October 12, 2024

The Car History of Alex Beloff III

 

THE 1955 BUICK CENTURY TWO DOOR HARDTOP WAS MY GRANDFATHERS PERSONAL CAR, MR. JOHN BELOFF HULAY.  UPON HIS DEATH IN 1965, MY DAD WHO WAS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE, HAD TITLE TO THE CAR AND HAD TROUBLE SELLING IT PRIMARILY BECAUSE BACK THEN, THE ATTITUDE WAS THAT POWER STEERING WASN’T NECESSARY.  MY DAD HAD A BRAND NEW 1954 CENTURY TWO DOOR HARDTOP.  THE CENTURYS ARE UNIQUE.  TO ME THEY ARE EARLY MUSCLE CARS.  THEY HAVE LIGHT BODIES WITH A BIG FIREBALL ROADMASTER V-8 322 CU.IN ENGINE WITH A ROCHESTER 4-BBL AND 9 TO 1 COMPRESSION PRODUCING 236 HORSEPOWER.  36 HORSEPOWER MORE THAN THE 1954 MODELS EASILY LAYING BLACK MARKS ALL OVER TOWN.

THE 1955 BUICK HAD THE NEW VARIABLE PITCH DYNAFLOW INTENDED TO PROVIDE EXTRA TORQUE YET AVOIDING MECHANICAL GEARING CHANGE.  THE TV ADS SHOWED THE LAUNCHING OF A MORTAR ROUND AND THE BUICK WOULD GET TO THE END OF THE TRACK BEFORE THE AMMUNITIONS DID.  IMPRESSIVE.

YOU MAY RECALL THAT JAY LENO COMPLETELY RESTORED HIS 1955 BUICK ROADMASTER COMPLETE WITH GM’S ZZ572 CRATE ENGINE, 620 HORSEPOWER.

MY DAD BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY HOME IN INDIANAPOLIS FOR ME TO SELL.  IN ORDER TO GET EVERYTHING OUT OF MY HAIR, I SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR IT AND I WILL JUST BUY IT.  FOLKS, TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FOR PARALLEL PARKING WITHOUT POWER STEERING REQUIRES THE STRENGTH OF ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER

I DETAILED THE CAR AND IT SOLD QUICKLY.  ITS PERFORMANCE AND STYLING QUALITIES WERE APPARENT IN INDIANAPOLIS AND THE NEW OWNER PAID ALL THE MONEY FOR A BASICALLY ONE OWNER CAR.

NOTE DAD’S NEW “HOT” 1964 BUICK CENTURY COUPE WITH THE ROADMASTER 4 BBL V-8.  HE PULLED A HOUSE TRAILER COAST TO COAST DURING HIS ONE MONTH VACATIONS AND TO CLARK’S LAKE MICHIGAN.

RETURN

 

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