A road test of a Wildcat in the June 1963 issue of Mechanix Illustrated summed up its position in the Buick lineup well. Uncle Tom McCahill, the foremost arbiter of the quip and the bon mot, said that upon the introduction of the Riviera, “the Wildcat soon found itself as important at Buick, prestige-wise, as being elected mayor of Weehawken in a Presidential year.” That might not have been quite fair of the venerable Mr. McCahill, but he had a point, and things weren’t much different three years later when this 1966 Wildcat was produced. In the face of a gorgeous new second-generation Riviera, the Wildcat (and Wildcat Custom) actually outsold the Riviera 68,584 to 45,348, although it did offer seven total bodystyles to the Riviera’s one. Still, the Wildcat wore the same swoopy styling (with a few updates) that Buick released in 1965, and it makes for an exceptional collector car today. T.J., our celebrity of the craigslist ad, found this one in Snoqualmie, Washington, with an asking price of $20,000.
In reality, the Wildcat wasn’t any wilder than most other big Buicks, having the same 401-cubic-inch, 325-horsepower Nailhead as the Riviera and Electra 225. Channeled through the “Super Turbine 400” transmission and a 3.07:1 rear axle ratio, the Wildcat’s acceleration would have roughly equaled the ’64 model’s, which Motor Trend clocked at 8.5 seconds from zero to 60. The seller claims that this Wildcat was purchased from the original owner, and with 74,000 miles on the odometer, it is all original. The 1966 model was the last of the Nailheads, as the 430-cubic-inch big block replaced it for 1967. This one looks exceptionally clean under the hood and appears to have a new master cylinder, so perhaps the brakes have been serviced (which always seems to be a job on the list when you buy a new-to-you old car).
The door panels tell us that this Wildcat is the $3,326 Sport Coupe rather than the $3,547 Custom Sport Coupe, which generally included a more upscale interior trim than the base model (but the Custom outsold it: 10,800 vs. 9,774 units). This is a lightly-optioned model, with manual windows and no air conditioning. These are often non-starters among car collectors, but I’ve always maintained that power windows and air conditioning are merely two things more to break, but I live in the Great Lakes region, so I can’t relate to the heat and humidity of a southern summer. Then again, if you’re located in a mild northeastern state, this might suit you just fine.
Twenty grand? I think that’s the big question. Certainly you’ll want to examine any craigslist car in person, but if it’s as nice an original as it seems, that might not be too bad. Of course, that’s nudging its way into Riviera territory, which brings up an Uncle Tom simile comparing the Wildcat and Riviera in the same road test: “In the Wildcat camp it was like celebrating the fact that Old Uncle Ned just left you $10,000, only to find out that he left your twin brother a million.” It seems that the Wildcat didn’t get any respect from Uncle Tom, but maybe you’re in the Wildcat camp. Let us know if you pick up this beautiful hardtop.
Nice Wildcat. Looks clean. I don’t know anything about these models, other than to say I appreciate the big 60’s and 70’s coupes more than I used to. I guess that nowadays I find their “cruiser” persona appealing.
I was a reader of Motor Trend as a kid. I don’t remember reading Tom McCahill’s work, though I knew of him. Even if I had, I don’t think I would have understood his writing given his position as “the foremost arbiter of the quip and the bon mot” (great line Aaron).
As I recall, Tom McCahill wrote the car articles for Popular Science.
Don’t recall PS, just MI. He was the best and I love WAGONEERS to this day thanks to him !!
Nice writeup, Aaron.
We bon vivants with our Rivieras are no snobs when it comes to these Wildcats. The ‘Cats are beautifully designed and are mechanically pretty close to the Rivs.
Somehow the Riv, despite it’s celebrated status, seems to languish price-wise in the collector car market, unless it’s a 65, and is tastelessly restomodded. I love this original-looking Wildcat, it seems par excellence, and it should be worth the 20K if it’s rust-free and mechanically sound.
Well bought at 20 something I think Rex. Beautiful, and powerful cars.
Thanks Rex…you bet I’d drive a Wildcat (but I still like my Riviera better, as do you, I’ll bet).
GM had a hit on their hands with their full size models during these years in the mid 60’s. This Wildcat is no exception, Absolutely beautiful. If I was in the market and couldnt find a Riviera I could afford, I’d be very happy to own one like this. Just beautiful inside and out.
I really like the looks of these.
Wildcat – one of the coolest car names ever.
My uncle bought a new Wildcat in ’64 and he let his high school age daughter drive it one day. Naturally she loaded her friends inside and one of them seeing the tachometer asked her to get the guage to 6000. Having no idea what the tachometer represented other than the more you pressed the gas the further it went, she simply freewound the engine up to 6K until it broke a lifter.
I feel bad for today’s collectors who pass up nice old cars because they don’t have power windows and a/c. That must really limit their choices, unless they are Lincoln and Cadillac enthusiasts.
Why so Few Pictures?
Run out of Film.
I love the 60’s Buicks my mother’s uncle worked for Buick in Flint, my uncle drove out there every 2 years and bought a new Buick right at the factory. We had Buicks until the Lemmon Electra of 71. But I got a good one, my friend had a red wildcat like this one it had that go over a speed thing and it buzzed, well we were on a neighborhood street, he tried to run the length to show me the buzz and that wildcat could not reach 31!!! I think that Italian’s thingy got a bad case of shrinkage!!!
What’s especially unique about the Wildcat in 1966 is that was the sole year in which the Wildcat Gran Sport was marketed.
I believe David Holls was behind the “W” styled into the front and rear of 60s Buicks. This is a great looking car 60 years later. Grab the keys. Let’s go for a ride.
The Wildcat was based on the same premise as the Century had been years earlier…the Electra engine in a LeSabre sized body. They would really fly. I remember test driving a ’70 Wildcat with my mom. Upon acceleration, it would press you back in the seat like an airplane taking off. Of course, my mom opted for the more practical LeSabre, although I did convince her to order it with the 4-barrel carburetor.
Always liked the ’65-’66 Wildcats with a slight nod to the ’66s for the taillight treatment.
Well, even being from Mn., I always tried talking Dad into a/c but that one went only that far until he bought his last car, a ’84 Skylark, sadly, just 3 months before he passed on.
Anyway that was oneoption I was going to have in my cars, so yes, being used to it and p/w, nice to have.
This Wikdcat is very clean, great color contrast in & out. Looks like it’s all there, too. 20gs maybe a little high.
Did they ever offer a manual? Or is there a list of 60’s Buicks that offered a manual?
If you mean 3 or 4 speed transmissions, those were offered.
Yes manual, in what models?
Electra, wildcat,etc
Google “old car brochures”. The Old Car Manuals Project and luv2xlr8 are good sites where you can surf old domestic brochures and advertising for free.
Wildcat, yes. Electra, no.
Matter of fact, all models below Electra offered manual transmissions.
I’m willing to be corrected.
Thanks, I have been trying to figure that out! Would love the manual.