The hunt for worthwhile vehicles at worthwhile prices is always giving and taking. Sometimes a deal pops up, a super-d-duper deal. The deal, in this case, is the $7,500 asking price for a blue, 1956 Buick Super with 77,777 miles located in Melbourne Florida. It might seem too good to be true, and the seller seems to know it because they recommend buying it before they change their mind. Thank you to Patrick S for submitting this car. You can view the listing on Craigslist.
The engine is a 322 cubic inch Nailhead V8 connected to a 2-speed Dynaflow automatic transmission, with a column shifter. That was enough power to get this 4,200 or more pound cruiser rolling. There is no indication that it runs. It was last registered in 1980. The listing indicates that it does roll well though and there is very little rust. At least you won’t have to replicate what the guys from Roadkill had to do to pull a Buick from the brush, and this one is much more worth it.
The interior of this vehicle is in decent shape. Something to look forward to is restoring all the stock features that came on this car. The list includes foam cushion seats, electronic dash clock, sliding sun visors, a light in the glove compartment, a map light, dual horns, and a trip mileage indicator, just to name a few. The more features there are in a car, the better chances of something to go wrong, but it is nice to have all those features on a car from so long ago.
The four portholes on the side indicate that it is, in fact, a 1956 model. That was the first year that Buick put four on the side. Previously, it had only been three. The ’56 model was the fourth generation of the Buick Super, which was built on the Roadmaster platform, even though the Roadmaster was larger. This specific car would be the 2-door Riviera trim and is completely original. All the engine components, drive train, rear end, and interior, it is stock and straight from 1956.
First I’d like to point out that this has been poorly stored in a humid State. It’s been there a long time you can tell by the vegetation growing up around it. I’d be concerned about undercarriage and floor rust. The car itself is very cool and would in this case make a good restomod project. With an overdrive transmission a modern fuel injected engine and a modern rear axle, brakes, and steering. Everything else restored to original spec. When I first got my dodge it was sitting outside like this rotting int the ground. It was only a few years away form being to far gone as is this one. It needs to be rescued by someone with indoor storage until a resto can be started, it’s not to far off being to far gone.
On outward appearances yes, the car looks fairly solid. Can’t see any rocker or rear quarter rust that can’t be corrected, but we’re only seeing the driver’s side of the car. One thing i noticed on the interior; the steering wheel seems to have lost its plastic–it looks like just the wire metal frame of the wheel left (?). No doubt another can be acquired.
So it was originally white over a single-tone lt. blue. I’d be very tempted to do this in one of the other two-tone combinations Buick had that year, only give it a proper two-tone of the body at the side sweep molding.
I am so out of touch.
$7500 bucks is a good deal for this? Wow! I almost bought a similar ’56 hardtop from a car dealer who had a lot of old iron on his lot some thirty years ago. As I drove the car all I could think about was how far back I sat because the steering wheel was set up waaaaaay back from the dashboard.
That and I felt like Broderick Crawford in Highway Patrol. I know he drove a ’55 (I think)……
The number of portholes has nothing to do with the year, it has to do with the model. Roadmaster and Super models had four, Special and the other lesser models had three.
Actually, the number of portholes has slightly something to do with year, but not to 1956 specifically.
Starting in 1955, all but the Special had 4 portholes.
The article also states “The ’56 model was the fourth generation of the Buick Super, which was built on the Roadmaster platform, even though the Roadmaster was larger.” This is incorrect. While the 1940 through 1952 Supers shared the same big C-body with the Roadmaster, as well as Cadillac, the Super was shorter bumper-to-bumper (as well as wheelbase) due to their shorter straight-8 engines; from 1953 to 1958 Supers and Roadmasters are the same size. The only difference between the Super and Roadmaster was basically trim and some equipment being standard on the Roadmaster versus optional on the Super.
I bought a ’56 buick 2 door hardtop “Century” two tone blue/white in 1961 in Leavenworth kansas on a used car lot for around $300. It had 4 port holes on each front fender. Was a fantastic car
I was under the impression that all 8-cylinder cars had 4 portholes, The 6 cylinders only had 3.
It says it has the V8 nail head in it!
1955 brought 4 portholes to the Century, Super, and Roadmaster
2150 to headquarters, be on the lookout for a grey 1958 sedan. He never named the make of the vehicles.
“Interior in decent shape”???? Compared to what? Looks like a money pit to me–steering wheel flaked off down to the metal core; bottom half of passenger’s interior door panel is gone and upper panel is torn and filthy; front seat chewed up; surface rust all over the painted surfaces of the dashboard; and windshield is clouded up from too much heat. As one who has rescued many of these old 1950s and 1940s Buicks from situations like this, I can virtually guarantee that the engine is locked up after long storage in this humid climate, and $7,500 is about three times what the car is worth in its present condition. I’ll pass, thank you.
Pete the car has been sitting for a long time…..besides, you have no more intention of buying it as i do. The thing is, its a very cool car. I’d love to have it as i think the tri 5’s of Buick and Oldsmobile are downright gorgeous!
Having lived in FL once, I’m amazed this hasn’t already rotted into the ground. I would be concerned about what I might find when probing the underbody. Way overpriced.
I’ve been to Melbourne. That environment was not be kind to the trim, steel, soft parts or mechanicals of this once-great Buick. I’d say it could sell for 1/4 of the asking price. I’d pass at 1/3 the ask.
Patina! It would make a good restomod or derelict Just spend about 50K for a custom chassis with a 600 horse power engine, then just lower the body on it… nothing to it but to do it…
We had a 55 Super 4 door 3 tone green. My mom loved Green. Anyway it had 4 portholes. What I really remember was that the power steering had zero feed back.
The power steering in my 1959 Galaxie had zero feedback, at least until the fluid ran dry in the pump. Then, you really knew how heavy these full size late 50s cars were.
I believe that the new buyer should be smart enough to not rely on the seller saying that the engine is toast! Careful attempt to get it unstuck just might be a surprise! If so restore this car if a careful look under it is solid enough to restore! All the parts seems to be there, so why not?
“electronic dash clock”… really?
It’s not too often you see the year of manufacture as part of the trim (grill?) Can anyone else think of any other models that did this? I consider myself a “car guy” but never noticed this before on a car.
This Buick reminds me of a similar Buick that was at a paint shop that had painted one of my brother’s 69 Camaros back in the 90’s. It had been given the “pro street” treatment with a cage, rear wheels tubs and a BBC with an 8-71 blower and dual carbs. It had a slick maroon and creme paint job, and everything was coordinated; the cage, engine block, chassis was painted maroon with creme accents. I mentioned that it looked like the customer mus the on his way to pick it up. The painter replied that no, in fact it was there for a color change. He and a friend had built the car and had painted it a few months earlier. The buyer had stipulated that in addition to the $40k purchase price, he would pay an additional $10k to have the maroon changed to dark blue. Seriously. I hope the painter got all of his money up front… Must be nice to have more dollars than sense (cents).
Buick & Cadillac both displayed their model year for 1955 & 1956 on the emblems, however this was quickly dropped because [as I was told by a former Cadillac franchise owner], it made it difficult to sell off excess vehicle inventories towards the end of the model years, and it made it more difficult to sell 2 to 3 year old cars at the franchise dealer’s used car lot.
I’ll never forget his saying the cars screamed “I’m a year old already!”
Buick also displayed the year on the grille of the 1957 models as well, don’t know if Cadillac did though.
Speaking of colors, this car would look awesome with a deep black paint job and an oxblood red interior…
I’d want this pulled up on the rollback before any money changed hands. If it is still in one piece then we might have something to talk about!
I just want to add to the porthole topic. I owned a 56. It had 3 teardrop ports on the fenders. 4 was for Roadmaster. The 55 had 3 circular ports. My Dad had one also at same time. One of us had a Century and one had a Special, I dont remember who had what. The bumpers were different and weighed the same as VW Beetle. It had 322 ci Nailhead and was a 3 speed standard transmission. The drive shaft was an enclosed one. There was a 1 inch difference between standard and auto transmissions. 2 tone green and white. That’s all I can offer to this discussion other than I loved it.
The ’56 Century had 4 fender ports too. I had a ’56 two door ht.