To the best of my knowledge, Buick has never produced a pickup truck. At least not in the 1959 model year when the new mid-range Invicta model was introduced. The seller has a ’59 “El Victamino” for sale which may have been a one-off custom or a flower car for funeral companies (we found at least another one on the internet). It may have roots tied to Chevrolet’s El Camino, which was also new in 1959. Located in Middletown, Ohio, this rough project is available here on Facebook Marketplace for $3,500. Thanks for the tip, Barn Finder “Ted”.
Little is known about how this vehicle came to be. If the seller knows, he/she does not include it in the listing. Did Buick build a chassis for use as coach conversions into limousines, hearses, or ambulances? That would have been a likely starting point for this creation or perhaps it began life as a Chevy El Camino with significant mods to the front and rear. The interior is extremely rough and incomplete.
If this vehicle has an engine, it’s not mentioned. To be period-correct, a 401 cubic inch V8 with an automatic transmission would be likely. The seller says the “truck” has a clean title, and knowing how it was registered previously might help clear up the mystery. The seller’s goal is to find a buyer who will finish the project and take it to car shows. But that’s only an undertaking for someone with deep pockets.
I’m interested in what comments are made. The instrument panel looks like a ’59 Chevy, definitely not a Buick. And you can see the difference in the rear on the left and right side where they’re converting this into a Buick. At least thats what I think. There’s a lot of metal work done, but a lot more to go. To take on a project someone else envisioned and started is a huge undertaking. But I’ll tell you what, a ’59 Buick ElCamino would look phenomenal with those Buick fins. It makes you wonder what could have been if Pontiac and Olds got into it as well. That would have been so great to see GM do. Maybe someone can take this and finish it.
Hanging a Buick front end on a Chevy chassis probably wasn’t that difficult as GM put lots of similar metal on their line of cars.Nice project. Pictures without the wide lens camera would be nice.
I saw a 1960 Pontiac version at a car show. Looked cool and was well done – looked factory .
She’s a beauty! What an awesome vehicle! I picture it with a blown and injected Buick in there Pro Street since it’s at the beginning stages and lots more work to do!
Hmmm. Would you also change the dash to a Buick, too?
*Picture courtesy of 1fine59.com* – If you have a few minutes go check out the website.
https://1fine59.com/
In for a penny….. in for a pound…..
I would’ve. But thats me. I also would source a ’59 Buick steering wheel, this wheel is an older Buick one.
What a vision! Hope someone completes it!
On December 29, 2022, Russ wrote up a vehicle on BF that looks a lot like this one, except that it was (at the time) a four door convertible, thought to have formerly been an ambulance. Flxible used Buick chassis for many years for their professional car conversions. I have read where “stripped” Buick chassis were available, but I am uncertain if they are essentially a Buick version of the Cadillac Commercial Chassis or a standard production unit with only the front clip. There are a number of “non-standard” parts on the Cadillac Commercial Chassis.
Hi John!
You’re correct in the Cadillac commercial chassis as a starting point for coach makers to make a hearsecor flower car or ambulance. GM would ship (M&M, Superior, Flexible, Miller Meteor, etc) a chassis with a motor, exhaust, wheels, brakes & suspension, front clip & dashboard. Everything else was manufactured at the coach builder sans a small couple of parts such as the skirts, rear bumper, taillights etc.
Some coach builders simply took a car chassis and modified it. I’ve seen early ’50s Packards two doors made into hearses by professional coach builders. Also stretched chassis’ for Studebakers or Packards, Pontiacs & Olds’.
Ya,ll know it drives me crazy that everytime a car/pickup is featured on BF someone (or two) ALWAYS has to comment that it used to be a hearse or flower car. What they don’t realize is that back in the day hearse & flower cars were specifically built by coach builders. What’s usually featured here are Shade Tree mechanics playing customized. Most are really good. Some….. not so much.
This Shade Tree mechanic/customized started something really cool & I hope it finds a good home to finish it’s destiny.
If ya’ll are familiar with the movie “Escape from L.A.” with Kurt Russell there’s a customized 1959 Buick 4 door made into a convertible (or just got the top chopped off)
This vehicle looks to have started life as a Chevy El Camino with a replacement Buick front clip, heavy modification on the roof & complete customization of the rear. Those ’59 Buick canted fins are huge & definitely modified.
The way the 1959 GM trunklids sloped down I’d love to see what kind of tailgate this ends up with.
And some fool will probably put ’59 Cadillac taillights on it.
My 1972 ex-USAF Oldsmobile/Cotner Bevington ambulance was shown on BF several years ago (it sold to an Olds collector). As you say, once you get to end of the front clip, it is all custom built from there. That is why it is so painful to see salvageable professional cars get mangled or parted out. The guy that I bought my Olds ambulance from was going to pull the 455 and scrap the rest, so it was saved. I guess that when most of the originals are gone, then photos will have to suffice. If you are a “car person”, I would think that you have to admire the talent that it took to handcraft professional cars “back in the day”. Folks on BF often express their admiration for skilled fabricators. Imagine fabricating all of the components needed to construct a predominantly custom built vehicle. I have watched this process from drawing to installation- it takes a lot of steps, time and talent (no machines pounding out widgets all day here). That’s what these craftspeople did day after day.
Back about 2010 I ran into that Escape from La 59 Buick in a guys garage in Vista Ca. He bought it from somebody who knew somebody that worked on that movie. Had no interest in selling the car and fortunately I had NO interest in being connected to that movie.
El Frankenstein!
I’m not sure, but I think this Buick is the same one as the Sawzall Special shown in the link. The interior is the same with the Chevy instrument panel and blue steering wheel. Flower cars have gone out of fashion around the 80s. However a flower car would usually have the bed at wheel well height so the flowers would show when the vehicle is driven, and sometimes a cabinet door behind the front door for storage.
Screams prostreet.
I think the “flat top” GM vehicles from around 1959 and 1960 lent themselves to conversions like this one very well. Years ago I was stopped at a red light and a really nice Cadillac that had an El Camino rear pulled up next to me. We had to wait on the light to change so I had a few seconds to check it out. It was red with a white top and had real wire wheels. I assumed that it was made by an individual and never thought about the possibility that it started life as a flower car. Later I saw another one in Chattanooga, Tn. so that really made me wonder if it was a factory made vehicle. The subject of this thread will require a lot of work but I hope someone with the skills and means to complete it to a high level of perfection will see the vision and finish it.
Perfect conversion for an old hearse.
I saw the Cadillac El Camino in Ft Myers a few years ago only it had its own model name, not El Camino.
El Cadmino?
59 Buicks look bad azz at any angle, finished this would be one awesome ride. That said it’s going to take a lot of work by someone very talented to finish this one.
The interior picture posted here is from a different car. The picture posted in the 2022 listing shows a Buick dash. The dead give-away is that this picture shows a back window, but the Buick has no back window in either listing.
Got to give him an “A” for effort and imagination.
Calling the interior rough is a bit of an understatement. Hope someone finishes this project.
Dr. Frankenstein, it’s alive, it’s alive !!!!!!
One of a kind, I sure hope so.
Car was listed in 2022 for $5k firm , it has been idling for quite sometime , that’s too bad cause it is in a class of its own , talent or patience that i don’t have and with the crazy prices asked by unreliable , alcohol and drug powered wannabee labor , it is a hurdle that i do not wish to tackle
YOLO
The buyer will be the “El Victim-ino”!
Fright pig.