Mike McNaughton's 1956 Buick Special
It’s pretty much common knowledge that if you really want to stand out from the crowd, you need to build something different. Though a mid-century Buick is not completely obscure, it’s also not something you see as often. That’s the perfect sweet spot for Mike McNaughton of Chula Vista, CA as he previously had a custom ’53 Chevy Bel Air and he was tired of seeing so many other similar cars showing up alongside at events.
Like many of us, Mike is a seasoned car fanatic and likes to try his hand at various models has the years pass. A while back he was on the hunt for a new project and passed on a similar Buick as he opted for the ’53 instead. In his past, Mike built traditional style hot rods but lately he likes ‘60s styled “Kustoms” that are inspired by builds from the likes of George Barris, Gene Winfield and Darryl Starbird. Hence, the ’53 was built to suit.
Though Mike was happy with the results of his Chevy Bel Air, the sight of other cars like it had a negative impact on his passion for it. In a way, he regretted passing on the Buick and vowed to find another that he could build the way he wanted. The search was on, but Mike had very little luck online. He even found one in Minnesota and was ready to jump on a plane to get it. But when he went to ask the owner for a video, he told him it was sold.
As luck would have it, his buddy Abel Aranzubia got word of this ’56 Buick Special that was up for grabs in nearby El Cajon, CA. Upon a short trip out, Mike was able to see that the car was in decent stock condition with weathered light blue paint and all the original trim. It was definitely a find that Mike was able to snatch up and immediately blow apart to build up.
The Buick even had the original Nailhead V8 engine, which was a cool feature, but Mike likes to drive his vehicles. Because of this, he wanted to switch to a powerplant that was easier to find replacement parts for in the event that he became stranded on the side of the road with this car. As an easy go-to fix, he found a used 350ci small block that came from a C10 pickup. With help from Joe Arreguin of JV Garage, the engine was installed along with a 700R4 transmission for overdrive at cruising speeds and a Ford 9-inch rear end for reliability.
Next up was the suspension upgrades that Eric Conner of SoCal Suspension was able to install. Up front is a set of drop spindles, and the stock suspension was fitted with a set of Firestone airbags held in place with mounting cups. In the rear, a C-notch and custom four-link with panhard bar were installed with another set of Firestone bags to raise and lower the rear end. Making this air ride function properly is an air tank, compressors, and manifold from AccuAir, which is controlled by an AirLift leveling system.
For the body, it was truly in decent shape and only needed small repairs the rocker panels and area under the trunk lid. Fellow Lords car club member, Alberto Leon was able to help here and even shaved the door handles, emblems, and hood scoop, which was filled and given a new peak, a mod referred to as “nosed and decked.” Alberto moved on to body work and even laid down the “Kustom Steel Blue” and black paint.
Giving this car a distinct look, Mike had Glory Grillz build a custom insert for the front grille. Mike was also unsatisfied with the look of the jet engine looking parts of the bumper and filled them with aftermarket bullet style hub caps to give this car a more aggressive appearance. The bumpers, grill and taillight bezels were made shiny again with fresh chrome work from Pacific Plating. The original stainless steel side trim and window trim were simply polished to a mirror finish.
Finishing off the build, the interior was upgraded with a Summit Racing steering column with CON2R custom wheel. Willie Ramirez of Hott Wills stepped in to reupholstered the interior in faux gray leather with diamond stitching and tuck and roll together. With everything set on this car, Mike is now in a new zone of happiness with his “stand out but not stand alone” Buick.
