Well, the plan was to take today off work, go for a nice drive in the country, and look at some Buicks for sale...it could have gone better. One of my co-workers, who found some of the ads, took today off, but to fly east for a vacation with family...I asked Ewing to come along, but he was going to be tied down with work...I then asked two retired guys, thinking that may work better, one of whom is on here, but I'm having a mental block on his handle...they both had plans...sigh.

So, it was just Max and I. We started off with a trip to my insurance broker to deal with a small issue regarding the '56...then after leaving town, I stopped at a Blue Oval dealer.













They sell H & H Trailers you guys, so don't lambast me for stopping in there.... I had a good discussion with one of the sales guys (who has an Olds - I want to say '47, but not certain) about enclosed trailers. It fits in the budget this year, but I still have no place to put it.

Anyway, then it was on the rest of the 200 miles stopping only for a quick bite to see this little 55,000 mile guy:











I'd communicated with Mr. Earl and El Diablo, of course, ahead of time to get some info / advice. Since OnStar has no long distance fees and the minutes were already paid for, after leaving, Max and I had a chat with our Friendly Neighbourhood Georgian. It was good to actually speak with Lamar again, but both of us were a bit disappointed with the car. The condition doesn't seem to warrant the asking price. The windshield needing replacing (has to in order to get a Certificate of Inspection in Manitoba required to license it) is a big chunk of that.

The fellow who owns the '54 Special at present builds dog sledding sleds - he showed me some of his wood work, which was quite nice. Based on some of it, he's much more patient than I am.

Anyway, down the road we went to see what was originally supposed to be cars #2 and #3, but a glitch meant the '80 turbo Regal is unavailable at the moment.

After the drive, I saw what I had only seen previously in words and over the phone. Again, I was disappointed for the price. However, this is a car I have yearned after for some time...this is the second one that has presented itself to me...the first needed considerable work too, but this one was close enough to be able to see, smell, and touch. It's a 1976 Century Free Spirit pace car replica.











It's an interesting car...350 4-bbl, aftermarket A/C, power windows, tilt, full length console, t-roofs, and a few other things. I've been in e-mail contact with our head judge, who has one of these. The asking price is $3900, which I think is a bit steep for a car that needs everything. On top of that, without reproduction decals, getting the graphics is going to prove to be interesting. Again, somewhat disappointing, but this is a car that overall I really like. I'm just not sure that the special edition status affords the asking price.

While I'm at it, does anyone have the ability to decode the option codes for '76? This car has 03C, A51, Y43, and A31 on the data tag.

This would be a ground up restoration. Happily, other than the decals, it seems most of the special stuff is there, while most of the other stuff is repairable, or hopefully reasonably available (i.e. windshield, dash pad, etc.). A '76 350 certainly is no screamer, but it could still be a fun car to have and it would certainly be unique up here in this part of the world.

Sigh...decisions, decisions.

A 200 mile trip for one car? That must be love!

The body of the 54 looks solid, but the engine compartments makes me wonder, how the floor(s) and the underbody look like. With the exception of some minor things (for example the dash clock), it looks original. According to nadaguides, I'd say, it would be a good deal from 4.000-5.500 USD...

Say Thriller, What is that half track looking thing in the back ground?

Me thinks weird iron is wonderful! Dandy Dave!

I'd have to have had more than a couple of Fuzzy Navels to pay more than 3,000 for that lil 54 Derek. Maybe he'd allow ya $4,000 for the side mirrors if he kept them. I paid about that for my four door Special and was on my 4th glass of red wine when I hit the Buy it Now button. Keep lookin, there are better value 54's out there.

If you're serious about a 54 and looking for a grocery go getter or sometin to run to Lowe's in, I think this little pearl currently on ebay would be worth looking into. At only 1500 produced I am surprised at the number of survivors. I know of at least 4 Century's.



The Casino Beige and white one in Florida went no sell (as far as I know) for I think $26,000. It was in much better condition than this green one and had good documented history.I would love to have that car.












And of course there's always that Gull Gray one that was in the Bugle and I think it is right in your backyard, isn't it. Take the money you're gonna pay for an enclosed trailer and put it on one of these. Believe me a trailer can get and keep you a whole heap a trouble on the home front. I think Suzanne would look much better in one of these than on a trailer.

The floors on the '54 are solid from the tapping I did above and below. That being said, I pulled back the mat in the driver's area and it appeared to be screw heads in the floor, so it's quite possibly patched (perhaps I just got lucky that I didn't stick a finger on a screw). The original clock will go with the car...the current owner wasn't able to locate anyone who would work on it, and found this quartz movement unit that fit.

I don't know that I'd call it love, at least not for the particular car. I've had the cabin fever thing going for a while, and this may have been just scratching the itch. It is hard for me to avoid looking at a Buick for sale and typically harder to avoid purchasing a car I look at (I've got a couple like that). I'm not hung up on a '54...it's just that this one is available relatively locally.

Lamar, I've been trying to convince Suzanne for years that a wagon would be nice...she's coming around, but it would almost need to be one with wood at this stage. If I were to tempt fate with a '54 wagon, the local one would be the one to pursue...the green one in VA is nice, but that's a long way from home and would cost a pretty penny to get here.

Dave - there wasn't any obvious markings on the tracked unit...I did walk around it, but didn't get too close...not that I would know what I'd be looking for anyway. I do intend to talk to that fellow again, so I can try to remember to ask.

If someone was putting a gun to my head right now telling me I had to purchase a car I saw yesterday, it would be the Free Spirit...a big undertaking, but it's only money. That car completed would be a nice unit and would be extremely unique in the local area.

Of course, nobody is holding a gun to my head....

I just found out that the dealer sticker on the trunk lid of the pace car is from McKay Pontiac Buick in Calgary, AB. There's no guarantee that's where it was originally sold, but I saw no evidence of any other dealer emblem.

I've never been too fussed on a station wagon, but I like that casino beige one especially with the wires.
It would make a great half sister for Irene.

Lamar:

Thanks for the Casino Beige and White. Never saw what that actually looks like in new condition. That's Dorothy's colours (spelling for my Canadian Friends)!

The wagons are nice!

Gary

I've always thought that chrome stands out well on Casino Beige and I really liked the black over beige on Irene.

Derek, I know someone who knows the owner of the Casino Beige wagon and I am going to be down in FL not too far from it next weekend. I can make him an offer if you'd like.

Lamar - are you trying to imply that buying that car that didn't sell for $26k and transporting it half way across the continent would be less expensive than procuring the one that is already here?

Has anyone besides Rita recently told you that you are evil?

If I'm implying anything I guess it would be that I don't like the Gull Gray as much as the Casino Beige and if "I" had the money and the choice I'd take the Casino Beige over it. No offense meant, Mr. Christian.
There may be someone coming from down south to Flint that might could bring it up...even...

And FYI Rita thinks I'm the sweetest thing on earth.

But that's it, I won't try and talk you into a rare, first all steel, sweet lil piece of mid-fifties Buick history anymore.

The Sloan Museum offers a research service for 1976 Buicks:
https://sloanmuseum.com/research_form.html
But its quite expensive, 50 USD.

If you want to become a 1954 Buick Century Riviera Hardtop owner: http://saskatoon.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-sweet-old-cars-W0QQAdIdZ40487337
I think Saskatoon is in Canada, too, right? The ads says, there is a 1954 Buick Century Riviera for sale:

'for sale ,,1 1954 buick century 2 drhtp,,,1948 chev fleetline ,,1966 gmc short box ,,,1973 gmc ,,,the 54 has a new interior and many things done need a little more work to finish but is complete ,,the 48 is all original ,,,the 66 has a 355 with flat tops and lots of parts was a finished truck but was been redone when i stopped its a neat old truck and the drive line is pretty fresh ,,,73 is 3/4 ton 6cylauto,not a 4x4 ,,,,found a new toy would like to sell ,,,please email if you have any questions ,,,,thanks'

One more thing about the wagons Derek, and I'll shut up. If you want "wood" with that it's gonna cost ya about 20-30,000 more.

edit) cough, choke, gag....right after "submitting" that last post I'm sitting here reading another with a cup of fresh coffe and half a Red Stripe beer left over from last night sittin in front of me on my desk, and I without taking my eyes off the screen pick up the Red Stripe and take a gulp before realizing what the **** I was doing. Now that will wake a person up I GARUNTEEE it...Rita , laying in bed reading, thought it was pretty funny. Definitley one of those time you wish no one was looking...., so I may as well go ahead and tell the world now

ROFL with Lamar.

Don't feel you ever have to shut up...it wouldn't be the same around here I have colour preferences, but not so much that I will turn away from a car over it. If two were available, and they were in the same part of the world (i.e. same cost to get here), then it could sway me.

Jan - Saskatoon is about 500 miles (800 km) from here. We moved to Winnipeg from Saskatoon 10 years ago...I had been secretary of the Saskatoon Antique Auto Club for 2 years before we moved here. I think I may need to send an e-mail.

ROFL, here too! Red Stripe in this country is like Bud that 2 years old! And warm and flat! Even Worser!

My friend in FL tells me that the li'l Casino Beige and Arctic White wagon has been sold. Possibly to a dealer in Tampa. So the next time you see it for sale expect it to be in excess of 30K. I'da sure loved to have hauled that one to Flint for ya Derek.

Ah well...I've pretty much moved on too. I haven't yet called the guy back yet...I'll have to do that soon.

I sent an e-mail regarding the car in Saskatoon, but haven't heard anything back...oh well.

There's a local ad for a '55 two door HT with no drivetrain...if someone wanted to do some customization, that would be a neat one to start with.

Driving the '41 a bit has been good therapy...I'm still looking at a couple options, but the hankering seems to be subsiding.

Not that I need to drag this post out, but I spent some money to get GM Canada Vintage Vehicle Services to decode this car. I'd received a faxed report, but got the package in the mail today...it includes a photocopy of the Jan. 1954 Buick Magazine and some other information.

Anyway, since the '54 is a Canadian car, the body plate doesn't decode quite the same as an American Buick. Some things are the same, but some are different. Here's a summary of what I received:

Model: 4469D - Special 4 door sedan
Production date: July 23, 1954
Shipping Date: July 27, 1954
Production Plant: Oshawa, ON
Paint: 457 - Breton Blue
Trim: 44 - Blue

7197 of this model were produced for sale in Canada.

This shows that the car is supposed to be a single colour, although painting the roof could have been done early in its life, perhaps by a dealer to try to sell the car. Anyway, I've had no success in tracking down Breton Blue. They included that the Dulux paint code is DU-150.

Does anyone have any references / colour charts / anything regarding Breton Blue? I've had very little success searching online. I got a hit on a Cadillac colour, but according to autocolorlibrary.com, it is Brenton Blue (1959 if I recall). I did come across a modeling shop selling paint, claiming it was used on a number of GM lines. It may be that it is the same as one of the other colours of the day, but with a different name.

I guess I'm beyond curious, but it certainly isn't a panic type of situation here.

Thanks.

Derek,

If you have gone to the expense of checking the car out through the GM Canada Vintage Vehicle service, I'd say you are hooked and ready to add this one to your fleet.

Good Luck.

Stevo

Stevo...that was then and this is now...I've moved on to other potential expensive purchases...getting a buddy to check out a car this weekend for me, then we'll see.