Advice on possible 1950 Roadmaster convertible purchase

Hello -

I just registered on this forum and this is my first post... so... hello!

I have had an interest in 1950 Buick's for many years and I now have an opportunity to buy a 1950 Roadmaster convertible with 130K on the odometer and I need advice. The car is very, very solid from a rust viewpoint and as far as I can tell and it only needs the drivers side floor panel replaced in terms of rust. The car needs a new top and paint and most of the interior redone (has fairly new leather seats). All of the chrome and stainless is on the car with typical dimples and small dings. The rear tail light bezels and lenses are in great condition. The owner removed the water pump and radiator to have the water pump rebuilt but did not finish the job so I have not heard it run but he seems very much to be a straight shooter and claims the engine runs fine. Hydraulics need to be redone and I am unsure of the electrical systems shape overall. I will be getting under it more before purchase but the underside looks good too, however, it is so dirty it is hard to tell. The current owner bought it from the original owner and it has been in Fresno, CA it's entire life but it has been sitting outside under a tarp for about 10 years. My plan for the car is to do a frame on restoration over a few years. For those in the club that are knowledgeable about this model or year in particular are there things that I should look for that are unique and/or troublesome that I should watch out for? Are there any specific parts issues with this model and year that I should be aware of? The seller and I are wrangling around a 16-17K purchase price at this time... thoughts on price? Thank you in advance for any thoughts you can share. - Matt

First, welcome to a fellow Buick fan. I'd also recommend checking out the Buick forum just a few slots down from here. Awesome knowledge base there.

You've already found the big thing: rust. If the driver's floor is bad, expect the rest to be worse, particularly the passenger's toe panel. These cars were notorious for leaking through the windshield seals, soaking the glove box, and keeping the passenger's side carpets wet 24/7. The rockers are going to be rough, but you'll have to get under the car to see it, as they were box sections that tend to rust from the inside out because the drain holes get clogged and there's no way to get in. And then there's the trunk, particularly at the very end where the seals have failed and water collects in the trough. So I bet it's going to be rusty in all the usual areas.

The only other things are the transmission if it's a Dynaflow, which can be reliable but finding someone to rebuild/service it can be a challenge, and the hydraulics that power the windows/seat/top which are tough to properly sort out. Otherwise, the hardware is pretty robust and parts are relatively easy to source. Trim pieces will be scarce and your chrome bill will be well into the five-digit territory, but that's the whole appeal of a '50s Buick, right?

Anyway, more details and photos will help us give you a better idea of the car's value and problems that you may face. For a car with rusty floors, $17K seems like a lot of money to me because it's going to need a very, very expensive restoration, no matter how you go into it initially. Once you start chasing rust, it's going to be very hard to do a "frame-on" restoration of a car like this. The body will have to come off to get it all.

Good luck!

Seeing as how it has spent it's entire life in the California central valley, the rust may not be as bad as the folks from the rust belt are accustomed to

For 16-17 I would want to drive it around the block and see how it runs stops and shifts. Since none of those things can be tested I would adjust the price down to cover the worst case scenario. Mechanics are always cheap to have done until you actually have them done. Almost anyone can do a tune up, but beyond that it gets tricky and expensive to figure out what's wrong and actually fix it. I would tell the owner get the pump back on, get it running and then we'll talk. I usually find that when the owner hasn't done a pretty simple job like the pump, it was because there was more to it than that. Was it overheating and he thought it was a bad pump and dirty radiator? maybe a whole slew of other problems as well. You are taking all the risk.

A 1950 Buick is a nice car. I would do some comparison shopping as well and see what else is available. (maybe even across the entire country)As Matt mentioned, the cost of Chrome alone may offset the price of a much better car that you can drive now. You may even try to stretch your budget to the low 20's. (I have done this on the last few cars I bought and been very happy I did ending up with a far superior car for not a whole lot more) You would be surprised how much more you can get for a few thousand bucks.

Good luck and welcome aboard.

Hi, i have had 2 of These Cars and unfortunatrly vere forced to sell Them.

IF you dont buy her PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Or if you know of anyone else of this model.

Thank you Ola

the grill on these cars is made up of all different pieces, each one being unique.some of the pieces are easier to get than others.keep that in mind if any are missing or too rusty to be repaired.it is, however, my favorite grill of any car. captden

I agree 17k sounds steep for a non running project car with some rust issues. Not to mention to say the car "ran fine" ten years ago doesn't mean the motor isn't stuck now. Auburnseeker is correct that you should have the seller get the car running. If it is as simple as bolting the pump on then do it. Also, check the brake system. Dry climate or not after ten years of sitting outside there is a good chance the brake lines may not be up to par. Do you have any photos of the car so we can get a better idea of what your working with? As 58mustang said, CA rust is very different from MN rust. When we see rust we can be sure that there is a lot more hiding.

Hi Matt,

If you're already wrangling over the price, it's past time to do your fundamental research. This sounds like a 5,000 dollar car on a good day, downhill with a tail wind. As others have said, do a wide search and find comps from perfect to derelict; from that make an informed estimate of the value of the next one you find. Or come to us first, there's a lot of painfully hard won experience here.

Also would do a reality check on how much you want to end up spending .... a full restoration of a 1950 Buick convertible is going to be very expensive - key word is very. Why not make a list of the things you would want to do and toss it out for some wild guesses from the people here. The figure of 10-15K for chrome and stainless straightening is the tip of the iceberg. Honest. Just make a quick list and post it.

Tires -$1000 and another 300-400 to blast and powder coat the rims. Well worth it if you are going to put brand new tires on them and they have any rust or peeling paint.

Brakes-$1000 if you do it yourself- Don't worry if you don't spend all of 1000 you will spend it on some other unforeseen little thing.

Fuel System-500.00

That's $2500 right there just to drive it not even make it pretty.

Make it a nice even 3 grand with the rims redone and a new Battery.

They get expensive quick.

Hi all -

Thank you all for the very much valued input. I have pictures of the car but I am having trouble loading them as this is my first time on the site. It appears that 1.2 MB is still too big of a file size for pictures? I will post pics as soon as I can.

- Matt

You have to limit the picture to 2000 pixels each way to post them here.

Matt, you need to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are willing to put between 75-150K to get this car to a AACA first place auto. If you have the resources and are in love with this model go for it. If you are an experienced restorer and have time and space you can significantly reduce the cost. IMHO the best money you could spend would be to buy a better example. I've been there including spending 25K on a parts car to finish a classic conv.

The price is not too significant over the long run. If you keep it for 30 years that's only five hundred bucks a year......... plus the expensive stuff.

More significant is that you took the time to sign up on the forum and ask. It must be that your heart is not pounding and you must not be full of angst worying that someone is going to slip in and grab that car while you are on the computer. My guess is that you aren't that hot on the car.

I'd say to keep looking until you find the one that makes all your common sense vaporize and drives you to own it. If you feel like you are on the edge of an orgasm you found the right car.

Bernie

Here is my first picture attaching attempt

Well it's better than I thought based on one photo. Bonuses are the die cast looks very good and the body looks very clean. I would still like to atleast hear it run for the money asked. Beyond that it definitely has potential. I would get it on the road as is. You would be surprised how much of the rust you see on the hood would polish off.

Boy there is a big difference between a CA and a NY car.

More pictures

2,964 would be the production # of 50 Roadmaster convertibles built. A 50 Roadmaster convertible would be a very sought after 50's Buick - the figures being tossed around of $5k are laughable. Keep negotiating and take that one home!! That's a diamond in the rough.

Matt, you did good.

I would LOVE to have that car. From what I can see. What I have not seen concerns me. I am no expert, but I have owned 4 or 5 of these. 6 or 8 straight eights. If that 130K on the odometer is accurate, the engine will need , at the least, rings and bearings. Most likely need bored and crank turned. Mine did at 96000.

If you are thinking getting it running and driving, cost may not be as much as some of the guys predict. That is the reason some ask what your intentions are.

I can see, based on MY experience, if you do the work, $10,000. minimum to reliable driver. And I am usually overly optomistic.

Ben

Hi all -

I posted pictures and the car is really pretty solid. I think. The carpet was removed due to a hydraulic leak under the carpet on the front passenger side and the sheet metal around the passenger’s foot well is very solid. Have not cleared out the trunk to check it and have not checked the door channels yet. All glass and frames are good (forgot to mention that earlier). The chrome and stainless are not that bad but I still understand I am looking at $10K on that on top of $10K paint and so on. I am now not sure I have "what it takes" to restore the car over 10 years or so but... For those that have provided such great comments and advice: Based on these pictures, and if I am not able to convince him to get it running for me, should I perhaps try and get it for $12K'ish as is or walk altogether? These cars are so dam hard to find....

Thank you once again for all of your thoughts and inputs. This site is great!

- Matt<o:p></o:p>

Matt, not all the Buick guys wonder here into the AACA general section, why don't you put a note down in the Buick section that there is a topic/thread on the 50 you are looking at in the AACA general section

Hi Ken -

I will do that (in fact that was my original intention but I ended up here instead).

Thanks!

- Matt

Nice as the potential seems, in its non-running state it's a pig-in-a-poke mechanically. And with no coolant in it, consider this; these straight 8 Buicks were known to get subtle freeze cracks in the block under the exhaust manifold. A crack might be more apparent if there were coolant in the engine. Look it over carefully.

Hope it's straight stick. We used to call Dynaflo "mashed potato drive".

Love me a dynaflo

It looks like the car has a dynaflow from the picture. Amen to what Dave Henderson said about straight eight Buicks developing a subtle cracks in the area around the exhaust manifold. On my 40 Roadmaster I had a small coolant leak under the car that I did not know where it was coming from. Later I decided to pull the engine and have it rebuilt. My friend doing the rebuild spotted the crack and I wound up getting another engine for the car.

If they're prone to freeze cracks, again I have to state that this is Fresno, CA. While freezing weather is no unknown, it is very rare. I doubt the car was ever subjected to a hard freeze

2,964 would be the production # of 50 Roadmaster convertibles built. A 50 Roadmaster convertible would be a very sought after 50's Buick - the figures being tossed around of $5k are laughable. Keep negotiating and take that one home!! That's a diamond in the rough.

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is a 53 Buick Convertible that can be had for 5500 that's been in my barn for 10 years after I sold it to a friend who has finally realized he is not going to be able to restore it. Without the photos I assumed it was or atleast could be in similar shape. Non running car with the hydraulic system needing rebuild. That's why I supported the 5G estimate.

What kind of car can you buy for 22,000? That would be if you could buy the 50 for 12,000 ( which being a seller myself would be hard to see him drop that low unless he really wants to sell it.) and say 10,000 to get it on the road and running well? As they say it's better to buy the best you can first. Extra money paid in the beginning is usually a better investment than money spent over the restoration unless you are paying for stuff you are going to redo.

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is a 53 Buick Convertible that can be had for 5500 that's been in my barn for 10 years after I sold it to a friend who has finally realized he is not going to be able to restore it. Without the photos I assumed it was or atleast could be in similar shape. Non running car with the hydraulic system needing rebuild. That's why I supported the 5G estimate.

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Obviously he has not advertised it or it would be long gone for $5k, it is a Super which still very desireable is by no means a Roadmaster.

Maybe I can help. Please PM me the contact information for the seller.

Bernie

It would be perfectly reasonable to think this car is work $5000 to one person and $17,000 to another. The $12,000 difference isn't that big of a dollar figure depending on what you intend to do with the car, and everyone would have different intentions.

Well.. based on the input from everyone on this site and elsewhere and based on my own gut feel I have decided, reluctantly, to pass on this car. It just is not priced right, to many unkwnowns and it is too much for me to take on. I am going to keep looking for a better car (Super or Roadmaster and a wider year spread... say 1949 through 1952... but I still want a convertible). Sigh...

Thank you all for the much appreciated advice!

Try Searching CLAZ.ORG and search the entire country for 1949-1952 Buick. I would try it without the word convertible as some sellers abbreviate it various ways so you may miss one. It picks up alot of cars advertised on different sites you would never think to check.

Good luck. One will turn up and probably sooner than you think. Also search Hemmings you may find one in there.

Here is a 49 Super I found. I think it's atleast in your state.

http://www.chooseyouritem.com/classics/files/19214500/19214978.html

ten years under a tarp... no water pump .... that's not running,

for a buyer that means a discount in the price equal to a complete overhaul. Maybe an engine replacement...

And, the trans mission will need going through, too. The wisest would expect a complete rebuild .

The Hydraulic system includes the power top and power windows. It will need complete rebuild of lines, fittings, valves, cylinders and motor/pump.

These are all negotiating points that lower the value.

Don't listen to people that disparage Dynaflow. A Dynaflow in good working order is as reliable or more so as all other automatics of that day. But, any auto trans mission from 1950 sitting for ten years will need a rebuild.

I'd like t