1955 Buick Super Series 50

The 1955 Buick model lineup consisted of the entry-level Special, the performance-oriented Century, the Super with the roomy C-body interior, and the top-of-the-line Roadmaster. The Special and Century rested on a 122-inch wheelbase while the Super and Roadmaster had a 127-inch wheelbase. Powering the Special was a 264 CID overhead-valve V8 with 188 horsepower (an increase of nearly 40 horsepower over the previous year), and the Century and Super used a 322 CID V8 rated at 236 horsepower. It had overhead valves, a 9.1:1 compression, hydraulic valve lifters, and a four-barrel carburetor.

Three body styles were offered on the 1955 Super including a four-door sedan with seating for six priced at 2,875. The two-door Riviera Hardtop had seating for six and cost $2,880. This was the most popular of the Super Series 50 with 85,656 examples being produced. The Riviera nameplate represented pillarless versions of its popular Roadmaster and Super series when GM first offered it to the public and even though it would be some years before it would be sold as a stand-alone model. The styling was distinctive, so much so that many considered it to be a stand-alone model. The two-door convertible with seating for six was the most expensive, setting the buyer back $3,225. These were the fewest produced of the series with only 3,527 examples being created.

Styling cues of the 1955 Buick Super included four round ventiports on the fender, Super series script on the rear quarters and within the deck emblem, and sweepsear along the bodyside. The parking lights were contained within the headlamp bezels. The interiors were finished in nylon and Cordaveen combinations except for the convertible which featured all-leather seats. Standard equipment included an electric clock, trip mileage indicator, directional signals, armrests, sliding sunshades, a Step-On parking brake, and tubeless tires. A three-speed manual tranmsission was standard and a Dynaflow drive was optional.

by Daniel Vaughan | Dec 2006