Gran Turismo's First SEMA Award-Winner, Buick Special "Bu'Wicked", is Up For Sale

[Famine]

This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:

Gran Turismo’s First SEMA Award-Winner, Buick Special “Bu’Wicked”, is Up For Sale​

There’s a rare opportunity to pick up a piece of Gran Turismo history this month, with the first ever SEMA GT Award — the 1962 Buick Special Bu’Wicked — coming up for sale on Bring a Trailer...

 

[Eggstor]

Considering it didn't sell at $150,000 and the current owner wouldn't part with it for $95,000, it calls into question PD/Hagerty's decision to put all the SEMA winners currently in GT7 at 300,000 Cr.

If I had the garage space and an extra $50,000, I'd be tempted to jump in on this as the high bid as I type is $41,000, but only if I get the owners' discount in GT7.

 

[RACECAR]

Considering it didn't sell at $150,000 and the current owner wouldn't part with it for $95,000, it calls into question PD/Hagerty's decision to put all the SEMA winners currently in GT7 at 300,000 Cr.

If I had the garage space and an extra $50,000, I'd be tempted to jump in on this as the high bid as I type is $41,000, but only if I get the owners' discount in GT7.

Not sure why that matters as from what I can tell, none of them are in the Legends Car Dealership where the actual Hagerty's pricing applies. No idea where they got the set price of 300,000 cr from but again, the "Dynamic pricing" doesn't even apply to cars from 2000 onwards in the regular dealership soo...

 

[Famine]

Considering it didn't sell at $150,000 and the current owner wouldn't part with it for $95,000, it calls into question PD/Hagerty's decision to put all the SEMA winners currently in GT7 at 300,000 Cr.

If I had the garage space and an extra $50,000, I'd be tempted to jump in on this as the high bid as I type is $41,000, but only if I get the owners' discount in GT7.

Although I've never seen it explicitly confirmed - but it'd be a hell of a coincidence - I imagine this particular car's... history makes it a little more off-putting.

As well as being an entry-level Buick which was perfectly tedious for 40 years.

 

[SPURS3420]

This is the perfect opportunity for PD to get ahold of it to scan it into GT7.

 

[RACECAR]

Not even sure they would. At most, these cars seem to end up in no more then three games and even then, I think that's only happened to a few cars?

 

[Famine]

This is the perfect opportunity for PD to get ahold of it to scan it into GT7.

 

[Eggstor]

Not sure why that matters as from what I can tell, none of them are in the Legends Car Dealership where the actual Hagerty's pricing applies. No idea where they got the set price of 300,000 cr from but again, the "Dynamic pricing" doesn't even apply to cars from 2000 onwards in the regular dealership soo...

We have strong evidence the Hagerty's partnership inflated certain cars' prices in both the UCD and Brand Central. Several of the cars saw massive price hikes between the pre-launch State of Play (pre-Hagerty's involvement) and launch (Hagerty's involvement), so much so that their parts' costs are up to two price tiers lower than their Brand Central/"zero-mileage" prices would suggest. See also the super-inflated price of the R32 NISMO versus the R32 V-spec II, which has absolutely no basis in reality or GT history - the NISMO is about 25% cheaper in real life and was 25% cheaper in earlier GTs.

 

[SnakeOfBacon]

Maybe Kaz will buy it, keep it in the PD office .

 

[SKOALBANDIT]

This is the perfect opportunity for PD to get ahold of it to scan it into GT7.

My thoughts exactly. This car needs to make a return to GT7. I want to hear that 455 howl the way it should have many games ago

 

[ZedNinetySix]

Didn't the guy who built this Buick murder someone or something? I cant quite remember...

 

[RACECAR]

We have strong evidence the Hagerty's partnership inflated certain cars' prices in both the UCD and Brand Central. Several of the cars saw massive price hikes between the pre-launch State of Play (pre-Hagerty's involvement) and launch (Hagerty's involvement), so much so that their parts' costs are up to two price tiers lower than their Brand Central/"zero-mileage" prices would suggest. See also the super-inflated price of the R32 NISMO versus the R32 V-spec II, which has absolutely no basis in reality or GT history - the NISMO is about 25% cheaper in real life and was 25% cheaper in earlier GTs.

Except this was what PD has done even before Hagerty entered the picture for GT7. That Buick is ironically a great example as it was 725,000 cr in GT6, a good 400,000 more then all the SEMA winners in the game now and a massive jump from the 58,000 cr in GT4. Again I don't know where they found that 300,000 cr is the magic figure for SEMA winners but PD has been on the Price inflation nonsense and if anything, I argue the Hagerty "Partnership" is nothing more then yet another fancy name advert while PD themselves are the ones just doing the price fixing.

 

[Famine]

Didn't the guy who built this Buick murder someone or something? I cant quite remember...

Kind of what I was alluding to, but not exactly, no.

One of the guys who built it died in a hydroplane crash in 2011 (Ryan Butler of Hot Rod Fabrication, aged 32!), but slightly before that it seems that the owners died in a murder-suicide in February 2010.

I've never actually seen it properly confirmed anywhere but a Ted Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon killed his wife Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon, at her home in Merlin Oregon, before killing himself following an estrangement. I just don't know if it was the same Ted and Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon who owned and commissioned the car build in 2002-2003 - though it'd be pretty unlikely not to be.

 

[SKOALBANDIT]

Kind of what I was alluding to, but not exactly, no.

One of the guys who built it died in a hydroplane crash in 2011 (Ryan Butler of Hot Rod Fabrication, aged 32!), but slightly before that it seems that the owners died in a murder-suicide in February 2010.

I've never actually seen it properly confirmed anywhere but a Ted Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon killed his wife Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon, at her home in Merlin Oregon, before killing himself following an estrangement. I just don't know if it was the same Ted and Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon who owned and commissioned the car build in 2002-2003 - though it'd be pretty unlikely not to be.

Well that's nuts. If it's true, I mean I've never heard the connection anywhere. Though this would explain the car changing hands a few times

 

[ZedNinetySix]

Kind of what I was alluding to, but not exactly, no.

One of the guys who built it died in a hydroplane crash in 2011 (Ryan Butler of Hot Rod Fabrication, aged 32!), but slightly before that it seems that the owners died in a murder-suicide in February 2010.

I've never actually seen it properly confirmed anywhere but a Ted Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon killed his wife Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon, at her home in Merlin Oregon, before killing himself following an estrangement. I just don't know if it was the same Ted and Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon who owned and commissioned the car build in 2002-2003 - though it'd be pretty unlikely not to be.

Yikes! I'm speechless

 

[EngieDiesel]

Although I've never seen it explicitly confirmed - but it'd be a hell of a coincidence - I imagine this particular car's... history makes it a little more off-putting.

As well as being an entry-level Buick which was perfectly tedious for 40 years.

I'd say that its history is probably why it's managed to change hands a few times. The secondhand market for custom/show cars has never been very strong and while this one has some rather unfortunate connections, it's a unique enough history that some folks would be interested in it for that alone. The majority of these type of cars are just trailered around for a few years until their aftermarket parts or styling become obsolete, and have nothing really noteworthy about them unless they won a ton of awards.

 

[SKOALBANDIT]

I'd say that its history is probably why it's managed to change hands a few times. The secondhand market for custom/show cars has never been very strong and while this one has some rather unfortunate connections, it's a unique enough history that some folks would be interested in it for that alone. The majority of these type of cars are just trailered around for a few years until their aftermarket parts or styling become obsolete, and have nothing really noteworthy about them unless they won a ton of awards.

Actually pretty true. While most things never "Go out of style" the maintenance on special parts as well as the loss of their methods of construction pretty much guarantee that 90% of show cars will disappear. As an aside, I'm surprised nothing else was made of this car like T-shirts, diecasts etc.

 

[SPURS3420]

My thoughts exactly. This car needs to make a return to GT7. I want to hear that 455 howl the way it should have many games ago

This Buick was seriously a core childhood memory of mine. I used it to beat large parts of the game in GT4 & GT5. When I remember those games, this is one of the cars I think of the most.

 

[SKOALBANDIT]

This Buick was seriously a core childhood of mine. I used it to beat large parts of the game in GT4 & GT5. When I remember those games, this is one of the cars I think of the most.

Given how well much of the GT SEMA award winners work as drift cars, the Buick would make an epic drift car if it came to the game today

 

[RACECAR]

Kind of what I was alluding to, but not exactly, no.

One of the guys who built it died in a hydroplane crash in 2011 (Ryan Butler of Hot Rod Fabrication, aged 32!), but slightly before that it seems that the owners died in a murder-suicide in February 2010.

I've never actually seen it properly confirmed anywhere but a Ted Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon killed his wife Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon, at her home in Merlin Oregon, before killing himself following an estrangement. I just don't know if it was the same Ted and Sue Richardson of Grants Pass Oregon who owned and commissioned the car build in 2002-2003 - though it'd be pretty unlikely not to be.

...well, its wicked alright. So wicked, I hope to not to be in the same vicinity as it is ever.

 

[Nightwing24]

If we all pitch in a $20, we can gave an official GT Planet 🌎 car!

And with its history we can make back the investment renting it out as a haunted ride. We can even partner with Zack Baggins and Ghost Adventures come Halloween! It’s a goldmine!

 

[SKOALBANDIT]

If we all pitch in a $20, we can gave an official GT Planet 🌎 car!

And with its history we can make back the investment renting it out as a haunted ride. We can even partner with Zack Baggins and Ghost Adventures come Halloween! It’s a goldmine!

I like this! Somebody set up the donation jar!

 

[787Bee]

I have fond memories of drag racing this on the Top Gear test track in GT5 lobbies

 

[GlockPants]

I have a pretty substantial amount of cash saved for a down payment on a house. This might be a better use of my money? 🤔

 

[WheelmanSteve]

It was kind of a neat car, but if PD is going to put any effort into a Tri-Shield addition. give us a stock GSX, or at least a Stage 1 GS 455 Skylark. (Steel roof, no vinyl, and factory chrome plated "Road Wheels" as they were called, please. Make mine Stratomist Blue.)