The Fast Lane Car and TFLClassic had the unique privilege to cover the epic journey of a 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 – in time, distance and the ethereal bonds of love. No kidding, the journey of this particular 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 bounds past time fantastic into the realm of historical love.
Stay with me. Edwin (Ed) Hendricks of Englewood, CO painstakingly restored the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 from a rust-bucket to the pristine vehicle you see here.
He didn’t do it for the return on investment, he did it out of love for the car. This Buick is not a financially rewarding collectible. After he passed away, his widow Barbara donated it to a special museum in Michigan. There was a caveat: rather than strap it to a car carrier, Ed’s handsome 58 Buick was heading to Detroit in style.
Okay, it’s not exactly Denver to Detroit. We gathered in Englewood, CO (about 10 miles south of Denver, CO) and we’re heading to the Sloan Longway Museum’s Buick Automotive Gallery which is located at the Flint Cultural Center Campus, (303 Walnut Street, Flint, Michigan 48503). That’s about 66 miles outside of Detroit, MI.
The Curator of Collections at the Sloan Longway Museum, Jeremy Dimick, made arrangements with Barbara to drive a 2014 Buick Regal GS down as a chase vehicle (that’s what I drive) and return with the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75. He would drive the vehicle back under its own power following routes that existed back in 1958. Along the way, the convoy (Barbara followed with her friend in a 2002 Ford T-Brid) would cruise highway diners, motels and gas stations.
… And The Fast Lane Car (TFLCar) is going to chronicle the journey on-line and on video!
Our first leg: Englewood, Colorado to Columbus, Nebraska.
After departing precisely at 8:54ish, we used back roads to connect to Colorado Route 36. The 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 drove great and, after a few leaks were dismissed as mere character builders, we soon glided on to Interstate 30. I30 would be our main route for the duration.
Honestly? Nearly every roadside diner and motel are either gone, closed or vanished in the vortex of commuter indifference.
Over 500 miles past before we pulled into Columbus, NE and the big Buick’s drips have all cured themselves – honestly.
Closing out day one: more people have gawked and commented at the 58 Roadmaster than when I drove a purple Bentley.
… Honestly.
Stay tuned for day 2!
Speaking of the 2014 Buick Regal GS…
