Buick was a powerhouse in the sales race during the 1950’s, getting as far as third in sales in 1955 and 1956 with products that showed upward mobility and modern style. Overall, Buicks of the era exuded confidence with their dramatic styling, color combinations, and chrome accents. To many, the division’s cars were a statement, and to own or be seen next to one was a matter of pride and joy. Something that we’ll be more than clear with the images in today’s gallery.
We begin at the top of the heap for 1955, a Roadmaster 4 door sedan, which was the most popular Roadmaster for the year. This one had an understated elegance in solid black, and it was wearing an Ohio license plate. The 322 cubic inch V8 with 236 horsepower was standard, along with the Variable Pitch Dynaflow Drive and Safety Power Steering. The lady next to it is in matching colors, and the sun is hitting her directly.
This one is the other end of the scale, a 1950 Special DeLuxe 4 door Tourback Sedan. The Special was the entry level series, and this model was the most popular Buick for the year. The “Firepower” Valve-in-Head Straight-Eight still reigned, and the Special version was 248 ci and 115 hp, and Dynaflow Drive was optional. Photo notes indicate the location was Tupper Lake, New York, and the ID tag on the bumper says Queens Village, so they were visitors. On the left I can ID a grey 1949 or 1950 Chevrolet Styleline, and the wagon on the right looks like a 1942-1948 Ford.
Here was a 1953 Super 2 door Riviera hardtop, with someone happy to pose with the car. The Riviera was the middle series of three, and this coupe beat the sedan in the series sales race by about 600 units. Under the hood was the new “Fireball” 322 V8 with 170 hp when you ordered the optional Dynaflow Drive.
A red 1951 convertible with a 1953 or 1955 Texas license plate was posing for a Kodak moment. It could have been any of the three series, as that cannot be determined in this view. The Super was the most popular and handily outsold the other two together.
And a two tone 1955 Special 2 door sedan, the entry level model with a base list price of $2233. It was from Shelby County, Tennessee, per the 1959 license plate. The Special engine was a 264 ci version of the V8 with 188 hp. The lady in this photo looks quite pleased to pose on its hood, and we’ll be seeing her again further down.
This 2 door Riviera hardtop was a 1954 model, but the lady was hiding most of the series clues. The Century series returned after an 11 year absence, which brought the number of series up to four, and it could have been any of the four. It had a Virginia license plate of either 1954 or 1960 vintage.
Another 1954 model, this one was a two tone Super 4 door Riviera Sedan that looked like it was taking a break from traveling. The “Fireball 322 V8” got a horsepower boost in its second year and was now up to 200 in the Super version. It had a spotlight along with a bug shield to keep those grille teeth clean.
And one more 1954 2 door Riviera hardtop that could have been a Special, Century, or Super series. It was nice and shiny and perhaps close to new. It had blackwall tires and no provision for a front license plate.
Here is another shot of the Tennessee 1955 Special 2 door sedan on a different day and in living color. It was equipped with the standard hub caps and had a whitewall on the rear. The lady was a little more dressed up this time (she was in the black and white photo earlier on), with matching gloves on this occasion.
About all I can tell about this one is that it was a 1955 either Special or Century series. The Super and Roadmaster had park lamps that were built into the lower part of the headlight bezel (see image #1), while the junior series had separate round ones as seen here. The lady’s shirt was color coordinated with the car, and the outside mirror was built for function, not for style.
A sharp looking 1957 Super Riviera hardtop sedan was showing here, with a lady who was dressed for spring. A new V8 was introduced this year, now up to 364 ci with 300 hp in the senior three series. Also standard was the Variable Pitch Dynaflow Drive and Safety Power Steering. Junior was in the back seat, ready to go.
These ladies were hanging around a two tone 1956 model that looked like a 2 door Riviera hardtop and could have been a Special, Century, or Super series. It likely was a cool day somewhere in California as the ladies were wearing their warm coats. Across the street was a white over red 1954 Lincoln.
We are closing the decade with a 1959 model with a California license plate and a Wessen Buick of Los Angeles frame. 1959 brought a complete restyle and all new series names. They were in ascending order LeSabre, Invicta, Electra, and Electra 225. There was no difference from the front that I am aware of, so the featured car could have been any of the four series. The lady was dressed professionally, and there was a 1959 Ford Custom 300 passing by.
Thanks for joining us and have a great day!
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The two women with the silver/blue 56? That’s definitely San Francisco. Outer Mission district.
Great photos! The last picture could be a photo shoot if Buick had needed an ad. The lady looks terrific and is standing there ready to say, “Wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?”
The photos also bring to mind a tidbit I read about then first lady, Jackie Kennedy. In a full length photo she stood with the ‘model’s pose’. One foot in front of the other, with the rear foot turned slightly. The two ladies in the next to the last photo are an example. I guess back then it was an example of what ladies learned in ‘finishing school’.
The 1950 Buick outside of the Grand Union (Picture #2), was in fact at Tupper Lake. The modern location is below – the supermarket building is still standing, though heavily modified, and it now serves as a Knights of Columbus Council building.
Then-and-now comparison below – Google StreetView map here:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/AStcCBFUf9JKBqCn9
I should add with this photo that the license plate topper (which is not displayed with the plate itself in this photo) is from the American Legion. Them emblem matches the Legion’s emblem, and the Queens Village American Legion was Post 301, which matches the number on the plate.
I recognized that corner instantly. We had a house on Mount Arab Lake and went into Tupper weekely for groceries, church, etc. Not a bad area to be a kid in through the 70s and 80s.
So, they were a long way from home and probably enjoying an annual vacation in the Adirondacks. Even today, Tupper Lake has only about 3100 people living there; I expect it would be even fewer then.
This photo strikes me since my mother-in-law, who is also from Queens (Jackson Heights, so about a 30 minute city bus ride from St. Albans where Legion Post 301 is) is about the age of the young lady on the right…who I’m guessing is maybe 16 or 17 years old in that photo. She’s 93 now. Meaning that of all of the people in this collection of photos, the girl at Tupper Lake (and maybe the kid in the back seat of the Rivera) is the only one who might possibly be still alive.
I can’t stop thinking about that when I see these old photos of cars and their people.
Lovely photos, all .
I remember the white gloves being used into the 1960’s .
-Nate
What really stands out in these photos is how the grilles changed between 1950 (really big buck teeth) to 1954 (thin teeth), and finally gone by 1955.
For some reason, the first photo caused me to think of “Driving Miss Daisy”! 🙂
You mentioned color combinations. The side spear made 1950s Buicks especially amenable to tri-color paint jobs. My uncle had a three tone ’56 Buick Super sedan. I used a pop-out color configurator to jog my memory. I believe the roof color was black, the body color was gray, and the lower body color was white. A red interior was De rigueur with this combination.
Amazing how classy everyone was back then
Those 54s remind me of one of the Robbie the robots
I just asked a monkfish and it thought those were ugly, too.
I do remember the 50 Special with its Jaws teeth. Must’ve been that side of the pond, but now I’m unsure…
Among “proper ladies” of the time(and Buick owners back then would have been in this class) gloves were de rigeur for going out in public. Nail polish was a character trait of women with “loose morals”….
My next door neighbor back in Stafford when I was growing up, I never saw her out of the house without her makeup and hair “fixed”…even if she was just tending to the flowers in the front yard! And she was usually wearing gloves.
A couple of the 1954-56 models that you said could be any of the four series are easily narrowed down to Special/Century or Super/Roadmasters. The fenders and headlights are lower on the upper series, and the A pillars on the lower series slant forward but the upper series A pillar is vertical, and the air intake across base of the windshield rises up on the upper series but not on the lower. Most obvious on the front of the 1955 as you pointed out about the parking and headlights.
The way GM had usually three basic bodies in that period is really interesting. Buicks were either the same basic body as Oldsmobiles or as Cadillacs. Very different but all looked like Buicks with the same dashboard and frame/suspensions. A whole lot of trouble to do something most buyers probably didn’t even notice beyond the porthole count (but only the Roadmasters got four).
Then GM gave it all up and all GMs went to all one body in the rush to get the all-new body 1959s done.