Green must have really been the “in” color in the ’50s, especially considering how often a car from that era is discovered wearing what is an out-of-favor-shade today. This 1954 Buick Special is twofer with a dark green body and a mint green roof – I dig it but then green’s my color. While this Special is far from Buick flashy, it’s a handsome two-door sedan and is in spectacular condition – certainly worth further investigation. This ’54 Special is probably located somewhere in Maine (an inquiry would need to be made) and is available, here on Autotrader Classic for $22,495. Thanks to Larry D for this tip!
First up, the listing states that this Buick Special is a ’55, and then later refers to it as a ’54 – it’s the later as the grille is a dead giveaway. Moving forward, I’m on the fence as far as referring to this 47K mile Buick as a survivor. It has been repainted once, twenty-five years ago, in its original shade, but claims originality beyond that. There’s not much that can be said about the exterior other than it presents itself beautifully. The lead image shows this Special without its original trim rings but the seller states that he does have them. Always garaged, nothing is out of place, the chrome, stainless trim, and twenty-five-year-old finish look pretty much like they would have 68 years ago. Even the paint appears more like an older style application as opposed to a modern two-stage job – a good approach to maintaining the original look.
In its second year of existence, a 195 HP, 264 CI “nailhead” V8 engine, tethered to a three-speed manual transmission, provides this sedan with the necessary momentum. The seller claims that it runs “as new” with a new battery, all new brakes, a new master cylinder, a rebuilt carburetor, and recent tires. It appears that the valve covers have had a once-over rejuvenation.
The best thing about the interior is that magnificent dashboard with its chrome and black-knobed heater/defroster controls accentuated with chrome escutcheons. And that in turn is set off by what looks to be an aluminum instrument panel backing. Oh for dashboards and instrument panels like this today! As for the upholstery, it appears to be original and is in fine shape – there is not the slightest indication of wear. This is an interior environment that requires nothing.
So, what do you think, a survivor? I’d say yes, in spite of the repaint. Regardless, this Special is not a more upscale Roadmaster, Century or rarer still, a Skylark, but it is a fine unadorned example of a time when Buick made cars that people really would rather have as opposed to a line-up like today which resembles a collection of piglets on stilts. The “Buickness” of Buick is just plain gone. So, if you want to relive a time when Buick was a major and leading force within the GM empire, here’s your chance, wouldn’t you agree?
Nice condition car overall.
However, this is one style which I have always been uncomfortable with.
The first element is the arched grille opening with the vertical bars. So reminiscent of Baleen in a Right Whale.
The second is the headlight/turn signal combination with the inverted teardrop shape bezel. Overall, the effect to me is a bit off-putting, enough that if gifted one, I would sell it rather than look at it in my garage.
I do like fender portholes….
She is a beauty. At least the manual shift should give it some go compared to the Dyna-slush. The front does kind of have an Oldsmobile appearance this year IMO.
Yeah Bob it would definitely be better than the Dynoflow trans but I seem to remember the Buicks 3sp manual and I think Olds too were called select shift manual they were different than the Chevy 3sp the Buick transmissions were really cranky shifting especially from 1st to 2nd not that you can shift any column shift fast but seems í remember these being particularly ornery but still a very cool car
Why would a Buick; next to Cadillac in the GM lineup, have a 3 speed manual transmission? Because Dynaflow was that bad. I daily drove a 1953 Cadillac Hearse which had Dynaflow, because the Hydramatic factory had burned. (Down or up; your choice). Dynaflow numbed the Cadillac V8 and made it accerarate like a city bus.
Green upscale ’50s two door and 3-on-the-tree? Hits the jackpot for me. The other day I saw a late model Corolla that was green, so hopefully color palettes are on the up and up to give us a break from white, oodles of gray, and black.
Hear, hear on the bleak colors of modern cars. I recently bought a new truck and had a hard time finding anything that wasn’t “shades of gray.” I ended up with red but would have preferred a beautiful bright blue. What happened to automakers who only offer pretend trucks (short beds) with no colors, just white, black and gray (silver is just metallic gray)?
AFAIK the green was for the last-generation Corolla, although Toyota does a really nice slightly-light-but-really bright blue. If I needed a new car now but not immediately I’d order a Corolla hatchback in that blue, the XR trim that comes with silver-painted (not blacked-out or polished!) alloys and manual transmission. MSRP would be less than the asking price of this Buick which is nice but not worth the two-door tax that includes.
I hope whoever buys this one keeps the green and doesn’t make a CHP replica from it.
These old Buicks always looked so unhappy. :-(
Yes, the Droopy Dog of the automotive world. These looked much better only a few years later.
This is a car that, I would probably never consider on my list of something, I would ever want. And then I see it, and I have a total attitude re adjustment ,and there is nothing, I don’t like about this car! EXCEPT it is not in my garage.
For those of you, that don’t like that’s totally fine, its your right and opinion and I don’t really care.
Day Dream Believer is such a downer,,,I own a 1954 buick special riviera coupe,,If you line the car up along with a 54 chevy,..ford,..pontiac,, cadillac,,as well as others, no doubt,,in my opinion its the most attractive car,,,nickname “”The Most Beautiful Buy””that year,,,no doubt,,the car is a knockout,,especially compared with the sluggish looking 1953 buick,,Harley Earl definately knew what he was doing..
Nice car, I always preferred two door sedans over hardtops. You are right, not a survivor but a very nice car
Did Buick get the Tri-Five body before the rest? Like in the early 1990’s and 2000 the Park Avenue, 98 & Bonneville go the new body a year before the lowly LeSaber and 88. Because this body sure looks like the 55 GM sedans.
The lighter color on the dashboard is gray paint, not aluminum or chrome overlay. The seat upholstery is not original. The original was much plainer.
You know what they say ” Beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder” I was never a big Buick fan, but this one is really sharp. That 1st pic with black walls and small hubcaps looks like it means business. And the 3 on the tree puts it over the top. As for getting a 3spd manual in a big Buick, a friend I grew up with had a ’64 Wildcat 4dr h.t p.w. 6way p.s. 401 AND 3 on tree from the factory (his uncle ordered it new that way).
I had a high school economics teacher that had a face like that. As great a car as Buick was, you have to admit, what was with their styling cues, and what’s more, who would approve of such silly front end treatments? The early 50’s were a happier time, done with WW2 and Korea didn’t touch near as many lives, things were generally happy, WHY would you design a car with such a sad face, or big toothy frowny grins? I’ve long thought, Buick followers liked the cars so much, they simply put up with the silly styling. Don’t recall many 2 doors, families,,,BIG families bought Buicks. These were great cars, most folks traveled the country in these and remember, most rural roads in the 50’s were still gravel, what these cars were designed for. I can only imagine how nice they must ride on an interstate.
And for the record, they are called “Ventiports”, a Buick feature even to this day, although relegated to a chrome strip. They were to mimic a WW2 fighter plane exhaust, some put red lights in those, originally, I read, they wanted the lights to flash, but was too expensive, and also, green was a very popular color, on everything. It was a “happy” color, Paul Simon wrote on his Kodachrome song, “it gives us the greens of summer, makes you think all the world, is a sunny day”, and it was then,,,not depressing dark and gray, like expressed in our car colors today. Great car, here, and I guess the front end kind of grows,,,NO, it’s hideous!!
Broderick Crawford, your car is waiting.
Yeah, to me the look is all business! I like it!
The second picture showing the wide whites, make it look a much more desireable car.
Love these! Some people think the grille is frowning but I think they are super unique and a lot of people forget back then a Buick was premium