For today, let’s check with a few Buick owners and their vintage rides. They’re a rather jolly and proud bunch, and most carry the air that only comes from owning a semi-premium brand. The images are more or less arranged by decade, and a few have been slightly color-corrected.
I can dig why all these people look so happy .
Buicks are better by design .
-Nate
So many beautiful cars!
That’s the best looking new car in 1959.
Back in the day, they say that Buicks were bought by doctors and bankers – men who could afford Cadillacs but didn’t want to flaunt their wealth. Here’s my 1937 2-door 5-passenger trunk-back Special at the Colorado Railroad Museum.
You bring back memories. Mine was the 2-door ‘luggage back’ (no hump trunk) sedan. Had it from 1968 thru 1985.
Both Nate and Craig’s comments are spot on.
This brings me back to the days when Buick seemed to have purpose and sold great cars. Unlike today where they (GM) turned Buick into yet another bland and uninspiring brand of SUV’s only.
I sold Buick’s for 12 years. I’ve owned many of them as well as my family. Not one single person in my family or extended family now drive a Buick. It’s sad, but there’s just nothing that they offer that makes me even want to stop at the dealership. Buick truly needs to find itself and get back to it’s place like in the pictures above.
I have to agree. I also think Caddy and Chevy have lost purpose and for the most part sell dull boring stuff as well. The last car with any excitement from Chevy is on it’s last legs this year and will be gone next year.
My first car was a Buick and I now own two (a ’54 Special, 264/3 speed stick and a ’68 Wildcat 430/turbo400) and today Buick has nothing that even comes close. To be honest, they haven’t for a long time.
The sad thing is : old Buicks and Oldsmobiles etc. used to be lot poison so you’d see some nice grandpa’s car for $150 that took a long time (sometimes a year) to sell on the local low end used car lot .
Those few who knew how to take proper car of them scored some incredible finds, mostly they got sold on to those who’d only service them when they quit or failed to start .
I don’t want to own an old Buick but I’m ever so glad I get wheel time in a wide variety of them, including the 1960’s models .
-Nate
In college I had a ’58 Buick Super 4 dr. hardtop sedan in excellent condition which I bought for $300 from a co-ed who didn’t really care for it. It was fun to drive, wallowy suspension and all. Stepping on the gas, there was a brief pause followed by a sudden ‘bbwwwaaaaaaa’ push forward. Six months later and in need of cash, I sold it for $750.
Later on with no car to get me the 500 miles back to school for my final year, I came across a 1960 Buick LeSabre 2 door hardtop on its last legs in ‘fair’ condition. Brakes didn’t work properly, paint was faded, I got it for $100 and hit the highway, carefully keeping distance from objects ahead due to its feeble stopping capability. It got me back in one piece, and I sold it right away for $150 and moved on.
That photo of the 1955 Special in the lead is probably from the early ’70s, judging by the two-stripe whitewall tires, and the architecture of the under-construction in the background. Plus rust is starting to form on the front bumper and behind the wheel well.
Still a vintage photo, just not the same vintage as the car. I’m guessing this lucky fellow also own the 1956 Olds off in the distance.
Buicks were everywhere in the 1950s as they had the number 3 spot nailed down for several years (behind only Chevy and Ford). My favorites above are the ’59 and the ’64-65 Skylarks.
Leonard Nimoy’s 1964 Riviera (pics on the internet) had a Lauesen Buick frame too:
“Another interesting tidbit in the pictures is the “Lauesen Buick” on the front license plate frame. Lauesen was a Buick dealership in the Westwood section of Los Angeles not more than a stone’s throw from the Culver City studio. Lauesen sold many Buicks to Hollywood celebrities before shutting its doors.”
I don’t know when GM lost Sloan’s plot, but by the late 60s/early 70s, it was pretty hard to tell whether Buick or Oldsmobile occupied the spot just below Cadillac.
I think that maybe if it wasn’t for China’s love for the Buick nameplate, Buick would have been shut down and Oldsmobile would still be in business.
In the 5th photo, is that the same gentleman in red shirt and child from the Pontiac series of photos (#6 
)? Same type of house in the background of both series.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/uncategorized/vintage-snapshots-a-pontiac-owners-gallery-from-streaks-to-wide-track/
Good eye. I’m pretty sure you’re right. The additional photo of the same guy (posted in the comments by Rich Baron) shows the side of that blue/gray house in the background. I wasn’t quite sure, but to me that’s the clincher.
After my grandfather died in 1981 I drove his 1961 LeSabre for the next 5 years as a second car. I loved the details like B U I C K on the radio pushbuttons and the oval clock perched on the dashboard.
Actually owned 5 buicks, 38 special, 39 special, 40 super, 52 special and 72 boat tail Riv… Early ones were all straight eights, Riv was a 455. Very thirsty… Had the 38 for 9 years and owned the 52 twice… Couple of pics to share, my sweet 38 and cool 52
My 38 special
Great phots. This Buick owner approves.
I had a 1991 Regal Custom sedan for my 1st car. First year for the Regal w body sedan. Not nearly as cool as those old Buicks in the pictures but man it was one hell of a step up from a d@mn bleeping p!÷ce of bleep Chevy Lumina.
Yeah it was kinda bland looking, but man was it nice inside. The dark maroon metallic paint on maroon velour color scheme did keep it kinda gansta with the dark tints and wide whitewalls I put on it. Had those factory 15″ Buick alloys that looked sharp as well
Back to the inside, even with 180k miles on it the interior looked new, no squeaks/rattles, everything worked. Was a bit of a throwback with the fake burl wood, chrome trim, and very plush velour bench seats. I swear that velour was the same stuff they used on base model 1982-83ish Devilles. It felt just as nicely trimmed inside as a Cadillac, rode like one as well, very quiet compared to a 90s Honda. Plus it had full instruments with dials, something I always hated about Cadillacs with their idiot lights. It did turn into a pumpkin mechanically and paint wise in the next year or two. Which is a shame because it was a tank for that first 10 years our family owned it(bought it new in late 1990)
Interesting history of the portholes. The Roadmaster always had four, the Special three, and the Century and Super three or four depending on the year.
Cars in the forties and fifties always seemed to have a distinctive feature that immediately identified the brand. Buick with the portholes, Pontiac’s Silver Streaks, Nash’s skirted front fenders, Ford’s round taillights. With the exception of BMW’s twin kidney grill (and maybe the recent Lexus spindle grill), can’t think of any vehicle today that pays homage to its past.
Like the kewl dude with the matching tie and sox!
When I owned my first generation Riviera I often struck the same pose as in this advertisement; staring at it and admiring it’s body.
2008 Lucerne cxl super, 3800 series III. Just got done 2000 mile trip and loved it with no issues. 1999 LeSabre Series II Supercharged. Gorgeous paint job on all of them. 1981 Regal Sport Coupe turbo prototype EX fully loaded.
#1 January 1st. A lot of drunk guys working on that. Brought her all around the East Coast bowling. Never let me down. All are made to do 80+.