Vehicle Description
Attractive older restoration still in good condition. Desirable
Riviera hardtop body. Great chrome and stainless trim. Clean engine
bay with great-running Nailhead V8 and Dynaflow transmission. Big
Buick luxury and performance for not a lot of cash!All the 1958 GM
cars were heavily revised from the 1957s, and the 1959s would be a
clean-sheet design, making cars like this 1958 Buick Special
Riviera rather unique. Unique styling, bigger bodywork, more
comfortable interiors, and more chrome than anyone had ever seen
before. It makes the 1958 models highly collectable and with the
beautiful Buicks sitting near the top of GM's hierarchy, they
represent great value in the old car world. 'Riviera' is Buick's
name for the hardtop, a sporty 2-door pillarless coupe that
represented a buyer who knew what he wanted and could afford to own
it. That remains true today, with these being some of the more
handsome cars of the '50s. This Hunter Green Buick definitely has
the right look, with clean bodywork and striking styling that make
the Special look like it should cost far more than it does. The
restoration was finished perhaps 25 years ago but it's holding up
nicely, with a great shine to the paint and surprisingly
high-quality chrome and stainless trim that just sparkles. The
Buick 'Sweep Spear' is still highly evident, along with the
insanely complex grille with hundreds of individual pieces, and the
'Bombsight' ornaments atop the fenders. Subtle it is not, but
nobody will argue this isn't a great-looking car.The green cloth
and vinyl interior isn't quite to GM specs but it remains a
spacious, comfortable place to spend some time. Wide bench seats
make it a 6-passenger car and thanks to the rather lengthy 122-inch
wheelbase, there's plenty of legroom front and back. For such a
flamboyant car, the instrument panel is rather plain, but the
gauges are easy to see through the massive 3-spoke steering wheel
with a very jet-age horn ring in its center. The gauges are all
operational save for the ammeter, which is disabled due to an
alternator living under the hood. There's more jet-inspired styling
on the heater controls and in 1958 Buick was still calling their AM
radio the 'Sonomatic.' Newer dark green carpets add some contrast
and thanks to the hardtop design, the interior is airy and
spacious. It's possible that the headliner is original and in great
shape, and all the glass is clear. And remember, this is a Buick,
so there's a giant trunk that includes a correct mat set and a
brand-new full-sized spare in a rust-free spare tire well. Buick
was bringing the muscle in 1958, with this Special packing a 364
cubic inch 'Nailhead' V8 making 250 horsepower and 380 lb-ft. of
torque. In fact, torque is the Nailhead's specialty, making this
big coupe feel light on its feet and effortless on the highway. The
engine bay is nicely detailed with Buick Turquoise engine enamel, a
giant air cleaner up top, and a thick radiator up front keeping
things cool. The chrome valve covers aren't quite correct for 1958
but adds some sparkle, and as we mentioned, there's a 12-volt
alternator making the electricity. It starts easily, idles nicely,
and drives well. Once it's rolling, the unassisted steering is
quite manageable and the Dynaflow's seamless shifts need to be
experienced to understand just how smooth it is. The undercarriage
is original and obviously isn't shiny, but the floors are good and
the hardware is in great shape with plenty of evidence of proper
maintenance over the years. Massive finned drums give it confident
stopping power and the tires are brand new 225/75/15 Diamondback
radials that have less than 10 miles on them.Extras include a
factory owner's manual and a set of spare hubcaps. As Buick fans
ourselves, this car really appeals to us. It's in just the right
condition to drive and enjoy without worries-bugs, rain, whatever,
you won't sweat it when you're behind the wheel. It's attractive
and someone in the past spent the long dollar on the important
stuff like all that chrome trim. It's the right size for a '50s
cruiser and delivers that incomparable Buick smoothness. If that
appeals to you as well, then give us a call today!Harwood Motors
always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections
of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.