Arguably one of the best looking cars to have emerged from the 1950’s, the Buick Century is a stylish and sleek machine with Nailhead power. Looking like a survivor, this Buick shows signs of age, but is a very nice looking driver. Needing little other than to be enjoyed, this Century is offered for $4,500! Take a look at it here on craigslist out of Los Angeles, California.
Appearing perfectly original and untouched minus the radiator cap and the battery, the engine bay of this Buick is clean with only minor signs of surface rust and patina. The 322 Nailhead is reported as being a good runner with the only needs for this classic being a new battery, and a new muffler. The automatic transmission has been rebuilt and new tires, brakes, and shocks have been fitted as well. It sounds as if smooth cruising is in the new owners near future.
Showing absolutely mint inside, the seats have been recovered with “authentic” covers. Despite the fresh covers, the rest of the interior is quite nice, and shows only minimal signs of aging. The steering wheel and dash are like a dream, having no cracks or heavy wear. The door panels are very nice considering their age, but do have some minor concerns. Lovely in color and condition, the carpet is in awesome! Really all you need is some good tunes, and a few of your best friends along for the ride!
With minimal wear to the paint this old Buick has aged nicely in its lifetime. The paint is worn on the hood, and on the rear driver door. There is a primer area on the passenger rear fin, where the paint may have worn to bare metal, and the owner used primer to inhibit the development of rust. Speaking of, there is almost no visible rust on this car other than some minor surface rust areas along the window frames of the doors, and in the door jambs themselves. Also there are a few missing trim pieces, but otherwise this a great looking driver that could easily be enjoyed as is for quite a while. Is this ready to drive Buick Century worth $4,500 to you?
For the day, these cars were fast – as fast or faster as the Chrysler 300, and even with a Dynaflow a similar 0-60 as maybe a 70 Wildcat. CHP used them for highway patrol. Cool car, could be fun, very underrated.
Since this car will always be looked down at for having too many doors CHP makeover is what i would do with it! Whoop-whoooop! (Or whatever siren sounds where used back then?)
Oddly, the CHP cars were a hybrid of the Century nose and drivetrain with a lighter Special 2dr post body mounted. Cool cars as well, there are still a few around.
All you need is Broadwick Crawford. The CHP cars were factory built hotrods. A 2 dr hardtop Roadmaster or Riviera is a magnificent car.
Broderick.
Does anyone else think it’s a scam? Seems like a good deal.
One of the best looking from the ’50’s? I guess you missed a lot of sharp cars.
Nice find for the price!
I’ve never understood the whole “bring your own battery” mentality when it comes to selling a car. Even a car I buy for the sole, lowly purpose of taking apart or scrapping is substantially more appealing to me (and I’m sure most people), if it’s at least somewhat turn-key. It needs a battery? Great, buy one and add the cost of it to the sale price. New tires, brakes, shocks and upholstery must have cost thousands – but no battery? Where’s the logic in that?
That said, this is a neat 1950s-era old man’s car. It’s so un-hip that it’s cool. Never again will cars be built like it, or look like it, and it’s beautiful. I love this car. It wouldn’t be hard for the next owner to find the missing door trim piece, install it and a muffler and go cruise in patinated glory.
Jay Leno made them cool…….he has owned his for 4 decades? I agree on the battery thing, they are so cheep now. But might be better not to start the car if the engine is weak, smokes or has a knock. Then there is the transmission issue…….can’t be checked without a running engine. Like a salvage title….should sell at a discount.
2150 to headquarters.
whats not to love?? run it as is. Cheap cruiser. said the transmission was rebuilt. Turn the key and have some fun!!! Buyer beware of course. Gotta look at em!!!
I had a low mileage white over blue 1956 Buick century 4 dr hardtop (no pillar between front/back doors) that I bought in pristine condition in 1964 for $350.
What a car that was! I should have mothballed it, would be worth a pretty penny today, it was immaculate, a true jewel of a car.
Also, it was fast.. that 322 v8 would really howl .. geze, i miss it a lot now, don’t know why I let that cute chick talk me into selling it to her.
Had a roommate with a 1955 Buick two-door hardtop. I don’t know my Buicks all that well but it must have been one of the more expensive models. Red and white with red leather and power everything. Just like new, and a sweet, smooth ride. He paid $50 (fifty) for it! I loved my ’68 Saab but I was just a little jealous of that big, beautiful Buick!
Pretty sure the 1955 Century had 3 portholes. The Roadmaster had 4. What gives?
The Century and Roadmaster had 4 fake exhaust fender ports. I liked the design of them on my ’56 better than the prior years models.
Super and special had 3 portholes, century and Roadmaster had 4 .. yes I own a 55 century 4 holer. Lol
I think the Special had only three but the Century had the four portholes
CON ALERT. Please read as I’ve just had a terrible experience dealing with this seller… I wanted to drop a line here and mention that I’ve been trying to get together with the seller of this car for weeks for a viewing. The gentleman insisted on email only, (I bought that, as I know how spotty cell reception is up there) and would not disclose his name or location despite knowing all my contact information including address in advance.
Basically, while I live in Sacramento, my Dad lives only about 5 miles from South Lake Tahoe and so I asked him to go over and look at the car for me (since lowered to $3500.) He insisted on email contact, which make things horribly difficult to coordinate as my father can only hunt and peck on the computer. After trying to coordinate this, and finally resigning to driving up myself, the seller if this car TOLD ME OFF in all capital letters, unprovoked, and remarked at how, when I suggested that he could meet my father in person at his business if he wanted… Never learned a thing about him, including his name, the car’s location, or his phone number.
The entire thing reeked of a scam, and why anyone would walk away from an in-person deal for the agreed asking price of $3500 cash isn’t logical… other than I had the means to figure out that there probably was no car. Seems like he was fishing for someone to wire him money as he was consistently ‘very busy’ and ‘not available this week’ and ‘there were others in line to view the car’ to paraphrase. Caveat Emptor!
I read in Hotrod magazine, years ago, that the 55 Century was the fastest stock car made in 1955
1956 Buick Century was positioned as the top-of-the-line ‘small Buick’ with contemporary advertising it as ‘The Best Buick Yet.’ With the 322 cubic-inch overhead-valve Fireball V-8, later known as the ‘Nailhead,’ it was the fastest production car of that year. The 255 horsepower engine helped the Buick Century accelerate from zero-to-sixty mph in less than ten seconds, en route to quarter-mile times of around 17 seconds, and a top speed exceeding 110 mph. Buick’s Dynaflow automatic transmission was installed in over 96-percent of all 1956 Buick models.