As with most American automobile designs of 1958, the “Air Born B-58 Buick” had its genesis in the heady days of 1955 to 1956, when the buying public’s appetite for length, power, and chrome appeared to have no end. Accordingly, General Motors responded with one of the most utterly remarkable designs in its history, with an amount of brightwork unseen before or since, and an incredible level of detail that would today be unthinkable for a production car. For instance, the 1958 Buick’s grille alone was composed of no fewer than 160 individual, faceted chrome squares, each secured by a single screw.

In the same spirit that birthed the Continental Mark II from Lincoln and the Eldorado Brougham from Cadillac, Buick also saw fit to launch a new ultimate model, representing the peak of the company’s line. The Limited resurrected a grand name from the division’s past, the glory days of the Classic Era when Harlow Curtice, then head of Buick, attempted to compete with Cadillac head-on and, in the minds of many enthusiasts, succeeded. While the new Limited rode the same 127½-inch-wheelbase chassis as Super and Roadmaster models, it was a full foot longer than the prior year’s Roadmaster. Further, it was amply distinguished by additional trim, most prominently a series of angled “hash marks” along the rear fenders, surrounded by a thin outline of chrome, and a more opulently appointed interior. Power came from the famous 364-cubic-inch nailhead V-8, producing 300 horsepower and mated to a highly advanced and Limited-exclusive Flight Pitch Dynaflow transmission with three turbines and an infinitely variable torque converter.

What became known as the "Eisenhower Recession" hit just as the long-planned 1958 models came to market, and no American automaker enjoyed strong sales that year as economy-minded consumers rebelled against the lavish offerings. Buick’s “B-58” would, as it turned out, be a one-year-only design, and the Limited a one-year-only model. As the costliest car of the division, production was, appropriately, limited. The convertible, the most expensive Buick, sold just 839 copies. Very few of them have survived the passing years, and due to the great cost of restoring these unique cars properly, fewer still have been finished to an appropriately high standard.

The Limited Convertible offered here is a happy exception. It was formerly part of a large, prominent private collection in Southern California, where the car is reported to have undergone a full restoration in Arizona to its present appearance. According to its trim tag, the Buick was finished from the factory in Silver Mist—one of six newly available Lucite acrylic colors—with a silver leather interior, a scheme faithfully captured in the restoration, and equipped with a heater/defroster. Since acquisition by the present owner, a new set of Coker tires and brake lines have been fitted, as confirmed by invoices on file. Its restoration remains in splendid overall condition, reflecting the quality of the work and its maintenance since, while having occasionally been driven and enjoyed on local roads.

Simply put, no collection of 1950s American automobiles is complete without a Buick Limited Convertible, which represents everything so bold, wonderful, and outrageous in an era of unbridled American optimism. This is among the very finest to be found.