Don't know about '59, but in '55 the junior Buicks and Oldsmobiles also shared trunk lids. Cadillac used some Fleetwood bodies, hence the model name Fleetwood.
The Century has a higher trim level and more standard features than the Super. So, price wise (new) they are numbered according to hierarchy; 40 Special 50Super 60 Century 70 Roadmaster Some years , Roadmaster was 80 series. Limteds were 90 series. 1954 Skylark was 100 Series (seperate series) 1953 Skylark was 76X (Roadmaster) 1948-1954; only Roadmaster had four holes. All others had three. (except Skylark had none) 1955-1957, Special had three holes, all others had four
The difference between the body styles or sizes is subjective. A really nice special to me is just as desirable as a really nice roadmaster. To non Buick folks a Roadmaster/Super going down the road looks the same as a same year Special/Century. It’s an old Buick to them.Here in the NW my 53 Super looks very similar to a local guys Special. Almost same color,I didn’t know what the difference was till my buddy pointed to the larger physical size of the Super. I still like em all.
I don't know exactly why Buick numbered the series the way they did, but the correct hierarchy is: Series 40 Special Series 60 Century Series 50 Super Series 70 Roadmaster Even the '55 brochure features the lines in descending order: RM, Super, Century, Special.
I decided I have too many projects. The 55 has been sitting there awhile. It can sit a little longer. If I pick up any more cars I will mostly likely get a visit from the ( YOU HAVE TOO MANY CARS POLICE) If somebody here is interested I will get some more info for you.
The Brochure shows the small body and a large body, Not necessarily in hierarchy order. There’s many of us that don’t agree with your train of thought and the model numbers certainly don’t agree with your train of thought
The numbering is an anomaly and here's where it is sourced from: 1939 ~ Series 40 Special Series 60 Century Series 80 Roadmaster Series 90 Limited The next year, Buick split the Limited into 2 lines and added the Super, and so the line looked like this for 1940: Series 40 Special Series 50 Super Series 60 Century Series 70 Roadmaster Series 80 Limited Series 90 Limited 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40 - one can see Buick's approach there. The 1940 Series 80 was a 1-year appearance. In '46, it was merely the S 40 Special, S 50 Super, S 70 RM. When the Century returned for '54, it was again a Series 60. The Super became a "Series 50" for 1940 because that was the only open 'decade' slot numerically, and it STUCK thru 1958. Now... in the 1940's the same bodystyle Century started very slightly higher in price than the like Super, but in this thread the topic was the '50s; where that was reversed. For EX: 1957 Series 60 Century Riviera hardtop sedan : $3354 1957 Series 50 Super Riviera hardtop sedan : $3681 How is the Century supposed to be 'higher up' in the line when it costs less than the Super? Here's the interiors for '55. Which model got the Roadmaster's horizontal speedo cluster and dash that flowed into the door panels; the Century or Super (ID's to the right)?
Let me know if you don’t buy that 55 un like some I like the super , I like the dash v a century I like the bigger body v the little body and he wants to sell it I would by her if you don’t If you’re going to buy her try to stay under 3k, if you can get her running see if that Danaflow works sort costs a lot to have it fixed . Good luck Will