Preservation is the only way to go with a car like this. I have seen barn finds sell for more than restored cars lately. I think this is a really excellent trend. Just keep it roadworthy and enjoy it.

Is it a dynaflow? (dynaslow...heh). The old Buicks are lovely cars. I would prefer a stick but who could resist such a lovely car? Also it is the same year (IIRC) as the buick used in Casablanca!

For casual driving the unleaded gas should not be an issue on valve seats. It is more volatile though than the fuel the car was designed for though and a lot of these lovely old cars benefit from having a booster fuel pump back by the tank to avoid vapor lock in hot weather. I put them on all my early fifties caddies back when I was "the Cadillac Man". With the Caddies the fuel pump was up on top of the motor and the fuel line passed within inches of the exhaust manifold so vapor lock was guaranteed on a warm summer day without them.

I just tapped and screwed them to the side of the frame and ran a wire to the ignition side of the distributor so whenever you turned on the key the pump would come on. Then you just turned the key on and waited while the pump filled the carb (blub blub blub). When the fuel pump slowed then stopped you knew the carb bowl was full. Then a couple of pumps of the gas pedal and it would start right up.

My 59 Ferrari had one too. ....( there is nothing quite like the sinkng feeling one gets when the blub blubbing goes on too long and you realize you have been overflowing a carb into a cylinder for the last thirty seconds.)

Yikes!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.