by Gabrielle DeSantis

Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster is a sight to be seen! It is no secret that Jay Leno loves his cars, but the 1955 Buick Roadmaster is exceptionally cool. He had Dax Shepard over to Jay Leno’s garage and compared his Roadmaster Estate Wagon to the classic Roadmaster.

Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster and the Roadmaster Estate Wagon

Hometown Buick publishes the original information shared by Buick back in 1950. The 1955 Buick Roadmaster actually started as the Riviera. Buick removed the B-pillar and turned it into a coupe based on the most popular Riviera model. The company produced 738,894 cars in 1995, and this was the statistic for the public models only. Buick often used these vehicles for police cars, ambulances, and other commercial vehicles.

In addition to the 1955 Buick Roadmaster, Buick also offered the 1955 Buick Special (Series 40) and the 1995 Buick Super (Series 50). The lineup also included the 1955 Buick Century (Series 60) in the lineup. Out of all the vehicles, Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster was one of 28,071 produced. It was the 1955 Buick Roadmaster 2-door Riviera model. This version cost $3,453 to make.

The 1955 Buick Roadmaster 4-door Sedan was one of 31,717 produced, and a 2-door convertible model only had 4,739 units made that year. As for Shepard’s 1994 four-door Roadmaster Estate Wagon, it is still pretty cool.

The 1955 Buick Roadmaster named Rosebud

According to Throttle Extreme, the 1955 Buick Roadmaster is nicknamed “Rosebud” by Leno himself. He purchased it in 1972 for $350. The Roadmaster was the car Jay and his wife, Mavis, drove on their very first date. It was also the vehicle Jay drove to his first Tonight Show appearance in 1977. So even if Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster isn’t the most expensive vehicle in the garage, it certainly means a lot to him.

Leno restored Rosebud in 1973 to its former glory. He painted the Roadmaster in DuPont paint with fresh new wheels, tires, and matching Buick hubcaps. Along with the outside, Leno restored the engine as well. Or, he entirely replaced it. Leno added a 620 hp ZZ572 big-block crate motor and a new transmission.

He added C5 Corvette suspension in the front and C4 Corvette independent suspension in the back plus custom springs. “It’s special to me because it was my first vehicle here in California,” he told Dennis Gage of My Classic Car. “Now it’s better than new because we’ve brought it into the 21st century.”

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According to an old article from CNBC, the price of 1955 Roadmasters went up in value just because people found out about Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster. In the video linked, world-renowned automotive appraiser Donald Osborne discussed the Roadmaster. Apparently, just the act of owning one made the value jump over 750%. That would make the price around $180,000 back in 2016 when this was filmed. If it went up for sale today, it would likely be even more.

So while Dax Shepard has a pretty cool 1994 four-door Roadmaster Estate Wagon, Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster steals the show. Classic cars don’t get any less cool as time goes on, and Jay Leno and Rosebud are proof. Better luck next time, Dax.

RELATED: Kelley Blue Book: 5 Best Off-Road Trucks in 2021

The post Jay Leno’s Buick Roadmaster or Dax Shepard’s Roadmaster Estate Wagon? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Corvettes are proven track machines. They’re fast enough to give even an Aston Martin Vantage a run for its money. They can corner as well, especially the new mid-engine C8. Corvettes are also durable and reliable. Therefore, only a few things lie between a Corvette and an offroad adventure.

Raise The Ride Height

The first step is to raise the Corvette. Depending on what perils lie ahead, it’ll need more ground clearance than what is stock. C6 Corvettes have adjustable suspension from the factory, but its limits aren’t enough for off-roading. Leaf springs can also raise a Corvette high enough to avoid a rock punching a hole in the transmission, though that takes some modification. Raising the ride height not only gives enough ground clearance but also allows for bigger wheels and proper off-road tires.

Give The C6 More Traction

After raising the car, it’ll need some new tires. Raising the car to at least 12 inches of ride height allows proper off-roading tires and big wheels to accommodate. Some owners install spacers onto the wheel hubs to get the clearance needed. Depending on the tires, the wheel wells may need to be cut as well.

A glaring issue with this conversion is the absence of all-wheel drive. While this is helpful to have, a car with rear-wheel drive can manage in off-road conditions as well. Drivers can improve rear-drive off-road traction by adding ballast to the rear of the car. This can be an assortment of sandbags, cinderblocks, or even a slab of concrete. Extra weight on the back of the car puts more pressure on the tires, forcing the contact patch and thereby improving traction. 

Beyond a ballast and proper tires, driving style plays a massive part in operating a rear-drive vehicle off-road. Feathering the throttle, starting in a higher gear, and braking in a straight line can all help a driver control their car.

Outfit The C6 Differential With Lower Gears

Along with the big tires and wheels, the Corvette may also need lower gearing. Big tires on a Corvette can have a detrimental effect, where the car is sluggish to accelerate simply because the tires can’t rotate fast enough. Obtaining lower gearing can fix that. A C6 Corvette has a 2.73:1 or 3.42:1 stock rear-end gear ratio, while off-roading vehicles often go with gear ratios between 4:1 and 5:1. 

One more thing the differential may need is a locking mechanism. Fortunately, locking differential kits exist for Corvettes. A locking differential will cause both drive axles to spin at exactly the same speed. Off-road cars use this to get out of sticky situations, where the tire that needs traction can’t get it, according to Eaton.

Keep The C6 Brakes Cool While Off-Roading

Another thing to consider before taking the C6 off-roading is braking. The stock braking system will stop the car, but off-road braking can be an intense activity. Using slotted, cross-drilled, or vented disks will help the brakes stay cool. The car will be heavier with its new equipment, so the brakes will work harder, and can therefore overheat, says How Stuff Works.

A C6 Corvette with these modifications, plus its already proven durability and reliability, is a solid foundation for an off-road Corvette. Additionally, some brake and fuel lines may need to be rerouted, and the body panels and chassis may need reinforcement. Beyond that, the car has the power and novelty to make off-roading fun.

RELATED: Supercar Of Your Dreams Or Just A C6 Corvette Body Kit?

The post Everything Needed for a C6 Corvette to Go Off-Road appeared first on MotorBiscuit.