[1958 BUICK LIMITED Convertible Options?]

My '58 Caballero Wagon had factory air, triple-turbine,  and air ride.

 

Yes the compressor was large,  the air ride was "beta" with the bladders not up to the task and with serious consequences when one popped,  and I wish I still had it...

[A Buick Transmission Marketing Question]

 

this post may be some what extraneous to the topic:  a "sidenote" perhaps.

 

In approximately 1963 or so I inherited my Dad's 1958 Caballero Station wagon with the triple turbine option. (Actually I think it was standard on the B 58}

 

Inasmuch as I was attending college at the time, I greatly appreciated the vehicle's sterling qualities,  including it's rapid {for the time}  acceleration.  (As a sidenote to this sidenote, my Dear Father had offered his other Buick to me, which was a 1953 Roadmaster straight-8 Oinkmobile,  which I drove in High School, slowly, with it's Dyna-Slow tranny.} [I refused it.] {<typical brat..]

 

The way in which the transmission utilized the engine torque curve was of great interest to me,  and I at least learned the "flow" of the power through it's smooth operation, which was reputed to be the "most efficient" tranny in the market at the time.  

 

So, ...  I was surprised to note that,  two  model years later.  the transmission was dropped in favor of the more plebian (imho) and common "kick-down" hydro-matic.

When I inquired at the dealership as to the reasons, I was told that it (the TT) was too damned expensive, too damned hard to work on, required special training, and etc. like that.  

 

I was also told that if my transmission went out, it would be replaced with a "modern "  one,  and (by the way) your Air Bag Suspension is about due and I should save up for the repair cost.  (It lasted another year or so. )

 

=================

 

In 1970 or so I gave that lovely car (well, lovely except for body panel accuracy) back to Good ol' Dad,  who subsequently gave it to an advanced tinkerer-mechanic-rockhound mutual friend, who promptly made a JACKED 4-wheel drive go almost anywhere buggy out of it.  The fact that you could sneak up grades without wheel spin {relatively speaking} made it superb on lonely dirt roads in  the Gila National Forest,  and other such locales. 

 

Wish I had a picture of that boosted Buick!

 

Wish I still had the Caballero....

 

Wish I was 25..

                   (Nah, I really don't, kinda. Well, in a way...?)

out.....