DIRECTOR’S THOUGHTS,  JANUARY 2025

HAPPY NEW YEAR  (2025)   TO EVERYONE!!!  I hope this months’ newsletter finds everyone well, healthy, and ready for a better and prosperous New Year!! Are you still tired from the Christmas season with family and friend visiting, gifts, overeating of ham or turkey with all the trimmings, and, last but not least, traveling!!  Well now that the New Year is upon us all, sit back and relax.  Enjoy this time to reflect and reminisce of those fond family and friend memories.  Time does not wait for anyone, so take the time to think of all the things we are most grateful for.  Remember those who are not with us today, and those who ARE with us today. 

 “Free Spirit” Meeting Minutes – December, 2024

NO chapter meeting held this month.  The “Holiday Gathering” was held at the Trivet Restaurant, Allentown, Pa.  20 chapter members were in attendance to enjoy a fun-filled evening together.  Each member ordered their favorite entrée, followed by dessert.  Induction of the 2025 Officers and Board of Directors for 2025 took place.  The evening’s entertainment was “Crazy Bingo!” 

 Lisa lost her initial gift of a gift bag with Oreo cookies and Swiss Miss Cocoa w/ a mug.  She then lost that gift bag only to receive a gift bag of Lindt Lindor chocolate candies, furthermore, they were stolen from her, only to end up with an assortment of Pepperidge Farm Cookies!!!  Andrea Kriner was the proud recipient of the nights’ door prize, a car cleaning kit!!  Most members went home with a table centerpiece.  It was a most enjoyable evening for everyone!! 

The 2025 Officers and Board of Directors were inducted during this event.  See initial page for those inducted.  Feel free to contact anyone with questions you may have or if you have an idea as to planning a day tour  for fellow members during 2025. 

                                                                                                                                   Your elected Director, Sally Getz

   The New 1958 Buick

Advertised as “The Air-Born B-58 Buick,” the 1958 Buick models were adorned with more chrome and stainless-steel trim than any other production car—ever! From the 160 chrome squares in the “Fashion-Aire Dynastar Grille” to the heating and ventilation controls and simulated jet exhaust outlets in the rear bumper, Jet Age influence was everywhere in the design. The Century Caballero was the latest and greatest Buick station wagon, being poised at the top of its three-tiered station wagon offerings that year, which included the entry-level Special Model 49 pillared-window Estate Wagon, the Special Riviera (hardtop) Model 49D Estate Wagon and the top-line Century Caballero station wagon. The B-58 Buick station wagons were the latest in a long line of Buick station wagons that went back to 1940, the first year that the automaker offered a wagon. In 1940, the Buick Estate Wagon was only offered in the Super line and had a wood body supplied by Hercules or the Ionia Manufacturing Co. Buick station wagons would continue to have at least partially wooded bodies until 1954, when Buick station wagon bodies became entirely constructed of steel. In stride with the baby boom, Buick station wagon production continued to rise through the mid 1950s as families grew and the prices dropped when Buick wagons went from partial wood construction to all steel.

When Buicks received all-new bodies for 1957, a station wagon returned and now offered the option of hardtop styling. By now, all of these Buick station wagon bodies were built by the Ionia Manufacturing Co., which modified Buick four-door bodies into station wagons and placed them on the 122-inch-wheelbase sedan chassis. Buick named its top station wagon,  “Caballero,” the Spanish word for gentleman. As the most expensive station wagon in the General Motors line, and coming from Buick—GM’s second-highest-priced division—the well-appointed Caballero earned its name.

For 1958, all Buick bodies received noticeable updates such as quad headlamps, die-cast chrome squares instead of vertical bars in a new grille and a revised lower front bumper. The tailfin treatment was also updated with new and bigger chromed end caps on the quarter panels and a bulkier rear bumper treatment. A wide, new missile-shaped swatch of bright stainless trim dressed the rear fenders (and rear doors on four-doors), and this trim was in addition to a traditional Buick full-length trim sweep. The end result was a bold and bulky-looking Buick bedecked in brightwork—perfectly in tune with the last General Motors vehicles built under GM’s Vice-President of Styling, Harley Earl. Of the massive-looking GM cars of 1958, Buick was most bedazzled with chrome and stainless trim, earning it the title of “The Chrome King.”                                                                                                            

There is an oft-told tale of Earl’s approval of the 1958 Buick exterior ornamentation scheme. Initially presented with three different trim options from which he was to select one production scheme, Earl asked to see all three trim packages together on a Century Caballero station wagon. When he saw all three proposals combined on the Caballero, Earl dictated that the ’58 Buicks would incorporate all three of the exterior styling packages! Whether the story is fact or fiction remains unclear more than 65 years later.

Powering 1958 Buicks was a one-year-old 364-cid V-8 that Buick named the B-12000 for the 12,000 pounds of thrust “behind every piston as it is fired,” Buick said. This vertical-valve V-8 engine had a 10:1 compression ratio and 300 hp with four-barrel carburetion in the Buick Limited, Roadmaster 75, Super and Century series, and a 9.5:1 compression ratio and 250 hp with two-barrel carburetion in the Special models. B-12000 engines backed by an automatic transmission received Buick’s new Flight Pitch Dynaflow transmission touted by Buick as giving smooth and exact response in an instant, as well as Buick’s Rotoflow Torque-Tube Drive that “transmits drive thrust directly from rear wheels in a solid power lockup.”

As a part of the Century series, the top-line Caballero station wagon had the 300-hp V-8 and a more luxurious and well-appointed interior than the Special Estate Wagons. As such, the Caballero boasted premium floor and rear compartment carpets, molded door armrests and a padded upper dash. Interior upholstery was usually Buick’s Cordaveen material offered in six two-tone combinations.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JANUARY 2025                                                     HAPPY NEW YEAR!  

• 7 – Chapter dinner (6 pm) business meeting (7:30 pm), Trivet Rest., Tilghman St., Allentown, PA (WEATHER PERMITTING)
• 17 – 19 – Automania, Ag Hall, Allentown, Pa

FEBRUARY 2025                                                HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

• 4 – Monthly chapter dinner (6 pm)/ business meeting (7:30 pm), Trivet Rest, Allentown, PA.  (WEATHER PERMITTING)

MARCH 2025

• 2 – Leesport Swap Meet hosted by Ontelaunee Region AACA, Leesport, Pa
• 4 – Monthly chapter dinner (6 pm)/business meeting (7:30 pm), Trivet Rest., Allentown, Pa. 

Cars/Parts For Sale

1948 Roadmaster 48-71 Sedan:  113K miles.  Has been in the family for over 15 years and is in overall excellent condition. Cream/Burgandy 2-tone exterior w/ complete burgundy interior.   Straight 8 (Fireball 8) Cylinder Engine, Dynaflow Automatic Transmission, 6 Volt Electrics in Place. Velour Interior, Fog Lamps, Many Extra Parts, Comes with PA Classic Plate.  This is a great driving car and will clean up to be a fantastic cruiser. Ran in the fall of 2022.   Bill Hoy, 610-807-3650, Bethlehem, Pa 18017.  Pictures upon request.           

1961 Buick LeSabre Flattop, 4 Door Sedan,  Burgundy w/ White Roof, 72,000 miles,364 CI ‘Nailhead’ V8 2bbl, Automatic 2 Speed Trans, PS & PB, Manual Windows.  Was my father’s car.  Being sold as part of an estate. Has nice paint and nice original interior, Solid Trunk, can hear run, Was in 100% working order prior to being in storage, will need to be inspected prior to putting back on the road, a very classy looking Buick for someone to enjoy. $6000 Allentown, PA, Rodney, 610-295-7681 (cell), 610-285-6194 (home),  rk032166@aol.com       

TRUNK LIDS;     

• #24     1957  Oldsmobile ?conv? trunk lid (TURQUIOSE)  
• #37     1966 Electra 4 door trunk lid   (BLUE)
• #62     1963 – 64 Electra   (GREEN/BLUE w/ small rust)     
• #63     1965 Wildcat (SILVER)  (from 4dr, conv, NOT FOR 2D)
• #65      1963 – 65 Riviera   (WHITE/GREEN)
• #66      1964 – 65 “A” BODY Special
• #67      1966 Wildcat   (BLUE)   ROUGH!!  (fits 4 dr & conv, NOT 2 dr)
• #68      1964 Wildcat   (WHITE)  
• #69       1963 – 64 Riviera   (BLACK)  
• #174     1967 Riviera   (blue)  
• #188     1949 Buick Super “8” Trunk lid
• #203     1967 LeSabre, (blue), VERY NICE
• #204    ???? black trunk lid w/trishield and key, possible LeSabre??
• #205      1963 – 65 Riviera, (Jade/turquoise)#
• #328      1961-62 Skylark (maroon)
• Rapp Parts – HUGE 1920’s – 70’s BUICKS, cars/trucks
•  Starlight, Pa 18461  570-798-0390.  (PLEASE CALL FIRST)