For the American car industry from the 1930s into the 1970s and even later in many cases, they were tied to the system of annual model introductions. Often in those days, changes were superficial and seemingly arbitrary. The idea was to make the next year's model different enough from the existing one that potential buyers would be pleased to be seen driving a car that was truly "new." And drivers of previous-years cars might be made to feel that their car was "old," and so be tempted to replace it with a "new" one.
That was what stylists referred to when they said that the first design on a multi-year production run was the most "pure" -- the often arbitrary facelifting degrading that purity.
Another purpose for facelifting was to preview some styling features that were set to appear on the next complete redesign.
So what often happened for three or four year production cycles would be as follows. The first model year would feature the supposedly "pure" design. Intermediate years would find arbitrary detail changes. The final-year styling would include a few "preview" details. An example is General Motors' Pontiac brand for model years 1955-1957.
During the mid-to-late 1950s General Motors executed some intermediate facelifts that were more elaborate and more expensive than normal. The corporation was very wealthy in those days and could afford such facelifts. Its Buick brand got major facelifting in the two model years following its 1954 redesign. These facelifts are the subject of today's post.
This was the final model of a four-year (1950-1953) production cycle. Headlight assemblies and the grille theme and some side-trim themes were carried over to the redesigned 1954 Buicks, as can be seen in the following image.
Note the headlight assemblies, grille framing, the front bumper's position and location of bumper guards on this redesign. These details plus the Sweepspear side trim and fender "portholes" proclaimed that this, indeed, is a Buick.
The 1955 facelift involved a different "face" for Buick. Gone were the traditional (starting in 1942) vertical grille bars. The bumper is now in two segments revealing a taller grille opening. The Sweepspear and portholes are retained for brand identity.
The final year for this body finds yet another new "face." Front planview is now slightly V'd and headlight assemblies are restyled, being carried over to the 1957 redesign. Side feature themes are retained for 1957.
The main rear detail carried to the new body is the taillight theme.
But for 1955, rear fenders were redesigned in a major way.
Those taillight assemblies were simplified for 1956 and the sharply angled fender termination theme was retained in modified form for the '57 redesign.
It seems that the 1955 split-bumper concept was given serious consideration while the 1954 redesign was gestating. I suspect the '54 front was chosen because of its greater similarity to the 1953's. That transition accomplished, the new theme was used starting in 1956.
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