A massive Buick Roadmaster sedan, as seen on a car market in the far east of the Chinese capital Beijing. The Roadmaster was in poor shape, with rust and busts and missing parts, but it wasn’t beyond restoration.
I saw the enormous Buick in front of a small repair shop but nobody was around. The car wasn’t completely abandoned, it had air in the tires and the suspension seemed okay. Old American cars like the Roadmaster are considered cool nowadays, and some are being restored. They aren’t allowed on the road anymore but that’s okay for collectors.
The interior was in reasonably good shape, with the original leather seats. Work was going on at the dashboard, mainly around the center stack and the steering wheel.
The eight-generation Buick Roadmaster was a full-size rear-wheel drive American sedan like they don’t make them anymore. It debuted in 1991 and production ended in 1996. There was a wagon too. The Roadmaster was based on GM’s B Platform and it was closely related to the fourth-generation Chevrolet Caprice.
The Buick Roadmaster was not officially sold in China, but there was some gray import, import via foreign-owned companies, and import via diplomatic channels. During my many years in China, I have seen a couple of these great machines.
The Buick Roadmaster was powered by a big naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V8 engine. This engine was manufactured by Chevrolet and also powered the Caprice. It had an output of 180 hp and 407 Nm. The motor was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The top speed was 174 km/h and 0-100 took 11.6 seconds, which was pretty good for such a large and heavy car.
Hopefully, this Buick Roadmaster will be restored to its old glory and prettiness. I will go back to this market in the summer to check it out. To be continued!