Buick’s most iconic nameplate, the Roadmaster dates back to 1931, when it was introduced as a replacement for the Master Six. Discontinued in 1942, it returned in 1946 and remained in showrooms until 1958. Buick brought it back for a third stint between 1991 and 1996.
While most people remember the Roadmaster as the massive sedan (and station wagon) of the early 1990s, the nameplate’s most legendary iterations were produced in the 1950s. While the 1949-to-1953 Roadmaster was a gorgeous piece of art, the 1954-to-1956 version arrived as proof that you didn’t have to buy a Cadillac to get a stylish, powerful vehicle.
1957 saw the Roadmaster hit showrooms with an even lower and wider body, as well as an even more panoramic windshield with reverse slanted pillars. But things got really wild in 1958 when Harley Earl added a ridiculous amount of chrome to the car.
The front fascia was dominated by the “Fashion-Aire Dynastar” grille, which was made up of rectangular chrome squares. The rear bumper was just as flamboyant and the chrome work not only extended upward to incorporate the taillights but also covered more than 50% of the rear fenders. All told, 1958 Buicks were the definition of chrome-laden land yachts.
However, Buick’s then-new design was a bit too ostentatious for most buyers, and sales dropped dramatically compared to the mid-1950s. The Roadmaster moved only 14,000 units that year, less than a half of 1957’s deliveries.
As a result, Buick redesigned its full-size cars from the ground up for 1959 and decided to send the Roadmaster name into the history books, replacing it with the Electra.
Come 2022 and these six-decade-old Buicks look even more stunning than they did back in the day. At least to me. And this finely maintained example in Laurel Mist is downright perfect. I know red and black is a very classy combo, but nothing compared to the contrast provided by heavy chrome on metallic purple finishes. And just look at that silver interior. Is this Roadmaster the perfect summer ride or what?
And in case you think it’s a nut-and-bolt restoration, this Roadmaster is actually an all-original survivor. It’s also impressively clean under the hood, where it hides a 364-cubic-inch (6.0-liter) Fireball V8. The only engine option at the time, it came with 300 horsepower on tap, which was enough to push the convertible from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in a little more than 10 seconds and a top speed of around 116 mph (186 kph).
And it’s quite rare, too, as one of only 1,181 convertibles built that year. If we could narrow it down to its Laurel Mist color, it would probably be one of fewer than 50 built.