55 buick

[Guest rscott773]

My dad just bought a 55 buick century 2 door and we were wondering what the difference between the 2 door coupe and sedan is? Thanks for any help.

[jscheib]

I do not think there is a Century 2 door coupe. They were all called 2 door sedans. It should say Model 68.

On the other hand, you could have a 2 door hardtop, or Riviera, Model 66R.

John

[billbuickgs]

Got any pictures? Alway interested in pictures!!!!!

Bill

[Guest 4 bufords]

what about the california hiway patrol cars used by dan mathews in the 50s tv show. they were 55 centurys as i recall.4 bufords from ct

[JohnD1956]

what about the california hiway patrol cars used by dan mathews in the 50s tv show. they were 55 centurys as i recall.4 bufords from ct

Yes, but 55 sedans.

I think the difference is: a coupe is designed with one seat in the front. May be bucket seats but it's really intended for front seat passengers only, while a sedan would have both front and rear seats for everyday use.

Note, Coupes may have rear seat area and jumper seats. But these are not intended to be used as passenger seats on a regular everyday basis.

I know my Dad would drive a 55 Chevy from his job on occasion, with one front seat and a platform for the rear seat area. But I don't know if that was a user enginered product or a factory thing. And I don't think Buick had/offered anything comparable in 55.

[buick5563]

Y'all are gonna confuse a brother.

A sedan has a post between the front side window and the rear side window whether two or four doors.

A hardtop has no post i.e. the windows seal against each other.

[Guest sintid58]

If I remember right the Century's used by the CHP were built just for that purpose and not offered to the general public for sale. They were essentially a Special 2 door sedan with the big motor.

[jonahboo]

there is a cool "swirl" detail only on hardtop models at start of 1/4 panel right after door - this doesn't appear on sedan cars (just above emblem) - fun fact

[1953mack]

06.25.12

There are a lot of confused people on this topic. They are mentioned in the subject magazine article. :confused:

#1. Re the current BUICK BUGLE 2011 MEMBERSHIP ROSTER, Volume 41, page 216:

lists a CENTURY MODEL 68, as a 2-dr Tourback Sedan, with a total production number of 270 (incorrect?, read on).

#2. Re Thumbnail pics: taken from CARS & PARTS, November 1989, Volume 32, Number 11 issue:

A four-page article with some notable excerpts....."the unique patrol cars were hybrids, combining a Century (four-holer) and a Special (three-holer) in a single unit.....the body was from a Buick Special, but from the cowl forward it was a Century, which was enough to qualify it to wear the Century script on its rear quarters.....per an article in the April 1955 issue of the HIGHWAY PATROL MAGAZINE, CHP's house organ, the California Highway Patrol purchased 270 very 'special' Buicks in March 1955.....the cars are being processed in equal numbers in Los Angeles and Sacramento.....transmissions on the new cars will be divided equally, 135 conventional and 135 Dynaflow....."

#3. The magazine article goes on to clarify that "upon further investigation, Jim Ashworth found that the actual number of cars delivered to the Patrol was 268. Evidently the journal's editors had simply rounded off the figure. And the preliminary report notwithstanding, all of them appear to have been fitted with the 'three on the tree' manual transmission....."

All of these Centurys were to have the four-barreled 322 cubic inch engine rated at 236 horsepower @ 4,600 rpm (gross). Do you have one of these with the manual transmission?

Al Mack

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited June 25, 2012 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[bhambulldog]

06.25.12

#3. The magazine article goes on to clarify that "upon further investigation, Jim Ashworth found that the actual number of cars delivered to the Patrol was 268. Evidently the journal's editors had simply rounded off the figure. And the preliminary report notwithstanding, all of them appear to have been fitted with the 'three on the tree' manual transmission....."

All of these Centurys were to have the four-barreled 322 cubic inch engine rated at 236 horsepower @ 4,600 rpm (gross). Do you have one of these with the manual transmission?

Al Mack

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

[ATTACH=CONFIG]143104[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]143105[/ATTACH]

270 is the correct production number

268 to the California Highway Patrol

the remaining two went to the Broderick Crawford's Highway Patrol television show

[Guest Rob McDonald]

Starting with a simple but technically incomplete question, this thread got confused with definitions of Business Coupes (with no back seat) and Hardtops/Rivieras (with no B pillar). There were both 2-door Sport Coupes and 2-door Deluxe Sedans in the Special lineup up until 1952, but the coupes ended there.

The Century formula - big engine, "small" body - was dropped after 1942 but returned in 1954. They were rarely ordered without Dynaflow but I'm guessing the exceptions must be really nice to drive. The current conversation took a really interesting turn toward CHP special-order Centurys, the first I've ever read about these unique cars.

It's now up to rscott773 to let us know what his dad really has. As billbuickgs says - pictures, please!