SWMBO's 1959 Buick

Figure I might as well start a thread for SWMBO's 1959 Buick Invicta. The car is complete and fairly rust free, the trim that is not shown in the picture is in the trunk. Right now it is sitting in my backyard waiting for space in the shop. It still has the original 401/445 Wildcat motor in it. From what we found out the 4 doors are fairly rare for these cars. Tiff is torn between doing a restoration or customizing it some, nothing extreme just a few personal touches.

Very cool. Along with the bubble top windshield, that grille is rolling art.

Post up if you have any questions! I sure do miss my neighbor's Electra.

I'd go "light" custom. Color change, lower, stuff like that. Nothing that couldn't easily be changed back to stock.

There is a new Chevy truck here in town that she really likes the color on and she is thinking of using that color on the Invicta. It is Aqua Blue Metallic used on the Colorado trucks. She is thinking about that for the main body and white for the top. The original interior is blue and black and body color was light blue with a white top.

Here is a Camaro in that same color blue

Looks like it's the modern version of Cobalt Blue:

We repainted Chuck's Electra 1959 Cadillac Kensington Green:

That Vegas Turquoise would be cool...

More photos of the car. As you can see the floor boards and trunk are fairly rusty. This thing must have had every power option available including a power seat. Oh yeah notice the button starter and the reverse at the bottom of the shift pattern.

We have discussed going from a front bench to modern buckets out of something like a Caddy then recovering them to match the original seat materials. Put in a updated stereo maybe something that is hidden under the dash and make it something good for sound at the drive in. Maybe lower it a bit and we are trying to decide if we will keep the factory hubcaps on steel wheels or go to something like a more modern wheels. I am trying to figure out if there is a decent brake upgrade for these big boats.

In reply to Javelin:

I think you are right about the Coblat just add in the metallic component and I think you are just about there. Hmmm that Vegas Turquoise could be interesting with a metallic addition...

The power seat was pretty rare, I would keep that. That starter button isn't original, the 59 Buicks started by "flooring" the gas pedal (the starter button is under the pedal).

The original caps are pretty cool. I can't imagine a modern wheel that would look good. The original drums are very good and highly sought after by rod builders. Supposedly you can retrofit a disc brake setup designed for a 59 Impala, but they really don't need it (unless you are going to road course the car).

In reply to rebelgtp:

The Vegas Turquoise is an Iridescent, which is actually a metallic. It's not nearly as bling as modern metallics (that really look more like metalflakes), but you'd be surprised at how modern and good those colors look.

POWER STEERING

Awesome car. Those fins are rad. My vote would be for a period colour and wheel choice, too.

Good to know about the brakes and all on the car I will let her know. On this car you still have to mash the gas and you also have to use that button pictured.

I just pulled up a pic of a Caddy in the Vegas Turquoise and I like it. I will have to show Tiff and see what she thinks about it. I think she was wanting to go with a darker blue though.

Vegas:

OK that looks much darker than the other photos I pulled of that color.

In reply to rebelgtp:

It's a very rare color. Most of the ones labeled as Vegas are incorrect. They are much, much lighter and probably Georgian or Breton.

In the woods near Eatonton. Would have been a nice picture, if I did not have my stupid truck in the background

In reply to Javelin:

OK I will show her that I like that color quite a bit and I think it would go well with the original interior scheme.

that's what bradley drove in Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

"Debbie, looking good. I make you see God!"

or something like that.

Maybe it's because we see most cars that old on black-and-white pictures, but I never would have guessed that cars of that era had such a broad color selection. You never see that much variety available now.

When I was growing up, my family had a 1964 Buick Wildcat in a color very similar (if not identical to) the Wedgewood Blue in Javelin's earlier post.

Luke wrote: POWER STEERING Awesome car. Those fins are rad. My vote would be for a period colour and wheel choice, too.

Yeah, the "Power Steering" logo is hilarious. ...And some day, Hybrid drive technology will be as common as alternators vs generators.