Affordable full-sized luxury cruiser. Great-running 300 cubic inch
V8, automatic transmission. Mostly original car with one older
repaint and replacement top. Very clean undercarriage. A whole lot
of Buick for not a lot of cash!Buicks have been overlooked for
decades, living in the shadows of the Impalas and Bonnevilles, but
the truth is, Buicks offer a lot of car for the money.
Well-engineered and built, they are comfortable, durable, reliable
cars that have big car swagger without the expensive price tag. So
if you've been looking for a way to get a summertime cruiser that
doesn't cost a fortune and is easy to maintain, perhaps this 1965
Buick LeSabre 400 convertible fits the bill. The Astro Blue paint
looks great, even though it's probably 30 years old at this point,
and the bodywork is nice and straight underneath. There's not a lot
of chrome and flash to distract from the clean lines, but the stuff
that is there remains in good original condition with no major
issues, so it looks well-dressed. The big doors need a little extra
muscle to close, but they aren't sagging so you know this car is
structurally solid. You also get the traditional Buick
'Venti-Ports' on the front fenders, with three portholes indicating
the mid-range LeSabre model. And the strip of stainless running
from the front bumper to the rear and outlining the wheel arches
gives it a sporty look that belies its size, because this is
definitely a full-sized car. It's not perfect, but nobody's going
to notice as you cruise by on a sunny day.The two-tone blue vinyl
interior is largely original and in very good condition overall.
It's possible that the carpets have been replaced at some point,
mostly because they're too nice to be 60+ years old, but the rest
looks like 1965 GM materials. The steering wheel shows some
cracking, which is surely why it has a leather wrap, but that's the
biggest demerit inside. You get big, round instrument pods with
basic gauges and indicator lights, and the fuel gauge is in the
middle just above the shift indicator. This car is equipped with
factory A/C, a rather rare option in an convertible, but the system
is not operational and we have not investigated. Other neat options
include the speed minder, which is an adjustable alarm you can set
to prevent yourself from speeding, and a Sonomatic AM radio in the
center of the dash and a speaker in the rear seat back. There's a
blue cloth power convertible top overhead that stows itself neatly
and fits well, although it, too, is probably as old as the repaint.
There is no boot, unfortunately. There's also a massive trunk that
is extremely clean and includes a rubber mat, full-sized spare tire
on a matching Buick Road Wheel, and the jack assembly.Buick was
calling all its engines 'Wildcat' in the '60s, and the number
indicates the torque rating, something for which Buick V8s were
justifiably famous. This is a 300 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel
carburetor, hence the 'Wildcat 355' insignia on the air cleaner. It
wears correct Buick turquoise paint and shows lots of evidence of
recent work, including all-new ignition system components. It
starts easily, idles smoothly, and pulls the big LeSabre around
without seeming to work very hard. It's all about effortless
cruising, and the big Buick definitely delivers. We have no records
on rebuilds, but it shows no signs of distress: no smoke, good oil
pressure, and smooth performance. By 1965, the DynaFlow
transmission was gone, replaced by a pair of automatic
transmissions, with this one being the 2-speed Super Turbine 300
automatic. It feeds a massive rear end with what we believe are
3.08 gears inside, making this a comfortable car at modern highway
speeds. Note how clean the floors are, which includes the rockers,
suggesting this car has never spent much time in inclement weather,
and the single exhaust system is hushed as a Buick should be.
15-inch Buick Road Wheels look sporty and carry 235/75/15 whitewall
radials with plenty of life left in them.Obviously this isn't a
show car, but we like the way it works. It drives well, looks good
going down the road, and isn't a rust bucket, all virtues in an
affordable 60-year-old car. Buicks are a bit unusual, too, so you
won't see yourself at every car show you attend. So if you're
looking for a big cruiser with a little class and a little swagger,
perhaps this LeSabre is for you. Call today!Harwood Motors always
recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any
vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
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