1957 Buick and Oldsmobile Roof question

[James B.]

The 1957 Oldsmobile is one of my favorite designed cars.  Not because that is the year I was born but because of the unique roofline.  It is said that it was a misstep for Oldsmobile and Buick that adopted this 3-piece style rear window with customer complaints about visibility and aged looks.  In brochures, they only mention them as “twin strut” rear windows and Oldsmobile went as far as calling theirs “sky-line” but, did Buick ever name their version?  I have seen on Wikipedia someone calling them the “strato-roof” but was that ever official?  This comes from the 1954 Pontiac Strato Streak show car that had this rear window treatment.  Ironically Pontiac did not adopt this style.  A solid rear window was an option on some 1957 models.  The 1958 Vauxhall Cresta did pick up on this roof style while American GM dropped it.

 

Thanks

Jim

 

[NTX5467]

I found a '57 Olds sales brochure at www.wildaboutcarsonline.com .  It looks like Olds really used that roof style that year!  In a smaller description, it calls that roof style "Twin-Strut".  In the '57 Buick sales brochure, it just mentions "divided rear glass".

 

A few years ago, we were at a customizing shop where they were building a '57 Buick for some high-level shows, with that top style.  The shop owner called it "Tiara Top", but don't know where that came from.

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Paul Falabella]

Gotta say that 54 Pontiac Strato Streak is a real stunner. Should have built that. Never saw it before.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2015 by Paul Falabella (see edit history)

[lancemb]

I found a '57 Olds sales brochure at www.wildaboutcarsonline.com . It looks like Olds really used that roof style that year! In a smaller description, it calls that roof style "Twin-Strut". In the '57 Buick sales brochure, it just mentions "divided rear glass".

A few years ago, we were at a customizing shop where they were building a '57 Buick for some high-level shows, with that top style. The shop owner called it "Tiara Top", but don't know where that came from.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

Tiara top normally refers only to the Roadmaster with the split rear window with trim that had the trim following all along the top of the roof, not the Special and Century with the painted bars splitting the rear window.

[buick5563]

Tiara top normally refers only to the Roadmaster ....NOT the Special and Century

Well of course.

A princess would only drive a Roadmaster.

Just sayin'

[1957buickjim]

^{Real men of  the space age drive the Strato-Roof Series to all the local rocket launch pads! Upward and Onward, Telstar!!}

Edited May 21, 2015 by 1957buickjim (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

Well of course.

A princess would only drive a Roadmaster.

Just sayin'

 

Unless she's trying to be incognito or "under the radar"

 

Thanks for that information, lance

 

NTX5467