Jump to content

My 1953 Buick Roadmaster Riviera - wowww!!!


Hans1965

Recommended Posts

Dear all,

my name is Hans and I am from Frankfurt in Germany. I am following your forum for quite a while but never introduced myself properly. Sorry for that!

Did I ever show you my very first Buick? Bought last year on ebay. I just had to!!! The auction ended at 1 or 2 am (!), my alarm clock took me out of my dreams, I put my maximum bid in and I finally got it. Believe it or not, the rest of the night I spent being happy and blaming myself! I did not get a single second of sleep! I was just too excited and blamed myself for having done this crazy thing of buying a car sight unseen. Not a modern car, but a 60 years old one. How stupid can you be to do that!?!? Luckily the seller was a nice guy in Florida and a few months later the car was in Europe. When I went to Rotterdam to pick it up, it was absolutely fantastic when it started on the spot and the engine run smoothly, even all four hydrolectric windows worked and the bench seat moved! Of course, it was not as nice as I had hoped it would be, but it is very presentable car and I simply love it. For me the most beautiful car ever built on the planet! Its lines, the color combo, the magnificent 188 HP engine, all the "extras" it already had in 1953, power steering, power brakes, power windows, even air condition - simply unbelievable!!! And its mine!

Best regards,

Hans

post-101135-14314297573_thumb.jpg

post-101135-143142975759_thumb.jpg

post-101135-14314297578_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the rest, and great car with a lovely colour combo. Also, it sounds like a fully optioned car, the factory air on a '53 is quite rare. Brings back a few memories, as my first vintage Buick, that I actually had on the road was a '53 Roadmaster, though not as nice as yours.

Enjoy!

Keith

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear all, thanks for your nice comments!;) Appreciate all of them. :o

That is the great thing about this forum, you can share your excitement and passion with others and they get the point and share the fun. Here is my favorite picture of the car, had it on another computer.

Best,

Hans

post-101135-143142976276_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed, really nice picture.

Already spring in Germany or old pic from last year ?

I personally want more... :rolleyes:

It is a pleasure! :cool:

No, these pics are from last year. But currently we have 8 °C and it is as sunny as it can be. There is not a single cloud anywhere. Today is carnival in Cologne, just the perfect weather for such an event. Cheers! In an hour or so I put my gorilla costume over. No pics of myself.:o

post-101135-143142976333_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I miss the days when each make had distinct looks. Yes a 53 Buick resembled an Olds or Cad, but you knew what they were...Hans, my dad had a 53 Olds convertible and to this day I can still smell the fluid from the windows. I'll never forget the red leather bench seats, more plush than my Mom's couch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What was the outside color? Red leather sounds real nice. In that days this kind of car must have been a head turner. I love on my Buick the soft bench seats and the huge banjo steering wheel and the dash board with the middle section where all these heavy knobs are. Love to take out the cigar lighter, which has ten times the weight of a modern one and your hand just moves down a little when taking it due to that weight. I cannot express in my creepy English how much I love it!!!!! All of your cars in the 40s and 50 s have so much style, unbelievable!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hans, it was white, with spoke hubcaps. My dad had it painted baby blue and for the life of me I dont know why. If I recall the story, these were the days of non detergent oil. A mechanic talked my dad into an engine flush, which ruined the engine and my dad got rid of the car.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hans, it was white, with spoke hubcaps. My dad had it painted baby blue and for the life of me I dont know why. If I recall the story, these were the days of non detergent oil. A mechanic talked my dad into an engine flush, which ruined the engine and my dad got rid of the car.....

What a tragedy! Such a nice and expensive car! How was it to drive or to be driven in such a car? I guess it was spectacular. But this light blue is a fantastic color. I really like it. Just a few weeks ago I have seen a 1953 Buick Skylark in Frankfurt for sale in #1 condition for EUR 150000 in such a light blue metallic, amazing automobile. I was so surprsied and stunned. What a presence and flair this car expressed! It was not sold and returned to the owner. Needless to say I took 1000s of pictures.... Do you recall which kind of car your dad bought next? Keen to understand brand loyalty in that days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hans, as the term is sometimes used here in the U.S., that is a humdinger of a car!

No idea what this ment, had to check on leo.org - our online dictionary here in Germany, but it sounded great on the spot. Understand the meaning now. Thanks a lot!!!!! I am really happy that I got your comment and so many other nice ones here, too.

Feels here a bit like family....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a tragedy! Such a nice and expensive car! How was it to drive or to be driven in such a car? I guess it was spectacular. But this light blue is a fantastic color. I really like it. Just a few weeks ago I have seen a 1953 Buick Skylark in Frankfurt for sale in #1 condition for EUR 150000 in such a light blue metallic, amazing automobile. I was so surprsied and stunned. What a presence and flair this car expressed! It was not sold and returned to the owner. Needless to say I took 1000s of pictures.... Do you recall which kind of car your dad bought next? Keen to understand brand loyalty in that days.

Oh yeah, I remember, a '60 Corvair, I think. My parnets also purchase a '54 Plymouth Belvedere that I inherited later at 16. But I think it was the Corvair.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The corvair as convertible again? San Gabriel sounds like a sunny place! Isn't that car the 'unsafe at any speed' thing?

No, the Corvair was a 4 dr family car.....I owned two as well. They were decent cars. Yes, there was the book that basically killed the Corvair. Ralph Nadar. Motor Trend called the '65 Corsa a poor man's Porsche.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

11-30-15

Hello Hans1965,

 

What a beautiful 1953 Buick Roadmaster Riviera you own.  The color combination of Mandarin Red Poly and Majestic White project an air of  prestige and luxury which was very important in 1953.

 

The1953 Buick advertised, "BUICK'S GREATEST CARS IN 50 GREAT YEARS!"  For their anniversary year Buick introduced its first V-8 engine, the first 12-volt electrical system, the "MILLION DOLLAR RIDE," and, importantly, the BUICK AIRCONDITIONER (no hyphen between AIR and CONDITIONER in the sales literature).

 

Based upon the Riviera's cost of $3358, this first year's Frigidaire air conditioning system cost $594, a very expensive optional accessory. 

 

I am writing an illustrated history of factory-installed auto air conditioning.  With your permission I would like to display your Buick in the 1953 Buick chapter.  Your images shown here are a high-resolution quality and will be excellent for publication. 

 

If you wish to provide more images of the car and the system components, please contact me. I will, of course, include your name in the captions.

 

Thank you,

archiveman2977

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Desr Archiveman,

Thanks for your message and your nice words about the car. I would love to be part of the book but after checking the ac on my car, I am not sure anymore if the ac was factory or later installed. It is not a Frigidair system and that is the reason why I doubt now. In this moment I cannot recall the name badge which is on the ac. Hopefully tomorrow I can check again.

Sorry for misleading you beforehand. It was unintentionally. - Just checked, it is a Novi system, Michigan.

Best,

Hans

post-143328-0-47182900-1449172690_thumb.

Edited by Hans1965 (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, the Corvair was a 4 dr family car.....I owned two as well. They were decent cars. Yes, there was the book that basically killed the Corvair. Ralph Nadar. Motor Trend called the '65 Corsa a poor man's Porsche.....

hi, it wasn't a ralph nader's book or article that killed the corvair, it was the hugh market appeal of the ford mustang. the introduction of the 1964 1/2 ford mustang, made GM and chevy realize that the unique little corvair would not be to compete with much success. that is why GM had the chevy camaro, and the pontiac firebird would compete against upscaled cars like the mercury cougar.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12-4-15

Hello Hans,

 

Thanks for your reply. 

 

Yes, my topic for the book covers factory-installed air conditioning. 

 

Your 1953 Buick Roadmaster Riviera, however, sets itself apart from "just another hang-on aftermarket air conditioner" installation because of its condition and for its beautiful Mandarin Red and Majestic White color combination. 

 

I would appreciate more images from you because there may be a place in the 1953 Buick chapter for your car.  If you would like to supply more images, please let me know.

 

Thanks,

Allen S.-archiveman2977

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Allen,

I do not have too many nice photos of the car. Let me see! Could I ask you something, please? Were systems like the Novi on my car always installed by a 'non-Buick' garage or could it have been done by a Buick dealership? Or did they only install Frigidaire systems? In other words, could a Buick owner have purchased a 3rd party system and get it installed by Buick? I wonder if it still might be factory because it seems to be so much effort to do it later on.

Best,

Hans

post-143328-0-26819400-1449778582_thumb.

post-143328-0-12451300-1449778645_thumb.

post-143328-0-24638900-1449778688_thumb.

post-143328-0-78338400-1449778751_thumb.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Dale, thanks a lot. Your 52 looks magnificent, too. Love the color combo. Suits the car very well. I very much like the style of the 51/52 model years. The 53 Roadmaster is as bit shorter than in the previous years and that makes the 53 a bit more bulky and little less elegant.

Dale, the less it has installed the less can break down. I learned that the hard way! This winter I used the hydrolectric windows just for the fun of it, I enjoy so much the way the quarter windows move by 90 degrees around the 'b pillar post'. And the next day when I entered my garage I thought hey, how can have a dog entered my garage and left a note. I found a lake - of break fluid underneath the car below the right quarter window. The line to the window cylinder had a crack. I had to dismantle the back seat, the window and the whole mechanism and the liquud was everywhere, including me. Because I did not see the crack immediately I pushed the button and was sprayed all over with brake fluid... . It does not taste too good I can tell you.

How long do you own yours? The straight 8 motor must be fun as well to drive. Do your sons share the hobby with you?

By the way I am currently in China and one of my colleagues told me he had bought a brand new Buick Lacross and is very proud of it. Buick is a big name here and you see tri shield cars here everywhere.... It is fun for me because in Germany you see none.

Hans

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hans, I've been working in mine for two years, and have loved every minute of it. My biggest problem has been the continuous new leaks. I fix one thing and something else starts to leak. I am finally close to what I hope is the last big one, and ready for spring! What really helped me enjoy it more was working on the paint and chrome. Bringing things to a shine just makes everything happier....lol. As the weather warms and my health improves, I hope to get some new pictures on here. Upholstery coming up soon.

Thanks,

Dale

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...