Hi everyone! I'm new to these odd cars, as I've owned primarily air-cooled VWs most of my life. But a few years back I spotted an absolutely gorgeous black 1955 Roadmaster Riviera 76R 2 Door. Now I'm in the process of buying this exact car and have come here looking for info/help and most likely parts (It's been sitting almost as long as I've been alive, should be fine!! ). I'm still not used to this crazy engine in the front thing, radiators, water pumps, more than 36hp, etc.. But am more than willing to learn all this junk, for this car is supreme and embodies what American cars used to be - big brutish things that made a godawful racket and werent to be messed with (unlike now, they all suck, thanks Ralph Nader and the worthless EPA!!). Am I crazy for wrenching this thing from what was its eternal resting place? It's nearly loaded - power windows, steering, seats, autmoatic (that damned Dynaflow.. scary when you've never owned an automatic)..etc. But It's been sitting for 30 years and needs floor patches, rocker patches and who knows what the drivetrain is like.. Cant wait! :TU:
Well ya might be crazy :laugh: but at least not for restoring that car! Big ,Black, Loaded ,and a Roadmaster? Sounds sweet to me. Welcome to V8 Buick man :TU:
Thankyou very much! Cant wait till next week. The guy who owns it is dragging it onto his lift to make sure it's still got enough TO work on.. I'm in New England.. Hoping for the best! :laugh:
Holy crap! Well it's definately not that pretty.. but with any luck..and if win the lottery, by the time I'm 95.. it COULD be!
Is that picture Jay Leno's? Or one just like it except his has that monster 500 something C.I. in it. Like was said if you win the lotto your's could be like that.
"Pretty" is as pretty does heh heh "definately not that pretty" Little at a time man, little at a time. I suggest getting it road worthy first which means,brakes,hose,belts,rebuilt carb. pull the spark plugs out and fill them with WD-40 or Marvel Mystery oil and let the motor "soak" for several weeks, then slowly start trying to turn the crank pulley to make sure it isn't frozen "30 years" I think you mentioned, if it isn't frozen change the fluids,drop the gas tank and have it boiled out,new lines, points or Protronic ignition which is much friendlier. Then DRIVE the snot out of it :laugh: Sounds like a lot of work but a lot of it is your labor at this point. My goal is ALWAYS to at least get it running where I can drive it. It can look like a rolling turd, but if I can cruise around in it and get some encouragement from folks it is ALLOT more likely to get finished one day. Who cares how long, it will be cool the whole trip :TU:
Thankyou for your replies! Perhaps there is hope for that car (assuming theres still a frame :laugh: ) Yup, I routinely do all these things on my VWs which usually have sat for a hell of a long time as well, so I'm not too afraid. It's just an entirely different beast than I'm used to! We'll see what happens. I just want to get it operational!
Before! Don't forget to send pics so we can keep you encouraged and maybe even bird dog some parts for you that you might need. We all need all the help we can get! Cool ride to start with man. I have the 1960 black convertible version of the Roadmaster except the name had changed to Electra 225 by then (the "225" stood for 225 inches front to back!). It is tough to find parts for also but there is very little on the road as cool as it is, at least to me. :Brow: Sends us some pics! :TU:
WOW... Nice convertible!! Besides the 55, 59-60 were my other favorite years! Almost bought a 59 LeSabre 4 door north of here in fact, very similar style to the 60. Excellent work! Believe me, if I posted pics of the one I've got coming the last thing anyone would do would be to encourage me, haha... :laugh:
Thanks man, and I believe there have been some here that have restored something as rough as you feel yours is too. I remember some guys talking about the rust on my 58 Buick and I yelled "HEY! That is................ only the FINEST rust!!!" ou: They were laughing so hard (they still do it today "Only the FINEST rust!" when they see a car they are thinking about with rust, and we have been friends since then. So let's see some pics man :TU:
Roadmonster.....care to shoot us a name instead of "hey you"??? lol just kidding man where abouts are ya from besides NE???
Congrats for graduating to american steel the way it should be. I started life as a camaro guy, then a truck phase, now its where it should be, A 58 buick, long time project that finally made it to some shows this year. Good luck and the end result is worth it. Just the jurney there is worth the wait. Cheers :beer
Sorry, the name's Al, I'm in Mass. I actually had a 59 Chevy Bel Air 4 door, black for a while, god I loved that car! Ok now my favorite years are 55, 58, 59 and 60! That 58 is a beauty! There used to be one a street down from me years ago, it was a black 58 2 door Buick, dont know much more but it was one evil looking car! Well..I shudder to do this but here it is...
WOW!! Is all the glass in it good? It looks like it.. Very Nice find!!! Looks to me like it is complete...Like you say though the frame will tell the story.. Laying on the gound sometimes really takes its toll.. WELCOME TO THE BOARD!! As you have already noticed there are a bunch of really good helpful people on here.. (we weed out the bad ones).. Good luck on the project and keep us informed!! Randy
Hey John, That 60 Electra is a stunner! I bet it turns a few heads at the car shows. Show those chevy and ford folks what class is about! Tell them to save up maybe they can afford to step up someday from their starter cars.
There she is! What a COOL picture! If you look at some of my old posts, or "Buicks in the Rough" on George Nenadovichs web site ("John Fritz" finds another one!" http://www.buickperformance.com/buicksrough.htm If you look on there you will see I am hopelessly addicted to cars like this (found 69 H/O's,GTO JUdges, two GSX's,Grand Nationals,experimental Buick parts etc etc). What a totally cool find.Yes, I hope that frame is good enough to restore the car because that will make an awesome before and after history! Thanks for sharing man, I am sure everyone here would drop their jaws if they were walking through the woods and stumbled up on this time capsule! Gotta luv it :TU:
Let's not go there :laugh: Roger said "Show those chevy and ford folks what class is about! Tell them to save up maybe they can afford to step up someday from their starter cars." Roger, Are you TRYING....... to get me in trouble?!!! ou: :laugh: :laugh: Yeh, that would get "Josephine" keyed before the day was over for sure! :laugh: Thanks for the kind words, but I usually start complimenting them on the 59 and 60 Impala's if they come look at mine, and tell them this was the flagship for Buick that year. Have to always appreciate the passion each person has for brands and styles ya know...."Don't rock the boat".....especially if ya drive one, because she is a boat for sure!! :laugh:
