1957 Buick Century Caballero Stationwagon MaroonWht LakeMirrorA101913

There is no underestimating how popular hardtop styling was back in the day...and that goes for four door hardtops too. This station wagon brought hardtop styling to that body style! Elegant, upscale..all these adjectives fit this car...and since they didn't make a Cadillac stationwagon, it would have been the next best thing!

[@dsteele27]

Just plain gorgeous! I love the color. Looks newer than new.

[@coolrides]

Yes, a lot of effort and money went into this one...and it is so worth that effort for such an exceptional car! Thanks! :) Jack

[@davidiverson2541]

Really nice looking, rare Buick Stationwagon. My Uncle had a 1957 Buick Special 4 door hardtop, a really nice car.

[@coolrides]

Hey, David! I thought you'd like this car...interesting that your uncle had the four door hardtop version. Thanks! :) Jack

[@alanolson6913]

My grandparents owned a '50 Riviera two door hardtop, then in the autumn of '56 they bought a '57 Caballero. I remember my granddad telling me that the colors were 'oxblood and ivory' and the interior was done in the same two tone combination. I grew up in Southern California. They lived about 2 miles from us. My grandparents were originally from Kansas so every year they drove back to visit family. You can bet the Riviera stayed in the garage and the Caballero went on those drives. It saw the Grand Canyon many times, Four Corners, Albuquerque, Shiprock, Farmington, Denver and down I-70 into Kansas. Then back home. No troubles, no mechanical problems,either. It was a terrific car. They owned for 12 years, along with the Riviera, then in 1969 traded both in on a two door Electra. I had wanted either car, but I was 17 and didn't have enough money or mechanical aptitude to own them. They, along with my grandparents and that generation are long gone. However, I have the memories of some "travel with style".

[@coolrides]

Hey, Alan! That's a great testimonial to your grandparents' choice in cars, and to the cars themselves! What a wonderful way to see the west! I've always believed that if a car is trouble free for its first 5 years, it's a very good chance that it will last for a long, long time with routine maintenance. I'm glad this video brought back such great memories for you. Thanks! :) Jack

[@20alphabet]

Half panel at a time, it looks nice. Wish the camera had the peripheral view you enjoyed. The thin whitewalls on wire wheels can make an otherwise great car look far too 'ethnic', especially with gobs of metalflake paint. But this is an absolute beauty. What a great concept from the Buick designers.

[@coolrides]

This show was really crowded with onlookers! Although the cars were superb, it had more than the average amount of difficulty in videoing those great cars! I agree..wide whites would look even better. Thanks! :) Jack

[@20alphabet]

I can only imagine the crowd this beauty would attract!

[@JimBales]

There are just not enough adjectives to describe this car Jack. Probably the prettiest car I have ever seen. The '57 Buick was my favorite year anyway, but this is just outstanding. The style has aged well and the restoration superb.

[@coolrides]

Hey, Jim! I agree...this car does leave one speechless! I guess it can be summed up as "a thing of beauty is a joy forever"! Thanks! :) Jack

[@cheddyrod]

Caballero - great name for an upscale station wagon. Colors, colors both in and out. Those wire wheels tell me a lot of money went into this restoration.

[@coolrides]

Hey, Chester! It adds a continental touch, for sure...one can imagine this car at a sunny Mediterranean destination! Those wire wheels are priceless! Thanks! :) Jack

[@NetCerpher]

'57 Riviera 2 door 2 tone blue was my dad's first new car. Looking back, I'm surprised he didn't wax away the navy and powder blue paint! Today that car would command six figures if it was maintained as this wagon.

[@coolrides]

Hey, Net! These cars were so beautiful, many owners really devoted hours to making them look like they just came from the showroom! And waxing wasn't easy....I still hate the look of a Simoniz can! Thanks! :) Jack

[@gene978]

Can't believe how LUCKY you are Jack! This was a unique treasure to find for sure. LOVE EVERYTHING (except the tires that are not period correct)! Would LOVE to own this and not drive it I'd be a wreck LOL ;)

[@coolrides]

Hey, Gene! That's the two edged sword about owning a car like this...it's great to have, but you have to be so careful about it and where you drive it! Glad this owner took his chances and brought it to the show for us to enjoy! Thanks! :) Jack

[@califdad4]

my Mom told me that the earlier Station wagons were almost truck like, but in the 50's if you wanted a nice wagon, you got a Buick or Mercury. This car is beautiful and those wheels are a knock out! Bet this car new had a big price on it

[@coolrides]

Yes indeed...the original station wagons were poorly disguised trucks...strictly utilitarian, to haul people from the train station to home. But the wooden body had such style that it was adopted as a car, put on a car frame, and became the symbol of elegant suburban living! I'm sure this car went for Cadillac money back in the day! Thanks! :) Jack

[@karynfelix-the-Cat]

THAT'S MINE! ...or at least.. I WISH it were mine! A long time ago, when I was knee high to a stink bug.. I was madly in love with station wagons! After looking at this BEAUTIFUL Buick Century Caballero, the flame has been rekindled! What a find! This is a sports car posing as a station wagon.. or the other way around! The 2 tone colors.. the grille.. chrome.. over all style..AND EVEN PILLARLESS! ...and JUST LOOK AT THOSE CHROME WIRE WHEELS!!!! Even the spare?!! WOW! I'm on cloud 9! What a beautiful restoration! I don't belive I have ever seen anything like this! Thanks Jack, for finding and sharing! I'm favoriting this one! :P..

[@coolrides]

Hey, Karyn! This truly is an exceptional car....one that is worthy of Pebble Beach or Amelia Island or the Winter Park Concours d'Elegance! No cost has been spared here..and it's such a beautiful, trend starting car to begin with. My pleasure to root this one out! :D Thanks! :D Jack

[@cornellgreen3692]

The pillarless hardtop look made the '57 Buick Caballero a beautiful car, and arguably the sexiest station wagon of the '50s. The only wagon that came close to it was the Oldsmobile Fiesta Holiday wagon which had the same pillarless look, but its styling was not quite on Buick's level. So the Buick and the Oldsmobile were one and two in the station wagon category in the '50s.

[@coolrides]

Hey, Cornell! I couldn't agree more....Ford and Chrysler depended on the "wood" trim of the Country Squire to make their wagons upscale...but Buick and Olds designed their wagons to share the pillarless hardtop look and merge it into a wagon. Definitely artistry was involved here! Thanks! :) Jack

[@not2fast4u2c]

Beautiful Station Wagon !!!

[@coolrides]

It sure is beautiful...it elevates "station wagon" to a whole new level of elegance! Thanks! :) Jack

[@zzzdogutube]

Jack.. Now that car looks too good. Thanks Ron

[@coolrides]

Hey, Ron! It is probably in far better shape than a sample would have been coming down the line at the factory! Thanks! :) Jack

[@daniellack3559]

Jack...a wonderful point you make about the fact that Cadillac never deigned to produce a station wagon...and I guess by default, because Buick was always recognized as number 2, behind Caddy in the GM batting order..the top of the line Buick station wagon in any given year, would have to be considered the best wagon GM had to offer...I imagine you'd get some argument from owners of the renowned Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser wagons in their glory years, but I guess Buick right up to the end with their Roadmaster Wagons in '96 ( I believe), pretty much ruled the roost at the top level of GM station wagons certainly from the '50's onward....

[@coolrides]

+daniel lack Hey, Daniel! Yes, GM seemed to have an on again off again rather ambivalent relationship with stationwagons. You will recall the brief flirtation with a Corvette stationwagon...never put in production, but at least it got to the modeling stage...and the extravagance of the Vista Cruisers and the Buick Caballero four door hardtop wagons...and of course the Nomad and Safari. I think they realized that when they became VERY upscale, they tended to lose their utility. SUV's today don't seem to have the same problem, hence Cadillac now embraces them. Thanks! :) Jack

[@daniellack3559]

Jack..one last brief point on station wagons...it was pretty obvious that in the '50s families with 3 or more kids, would have been the folks looking for wagons...these families as a general rule might have been on a stricter budget due to all the kids, so an upscale bigger bucks station wagon, might have been going somewhat against the grain,so my guess is, when most boomers+, think of wagons. they are likely to say FORD Country Squire...they just seemed to be everywhere, and for many years indeed!

[@coolrides]

+daniel lack Hey, Daniel! That's a very good point. And families can be hard on stationwagons....ice cream cones spilled on the upholstery...tolerated in a Ford, not so much in a Buick! Thanks! :) Jack

[@thomasnorman9723]

one could live in this vehicle

[@coolrides]

Hey, Thomas! Equip it with running water and one could! :D Thanks! :D Jack

[@thomasnorman9723]

this is a beautiful vehicle...their were plenty of these cars on the hwy's in the 60's when I was a teenager.....the fuel mileage was awful but what comfort and luxury....

[@coolrides]

Hey, Thomas! Yes, the Buick had great style and was very coveted....and no one seemed to be bothered by its gas thirstiness...and premium at that! Little did we know what was to come! Thanks! :) Jack

[@zoogleanimation3306]

This car is clean and there were a lot factory firsts that were offered by Buick in 1957 and the styling of this Caballero is one of them, but it should be noted for the record, this shown example is far from being one fine example of a factory firsts original car in many ways. With that said, this Caballero borders on being a "custom build " car. For the record: Yet another example of a " Nail Polish " base coat / clear paint job. - All shine and zero depth. The wire wheels are reproductions, and are a non rare inexpensive example compared to the original Hayes wheels which by the way were only offered in 53 & 54 by the Buick factory and available in 55 from the Buick Dealer only. Never a conceived option for 57. The interior material and pattern is completely a " free thought" non factory correct work including this non factory choice of a white dash that no doubt blinds the driver to oncoming traffic and is why you never see white dashes coming out of a factory setting. The chrome was re-plated using the eye popping and cheep White Tri-valent plating process where the platers pour dyes into the plating pot in an effort to "recreate" the correct true Hexavalent Chrome "look" with it's true blueish hue and depth of shine. The white walls way too thin are not the correct 2-34 inch wides which was new for 1957 which was the year of departure from the fat n wide 3-1/2 inch whites that had been used up to that point. Lastly, not only yet another Red paint job something akin to as common as belly buttons on a beach, but a completely free thought paint color and hue in metallic as well. If you like customs why not go all the way or better yet restore on to "original" specifications. These cars were custom enough for their day right from the factory, We give this car a 4 overall and a 6 for having at least straight fenders which by the way is not that hard considering the great mil thickness of the metal itself on this car.

[@coolrides]

I think your delineations of the failures of this car may help those who are seeking authenticity. It's also helpful for those considering investing in a car like this. Thanks for the information! :) Jack

[@46619TAB]

Seems back in the day when GM had a design staff worth their salaries thought 'how do we top the Chevy Nomad'. The obvious conclusion was to think outside the box and this drop dead gorgeous Buick is the result. Awesome lines that fool the eye into thinking the car is in motion even when parked, the spectacular use of two-tone colors both inside and out, the wires and the attention to even the smallest design detail, the use of color on the instrument panel and exterior badging placement to name but two all make this one awesome ride!! In looking at the video again, I noticed no outside mirrors, headlamp assemblies that appear to have been stolen from a Chevy and tail lights stolen from a Pontiac both of the same era and no power windows. None the less, the car as presented is stunningly BEAUTIFUL and should be taken by car 'designers' as a hint that the crap they put into showrooms now days is, IMO, as boring as watching paint dry. Thanks Jack for another awesome find!!!

[@coolrides]

Hey, Terry! This certainly was the heyday of designers..and no doubt there was internal competition among the car lines for the design trophy! This one surely qualifies as a top runner. I find the use of color to be the area most missing in today's designs...it's as if it never existed. What a pity...color delights the eye...and exterior color is but a preamble to what could exist on the inside! Thanks! :) Jack

[@46619TAB]

Jack R Color. Something most car makers have forgotten about. Black, Grey, Silver, Dark Blue, White paint with a choice of black or tan interiors is the norm for most cars affordable by most people. I've pretty much decided to buy out the lease on my 2011 Scion tC because the 2014 has an added silver fabric in the center of the seats. To me it looks cheap and I can't opt out of it. My second choice was a Mustang ragtop - red paint, black top and white interior. Can't be done. It seems a 'take it or leave it' mentality has taken over most car 'designers'.

[@karynfelix-the-Cat]

True. There was a time one could "special order" a car, and have the car done to their taste.. No more, I suppose. I know my uncle had his '64 Impala special ordered.. Aqua paint, 4 on the floor, wire wheels, and white interior. My grandparents special ordered their '64 Ford Falcon.. with the exterior paint almost the same as my Impala..Laser Blue. Safe to say.. they were the ONLY people in town with a Falcon that color! Thanks :]

[@coolrides]

Karyn Felix Hey, Karyn! It's true...so many cars were special ordered back in the day..suited exactly to what the buyer wanted! It was great for the factory, too...they could advertise a "base" model and then add all the extras on top of that...and if you ordered a car, that person was much less likely to back out of the deal! Those days are pretty much gone now...dealers often will trade among themselves to supply the car you want. Thanks! :) Jack

[@bbt5358]

Beauuuuuutiful car, but it needs much thicker white wall tires!

[@coolrides]

It sure is a beauty, and I agree that wide whites would enhance it! Thanks! :) Jack

[@STEVE33437]

Jack~~I thought only the Roadmaster received 4 portholes in '57.

[@coolrides]

Hey, Steve! Only the Special had 3 portholes...they upped the ante on 4 portholes! Thanks! :) Jack

[@thomasnorman4221]

The wire wheels ruin this work of art

[@coolrides]

Hey, Thomas! If a new owner desired, they could easily be changed. It is a work of art, indeed! Thanks! :) Jack

[@thomasnorman4221]

@coolrides of course they would be changed but as it appears now it's ruined

[@TheItsmegp46]

This was a seriously gorgeous car. Little did we know that Buick would get hit with the ugly stick for 1958.

[@coolrides]

This car sure was a development of the '55 design, and as such, was a beautiful enhancement. 1958 was not such a good year for Buick styling...they seemed confused as to direction! Thanks! :) Jack

[@TheItsmegp46]

GM was so spooked by the gorgeous new designs from Chrysler, they dropped plans to face lift the 58's and created all new designs for 1959.

[@coolrides]

That's a very good point...I think Chrysler's designs took everyone by surprise, innovative, even startling! Thanks! :) Jack