1956 Buick Special

Riviera Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

4C6042969

Gasoline

SPECTACULAR 1956 BUICK TWO-DOOR HARDTOP RED & WHITE TWO-TONE PAINT RELISTED WITH LOWER "BUY IT NOW" AND LOWER RESERVE. For Sale is this beautiful 1956 Buick Special Riviera in very good condition. It just may be the zippy two-door hardtop that you’ve been looking for. We’ve owned the car for the last six years, but it’s time for us to give it up. It was purchased by us after coming to our attention in an Ebay auction listing. This Special has the standard 322-cubic-inch V8 engine and Variable Pitch Dynaflow automatic transmission along with what appear to be original factory installed dual exhausts and a Carter 4-barrel carburetor. According to the literature we have on hand, this combination power train left the factory rated at 255 h.p. (The combination was standard equipment on the Roadmaster, Super and Century models, but we believe it was a rarely ordered option on the Special.) It has power brakes and power steering. As Buick enthusiasts know, the Special and Century models were in most respects the same as the higher priced Super and Roadmaster models, but were built on chassis and had bodies that were both narrower and shorter, making them much more sporty looking. The car was restored in North Carolina in 1993-1994 at a cost of at least $6,734.96, based on documentation (cash and credit car receipts, order receipts & other miscellaneous, but entirely credible, notations) provided at the time of the last sale. There’s no record of the cost of the upholstery, which presumably was changed at the same time. Based on these records, the engine and transmission appear to have been rebuilt, the chrome replated, and the car’s color was changed from green/white two-tone paint to the wonderful red/white combination that it is in today. Although it’s not the car’s original color scheme, the red is most probably a genuine Buick color (“Seminole Red”) based on the official Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company (Ditzler Color Division) Color Card for Buick in 1956. It is believed that the white paint used is “Dover White”, which is also an official 1956 Buick color, but we do not have the chip for that. The engine and drive train are likely all original. We have a photographic record of the restoration showing the car immediately before restoration and in various stages of the restoration process. In 1995, the car was insured by CHUBB GROUP of Insurance Companies for $20,000 (policy number 12893830). At the time of the restoration, this was not a low mileage car. We have records (registrations, inspection & tax records) showing several owners in various states (Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina) and odometer readings from 1965 to 1974 starting at 66,131 and ending at 02,123 (presumed to be 102,123 based on the mileage changes recorded from year to year). There is a notation on the February 1973 inspection that the odometer was “broke”, which seems probable since 02,123, the same number, was recorded at inspections from that point at least until August 1976. The mileage was recorded as 02899 in 1992 just prior to the car's restoration. The current odometer reading (July 4, 2010) is 16,853. There’s no reason to believe that it is accurate as the mileage since the time of the restoration or that it represents 116,853 actual miles. We purchased the car in 2004. We believe the cost was $11,300. We then had the car shipped to Maine. Since we bought the car, it has had several significant improvements, including a completely rebuilt transmission ($2,212.78), points, condenser, starter solenoid, generator armature, fuel gauge sender float, generator belt, power steering belt, steering disc kit, battery cable, inner and outer wheel bearings & generator overhaul ($1,083.67), power brake master cylinder rebuild ($1,062.05), vacuum windshield wiper motor rebuild ($75.00), carburetor rebuild ($343.15), steering idler arm ($58.65), and generator/alternator/voltage regulator wiring ($475.) The battery was changed in 2008. Though we can’t locate the paperwork, we’ve also had installed an under dash toggle “kill switch” and an electric fuel pump booster (controlled by another discrete under-dash toggle switch). The interior surfaces and upholstery were cleaned within the last two months. The interior smells fresh and clean. There’s a Jensen radio/cd player (with remote) in the glove box. The car is riding on a set of four 15-inch Coker Classic 2¾” WW tires, which were purchased in 2003 at a cost of $410.36. There’s a full sized spare in the trunk along with jack and wrench. The tires appear to be in excellent condition with an awful lot of life left in them. The front end was recently aligned (2008 or 2009). There are no seat belts. The photos accurately show the condition of the car. It’s a looker. The paint is generally in very good condition with some minor bubbling and a few dings here and there, particularly on the doors and above the roof gutter between the rear passenger window and rear window on the driver’s side. The latter is shown in one of the photos. The chrome is also in very good condition, except for two small areas on the rear bumper near the two exhaust ports (also shown in the photos). The fuel gauge only works about 5% of the time and the speedometer works, but the speed reported is not accurate. The odometer trip recorder does work and we use it to keep track of fuel usage. One of the rear brake lights doesn’t work. The interior dash lights are controlled by an under-dash toggle switch. There is also a toggle switch to control power to the glove box radio/cd player. The headlights, turn signal lights and windshield wipers work fine, as do the brakes (although they sometimes pull a bit), and steering, starting, and acceleration are all good. The motor is powerful and reliable. There are small leaks of transmission and oil fluids, but they do not effect the operation or reliability of the vehicle. The windows are generally in very good condition with no cracks or chips, though there is a little clouding in a few areas. The four passenger and driver windows open and close with ease. The vent windows do open and close, but they are a little more touchy to operate. We have many pieces of literature related to this car, which we intend to pass on as part of the sale. Included in the package are copies of the 1956 Buick Shop Manual, 1956 Chassis and Body Parts Book (Buick Motor Division), the Buick Bugle June 2006 edition, which features a red/white 1956 Buick Century on its cover, with extensive details of the various Buick models produced for 1956; the 34-page 1956 Buick showroom brochure, showing all of the Buick models and options available for that year (a wonderful historical document); paint color chip sheet showing the range of colors available on 1956 Buicks, the February 1993 edition of Collectible Automobile, with a 15-page, fully illustrated article on the Buick models from 1954 to 1956; two original 8-page brochures “IMPORTANT TIPS ON YOUR 1956 BUICK”; two original “BUICK Engineer Approved ACCESSORIES” showroom handouts; and the original 40-page 1956 Buick OWNER’S GUIDE. Also included is a snug fitting car cover used for winter storage. The vehicle may be seen/inspected by appointment. CURRENT OWNER OF RECORD: Robert F. Echols CONTACT FOR INFORMATION: Paul Drolet, (207) 833-7869 LOCATION OF VEHICLE: Mid-Coast Maine (near Brunswick) CONDITION: This vehicle is being sold “as is”. No warranties are expressed or implied.