Vehicle Description
1955 Buick Series 40 Special Riviera Hardtop
In one of the earliest examples of product placement, Buick, which
was one of the top selling vehicles in America, began sponsoring
the Milton Berle show. Such as significant sponsorship that the
show was named "The Buick Berle Show" for a time. Legend has it
that the producers told Berle he had to lose weight for the show.
He essentially starved himself and lost weight, but the lack of
food made him difficult to deal with on set. Buicks, on the other
hand, remained large, as exemplified by the 1955 Buick Series
40.
For consignment, a 1955 Buick Series 40 Special Riviera hardtop
that had a frame off restoration, all new chrome, and some other
new items we'll cover. The car placed in the top 40 at the 2019
Wildwood Boardwalk show and has other wins to its credit, having
been used primarily for show. This is rolling art at its best with
some Buick specific features that remain iconic.
Exterior
There's no way to quietly go about town as the Dover White and
Turquoise explodes off the car in two tone splendor and billboard
sized body panels. Emblematic of the 50's, the enormous chrome
bumpers and their torpedo shaped protrusions are a testament to the
junction of metal and art. V-shaped body trim molding delineates
the turquoise from the white, while portholes and gas tank trim add
to the artful use of metal and shapes to enhance the car's
appearance. Wide white walls, which our consignor states are new,
are mounted on 15-inch red rimmed steel wheels with proper Buick
hubcaps looking fantastic. The additional metal trim around the
window, plus the mirror, door handles, Special emblems, taillight
trim, and rear bumper are in immaculate condition. This is indeed a
show ready car, and the only flaws were found were some bubbles
down low on the car, one with some rust showing through.
Interior
While the outside is ready for its starring role, the interior
offers opportunity for further restoration. The door panels are
nice with gray over black patterned vinyl and the door jambs are
bright and clean. The split bench front seat in cloth is a bit
tattered and torn and the gray shell appears to be in good
condition. The rear seat is intact but shows some staining while
the side walls which continue the pattern of the doors, are in
great shape, providing passengers with a window crank handle to
open the rear windows for one of the earliest pillarless riding
experiences. Black and gray also dominate the dash beginning with
the black steering wheel with horn ring and column mounted shifter.
A glossy dash cover shades contours over the dual gauge cluster
embedded in a gray band that extends across the long dash. Grated
surfaces, robust levers, metal trimmed buttons, and the original AM
radio are all a feast for the eyes and in very good condition.
Black loop carpet sectional carpets cover the floor while the tan
headliner provides opportunities for a brighter presentation. In
the trunk we find some simple brown mats and a spare tire on a red
rim and requisite jack.
Drivetrain
With the exception of some surface rust on the exhaust manifolds
the engine under the big hood is clean and show worthy. It's a
264ci Nailhead V8 wearing a newer 4-barrel carburetor and sparked
by added Pertronix ignition. A Dynaflow 2-speed automatic
transmission is underfoot and sends power to the rear axle and 3.60
gears. Our Buick is equipped with drum brakes and a new master
cylinder.
Undercarriage
The big X-frame dominates the underside, and we note only minor
areas where surface rust makes an appearance. In fact, it appears
the underside has been coated for protection. There's a bit of
sludge built up by the wheels and suspension components, nothing a
bit of brushing and elbow grease couldn't remedy. Beyond that, not
a lot of extra oil around other than a drop on the differential.
The single exhaust snakes its way through the X-frame and finds a
stock style muffler before exiting at the right rear. Coil springs
live up front and semi trailing arms and coil springs out back. The
bottom of the doors look rust free.
Drive-Ability
This is not unlike a tank with luxury features as the big Riv rolls
out onto the test loop purring along with the nailhead firing away
smoothly. It's a comfortable ride made even more amenable by the
fact everything works in the car with the exception of the
windshield wipers. The greenhouse effect provides excellent
visibility, and you'll need it with the long nose and a rear that's
nearly as distant. Stunning car that rides beautifully.
Is there a modern equivalent in a common car that we will look back
70 years from now and say, "what a piece of art!". I'll let you
discuss that while you ponder garage space for this show stopping
Buick which leaves room for your personal interpretation on the
inside. Milton Berle once said, "Money can't buy you happiness. It
just helps you look for it in more places.". Classic Auto Mall is
one of those places and this Buick is one of those cars that can
lead to happiness.
4B7035455
4-Series 40 Special
B-1955
7-Framingham, MA Assy Plant
035455-Sequential Unit Number
TRIM TAG
1955 MOD 55 46R-1955 40 Series Special Riviera Hardtop
STYLE NO 55 4437-1955 40 Series Special Riviera Hardtop
BODY NO BF6902-Framingham Body #
TRIM NO 440-Light Grey Pattern Nylon & Light Grey Cordaveen
PAINT NO EDD1-Temple Grey & Windsor Grey
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
