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Estate Sale: 1961 Buick Electra 225

The owner of this 1961 Buick Electra 225 recently passed away, so it has been left to his son to sell the vehicle to settle his estate. He says that the car was his father’s pride and joy, which must make the decision to sell a difficult one. However, we can only hope that it goes to a home where the buyer will continue to treat it with care and respect. Located in Republic, Michigan, you will find the Buick listed for sale here on Craigslist. The seller has set the asking price for the Electra at $14,000. I have to say a big thank you to Barn Finder Gunter K for spotting this beauty for us.

The 1961 model year marked one where Buick treated the Electra range to a major restyling. The company followed the market trend of ditching the fins that had been one of the hallmarks of the previous model. This Electra 225 is finished in Sable Black, and the paint appears to be in good condition below the layer of dust. It shines impressively, and I think that some old-fashioned washing and polishing would have it presented well. The panels are straight, with no significant dings or scars. The other issue that there seems to be a shortage of is rust. There is nothing visible in the supplied photos, and the seller mentions no problems in the listing. It is hard to be sure about the condition of the lower extremities like the rockers and rear quarter panels because the 1961 model year saw Buick apply some significant amounts of bright trim to these areas that hide the steel beneath. An in-person inspection should confirm that all is well. The “Electra 225” badge is missing off the passenger side front fender, but the remaining trim is present and in good order. The original owner ordered the Electra with tinted glass, and I can’t spot any problems with that.

The owner doesn’t supply any decent photos of the Electra’s engine, but we know that it features a 401ci V8 that pumps out 325hp and 445 ft/lbs of torque. The car also comes equipped with a 2-speed Turbine Drive transmission and power steering. Even though the 2-speed transmission hindered the outright performance, this Buick should be capable of romping through the ¼ mile in 17.6 seconds. The seller says that the odometer reading shows 5,000 miles, but he knows that this isn’t correct. It may have rolled over once, but I would be surprised if it has done so twice, given the vehicle’s overall condition. He says that it starts easily and that the only fault he has identified is a leaking exhaust gasket. He includes a replacement gasket in the sale, so addressing this issue shouldn’t be a huge problem for the buyer.

The interior of this Buick presents well, but it also harbors one of the vehicle’s few faults. There is a hole in the headliner behind the driver’s sunvisor that is courtesy of a mouse. With the visor left in place, this is hidden. However, it is a fair size, which would make patching it a bit of a challenge. Given how nicely the rest of the interior presents, it would be worth the effort and expense for the buyer to outlay $260 for a replacement headliner. The leather upholstery on the seats appears to be in good order, as is the carpet, dash, and the remaining upholstered surfaces. I would say that this classic may have been sitting for a while, so it would probably benefit from a deep clean to return it to its best. The 225 was the range-topping model in the Electra lineup, so this one comes equipped with power windows, a power front seat, an electric clock, and a pushbutton AM radio.

This 1961 Buick Electra 225 is a tidy classic that only has some minor needs. Addressing the exhaust leak should be easy, while the buyer could tackle the hole in the headliner as time and circumstances allow. If an in-person inspection reveals no other issues, it is close to what could be considered a turn-key classic. It is an affordable and practical car that would ideally suit anyone considering dipping their toe into the water of classic car ownership. Is it a vehicle that you might consider pursuing further?

Comments

  1. Ken Carney

    Yes I’d really rather have a Buick–especially one as nice as this! Had a ’62
    LeSsbre ragtop and loved it! We also
    had an ’01 LeSsbre that racked up close
    to 300K original miles before the timing
    chain went and my BIL scrapped it. If
    it were me, I would’ve had the engine
    redone with a turbo added to it. Saw
    one on YouTube and man, that thing was a beast! That said, it’s time for me
    wipe the drool off my chin!

    Like 2
  2. SMS

    My grandparents had the same car in res with a grayish tan interior, I think it was grayish tan. Every summer for twenty some years they would tow a canned ham and see the States.

    The two speed trans suites the car. There was enough torque that which gear it was in didn’t matter, how steep the hill was didn’t matter. Now my grandfather never went above the speed limit. It was still impressive that the car didn’t slow or labor going up hills.

    This is my type of classic car. Not flashy, stylish, affordable, easy to work on, comfortable to drive. Just right for an ice cream run with your sweetheart or seven noisy kids needing to get out of the house.

    Like 14
  3. Terrry

    If you want to know what year GM had it’s styling act completely together, it was 1961. Every make and model from GM that year were very nice looking cars.

    Like 12
    • Will Fox

      IMHO, the `61 GM models were second only to the `57s. Buick in `57 was the best looking of GM’s entire line.

      Like 3
  4. Raymond

    Does every single old Buick regardless of year or model have the front bumper hit right in the middle?

    Like 4
    • Cav427

      It is so prevalent the chinese repops have the same crease.

      Like 5
    • Chuck Dickinson

      A pointed front bumper is just asking for a problem there.

      Like 3
  5. Mike Lantz

    Love this car! But I would definitely want to see the underside being the garage has a dirt floor.

    Like 1
    • SMS

      Always learning things here. Have been told that dirt floors lead to corrosion. Is it because the ground is damp or is there more too it than that?

      Like 0
      • Claude Mainville

        I have a Tent garage which i store my Buick Electra in the winter , I lay a plastic drop sheet on the ground to prevent Rot underneath my car when in storage try that

        Like 0
  6. Angel_Cadillac_Diva Angel Cadillac Diva Member

    Now this is style! Wouldn’t you agree, CCFISHER?
    I had one in the Invicta model ragtop. White with red interior, black convertible top. Being a 17 year old I kinda beat the crap out of it, but that car would go and fast. It got replaced with a 1962 Buick Electra 225 convertible in baby blue. Love my Buicks.
    One thing that puzzles me is in the article nothing was mentioned of the dashboard for ’61. Very well designed, with an interesting feature. The speedo cluster was backwards and you could see it with a rotating adjustable mirror. It was gimmick like Edsels spinning speedometer, or the Toronado’s later rotating speedometer, but it was definitely a cool factor.

    Like 4
    • Phil Maniatty

      The adjustable mirror for viewing the speedometer had the added ability to adjust it to reduce headlight glare from following vehicles when driving at night. My Uncle Steve had a ’60 Electra and it had the same feature.

      Like 0
  7. Chuck Dickinson

    There was no ‘leather’ interior option for this car. ALL 225s (exc. the convert) came ONLY with a cloth interior. There were not any options to that. Someone’s obviously changed it completely, and it’s probably vinyl, not leather. Still, these are spectacularly gorgeous vehicles.

    Like 1
    • Claude Mainville

      I own the 61 buickelectra 225 myself with only 31.000 miles and these car never came with Leather seats i agree whit what you say

      Like 0
      • CLAUDE Mainville

        you are right i own one still seats were cloth only front seat has 3 settings for comfort electric just press the button

        Like 0
  8. 1-mac

    A whole lot of car for the money.

    Like 0
  9. Joseph Tassi

    Looks like a car worth preserving. One note: The 401 Nailhead does not require an exhaust manifold gasket. They were designed to go metal on metal. If they have been added that could indicate either a warped manifold or unlikely but possible, a warp in the head. Machining the manifolds back to true and not adding a manifold gasket is the correct approach for this engine. The gaskets can cause a warp.

    Like 1
  10. RG in PDX

    You lost me with the mouse hole… the smell of rodent pee and poop never fully goes away. Park it in the sun, and, half an hour later “pee-you!”

    Like 0
  11. Steve Clinton

    The good old days when car models had distinct personalities and didn’t look like a jelly bean on wheels.

    Like 1
  12. Michael L Gregory Member

    I’m glad Angel Diva mentioned the mirrored speedometer, because that’s one of my favorite features. I remember as a kid we would refer to the Electras as “4-Holers” and lesser models as “3-Holers.” I also agree with statements made about 1961 being a style win for GM. My other favorite year was 1958.

    Like 1
  13. David Nelson

    I had a silver with dove grey cloth example of this same model. Wish I still had that mint cond car loaded with every option and all worked. Most luxurious interior ever, rivaling even Cadillac! One just like mine was on Ebay up until recently. Most expensive Buick in 1961 – more than a loaded convertible!

    Like 0

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