I have accidentally got myself into the market for an old 1956 something or another and its either a 56 Buick Special Riviera 2 door hardtop with a 3 speed on the column or a 56 Pontiac StarChief Catalina 2 door hard top. I need to decide since the Buick may end up being a parts car if I dont buy it...but its 9 hours away and I cannot see it. The Pontiac is right down the street and is a solid CA car with absolutely no major rust at all, not rot, runs, needs lines, windshield, and brake system overhauled to get it cruising. The Buick needs floors, a little body mount fixin, fuel tank, lines, brake system, windshield, some body work, runs as well. Not sure about electrical on both of them, but probably needs some work. The Buick is $2900 and I would spend 500 to get it here so $3500 total, the Pontiac is solid and is 5,000 but it right down the street from me. HELP ME!!! I would have to sell my truck to get the Pontiac, but can afford the Buick without selling it right away, but it needs more work and I have no clue what condition it is like since I cannot see it. All I have is pics. Let me know what you think I should do or what you would do. If I had the $ I would take both! Thanks guys. Here are some photos to help. I would more than likely have to sell the one I choose later to help fund my '67 Lincoln hot rod project so thats a factor too...resale. The first 4 photos are the Buick and the last 5 or so are the Pontiac following the photo of the Pontiac to the end.
Boy that CA air is hard on cars. Both are gold underneath. Had a 56 Buick when I was a kid and have a 55 Pontiac now. I'd go with the Buick for a cruiser. Way cooler.
i've got a 56 special. Beautiful lines from the factory, and one of the coolest grills/bumpers in my opinion. the Nailhead is a nice engine to. Just be wary of aftermarket. see: none.
Car for car, the Buick is probably a cooler cruiser and i dig nailheads..but i'd buy the Pontiac if they were in front of me.. I just really like the mid 50's Pontiacs, especailly 55 and 56's, and i see more Buick's than Poncho's....at least around here anyway... Resale, well, i'm thinking the Buick might sell quicker just because it seem's as though more people dig Buicks over Pontiacs.....BUT, a solid car that hasn't had any floor work, or heavy metal work is alway's a factor for me when looking at a car....
If you can get the Buick and keep your truck, I'd do that--you can build the Buick on the payment plan, and keep cruising your truck. The '56 Special will have a 322 nailhead in it. Correct, that speed parts aren't a 1-800-SEND ONE deal, but ebay and swap meets will find what you need. The manual trans in it is also a gem by itself. They're rare, and desirable. (It should be the beefier 6-bolt cover trans, not the 5-bolt used in '54/'55 behind the 264). There are lots of suppliers out there, you just have to hunt. Now, all that being said, I'd be worried about what's under that quicky black paint job. -Brad
i just looked at the photo of the interior, and if you notice in the top left corner, there is some serious cancer going on. After what Brad said about the quicky paint, i'd be kinda worried to. There's also what looks to be an unwelded piece of steel as a floor. now that i see those, even being a buick nut, save yourself the hassle and get the Pontiac. i can see 1/2 the car melting away the first time you go to strip the paint off the Buick.
get the PONCHO! it looks like a nice untouched, unmolested car. maybe you can get it for 4000-4400-4500 - right up the street so maybe they will take some payments on the balance?!
Auto-fleet parts and Machine2551 Halls Mill RoadMobile, AL. Joel at 251-478-8441 for Nailhead or any other motor rebuild Bendtsen’s Transmission Center Inc. (Trans Adapters) 13603 Johnson St NEHam Lake, MN. 55304 Phone: 763-767-4480 Email: [email protected] www.transmissionadapters.com Bob’s Automobilia 3352 South El Pomar; Templeton, CA93465 (street) Box 2119; Atascadero, CA93423 (mailing) Phone: 805-434-2963 Fax: 805-434-2626 http://www.bobsautomobilia.com/ Carmen Faso J&C's Parts 7127 Ward RoadNorth Tonawanda, NY14120 Phone: 716-693-4090 Yeah he's not on the net, he doesn't take plastic, but he is definitely the man... CARS, Inc. 205 Pearl Street P.O. Box 5Neshanic Station, NJ08853 Phone: 908-369-3666 Fax: 908-369-7595 http://www.buick-parts.com/ Egge Machine Company, Inc. 11707 Slauson Ave.Santa Fe Springs, CAUSA 90670 Phone: 562-945-3419 Fax: 562-693-1635 [email protected] [email protected] will get you on the list... O'Brien Truckers 29 A. Young Road Charlton, MA 01507 Phone: 508-248-1555 http://community.webshots.com/user/obtruckers Poston Enterprises200 Ewing LaneAtmore, AL36502 Phone: 800-635-9781 http://www.postonbuick.com/ Russell Martin http://nailheadbuick.com/ He would be the man to go to on the West Coast for building an engine... He can also be found on the Yahoo Nailhead Group for advice and help... TA Performance Products, Inc. 16167 N. 81st Street, Scottsdale, AZ85260 Phone: 480-922-6807 Fax: 480-922-6811 http://www.taperformance.com/ Email: [email protected] The Buick FarmPO Box 384Clayton, DE19938 Email: [email protected] http://www.buickfarm.com Tom Telesco for mini-starters and roller rockers.... C/O Classic & Muscle Automotive 465 Glenbrook Rd. Stamford, Ct. 06906-1820 Phone: (203) 324-6045 [email protected] or [email protected] Wheatbelt Antique Auto Rt. 2, Box 178 Carrier, OK 73727 Phone: 580-855-2449 Fax : 580-855-2476 http://www.wheatbeltbuick.com Yeah none at all.... I like the Buick with the 3 on the tree...
i'm not saying Nailhead, i'm saying the car in itself, such as purpose built suspension components and crossmembers, that sorta stuff. and almost all of those websites are mainly 401 and 425 Nailhead.
PONTIAC......was there any doubt Id say that? You never see the Buicks around here, I like to be different, but I just like the lines, the trim, and the Interior n the Pontiacs better than the other GM cars. Ed Evans 56 Pontiac 860 2 Door Wagon
I would like a list of suppliers for these components for the 1956 Pontiac... Google has failed me in finding these things for the Pontiac. I guess 3 out of 12 is most. Your math sucks.
I've been seeing a whole lot of those paint jobs lately. A lot of them done to cars with decent stock paint. All in the quest to be cool with their flat black ride. Dumbest shit ever.....
You guys are awesome! Thanks for the replies and advice. I saw that cancer on the top door frame too on the Buick but he just said I should buy it and it needs almost nothing but a tank, lines, and bleed job on brakes..WHAT?! The floors are gone but the braces are good and the frame as well. Check out the bent outer frame rail and the cocked brace that pokes through the floor a little (in the photo with the text in it). I asked about that and he said looks like it got snagged on something. The Pontiac is rediculously solid and really dried out like knobs and such, but not sure about the electrical yet. I will post some more info if I get it but for now I have to decide if I want to make a trip to Illinois for $500 and possibly not come home with a car or just go with the Pontiac! Keep the replies and advice comin! THANKS!
If you wanted a second 56 wagon, there is one for sale at the GoldenRodGarage.com Noticed it in Hemmings the other month. Both are neat cars but that Pontiac really caught my eye when I found it...just different and awkwardly beautiful with the eye lashes above the headlights and the wide chrome strips all over the place.
I told him I would have to sell the truck first and he said to give him my 3500 now and then the rest when I sell the truck! Nice offer if you ask me...just need to let go of my first truck to do it and decide that I do not want that Pontiac....not that easy! Thanks a lot.
do it, that Buick needs a ton of work. You can examine every last bit of that pontiac since it's right up your street, whereas you never know what's hiding behind that black paint. But seeing that cancer in the top corner and floors, i have an idea of what's there.
Same here. I am leaning towards the Pontiac more and more. I have been searching for parts like weather stripping, suspension parts, steering..seems to be enough out there. A lot of the car is just like a 55-56 Bel Air. I literally almost crapped a brick when he opened the doors and trunk...not a single piece of scrap anywhere. Extra set of rear bumpers, and the hub caps too. Neat car all around. I think I might have to keep it as is for a while only getting it tuned and street legal, but leaving the paint, and the interior untouched with the exception of that front seat. Paint and protect the bottom and floors and the rest is patina! I should not hesitate since the car is sitting outside with no cover on it and bad rubber. Take care and thanks again
Thanks John! Mine is from CA, its pretty solid. Only been in Indiana for 9 years. Ive got a life times worth of Pontiacs sitting in line for Resto. My 56 is driver quality, well worn, but not worn out. there are pics of it in the long roof, lets see your wagon, and a thread asking for pics of 56 Pontiac interiors. Ive also got a 65 lemans, 70 formula 400, 72 45Ho/4 speed TA, 71 lemans wagon, and A 92 TA in my list of projects. I need another car like I need another wife....LOL If you end up with the 56, Ive got some odds & ends if youneed em. Ed Evans
Thanks Ed! I hear you...the more the merrier. Thanks for the offer on odd and ends for the 56. Off the bat, do you have anything like radio and control knobs? The ones on this car are toast and something is missing from the upper middle dash...have to figure that one out yet. The whole interior is gone in this car, but neat to see it all shriveled up and faded! Take care.
just painted my dash last summer, you have more interior than I started with. Mine had gray shag carpet through out, and Honda buckets. Ive found the right bench, and am working on door panels now. I sold my radio on ebay last year, went with a stock radio delete plate. They pop up on ebay now & then.....CD player will end up inder the seat or in the glove compartment. I used Cross valve stem caps from Moon on my heater control knobs. you wont find anythat are decent, north, south, east, or west. From what Ive been told, that plastic is just brittle! Youll really like the Poncho! Ed
Ed, that is a sweet ride and some neat ideas about the knobs. It will be a mild custom so thats not a bad thought. This car was that salmon color inside and the outside is a off white color, but no signs of it being 2 tone. The more I think about it, the more I want it. How many chances do you have to get a car thats rust free and runs for 5,000 and everything is there? I hope to knock the price down 500 if I can. Gotta get that 84 GMC on the for sale classifieds. Thanks for the photos and help. Good luck with that wagon...thats a neat car!
Well after round 2 of checkin it over, my old man found some rot above the passenger drip rail. Not huge, but its there. Some rot in the rear quarter after the rocker, the lip of the hood, and some major curb height damage to the rear quarter and rocker on passenger side. Lots of work needs to be done to straighten it up and hopefully there is no rot underneath. I will post photos tonight. Let me know what you think about the 5,000 price now! I would ask him to put it on his lift in his shop before I buy, but the floors are still gold in this car. Thanks guys
Here are some photos of the 2nd visit to see the old Poncho. Found some rust here and there and took a closer look at the curb rash on the side quarter and door. Leave some feedback!
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