1958 Buick Limited Convertible ~ My Car Story with Lou Costabile

Lou Costabile and “My Car Story” we’re in the West Suburbs of Chicago IL recently looking at a 1958 Buick Limited Convertible in Black paint and factory V8 engine.

The car’s Owner is Ken Nagel. Ken’s had this car since 2010. He shares details on this car that looks “showroom” new.

The Buick Limited series was revived for the first time since WWII in 1958 as the ultimate Buick for the model year, using the GM C platform.

In a model year where General Motors’s answer to Chrysler’s “Forward Look” was to update its 1957 Buicks and Oldsmobiles by slathering them in excessive amounts of chrome, the 1958 Buicks received the ultimate treatment.

More About the 1958 Buick Limited Convertible

Each Buick Special, Century and Roadmaster received a Fashion-Aire Dynastar grille, cast of 160 chrome squares, each, according to Buick PR pieces, “shaped in a design to maximize the amount of reflective light”.

Buick also added quad headlights and three emblems bearing a stylized “V”, one a medallion on the hood and the other two as gun-sight fender-toppers.

The Buick “Sweepspear” side trim, a styling hallmark since 1949, was joined by broad chrome panels attached to the rear quarter panels.

Tail lights were housed in massive chrome housings; each trunk lid received a chrome grip in the center. Wheelbase was 127.5″ and 227.5″long.

In comparison to the junior models in the Buick lineup, the Limited was slightly more restrained. Each Limited traded its chromed side panel trim for a body color-keyed insert decorated with fifteen slanted hash marks (three groups of five).

The Limited also received its own rear tail treatment that traded the heavy chrome tail light housings for a wraparound tail light lens broken up by four chrome bands. Rear bumper “Dagmars” housed “Dual Jet” back-up lights. Power brakes were standard.

Inside, buyers were treated to high quality full leather in convertibles.

Ken tells us that there were less than 900 Buick Limited Convertibles produced.