1956 Buick - Lore Sharp

Customized in 1961 by Lore Sharp, shown at the 1961 Oakland Roadster Show, 1962 Car Craft 'Ten Best Custom
1956 Buick 60 Century Hotrod

By the beginning of World War II, Southern California boasted a flourishing custom car business. Radical designs foreshadowed auto industry trends in the late 1940s and '50s and the best examples drew considerable coverage at events like the Oakland Roadster Show. Inevitably the hobby expanded and individual visions were applied to mainstream Detroit models across the country.

The 1956 Buick Century two-door hardtop offered here is one such model, with a long an illustrious career as a show car, with two significant rebuilds and an enormous amount of documentation and photographic history. Numerous trophies accompany the car as well.

This car was originally built between 1958-61 in Bremerton, Washington as "Red Rage", by Lore Sharp, Rod Vogian and Gil Clifford at A1 Autobody in Bremerton, Washington. In its first iteration it was shown at the 1961 Oakland Roadster Show, Portland Roadster Show, Monterey Show and many other West Coast shows. It is accompanied by boxes of show programs, magazine stories, photos of the construction and even sketches of the original idea. The car was restored by Paul Harper between in 1980-86 and once again made the tour, appearing at the 1987 Oakland Roadster Show and 1987 Portland Show.

Stan Schindelle bought "Red Rage" in 1997 and decided to re-imagine it as "Purple Passion." It was painted in Tacoma by Richardson Custom Auto Body, reupholstered by Bob Jaspers Custom Upholstery and striped by Glenn Cornell, to return as a fresh custom, as it is presented today.

The body has been sectioned four inches, and the car rides on air suspension and 60-spoke wheels. The engine is a correct '56 Buick 322 cubic-inch nailhead V8 and it's fitted with dual 4-barrel Carter carburetors and drives through a Dynaflow transmission, with a console shifter. The car has power steering, brakes and cruise control.

The bodywork has been radically customized, hood corners rounded, canted Impala taillights installed, fenders extended and a custom tube grille created. Bumpers are molded, there are rolled pans, the rear fenders are extended and '58 Packard taillights frenched in, as are the antenna and license plate. Door latches are electronic.

The interior is completely customized, in tri-tone tuck-and-roll leather (purple/lilac/pink). The front seats are buckets with a console, modern CD/stereo, power seats and windows. Needless to say - as a show car - the paint, chrome plating, under-hood and interior details are beyond reproach. This car is ready for the tour circuit or ripe to be returned to its original glory.

It's hard to imagine what this car has cost to build and refine in the past 50 years, but it's certain that the purchase price will be a mere fraction of that expense. The value, however, endures.

magnifique caisse !!   

la nouvelle couleur lui va mieux je trouve, mais bon, le nouvel interieur c'est pas ca