Classic Wheels Spotlight: 1953 Buick Special

Dominic Adducci’s father’s 1953 Buick Special 4-door sedan was two years old when he was born, so it was the first car he remembers growing up in. He says he has many memories in that car.

When his father decided the mechanical issues were too much and went to trade in the Buick in 1962, he was so upset that he cried. That car meant that much to him. At the dealership, he asked his dad if he could keep the ashtray as a memento. He still has it today, more than sixty years later.

He says he never liked the new car, a used 1960 Dodge Dart. That Buick had class with all that chrome and the ‘million dollar ride’ that made Buick famous.

According to Adducci, his dad, a WWII vet who was very patriotic, wouldn’t even think of buying anything foreign, it was American products all the way. That patriotism was instilled in him at a young age – and he still feels that way.

Over the years, Dominic has had some nice cars, but never lost his love for that big, sleek, green and ivory Buick. He recalls that fateful day when they abandoned the Buick at the dealership. He cried to a young Dominic that night. The Buick began to be called ‘The Cry Car.’

Intrigued by what the Buick might look like since they abandoned it at the dealership, and wanting to learn as much as he could about it, Adducci says this was the beginning of him becoming a car enthusiast.

As he got older, that Buick became a symbol of his parents’ life after the war, and their optimism for a better life for their family. Fifty years later, after his father had passed away, it rekindled that bedtime story he had told his son many times. The seed was planted that maybe someday they might get a 1953 Buick Special like the one he grew up with.

Wanting to share some of the joy he had for that Buick with his son, and to teach him what it was like when he was a kid, Adducci says he went looking online for that Special ride. Most of the cars he found were too far away to even consider. Eventually, he found one in Central Illinois, about 100 miles away.

After speaking with the seller, Adducci says he decided to drive downstate with his wife and son to check it out. The same model and drivetrain as his dad’s car, when they got to finally see the car, he almost cried with the memories of his dad and his childhood coming back.

Of course, he bought it and drove it home, taking the back roads, not wanting to risk it on the highway, his wife following close behind. They made it home without issue, with his son as the co-pilot.

Most of the car was in very good shape, with a few minor things to tend to. The seats needed some repairs, the top half of them were dry-rotted. He was able to find some material that was a perfect match to the original seats. Vos Upholstery, of Lansing, Ill., did the repairs. The shop is now located in Cedar Lake, Indiana. The only upgrade he did was to install an AM radio he found. He was able to set it up for his Bluetooth system. He also repaired the clock that was on the dashboard.

Because of a fluid leak, the brake system has had some work. While he had the wheels off the car, the tires were replaced with Coker bias-ply tires. New shocks were added, and he also painted the rims red – which was an option from GM for the original. Only one piece of trim, the chrome piece above the grille, has been replaced.

If you have a car you would like to see featured in Classic Wheels, contact Rudy Host, Jr. at Classic.Wheels.Rudy@gmail.com.