When it comes to ’60s American classics, it’s all about options, but sometimes less is more. This Buick isn’t the highest optioned car, but that’s what makes it appealing. It was optioned with the Wildcat 410, a 4 speed and that’s about it! Reader Morley B bought it at auction years ago. When he opened the trunk, he found something incredible. Sitting there was a complete dual quad carb setup for a 425 Super Wildcat! He got it running and driving, but it has been sitting for a few years and he’s decided it’s time to let it go. You can find it in Primrose, Ontario, Canada with a $15,000 asking price. If you’d like to give it a home, be sure to message him via the form below!
From Morley – When I bought the car at the auction, it was just outside the warehouse where it was hiding. I have no idea how long it was at the warehouse. I have talked to the son of the family who bought it new in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. It was their family car for 25 years. The son learned to drive with this car and said he had it over 120 MPH once. The car got parked outside and then put into the warehouse by a collector. As you can see it is still a very solid car. I have no idea how many were built in the cheap LeSabre bodies since most four-speed were in the higher end Wildcat with bucket seats and console.
Solid body with updated 425 engine, dual quads, a trunk full of NOS parts and boxes full of parts for complete brake rebuild. There are a couple of body dents, no rust through. Also comes with NOS muffler and tail pipes, NOS dog dish caps, and a complete parts car with excellent original interior (correct red and white interior). Everything goes with it.
No rust through, but there is surface rust. All original panels. Both front fenders have minor dents. Comes with a NOS grill, one head light door, and other spare parts
Motor still turns over, it was last run a few years ago, was rebuilt when I bought the car, needs all new brakes, but the parts are in boxes in the trunk! Needs points and carbs rebuilt.
Interior is completely dried out and needs everything, however, the parts car has an excellent correct red and white interior. The parts car’s dash is rust free on the gauges etc. This is a bench seat four-speed car with no unnecessary options.
I can’t weigh in on just how many LeSabres were ordered with the 4 speed, but I’m sure a Buick expert could fill us in. I bet with the dual quad setup installed, this thing hauls. I have no doubt that original owner’s son was able to hit 120 in it. I do have to wonder what the story is behind the engine and how it ended up with the 425 Super Wildcat carb setup in the trunk. Perhaps the son found a wrecked Super Wildcat, swapped the engine and then discovered that the dual carbs were just too much or that they consumed more fuel than they could afford to buy? I hope they are still around and can fill in some of the details. That carb setup is worth a decent chunk of money by itself, so do you keep it and reinstall it, or do you sell it off to recoup some of your money?
I want to thank Morley for listing this awesome Buick with us! It looks like a fun project with a great story. If you have a cool classic that has been taking up space in your barn and you want it gone, please consider listing it with us!
As a youth, my father had a ’64. That LeSabre would pass anything but a gas station or tire store. Many a time, one of my brothers would come home with new tires on the rear. DOH !
I would most certainly have to re-mount that intake/carb setup !
Well, I’m no expert ( but I play one on BF’s) but this is one rare car, listen to this. One forum suggests, “Ward’s Automotive Yearbook” ( whatever that is) says, 0.2% of the ’63 2 door LeSabres were 4 speeds. 99% were automatics, 0.8% 3 speeds, so of the 309,068 fullsize Buicks made in ’63, 618 ( LeSabre or Wildcat, it doesn’t break that down) would have had 4 speeds. This has got to be the Holy Grail of ’63 Buick LeSabres. I’ve never seen one. Unbelievable find.
You have to wonder…why was this car allowed to deteriorate so much? I mean this was a unicorn 20, thirty years ago………..to now ask such a premium in its present condition seems wildly optimistic
I had one of these unicorns, back in 1979. I was shopping for a car to race in the jalopy class at Pocatello speedway. The father of my gf at the time was a farmer, and he had this car that his hired hands used to move pipe in the fields. He sold it to me for, believe it or don’t, $25. It said 445 wildcat on the air cleaner, and a 4-on-the-floor tranny, which I thought was odd. It drove like a boat, but it was fast. Nothing could pass it on the straight-aways. I stripped the interior, made a roll cage, and other mods needed to race it.
I might have kept it intact had I known how rare it was, but I had no idea.
I had a ’65 Riviera, 425 C.I. with dual quads for almost 30 years. I often went to our local fixed base operator at the airport and filled it with aviation gas for a little extra boost. As a white haired old man, regularly dusted off Mustangs, Camaros and even a few Corvettes. If you manually shifted it, 0 to 60 times in the 8 second range were easy to obtain. However, I only did the stoplight drags, it was great in a straight line but scary at speed on a winding road. I wish I still had the “Banker’s Hot Rod”. I would definitely put the dual carbs on this LeSabre and leave it as, is without the hubcaps, for a real Q ship .
About an hour north of me. I can take a look if anyone’s interested. I’d love to drive this beast. Gas is going up 6 cents a litre tonight to make it about $1.20 per litre but who cares. You only live once:)
Larry K, you are welcome to come and look at the Buick now. It drives great, goes real fast and certainly draws attention. Or just scroll down the original listing and see it at the Motorama car show last March at the international center last March.
What great lines on this car! – & it’s Black!
From back when you knew it was a Buick,without searching
for the name plate.
That shifter looks like it is for a three speed? Hope I`m wrong.
Hi RH, research showed, I don’t think they offered a 3 speed on the floor, it would have been column shifted. I did find a forum on Buick’s and a different car, like this, was mentioned. One of the pictures clearly shows the shifter and 4 speed pattern, like this car has. http://forums.aaca.org/topic/209008-1963-buick-lesabre-4-speed-2dr-ht/
I would drive the snot out of this car.
Seller is asking top dollar for this but it needs quite a bit of work and not numbers matching if I read this right.
It’s worth around 7-8 grand I think.
http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1963/Buick/LeSabre/2-Door-Hardtop/Values
My first car when I was 19 was a ’63 Wildcat 2 dr (same body as the LeSabre but with better trim, buckets, console) so when I saw the small picture in the right side bar of the site I jumped. I always recognize those droplet shaped tail lights. I bought it in ’82 for $495 out of the Swap Sheet – an old flip through rag. It was promoted on the front cover (which I still have) as the “Heap of The Week” and was a Florida car that was rock solid.
My Wildcat had the “Wildcat 445” engine to which I added the same GS setup shown in the photos that I picked up out of the above mentioned classified magazine for $400.
It had classic large car ride and from a class stand point put a lot of other cars to shame. Acres of chrome and stainless, console mounted tach, tissue dispenser, power antenna, seats, windows… the list goes on. If I only had that car today – I wish I’d never sold it.
Never cared much for the body style, but it’s rare enough and now old enough that I would love to have it for about $7500 and yes, I would have the 2×4 setup on it…
Growing up my dad bought a 63 LeSabre, 2 Dr black with red gut. I remember how he loved that car. It was fast. He used to say it had 2 passing gears and since he was a minute man he probably used it often running late to work. They are not that easy to find. The 4 spd is a huge plus. Always liked that car with the baby fins.
I thought the side louvers on a Buick represented a 6 cylinder or 8 cylinder. This only has 3 louvers. Didn’t they use this symbol back then?
3 side intake louvers represented LeSabre…4 represented Electra. In earlier years, 3 holer’s were the Centurys and the 4 holer’s were the Roadmasters.
Thanks for the info. I misunderstood the meaning.
Awesome car at about $7 to $8 grand CDN, not so much at $15.
Need the extra discount for gas!
The anomaly remains as to people believing Buick’s torque ratings on air cleaner decals to designate engine size……WRONG!
In ’63, the (optional) LOW compression reg. fuel 2bl 401 had 412 lbs/ft torque w/265hp.
The std. HIGH compression reg. fuel 2bl 401 had 424 lbs/ft torque w/280hp.
The high compression prem. fuel 4bl 401 had 445 lbs/ft torque w/325hp.
Finally, some one who understands Buick advertising. And engine torque was way more important with these big cars than horsepower rating. Low RPM high torque was good. Morley, I think I am just going to keep the car and drive on. It looks god sitting in the garage beside these two.
I wish I had the time, Energy and extra cash to make it the Hot Rod it could once again could be !!
Can anyone tell me the year and model of Buick used in the Biker television show ( Sons of Anarchy ) ? The Doctor wife of the young leader drove it till she was killed off !!!!
Dave of Ontario–you should see the Buick now–come to the Motorama car show at the InternationalCentre in Malton. March 9/10/11 –the car will be on display. Hope to see you there. Morley
Hello, Morley. Talked to you at the show, took some pictures of the car. Was my favorite car there. Almost took it home, and ask for forgiveness later from the wife! Jim in Bradford.
Jim, thanks for the comments. If you have some pictures, feel free to post them. I had a great time at the show. Thanks again Morley
63 buick
morleys buick
another
pic
hood
nailhead
interior
This has got to be super rare… Never knew a 4spd LeSabre existed in that year. My first car (still have) is a 63 Wildcat. Love it when these show up occasionally. Would love to have this one.
I just picked up a ’64 Wildcat with 445 4 speed from a friend of a friend, never advertised. I’ve never seen one for sale. The only other 4 speed I’ve seen in person was a brand new ’65 Wildcat 4 door post car, bench seat 4 speed super wildcat 425 w/dual quads. I worked at Pierce Buick in Hartford, CT and saw it there.
My first new car was a 63 Buick LeSabre 3 speed on the column which I converted with a Hurst floor shift. Was very fast, raced it on Long Island drag strips. Wish I had that car again. Never saw another one like it.
I would sell this 63 Lesabre 4speed. if interested call me 519 925 0267 Morley
I would sell this 63 Lesabre 4speed. if interested call me 519 925 0267 Morley