As the top model for Buick’s full-sized C-body, the Limited was a stylish luxury car available in a four-door hardtop, two-door hardtop, and two-door Landau model. By 1973, the car had federally mandated 5mph front bumpers. This 1974 Buick Electra Limited sedan can be found posted here on craigslist in Havre de Grace, Maryland and the seller is asking $5,300. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Pat L. for sending in this tip!
Back in 1980, I bought a perfect 1971 Buick Electra 225 four-door hardtop for the princely sum of $750! It still kills me that I sold it a few months later for that same amount to buy some PA equipment for the band that I was in at the time. What a waste, I’d love to have that car now. It wasn’t a Limited and had green vinyl seats, but man, what a car. This seller has provided a lot of good photos, rare for a craigslist ad, nice work! They even included a few underside photos and they say that it’s rust-free under there.
1974 brought new, bigger 5-mph rear bumpers to these cars and I think Buick handled it pretty nicely. This Buick has as big of a trunk as you thought it would and it looks fairly clean. The fourth-generation Electra was made from 1971 to 1976 and they were about a foot longer than the next-generation cars that came out in ’77 during GM’s downsizing era. It may be a trick of light and shadow, but there appears to be some variation in the paint on this beautiful Buick. The seller does acknowledge that it has some touch-ups and dings but it looks pretty nice to me.
I wish my Electra 225 would have had a fabric interior like this car does. I believe this may be Lombardy cloth in burgundy, which was the standard seating material on the Electra Limited. You can see the dash pad, and the seller says that the dash does have a few cracks. They go on to say that the AC needs to be charged (which usually means that it needs a lot of expensive work), and the heater core has been bypassed, so there’s some work to do inside.
The engine is a big 455-cu.in. OHV V8, which had somewhere around 210 horsepower, or a bit more depending on the carburetor. This one runs great, but they say that there is an exhaust manifold leak to be tinkered with. Given the relatively low asking price and the amount of car available here, this seems like a good deal. Any thoughts on this Electra Limited?
No a/c and no heat, thats a not good start. Parts are still available and labor is easy so i’m guessing put aside a grand assuming you tackle both issues. A good detailing inside will cost you a solids day’s work and going to the local parts store to get the right color match and again one good day’s work. Dash pad, welllllllllll that might be a biggie. For someone willing to spend reasonable bucks and time would have something quite nice
Yes, reasonably priced for a Buick version of a Sedan Deville. I wish I could buy it. Here’s hoping it finds a good home.
Agree. We had the 1974 Pontiac Grandville edition of this C-body. What a smooth ride they provided. Great memories. Hope it gets a good owner to finish refurbushing her.
Father had a 73, same colors. Was a tank with a smooth as silk ride.
The asking price is reasonable even with the issues that are listed.
My grandfather had a ’71 4 door hardtop. It was gold with a black vinyl top. The interior was a black brocade pillow back. His 455 was a 4 barrel. As big as it was that car could move. It was a great interstate cruiser. If you used cruise control got 18mpg.
Agree. We had the 1974 Pontiac Grandville edition of this C-body. What a smooth ride they provided. Great memories. Hope it gets a good owner to finish refurbushing her.
When a Duce and a Quarter ….WAS a duce and a quarter. I had a 74 Lesabre convertible that I bought a mint dash pad for and never put it in. I sold the car and the guy didn’t want it. A decent car to have.
Hello I’m very interested in this car, like to see more pic of body up close, interior, under neath the of car please,!!!!!! 216-372-7403!!
Dang, bought my 70′ 225 in 1984 for $1K with 23,000 miles. What a hwy cruiser! Rust around the rear window became an issue. Miss that ride.
Looks like a car I saw on Goodfellas, Casino, Donnie Broscoe, The Irishman. This was a car a mafioso would use.
Beautiful Buick.
I would’ve still asked to add the convertible option for that ride. From 1971 to 1976 on all of GM luxury cars of Buick, Cadillac, Chevy, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. Because the politicians struck fear in the minds of the Big 3 Car Makers as they’ve done for centuries, of the so called accidental rollover they would occur of which they found out by the time it was to late. But if i’m buying said luxury Car Ride I would pay extra for every option that I can think of even to this very day.
I still would choose and pick any or all of the big 3 luxury land cruisers, luxury land liners and luxury land yachts.
I was around back then and I never heard the guv’mint was threatening to ban convertibles. A popular urban myth. Car makers stopped making convertibles because people weren’t buying them, you know, how a market economy works. Now in the the last fifteen years or so there has been a resurgence of sorts in drop tops, at least in the pony cars like Camaro and Mustang, and foreign makes mostly German. There is no better way to say fun and exclusivity.
We had a 75 2dr Landau, with the “Coffin” interior. Triple Burgundy. Early 70’s Buicks we’re the best. Wouldn’t you rather have a Buick?
You From the Falls? EVS?
Nice car and write-up, Scotty. A high school buddy had one very similar, a ’76 I believe. I remember sitting in the back seat while he did doughnuts in a snowy parking lot, watching the world spin around through the giant windshield like a movie screen, with the hood ornament about 37 feet away. The primitive cruise control had a Resume feature that buried the gas pedal until it reached the preset speed. Thanks for the memories!
Had a friend who had a 72 deuce and a quarter. I was only 13 at the time so I didn’t know much but I did know comfort and the early to mid 70’s Buick was 2nd only to Cadillac. (IMO) Absolutely love the way the bumpers just flow on this one. My brother had a 74 Olds Delta 88 Royale. Exactly the same color, inside and out. GM hit the nail on the head with comfort in the 70’s. Wish my circumstances were better. This one would be in my driveway. Hope someone gets it that will appreciate it the same way I would.
Good job Scotty. I have no experience with these, but I do appreciate their place in the automotive landscape of the day. Luxurious, (very) large, excellent at freeway cruising. This example being from the Malaise Era is still interesting, yet inexpensive.
The price is ridiculously low compared to today’s classic prices. I’m still working on my 64 dodge custom 880 or I’d snatch this up right off. Probably needs a heater core and some other work but a lot less than most cars around that price. My aunt had a brown 72 4 door and I loved her car
Dad’s last Buick was this car almost exactly – only differences were white vinyl seats and a maroon vinyl top… It would get up and go – and you’d better have room to go when the carb finally caught up with the pedal! Beautiful old Buick – but this one might take more work than I have time or $$ for. Think I’ll stick to the memories…
Good write-up, Scotty!
I bought my Grandmother’s 1973 2-door when she gave up driving at age 90! She sold it to me for a good price when it only had 28K miles.
I drove it for a few years then sold it for a few bucks more a few years later.
Sadly, the driver of a Ford Tempo was looking back at an accident and she slammed into my bumper while I was waiting for traffic to pass to parallel park that boat (no small feat). She managed to push my bumper in just a little and break a tail lens on my Electra but her little Ford lost it’s tempo that day… as well as a lot of engine coolant and I believe a bumper. She bounced her head off the steering wheel too and had a cut, the poor gal. They towed her little Ford away and I drove my Buick to class after I finally got to park it. The car was technically totaled and I bought it back from the insurance company and kept on driving it w/ no issues from that accident… it looked fine really. I should have kept it… hindsight.
This looks like a real bargain. Even considering the issues with the AC and heat. Both fairly easy to correct. A real looker, and how often does one this clean pop up? Too bad I’m in Texas, (for more than one reason), but even with shipping, this still seems to be a good buy. Looking at this one real hard. Thanks for the posting. Love Barn Finds!!
Mmmm. How I’d love to blast around in this. Nice enough to be seen in and not too nice to drive. Reminds me of my ’72 except it has more features. My 225 was pretty basic.
This was the last year before the Collonade styling struck these, too. Much better balanced styling before the six-windows of ’75-6. Also last year for the hard top coupe and seat controls on the armrest. The Collonade styling was much kinder to the BOP B-body coupes.
Hey guys, I am the seller of the Electra. Thanks to Scotty for a nice write-up and everyone who left positive comments. I am going to make an attempt to get the A/C working this weekend. The A/C clutch spins free and normally that is a good sign. This car is a great driver, turns heads all day long and is very solid. I really hate to let it go but I need to thin the herd a bit.
I had this same year in the landau coupe version with all the extras. It was one of the smoothest-riding cars I ever owned, and I owned five older Cadillacs. My Electra was not reliable, but once my dad and I replaced basically every working part under the hood other than the engine itself, it lasted a long time. Definitely an example of the malaise era. I carried a spare alternator in the trunk for a month or so because at one time, it was the only thing we hadn’t replaced. Sure enough, I had to replace it in a parking lot after work one day. Glad I had it. Even the transmission gave out after less than 65K miles. But that car was stunning in a metallic brown with a chamois landau and tufted beige velour interior. It even had a sunroof.
I had the 76 black on black on black with the nice wide stainless trim that ran with the ventiports. It was a gorgeous car. My heat would stop and came to find out that if I backflushed the core, I’d get little rubber bits out. Then it’d plug up again and I’d do the same. Also, the automatic climate control defaulted to defroster mode. I’m sure it was a vacuum line or something stupid. In the winter it had an irritating habit of needing to warm all the way up or it would stall when you put it into gear. It was an incredible car and I regret it every single day that I ever sold it. I was storing it in the winters in a barn and I started to notice very minor things from storage, so I let a local guy with a 75 version buy it. Never. Should. Have. Done. That.
My Dads car of choice. Had a new one every 3 years. Always said it rode better than his bosses Cadillac. I agree. Took it to senior prom, that back seat was huge!
Not to be picky but after noticing misalignments at the rear of the car I looked closer and in the photo with the trunk lid raised, along the right side rain gutter, the original quarter panel spot weld locations are visible. They are now holes. The welds gave been drilled out to remove and replace the quarter panel, probably accident damaged. The new panel, properly located, would have covered these holes. See the left side for comparison. Nevertheless, this is an exceptional looking car and should provide many miles of comfortable & reliable rides.
Always do your homework before buying any car. A few simple tricks can save you countless headaches. My dad always preferred Buicks too. Check the tailpipe for residue oil. Look for drips on surfaces. Most blemishes can be masked, but not oil residue in a tailpipe. Good luck with this behemoth.