1958 BUICK LIMITED Convertible Options?

[Jolly_John]

A non-old car buddy of mine was thinking back to the 1958 BUICK LIMITED convertible that his dad owned new. He got to wondering if it could have been factory equipped with air conditioning, since his father typically loaded up the new BUICK's he would order. Then, we got wondering about other possible options that were available for the '58 Limited.

 

Can someone please shed some factual light as to what may have been "standard equipment" on the Limited this year, and what some of the actual "options" may have been? Thanks for any comments. I'll share the info with my friend, of course. John

Edited November 6, 2023 by Jolly_John (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

Factory a/c was an option on the 1958 Buicks.  Many didn't opt for it due to how much space it took up under the hood, which made working on the car more difficult.  The aftermarket under-dash units were much more space efficient, by comparison, but did not have the flexibility the factory units had as to what they could do.  In those times, factory a/c was not nearly as common as became in more modern times, from the middle 1960s onward.  Otherwise, the options on the 1958 Buicks would have paralleled what Cadillacs had on them.  Except, possibly, for the color-keyed brake pedal pads and such.

 

Take care,

NTX5467

[38Buick 80C]

Here you are right from the Book perhaps an admin can help with the picture rotation @MCHinson can you help?

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by 38Buick 80C (see edit history)

[lancemb]

@38Buick 80C which book is that? 

[38Buick 80C]

color and trim

[lancemb]

3 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said:

color and trim

Thanks... I've got one but it's been awhile since I looked through it and didn't remember that it had these pages

[pfloro]

These images and descriptions are so cool...!   Thank you 38 Buick 80C...

The image of the cranky sweating family and then the happy "AC" family is the best...!

 

I wonder if GM got permission from Paramount to use the words "Vista-Vision" when describing the new quad headlight setup.

VistaVision was a "large format negative" process developed by Paramount in the early 1950s...  FYI:  The first picture released in

VistaVision was White Christmas (Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen - 1954). 

Strategic Air Command (Jimmy Stewart, June Allyson) was in production first but wasn't released until 1955...

 

Paul

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by pfloro (see edit history)

[Jolly_John]

Thank you, Brian. This is over-the-top help. I appreciate you taking the time to scan and post the '58 color and trim book pages. I'll give my friend a link to this thread, and it should deliver more information than he ever thought possible. John

[MCHinson]

13 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said:

Here you are right from the Book perhaps an admin can help with the picture rotation @MCHinson can you help?

Sorry, but I can't help. I am no longer a moderator. 

[The 55er]

Don't forget about the optional Air Poise suspension. 

[38Buick 80C]

16 minutes ago, MCHinson said:

Sorry, but I can't help. I am no longer a moderator. 

Ah didn't realize. Thank you for the response.

 

2 minutes ago, The 55er said:

Don't forget about the optional Air Poise suspension. 

yes that was an option, not standard on the Limited

[pfloro]

Please see my post above.  I corrected these images and "dolled them up" earlier this afternoon...

 

Paul

[38Buick 80C]

7 minutes ago, pfloro said:

Please see my post above.  I corrected these images and "dolled them up" earlier this afternoon...

 

Paul

Thank you

[NailheadBob]

@Jolly_John I really liked the air suspension addition for 1958 and the Flight Pitch Dynaflow, both were problematic when they came out and Buick had conversions with detailed parts list for both to try to make customers happy.

 

 

Bob

 

P.S. John, I have a Kent-Moore #J-6741 axle jack, to aid  so transmission could be removed more easily, Geeee I wonder where I got that from?      Ha Ha Ha.

[lancemb]

10 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said:

yes that was an option, not standard on the Limited

Regarding the air-poise, I've never seen a Limited that didn't come with it; I wonder how many there were? 

[38Buick 80C]

1 hour ago, lancemb said:

Regarding the air-poise, I've never seen a Limited that didn't come with it; I wonder how many there were? 

Mine does not have it, did not have it called out on the firewall tag (i.e. there is a code that could appear if it has Air Poise and that code isn't on the tag), but does that mean it wasn't installed originally... I'm not that much of an expert... YET 😉

[Jolly_John]

Thanks for the picture posting fix-up, Paul. And, Bob: I always thought you were somewhat of a "jack" of all trades, etc., etc.! You really made that differential push-back tool look sharp...much better in your shop than in mine. John

[NTX5467]

"Air ride" was an option which faded quickly, it seemed.  Putting air bags on the cars now, with modern electronics and air pumps would probably be fine, but not for the not-mechanically/technically-inclined, I suspect.  I'm wondering how much longer it might be before a '58 Limited comes to a car show, with a full aftermarket frame under it . . . and air suspension on it?  THEN shudder to think of what it all cost!

 

The whole deal was to give the passengers a real "riding on air" feel of things, over the roads we had back then.  Buicks back then "floated" enough with normal coil springs, much less air bags replacing the springs.

 

Every company had some neat name for the features of their vehicles, back then.  As "Vista Vision" was supposed to be a better headlight system, as noted, it would not have been confused with "the movies".  If it might have been, BOTH companies would have won.  A much simpler time, back then.

 

NTX5467

[NailheadBob]

@38Buick 80C Do you know what the code for Air Poise should be?

 

In a junkyard close to me is a 1958 Roadmaster 75 that had air suspension but was converted back to coil springs, I am going out to that junkyard soon and I will get photo of body tag to see if it has code for air poise.

 

Back in mid 90's I removed the air compressor, power steering pump and pressure hose (pump attaches to the rear of air compressor, and compressor drives power steering pump) all brackets and head bolt with stud on it for bracket to mount on, air tank and front level sensor, because I had intention to install air compressor on my "58 Special just for a conversation piece, that never happened, but I still have all the parts.

 

Does your color and trim album have a stained looking front cover on book?

 

Local BCA member Bill Kubik has a 1958 Limited he just painted and was at the Buick National in Lisle 

 

Bob

[38Buick 80C]

1 hour ago, NailheadBob said:

@38Buick 80C Do you know what the code for Air Poise should be?

Should be a letter V in "ACC." section of the body tag, My source is this site:

 

https://www.hometownbuick.com/1958-buick/1958-buick-options-accessories/

 

1 hour ago, NailheadBob said:

Does your color and trim album have a stained looking front cover on book?

yes it does

[lancemb]

14 hours ago, 38Buick 80C said:

Mine does not have it, did not have it called out on the firewall tag (i.e. there is a code that could appear if it has Air Poise and that code isn't on the tag), but does that mean it wasn't installed originally... I'm not that much of an expert... YET 😉

In my estimation perhaps the best way to tell if the car had it is whether the manual override valve is present in center under the dash.  Many cars had components of suspension removed, but this valve operated from under center of dash usuallt remained.

[38Buick 80C]

6 hours ago, lancemb said:

In my estimation perhaps the best way to tell if the car had it is whether the manual override valve is present in center under the dash.  Many cars had components of suspension removed, but this valve operated from under center of dash usuallt remained.

photo example, so I can look?

[NailheadBob]

In the 1958 product school manual has a photo on page 19.

 

Bob

Edited November 9, 2023 by NailheadBob
Photo added (see edit history)

[38Buick 80C]

Thank you, nope not there.

though there is some paint chips in the area of where the bracket would go I don't feel like there was ever a bracket there originally.

[NailheadBob]

I contacted Bill Kubik about his '58 Limited, his car came with Air Poise suspension and was later converted back to coil spring, no "V" on ACC area of body tag, however manual lift control knob and cable is still there just as @lancemb said, as are the air lines and valves underneath the car.

 

Bill's car came with almost every accessory, Autronic eye, Wonderbar radio, power antenna, air conditioning, and yes Air Poise suspension, but no codes at all in "ACC" spot, very strange indeed

 

I will attach photo of data body tag in case it helps.

 

Bob

Edited November 13, 2023 by NailheadBob
Add photo (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

Maybe model 750 came with everything? I see the note in the Color and trim book that the 750 comes standard with the rear seat center armrest and cigarette lighter.

 

Was that car built in the first week of January?

[NailheadBob]

@38Buick 80C does you info/body tag have any codes in the "ACC" portion?

 

Does it look just like Bill's?

 

@Frank DuVal mentioned the build date question, I alway thought that was in the upper left corner of the body tag, but I don't see that on Bills tag, I do see after Body By Fisher 1-1?

 

Bob

[38Buick 80C]

I do. See below.

[DNewell]

My '58 Caballero Wagon had factory air, triple-turbine,  and air ride.

 

Yes the compressor was large,  the air ride was "beta" with the bladders not up to the task and with serious consequences when one popped,  and I wish I still had it...