1950 Roadmaster Convertible

Are there any 1950 Buick Roadmaster Convertible owners here?

I may be buying one needing restoration and have questions.

Thanks.

No convertible, but I know the 1950 Buick's pretty well. Except for some special parts, they are all similar.

You will love the car...

Hi Bill,

Thanks. I know it needs floors and a Trunk Floor too. Anybody make them? If not, I was wondering if the Convertible Floors are different from Sedan floors? Mechanically, are parts available to keep these cars going? I suppose so as Lots of Sedans were built. Sheetmetal and Chrome, I'm not so sure of. It sems like the car is all there so that is good. I was looking for people who have restored one of thes 1950 convertibles to guage what I'm in for. Some parts might not exist or expensive and would like to find out about that.

Thanks for the help.

Mechanically, there is no reason why your (future?) car can't be driven everyday or over long distances if it is checked out/ rebuilt/ maintained well. All of the maintenance parts and many rebuild parts are available.

You keep mentioning convertible vs. sedan. Just so you know, technically, a sedan has a pillar going up the middle of the car between the doors. A HARDTOP has a hard roof but no pillar. In other words, when the front and rear windows are down, you can wave your hand from windshield to back glass. Why do I tell you this? Because it is an important distinction to make when asking about parts. A two door hardtop shares many parts with a convertible. A sedan has a different windshield, doors, and most likely floors than a convertible. Also, you need to know whether you have a large or small series car. Other than mechanical parts, with very few exceptions, there is NO similarity in body panels, glass, etc.

Sorry if it seems basic, I just wanted to make sure you knew the difference.

Good luck

Mike, No need to be sorry, as I appreciate the education. I really know nothing about the 50 Buick, let alone the Roadmaster Convertible. I always loved the Big behemoths but never thought I may actually have the opportunity to obtain one. What you have told me helps, and I thank you for that. Are reproduction floor & Trunk panels available for this car? It sounds like it may not be and anything sheetmetal would need to be gotten from Donor cars?

Also, was the interiors of the Convertible Leather or Vinyl or were both available?

KD, go for it!! The floor pans, trunk pans ,etc, are available. I have just done a '50

Special four door. Some of the things that will be scarce will be trim, bumper parts,.

Mike mentioned small series or large. Roadmaster is the large, Super is in the middle and Special the small series. Convertable had leather interior.

Just about any thing you will need mechanically is available, either original or reproduction.

Keep us up to date on what you decide. We enjoy these stories.

Ben

Ok, Excellent. Will do. Appreciate the Help!

BTW, you wouldnt know the full lenght (and weight) of this car would you?

Weight 4345 per SEVENTY YEARS OF BUICK. Overall length 214 inches'. Wheel base, I believe, is 126 in.

Ben

Classic Fabrications will have floorboards for your car.

classicfabrication.com your on-line source for floorpans for your classic car

Wheatbelt can help with donor parts for sheet metal.

http://wheatbeltbuick.com/

Join the BCA, it is the best $ 50 you will spend in getting your car restored.

Buick Club of America Membership Application

That engine is a stright 8, parts are easy to get. 320 cu/ Inches aout 135 hp.

Dynaflow automatic transmission

Riding in that car will be an experience you wont soon forget.

Some of the hard parts to find are the teeth in the grill and the housing for the backup lights. Teeth get crushed and the backup light rot away.

Also, the bar in the center of the grill, called the mustache bar is hard to find and expensive when you do.

Leather is easy but expensive.

Ken Mitson of KEN'S SPECIALTY PARTS has front and rear, left and right, floor pans for the 1950-1953 Buick coupes and convertibles. I have purchased his pans and they are dead-on original looking.....great quality and workmanship.....Telephone 480.607.3714.......or Fax 480.922.7001.....$125 each for front pans.....$150.00 each for rear pans....full set less 10%.

Al Mack

"500 MILES WEST OF FLINT"

"If the top don't drop, it's just another parts car"

The '50 Roadmaster Convertible is a very rare car, even rarer than its low production would suggest. For inspiration, here is a photo of one I formerly owned. It was completely original including the excellent paint and somewhat worn top and interior. The interior was grey and red leather. The car was sold about six years ago. It was recently offered on Ebay by the present owner, following a frame-on restoration, with a starting bid of $80,000. Don't know if it sold.

Good luck with the project...if you saw it through to completion, you would have one of a handful of '50 Roadmaster Convertibles on the road today. The '50s are fun to own because everyone over 60 remembers them. One guy told me the big toothy grille frightened him so much when he was a child that, if he encountered one when walking with his dad, he would insist on crossing the street to get as far away from it as possible!

Weight 4345 per SEVENTY YEARS OF BUICK. Overall length 214 inches'. Wheel base, I believe, is 126 in.

Ben

OK, thanks! time to measure the Garage.

The '50 Roadmaster Convertible is a very rare car, even rarer than its low production would suggest. For inspiration, here is a photo of one I formerly owned. It was completely original including the excellent paint and somewhat worn top and interior. The interior was grey and red leather. The car was sold about six years ago. It was recently offered on Ebay by the present owner, following a frame-on restoration, with a starting bid of $80,000. Don't know if it sold.

Good luck with the project...if you saw it through to completion, you would have one of a handful of '50 Roadmaster Convertibles on the road today. The '50s are fun to own because everyone over 60 remembers them. One guy told me the big toothy grille frightened him so much when he was a child that, if he encountered one when walking with his dad, he would insist on crossing the street to get as far away from it as possible!

Wow, that is a Beauty. Thank you for the info.

I salvaged several parts from a 1950 76-S a few years ago and I own a 1950 76-R. Many of those parts are the same as the convertible which is a model 76-C. I have extra front fenders, hood, grille teeth, front & rear bumpers (needing replating, of course), rebuildable mechanical parts, etc. I do NOT have any extra front parking light housings which are very hard to find, nor any extra back-up light housings which are also very hard to find. My 76-R has the dreaded Hydro-Lectric system for the power windows and power seat, which the convertible will also have. It's not that difficult to trouble-shoot, but very few mechanics are familiar with it.

As Mike alluded to, hoods and front fenders are Roadmaster-only; Supers and Specials will not fit. There are so many versions of the rear fenders/rear quarter panels (even among the Roadmaster series), that you can very easily go wrong there. If you don't have the recent Buick Bugle issue on the 1950 Buicks, you need to get one, which sorts a lot of this out.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Sherman, Texas

1948 model 71

1949 model 59

1950 model 76-R

1959 Electra 2-dr. ht.

1962 Electra 225 4-dr. ht.

1963 Wildcat conv.

Thank you for all your help!

I wil keep you guys posted on what develops.

Hi guys,

Well, I'm happy to report you have another Buick owner among you! I was able to buy the 50 Roadmaster Vert. I'm very stoked for sure. Never thought I would have a car like this one day. It went into my garage a few hours ago. It has some issues for sure, but so far the only things I see missing are the all the seats, hubcaps, passenger door molding and hood molding. Everything else was in the trunk. It dosnt run yet but I will work on that at soon.

Thanks again for all the quick educational help.

That car will be a very, very worthwhile restoration. No matter what you spend on it, you can be certain you will get it back if and when you sell it. I will check to see if I have an extra hood emblem & chrome bezel for front of hood, if that's what you are referring to. Would love to see a photo or two.

Pete Phillips

1950 Roadmaster 76-R

Thanks Pete. I will have to explain the story how I aquired it in greater detail. Basically, I owe it all to one of my best friends Bruce who knew about the car for 35 years.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii163/KdF1_01/1950%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Convertible/1950%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Convertible/IMG_1990.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii163/KdF1_01/1950%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Convertible/1950%20Buick%20Roadmaster%20Convertible/IMG_1987.jpg

Cant wait to get her runnin!

There is a 1950 hood emblem and chrome bezel on ebay right now for $10.

Congratulations Now you need to get a shop and body manual so you can fix it correctly.

I'm looking for the complete front seat and rear seat too. I am going to Hershey and could pick them up there. Anyone have any?

Thanks.

Congratulations Now you need to get a shop and body manual so you can fix it correctly.

Absoluletly. Where do you suggest is the best place to get them?

I joined the Club which I'm sure I will enjoy and learn a lot from.

Thanks

BISHKO AUTOMOBILE BOOKS - 1-800-544-3312

Thanks Bill.

eBay is another alternative.

Welcome to the world of Buick ownership and the BCA. Driving the big straight 8 Buicks is such a smooth experience.

There was a 1950 convertible in tatters that found a new home at the National meet in Ames, Iowa in late July...I don't recall what model it was though.

Thank you Derek.

I never owned a big American cruiser like this and always wanted to. I ordered the books today as well. Just found the rear convertible glass window in the trunk last night. Its filled with all kinds of extra parts including a grill. Seems that the rear bumper guards with back up lights are rotted on the bottom (as I hear they all are) so I will be needing them too if anyone can spare a set.

Thanks.

The one at Ames was a Super.

Ben

Dear KdFWagen. Do you still have your 50 RM Conv? Where do you live? US O Germany?

Ola in Sweden

Hi Carola,

Yes, I still her. I'm in the USA in New York. Not many of these cars around for sure.

I had 2 of those ower the years but had to sell them. You have no thoughts of selling yours? Ola

Im not really too interested in selling it. I've been asked before, and so far have declined. I have alot into this car so far. I have had the complete driving mechanicals restored correctly so it drives wonderful now. A few years ago I was able to buy all the front & rear bumper chrome, teeth, driving light guards, backup light guards, hood bomb site, hood medallion, etc, all NOS from one person. It was a great find, and makes the car look much better now. (Especially in pictures) It still needs a whole lot more done to it but it is fun and reliable to drive now which I really like. My car was also a factory black with red interior car which is another thing I really like about it. I've been wanting to post update photos of her on here but was having trouble doing that.

The posters on here are correct in saying its better to get a finished car, or at least picking the best one you can start off with. There is a lot to these cars that add up dollar wise when restoring one. More than you may realize.

I'm just finding this thread, and what a great looking car! I'd love to see some up to date pictures of it.

I restored a '41 Roadmaster Coupe and it was someone else's project car, and, as you mention, the dollars add faster than you think. Though the result was worth the effort, in both time and money, as I'm sure your car was too. Sometimes that is what one has to do with these rather rare cars.

Keith

I understand KdFWagen, hope you didnt mind me asking. PLEASE ler me know if you find a Car like this GIF sale.

Take care Ola

Hi Buicknutty,

Yes, I agree with that too. Last I checked there was something like 9 or 10 of these in the Buick Club worldwide with around 1/2 being overseas. (There must be more out there, right?) But I was not in the position to buy a big American 40s or 50s Convertible, and had always wanted one. This car came up at the right place at the right time. I was already hooked on the look of these cars. I knew I never saw one and quickly found out how scarce they were too. Buying one that needed a bunch of work was the only way I could get into a car like this. Despite different challenges I've had, I don't regret it one bit so far!

I understand KdFWagen, hope you didnt mind me asking. PLEASE ler me know if you find a Car like this GIF sale.

Take care Ola

Ola, I don't mind at all. You don't know if you don't ask, right? I understand why you like these cars.

On 9/19/2014 at 3:05 PM, KdFwagen said:

Hi Carola,

Yes, I still her. I'm in the USA in New York. Not many of these cars around for sure.

Hi again. Since it been some time i hope you dont mind me askungen again. 😀 Will you sell me your RM Conv .  Ola