Buick Roadmaster Convertible, Red, for sale in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, for $54,900.

Easily capable of cruising at modern highway speeds, with a comfortable ride and surprisingly good brakes, you can drive it anywhere.

Although they probably didn’t know it at the time, Buick’s 1942 redesign of their entire lineup would make post-war Buicks some of the most fashionable cars on the road. With other automakers scrambling to update older designs, the 1942 refresh brought sweeping fenders, longer wheelbases, and the trademark toothy Buick grille that would be an icon for more than a decade. In 1948, Buick also introduced the Dynaflow automatic transmission on the top-of-the-line Roadmaster, and it proved so popular that they had to double production at the factory. In 1949, there would be yet another restyle, making the 1948 Buicks the pinnacle of early post-war design and styling.

This 1948 Roadmaster convertible has been in the same family since it was new. Showing just 51,224 miles, which are believed to be original and authentic, it has a wonderful patina inside and out, and runs beautifully. The bright red paint isn’t correct, of course, but suits the big, flashy convertible just fine. It’s obvious that the car has never been rusty and there are zero signs of patching or filler used anywhere in the body. Panel alignment is decent, although Buick’s trademark side-opening hood was notoriously difficult to fit and even the factory only did a fair job of it. It shows a few nicks here and there, most notably at friction points like the hood/door interface where someone wasn’t careful enough when closing the hood, but very little evidence of road wear. The repaint was also quite thorough, as I can find no trace of the original Aztec Green finish anywhere on the body, and the car was clearly disassembled prior to the respray.

The chrome and trim is most likely 100% original, and while a few areas are showing some age, most of it is in extremely good condition. The rear bumper shows some light flaking along the top edge, but the stainless is all bright and shiny with no dents, the delicate ‘Dynaflow’ script on the front fenders is beautifully preserved, and the legendary Buick “bombsight” hood ornament is extremely nice. All the lenses are intact, and it appears that the red inserts on the trunk emblem are new reproductions with fresh chrome block letter inserts.

Red leather, and lots of it, is the interior of choice in the post-war Roadmaster convertibles. Likely replaced when the car was repainted, it uses authentic materials and patterns to create a proper Buick driving environment. Lovely button-tufted door panels are befitting Buick’s most expensive model (except for the station wagon), and the seats have been finished using proper pleats. Top grain leather was used as original, so it looks good and wears like iron. Fresh carpets were also installed, along with four new Buick-logo floor mats that give it a vintage look. The gauges are all original and all functional, although the original Sonomatic AM radio and glovebox-mounted clock are not. Overhead, the tan canvas convertible top may very well be original, and the vacuum-actuated mechanism works as it should. Both front windows are also hydraulically operated and 100% functional, although the power seat is not.

Starting a Buick of this vintage is easy: simply turn on the key and step on the accelerator pedal. The big 320 cubic inch OHV straight-eight fires quickly and settles into a smooth idle with a pleasant mechanical whir coming from under the hood. The exhaust rumbles with the unmistakable sound of eight cylinders, and the engine doesn’t smoke or make any unpleasant noises. It doesn’t overheat, the generator puts out plenty of amperage, and steering is light although there was no power assist in 1948. There are signs of recent work under the hood, with fresh paint on the valve cover, pushrod cover, and spark plug cover, as well as a fresh set of decals. There’s also a correct AC oil filter, original oil bath air filter, and nearly thirty feet of heater hose to feed the under-seat heater and defroster system. Insert bearings were used in 1948 for the first time, increasing reliability and improving high-speed durability, making this a Buick that will cruise effortlessly at modern highway speeds. The Dynaflow transmission works as advertised, with a seamless flow of power and no perceptible gear changes, which always feels unusual to those of us accustomed to typical automatics where you can discern the shift points.

The chassis is remarkably original, showing signs of careful maintenance throughout its life but never fully restored. There’s a nice coat of grease over most of the components, protecting them from the elements and keeping everything well lubricated. The torque ball seeps a bit, but why should this be the only dry Buick in the world? The brakes are firm and confidence-inspiring, even at high speeds, and the ride is typical Buick luxurious—a sports car this is not. However, it is unflappable on the open road and swallows large bumps without disturbing the passengers in a way that only large luxury cars are able to do. Four Denman wide whitewall tires have been mounted to the original steel wheels, and given their condition, it’s easy to believe that the hubcaps are originals as well.

Mechanically excellent and still quite handsome, this Roadmaster convertible is a no-compromises hobby car. It easily floats along at 70 MPH with a comfortable ride and surprisingly good brakes, so you can drive it anywhere. Parts are plentiful, service is easy, and the Buick 320 cubic inch engine is one of the most reliable machines to ever come out of Flint. Perfect specimens are trading hands for nearly $100,000 at auction, so this one also represents something of a bargain for a fully-sorted rust-free Roadmaster convertible. Call us today.