1970 Buick Electra 225 Custom

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!