1959 Buick LeSabre Base Hardtop 4-Door well preserved mostly original

1959 Buick LeSabre Base Hardtop 4-Door Additional Info:

1959 Buick LeSabre 4dr HardtopShalimar Blue / White
Well preserved
96,014 Miles364 Nailhead V8 2bbl, Twin Turbine Automatic TransmissionFactory A/CPower Steering, Power Brakes
Cosmetic/Interior:Beautiful driver quality '59 that is ready to cruise and be shown with pride. Almost all original, minus a repaint in original Shalimar Blue with a pearl white top and trunk. The interior is original LeSabre extra-cost option "Blue Cordaveen with Balfour Cloth." The Cordaveen remains, but somewhere along the way the cloth inserts were replaced with white vinyl. There is one tiny tear in the original Cordaveen between the driver and passenger front seats, as you can see in the pictures. Original dash, door panels, and package shelf (showing its age a bit, but wanted to keep it original so have left it alone) Original "Sonomatic" radio works well, it only takes a few seconds to warm up and give you that good old-school sound through the single in-dash speaker. The clock is not currently working, but was working as recently as a year ago. The contacts likely need to be cleaned to get it going again. All interior lights & signals work. Barrel style speedometer working as it should (see driving video below) Please note, the dash lights behind the gauges are a little dim if you are driving at night. Inside the trunk, you'll find the original houndstooth cardboard covering is all there and in good shape. Trunk light works too. The heater and fans work properly and heat the car. The air conditioning hardware is all there and functioning, but my mechanic says there is a leak in the rubber line that needs to be fixed before it can hold freon and cool the car. I never pursued that as the car lives in a cool climate!
Outside, the car overall looks stunning. The newer paint looks good and shiny. What appears to be original paint remains in the door sills and trunk. The stainless is all there and in overall great shape with just a few dings, in particular on the wing tips (how that happened, I can only imagine) The chrome bumpers are good. I had the rear bumper re-chromed because it had a small dent when I bought the car - now it looks brand new. The head and tail light surrounds and door handles have some very minor pitting in a few spots, but nothing that stands out unless you look closely. The original glass is clear and without cracks. The Coker white walls are in good condition. I will include the blue Coco Mats in the pictures. Overall the car looks excellent and certainly photographs well! It has been featured in the Buick Club of America 1959 Divisionannual calendar. The very good cosmetic condition indicates that the car has been cared for throughout the years by owners who wanted to drive it and keep it original.
Mechanical:The car runs well, stops well, steering is precise, transmission shifts seamlessly as these cars are known for, and suspension is great for cruising - "like riding on a cloud." Recently, I had the carburetor rebuilt and cleaned with an ultrasonic soak. No stalls, no hesitation. Runs confidently. Pertronix electronic ignition was just installed and the fuel gauge fixed by dropping the fuel tank and changing the float corks. How about that? A vintage working gas gauge! Over the last 2000 miles, the car has had new brake shoes, a new fuel line, new vacuum advance, the radiator re-cored, radiator leaks repaired, exhaust leaks welded/fixed, a new heater core (replaced carpet with original style at this time) the starter rebuilt with new starter relay, and leaks sealed at the transmission and rear diff. However, like most all '59 Buicks, and old cars in general, the leaks are returning somewhat since it is not driven very often. There are currently two quirks with the car: when starting up, the gear selector sometimes gets picky and needs to be jiggled a bit in Park before the starter engages. Also, the brakevacuum booster needs adjusting.
Extras Included (see pictures):Rear wheel fender skirts (will leave in trunk)Custom fit '59 Buick Hardtop Covercraft Noah Car Cover (for the times it might sit outside more than a few minutes)1959 Buick original owners guideBuick '59 original 32-page brochureGM Annual Report 1958 - featuring a Blue & White '59 hardtop on the cover!1959 Buick Body Service manual in very good condition1959 Buick Chassis Service manual in excellent conditionWhat appears to be the original key2 original style reproduction keysRepair & maintenance records from last 6.5 years
Driving video I made a few years ago, copy/paste the link below:https://youtu.be/jiyDu55Dm-U
Video from just before I bought it, copy/paste the link below:https://youtu.be/QU4BNFP7OP0
The '59 Buick has quite a following so you will have plenty of online support if you are new to '59 Buicks. If you're a '59 enthusiast who enjoys having something distinctive that beautifully represents America's big-finned jet age cars, this is certainly one of the nicest examples around. Just like the era it came from, I will be sad to see this car go. We just don't drive it as much as it deserves to be driven and seen, and we need to make room in the garage.
Sold AS-IS - remember this is an old car! I have done my honest best to describe its condition. Buyer arranges shipping if needed. I can help get it on a truck or drive it to the transport company of your choice. If you are in the Orange County CA area, come drive it home. I will let the auction run its full 7 days. Please ask questions and bid honestly. I don't want any disappointments or surprises for either you or me.
Thanks very much for looking.