Classic Buicks

[GMC]

What are your favorite classic buicks?

Mine happen to be the:

1949 Roadmaster

1953 Skylark

[Centurion]

What are your favorite classic buicks?

Mine happen to be the:

1949 Roadmaster

1953 Skylark

While I agree that your choices are excellent, GMC, I have a hard time limiting my list of favorite classic Buicks. Here's a start, however!

The 1938 models are a great pre-war favorite, especially the 4-door convertibles like this Century:

How about a truly majestic 1941 Limited?

The 1953 Skylark was a true milestone, but I prefer the rarer '54 model:

If I could choose a '50's era Buick for my personal collection, I'd opt for the magnificent 1958 Limited:

The 1959's are another favorite, and I'm the proud owner of this fine, unrestored Electra with the GM "Flying Wing" roofline:

For sheer elegance, can any other American car match the '63 Riviera?

The 1965 Wildcat coupe is another personal favorite:

A final favorite for me would be the stunning 1966 Riviera:

These choices are simply the tip of the iceberg. Buick built incredible cars through much of its history.

Edited July 4, 2006 by Centurion

[balthazar]

Lots to love from BMD. Particularly partial to 59s, but I also really appreciate the '53 Skylark, the '56 Roadie, the '65, '66 and '72 Rivs. '58s have really moved up on my list, too. '64 Wildcat, '69 225... wow; I didn't know I liked quite so many...

[Sixty8panther]

[Sixty8panther]

[Sixty8panther]

I left out the LeSabre but included the Y-job... the one

year that Buick reached perfection was 1959 but there's

a lot of great years where Buick was at the top of their

game... it seems on the 9s was a good time to buy a

Tri-shield. 1939, 1949, 1959, 1969... then in 1978 the

last of the really cool buicks started rolling out of the

showrooms... the 3800 turbo was the last hurrah before

everything went to $hit in 1988.

IMO 1987 will be remembered as the last year the Buick

lineup did not suck. There's been a few gems since then

and pretty much anything 3800 powered is a great car,

RWD or not.... the last gen. Park Ave, 95-99 Rivirea &

even the last gen. Century & Regal are "nice cars" but

not 1959 Electra 225 or 1971 Boattail Riviera nice.

[zhawk]

Being a major fan of the mid to late 60s and early 70s cars my favorite Buick has to be the Skylark and its cousins the GS & GSX.

Heck just look at the car as my avatar and you can see that.

OK, I just addicted to those years of 'A' bodies and 'F' bodies.

[Ravenfreak13]

Next week Im going to fix up and restore my 66 Electra Custom Convertable

[ZL-1]

@ Centurion: that 1965 Wildcat coupe is gorgeous! Great design!

[GMTruckGuy74]

As with many of the classic GM vehicles, I like the mid-'50s model years the best:

My personal favorite model; the 1957 Buick Caballero sport wagon:

1958

1957

1956

1955

1954

[GMTruckGuy74]

Hey Sixty8... have you ever seen this concept before?

1957 Buick Skylark II concept car

[HarleyEarl]

1967 Buick Skylark. Pure, clean, perfect Buick design. It all came together in this car.

[rkmdogs]

Youse guys left out my favorites; --- the 1961-63 Buick Specials, with the

3.5L All-Aluminum (215c.i.) V-8!

Of course I'm partial, 'cause I owned one. Can't say that I liked the trannies tho!

And then there is my dream favorite that you also did not mention---- the Blackhawk concept!

Woo-wee!!!!

[rkmdogs]

1967 Buick Skylark.  Pure, clean, perfect Buick design.  It all came together in this car.

164287[/snapback]

Harley,

What's the poop on that gorgous 2-dr wagon concept in your signature here?

The pic title says that it is a Chevy, but I have never seen this pic or any like it

before. What is it, please?

[Sixty8panther]

Hey Sixty8... have you ever seen this concept before?

1957 Buick Skylark II concept car

164180[/snapback]

Fellow GM Enthusiast, gentleman & scholar Balthazar told me about

Buick-59.com and by extension I did see that concept & a few others

that preceded he 1959 Buick including the 3-fin prototype.

As far as the Caballero: it's a wagon, it's a hardtop... it's BOTH!

I too thought about including the Blackhawk!

[HarleyEarl]

1958 Buick XP-756 Showcar:

[HarleyEarl]

Harley,

What's the poop on that gorgous 2-dr wagon concept in your signature here?

The pic title says that it is a Chevy, but I have never seen this pic or any like it

before. What is it, please?

164357[/snapback]

rkmdogs,

It's a rumoured Dodge Magnum fighter that Chevy is considering. What it could be like...a rendition. I love it.

Here's another of my favorite Buicks:

The '72 Buick GS: Fantastic!

[HarleyEarl]

Buick Wildcat III:

[Chicagoland]

No pics but real memories.

70-72 Skylark/GS

65-70 Electras

Even the 1973-74 Century GS! Last years for the Stage 1, yes they still offered them til 1974.

[rkmdogs]

Instead of being a ho-hum model, as it currently is, THIS is what Buick should have built to be called LaCrosse!

Then they would have a vehicle that represents a choice---- not an echo!

[HarleyEarl]

RKM, even if it was half that showcar, it would be beautiful. The current Buick lineup just leaves me cold. After much initial fanfare, the LaCrosse and Lucerne, when seen on the street are just so-so. No excitement, no yearning to own one.

I will impatiently wait for Buick to become what it once was.

Edited July 15, 2006 by HarleyEarl

[mightymouse]

1958 Buick XP-756 Showcar:

164687[/snapback]

This one is XP-75, Skylark III Close coupled coupe 1958 build

I love Buicks too

[rkmdogs]

It's a rumoured Dodge Magnum fighter that Chevy is considering.  What it could be like...a rendition.  I love it.

Harley,

Please bring back the pic of the Dodge Magnum fighter Chevy concept that you replaced with the '53 Buick ....... and any other views that you might have of it.

To me it looks like a Nomad on steroids....... or should be!

What is with this fear of bringing back a 2-dr. wagon/pickup?

I would love to see a concept of this sort, your magnum fighter, with the

sliding roof feature like the Envoy XUVs had!

That would combine the best of an ElCamino and the Nomads in one

helluva car/truck............. and sure would offer a choice!

If it was labeled a Buick and had a turbocharged V-6....... WOW!!!!!!

Edited July 16, 2006 by rkmdogs

[Sixty8panther]

Agreed, I hate FWD but even if the LaCrosse concept had

turned up in production looking like it did as a concetp &

with a hardtop greenhouse... I'd be knockign over nuns &

senior citizens to be the first in line to buy one!!!

This on the other hand just plain leaves me cold. (sorry GM1 )

[rkmdogs]

Agreed, I hate FWD but even if the LaCrosse concept had

turned up in production looking like it did as a concetp &

with a hardtop greenhouse... I'd be knockign over nuns &

senior citizens to be the first in line to buy one!!!

167481[/snapback]

Well, you'd have to fight me off, first 68, and.........(sob) I'd

even give up my 9C1 to acquire one!

[rkmdogs]

AND................

IMO,

One of the sexiest features that any GM model had was(is) the cut-down waist at

the doors. They sure should bring that back!

They did a good job of it on the concept LaCrosse!

[HarleyEarl]

It's a rumoured Dodge Magnum fighter that Chevy is considering.  What it could be like...a rendition.  I love it.

Harley,

Please back the pic of the Dodge Magnum fighter Chevy concept....... and any other views that you might have of it.

To me it looks like a Nomad on steroids....... or should be!

What is with this fear of bringing back a 2-dr. wagon/pickup?

I would love to see a concept of this sort, your magnum fighter, with the

sliding roof feature like the Envoy XUVs had!

That would combine the best of an ElCamino and the Nomads in one

helluva car/truck............. and sure would offer a choice!

If it was labeled a Buick and had a turbocharged V-6....... WOW!!!!!!

167448[/snapback]

Here's the pic of the Chevy Impala, Magnum fighter:

I totally agree about the 2-door wagon/suv thing. It used to be that mainstream cars had every possible configuration. Now all we get is 4-door post sedans/wagons with low liftovers at the rear. I'm so tired of the practical/Consumer's Report approach to everything....give us some style and variety...4-doors is almost becoming dated...time for a change. I for one am willing to give up a bit of practicality for the sake of some style or uniqueness. I'd be first in line for a 2-door large wagon/suv. I love them. I grew up with a multitude of coupes and convertibles around and there was even something special about having to push the front seat-back forward to get in....it said to me it was a special car.....and we managed as a family very well.

[HarleyEarl]

I may be of a small number, but I like these 70's Buick Skylarks. This is the '77.

The grille is quite intricate and refined...much in the Buick idiom.

Edited July 16, 2006 by HarleyEarl

[rkmdogs]

I may be of a small number, but I like these 70's Buick Skylarks.  This is the '77.

The grille is quite intricate and refined...much in the Buick idiom.

167510[/snapback]

The big problem with those models Harley, is that they truely were not Buicks,

but merely a rebadge job on a Chevy. Yeah, they had their own grill, but that is about the same as whether your wife wears the red dress or the blue one to

go to the country club tonight!

The heart and soul of Buicks lastly became the evolvement of the 3800 V-6

engine, thru all its development...... and even up to the Indy car versions!

My sons were hard on cars........ but they couldn't break a Buick! Cosmetically,

they wound up looking like fugatives from the bone-yard, or multi-car accidents,

all-in-one, but they always ran!

The other name for Buick........ it was the twins, durability and dependability!!!

I too liked the early seventies iterations, especially the Regals........ finally

topped with the statement that no one has matched to date..... the GNX!

Nobody has picced that model on this thread yet. Harley, step up to the plate, please! Picture time.

[rkmdogs]

Since nobody else has brought it up yet, I will!

here is the gorilla in the bedroom, or the elephant in the refrigerator, which ever one you prefer.

Comments: 1987 was the last year for the Regal and the Grand National, but Buick decided to go out with a bang (although the rear wheel drive G-body platform would last one more year until 1988). A whooping 26,555 Turbo Regals were sold, of which 20,193 were Grand Nationals. Buick made some changes to the powertrain and power increased to 245 bhp and 355 lb-ft. The grille was slightly revised, with the teeth set further apart and the Buick emblem siting on the left side. Chrome wheels also were new.

But the big news for 1987 was the introduction of the limited edition GNX. Only available for 1987, the Buick GNX represents the height of Grand National performance. In a nod to the famous Buick GSXs of 1970-1972, the GNX logo featured a larger "X" than the other letters, just like the GSX logo. All GNXs began life as fully optioned Grand Nationals that immediately left the factory and were sent to ASC/McLaren Specialty Products in order to be extensively modified. The modifications included a more efficient Garrett air-to-air intercooler and a special pipe that connected the intercooler to the engine coated with CERMATEL (Ceramic/aluminum) for increased heat rejection and heat disipation. Front fender vents were installed to pull heat away from the engine while driving. The GNX also received a special Garrett "hybrid" T-s turbocharger that used a very lightweight ceramic impeller (as opposed to metal in standard Grand Nationals). The decreased weight allows the turbo charger to spin up much faster, thereby decreasing the turbo lag time inherent in turbo charged engines. Maximum boost was set at 15 psi and the turbo used an electric wastegate. The turbo also incorporated special low drag, dynamic turbine shaft seals, and a built in contamination trap. All of these modifications added up to 275 bhp and a whooping 360 lb-ft. To handle this extra power, the transmission was beefed up with firmer shifts and the rear axle received a longitudinal torque ladder bar with a panhard rod to help prevent wheel hop and torque twist. It also received a special rear axle housing cover made of aluminum (with GNX embossed on it) that serves as an additional strengthening element and point for the torque bar. For even more strengthening, the car body received special structural reinforcements in the form of "behind the back seat bracing" and special chassis (steel cross member between the chassis rails) bracing. The GNX was the only Regal to ever receive 16 inch wheels. The wheels were made of a lightweight alloy and the rear wheels were wider than the front. The GNX came with P245/50VR16 tires in front and P255/50VR16 tires in the rear. Special welded in fender flares were added to the wheel wells to make room for the larger wheels and tires. The standard transmission was a reprogrammed Turbo Hydra-matic 200-4R four speed hooked up to a custom torque converter. Inside, the dash had a special Steward Warner analog gauge package. All GNXs were black in color and the only exterior identification was small "GNX" badges placed on the front radiator grille and rear deck lid. Under the hood, a special turbocharger heat shield had "GNX" stamped on it, similar to the aluminum rear axle cover. All GNXs received a special numbered plaque mounted on the passenger side dash which identified the number of that particular car (1-547). Also, the Fisher body plate has "GNX" stamped on it. Special "GNX" decals were used on the intercooler and other locations and there were several hidden I.D. stampings to prevent fakes. But all of this came at a price. The cost of the GNX option was a whopping $10,995, which resulted in a final MSRP of $29,900. All out performance doesn't come cheap.

Even more rare are the Buick Regal T-Type "Special T." These models had a Grand National exterior, but a Regal T-Type interior.

Production: Grand Nationals: 20,193 GNX: 547

Engines: Grand National: 3.8L V6 Turbo 245 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 355 ft-lb @ 2000 rpm. GNX: 3.8L V6 Turbo 276 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 360 ft-lb @ 3000 rpm.

Performance: Grand National: 1/4 mile in 14.23 seconds @ 98 mph. GNX: 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, 1/4 mile in 13.43 seconds @ 103 mph.

Oh Yeah !!!!!!!!!!

[HarleyEarl]

The big problem with those models Harley, is that they truely were not Buicks,

but merely a rebadge job on a Chevy. Yeah, they had their own grill, but that is about the same as whether your wife wears the red dress or the blue one to

go to the country club tonight!

The heart and soul of Buicks lastly became the evolvement of the 3800 V-6

engine, thru all its development...... and even up to the Indy car versions!

My sons were hard on cars........ but they couldn't break a Buick! Cosmetically,

they wound up looking like fugatives from the bone-yard, or multi-car accidents,

all-in-one, but they always ran!

The other name for Buick........ it was the twins, durability and dependability!!!

I too liked the early seventies iterations, especially the Regals........ finally

topped with the statement that no one has matched to date..... the GNX!

Nobody has picced that model on this thread yet. Harley, step up to the plate, please! Picture time.

167951[/snapback]

Oh I hear what you are saying. I am definitely a Buick purest as well. But I do recognize that this car is part of Buick history and I personally like them. It is my favorite version of this car. I mean there are countless examples of thinly veiled badge engineering at GM and others.

Here is the '75:

[Chicagoland]

The RWD X body Apollos and Skylarks came with Buick V8 engines, optional. And then after 1975 'real Buick V6's' aka 3800. And these are as much a Buick as the mid size A bodies, which were the same underneath as the Chevys, too. Problem was big car fans looked down an anything smaller than midsized, until 1979.

Then, lots of Buick fans got the FWD X body Skylarks, and we know what happened next.

Edited July 28, 2006 by Chicagoland

[GMman]

I think it'd have to be the 70 GS.

[HarleyEarl]

GMman, that is one stunning example of the '70 GS.

[Sixty8panther]

1987 Buick (ASC/McLaren) GNX

No. 302

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/ssil...ick_GNX_302.jpg

Aluminum diff-case with built in panhard bar.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/ssil...NX_rear-end.jpg

[K.C.]

Easily, its the '63-'65 Buick Rivieras and the Wildcat coupes from that time. Wish I could have one of each!

[jpstax]

1987 Buick (ASC/McLaren) GNX

No. 302

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/ssil...ick_GNX_302.jpg

Aluminum diff-case with built in panhard bar.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y267/ssil...NX_rear-end.jpg

The writers of "Bad to the Bone" must have had the Grand National in mind when they penned that song.

[ponchoman49]

I'm real partial to my 1982 Regal Sport Coupe and most any 1978-1987 Regal. Mine has 2-tone dark blue/light blue paint, T-tops, bucket seats/floor shifter, the 3.8 liter carbed turbo and is loaded with options. It is currently being restored but hopefully I will have some pics this summer when it is done.