fun set up. No underside pics? Saving the best for last?
Broderick Crawford drove one in the series “Highway Patrol. Giant antenna.
The Highway Patrol series used a 1955 Century, not a 1954 Special. The California Highway Patrol special-ordered a fleet of 1955 Buick Century 2dr sedans (model 68) for their use. That model was only produced for the CHP, and no civilian versions were produced.
Correct, Dan: the Buick Broderick Crawford drove in the series Highway Patrol was a 1955 model, not a 1954.
You say 42,00] miles and original tires. Something here does not compute. A 12,000 mile life span was typical for tires back then.
My mom had a 54 Roadmaster coupe. White with a dark blue roof and red leather interior. Beaufiful car. She turned it in for a 57 Ford, powder blue, 2 door wagon. Which worked out great for me, because I later got a go-kart and we could put it in the back and take it down to the RoseBowl where I drove it around the parking lot.
CeeOne, I looked at a ’54 Roadmaster convertible at a car show last night. Beautiful bright yellow with a black & white interior. One of the standouts at the show in an evening with a heat index of 95 degrees.
My Dad owned a ’53 Special. Straght 8, 3 on the tree, and the roof top radio antenna that you could circle around to rest over the windshield. First car I remember him owning.
For the period it is rather ordinary looking.
If I were to drop the money on a Buick, it would need to be a late 40’s Road Master, or something of that era.
I don’t care if it has 4 doors.
I like the look of the flowing roundy body.
There was a guy on Balboa Island that parked his in front of his business, until someone made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
Ironically; Years later, I saw someone in Anaheim drive one to a wreaking yard and sold it for scrap. Damn shame. Straight, no rust, original.
I was at a Pick-A-Part up by Montebello many years ago and they had what I thought was around a 54 Ford wagon turned into a Ranchero. But then I realized it was an Australian Ford Ute. Too late to do anything about it.
I know. It is a damn shame when they won’t sell the whole car.
I ran into that in Long Beach.
You can buy all the pieces you want, just can’t buy the whole car.
It is not that difficult to undo a salvage title.
Sold. Funny thing how this Buick had probably about half the ask that a similar Chevy would command. My opinion is that the sticker beats the slush box. To each their own I guess. I liked this Buick. Especially that toothy maw.
Rats! I live about 1/2 hour away, I was going to go have a look.
SOLD – Best Offer Accepted.
I had to look up where Winchester, NH is. It’s way out west, near VT.
Possibly, you meant way out east?
No, west if you are in the populous section of NH. This car is over near Vermont, so us “flatlander” NH folks call that west.
But, I do get your point.
I remember my dad coming home with a new 54 Super hardtop, (no B pillar), pastel green with a white top, I remember well those big levers on the dash for the heater and a little chrome flap on the top of the front window openings on the roof that flapped down over the edge of the glass when you closed the door to seal it and the Super logo rear flanks. It was his pride and joy and we drove it in our move from Pittsburgh to Fla in the summer of 57. He eventually got rid of it when the dynaflow was its way out in around 1959. The hardtop body just looks so much better, IMHO, and obviously the old man thought so too.
I sure hope he’s got that missing molding in the trunk – even damaged.
That particular molding is peculiar to just that year/model only. Fits no other Buick except this one – the 54 Special 2dr sedan (model 48). Doesn’t fit a hardtop or convertible, nor does it fit 55 or 56.
It sold on Sunday morning, but the site doesn’t say what it sold for. It’s worth the asking price, but I don’t think that’s the price they got for it.
This Buick is in pretty good shape for it’s age and I like the v-8 3 speed set up. This one is a survivor!!