1954 76-R on ebay

[Pete Phillips]

There is a gorgeous 1954 76-R on ebay right now, totally restored, and the seller says it is an AACA Junior and AACA Senior award winner (has the grille badges to prove it). However, there is something very wrong with this car, and it just jumps out at me. If I were judging it at a BCA meet, it would never make "Senior" because of this mistake. Does anyone else see what I'm talking about? It is not the Kelsey-Hayes wheels--they were optional that year on Roadmasters.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

[BUICK RACER]

LINK

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

I haven't even looked at this car closely because of the very obvious incorrect color combination (54's were either solid color or top one color and bottom another)and it doesn't appear to even be a Buick color. I figure if someone is no more discriminating about restoring such a classic car as this than to allow this, then what other items did they neglect to consider. Just my opinion!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

[imported_buick5563]

I'd agree with Lamar about the color being "off" at the least. The hood insulation is on upside down. The interior looks like a "kustom" both the style and materials.

After really looking at it though, I realize I don't know that much about 54's. Really strange that I have been so focused on small series 55's that for some reason, everything looks wrong (off) to me.

Of course, on this matter I would have to agree with Mr. Earl on anything he said.

Mike

[BUICK RACER]

I think there is too much metal flake in the paint, and Lamar pointed out the paint scheme is wrong. Although we, my Brother and I are not '54 experts to say the least, I asked him what he saw and here's what he said:

29K seems awfully high, 48 is just silly.

Brake lines look hand bent, e-brake cable looks a little funny, too. I don't know much about 54 Interiors but seats don't look right. You would think for top dollar it would have new gas and brake pedals.

The floor/body mounts look in places like they have been fixed. Most of the body mount bolts look okay but the one at the firewall looks like bolt is coming in from the top.

Electric fuel pump hookup looks hokey.

Washer bottle is there but not hooked up.

And I think the power steering hoses are newly made from hydraulic fittings, and not original type, but not sure.

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

I'm not going to judge the fellers car on here partly because it wouldn't be nice but also I would probably run out of posting time before I finished. I will pass judgement on the seller though... if he don't take the 29K it's currently at I think he's either been in the paint room too long or been sniffing the carpet glue. Now if it were a true 100 point car, maybe. And maybe even another 10K if it had air... What's your thoughts on that price there Pete? I did notice one thing interesting that I have never seen on any of my cars because they were all uncercoated and that is the Super and Roadmaster model numbers and what I presume is the date of manufacture on the frame rail. I have seen them on one other 54 in the same place. What years did Buick do this on, anyone know?

So is the paint scheme what you were talking about Pete?

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

Oh hell no, I see what Pete's talkin about. But I ain't gonna tell <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />. I'll just say this...it's on the rear half of the car and 'Don't mess with the Buick colors' feller!!!!!!!!! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Come on Roberta surely you saw it.

[imported_buick5563]

Man, you guys are sharp. Maybe it was judged at a BCA show and it didn't fare so well, it seems like the $50k cars usually have the AACA and BCA badges.

It's still a really nice car though.

Mike

[1953mack]

The trunk emblem colors are out of order. The color sequence should be red, white, and blue; or another way

of saying it, the blue and the white are reversed.

This is a common error with 53 and 54 Buick restorers. Take a look at the back cover of the 1999 BUICK BUGLE

Membership Roster. The yellow 53 Skylark front grille emblem is cock-eyed also.

Al Mack

[Guest imported_MrEarl]

You got it Al. Is that what you were referring to Pete?

[Bill Stoneberg]

Whats funny is that he has 2 pictures right next to each other... 1 with the wheels and the correct color combo and above it is the rear end with the wrong sequence.

It is a nice looking car though...

[Pete Phillips]

Gee, you guys are a tough bunch to please! I was only referring to the two-toning scheme, which as Lamar first pointed -out, is wrong. They never split the two-tone paint at the sweep spear in 1954, but I have seen at least three 1954s in the past year that were repainted that way. Sort of makes you wonder about AACA judging standards, does it not?

Pete

[Guest my3buicks]

I think many people did that back in the 50's, a quicky bit of paint uder the sweepspear and bingo, your car was hip. Many things like that happened to collector cars and then the now current owners or those that did a restoration take it as fact that that is how the car came when new. Same with th Wire wheels, and the later Buickchrome wheels, many owners put them on cars that they never came with (such as Electra's of the 60's)

[Bill Stoneberg]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sort of makes you wonder about AACA judging standards, does it not? </div></div>

Pete, When you have that many types of cars and not enough judges, mistakes can and do happen. It would be the same as me trying to judge the Brass era cars. I would have to look at workmanship and if it looked right, I would let it go.

But if you put me in a class where I have much more knowledge, I would see more, either right or wrong. We are all guilty of that.

[JohnD1956]

I thought the problem was the incorrect orientation of the spark plug wire holders up on top of the valve covers, although I didn't think that would have caused a car to be judged so harshly. I totally missed the incorrect orientation of the color scheme on the trunk lid emblem.

JD

[imported_buick5563]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Whats funny is that he has 2 pictures right next to each other... 1 with the wheels and the correct color combo and above it is the rear end with the wrong sequence.

</div></div>

When I did my 55, I had to look at pictures while I was painting my grill emblem. I knew what it SHOULD be, but I kept second guessing myself. I bet they did the back emblem before they had the wheels on, therefore not having a reference. OK, I'm not trying to excuse them, just saying, UH.

Mike