I don’t know what caught me off-guard more about this Buick when it rolled in: just how large the car truly was or the unmistakable noise of a Cummins 6BT coming out of it. By Redneck Rumble standards, the Buick was fairly tame, but that isn’t saying much for the show…virtually everything has details that you’d lose yourself for hours studying if you have tons of time to kill. If you’ve ever read Stephen King’s “From a Buick 8”, it’s hard to not look at Robert Jandreau’s car and think that you’ve met a fictional character come to life.

Sharp-eyed readers will note the 1951 Buick grille in place, but that’s a minor adjustment for this car. The front and rear suspension from a 1988 Chevrolet Caprice hold up the car, while the rear axle from a 1995 Chevrolet Impala SS offers up it’s good gears and rear disc brakes. The Cummins and 47RE overdrive automatic, liberated from an old school bus, pair off beautifully and so far, have returned 26 MPG on trips that include a jaunt down to Florida from the midwest.
If you are wondering how much work is involved in putting together a ride like this, here’s your answer: “Two years of nights and weekends.” Between the school bus, the donor Caprice, parts-hunting for 1950s Buick pieces and making everything come together in a cohesive unit, Jardeau has made each and every one of those nights and weekends count. The big sled can fit a family very comfortably, has tons of room to spare all the way around, and is pulling modern-day fuel economy numbers. We can dig that.

If you want to see more of the Buick’s build and other projects, CLICK HERE!