Rhapsody Americana: Denver to Detroit with a 1958 Buick Roadmaster – Day 3

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One of the problems that made filming the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 cross country a challenge was the constant worry of mechanical difficulties.I need not have worried. On the final leg of the journey, the big Buick performed beautifully. Despite the wet weather, the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 was stable, dry and reliable. The only glitch was a small electrical issue with the taillights; but, for the most part, the lights did their job right up to the end of the 1,300+ mile journey.

You can read part one (here) and part two (here).

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Jeremy Dimick, the Curator of Collections at the Sloan Longway Museum, piloted the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 the entire 1,300+ miles with kid gloves. You could see him grow more attached to the big Buick as our journey progressed. I drove in comfort in a 2014 Buick Regal GS AWD that proved to be a better road-trip vehicle than I was expecting. I especially liked the 259 hp, turbocharged engine that allowed me to (legally) scream past our small caravan, miles ahead to allow me time to set up the camera for a pass.

You see, given that we were trying to baby the ’58 Buick on this long trip, the idea of going back and fourth to get the video images TFLCar usually uses was impossible. Fortunately, the Buick Regal GS was a rocket and helped compensate for that issue.

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We departed Dixon, Ill at around eight in the morning and pulled into Flint, MI after eight at night. It rained most of the way, making filming problematic at best. Still, video was taken when Mother Nature took a breath and footage of the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 pulling into its new home.

… And what a home it is.

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When we arrived at the Sloan Longway Museum’s Buck section, my jaw nearly dropped to the floor. The restoration building contained some of the most iconic General Motors concept cars from the past. Cars like the 1954 Buick Wildcat II (based on a Corvette) and 1951 Buick XP300 shared the same garage as our Colorado Buick. The garage is covered in automotive nostalgia and was impeccably tidy. What a place for a car to be displayed.

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Capping off our final drive day, Barbara placed Ed’s ashes in a lake he visited often and we bounded through most of Joliet, Illinois. At the end of it all, the 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 averaged around 9 or 10 mpg while my Regal GS averaged over 30 mpg. We saw and were a little sadden by all of the closed and rundown businesses that remain on this route. All in all, it was a somber affair, especially with the lovely Roadmaster bidding us farewell as it was locked in its new garage.

It was quite the experience.

Look for our videos of this journey to post soon!

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Speaking of amazing automotive museums….

Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism - Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum.  His words, good humor and videos are enjoyed worldwide.
Easily amused by anything with four wheels, Nathan Adlen reviews vehicles from the cheapest to the most prestigious. Wrecking yards, dealer lots, garages, racetracks, professional automotive testing and automotive journalism – Nathan has experienced a wide range of the automotive spectrum. His words, good humor and videos are enjoyed worldwide.