![]() ![]() straight eight would be used in all Roadmasters through 1952. The cars were all-new that year, featuring many improvements including hydraulic brakes for the first time, revised suspensions, all-steel roofs, and most significantly, brand new engines. The Roadmaster began as 1936 models, the first year Buick utilized model names in addition to series numbers. There is probably no model name more associated with traditional Buicks than Roadmaster, which also has to be one of the all-time coolest names given to any car. Well, this Roadmaster introduced in late ’53 is certainly of the rocket ship variety, but a distinguished and dignified one. The author makes a distinction between the “humpback” cars of the 30’s and 40’s which still dominated the roads and “rocket ships” which were just starting to come out. Though not about cars, plenty are seen in the photos. ![]() It’s a film-noirish non-fiction look at the period by way of police crime scene photos. I’ve recently been reading a book called LAPD ’53 by James Ellroy. A hardtop sedan wouldn’t be a Roadmaster option for two more years. The car is a Roadmaster sedan, the flagship sedan in the lineup, though not quite the absolute flagship, as it was slightly outpriced by the Roadmaster hardtop coupe and convertible and seriously outpriced by the flashy Skylark convertible then in its second and final year. It would be hard to imagine a better exemplar of the brand and its traditional qualities than this blue beauty I found resting curbside recently. ![]() One could argue that having a strong image (or maybe stereotype) has sustained the brand to this day, even as all the other middle rungs of the GM ladder have been removed. A Buick communicates that they have carefully thought through their choice of conveyance just like they have every other choice in their lives.Īt least that’s the traditional image. Mature, accomplished professionals want a mature, accomplished car that will propel them expeditiously and comfortably to their important destinations. The kind of car a doctor or a judge or the pastor of a large church might drive. What should a Buick be? It should be serious but not severe, sober but not dour, undeniably upscale without drawing too much attention to itself. ![]()
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