1958 Buick Special Riviera Hardtop Coupe

Description

1958 Buick Special Riviera Hardtop Coupe

Called Big, Bold and Buoyant, Buick rolled its 1958 models out just in time for the worst economic recession since World War II. MotoeXotica Classic Cars is pleased to present this 1958 Buick Special Riviera Hardtop Coupe. Made in GM’s Flint, Michigan factory, it is one of 34,903 such models that left the line in 1958. This example was sold new at Bernie Fields Buick-Pontiac in Batesville, Indiana and has been with the same loving Illinois owner since 1999 (19 years)!

Head Stylist William Mitchell, who succeeded Harley J. Earl, commented that Earl and his crew applied chrome “with a trowel” in 1958. Indeed, with its Fashion-Aire Dynastar Grille, featuring 160 beveled, chrome-plated squares, Sweepspear bodyside trim and other metallic body elements, one had to squint to look at a ’58 Buick parked in sunlight.

Finished in Glacier White over Warwick Blue, this Buick’s paint and trim are in overall great shape, however there are some minor blemishes visible at close range. The car’s windows are clear and intact while its lights, including the quad headlights that everyone introduced in 1958 are haze-free. Out back are Twin-Tower taillights.

This big Buick’s bodywork is straight and solid, its engine bay is in satisfactory original order and the battery appears to be in decent condition. The chrome bumpers with optional bumper guards, are in great shape. This bold beauty rolls on Sears Allstate wide whitewall tires, size 7.10-15 at all four wheels. The tires are mounted on steel wheels topped with factory wheels covers. The wheels and tires are in overall good condition.

Under the hood is an numbers matching Buick 364 CID Nailhead V-8 engine bolted to a Dynaflow Twin Turbine two-speed automatic transmission and a 3.58:1 rear end. The left side exhaust manifold does have a crack, but does not affect drievablibility.

Inside, the car’s blue, split-front bench seat and rear bench seats are in great overall condition. The carpet is in satisfactory shape, as is the blue headliner. The jet-age three-spoke steering wheel looks good while the blue and white instrument panel and inner door liners also look good. The fuel gauge is inoperable. A column shifter and a factory AM radio complete the interior.

Nineteen fifty-eight brought the most chrome yet and quad headlights, as the car grew longer and wider, albeit on an unchanged chassis. Earlier versions had a “Sweepspear” inspired character line alongside the body, while later versions had the “Sweepspear” molding attached to the side of all models. All models were advertised under the “Air Born B-58 Buick” banner, but the heavy face-lift on the 1957 bodies brought added “road hugging weight.”

Specials and Centurys tacked on another 3.4 inches in length, most of it in rear overhang. Most models covered this added real estate with big, bright, bomb-shaped appliques ahead of redone taillamps (still reverse-slanted and chrome-encrusted). Slightly higher fender lines imparted a “finnier” look, while front fenders sprouted gun-sight ornaments and “Vista Vision” quad headlamps beneath gullwing-shaped hoods.

The most praiseworthy improvement was the air-cooled, finned aluminum front brake drums, with cast iron linings for rapid heat dissipation. These brakes had actually been used on 1957 Roadmaster 75s but were standard across the board for 1958.

Coupe competition to this Buick in 1958 included DeSoto’s Firesweep, Dodge’s Coronet Lancer Super Red Ram, Edsel’s Pacer and Ranger, Mercury’s Monterey Phaeton, Oldsmobile’s 98 Holiday Coupe, Packard’s Hardtop with Flightomatic and Pontiac’s Chieftain Catalina.

Come by MotoeXotica Classic Cars to relive the days of comfortable 1950s motoring in this big, blue Buick. This would make a great car to take your wife out for a cruise, turn heads at a local car show or cruise night event or to put the grandchildren in back to get some ice cream or to take them home on a Sunday afternoon.

VIN: 4E1023285

This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 31,038 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!

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