Vehicle Description
Big, beautiful and criminally underrated, this 1970 Buick Electra
225 Custom offers all the right ingredients to make it a first-rate
hobby car: plenty of horsepower, lots of options, great colors, and
only 68k actual miles on the clock. The fact that it's also very
reasonably price only puts icing on an already delicious cake.
Formerly owned for many years by the president of the Buick Club of
St. Louis, this awesome Buick has always been impeccably cared for
and given the white-glove treatment since new, as evidenced by the
very low miles. There are signs that this car has always been loved
over the years everywhere you look, and it has been extremely well
maintained which means it's read for the road today. The long,
straight bodywork shows off a dramatic character line that was a
Buick trademark for many years, and the look is both imposing and a
bit sporting. The color is correct code 68 Burnished Saddle, and it
has wonderful, deep shine that shows very well today, although it's
not so nice that you'll be too afraid to drive it. The bodywork
underneath was clearly very nicely preserved and the doors fit
well, the hood sits flush, and there are no signs that this car was
ever rusty or abused. Plenty of chrome defined Buick's luxury
models, and this large coupe certainly qualifies, with new bumpers
fore and aft featuring an integrated bumper/grille combination up
front and a wide chrome bumper out back. The rest of the chrome on
the car is in great shape too, providing much-needed flash to the
subdued saddle finish, and the vinyl top is like new and adds a
touch of sophistication to the profile of this "Deuce and a
Quarter".
Aside from a couple auxiliary gauges, the interior of this big
Buick is completely original as far as we can tell, and in
remarkably good OEM condition. The Burnished Saddle upholstery is a
nice change from the usual white or black you'd find in big
cruisers of this vintage, and as a Buick, it's loaded up with
features and comfort. Factory options include A/C, power windows, a
tilt steering column, cruise control, and a power front bench seat,
with a few accessories like the leather steering wheel wrap and a
triple set of auxiliary units that help keep a more accurate eye on
the engine's vitals. There's a ton of stretch out room in back,
making this the ultimate parade vehicle, but with a 455 under the
hood, the driver gets his share of entertainment, too. The factory
gauges cover the basics, but everything's clustered in front of the
driver so it's easy to find and use, including the factory AM/FM
radio that still works like it should. We're actually quite shocked
that this interior is original, because even the carpets and door
panels show so little wear, but once you look at the low mileage
and the car's pedigree, it certainly reconciles. And like all great
original cars, the trunk has no secrets and carries a full-sized
spare with cover.
Buick's 455 cubic inch V8 was a torque factory that generates
effortless performance in the big Electra. Number matching and
well-maintained, it doesn't look like a showpiece, but originality
matters and in that regard it's quite good. You can still see Dante
Red paint on the engine itself and the original air cleaner with
'455-4' decals clinging to its surface. The TH400 3-speed automatic
transmission is likely the car's original as well, and driver
friendly options include power steering and power brakes, options
considered as "must-haves" in a vintage sled this substantial. The
dual exhaust system is a factory-spec replacement and has a mellow
sound that's entirely appropriate to a big luxury cruiser like
this, and the undercarriage certainly looks the part of a car
that's been pampered since new. Factory wheels finish the OEM look
and are wrapped in 235/75/15 whitewall radials all around.
Documented with the original owner's manuals and Protect-O-Plate,
this is a fantastic full-sized coupe that needs no excuses. Big,
comfortable, and surprisingly fast, it's everything you'd expect
from Buick's finest. Call today!
