soltz
The Rat Captain
You must be a really nice guy, Karma is go around come around thing and the good karma just came back to you [cl
Can't wait to see what your going to do with it [
Can't wait to see what your going to do with it [
55 Buick Century
- Thread starter zpi28
- Start date
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zpi28
Well-known member
Thanks, I consider myself to be a nice guy. I just happened to run across the auction listing while browsing my feed on facebook. I starting out bidding on 3 cars then narrowed it down to just this one once the others started going high. The listing was poor on this car, it just said 55 Buick Century comes with title and some chrome. No pictures of inside the trunk or the actual chrome that was included. It also said that it had a motor and transmission in it.You must be a really nice guy, Karma is go around come around thing and the good karma just came back to you [cl
Can't wait to see what your going to do with it [
So I researched the car and found that this was in Buicks performance car lineup. 322 and 364 Nailheads where available. You had me at Nailhead. Been wanting one for years just never found one locally. Anyway I started bidding and had only one other person to bid against me. I won it. I honestly believe had they posted pictures of what all was included with the car it would have sold for well over $1000.. I got it for $275..
Hope I did well .,. Got a few wheels on it tonight so I could push it off the trailer. Paying an extra $20 for a guy to load it with a backhoe was well worth the money. I wasnt sure if it would even roll. But it does roll and I am glad of that.
Plans for now are to finish cleaning out the inside completely. I want to get a good look at the floors to see whats there. If they are anything like the trunk I will be in good shape. The original color is Windsor Gray and White. Will be going back with that color scheme.
Bamamav
Well-known member
I've never been a big 4 door fan, but those 50's hardtop 4 doors are sharp! First one I noticed was a 57 Chevy, the C pillar looked funny at first glance, then I realized it was a 4 door. They look almost as good as a two door.
Having all that paperwork is unreal! It usually gets lost or trashed when a car changes hands. I'd put it in one of those binders with the clear plastic pages to protect it and still allow it to be seen.
I see the carb is missing, is the engine free? Or are you going to have to build it?
Having all that paperwork is unreal! It usually gets lost or trashed when a car changes hands. I'd put it in one of those binders with the clear plastic pages to protect it and still allow it to be seen.
I see the carb is missing, is the engine free? Or are you going to have to build it?
zpi28
Well-known member
I havent checked out the engine yet. Not sure if its free or not. I do plan on pulling it for a rebuild. Im sure that the heads atleast need to be worked from sitting all the years.
I really like the 4 door hardtop Belair's also. My daughter wants a 4 door hardtop 67 Impala. But those are rare and when you find em they are asking a high price for em.
I really like the 4 door hardtop Belair's also. My daughter wants a 4 door hardtop 67 Impala. But those are rare and when you find em they are asking a high price for em.
I-R-POPS
''Rusty Mopar Slacker''
Nice score! That's going to make a cool ride.
earthman
Fascinated by rolling objects!
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
Yeah, nobody dislikes 4 doors more than me and I ca tolerate 4 door hardtops, even growi v rather fond of mine. But. It has the same roofline and profile ad a coupe.
zpi28
Well-known member
Started cleaning out the floors. Looking good so far only found one hole under the front seat about big as a half dollar.
zpi28
Well-known member
Cleaned up the nailhead some today. Reached down and grabbed the fan. Wall'la it turnsover. I spun it over several times and could hear the valves working. I think with a tune up and a carb, this thing will run.
its always fun to try to get an old engine to run. I had a 68 gmc a few years back that had sat for many years before i bought it. Spent half hour making sure the fuel line was clean and clear and fixing a wire on the starter that had corroded off and it fired up. I ended up throwing a set of headers and an aluminum intake on it and drove it for a few years before it wiped the cam out.
falconvan
Well-known member
Great car; you stole it for that price even if you have to rebuild the engine. Glad you saved it; too many well intentioned restorations get started on but end up with the car getting junked.
Wonderful car....still remember being a kid in the back seat of a 55 with grampa at the wheel...that 4dr would fly!
zpi28
Well-known member
Its cool, my dad said that his Grandpa had 2 Buicks like this one that were Red and white. I got my first parts in this week. I picked up some taillight covers and diffusers. [cl
user 13565
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2012
- Messages
- 732
Those original documents are fantastic. The factory installed options are listed including the dynaflow trans. The 1000 down payment in October 1955 was huge back then. Thank you for sharing Zpi. The past is alive here. thanks for stirring the memories of Gramps..the greatest lead foot I knew.
zpi28
Well-known member
I was very surprised when I opened the folder and found all these documents inside. They are in the same condition now as they were 60 years ago.
55 Buick
how is that 55 project coming along...is that nailhead purring yet
how is that 55 project coming along...is that nailhead purring yet
Willowbilly3
A *real* tin magnet
The documents and grampa stories are great. I was just thinking how special getting a new car used to be. The neighbors would come over to see it, there would be rides and everyone could tell what kind it was. Now new cars just get more and more utilitarian and everyone gets new ones all the time, nothing special. Plus they all look the same. Half the people around here don't even bother washing them.
