I believe the car in the book is fictional, Buick did indeed make a Buick Eight, but the difference in the numerical name is enough to warrant that there is a difference. This could be down to not wanting to engage with Buick over any kind of legalities. In the novel, the car is described as being similar to a Buick Roadmaster. Seeing as the 1951 Buick Eight has a strong resemblance to the 1957 Buick Roadmaster I'll wager that fictional or no, it is a Buick Eight in the book.
 |
| 1957 Buick Roadmaster |
 |
| 1951 Buick Eight |
I'm not sure whether or not I'll be modelling the whole car yet, in the novel the car is left in Tarpaulin for much of its life, so I could go for that easier route. Ideally I would like both so that I could reveal the Buick Eight from under the tarp at the end of the level.