55 Buick 2dr

Discussion in 'Classic Buicks' started by Demolition man, Apr 2, 2018.

  1. John Codman

    John Codman Platinum Level Contributor

    Don't know about '59, but in '55 the junior Buicks and Oldsmobiles also shared trunk lids. Cadillac used some Fleetwood bodies, hence the model name Fleetwood.
     
  2. Donuts & Peelouts

    Donuts & Peelouts Life's 2 Short. Live like it.

    What's the verdict? Are you going to get the 55?
     
  3. Richard Elbon

    Richard Elbon Well-Known Member

    Definitely not me,got enough projects
     
    Donuts & Peelouts likes this.
  4. bhambulldog

    bhambulldog 1955 76-RoadmasterRiviera

    The Century has a higher trim level and more standard features than the Super.

    So, price wise (new) they are numbered according to hierarchy;
    40 Special
    50Super
    60 Century
    70 Roadmaster

    Some years , Roadmaster was 80 series.
    Limteds were 90 series.

    1954 Skylark was 100 Series (seperate series)
    1953 Skylark was 76X (Roadmaster)

    1948-1954; only Roadmaster had four holes. All others had three. (except Skylark had none)

    1955-1957, Special had three holes, all others had four
     
    My3Buicks likes this.
  5. Richard Elbon

    Richard Elbon Well-Known Member

    The difference between the body styles or sizes is subjective. A really nice special to me is just as desirable as a really nice roadmaster. To non Buick folks a Roadmaster/Super going down the road looks the same as a same year Special/Century. It’s an old Buick to them.Here in the NW my 53 Super looks very similar to a local guys Special. Almost same color,I didn’t know what the difference was till my buddy pointed to the larger physical size of the Super. I still like em all.
     
  6. WQ59B

    WQ59B Well-Known Member

    I don't know exactly why Buick numbered the series the way they did, but the correct hierarchy is:
    Series 40 Special
    Series 60 Century
    Series 50 Super
    Series 70 Roadmaster

    Even the '55 brochure features the lines in descending order: RM, Super, Century, Special.
     
    Last edited: May 3, 2018
  7. Demolition man

    Demolition man Well-Known Member

    I decided I have too many projects. The 55 has been sitting there awhile. It can sit a little longer. If I pick up any more cars I will mostly likely get a visit from the ( YOU HAVE TOO MANY CARS POLICE) If somebody here is interested I will get some more info for you.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2018
    nineteenfifty5 likes this.
  8. My3Buicks

    My3Buicks Buick Guru

    The Brochure shows the small body and a large body, Not necessarily in hierarchy order. There’s many of us that don’t agree with your train of thought and the model numbers certainly don’t agree with your train of thought
     
  9. WQ59B

    WQ59B Well-Known Member

    The numbering is an anomaly and here's where it is sourced from:
    1939 ~
    Series 40 Special
    Series 60 Century
    Series 80 Roadmaster
    Series 90 Limited
    The next year, Buick split the Limited into 2 lines and added the Super, and so the line looked like this for 1940:
    Series 40 Special
    Series 50 Super
    Series 60 Century
    Series 70 Roadmaster
    Series 80 Limited
    Series 90 Limited

    90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40 - one can see Buick's approach there. The 1940 Series 80 was a 1-year appearance. In '46, it was merely the S 40 Special, S 50 Super, S 70 RM. When the Century returned for '54, it was again a Series 60.
    The Super became a "Series 50" for 1940 because that was the only open 'decade' slot numerically, and it STUCK thru 1958.

    Now... in the 1940's the same bodystyle Century started very slightly higher in price than the like Super, but in this thread the topic was the '50s; where that was reversed. For EX:
    1957 Series 60 Century Riviera hardtop sedan : $3354
    1957 Series 50 Super Riviera hardtop sedan : $3681
    How is the Century supposed to be 'higher up' in the line when it costs less than the Super?

    Here's the interiors for '55. Which model got the Roadmaster's horizontal speedo cluster and dash that flowed into the door panels; the Century or Super (ID's to the right)?
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: May 5, 2018
  10. nineteenfifty5

    nineteenfifty5 Well-Known Member

    Let me know if you don’t buy that 55 un like some I like the super , I like the dash v a century I like the bigger body v the little body and he wants to sell it I would by her if you don’t

    If you’re going to buy her try to stay under 3k, if you can get her running see if that Danaflow works sort costs a lot to have it fixed .

    Good luck

    Will
     

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