U225, the 18 Foot Long Sub
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 มิ.ย. 2023
- Detroit was still sailing along blissfully in pre-OPEC times when this massive 1970 Buick Electra 225 convertible was built. Watch as Steve examines its first-year 455 V8, final-year aluminum drum brakes and die cast aluminum rocker arms. Plus, what do your Smartphone and this Buick’s back window have in common? Watch and see.
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My friend in HS in the late 1970's had a 225. We referred to it as a "Deuce and a Quarter" that had a "Six Dead Body" trunk. Lots of great memories cruising around Philly and South Jersey in her. Thanks for yet another great automotive history lesson.
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I can imagine 😊
The bodies didn't have to be dead a la drive in theater.
@@mexicanspec Same here, that's what we called it in Detroit
Was that the car from Good fellas??
The hunt for Rust October lol
It belongs in a museum junior
I was already high when I read the title and was laughing a bit when I saw your comment I fucking lost it 😂😂😂😂 that’s gold right there
👌😂👍Lmfao! Good one!
@@L92_Joe thank you, Steve is the greatest and I had to put that out there cuz we always go back and forth on titles
@@anibalbabilonia1867 thank you, Steve is awesome 👍
Born in 1970,LOVE THE DOORS ,LOVE BUICK THIS CHANNEL ROCKS,WITH CORRECT AMAZING INFORMATION THIS GUY KNOWS CARS INSIDE OUT WITH PROOF TOO, NO BS
I had a '68 225 during those college years in the late 70's....still one of my favorite cars....
Back in the 80's a friend of mine had a 1970 convertible duece and a quarter (Electra 225), it was that bronze color also. Once I was driving it back from the drag races on us41 in south Florida. We came across a slow poke and my buddy told me to pass. I was more than happy to comply. I was just dying to open up that 455, see what it'd do! After obtaining 4 bbl velocity at, let's just say, many mph's, blow out, right rear tire! The rear did a slide to the right, and then the land yacht went into an ever increasing fishtail. Fortunately I got it slowed down enough before it spun out. We changed the tire and I drove the speed limit the rest of the way cause I almost messed my drawers on that one! Anyway, I just went through my old Petersons motor manual and saw where the Riviera's 455 had 370 hp with 570 ft lb of torque. After delving a little deeper I found it had quite different camshaft specifications.
Back in the mid 80s I found a 70 Buick 455 in a 225 with rusted frame rails and less than 75k miles, put it into a 1977 Buick Regal after the odd fire V6 went bad. We did it as cheap and quick as we could, still used the stock TH250 trans and 6 cyl torque converter and the stock V6 rear end with 3:33 gears. If you nailed the gas at 50 mph it would start spinning the rear tires with that much torque. We had no idea when we bought it how much power it was supposed to make, it was just a huge V8 where a crap V6 used to be and thats all that mattered. Oh back in the day...
Really great to have a guy who works on cars also present automotive information.
“Cancelled ? What do you mean we’re cancelled “ that never gets old.
Motor trend sucks lol
I had a ‘70 Electra 225 hardtop. Power everything but a cheap AM only radio. On long drives I would lower and tilt the power seat back, drop the tilt steering wheel as low as it go and just cruise with my arm over the top of the steering wheel. What a cruising machine!
We're all pulling for you Steve. Hope to see you soon
Love the king cobra on the cover
Car of my childhood! Mom had a 4 door. Baby Blue, white interior. I used to ‘camp’ in it, meaning sleep outside in the back seat. An amazing car, and a daily driver in the mid 1980’s.
A daily driver Buick 455 in the mid 80's? Been there, done that. Mine was retrofitted into a worked '76 LeSabre Custom 4-door hardtop by its original owner, a drug dealer in southeastern PA. The car had been seized by the police in a drug raid, and their department used the car as an unmarked for about 3 years until it became too well known in the community. I got it at auction in early 1981 for all of $600, with only about 70k on the odometer. 9 mpg got expensive for a 19 year old with a wife and daughter, but the car was easily big enough for the job. I did feel a little self-conscious, being a teenager with that huge "grandpamobile"!
One correction on the video (sorry, Steve) : Padded dashes were required by federal law starting in 1966, so they weren't anything new in 1970.
A guy in my nieghborhood put a '70 455 in a shortbed, 1/2 ton '68 C10 stepside in about 1979. It didn't take long for it to get wrapped around a pole. He and his best friend survived but it was a long time 'til either of them were out walkin' around again. I remember him having his jaw wired shut for most of the year.
Pretty exciting truck while it lasted
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In around 1984, a buddy scored on a 1970 GS455 hardtop, that needed an Alternator (and wiring issue resolved) and a back window for $ 500 ! A partial wiring harness and alternator fixed the charging, and after a new back window was on the road. It has a Chevy 12 bolt 3.73 ratio, and was just too damn fast for the half drunk friend - he fishtailed it around a bend, caught the bumper of a parked car with the back bumper of the GS- and the car shot right into a tree. It was still running, and the hood was up and almost covered the windshield, and he tried to get it back to a home base - he pulled out in front of another drunk driver and was smashed on the left side. I helped tow it to a wrecking yard, it was smashed on EVERY side, only the passenger door and trunk lid was salvageable.
@@gt-37guy6 Good times. How are we alive?
@@jonathangehman4005 That question has been asked allot by my old friends....we all had a problem with "boundaries" of all kinds! lol
Ok Steve, you have whipped that horse to death already. In 72, my Dad drove me to school in his 67 GTO. He picked me up from school, which was something he never did. Because he was at his transmission shop until 7:30 PM. But today he picked me up in a brand new 72 Buick Electra Limited. He said, what do you think? I said, where's the GTO? He said I traded it in for this. I said, oh wonderful. I didn't speak to him for a week. Finally he said, oooooooohhhhhhhh, Pontiac made hundreds of thousands of GTO's, you can get your own. He was right, in 1979 I got my own GTO. And we all lived happily ever after. Until Steve got screwed by Motor Trend.
“Light my fire?”
More like “Break on through to the other side!”
🥁
My paternal grandparents once had a 1973 Buick Electra 225.
Even though it was a big ol' boat, I thought it was a good looking car... for a 4-door sedan.
I can recall, when I was a Freshman in high school (1979), after I got my driver's license, they let me drive that car on a few dates... including my first Prom.
Car rode like a dream!😎
And it was just as comfortable for "parking", with a lot of room.😁
My dad had a 225 Electra 455 bored out to 500 cc with nitrous, headers, dual exhaust, racing cam, solid lifters, B&M shifter on the floor. Yes, my dad was a hp freak. It’s now owned by Tony Angelo which can be seen on his TH-cam channel. I once had a 73 Electra Limited 4 door
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Cubic centimeters, wow that's big lol
car was definitely loud. When I drove by law enforcement had to coast. Great mpg 3-4 miles per gallon 😄
@@HotRod-wv4vm 😂😂😂😂 👮♂️👮♂️👮♂️👮♂️
I remember watching Tony's video about that car.. that thing is one sweet beast!!
So many memories. In 1980 or so a neighbor liberated one of those 455's and dropped it in a 68' f150 for the torqe that engine made. He was a good mechanic and ahead of his time. Modern pickup torqe wars
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That's one way to make a Ford more reliable! 😅
@@corvairjim1 Mr. B. Here ! Olds engines got a bad rap , for racing oil failure, improve oil delivery was good fix, long distance met a guy years ago his 455 cid had 250k on it rod knock & I stated he replace oil and was still go as a taxi 🚕. All I did LOL 😂! 👍👍
Big-block GM swaps were really common in 1970s tow trucks as well, especially if they came originally with a small-block.
My parents had a 1970 225 hardtop two door. Gave it to me as a graduation gift in 1979. That land yacht was styling and a cruiser. Got it off the ground once going 115 mph up a hill- cleared the top- heads hit the headliner and slammed back onto the road and just kept going. It was a beast!
IN the late 80s I had a 69 Electra 225 Convertible, with the 430. Only took 3 days to spin out a rod bearing, and thus began learning about Buick Big Blocks. The 430 was smooth and torquey, but 455's were allot better engineered for oiling. At one point I had a 150 HP Nitrous shot on the old gal, it made the most amazing sounds. Still have a Buick 455 - a 1974 Century GS 455. Mine is built to the 1970 high compression specs, plus has a high lift cam...runs about as strong as a Stage i with the .490 lift camshaft!
Boy in the inner city Detroit those were a very sought after car, those caddy's, Lincoln & new yorkers .. but the deuce & quarter was a top shelf car .. I remember them everywhere, curb feelers, matching pillows in the rear window.. bobble head back there .. gangster white walls, spoke hubcaps. definitely a ghetto jet lol being from the outer edges of Detroit when going down town you'd see them everywhere
Actually the rollover standards never came which was why convertibles came back in 1982 starting with the LeBaron.
As a little kid in the early 1970s, I loved these cars - they looked so long and low and elegant, as they cruised down the street.
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Oh yeah! From o/o taxis to cruisers.
Seemed like everyone of them had straight pipes and glass packs.
And of course the a/c Delco two speaker sound system "blasting "
Sounds of Brooklyn in the 70's,early 80'. Use to call them a "Deuce and a quarter.
@@howardhoward5878 10/4 brother ! Mr. B. Here ! 👍👍
@@howardhoward5878 Don't think any or many of them had glasspacks when I was falling in love with them - they were still newish cars! I was still young enough that I liked all cars, even VWs, until about 4th grade, when I started to catch on to musclecars and anything American (preferably not full size) with two doors and Cragars...
Them round marker lights in back don't do anything to derail my love, either...
I rally miss my 1968 LeSabre 400. I should find another one.
My brother and I totaled a 78 225 when I was in high school. 110 mph. We bounced back and forth between pine trees, roadway and a ditch. Even after crashing and crumpling that thing was still huge.
Steve thank you very much for this. It is just what I needed to take my mind off stuff. I have a 1952 Buick Roadmaster here in the UK 🇬🇧 so I am a Buick fan
“Now when I first got out of high school, I drove an old farm truck.
All the girls they walked right by me, didn’t even say ‘good luck’.
Now I ride my 225, they all wanna be my friend!
I’ll pick you up later tonight now baby, if you can wait till then!”……..🎶
Detroit Made by John Hiatt - also nicely covered by Bob Seger - GREAT TUNE……!!!!!
"Well the girls would turn the color of an av-o-cado...when he drove down the street in his El-Dor-Ado....why he was only 5-feet 10 but they could not resist his smile...Pablo Picasso was never called an....." Remember this Circle Jerks song from the movie Repo Man? Great stuff. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
When the Shit Hits the Fan.
Another car I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole in my youth, but would love to have today. Don't know if I'm just getting older, or just getting smarter. Speaking of "CANCELLED!", I'm watching you on 'Junkyard Gold' on the Motortrend channel as we speak. I miss seeing new episodes, but at least they have the common sense to put you back on in reruns!
As a 15 year old in 1970, my friends and I had about as much interest in these land yachts as we did Geritol or Lawrence Welk. Strictly for old timers!🥸 But yes, I can now appreciate them. The spirit of these types of vehicles lives on today, though. Now they have about a foot more ground clearance and no trunk lid. They call them pick up trucks! 😁
I don't think I've ever seen a 225 without curb feelers or static straps but I loved them as much then as I would now. Unfortunately these were high up on the list the government targeted for crushing. Same thing happened in New Zealand where my father is from as when I visited the average age of a car on the road was 17 years and everyone kept their ride shiny and maintained. Of course tariffs were the actual cause but kept my uncles' businesses, auto dismantlers and machine shop, busy. Now everything is throw away designed to fail junk.
1970 was an exciting year for the domestic automakers. So many cool new cars. I had a paper route in the fall of 1969 and inside one Saturday edition of the Cleveland Press was a full color guide to all the new cars. I used that insert to cover all my school books that year - we didn't have money to buy book covers so we always used newspapers. One the cover of my English book was the 70 Dodge Coronet, my History book had the Challenger. Too bad it all was about to come to an end in a few short years.
Thanks, interestingly my first new Car buy, was aloaded *1970 DODGE Coronet 500// Ralley Red, Black vinyl top/ Black Deluxe ( console/high Back seats) AM RADIO/373:4 BBL , DUAL EXH.),Belted WSW…. ANYWAYS LONG STORY, as I passed, **NOT buying A 70 CHALLENGER RT/SE//383/4 speed/ in triple Green, **& earlier, seeing the Plymouth’s SUPer Bird in Spring 1970, in Lafayette INDIANA(* downtown, not fit parking: way **to long, *cheap build), to much drama *for Us ( new Marriage ‘, still Married 54 years later)….Oddly, some models really expensive in 1970, at dealers….esp the Buick GS, Corvettes,TALLEDEGAS, MUSTANGS…..
Sir Mix a Lot loves the Buick deuce and a quarter.
The 1976 Eldorado Convertible was indeed the last "factory" convertible. The 84/85 were not production convertibles they were conversions by ASC and Hess and Eisenharht. They were a hard-top Eldorado that was farmed out to be converted.
I’m glad you pointed out the q-jet cfm rating at 800! I’m so sick of hearing that 750 Holleys are to much for a built SBC! More air=more power! And no it won’t flood out if you jet it right! I bet the 455 sounded good with the air cleaner lid flipped! Bwaaaaaaah!!!
😂 Air cleaner flip .., every high schoolers trick 👍🤠✌️
The Q-jets were great carbs! There were a couple of plugs on the underside of the fuel bowl that tended to leak. But it was nothing like a Holley, which had at least a dozen different places to leak from. Of course if you tore it all apart and replaced all the gaskets with the 'improved' versions that they sold, it worked a lot better! 😅
Back again! Gotta help Steve pay the bills!
Those rocker arm retainers lived on in the GM 6.5 diesel.
I had a 1971 Electra 4 door, what a ride! It was like 2 comfortable couches rolling down the road, or parked out of sight. 😜
My neighbors dad gave him a 70 225 for his first car in 76 they opened a new freeway about 76 they did a hi-po tune on the 455 it ran very strong for a grandpa car got clocked by the Michigan state troopers doing over 140 with 8 kids in the car all drinking beer, we could have got away if we spent our cash on gas instead of beer. I wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't there. I wasn't allowed to ride with Lenny anymore. I was 15 and could hardly wait to get my permit to drive my 69 Z/28 all original 302, I didn't have it long my mom made me sell it.
U225 is funny, Steve, thanks for the grin. And something I noticed this weekend in my little town in Pennsylvania when the classic cars come out for play and errands to Dairy Queen is how large and in charge cars used to be, a Coronet and Galaxie were two big beauties I saw on Main Street over the weekend. And thanks, as always, for busting auto history loose for us from all that rust.
Correction: Robbie Krieger wrote "Light My Fire"; John Densmore was just a simple drummer for the Doors and not a song writer nor vocalist.
My uncle bought a convertible deuce and a quarter in either 1969 or 1970. Same bronze color outside, but a beige interior and top. I thought dad's 69 LeSabre was something because it had air conditioning. Then Uncle Andy came over and had a convertible with leather interior, air conditioning, power windows, power locks, stereo radio, I think every available option. Other than a GSX it's the only Buick I ever liked.
Hi Steve, another great Buick video. Have a blessed day everyone 🤙🏼 Namaste 🙏🏼
Short and sweet comment today?
What, no deuce and a quarter reference!? While in high school I worked at a tire shop that was near the 'hood. I had no idea what a 'deuce and a quarter' was. One cool thing was the nearby body shop that specialized in Cadillacs. They added such things as continental kits, two inch thick padded vinyl tops, and even side mount spares! Yes, fake spare tires on the front fenders to replicate the 1930's look. It was 1972 and it was the look to have. 👍
Hey Burt, did you ever install 'Porta Walls' at the tire shop ? 😁
@@throckmorton8477 Yes, I did! I was pretty good at it, because I made sure the tire and rim were cleaned beforehand. Also be sure to watch as the tire was inflated and reposition the portawall if it started to buckle.
They also worked much better, long term, on bias ply tires. Radials, not so much.
Also installed a lot of raised white letter 'Mohawk Super Mag 60' on supercars and supercar wannabes. The term 'muscle car' wasn't that common then and no one said 'dog dish hubcaps', either.
In Detroit we called them deuce and a quarter, they looked like they were floating. Land barge for sure, from Flint Mi. Buick city👍
This is the best and most comprehensive video I've seen on the 1970 Buick Electra 225 Custom Convertible. I have one sitting in my garage, fortunately in slightly better condition than this one. Nice details on the glass back window, didn't know that. I still think the 1970 is the pinnacle year for the Electra, especially because of that monster first (and last) year premium fuel, high compression 455. Another neat detail on the 70 is the backup lights above the bumpers. They light up red, when the car is not in reverse. The whole rear has a sinister look from behind, especially in the dark with those huge taillight ribbons. Buick lights my fire, sorry Jim Morrison.
That side-view mirror is the same one used on 1972 Olds Delta 88's (without any logo). I had completely forgotten that mirror from my first car until you pointed it out. Nice to start the day with a fun memory of a great car.
My mother loved her Big Buicks. She had a couple 'deuce and a quarters': 1968 and 1973. I remember the 1973 was the landborn equivalent of an aircraft carrier. The only other vehicle I have driven that was its rival (in size) was a 1976 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham (MSRP ~$13000 back in 1976).
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What do you mean Deb
We had one of these in the early 80's, that 455 would move that yacht right down the road.
Good morning, those things were huge, still see a few running around my area with Pride, Great video thumbs up 👍
That trunk says we get into fair grounds for free
Watched this today on the Big Screen. Awesome
Wow 225 inches, didn’t know that, yup Deuce and a Quarter from the Hood!
I had a buddy that had a 1963 225 convertible in high school. It was a great car for the drive in because of the huge trunk you could smuggle in three people easy and leave room for the cooler as well and with the remote trunk release it made it easy and stealthy to get them out.
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A fully loaded 225 and an Olds 98 were a lot less expensive than a Caddy. And in my opinion, a lot nicer.
225 and 98 had a little more pizazz as far as styling, maybe call it flair
Duce and a quarter!! Been waiting for one of these!!! Always loved me some 60's and 70's Buicks!! Steve failed to mention the poor oiling of Buick 350's and 455's. Many a spun bearing if you went crazy with the RPM's!!
Loved my step dads 1970 Riviera with that 455 engine.
I just found your channel and subscribed!!! Excellent information and memories of these cars.
Welcome
Waiting for you to do that '41 Buick in front of the 225.
Another great video professor Steve thank you sir get well soon
Man I miss my 70 Electra, I had a four door, was med blue with a blue top, and yeah that 455 was sweet
I had job as a language instructor at a the Corning plant in South Korea a few years ago. They are very secretive about their IP and going in and out of the place was like the airport. X-Rays and the whole bit. Very tight security. This was the final year for the C-Body convertible. From 1971-75 it was either the B-Body, of the E-Body in the case of the Eldorado.
I was starting college and lived with aunt, uncle and cousin in Flint Michigan. I was in danger of losing my license due to too much street racing with the '67 GTX. So I bought my cousin's 1968 Electra so he could buy a 1970 Electra. No street racing with that Electra!!
Mr. B. Here ! Morning Mags ! ☕️☕️🍩 So sad to see that fine looking vehicle 🚗 in the yard ! Yes many were abused and discarded like garbage, you could drive from Main to California in comforted. As for the roll over issue there were drivers as to today that should not be behind the wheel . So the rest of us paid for ( Stupid Drivers ) not having convertibles . Thing have not changed much .
Morning
@@tomwesley7884 Morning Tom , ☕️☕️🍩
Correct, 1984 was the first year for the return of the "factory authorized" Eldorado convertible and yes, owners sued GM for it saying that they were told 1976 would be the last convertible year. The suit was dismissed. No that's not correct, 1975 was the last year for the Buick full size convertible, not 1974. The other GM divisions all had convertible offerings in 1975 and yes, Cadillac through 1976. When you had a Buick, you had a class act. Their full-size cars were always well designed and rode like a dream.
The problem with Buick engines (including the V8) is the terrible integral oiling system which uses oil pump gears encased in an aluminum casing. When they gall and fall apart, oil pressure is lost and wipes out the engine. You have to be very regular with oil changes on these engines and aware of that oil pressure problem.
Yes and no on the demise of the convertible. Yes, impending regulations were often given as one of the main reasons for them going away, but by the 1970s, air conditioning was affordable in many cars and many people ordered it. Convertibles were also noisy, clunky and sometimes unreliable (tops getting stuck, etc.). Having a convertible with AC was really a luxury car and some didn't order it since you have "2/60" AC (two windows down at 60 MPH) and then some in a convertible. I like my Pontiac G6 convertible, which is a hardtop convertible. So, it rides like a coupe in the winter, can have "open air" motoring with all the windows down and of course, is a great car with the top down. I often get a lot of compliments on my G6 convertible and people can't believe it's nearly 15 years old. With that said, I'll take an "old and clunky" GM convertible any day. Most of them look great with the top up or down.
No VIN, can't win, but easy to figure out, no doubt: 4 for Buick, 84 for Electra 225 Custom, 67 for convertible, 0 for 1970 model year, H for Flint, MI assembly and the rest is the production sequence. The Flint, MI plant operated from 1904 to 1999 and was known as "Buick City" for a number of years.
No tag, can't brag, but should be something like: ST70 for 1970 model year, 48467 for Buick (4) Electra 225 Custom (84) convertible (67), FL1 for Flint, MI assembly, 619 for Burnished Saddle interior trim, possible 68 for Burnished Saddle lower exterior paint, maybe 2 for Black convertible top, among other codes.
Herculite is a Pittsburgh Plate Glass trademark and was developed around 1940 and first used in hockey rinks in the Pittsburgh area. PPG is now Vitro Glass. They were a major glass supplier to GM and other car manufacturers. With that said, it's a shame to see this old Buick in a state like this. It was once a pride and joy cruising the streets and maybe going out to the movies, to a prom, or to a special event.
Disagree with ya on the convertibles, I'd take a later model one, I get the impression older ones where noisy top up, and much more problematic with leaking. Love lookin' at 'em, just wouldn't want to own one. Thought this one would have been a white top.
Need the tag for that.
Thanks for the corrections on the "last year" stuff. The process of making these videos (mostly) in one take results in flubs like me saying "Stage FIVE" and "1939" when I meant to say 1969. Yeesh. My clutches are slipping. Think I need a band adjustment. Thanks for watching and writing. -Steve Magnante
Don't sweat it man.👍
No worries. Sometimes we all need a tune up.
1970 was a great year for American autos. They had it all, styling, performance, luxury… then front wheel drive happened and it all went away.
Yes, I agree that 1970 was the pinnacle year for cars, with a few exceptions like the 1971 Cuda, which was almost identical to the '70, but had the cheese grater grill and front fender gills and dual headlamps if you like 4 headlights.......and I liked the 1971 Chevelle better than the '70 Chevelle, because the '71 had round tail lights, but those are the only 2 exceptions I have.
Something called OPEC and sky high insurance rates on high performance cars might have had a little bit to do with that too. 😉
I had a 1966, 225, had, power steering, brakes, windows, seat, and a/c. Had the 401 nail head engine. And a turbo 400 transmission. It also had what Buick called a switch pitch Torque converter. A very comfortable car. Horrible gas mileage, but made up with the comfort.
Another great video still waiting on you to get well professor
Nice coverage on a rare car.
I own both the 1970 Buick full line brochure and the 1970 Skylark/GS brochure. One of the human models they used to be in the brochures is a dead ringer for Jim Morrison. I'm not sure if someone at Buick was just in love with him or maybe it was subtle poke at him for killing the deal to use the song. Either way it is undeniable that there is a resemblance.
I'd love to have a 1970 only premium fuel big block. It's a shame they were only made for one year
There you go. This was one of the prime reasons, I only wanted a 70 model. That engine feels so powerful going down the road. Even with the extremely high geared rear end, when you step on it, it feels like an airplane taking off. Only downside is, it needs premium fuel and here in Europe, in some countries you just can't get it.
Thank you Steve
We had one when I was a kid! It was a 74 or 75 model, I think. It was a beast of a car. Pretty comfy on family vacations as I remember, though we drove it on a day trip to the north Georgia mountains, and the catalytic converter clojked and about burned the car down!
With a cat', maybe '76?
@Tom Wesley could have been. I was born in 68, and I couldn't have been more than seven or 8 when we got it. My mom had a 65 SS Impala that grenaded the motor, so that's how we ended up with the Buick. I remember it was like a root beer brown color. Our neighbors across the street liked it so much, they bought a creme colored one.
A coworker had a 75 . Great ride.
I can’t imagine how a car like that would roll over.
Alchohol or Teenagers.....or both
@@jasonrackawack9369 Yes you are right, never underestimate the power of stupidity!👍
If the Gubment says your gonna roll over and kill yourself, then you will.
Very Slowly with some mountain roads 😢
My brother was lucky enough to have one back in the 70's. Great car.
Good stuff Steve. Would be fun to cruise the main streets and back roads of New England in that car. Cheers!!!
I still have some of those "Buttons" for the rocker arms from late 1969.
Steve please come back 🙌🏾
With a little modification those pushrods make great smoking pipes been using one for twenty years
I had a 1970 4 door Lesbre in high school in 1990. It had the high compression 350 in it. That started my love for Buicks. I wanted to take that engine and put it into my dads 34 ford that he bought to hot rod at the time, sadly he sold both cars before I could meld them together.
Nice to hear about more Buick history. I wonder how many survived. Im guessing most of those engines are tooling around in other vehicles but hopefully ill get to see one at a car show sometime at least. Thanks Steve
Always great Steve! 👍👍💯🇺🇸
I had a 1999 Lincoln town car. Last of those kind of cars. It was 18ft long and had a 45 degree turning radius.
Thanks Steve. 🙏🏻😎
Whenever I see a rare car or truck in one of Steve's great videos, I hope someone else is seeing them too and steps up to save them. This Buick is a great example.
Love my 69 electra. Just got done rebuilding and swapping a 67 riviera engine into it. Interesting how some parts of the engine are different. I had to use the 70 lifters with the solid pushrods.
I also find it hilarious when people tell me I have to put disc brakes on it because how "dangerous" drums are. I gotta tell them, they are 12 inch aluminum finned drums. They probably stop better than any normal new car.
I have converted only one of my old cars to discs. And that was to get rid of the 4 lug set-up so it would match the new beefier rear axle. Drum brakes do get a bad rap. If they were engineered and maintained correctly, the stopping distances were the same as with discs. The discs are much more fade resistant. But lots of people end up with problematic conversions too! They have to research it. 🤔
OE drums are fine for OE cars
Man sad to see that rare beauty in the junkyard! And unbelievable that that motor still there!! I can picture it in show room condition! Great video Steve!😎👍
My folks had a’72 Electra wagon. Wood grain, 455, dual exhaust. That was a torque monster. I have been looking for one ever since it’s kind of a rare dog
That dash placard is worth money as well as a bunch of convertible parts.
The deuce & a quarter was more popular around Detroit from the mid 60s to the mid 70s than any Caddy, Lincoln or luxury import. I still vividly remember walking on Livernois to work & seeing 4 guys in an all red '64 deuce & quarter convertible, top down with the radio blaring with "Baby I need your lovin' "by the four tops sitting at the light at Vernor having a good time. Great memory & times.
Morning Steve...
Those were such nice cars. I saw a piston out of one of these engines once. It was a thing of beauty. I’m a Ford guy but can appreciate good engineering.
Incredible 455 with Buick smoothness.
Great video! Thanks!
motor trend got you canceled but you're back. convertibles fine in rollover
Hi Steve, nice video! A over square bore engine is, large cylinder bore with a short stroke, (good for high RPM). A under square bore engine is the opposite, small cylinder bore with a long stroke, (good for high torque). A square bore engine is the same size cylinder bore, as the stroke. Please reply. Dave...
Thanks Steve, another great review of a great car from back in the day. Thanks!
Man, it's too bad that beautiful Electra 225 went to waste. 1970 was definitely a high point for Buick power. I have two 1970 Buick 350's, and both are SP code, which indicates 10.25:1 compression and IIRC 315 HP/410 TQ. Not bad for a stock 350 that weighs less than a 350 Chevy small-block. One is in my 71 J2000 Jeep FSJ 1/2 ton 4x4 pickup, and no, it was not the stock Buick 350 that it came with. The other is in my 74 J20 Jeep FSJ 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup. Nope, the 74 did not have those as an option. I got the 74 for 500 bucks, with no title. Took care of the title issue with a lein sale. At some point, someone had installed an Oldsmobile 350 with a BOP T400 between it and the Quadra-Trac T-case. That Olds 350 was stuck, but I got it freed up and running, albeit on 7 cylinders, as #4 was full of water and rusted badly. So, in went the other SP Buick 350. It's up next for a rebuild with a bit of a lumpy cam and some other T/A Performance goodies. Thanks, Steve, for bringing these old classics back to life for us! Take care, brother, and stay safe!
I had the honor to put a new top on one that was a two owner car that still had the original top,the owner came by the shop a couple years later and had traded it for one of those mid 80s Eldorado convertibles and was very disappointed.
The last Buick convertible was in 1975, briefly. I had a ‘75 LeSabre convertible.
If ya got the length, may as well be proud of it. I can't think of an Electra that wasn't handsomely styled.
I laugh every time you play the Motor Trend skit.
I owned a couple Jeep Wagoneers, one a 1969 and one a 70. They both had Buick 350 engines and TH400s with the BOP bell housing pattern. That 455 would have been the perfect drop in transplant! 👍🏼
Steve, the 1975 LeSabre was Buick's last factory convertible. thanks