In an age when General Motors may soon become a memory, it is interesting to remember the ’55 Buick. Gary Goltz remembered how it was.
Everyday after school back in 1961, I could hardly wait until 5:30 pm. Glued to my family’s old black and white portable TV, I waited to hear that familiar refrain, “da, da-da-daaa”. Across the screen were the words “Broderick Crawford, starring in, Highway Patrol”. At a time when President Kennedy was telling us to prepare to use our fallout shelters, it was a comforting feeling to see Broderick Crawford, show up just in time save the day! He was a real hero, enforcing law and order, while serving as judge and jury too. There were no lawyers, bondsmen, or even Miranda rights. The good guys always won and the bad guys got just what they deserved. And then there was that car, a Buick with portholes on the side, spotlights, highway patrol shields on the doors, and a large antenna on the trunk. … The 1955 Buick Special model 46R (style 4437) was among the most popular Buick ever made – 155,818 were built. Each weighed 3,720lbs and were priced to sell at $2,332.00. The cars came in both two and three tone paint and were powered by the small V8, 188 horsepower engine with a variable pitch dynaflow transmission.
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Trivia question: did Highway Patrol ever feature a helicopter and what model?
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