1958 Buick Special Convertible
The 1958 Buick Special was supposed to be Buick’s key to reentering the luxury car market. Buick, however, couldn’t have picked a worse time. For although no one could have foreseen it when the new Special series was in the planning stages, 1958 turned out to be a recession year, with the economy experiencing its worst downturn since the 1930s.
To compound the problem, thousands of American motorists appeared suddenly to tire of the big road-locomotives that had been in vogue for so long, and of which Buick had built so many. The day of the compact car had come.
This 1958 Buick Special convertible is powered by a 364ci Nailhead V8 paired with a two-speed Dynaflow automatic transmission and is finished in two-tone red and white over a corresponding two-tone interior. Equipment includes a power-operated black soft top, power steering, an Autronic-Eye automatic headlight dimmer, and a Sonomatic AM radio.
The 15” wire wheels feature spinner-style centers and are mounted with whitewall tires. A spare tire is located in the trunk. Braking is provided by power-assisted drums at all four corners.
The cabin features split front and solid rear bench seats that have been reupholstered red and white vinyl along with matching door panel inserts and red carpets. Equipment includes a Sonomatic AM radio, power steering, and a dash-mounted Autronic-Eye automatic headlight dimmer. The white three-spoke steering wheel features a chrome horn ring and frames a 120-mph horizontal speedometer. Additional gauges display engine temperature, oil pressure, amperage, and fuel level.
All of which may have been, in 1958, quite in keeping with the spirit of the times. After years of wartime austerity, stretching through the Korean conflict as well as the Second World War, Americans seemed determined to let it all hang out. It became the era some sociologists have called the “Age of Excess.” “If you’ve got it, flaunt it” seemed to be the slogan.
Buick built quite a few iconic nameplates over the decades, but the Special isn’t one of them. And that’s because it was only offered for the 1958 model year. It was, however, one of the company’s most luxurious automobiles.
