Suggestions? - a free 58 Buick Caballero

Beautiful......

No color chart in the '58 Buick brochure, but one page shows a Riviera hardtop in those same colors:

http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/buick/58buick/bilder/25.jpg

Here's the link for the main brochure page (then click on the individual page thumbnails):

http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/buick/58buick/58buick.html

 

Gotta love that combo...especially with the Buick rally wheels. Odd that your Caballero never had a roof rack.......

 

JMT: I know its early and you may not know all the details yet........but we NEED to know if this is a 364-2bbl(250hp) or 364-4bbl(300hp) car and all the options on it as well as the trim level. How did these '58 wagons come trim wise? :confused:

Better give the car a good going over when it arrives and make sure its got no "extras."

http://nmpoisoncenter.unm.edu/education/pub-ed/pp_tip_pages/venom_things.html

 

Engine

Moto, I initially erroneously reported there was no engine in the car. This was incorrect, there is a 364, and I believe its a 4BBL. However, the dynaflow is gone, which prompted Joe to come down here and be my boss for a day or two. If the 'flow is out, therefore the rear axle will move along with the torque tube, so it has to be positioned in place before we can move it. I have more pics, and if Joe says its OK, I'll post them. I didn't realize the interest in these cars until I put up my initial post. I guess being a Ford guy, my equivalent would be a 58 Merc Colony Park(my dad had a loaded 58 Commuter he bought new) which I would have went gaga over.

As for the critters, moving the car around like I did would chase anything off. I was under the car, and there's no indication of anything of that sort.

It's the black widow's you gotta watch out for. I got bit by one 10 years ago, and it was no fun.

 

I've already done some research and the Caballero is apparently the top trim level for Buick wagons for '58. It's a Century class car with the 4 bbl engine vs. Special level with the 250hp 2 bbl. Does this car have power windows, power seat, autronic eye, wonderbar radio, AC, etc?

 

About 10 years ago my wife got bit by a Brown Recluse spider. Not fun at all. Even with insurance it cost me my life savings. Where she got bit while on the sofa in the house was not a good spot.
She wasn't even sitting on her tuffit eating!

 

I was surprised that it didn't have a roof rack, but the car was apparently built with very few options.

As far as I can tell, it was equipped with a padded (safety) dash, radio, heater, power steering and an automatic transmission. Based on the shift quadrant arrangement (PNDLR), I believe it had a two-turbine Dynaflow, not the "Flite Pitch" triple turbine that was also available in 1958.

It does not have power brakes, A/C, power windows or power seat. I can't tell from the photos if it had the "Speed Minder" speedometer.

Here's a list of available options I copied from the "rowand.net" site:

B Heater & Defroster
D# Radio - trailing number designates radio type/style
Known possibilities are:
- D1 - Sonomatic Radio and electric antenna
- D? - Radio and Rear speaker
- D? - WonderBar radio with electric antenna and rear speaker
- D? - Any Radio and antenna with no rear speaker for convertibles

E Upper Padded Dash

F Safety Group - Speed Minder and Brake Warning Light

G Windshield Washer and Wide Angle (Cam-o-matic) Wipers

I Tinted Glass

J Luggage Rack (for Wagons)

K Foamex Seat Cushions

L Power Brakes

P# Exterior Chrome Trim Style, Special Only - trailing number designates style
Known possibilities are:
P? - Narrow Mouldings
P? - Wide Mouldings
P? - No Mouldings

Q Permanent Antifreeze

T1 Wide Whitewall Tires (does this mean there were also Standard/Narrow Whitewall Tires?)

U Power Windows

X2 Map Light


Looks like this car had very few options from that list.

The VIN indicates it was equipped with the 364CI 300hp 4-barrel. I am hoping that's the original engine under the hood.

If it was the lower output (250HP) engine, it would be a "40" Series VIN; this is a "60" Series. The car was built in Arlington, Texas.

There were about 13 different trim color combinations available on these wagons. From what I've seen in the photos, I am guessing this one was Red and White Cordaveen (vinyl), but I won't know for sure until I get all the numbers from the Trim tag.

I'll know a lot more by the end of next week.

 

Cars back in '58 didn't usually come 'loaded' like they do now. Even in looking at pics on the internet, I've seen very few of the Caballeros with power windows. The main driver's 4-window control is actually mounted on the A-pillar instead of being mounted on the door. The front passenger control is on the RT a-pillar as well.

 

Please do post those additional pictures!
And I'm not going to be your boss; we'll be partners in avoiding anything like black widows or snakes!

 

heres some pics

Look at those floors and tailgate! There is only one spot of rot where the toeboard meets the floorboard - one inch by two inches. I already removed the bumpers, as they were nice with the famous Southwest chrome. It's going to be a working vacation for Joe and I but we'll have a ball. I got the transom for the gate working nice but we have to fiddle a little with the lower gate - we'll get it closed, and I have since put the car in the air on blocks.

 

here are more

more pics that I took the first day

 

and even more

a few more pics from the first day

 

Love that natural carpet in the floor...

Those big GMs have a huge "X-Frame", and that fugly "Torque Tube" driveshaft. Solid beasts. Too much fun.

 

You know, that bright work looks really good on that car for 56yo, is it possible there was some level of restoration already done on it in the past? :confused:

Have you tried to turn the motor over yet?

 

chrome

No Mike, that's they way chrome is down here - No precipitation + no humidity = no pitting or hazing. Car has been off the road since 1972 and has been sitting there since 1990. You will find cars used for riprap since the 60's with beautiful chrome still on it.