1954 Buick Roadmaster

1954 Buick Roadmaster Convertible (model 76C)

A 10-year, body off the frame, restoration back to original,
done by Dr. and Mrs. K.L. Laytin

Winner of a Gold Senior Award and selected as the Best Post World War II Buick
at the 2005 Buick National Meet in Batavia, NY, scoring 399 out of a possible 400 points.

Award History
2003 - 2024

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The Buick has a 200 horsepower 322 cubic inch V-8 engine with a 4-barrel carburetor, a Dynaflow automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, a power antenna, a 4-way power seat, a power top, power windows and a Selectronic ("Wonder Bar") radio. It weighs 4,355 pounds. This Buick was built at the Atlanta, Georgia factory during the 4th week of January, 1954. The body was built in Flint, Michigan and shipped to Atlanta for installation on a chassis. It was one of 3,305 Roadmaster Convertibles built that year. Fewer than 20 are currently known to exist. Buick referred to this body style as Model 76C. As best as can be determined from the options on the car, its advertised delivered price was $3,520.56. Not a lot is known about this specific car's history other than that it lived much of its first life in Arkansas. When it was located in mid 1988, it was in Oklahoma. The car was last owned by a adjuster for Farmer's Insurance. Not running and in rough shape, outside without a convertible roof, it was placed for sale in the July, 1988 edition of Hemmings Motor News where we found it. Beginning in 1993 it underwent a 10-year complete restoration. The body was removed from the frame. The body and frame were blasted down to bare metal. Virtually every nut and bolt was replaced as was every wire. All mechanicals were rebuilt. Many parts were replaced with NOS (new old stock) parts, that is original factory parts still in their boxes. Another 1954 Buick we own and many Buicks in junkyards in Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho and Massachusetts gave their lives so that this Buick might live again. Most of the chrome is NOS that has been replated. The leather interior is new, matched in color and stitching pattern exactly to the original. The exterior color, Cavalier Blue, though done with a modern paint, is a virtually identical match to the original metallic paint. Details down to the original dealer option Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels, wide white wall tires with tubes, the original headlamps found in a junkyard in Idaho, to the color of every wire, to the brackets that hang the exhaust pipes are correct. At the Buick National Meet in Batavia, NY in July 2005, this car was judged for authenticity and workmanship. It was awarded 399 of a possible 400 points, given a Gold Senior Award and chosen as the Best Post World War II Buick at that year's national show. And it was driven 456 miles each way to that show. These Buicks were meant to be driven.