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Classy & Huge! 1970 Buick Estate Wagon

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Back in July, I posted about a low mileage 1970 Buick Estate wagon and how I really liked the one year only body style. Here’s another one, more miles this time but this one has a few more extras, including that all important third rear seat for transporting all the grandchildren. It’s located in Wallingford, Connecticut and is listed for sale here on eBay, where the opening bid is $2,000 with a reserve that isn’t met yet. As a point of note, the other one had a buy it now of $6,000.

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I love the rallye wheels and narrow whitewall combination on this car; so period and so right. There is a dent in the driver’s rear quarter panel that the seller tells us about; they also state that, as most cars do, this one looks better in the pictures than it does in person.

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The seller tells us that the wood grain is intact and not damaged. It’s a good thing, because that’s a lot of Di-Noc!

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There’s a small spot of rust on the driver’s side right at the end of the rear side window, and there are the usual worries about a vinyl top (by the way, you don’t see many vinyl tops on station wagons–perhaps that’s a good thing?) having hidden rust underneath. I don’t see any bubbling under the roof, though.

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There’s a small rip in the lower passenger seat cushion, but as a whole the interior, including that third rear seat, looks pretty good. I don’t mind the additional gauges added; nice to know someone cared enough to wonder what the engine was really doing. The black steering wheel grip would have to go, though. I can certainly believe the claimed 104,500 miles.

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The 455 V8 is equipped with air conditioning, and my hope is that it would charge up easily, but if not at least the basics are there for an R134 conversion. The seller has recently replaced the front center link, shocks, upper and lower ball joints, idler arms, upper control arms, front and rear brake shoes and a power steering hose. Those nice whitewalls have only 3,000 miles on them as well. Depending on what this find goes for, it could be a real winning survivor; or, I suppose more correctly, it’s new owner would be a real winner!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar Blindmarc

    A neighbor had one that was green and had a posi rear. He did great burn outs in it.

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  2. Avatar Glen

    This thing has a lot of power, and I assume lots of torque as Buicks did back then. Probably a nice highway driver and could haul a trailer with ease.

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  3. Avatar DrinkinGasoline

    Wrap it up and I’ll take it ! Love the “four hole Buicks” ! Big, Boaty, and Beautiful ! The R-12 to R-134a conversion is no sweat.

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  4. Avatar Tony S

    Typo? “this one looks better in the pictures than it does in person”

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    • Avatar Poppy

      Nah, don’t think it’s a typo. Sometimes photos hide flaws or the lighting makes it look particularly good in the photos.

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      • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

        Yep and an honest seller which you have to love!

        That corner on the window could be a minor disaster as window channels often are, this one complicated by the vinyl.

        Cool car though!

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  5. Avatar Greg

    I prefer 12a for ac “conversion”. I’ve done many R12 cars without issue.

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  6. Avatar Poppy

    12a is flammable. A great refrigerant, but isn’t it illegal to use in cars? (shhhh!). I know being worried about a couple of extra pounds of flammable substance might be silly when we are already driving around with 15-20 gallons of highly flammable gasoline behind the rear seat, but a major AC evaporator leak could turn your car interior into a bomb if you are one to enjoy the occasional cigar.

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    • Avatar Bobsmyuncle

      From the literature ;

      Due to the smaller amounts of Alkane refrigerants required in an air conditioning system, this is not a relevant issue and has been addressed through a number of extensive liability risk assessments carried out on these products. It is important to know, that outside of the North American marketplace, Hydrocarbon refrigerants make up approximately 50% of the refrigerant used throughout the World. And, as of this date, there has not been one recorded incident anywhere on the Globe, in the past century, where Alkane / Hydrocarbon refrigerants have caused or been involved in a fire or explosion in mobile or stationary air conditioning systems.

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  7. Avatar Car Guy

    Being a 70 it’s still a high compression 455 with around 500 lb.ft. of torque. With the right gas,and a good tune, this car could do some serious burn outs!

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    • Avatar Bob

      Had one and it could jack the car from 45 to 80 like a rocket. And you coul watch the gas gauge move lower. Even if you kept it on gently and on the front barrels I seldom got 15 mpg on the open road.

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  8. Avatar Ck

    I think that pretty much every buick that came with a 455 had to be painted brown and have brown interior . …. even mine.

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  9. Avatar Rolf Poncho

    Big car big motor love a big wagon like this

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  10. Avatar chad

    yes, interior volume is nice. The ford LTD of that era (later /late ’70s) wuz smaller I believe. May B on the other end of the in-model yrly changes?

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  11. Avatar VR LIVES

    CK is right on, I think of all the Buicks my parents friends owned had some part of it was a variation of brown. I owned one Buick,it was an ’83 Riviera, you guessed it tan. I think I hear the Twilight Zone music.

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  12. Avatar Matt steele

    I’d take this one over the 86 lesabre station wagon any day

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  13. Avatar Bill

    I AM THE NEW OWNER OF THIS CAR. I bought it in September, 2018 in Fairport New York. The car has had serious speed work , AC conversion and custom dual exhaust work done by the previous owner. Additionally, the front seat was redone properly, windshield leaks repaired and new carpeting installed.
    This car is a bear! scary fast! I plan on having some careful paint touch up done but keeping it a survivor. It is a big hi at every cruise and show I take it to.
    …the brown color doesn’t bother me at all.

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