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1959 Invicta Estate Wagon Project


Centurion

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We've remarked here during the recent past about the high prices for '57 Caballeros. Even the project cars requiring full restoration have become expensive.

Certainly, there were numerous other, non-woody '50's Buick wagons that should benefit from growing collector interest in vintage wagons. Many of these lack the current collector value of the Caballero, but most were produced in lower volume than the Caballero and would make fun and unique collector cars.

I monitor the Ebay auctions for '59 Buicks, and there's an occasional Estate Wagon that turns up. These are almost always LeSabre series cars, and they are typically rusty or require complete restoration.

Today, I noted a more desirable Invicta Estate Wagon on Ebay. Once again, this one requires full restoration, but the bids are set to begin at a somewhat reasonable level and the car is offered with no reserve. This one is finished in the very attractive Glacier Green with an Arctic White roof, and looks to me like it has the correct '59 Buick luggage rack. (Others will know better than me about the rack.) The Invictas carried additional stainless trim along the sides of the roof and rocker panels, and this one has the bright frames around the door windows. Regrettably, one of the rear, side glass pieces is broken, and the unique wagon glass may be challenging to locate.

For someone having the time and money to invest in a '50's wagon restoration, this looks like a fun one. Fully restored, it will still be worth less than a Caballero, but it will certainly be unique. These cars are very seldom seen at the BCA meets.

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Here's the auction: 1959 Invicta Estate Wagon

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Isn't that roof rack too far forward to be factory (at least in it's mounting)? Every (later) roof rack I've ever seen was always mounted over the rear seat/cargo area.

Neat (tempting) car. I've owned my '59 since '89 and lusted for one a good 5 years before that and I've never seen a '59 wagon in person yet.

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WQ59, oddly enough, the far forward location of the roof rack on this car is correct. Check out the attachment of the rack on the car Norb once owned. This surprised me, but research revealed that this location is correct.

Here's another example on Martin Bernoulli's '59 wagon:

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Weird. It actually makes more sense; if the wagon is so loaded that the roof rack needs to be pressed into service, better than the weight is centrally located rather in the rear where the other cargo weight is. Perhaps in later years ('70s), it was figured that roof racks weren't used that strenuously and they were shifted rearward. Sure hope I get to see a '59 wagon someday soon.

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I've seen one '59 Buick wagon. I think it would come apart if you tried to move it, it's rotting in a junkyard... but if someone needs a parts car, it's still there.

Anyone know how to tell a 59/60 364 from a 401? Just go by the badges on the car, or could you order the bigger motor in the smaller cars?

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Wow, how did I miss that one on Ebay? What a spectacular car, even in its unrestored, neglected condition. I can't get over how solid, rust-free, straight, and loaded (with factory A/C--a very rare option in '59) it is. With the original interior barely showing any wear--just very dirty--I would say that car was definitely a 64,000 mile car, and not 164,000. With the popularity of restored antique station wagons right now, plus the popularity of 1950s tail fins, and the well-equipped nature of this rare car, I think whoever restores it could just about name their price, when it comes time to sell it. I wish I had jumped on that one! What a rewarding and fun restoration it would be, and not all that hard, from the looks of it. I think the rear side glass would be common to all '59 G.M. station wagons (?).

There was a black '59 Buick wagon making the rounds a couple of years ago at all of the Kruse auctions (one of those Kruse mysteries, where the car is declared "sold", and then shows up at the next three Kruse auctions across the country). I don't recall whether that black one was an Invicta or a LeSabre, but it was a nice car.

In 1984, at the BCA National Meet in Atlanta, GA. there was a spectacular, bright red '59 wagon on the show field, and I believe it was an Invicta. I still have a photo of it. Here it is, 21 years later, and that car still stands out in my mind--not many cars will do that!

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

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Pete, I remember that bright red Invicta Estate Wagon very well. It was even a December "Bugle" cover car way back when as a reminder of the holiday season. I think that I last saw the car at the BCA National Meet in Cincinnati in 1990, but have neither heard nor seen anything of the car during the years since. I was on the lookout for it at Flint, but it never showed.

I'm with you on this Ebay car. I am surprised that the bidding activity was so limited, and think that whoever won this one found an excellent deal.

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