I am intrigued by the 1950s era of American automobiles. I never really considered owning one, as they are not the sort of speedy slick machines I tend towards. Still, post-war automotive design, especially during the 1950s, created a unique and fascinating era.
The Roadmaster sedan was built by Buick from 1936 to 1958, and then briefly from 1991 to 1996. They shared their basic structure with GM’s sister marquee Cadillac. In the post war era, the Roadmaster was Buick’s flagship.
Available as a two-door hardtop (Model 76R), a four-door sedan (72) and a two-door convertible (76C). All came with a Fireball V8, a 322-cu.in. engine making 236hp and 330-lbs.ft of torque.
The big Buick is a cruiser — stylish, comfortable, lots of shiny trim. Big chrome grills, 4 portholes on each side, plenty of brightwork trim to go with the whitewalls. The 1950s cars were all beautifully designed, with big bold lines and an entirely different design ethos from just a decade later.
In 1955, Buick produced 64,527 Roadmasters (a sales record), and 31,717 were the 4 door version. The original MSRP was $3,349, and they currently sell for a modest dollar amount — the example below sold for a $36,250.
Source: Bring A Trailer
