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Projects 1957 Fiesta Wagon or 1958 Caballero??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 55styleliner, Apr 17, 2017.

?
  1. 1957 Fiesta Wagon

    88.4%
  2. 1958 Caballero

    11.6%
  1. 55styleliner
    Joined: May 11, 2015
    Posts: 563

    55styleliner
    Member

    I found 2 projects and they are comparably priced but the Fiesta wagon has considerably less rust. I am more just asking which is the more desirable car and which is generally thought of as being prettier? The pictures are examples found on the internet and not the projects I would be buying.

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    [​IMG]
     
    mgtstumpy and chryslerfan55 like this.
  2. shivasdad
    Joined: May 27, 2007
    Posts: 584

    shivasdad
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Texas

    Unless your overall budget is not a concern, I'd pick the one with less rust issues. The other deciding factor for me would be small parts like tail lights, lenses, handles, mirrors, unless you're going full custom and doing all this stuff differently. I mainly like the Fiesta because I don't like the dual headlights on the Caballero.
     
    osage orange likes this.
  3. eberhama
    Joined: Dec 19, 2003
    Posts: 673

    eberhama
    Member

    From a style point of view, if it were '57 olds vs. '57 Buick, it would be hands down the Buick. Since its a 58 Buick, hands down the olds. I don't think there's a whole lot for re-pop parts or sheet metal for either, so the nicer more complete car would win for me from a potential project point of view.
     
    Spoggie and osage orange like this.
  4. The fiesta is more desirable to most and if both are using a stock drivetrain the fiesta will have a better transmission than the Buick. ;)

    That said I owned a '58 buick and liked it real well. it was a boat but the 364"nailhead pulled it down the road real well.
     
    bobwop likes this.

  5. 55styleliner
    Joined: May 11, 2015
    Posts: 563

    55styleliner
    Member

    Thats funny, I really am not a fan of some of the subtle styling of the 57 Caballero. I dont like the tail lights or the front turn signals. The Olds dash is a big nod toward it.
     
  6. MartyLIYC
    Joined: Apr 15, 2017
    Posts: 1

    MartyLIYC

    57 Olds for sure, a little biased maybe since my dad had one and missed it by a couple years being able to get it before it sold. The olds is a cleaner look, the 1958's were to busy with chrome, the 58 olds especially was like night and day from the 57, as automobile magazine put it.. " beautiful to baroque". The 57 Olds has always been one of my favorite cars.
     
  7. LOL if that Buick were a Roadmaster rather than a Caballero it would be in the in the Guinness Book of Records. The Roadmaster made the book for having more chrome than any other production dash in America. :D
     
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  8. d2_willys
    Joined: Sep 8, 2007
    Posts: 4,285

    d2_willys
    Member
    from Kansas

    I have a 58 Roadmaster 2dr that is a very nice car. The roadmaster was not king of 58 Buicks for chrome, the Limited was the king. But getting back to Olds vs Buick, well the Olds has an open driveline, so much easier conversion to other power trains, where Buick has the torque tube setup, which is not an easy conversion. Either one of them would be a nice resto, since there aren't many of these wagons left.
     
    bobwop likes this.
  9. mtkawboy
    Joined: Feb 12, 2007
    Posts: 1,213

    mtkawboy
    Member

    I wouldnt want to pay the rechroming bill for either one
     
  10. 55styleliner
    Joined: May 11, 2015
    Posts: 563

    55styleliner
    Member

    Here is the Olds. 95% complete and almost rust free from New Mexico. All of the wagon specific parts are present and in great shape.

    IMG_0325.PNG
     
  11. The limited did have a lot of Chrome but the Roadmaster is the one in the book. That was all I was saying.
     
  12. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    I would take the Olds. I like their engine, trans, drive line, brakes, and chassis better than the Buick. The Olds was about the most ruggedly built, toughest, longest lasting car you could get that year. Everything else being equal, easier to work on and I like their looks. Having less rust is a big big bonus.

    Having said that, I can see the appeal of the Buick which was a more expensive car when new. But I would still take the Olds for its practical virtues.
     
    belair likes this.
  13. ken bogren
    Joined: Jul 6, 2010
    Posts: 1,056

    ken bogren
    Member

    The Fiesta is elegant, the Caballero is gawdy.

    I'd take either one.
     
  14. 1934coupe
    Joined: Feb 22, 2007
    Posts: 5,051

    1934coupe
    Member

    Fiesta gets my vote. Wish I had one

    Pat
     
  15. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    58's (all of them) are ugly. The Olds has a better drivetrain to mess with. Olds all the way.
     
  16. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Its a no brainer Olds by far. Those 58 Buick tail lights are Fugly.
     
  17. paul55
    Joined: Dec 1, 2010
    Posts: 3,490

    paul55
    Member
    from michigan

    Olds! Way better looking!!
     
  18. 56madmook
    Joined: Dec 9, 2007
    Posts: 109

    56madmook
    Member
    from long beach

    With the two you mentioned, 57 olds all the way. I like all 57/58 hardtop wagons . We have both 57 caballero and fiesta. I'd go with the fiesta . Here's our
     

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  19. 56madmook
    Joined: Dec 9, 2007
    Posts: 109

    56madmook
    Member
    from long beach

    58 Buicks aren't for everyone but that roofline looks good on pretty much any car . [​IMG][​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  20. nunattax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,052

    nunattax
    Member
    from IRELAND

    OLDS caballero fan but id go for the OLDS
     
  21. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    The olds is for sure the winner here. Less rust, cooler car.


    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  22. Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Joined: Apr 20, 2008
    Posts: 4,670

    Hot Rods Ta Hell
    Member

    You asked, "which is generally thought of as being prettier?"

    That's like asking which Girl should I ask out? If you're not buying the project to flip, go for the one that turns you on the most, unless the rust in the Buick is too much to handle.
    Ginger or Mary Ann?
     
    wicarnut likes this.
  23. BigDogSS
    Joined: Jan 8, 2009
    Posts: 979

    BigDogSS
    Member
    from SoCal

    The 58 GM wagons are awesome! I've really grown to really appreciate the non-Chevrolet GM cars from 1955 to 1958.
     
  24. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The Olds. Dad had a black 57 Super 88 4 door hardtop with a J-2 in it that was lowered on top of that that I loved To ride in when I was in my teens
     
  25. jnaki
    Joined: Jan 1, 2015
    Posts: 9,293

    jnaki

    Hello,
    The 57 Olds has some of the look of a Nomad, but so does the 57 Buick. The 58 Buick has been described as "the most chrome gawdiness" in all of GM automotive history. Some of the finished wagons look very well done and look rather cool. But, we are certainly glad that my dad did not buy a 58 Buick.

    He did ask his two teenagers if we liked the 57 Buick 4 door wagon...at the time, we let him know that nothing was as good as a two door coupe/sedan. He bought his 57 Buick two door in the next line of Buick purchases. He skipped wanting another car for the next 4 years and bought a 63 Riviera for his next car in the fall of 62.

    If you have a 58 Buick Wagon or Sedan, that is fine, because they are nice vehicles. But, they seem to be out of place in the whole Buick/GM lineup during these years. That is a lot of chrome stuff and it is a huge wagon. We all know that those GM cars and wagons had basically the same platform with their slight model variations.

    Jnaki
    [​IMG]
    If the photo shows what you might get, like all of the others talking about rust, "Rust Never Sleeps"....Neil Young.
     
  26. scotts52
    Joined: Apr 7, 2008
    Posts: 2,725

    scotts52
    Member


    Definitely Mary Ann
     
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  27. paul55
    Joined: Dec 1, 2010
    Posts: 3,490

    paul55
    Member
    from michigan

  28. Corvette Fever
    Joined: Feb 18, 2014
    Posts: 142

    Corvette Fever
    Member
    from Michigan

    Love both but the Buick has always been my favorite......of course I tend to be a little on the gaudy side


    Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    LV 57 SEDAN DE VILLE likes this.

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