Vehicle Description
It's time for you to choose your own adventure. Do you want to be
part of the Nova crowd that's around at every car show? Do you want
to be a standout on your own? How about both? This 1973 Buick
Apollo has all the fastback style of the GM X-Body crowd, but in a
package that is much more unique and affordable.
The smooth elements in the correct, resprayed shade of this aptly
monikered Apollo Yellow coupe really brighten up in the sunlight,
especially in concert with that unique white side molding. The
paint is in great shape, body gaps are straight, doors close flush,
and the bright work shines wonderfully. And most of the minor
imperfections that could be found in the finish could easily be
negated by a quality cut-and-buff detail job in the hands of a
professional. The Apollo has the same silhouette as the
now-legendary compact and fast Chevy Novas, but the front end has
an aggressive look that Buicks always brought to the table in
forgone eras. Light and muscular, the Apollo gets all the Buick
design cues right, from the vertical grilles in the hood and bumper
up front, to that cool taillamp design that would later inspire
several generations of Buicks. The Rally II wheels are another
great visual link to Buick's muscle car tradition, allowing for fat
rubber on this crouched fastback. They have a stylistic flair with
the Buick emblem center cap that gives them a hint of
indestructible industrial design. Heavy-duty chrome bumper fore and
aft have rubber inserts incorporated, per the federal regulations
of the era, and the iconic side molding includes three 'vents' on
the front fenders, just like the classic Buicks of old.
Step inside this Apollo, and you'll see even more Buick performance
car touches that make this car so cool, with a mixture of some new
but mostly original components working together to make a very
comfortable cabin. The Saddle tan interior is also correct for this
car, and it matches nicely to the vivid yellow exterior. Everything
is comfortable and looks great, with original plush tan carpeting
against matching vinyl seats and door panels. Every place that the
stock vinyl touches is nice and tight, shows very well, and is
built for durability, and despite a reputation as an economy car
the cabin feels much more upscale. The driver gets a soft touch
original Apollo steering wheel atop a tilt column along with a few
cabin comforts thanks to the stock AM/FM radio, cold factory A/C,
and a column-mounted shifter for easy-to-reach shifting for the
automatic transmission below. The backseat area barely looks used
and an appropriately-sized trunk is nicely preserved and includes a
factory original spare.
The strong Buick 350 V8 under the hood is a remanufactured long
block that was installed in 2007, and it's plenty torquey to make
the Apollo feel quick around town. The red engine enamel advertise
that this is indeed a Buick motor, and it's essentially the same
corporate powerplant used down the street at the Bowtie factory,
although many argue that it's much more reliable. The engine bay is
tidy and local car show-ready, and a weekend of cleaning and a
little paint would pay big dividends if you wanted to use it for
preservation class judging. The original black air cleaner and a
4-barrel Quadrajet carburetor are up top, and it's very responsive
thanks to an HEI ignition system, firing right up and running great
with a quickly flick of the key. Reliability is bulletproof and
parts are still easy to get, making this a great choice if you like
to drive, and with the TH350 automatic transmission spinning a
10-bolt rear end filled with highway-friendly 2.43 gears, it's easy
to handle on modern roads. Power steering and power brakes
drastically improve the driving experience, making this Apollo the
top choice in the garage for a cruise of any distance. Buick Rally
II wheels add a sporting touch and sit on a set of 225/60/15
radials with plenty of life left in them.
Honest, solid, and affordable, this Buick Apollo is a great choice
for the "dare to be different" crowd. It's the perfect way to have
something a little unique that still fits in with any car show
crowd, and with only 79,278 believed actual miles and a strong
drivetrain, it's bound to be cruising for a long time to come. Call
now!!
