Buick must have held lofty goals for the Apollo, naming it after the God of music, dance, and poetry! This 1973 Buick Apollo in Sullivan, New Hampshire seeks a new owner here on eBay where more than 15 bids have driven the market value above the less-than-heavenly sum of $1000. Perhaps with a better description and some pictures of the engine and interior, it could reach $1500. Thanks to wikipedia.org for some details, and to reader local_sheriff for spotting this often-forgotten ’70s Buick.
Though offered “for parts or restoration,” this Apollo also apparently received some love as the listing says the bodywork is “done” and it sports a rebuilt engine. While the base engine would have been Chevrolet’s 250 cid (4.1L) inline six cylinder, this one sports badges from Buick’s own 350 cid (5.7L) V8, a motor that could be built to deliver more-than-ample thrust. This angle makes it obvious that the Apollo was Buick’s version of the popular Chevy Nova.
Three rectangles pay homage to Buick’s signature portholes used (off and on) from the 1940s through at least 2017. Three portholes typically indicate a mid-level car where models historically had two to four based on their level of luxury, roughly speaking.
While the big ’70s bumpers often appear tacked-on, Buick did a decent job integrating this one into the design of this first-year Apollo. If anything it lends an aggressive air to a vehicle Buick’s own sales literature described as “not a sports car.” Buick also bragged that the Apollo was 450 lb heavier than some competitors and thus less likely to be blown around by gusts of wind, a marketing approach that’s clearly underutilized for heavier vehicles today. I’d drive this Buick as-is or tweak the stock 350 into a highway-friendly sleeper. I wonder if anyone has made custom wheels that look just like these including the white-wall? What would you do with this rarely-remembered Buick?
I’d do what my dad did with his Pontiac version of this car… tweak the 350 and haul boat parts around in it. It doesn’t take much tweaking to make these cars serious runners.
Thanks for the great link to the portholes Todd! My girlfriend got a new one for her graduation in 74. Very nice car, pretty blue color with a white vinal top and white interior. I guess anything would have been nicer than my old bug smasher Hippy van I was driving at the time.
The Buick 350 is a stout engine. I like it for its forward mounted distributor end exterior oil pump. There are several tutorials online on how to coax more power from them. A cousin of mine had a 1976 Skylark with an anemic V6 that he swapped for a 350 from his grandfather’s ‘72 LeSabre. It was a vast improvement.
(No, he didn’t pull his granddad’s engine in the dead of night. He inherited the car. 😎)
I am a complete geek when it comes to facts & stats, but I also am man enough to admit I don’t know everything. So I gotta ask…what Buick only had 2 portholes?
Three portholes or four portholes, but never two!!
Yeah; sorry everyone. Curse my failing memory. My Dad had a ’53 Roadmaster Riviera and I knew the “Super” had one less porthole but I was thinking the difference was 3 and 2 but in fact it was 4 and 3. Thanks for keeping me straight!
So much cooler than your garden variety Nova.
My “spinster” cousin decided to get her driver’s license in her late thirties. Her first stop was the local Buick dealer, where she bought her Apollo in the same color, but as a 4 door. But on the way home she clipped a mailbox, causing light damage to the passenger side. My dad drove the Buick to her home and parked it under a tree that shaded the driveway, and it never moved again, until she passed away in the late 1990’s. She did begin to drive a few years later, but she bought a new Buick Century. She refused to touch that Apollo. Poor thing rusted away in that driveway.
Perfect candidate for a sleeper LS project. It almost bolts itself together. You still have the comfort and looks of a Buick.
Another candidate for the Ultimate Driver Group. Give it what it needs and use it as a daily driver. You won’t be disappointed.
This would make a great phantom GS 350/400
Ah…the “spinster sister” of the Nova. I’d love to get hold of this and give her a makeover! Stock” appearance” on the outside, hell raiser under the skin! I might keep and build the Buick engine, but, most likely, I’d replace it with a built small block Chevy (aren’t they a bit lighter?). The aftermarket is strong for the X-body, since they basically use F-body underpinnings. I’d make it do EVERYTHING fast! Engine, suspension, brakes, EVERYTHING! You could do pretty much anything with this car.
This thing could be very rotten and full of bondo.
Counterpoint: It could be very solid and full of GOLD DOUBLOONS!
Had a Pontiac Ventura, had the Chevy Nova but never had Buick’s version??? Nice find!!!! Buick’s version always seem more stylish to me!!!
We had a 74 Olds Omega 4 door come in the the yard ; the owner junked it because the rear bumper fell (rusted) off – The car had a Rocket 350 4 bbl from the factory ! And yes, we roasted the tires of of it !
I have not seen a car of this vintage in years that just plain was pleasing to look at. Buick did a fine job on this platform. Way better than I remember. A couple I knew back then had whatever the Oldsmobile variant was, Omega I think, and had the tent camper accessory that let you go camping and sleep in the car with the hatch open. That’s a valuable accessory to find now and would sure add to this car’s attraction at any show. Awfully tempting…
Oh, let’s throw on a set of those chrome 15 inch Riviera Sport Rally wheels and Coker correct whitewalls. duals, buckets and a shorty factory console. Wahoo…
It would make sense to make sure it’s a hatchback first!
Stick a 455 Stage 1 in it and see how fast you can hurt yourself!
“I hurt myself a quarter-mile at a time…”
These look a lot better to me now than they did years ago. I remembered these as the ugly car not named Skylark, that replaced the beautiful 68-72 Buick A body. I’d mess around with the engine a little and drive it as is. No interior picture so that’s a mystery. It’s less than a two hour drive from me.
Well, let’s see… All pics are exterior. Caution!! No interior or underside pics. They didn’t even bring it out from under the tree. Instead, they walked around in the brush and took what pics they wanted. Even for this low price, I wouldn’t bid on it. If seller is this lazy, I don’t see any reason to offer anything. No apologies for my cynicism.