1955 Buick Super- The Oppo Review

"55Buick, Oversteer Scientist" (55Buick)
11/23/2013 at 16:11 • Filed to: Oppo reviews

The time has come. I've finally decided to review my 1955 Buick Super. This has been something I've intended to do for a while, but haven't gotten around to until now. A little bit of background on this car. We got it not very long ago (August 4, 2012- Ill always remember that date.) I got it off of ebay as a "project," even though it looks just fine. We wanted something that we could drive and have fun in, but still have things to work on. And now, the review:

Exterior: 9/10

I'm probably slightly biased, but I think this car has a fantastic looking body. It's clean and simple, but still amazingly stylish. It turns heads all the time. The paint, however, is not perfect. I think that it had a repaint a few years ago, because theres an inspection sticker on the windshield from 1983 that displayed 95,xxx miles. When we bought it, it had 96,2xx. I think it sat in a barn from 1983 to 2012, and it was repainted in 2012 and then sold to us. Anyway, the paint is not all that great. It doesn't have the "richness" of a concours-level restoration. But it doesn't matter. The car looks fabulous, the lines are great and the proportions are spot-on. I love a short front overhang and a long rear overhang, so it just looks right to me .

Interior: 7/10

The car's interior is pretty good. The seats are just like you would expect from a 60 year old american battleship: like a couch. There is no fancy sculpting, no support, and not even headrests. The dashboard is solid metal, with turned aluminum trim. The gauges are beautiful, and the speedometer looks space age even today. The steering wheel is absolutely massive. Theres about 6 inches from the bottom of the wheel to the top of the seat cushion. It's also really thin, maybe of an inch. That metal ring on the inside of it is the horn. Ours also has the optional ($17!) tissue dispenser underneath the glovebox. Finally, it also has the optional 6-way power seat and power windows, which is pretty stinkin cool on a 60 year old car.

Acceleration: 6/10

This car accelerates just fine. According to Motor Trend, a 4-door roadmaster gets to 60 in 10.2 seconds. Ours is a 2-door, and feels more like 8 seconds to get to 60. It never feels underpowered trying to get on to the freeway. This car has the Dynaflow transmission, though (more on that later) and if it was equipped with the 3 speed manual I think it would be really quick. This was actually the 3rd fastest american car in 1955, behind the Buick Century and the Chevy Corvette. The highway patrol used 3MT Centurys as pursuit cars, so it was really fast back in the day.

Braking: 5/10

The brakes work. They're nothing amazing, though. All 4 corners have drums. When you press on the brake, the car stops. Thats it, really. They do seem to fade a bit when used continuously.

Ride: 10/10

Buick marketed this car as having a "Million Dollar Ride" in 1955. They are correct. You don't feel any bumps at all. Imperfections are smoothed out like you wouldn't believe. I just can't stress it enough. The ride is perfect. You could drive over a prius and this thing would soak it up like a pebble. However, while the ride is magnificent for comfort, it strikes out on…

Handling: 3/10

This car doesn't really do handling. When you turn the wheel left, the car goes left. When you turn the wheel right, the car goes right. Push it a little too hard (its really easy) and the tires moan and groan. It understeers like an elephant on roller skates, probably because its still rocking' bias-ply tires. It just doesn't handle like a normal car, more like a tank. Maybe because the transmission literally came out of a WWII tank destroyer.

Gearbox: 10/10

Oh yes. The Dynaflow. To fully explain this transmission, I'm going to give you a little background. During WWII, Buick made transmissions for tank destroyers. These transmissions had to be able to cart around 40,000 pounds, withstand hours of sand, water, gunfire, land mines, and explosions, and never, ever break. After WWII, Buick had a whole bunch of these things laying around. So what did they do? Put them in passenger cars, of course! The transmission literally never shifts. Instead of gears, 32 turbine-blades in the transmission open at increasingly large angles as you put your foot down further. The result is befitting of a comfort-oriented land barge: it never shifts. From 0 all the way to 120, it just roars and roars as it gets faster and faster. No sound change, just a steady growl as it gets faster. Think of it as the first CVT, but with a cool backstory.

Audio: 8/10

Lets get this out of the way: The radio sucks. One speaker. AM only. That doesn't really matter. though. Its what they were doing at the time, and it adds a lot of character to the cars interior. The audio that bumps this to 8/10 comes out the exhaust pipe. It sounds mean. The low rumble coming out the back is just sensational. The engine is a 322-cubic inch, natural aspirated V8, and all that thundering glory flows unrestricted out the back. No emissions controls, just raw noise. From the drivers seat, it sounds good too. When you step on it, it growls progressively louder up to about 20 mph. Then, a sort of electrical whir joins in, until about 40 when it fades away. Following that, its just the rumble of the engine.

Toys: 6/10

Compared to a new car, this doesn't have any toys. But for a 60 year old car? There are many toys. It has power windows, power seat, power steering, and power brakes. Its also got a seek button for the radio down in the pedal box, which you operate with your foot. Seriously. It also has a tissue dispenser under the dashboard. Oh, and a heater.

Value: 10/10

For waaaay less than an average new car, you get a stylish, powerful, comfortable, head turning American coupe. Whats not to love?

DISCUSSION (28)

$kaycog > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:14

A lovely American classic! It's awesome!

JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7 > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:17

Nice old barn pictures! That is a damned cool car—I would love to own a classic Buick someday. What kind of shape was it in when you bought it? A 3MT Century sounds like an interesting drive.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:25

August 4 is my birthday.

Always a good day.

Birddog > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:26

Beautiful car and an excellent alternative to a Tri Five Chevy.

Don't rag on the paint too much. The paint quality on most cars from that era was iffy at best.

Dunnik > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:34

Some random thoughts:

- Buick was - is? - supposed to have less bling than a Caddy, but yet look more upscale than a Chevy. Comparing it to the 50's Caddy's and 50's Chevy's in my head, I think Buick aced it.

- the paint job may not be great, but the color scheme is. I dare you to paint a modern car with that two-tone and not look like a tool.

- Portholes on modern Buicks are silly. Porholes on old Buicks are not. Somehow.

- Having invented the Dynaflow, why does it seem like its been all donwhill for GM in terms of transmissions since then? Don't get me wrong, many GM automagics are some of the best in the business (the 4TC60-E on my '02 Imp has 255,000 original km's on it and counting), but how come they're not at the forefront of today's automated transmissions? Why didn't they invent the DSG?

- A seek button operated with your foot? That's still ahead of its time.

- Many 21st century vehicles do not have power seats and some still don't have power windows (the 2013 GMC Savanna I drove the other day has wind-up windows and no power mirrors, either. Yes, I know, because cargo van, but still).

P.S. My first car was a Buick, a family hauler hand-me-down. Always have had a soft spot for old ones. The new ones leave me cold, and have for some time.

BlazinAce - Doctor of Internal Combustion > Dunnik
11/23/2013 at 16:43

You're spot on in the color scheme. I doubt anything looks better on a car from that era than white versus blue.

Tom McParland > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 16:50

Great review, well done! Don't forget the "Oppo reviews" tag so it can be found with all the others. :D

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Dunnik
11/23/2013 at 16:54

GM made the Turbo Hydromatic, that still is the go to hotrod automatic.

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > $kaycog
11/23/2013 at 17:30

Thank you!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > JayZAyEighty thinks C4+3=C7
11/23/2013 at 17:32

Thanks! When I got it, it looked almost exactly like it does there. The only stuff we've done is to rebuild the carburetor, add rubber weatherstripping, and change belts and hoses. And add gas. Lots and lots of gas.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 17:41

I'd love to have an old battleship like this...
Why, oh why do my parents think I need creature comforts and safety?

HammerheadFistpunch > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 17:49

mind if I borrow that graphic for my review of the cherokee coming up?

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > HammerheadFistpunch
11/23/2013 at 17:55

Go for it! I just took it off of a Jalopnik review and photoshopped a new number and the "Oppo" logo.

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > Tom McParland
11/23/2013 at 17:56

Done! Thanks for reminding me.

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/23/2013 at 17:58

My birthday is on august 6, so it was almost like a present to me :D

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > Birddog
11/23/2013 at 17:59

True..the paint was originally red roof and gray below, with the blue interior. I'm kind of glad it doesn't look like that now!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
11/23/2013 at 18:01

It's a lot if fun! And you might be able to talk your parents into a 70s mercedes diesel sedan, those are awesome AND safe!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 18:17

maybe, but a finned V8 boat from the 50's is a bit more appealing! :D

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 19:44

My that car is awesome. Old American land yachts are most probably the coolest car you can be seen in. No muscle cars, no Ferraris, no nothing else. Give me a an old Caddy or this and I will use it as a DD, just for the sake of being awesome.

Of course here in Europe such car will make you miserable as a DD, because gas is expensive and also we have very small roads, compared to US.

desertdog5051 > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/23/2013 at 20:36

What s sweet car. And an important part of the era. Thanks.

Brian, The Life of > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/26/2013 at 21:22

That's a GREAT car! My parents had Buicks in the '50s and my Mom's was the convertible version of your car! My Dad had the Roadmaster with a continental kit and claimed my Mom's car could smoke tires at will. Hers was black with white top and interior. IIRC, he said the Supers had the Roadmaster motor. I vaguely remember the car years later when my sister drove it as her first wheels. I wouldn't have been five years old yet, but I have one crystal clear memory of the passenger door flying open as my sister did a left through an intersection. My sister's friend was hanging onto it for dear life, legs dangling and screaming in terror. I also remember being smuggled into the drive-in theatre in the truck before they starting charging by the carload. Good times!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > Brian, The Life of
11/26/2013 at 23:10

The Super does have the Roadmaster engine, and although we've never tried it, I have no doubt it could light up the tires with ease! And I think the doors are a common '50s GM thing- mine always take 2 or 3 tries to shut it properly. Also, a lot of people have told us about smuggling kids into drive-in theaters, when we were towing it home from Arizona, we were stopped at a fruit inspection checkpoint and the lady there said they fit 6 kids into the trunk of a '56. I believe it, the trunk is cavernous!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > desertdog5051
11/26/2013 at 23:12

Thanks a lot!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa
11/26/2013 at 23:13

They are truly great cars, but you're right- they drink fuel like nobody's business, and they are ENORMOUS. This Super is longer than my Chevy Suburban.

JR1 > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/26/2013 at 23:43

Always loved classic Americana if I wasn't so drunk on speed (It's a blessing a a curse) I'd like to own one

NinetyQ > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
11/27/2013 at 01:43

Great write-up and great car! It always amazes me to see how much the styling changed in the 3 years separating that car from our '52 Super, which also has that Dynaflow, but mated to a straight-8.

Kinja'd!!!

55Buick, Oversteer Scientist > NinetyQ
11/29/2013 at 02:44

Thank you! Beautiful car you've got there. It amazes me too..they had a radically different look every year from like '51 to '60, didn't they? Each one is beautiful, but they are all so different. And yet, every one is unmistakeably Buick!

SilverBRADo totaled his beigeslushboxmatrix > 55Buick, Oversteer Scientist
12/13/2013 at 08:56

Kinja'd!!!

I love how they used to attach the rear-view mirror to the car instead of gluing it to the windshield.