Jump to content

Classic Buick Models - HELP!


Guest seglare

Recommended Posts

Guest seglare

Hi All,

I am writing about two classic Buick models, the 1956 Roadmaster Sedan and the 1958 Super Riviera Coupe.

Could you help me by providing information about these cars?

I need only basic things, mostly the engine specifications. It is quite difficult to find authentic information about classic cars. So, this is the reason I am asking for your help.

I would need the following specs:

- place of production/assembly

- the time/period when the model was in production

- displacement /ccm/

- number of cylinders

- performance /HP/

- average fuel consumption

- top speed

Hope you understand my situation. You can find information on these specs on the internet but unfortunately it is difficult to find out which one refers the best to the original and authentic values.

Thank you in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare

Hi All,

I am writing about two classic Buick models, the 1956 Roadmaster Sedan and the 1958 Super Riviera Coupe.

Could you help me by providing information about these cars?

I need only basic things, mostly the engine specifications. It is quite difficult to find authentic information about classic cars. So, this is the reason I am asking for your help.

I would need the following specs:

- place of production/assembly

- the time/period when the model was in production

- displacement /ccm/

- number of cylinders

- performance /HP/

- average fuel consumption

- top speed

Hope you understand my situation. You can find information on these specs on the internet but unfortunately it is difficult to find out which one refers the best to the original and authentic values.

Thank you in advance!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Rob McDonald

SEGLARE, you can find pretty complete and accurate information from the online version of the Standard Catalog of Buick, by John Gunnell. Google "Standard Catalog Buick 1956 Roadmaster", for example, and the book opens to page 92, where much material about this great car is found. It may not have everything you seek but it's a solid foundation.

Here on the forum, you can "ask the folks that own them" to lie about their cars' top speed and fuel consumption.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your local library may have The Standard Catalog of Buick or similar books available. Libraries are those things people went to for information from those bound paper things before the advent of the Internet ;)

Some of the information you seek may be somewhat specific to a car / model. For instance, there was a period where all Buick convertibles were built in Flint, MI. So, a Roadmaster convertible would have been build there, while sedans could have been built in any of the other plants.

The 1956 Roadmaster had an 8 cylinder 322 cid engine with 9.5:1 compression making 255 brake hp. It had a wheelbase of 127 inches and an overall length of 213.6". Production plants that year were Flint, Southgate, CA, Linden, NJ, Kansas City, KS, Wilmington, DE, Atlanta, GA, Framingham, MA, and Arlington, TX.

The 1958 Super had an 8 cylinder 364 cid engine with 10.0:1 compression ration generating 300 hp. Wheelbase is 127.5: and overall length of 219.1". Production plants were the same as in 1956.

This information comes from a book, which may have errors. That is where some of the errors / misinformation you see on the Internet comes from - errors simply get repeated and wider spread.

Good luck.

Edited by Thriller
Corrected some grammar (see edit history)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
SEGLARE, you can find pretty complete and accurate information from the online version of the Standard Catalog of Buick, by John Gunnell. Google "Standard Catalog Buick 1956 Roadmaster", for example, and the book opens to page 92, where much material about this great car is found. It may not have everything you seek but it's a solid foundation.

Here on the forum, you can "ask the folks that own them" to lie about their cars' top speed and fuel consumption.

Thank you Rob!

It was a good source but unfortunately lacked some crucial information. It is more like a historical overview, but it's great. :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare

Thank you Thriller!

It was a nice reply from you. So, there isn't any information on the top speed and on the fuel consumption?

I have found something about the fuel consumption on both models. I show you, what do you think?

1956 Roadmaster:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 16.4 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 16.8 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 17.3 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 18.5 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 21.8 l/100 km

1958 Super Riviera Coupe:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 17.6 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 18 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 18.6 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 21.1 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 23.1 l/100 km

Do you think these values could be right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seglare, the Me and My Buick forum is for posting about you and your particular Buick. I see you have posted the same question in several different forums. This will only create confusion for yourself as well as the members trying to help you. The Buick "General" forum would be THE forum for your question therefore I am merging this thread to the one you already started there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Thriller!

It was a nice reply from you. So, there isn't any information on the top speed and on the fuel consumption?

I have found something about the fuel consumption on both models. I show you, what do you think?

1956 Roadmaster:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 16.4 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 16.8 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 17.3 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 18.5 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 21.8 l/100 km

1958 Super Riviera Coupe:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 17.6 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 18 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 18.6 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 21.1 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 23.1 l/100 km

Do you think these values could be right?

No wonder they used to say these cars could pass anything... except a gas station!!

But I am curious how you would interpret the numbers in your chart? In my world gas consuption is statedas the number of miles the vehicle can be driven on one gallon of gas. How do you convert the numbers on your chart to that scale?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Thriller!

It was a nice reply from you. So, there isn't any information on the top speed and on the fuel consumption?

I have found something about the fuel consumption on both models. I show you, what do you think?

1956 Roadmaster:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 16.4 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 16.8 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 17.3 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 18.5 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 21.8 l/100 km

1958 Super Riviera Coupe:

by 80 km/h (50 mph): 17.6 l/100 km

by 90 km/h (56 mph): 18 l/100 km

by 100 km/h (62 mph): 18.6 l/100 km

by 120 km/h (75 mph): 19.8 l/100 km

by 140 km/h (87 mph): 21.1 l/100 km

by 160 km/h (100 mph): 23.1 l/100 km

Do you think these values could be right?

No wonder they used to say these cars could pass anything... except a gas station!!

But I am curious how you would interpret the numbers in your chart? In my world gas consuption is statedas the number of miles the vehicle can be driven on one gallon of gas. How do you convert the numbers on your chart to that scale?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
Seglare, the Me and My Buick forum is for posting about you and your particular Buick. I see you have posted the same question in several different forums. This will only create confusion for yourself as well as the members trying to help you. The Buick "General" forum would be THE forum for your question therefore I am merging this thread to the one you already started there.

MrEarl, yes, I have posted this to other threads as well because one of the members suggest me to do this and I thought yes this can be better because more people see my post.

I didn't write anything to the "introduce myself" thread because I am not a Buick fan /I'm addicted to another brand :-) /, we just have a new project in which Buicks are involved as well and we need correct and authentic specifications on these cars which seems impossible to find!

So, this is the reason I didn't write anything there. I do not want to establish a new profile/membership here. If we can get all the information on these two Buicks I will leave you and let the things go on their way like before. :-) Hope you understand me.

All of you have a Buick or you are a big fan of this brand and this is the fact that keeps the hope alive in me.

It's interesting that in spite of there are a lot of people in the World who are committed to a brand/type, there aren't a useful list of these cars and of their specs.

It is something should be done I think. You can find information easier on the right oil pressure or about any kind of valve setup than on the real/official performance of the certain car! Can you imagine a situation when you and other enthusiasts are talking about your wished car and there aren't anyone who can tell you the official performance or displacement of the car?! I can't! I know everything about my favorite car including the diameter of the rims, the exact name and code of the paint, the name of the chief designer, the engine restrictions and how to dissolve it, everything.

We collect information on many cars from every corner of the World and experienced the same everywhere: No exact and/or authentic history writings. Almost every sources stating different information. That's why I decided to get in touch with the people who know almost everything about their favorite cars, and those people are the: owners and fans!

This is the reason I'm here and asking for these basic specifications.

:-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
No wonder they used to say these cars could pass anything... except a gas station!!

But I am curious how you would interpret the numbers in your chart? In my world gas consuption is statedas the number of miles the vehicle can be driven on one gallon of gas. How do you convert the numbers on your chart to that scale?

JohnD1956, I will show you another version of this chart, it contains only miles and gallons. :-) This chart is the same I posted before just uses different scales.

1956 Roadmaster:

50 mph - 14.3 mpg (U.S)

56 mph - 14 mpg

62 mph - 13.6 mpg

75 mph - 12.7 mpg

87 mph - 11.9 mpg

100 mph - 10.8 mpg

1958 Super Riviera Coupe:

50 mph - 16.1 mpg (U.S)

56 mph - 15.7 mpg

62 mph - 15.2 mpg

75 mph - 14.3 mpg

87 mph - 13.4 mpg

100 mph - 12.2 mpg

Hope these help you! :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JohnD1956, I will show you another version of this chart, it contains only miles and gallons. :-) This chart is the same I posted before just uses different scales.

1956 Roadmaster:

50 mph - 14.3 mpg (U.S)

56 mph - 14 mpg

62 mph - 13.6 mpg

75 mph - 12.7 mpg

87 mph - 11.9 mpg

100 mph - 10.8 mpg

1958 Super Riviera Coupe:

50 mph - 16.1 mpg (U.S)

56 mph - 15.7 mpg

62 mph - 15.2 mpg

75 mph - 14.3 mpg

87 mph - 13.4 mpg

100 mph - 12.2 mpg

Hope these help you! :-)

It appears that the car models and mpg are backward.. The 56 w/322 gets better fuel mileage according to the first charts shown in metric units.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

" I do not want to establish a new profile/membership here. If we can get all the information on these two Buicks I will leave you and let the things go on their way like before." (from post 13)

...so, you are not going to stick around and contribute and share?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
" I do not want to establish a new profile/membership here. If we can get all the information on these two Buicks I will leave you and let the things go on their way like before." (from post 13)

...so, you are not going to stick around and contribute and share?

No, I won't. The first time somebody will share these primitive and basic specifications with me I will disappear I promise. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those fuel economy numbers would certainly be in the right ball park. Expressing fuel economy in litres per hundred kilometres is the metric way of doing it, so you see it here in Canada, even though it doesn't make as much sense logically. It's just a matter of math to invert the number, convert km to miles, and l to gallons.

Now, if looking for top speed, I would think locating magazine articles from back in the day when the likes of Motor Trend or Car & Driver would have put that sort of information in. Fuel economy didn't seem to be that important overall back in the 50s. Many of us today are interested, but it isn't that critical to us. If I want to drive one of my old cars, I put fuel in and drive. Perhaps Buick folk are unique that way.

For what it's worth, my '61 Invicta is Cordovan in colour. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
Too bad. We all like to learn stuff. No matter how primative and basic.

JohnD1956, yes I share this opinion. I think this is what a forum is about, to discuss topics and offer differing points of views and why. To help each other. I try to do this in other forums but here I can't really give relevant information because as I mentioned I'm not a Buick expert.

If I find a page where you can see useful information on Buicks I will share with you here, because as you said that can probably help to others.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest seglare
Those fuel economy numbers would certainly be in the right ball park. Expressing fuel economy in litres per hundred kilometres is the metric way of doing it, so you see it here in Canada, even though it doesn't make as much sense logically. It's just a matter of math to invert the number, convert km to miles, and l to gallons.

Now, if looking for top speed, I would think locating magazine articles from back in the day when the likes of Motor Trend or Car & Driver would have put that sort of information in. Fuel economy didn't seem to be that important overall back in the 50s. Many of us today are interested, but it isn't that critical to us. If I want to drive one of my old cars, I put fuel in and drive. Perhaps Buick folk are unique that way.

For what it's worth, my '61 Invicta is Cordovan in colour. ;)

Thriller, the scale is doesn't matter, I can convert them, not a big thing. :-)

Yes, I know in the '50s the fuel economy wasn't as important as today and probably this is the reason why I can't find any information on this. But this car has a fuel consumption too and someone just measured it at a gas station. :rolleyes:

Well, the magazine things don't work, I can't purchase any of them and among their archive articles I couldn't find the cars I need. I won't give up and try to find information, who knows where will I find that. :)

GM could help me a bit! They have sent me the official specification documentary of some other American cars! Those were awesome! :)

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...