Buick Bruce

When I was a kid, our family got a 2-3 year old 1959 Electra Sedan. It had one long seat-belt that went across the entire front bench seat. It was the typical seat-belt material (webbed nylon?) with a simple square cut on one end that went into a ribbed tension clasp on the other end. First seat-beIt I ever saw. It was used a couple times the rolled up and tucked away under the seat.

I just looked at a 1964 sales brochure - clearly shows the difference in the front grille emblem between LeSabre and Electra. Time to look for a decent drivers side LeSabre grille! Thanks guys for your help!

Was there a production change for the 1964 LeSabre front grill? I believe my 64 Estate Wagon was hit in the left front at some point and the fender and left side grill were replaced (the inner fender is wrinkled around the wheel opening). The fender is drilled for wheel opening trim, but not any other wheel openings. The issue that has me perplexed is that the left and right grill halves do not match in the center! Were there two different grills and grill center emblems for 1964

I'm trying to figure out what to do with the front seat of this recent addition. The drivers side is just springs. If someone out there has or knows of a parts car with usable embossed vinyl panel(s) - or a complete seatback, front or rear, I'll have them sewn into a new front seat cover to try and keep everything as original as possible. Bruce Collin brucejcollin@gmail.com phone/text 619-213-8834

Mirabeau Park Hotel is completely booked for Saturday night - any alternative place that BCA members are using?

A 60's Buick with standard trans AND a convertible - I had to go check it out: https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/d/san-diego-1964-buick-skylark/7587749848.html This car was sold at Fewel Buick in Meridian, Miss. It apparently came to CA in 1968-69 (CA black plate; 1st letter W). The current owner got this car when the previous owner traded it in at a local car dealership where he works. That prior owner was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego and there's a thick stack of his service records, including "engine refurbish" that was done shortly before the odometer rolled over. Current owner is serious car guy and was involved locally in a lot of car activities, including drag racing. So when the Skylarks original tranny was starting to get noisy, he replaced it with a T10 he had which included a Hurst Verigate/Ramrod shifter. That is currently in the car. The original 3 speed column is still installed with the linkage tied up against the frame. The original tranny is included. This car looked like a nice driver, depending on what you would do with the transmission. A conventional shifter would probably be more user-friendly, but the Verigate is intriguing. The newer upholstery, carpet, top and boot look nice and follow original patterns. Door panels looked original. Dash pad is cracked. Colors appear to be correct to the data plate. I did not see any rust or evidence of collision repairs. The biggest concern for me was bright work. All the pot metal inside and out had some degree of pitting. Bumpers are bent up a bit and also had some pitting. I did not drive it. Currently on non-op, but a 1 day operating permit (no charge) can accommodate a test drive.

This could work as a tow car for my trailer. Maybe I'll finally have to set up a Facebook page

I looked at this car last Saturday because I would like to get 3-speed parts for my 53 Super. It was a donor parts car and missing a lot, but it has a complete 3-speed steering column and pedal assembly. It does not have an engine/trans and is missing the clutch and shift linkage and trans brackets. My research determined that all these straight eight 3-speed parts would not work for a nailhead car. Body is actually pretty solid except for front floor pans, has dash, seat frames and all glass. It's on Craigslist: https://sandiego.craigslist.org/esd/cto/d/la-mesa-1953-buick-soecial-door/7280906424.html

Well, looks like this will remain a mystery to me - I got a reply Thursday that the California Regal had already been sold. But the Craigslist listing is still up, so I can at least share the pictures I saw: https://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/d/san-diego-buick/6742654725.html Over the years, I managed to get ahold of 67 and 69 California GS Buicks, and had a magazine ad for a Colorado GS. I used the 69 hood, cold air intake, steering wheel and emblems to turn our family hauler - a 68 Sportwagon - into a "California GSportwagon". Besides everyday use, it hauled our family to the 89, 91, and 93 BCA Nationals.

I'm hoping to look at this Buick in the next day or so. I know it's "too new" to be of much interest to most BCA members, but the first Buick I bought the year after I graduated from high school and joined the BCA was only 17 years old - a 57 Caballero wagon. Wish I still had it. Anyway, I can't find any reference about a "California Regal". Does anyone know if this was a regional or specific dealer badging? It is an all red exterior with tan leather interior, badged on the dash as Regal LS.

As for interior colors/ materials available, I believe all wagons used only the pebblegrain Cordaveen vinyl material (no cloth or woven fabric options). The bodies were built and trimmed by Ionia with usually only 4-5 or so color options.

The reason I found this forum thread was from Googling "Ballantyne Buick". I found the license plate frame below, and remembered the name, but was trying to remember where they were located, as I lived in El Cajon in the 60's. Back then, the Marvin K. Brown dealership was only Cadillac.

Indeed I bought this Buick shortly after I joined the BCA in 1974. I knew it was rare, and even though it needed a paint job, I thought it was worth the $200 agreed on.

Any suggested attire for Saturday's Banquet?

I'm in agony over what to do with my 1953 Buick Roadmaster wagon. I bought it 30 years ago as an extremely complete restoration project. Being a non-runner, it went into the back corner of my then new garage. And over the years it was buried with other projects and parts. With life passing by too fast, many of those projects were sold so I could get back to my core interests - my 40 Special and 53 Woodie Buicks. The wagon was unburied and set up on jack stands a couple years ago, and I was STUNNED at how original it was, and VERY thankful that I had not started restoration as planned. I believe it's currently about 95+% factory original. My current goal is to get it running well enough for local cruise nights, and to be able to drive it onto a trailer and onto a show field. But even in this process, I'm destroying some originality. I know that it's my choice to do what I want with it. I'm a historian at heart and it would drive me crazy to restore this car, but my big quandary is what to do with the wood. Even though it's been in dry storage for approx 40 years, it was stored outside long enough for the finish to completely disintegrate, and I have the typical wood rot at the bottom of the rear corners and lower rear sill. So as it sits, I don't believe the wood has ever been re-sanded, which fascinates me, but I dare not get it wet. It also has traces of the factory decals that were used for the mahogany-grain accents. In the 40 years I've been actively persuing every opportunity to look a last-generation Buick woodies, I've only seen two cars with original mahogany-grain decals intact. I believe there are a couple more that I've not seen, but it's usually the first thing that is restored along with filling loose wood joints and splices and then sanding and finishing. With the goal of reaching AACA Original status, I would appreciate thoughts and comments about how to proceed with this car. Fortunately, I have a second one that I can restore for practical use, and my current goal for this one will be a mildly modified car capable of towing. However, one of my questions in proceeding with these wagons is if it's ethical to harvest some better original wood from the second car to upgrade rotted pieces on the original car.