"If you don't look back at your car after you parked it, you bought the wrong car." All cars hold some value, whether it's monetary or sentimental, and sometimes that beauty is only found in the eye of the beholder. But all cars are special, even bad ones because every car on the road tells a story.
It may be as simple as it drives to and from the grocery store, or maybe it's been across the country on epic road trips. Maybe it's stayed nights on campgrounds, bounced through the mud and dirt, or tackled the track. But ask any enthusiast and they'll tell you why their car is special to them. And there's no bigger car enthusiast than Jay Leno with his garage full of Classic Cars.
It's important to remember why car people love and cherish their automobiles. So let's take a look at the car that holds a special place in Jay Leno's garage, and his heart.
The Story Behind Jay Leno's 1955 Buick Roadmaster
It's 1972 and Leno's just another nobody in Massachusetts. Hangin out in his apartment one day, he realized that his aspirations were too big for Boston and that if he ever wanted to live the life he dreamed of, he'd need to move west. California, where everything was happening. Leno saw Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin over there, living his dream, and if they could do it, he could too. So he bought a ticket to the west coast told his neighbors they could have whatever stuff he left behind.
Leno roamed the sunset strip with $50 bucks to his name and ended up at a local comedy store. He spent a week or so there, sleeping on the back stairs and making whatever money he could. During his stay, he managed to snag an issue of the Pennysaver magazine. And in the classifieds? A 1955 Buick Roadmaster for $350.
Buying a '50s car in the '70s for $350 is like buying a '90s car today for $2,000. In short, it was cheap, but Leno saw not just a car, but a place to sleep. After all, most people get a car before they get a place to live in Cali.
Leno started dating his soon-to-be wife in the Roadmaster. Leno drove to his first Tonight Show in the Roadmaster. It chauffered him through the early days of his career and paved the way for his dreams. But one day, Leno parked it in his soon-to-be mother-in-law's driveway and left it.
Newer cars came and went, ones that fueled Leno's automotive lust, and the Buick Roadmaster faded into memory. It wasn't until 17 years later when Leno dropped by and spotted a note on the car reading "somebody obviously doesn't care about this car. I'd love to buy it." Leno felt gutted, but by that point, he had a garage, and finally brought it back with him, ready to give it a total restoration.
What's Under The Hood Of Leno's Roadmaster?
Simply put, it's not stock. The body of the car is, but that's about the only thing untouched. Leno took out the original 236 horsepower 5.3L V8 and crammed a 5.7L big block Chevy motor that turned the car into a 620 horsepower screamer. Obviously, the 2-speed automatic used in the '50s wouldn't be able to cope with that massive engine, nor would the suspension. So Leno threw in parts from the C5 Corvette, a transmission that allows the car to shift, and independent suspension so that this vintage land boat can actually handle all that power.
The interior is also a sight to be seen. It looks stock, and for the most part, it is, but there are a lot of brilliantly disguised parts. For starters, the car didn't have air conditioning, which is a must in modern-day California. Leno had that done by an outside shop, but also welded together some adjustable air vents. The original AM/FM radio is still there and working, but hidden in a compartment it is a modern stereo system. The seats are still fabric and the accents are still steel, to the untrained eye, it looks unmolested. The only dead giveaway is the C5 gas/brake pedals under the dash.
You can find the full walk-around of the car here to learn more about the inner workings of the car and see just how fast it really is.
How Much Is One Worth Today?
You can get your hands on a Roadmaster for around 20 grand, but they may not be in the greatest condition. A running Roadmaster will cost you upwards of $40,000, and a resto-modded one gets close to $100,000. Those are steep prices, a $20,000 project car is a lofty investment, but if you really wanted to imitate Leno, or just long for beautiful American iron, then it's certainly not a bad pick.
But the price of the car isn't the point, it's how priceless the car is. Leno's $350 Roadmaster is worth its weight in gold not just because it's been modified to kingdom come, but because of how many memories it carries with it. Cars do that, whether they're Bentleys or Yugos, every owner has at least one story associated with their automobile, and more often than not they'd be happy to share it.