Mystery 1955 Buick Special with 4 Ventiports on front fender

[Guest oldcardriver]

I have a 1955 Buick Special in original condition that has four Ventiports on the front fenders rather than the typical three. Has anyone else seen or heard of this happening?  Is this common?

The VIN is 4B2009238

On the left side of the engine there is a stamped number 1166349-8 (or -6?).

Can anyone help identify this car? Some pictures are attached

Thank you.

Tom

(907) 299-8667 

[rocketraider]

Assuming this car has NOT had a nose job, 4 portholes on a Special body would indicate a Century to me. But no Century callouts anywhere I can see in the pics. 

[Guest Skyking]

I'm trying to figure out what the handle is next to the e-brake knob. All it takes is a hole saw to add another port hole. I know years ago my brother bought a Special fender and added one extra for his Century. As far as being factory, I would doubt it.......

[billbuickgs]

The hood ornament looks Pontiac, the wire wheel covers are Pontiac,

The long thin handle is a hood release handle off a 53 and earlier buick

and it looks to have a power antenna , (the other switch next to the hood release).

I say power antenna because the antenna mast looks muck thicker then a standard antenna.

Porthole is easy to add !!

Bill

[smithbrother]

Just for the FUN of it, take a caliper and measure the distance between the holes. They might not have measured as close as the factory did, and this may show it was an add on piece, MAYBE. You may find only a difference of 1/16" or 1/8", but would be proof.

Just for the fun of it.....

Dale in Indy

[1912Staver]

Even more conclusive evidence would be found if you removed the extra port ; the front one in your case.and the definitely factory one next in line and compared how the holes are punched in the fender sheet metal. The factory holes are die punched in a very tidy "factory" looking way. Most people who install a extra port are much less tidy. The port looks fine once installed, but the edges of the extra hole are almost always rougher than the factory punching.

 Greg in Canada

Edited March 7, 2016 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

When I restored my 55 Century I replaced the rusted originals with a pair of Special front fenders. It was REAL easy to add an extra port.

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

The extra knob is a radio rear  speaker fade control (volume)

The switch under the dash is an antenna control

 

The Pontiac hood ornament has obviously been added and just as obvious (to me) the fourth porthole has been added

 

Very nice Car !!! I like it !!

Edited March 8, 2016 by JamesBulldogMiller55Buick (see edit history)

[sean1997]

I think someone was trying to make a Century clone:

 

4B2009238

4 = Series 40/Special

B = 1955 model year

2 = built at South Gate, CA

009238 = sequential number, range was 001001 to 087498 for South Gate, CA built cars for 1955

 

 

1166349-6

1166349 = sequential number, range for 1955 was V720080 to 1460022 (V prefix dropped after engine 999999)

- = 0.010" oversize pistons

6 = Series 60/Century (322)

 

Post a picture of the engine (harmonic balancer = 322, no harmonic balancer = 264) and the engine number stamp.

Edited March 8, 2016 by sean1997 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

The hood ornament looks Pontiac, the wire wheel covers are Pontiac,

 

With those other trim parts being customized,

it's clear that a long-ago owner added features he liked.

I agree with the others:  the 4th portholes are not original to the car.

 

Whether you keep them is up to you.

Even though Buick purists would not want them,

this car documents what one owner did in the "customizing" era.

So it its own way, it's a part of Americana from the 1950's.

Imagine his family seeing the car after all these decades

and happily identifying the design their father or grandfather created!

Edited March 8, 2016 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

Do we know if this isn't just something as simple as the nose was replaced after an accident?  The car IS over 60 years old.  A lot can happen in that time.   As an example, I've seen more than one 68 Cutlass with a 69 front end (and vice versa).  Collision repair shops got what was readily available.

[Guest oldcardriver]

Hey thanks everyone for the great input on the 1955 Buick Special with Four-Ventiports.  I heard Specials sometimes had some parts interchanged with other models at the factory if there was an excess of some parts they had to get rid of at the end of the model year. Maybe they added Century front fenders?

I'm going to look for evidence that the front port was added. Could very well be. I only know of the car's history for the last 35 years.

[Guest oldcardriver]

 

I think someone was trying to make a Century clone:

 

4B2009238

4 = Series 40/Special

B = 1955 model year

2 = built at South Gate, CA

009238 = sequential number, range was 001001 to 087498 for South Gate, CA built cars for 1955

 

 

1166349-6

1166349 = sequential number, range for 1955 was V720080 to 1460022 (V prefix dropped after engine 999999)

- = 0.010" oversize pistons

6 = Series 60/Century (322)

 

Post a picture of the engine (harmonic balancer = 322, no harmonic balancer = 264) and the engine number stamp.

 

Good day.  Thank you for your reply re: 1955 Buick Special.  Where would I find the engine number stamp?

Thanks,

Tom

Homer, Alaska

[Guest oldcardriver]

Hello again.  Thanks for the feedback on my 1955 Buick Special with the four Venti ports.  Are the hood ornament and wire wheel covers not original to this car?

Someone correctly saw that this car has a power antenna. The switch under the dash is for an electric fuel pump that was added. 

[Guest oldcardriver]

 

I think someone was trying to make a Century clone:

 

4B2009238

4 = Series 40/Special

B = 1955 model year

2 = built at South Gate, CA

009238 = sequential number, range was 001001 to 087498 for South Gate, CA built cars for 1955

 

 

1166349-6

1166349 = sequential number, range for 1955 was V720080 to 1460022 (V prefix dropped after engine 999999)

- = 0.010" oversize pistons

6 = Series 60/Century (322)

 

Post a picture of the engine (harmonic balancer = 322, no harmonic balancer = 264) and the engine number stamp.

 

Hi thetre.  Thanks for your explanation.  Were there any engines that ended with a -8.  I cannot tell if it is a 6 or an 8 (bad eyesight I guess).

[John_S_in_Penna]

... Are the hood ornament and wire wheel covers not original to this car?...

 

The 1955 Buick hood ornament was a simple V

surrounded by several concentric rings.

If you search the internet for images of "1955 Buick

hood ornament," you'll see it.

[sean1997]

Hi there.  Thanks for your explanation.  Were there any engines that ended with a -8.  I cannot tell if it is a 6 or an 8 (bad eyesight I guess).

 

There were no engines that ended in 8 in 1955 (ie., no series 80) only the following:

 

4 = Series 40/Special (264 nailhead V8)

5 = Series 50/Super (322 nailhead V8)

6 = Series 60/Century (322 nailhead V8)

7 = Series 70/Roadmaster (322 nailhead V8)

 

The quarter inch long dash following the engine number was used only on cars that had 0.010" oversize pistons from the factory.  If it ends in 8 then it can't be the engine number and you are looking at the casting number and the above decode does not apply.  The engine serial number is stamped on a machined surface on the top outer edge of the left cylinder bank, between the middle branches of exhaust manifold.  See the red arrow in the attached picture for location.

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

 

There were no engines that ended in 8 in 1955 (ie., no series 80) only the following:

 

4 = Series 40/Special (264 nailhead V8)

5 = Series 50/Super (322 nailhead V8)

6 = Series 60/Century (322 nailhead V8)

7 = Series 70/Roadmaster (322 nailhead V8)

 

The quarter inch long dash following the engine number was used only on cars that had 0.010" oversize pistons from the factory.  If it ends in 8 then it can't be the engine number and you are looking at the casting number and the above decode does not apply.  The engine serial number is stamped on a machined surface on the top outer edge of the left cylinder bank, between the middle branches of exhaust manifold.  See the red arrow in the attached picture for location.

 

extra holes in the fenders are OK>

Don't put holes in the pistons, though.

in 1975, my Roadmaster dropped a valve. The damaged piston badly scored the cylinder wall. 

We sleeved that cylinder and forty yeas later it runs great !!

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

 

I think someone was trying to make a Century clone:

 

4B2009238

4 = Series 40/Special

B = 1955 model year

2 = built at South Gate, CA

009238 = sequential number, range was 001001 to 087498 for South Gate, CA built cars for 1955

 

 

1166349-6

1166349 = sequential number, range for 1955 was V720080 to 1460022 (V prefix dropped after engine 999999)

- = 0.010" oversize pistons

6 = Series 60/Century (322)

 

Post a picture of the engine (harmonic balancer = 322, no harmonic balancer = 264) and the engine number stamp.

 

"(harmonic balancer = 322, no harmonic balancer = 264)'

If it's a '53 322, it won't have a harmonic balancer

[joe_padavano]

Hey thanks everyone for the great input on the 1955 Buick Special with Four-Ventiports.  I heard Specials sometimes had some parts interchanged with other models at the factory if there was an excess of some parts they had to get rid of at the end of the model year. Maybe they added Century front fenders?

I'm going to look for evidence that the front port was added. Could very well be. I only know of the car's history for the last 35 years.

 

People are always trying to explain some non-factory configuration as either a "factory mistake" or "special order", often to justify rarity and an inflated price.  While these are not unheard of, the reality is that these types of anomalies are nearly always the result of some prior owner and not the factory. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

People are always trying to explain some non-factory configuration as either a "factory mistake" or "special order", often to justify rarity and an inflated price.  While these are not unheard of, the reality is that these types of anomalies are nearly always the result of some prior owner and not the factory. 

 

That's a good point, Joe.

I've heard of an incorrect nameplate being applied

to ONE side of a car.  However, putting whole Century

fenders on a Special, just to use up parts, would not

have happened.  That would have been the most

egregious breach of quality control at the factory that year!

 

Considering that other items are customized on the car,

I think that we have reached a conclusion.

[JamesBulldogMiller55Buick]

Hey thanks everyone for the great input on the 1955 Buick Special with Four-Ventiports.  I heard Specials sometimes had some parts interchanged with other models at the factory if there was an excess of some parts they had to get rid of at the end of the model year. Maybe they added Century front fenders?

I'm going to look for evidence that the front port was added. Could very well be. I only know of the car's history for the last 35 years.

Who did you hear that from?

I never heard that

[JACK M]

Who did you hear that from?

I never heard that

 

It may have been that ''they told him. Or he heard it from 'them'

'They' and 'them' are to blame for just about everything.

 

 

 

 

 

This is a joke by the way, 'They' made me do it.

[ScarredKnightfan]

Are the hood ornament and wire wheel covers not original to this car?

 

 

1st, nice 1955 Buick you have ... even with the non-factory items!

 

2nd, since you asked this after Bill had posted this, don't know if you saw it or not, but...

The hood ornament looks Pontiac, the wire wheel covers are Pontiac

 

...which would mean they are not (or should not be, anyway) original to your Buick.

 

 

Cort > www.oldcarsstronghearts.com

pigValve.paceMaker.cowValve | 79 CC to 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis?!

"Getting there is half the fun" __ The Muppets, Kermit & Fozzie __ 'Movin' Right Along'