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Field Find: $2,500 1963 Buick Wildcat 401

The Buick Wildcat was introduced in 1962 as the sporty, 2-door hardtop version of the family-oriented Invicta and was so popular it became its own series the following year. The nameplate carried on through 1970, but the 1963 edition – like this one – is often cited as the best looking of the series. The seller’s one-owner car appears to have sat out in field for quite some time, which has done nothing visible (or invisible) any good. It’s located in Sallisaw, Oklahoma (southeast of Tulsa) and available here on craigslist for $2,500 or make an offer. Thanks, local_sheriff, for keeping your eye out for this one!

Apparently, Buick’s target audience liked the Wildcat’s combination of comfort and performance as nearly 36,000 copies were scooped up for 1963, with 12,000 being 2-door hardtops like the seller’s car. The muscle side of the Wildcat came in the standard form of Buick’s famous “nailhead” 401 cubic inch V-8 engine. With its Rochester four-barrel carburetor and 10.25:1 compression ratio, it would crank out a stout 325 hp. And it was torquey, as well, at 445-lb.ft. at 2,800 RPM. Inside the car, the driver was treated to bucket seats with a center console. Automatic transmission was also standard, as was a tach unless someone opted for a bench seat instead.

We don’t know why this forlorn-looking ’63 Wildcat has been sitting out in the field, but we’re guessing it had a mechanical issue that was big enough not to fix at the time. We’re told it’s a one-owner family car, so there must by 57 years of memories that the seller could share if asked. Working in the car’s favor is that it’s numbers-matching, but the motor and tranny will probably have to come apart in order to run again. This ‘Cat came with a lot of goodies, like air conditioning and power almost everything.

From what we can see, it’s hard to tell where the car ends and the earth begins. That usually does not bode well in the rust department, although the sheet metal appears to have largely been spared. There’s almost as much surface rust in the engine compartment than in the rest of the car. I wish we could see more of the floorboards in the interior photos provided. Hope there’s no holes there for Fred Flintstone’s feet.

The seller sounds adamant about not parting the car out, and I can’t say I blame him. Once you decide to let it go, you’ve got to get it gone. Piecing it out would take forever and there would still be something left when it was all done. Hagerty says a top-notch ’63 Wildcat can be worth $32,000.  This could be a restorable car, but at what price? Thanks, Hagerty for some of the facts and figures.

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    Terrible! One of the nicest cars made, that didn’t look too bad before it was dumped in the mud. I know, we never really know the whole story, just an old car to some. Fantastic cars, but sadly, I think this was ignored for too long. With restoration costs changing daily, you’d have couple kidneys worth stuck into this. Oh sure, be quite a car when done, but save yourself the headaches and if you have the money to restore this, then you certainly have the scratch to sit at some auction, and drive ‘er home that very evening.

    Like 17
  2. Avatar geoff

    “A one owner family car”..must have been a pretty dysfunctional family. I love ad hyperbole. Wonder what the undercarriage looks like/ That cheekily said this is a pretty significant car that appears to be pretty much all there. For 2500 it would be worth giving it a good clean and then assess what one has. AT the very least it has some good parts.

    Like 5
  3. Avatar Johnmloghry

    This pulls at my heartstrings. Both because I love these cars and because it’s so neglected. It has all the right options that we know of, and perhaps some we don’t know about such as electric trunk release and automatic dimmer, tilt wheel and maybe a few others. This car might be worth restoration if not rusted to badly. Parts are still readily available, even though nearly every mechanical part likely needs rebuilt. Still my heart cries out in anguish over this poor mistreated piece of automotive history. I surely hope she finds a new loving home.
    God bless America

    Like 9
  4. Avatar Michael Lorrain

    My Dad had a 63 convertible and I have always looked for one but I’m afraid this one might be long gone sitting in the mud for all those years. WAAH! I would have gone out west to pick it up.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar oilngas

    What a beautiful car. Buckets, console, power windows, a/c, two door. left to rot to the point only a miracle will save it. Makes me sad. So very, very sad.

    Like 8
  6. Avatar Superdessucke

    If a mint one is 32 there is no way this makes any sense. Your paint and body work alone would be in excess of 10 even assuming the floor pan is not completely trashed, a huge and probably incorrect assumption here. Add in interior, electrics, suspension, engine, tansmission, brakes, tires, fuel system, belts and hoses, and miscellaneous stuff you’re going to be way over 32. Maybe even close to double that.

    Like 4
  7. Avatar Don

    Once a car sits on the grass for longer than a few months it starts absorbing water ground up day by day…it does not take long before frame rails rusted out + gone along with floor pans every nut + bolt rusted away .
    Not to mention all the mice that live in these cars urinate + deficate + eat away at interior + wire harness any rubber is dry rotted. Unless its a super rare special VIN.code car or famous back story automobile ….just part it out.
    Do yourself a favor + find one all together for a few bucks more..
    Remember – rust never sleeps..
    😁😁😁

    Like 3
  8. Avatar stillrunners

    It’s been for sale for a while now…..a long while………

    Like 1
  9. Avatar Richard J Reau Member

    Here’s the problem….restoring this car would require some young person with lots of energy and money, but young people don’t have a lot of money, generally speaking. OR, it would require some older person with lots of money and energy, but us older guys don’t have the energy. And, hopefully we’re smarter now, and would know that this car is a money pit.

    It would seem that a lot of cars are showing up in this kind of condition lately. 10 years too late if you ask me. At least this one isn’t laughably overpriced.

    Like 8

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