Introduced in the 1930s, the Buick Special is not as iconic as the GSX, Riviera, or the Century, but it had an important role within the lineup as the company's entry-level model. And it's also the nameplate that introduced the modern Buick V6 in the 1960s, which became one of the core GM engines for decades.
The Special was born in 1936 as a full-size automobile. Offered in various body styles on the GM B platform (shared with Cadillac), the nameplate was discontinued during WWII but returned in 1946 with a modernized design.
Redesigned in 1949, it remained in production until 1958, sharing styling cues with the more expensive Roadmaster and Century. And yes, it also got the flamboyant, chrome-heavy design of the one-year-only Limited in 1958. The Special disappeared after that model year only to return in 1961 as a midsize.
After eight more years on the market, it was discontinued for good, being replaced by the Skylark. However, the badge returned as an entry-level subseries of the Century from 1975 to 1979 and then from 1991 to 1996.
Come 2022 and the Buick Special doesn't get as much attention as its fancier siblings. And that's a shame because its 1950s iterations are just as beautiful as the Roadmaster and Century while retaining a more affordable price on the classic car market. And as the video below shows, it's also a solid base for a sleeper-style restomod.
Yes, this gorgeous two-tone 1955 Special may look like a stock two-door coupe on the outside, but it's actually a modernized classic that packs a huge engine under the hood. And I'm not talking about one of those 350-cubic-inch swaps you see every day. Nope, this Buick was fitted with a massive big-block mill displacing no fewer than 502 cubic inches.
Based on the way it looks, the V8 in question is a ZZ502. A popular big-block from the Chevrolet Performance catalog, this V8 cranks out a neck-snapping 508 horsepower and 580 pound-feet of twist, which is more than enough to put a golden-era muscle car to shame. Assuming the 502 V8 didn't get additional upgrades, because these mills are capable of more than 600 horses.
Of course, the stock two-speed Dynaflow automatic was also replaced with a more modern gearbox capable of handling the extra oomph. Not surprisingly, the ZZ502 sends all that power to the rear wheels through a Turbo 400 automatic. And as you'd expect from a powerful restomod, this Special now uses power disc brakes at all corners, wider wheels, and a high-performance rear end by Currie Enterprises.
The video doesn't show how quick this modded Special is off the line, but it sounds downright awesome and rides as smoothly as a modern vehicle. And both are nice things to have in a 1950s classic. Check it out below.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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