WILD ONE

STEVE TEMPLE . October 11, 2022 . All Feature Vehicles

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This Lone Wolf Really Howls

Some folks used to think of a Buick as a “doctor’s car,” with a dignified level of luxury—classy, civilized, but not too showy. Today, in countries like China, it’s regarded as a status symbol. (Who would have figured that more Buicks would be sold in the Far East than here in the U.S.?)

Others view a ’50s-era Buick as an alternative to all of those Tri-Five Chevys, a rarer and more exclusive ride, yet still suitable for extensive customizing. That’s what Jim Farcello of Kreative Kustoms (Carson City, Nevada) had in mind with his ’57 Buick. He dubbed it the Lone Wolf, an intriguing choice, like the Buick, since the Wolf Pack is the nickname of the local football team in northern Nevada where he resides.

“Tri-Five Chevys are pretty common, and I wanted to do something different—really different!” —Jim Farcello

After removing the rear taillight housings, bumper and lower side trim, ’96 Riviera taillight lenses were fit into the reworked housings.

The exterior is a House of Kolor custom mix by Kustom Kreations, Gold Tangerine metallic and metal flake.

Unique rear wheel opening with cheese grater-style rear skirts are real attention-getters. Jim’s Buick rolls on a set of Nepper 17 x 8 polished aluminum wheels wrapped with BFG Comp T/A 235/45ZR-17 rubber on all four corners.

No matter, he clearly doesn’t run with the pack of car builders in expressing his artistry. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he’s owned and run a body shop for decades, so he had some serious talent at his disposal, not to mention a ’90 IROC Camaro that he parted out as a donor car. Jim was also a close friend of the late Boyd Coddington, who was a major influence for building this one-off custom.

Jim came across a dilapidated Buick at a salvage yard in Carson City, and after hauling it home, contacted Unkl Al about building a totally custom frame to replace the aging foundation. Why go with a more challenging build, instead of say, a ’57 Chevy? “I’ve always been a Buick man. I built a ’58 kustom before this one, and when I came across a ’57, I wanted to do another.”

Under the hood is a ’90 Camaro IROC Z L98 5.7L 350-ci V-8 with a Tuned Port Injection (TPI) engine. A pair of ceramic-coated headers merges into a 2 ½-inch exhaust system. The power steering reservoir cap (below) sports a Nevada Highway Patrol Troopers badge.

A pair of chromed custom fishtail-style exhaust tips exit from under the rear roll pan.

While the grille and body still display a bit of Buick parentage, clearly this apple fell really far from the tree. In addition to chopping the top and installing a laid-back late-model windshield with Mazda RX-7 side mirrors, Jim pinched the front fenders for a sleeker look, and added later-model Riviera taillights. Besides the massaged grille, swoopy roofline and chromed spears, what really stands out are those cheese-grater fender skirts at the rear quarters. Think of them as automotive lingerie, concealing yet alluring at the same time.

After generously applying some heavy layers of House of Kolor Gold Tangerine and metal flake on the frenched headlights, he was ready to hit all of the big shows. The Lone Wolf went on tour for a year, wowing crowds in the late ’90s. Today, the car keeps more to itself, making occasional appearances at Reno’s Hot August Nights and Street Vibrations motorcycle rally, where it hangs out with its sole companion, Jim’s custom Harley. So maybe this Buick is not such a loner after all.