Survivor Special – Rediscovering the Simple Charm of Cruising a 1958 Buick over 2,500 Miles
When Goodguys first established the Hall of Fame Road Tour more than a decade ago, one goal was to prove that high-end hot rods and customs could be driven long distance. We wanted award-winning rides to lose their “trailer queen” status, even if it was just for one journey. It’s an admirable idea, and we’ve seen many elite creations on the tour over the years.
What’s curious, though, is the mindset many enthusiasts have adopted that a vintage car must be completely modernized to be worthy of making such a trip. Many of the participating vehicles on the tour now have aftermarket chassis (or heavily updated originals), four-wheel disc brakes, fuel-injected crate engines, and other modern upgrades. No one will argue the comfort, safety, and performance benefits such modifications provide, but how necessary are they?
Ask Steve and Beth Legens, who own Legens Hot Rod Shop in Martin, Tennessee. They’ve brought a different car on the Road Tour the last several years, each one a decades-old survivor with a vintage drivetrain and suspension. And while they’ve occasionally made repairs along the way, they’ve enjoyed and completed the tour each time. This year’s chariot of choice was this 1958 Buick Special sedan with a faded finish and an abundance of character. When we first saw it, we weren’t alone in questioning whether it was up for the 1500-mile journey. Yet throughout the week, we became more enamored with it each time we saw it cruising down the road.
“I bought this car in Mississippi,” Steve says. “I went to look at a bunch of cars for sale, saw the ’58 Buick and thought. ‘I need that thing!’ It was running and driving and came with a four-door parts car. I was intrigued by the color, the fact that it was a post car (sedan), and how good of shape it was in.”
That purchase happened a dozen years ago, and the Buick waited patiently in Steve’s collection for its turn on the road. When that time came, Steve says it didn’t take much to get it up and going. Besides the usual maintenance and replacement of worn pieces, the only chassis modifications Steve made was to add a power brake booster, lowered coil springs, and custom shocks. He also put fresh Coker wide whitewalls on the 15-inch steel wheels. The car still has drum brakes and manual steering, which Steve says is not bad as long as you keep moving!
Speaking of moving, the two-ton 1958 Buick hits its stride with power from an original 364c.i. Nailhead V8 that won’t win any best-dressed engine awards but purred right along throughout the tour. An aluminum radiator keeps it cool, and it breathes through a dual exhaust system. And don’t go looking for a late-model overdrive – shifting is handled with the original Dynaflow transmission.
We’ve already touched on the exterior’s Coral Reef finish and sunbaked roof. It’s complemented with a largely original cabin with a stock dash, column, and steering wheel, manual windows, and factory seats that were reupholstered decades ago with gray cloth and vinyl (Steve calls it “somewhat custom” upholstery). Lap belts add a measure of safety, but the only air conditioning comes from rolling down the windows.
While you can debate the allure of faded paint and weathered chrome, the true beauty of this Buick is how it dispels the myth that vintage cars must be modernized to be road trip worthy. This Special shows that with the proper care, preparation, and attitude, a well-maintained 1950s cruiser can make a fine driver.
“This tour was the longest trip Beth and I have been on in the Buick,” Steve says. “It’s a blast to drive – so smooth riding and driving.”
Smooth, simple, and stress-free. Seems like a pretty Special Buick to us!
