Photo taken from Serious Wheels. Image Copyright General Motors

With tons of cash at their disposal, it’s no surprise that celebrities enjoy filling up their garage with different kinds of automobiles. While some enjoy driving in a brand new model, some prefer to cruise around in vintage cars. Take for example celebrity talk show host Jay Leno who’s been known for his fondness for motorcycles and cars. Over the years, he’s been able to amass a number of vehicles for his collection. One of these vehicles is a vintage 1955 Buick Roadmaster.

The 1955 Buick Roadmaster was one of Leno’s first purchases for his collection. Being the one of his first cars, Leno would have many firsts with it. After buying it in 1972 he used it on his first date with his wife. He also drove it to his first Tonight Show appearance back in 1977. However, as time went by, the car ended up staying in his mom’s garage for a total of 16 years. Since the vehicle held a special place in his heart, Leno decided to bring it back to life.

With help from the people at Big Dog Garage, Leno updated the exterior, interior, and the engine of the ’55 Buick Roadmaster. For its exterior, the car was covered with a combination of black and silver DuPont paint, with chrome being added to the mix. The wheels were also changed to wider stock wheels and tires, complete with classic Buick hubcaps.

For the interior, Leno had to completely restore the car’s upholstery. He also had the technicians of Big Dog Garage improve the Buick’s suspension and brake systems by adding Corvette C4 and C5 components.

The last piece Leno added to the revived Buick Roadmaster was a GM Performance Parts ZZ572 crate engine. According to Leno, this is what makes his ’55 Roadmaster tick. When driven, the car is able to produce 630 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 650 ft-lbs of torque at 4,500 RPM.

Thanks to these upgrades, Leno has been able to successfully bring back his old 1955 Buick Roadmaster to life. Hopefully now that it’s up and running, he’ll be able to add more to his list of firsts with this car.

Source: Serious Wheels