Buick Model Confusion

[Poppy's 55]

Hello All,

 

So I recently purchased a 1955 Buick Century or at least that's what I was sold. So, it has a so many Century "tells" but the VIN starts with a "4"? Doesn't the "4" indicate the car is a Special?

 

Also, I found a website for 50s Buicks which has a section where you can enter information from the ID tag and the Body tag. When I do everything seems to show I have a Buick Century Riviera? Okay, I thought it was a Century but a Century Riviera? There's nothing on it that says Riviera. Also, the car has 4 ports on each front fender which I also thought designated a Century over a Special (I do realize someone over the last 63 years could have added a port but if they did you could not tell by me).

 

I know it's not a Super, they have a wheelbase of 127" while mine is 122", so is the Special though

 

Oh, and when I submitted my VIN to get my insurance they also indicate the car is a Special.

 

I'm so confused. Any help figuring this out?

[Beemon]

Century will have a turned dash insert, it will say Century between the turn indicators and have four port holes. The Riviera designation is for hard top models. 

 

40 series is the Special. You might be dealing with a clone. 

[NC-car-guy]

14 hours ago, Poppy's 55 said:

Hello All,

 

So I recently purchased a 1955 Buick Century or at least that's what I was sold. So, it has a so many Century "tells" but the VIN starts with a "4"? Doesn't the "4" indicate the car is a Special?

 

Also, I found a website for 50s Buicks which has a section where you can enter information from the ID tag and the Body tag. When I do everything seems to show I have a Buick Century Riviera? Okay, I thought it was a Century but a Century Riviera? There's nothing on it that says Riviera. Also, the car has 4 ports on each front fender which I also thought designated a Century over a Special (I do realize someone over the last 63 years could have added a port but if they did you could not tell by me).

 

I know it's not a Super, they have a wheelbase of 127" while mine is 122", so is the Special though

 

Oh, and when I submitted my VIN to get my insurance they also indicate the car is a Special.

 

I'm so confused. Any help figuring this out?

 you need to look at the body tag under the hood on the passenger side cowl.  40 series is special.  60 series is century.  Definitely not a super (50 series) or Roadmaster (70 series).  As Beemon said the 4 port holes, turned dash, "century" on the dash are all other indicators.  He is also correct that riviera just means hardtop (no post when all windows are rolled down).  They did not add a riviera badge in the 50s.  The big benefit of a century is really the beefier drive train in the smaller car.  Since your drive train isn't stock anyway, unless you're dead set on the body tag matching the appearance it won't make much difference.  When I gave hagerty my VIN they automatically said special also, and my car is definitely century.... don't worry, if it's not a modern VIN insurance and DMV get lost!

Edited June 27, 2018 by wndsofchng06 (see edit history)

[BUICK RACER]

https://www.teambuick.com/reference/years/55/55_vin.php

[1953mack]

3 hours ago, Poppy's 55 said:

Hello All,

So I recently purchased a 1955 Buick Century or at least that's what I was sold. So, it has a so many Century "tells" but the VIN starts with a "4"? Doesn't the "4" indicate the car is a Special? . . . 'm so confused. Any help figuring this out?

 

♦  You and your insurance company are correct in saying that a 1955 Buick Car Serial Number (VIN) starting with a "4" designates a SPECIAL, Series 40 Model. After the "4" there should be a "B" to designate the model year of 1955.

♦  To double check to see if someone swapped out this Car Serial Number metal tag from another Buick, you need to see if that number exactly matches the number that is stamped on the frame rail.

♦  The Body by Fisher Number Plate doesn't prove anything the legal experts are looking for. You can easily find those in a junkyard or have one made and attached to your cowl/firewall. Same goes for a Car Serial Number tag.

♦  The only correlation that the Number Plate and the Car Serial Number have is . . .

          on the third line of the Number Plate, the code letter(s) after BODY NO. designates the assembly plant location, and

          on the Car Serial Number tag and frame rail, the third alphanumeric should be the numerical code for the same assembly plant location. 

 

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

 

[Kosage Chavis]

My Dad's 55 Century also had the same issue.  Serial number began with a 4, but everything else pointed to Century.

[1939_Buick]

8 hours ago, Poppy's 55 said:

So I recently purchased a 1955 Buick Century or at least that's what I was sold. So, it has a so many Century "tells" but the VIN starts with a "4"? Doesn't the "4" indicate the car is a Special?

<snip>

I'm so confused. Any help figuring this out?

Post photos of the VIN, body data plate on firewall, chassis frame number & engine serial number (if Buick)

If you have measured the wheelbase options are limited

[1953mack]

4 hours ago, 1939_Buick said:

Post photos of the VIN, body data plate on firewall, chassis frame number & engine serial number (if Buick)

If you have measured the wheelbase options are limited

 

Poppy's 55:

♦  The Engine Serial Number doesn't tell you if it was the original engine that came with the Buick.

♦  It only tells you whether that number falls within the range of engine numbers built for 1955 Buicks (720080 through 1460022) and the last digit (suffix) tells you what model of Buick it was originally installed in . . . UNLESS you have the original Dealer's invoice or original 1955 title issued by the State that shows that same number. Some States used Engine Serial Numbers for titling purposes. 

♦  Your engine could have been swapped out just days after it left the Dealer's car lot in 1955 with another one that has the same 4-suffix or one that has a 5, 6, or 7.

 

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

[NC-car-guy]

This car does not have the stock engine anyway

[Poppy's 55]

13 hours ago, 1953mack said:

 

♦  To double check to see if someone swapped out this Car Serial Number metal tag from another Buick, you need to see if that number exactly matches the number that is stamped on the frame rail.

 

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

 

 

So Al,  where on the frame will I find this stamp?

[1953mack]

1 hour ago, Poppy's 55 said:

 

So Al,  where on the frame will I find this stamp?

I don't know the exact location on the 1955s because I never owned one. I'll let the 1955 owners answer your question.

On a 1953, one of the two locations is on the topside of the driver's side (left) frame rail within 12" from the front tip of the frame. 

 

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

Edited June 27, 2018 by 1953mack (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

(Not having read all of the posts . . .)  In years prior to about 1955 or 1956, depending upon how it all went, there was NO VIN as we now know it.  The vehicle was "defined" by the MOTOR, which had a number stamped on a particular pad of the engine block.  Reason was that once the motor was put into a particular chassis at the assembly plant, except in catastrophic situations, the motor never was removed from the chassis during the vehicle's "first life".  The "motor number" was what was on the title, back then.  The numbers on the body ID plate were specific to the particular body.  There was also a "chassis number".   These things are often "lost" on some people as all they know if "VIN", as it now exists.  After the middle 1950s, things changed.  Your local state DMV possibly has some documents relating to correct "numbers" used for registration of particular model years of vehicles?

 

NTX5467

[NC-car-guy]

14 minutes ago, NTX5467 said:

(Not having read all of the posts . . .)  In years prior to about 1955 or 1956, depending upon how it all went, there was NO VIN as we now know it.  The vehicle was "defined" by the MOTOR, which had a number stamped on a particular pad of the engine block.  Reason was that once the motor was put into a particular chassis at the assembly plant, except in catastrophic situations, the motor never was removed from the chassis during the vehicle's "first life".  The "motor number" was what was on the title, back then.  The numbers on the body ID plate were specific to the particular body.  There was also a "chassis number".   These things are often "lost" on some people as all they know if "VIN", as it now exists.  After the middle 1950s, things changed.  Your local state DMV possibly has some documents relating to correct "numbers" used for registration of particular model years of vehicles?

 

NTX5467

mid fifties buicks had a VIN tag and a frame VIN that were usually used  If I'm not mistaken its on the top of the rear left frame rail just beyond the kickup for the rear wheel wells.  I have one here I've never found....

Edited June 28, 2018 by wndsofchng06 (see edit history)