The owner of this 1965 Buick Wildcat recently found it hidden away in a barn. A close inspection revealed a structurally sound classic that would make a rewarding and straightforward restoration project. He has coaxed its original V8 back to life, and it would take little work to return it to a roadworthy state. Alternatively, a fresh coat of paint would have it shining like a new penny. Located in Crossville, Tennessee, you will find the Wildcat listed for sale here on Craigslist. With a sale price of $9,000, it appears to be an affordable proposition. Barn Finder Larry D has once again proven that he has a well-developed radar for spotting classics. I have to say a big thank you, Larry.
While it now looks tired, this Buick wears what appears to be its original Astro Blue paint. It has developed a matte look in some spots, particularly on horizontal surfaces like the hood and trunk lid. However, it is still presentable if the new owner wants to retain the car as an unrestored survivor. There are no significant dents or blemishes on the panels and no evidence of significant rust. The lower body extremities are clean, especially the rear quarter panels and rockers. It seems that a fresh coat of paint would make an enormous difference to this car’s exterior presentation. I believe that the trim and chrome would respond positively to some hard work with a high-quality polish, meaning that the buyer won’t face the expense of replacing parts or sending items off to the platers. The original owner ordered the car with tinted glass, which shows no evidence of significant issues or flaws.
The interior continues this Buick’s overall theme of being presentable as a survivor, but an area that would sparkle with a bit of TLC. Before I spent any money on trim pieces or parts, I would treat everything to a deep clean. That doesn’t mean that the buyer will be able to return the interior to a factory-fresh state by this action alone, but it will allow them to determine what does and doesn’t require replacement. It appears that somebody has reupholstered the dash pad, and the work quality isn’t the best. I would be inclined to replace this and spend the money on a new carpet set. The wheel is cracked, but I believe it is repairable. There is some discoloring on the vinyl at the outer edge of the front seat, but there are vinyl dyes that may address this without the need for replacement. The cloth and vinyl on the seat faces show a couple of minor flaws, but an upholsterer may be able to fix these with blind patches. The overall impression is that it may take more time than money to have this interior presented at its best. The factory radio is intact, and the original owner ordered this car with air conditioning. It isn’t clear whether this blows cold, so it may need a service and recharge to return it to that state.
During the mid-1960s, Buick demonstrated an ability to produce cars that perfectly combined stunning good looks with impressive performance. The Wildcat is no exception, and its 401ci V8 could churn out 314hp. The power finds its way to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission, while the car also features power steering and power brakes. In its prime, this Wildcat would have romped through the ¼ mile in a neat 16 seconds. While that doesn’t sound fast by today’s standards, the figure looked pretty good in 1965. It seems that this Buick is a numbers-matching classic, and the owner has coaxed that V8 back to life. He says that the car runs and drives, but it appears that it may not be roadworthy at this point. However, the text of his listing suggests that getting it to that point would not be particularly difficult or expensive. That means that returning this car to the road quickly as an original survivor could be a viable proposition.
This 1965 Buick Wildcat exhibits plenty of potential as a project build. Returning its panels and paint to their stunning best would not be a major undertaking and could potentially be tackled by its new owner in a home workshop. With that original V8 under the hood, it should also offer impressive performance. Its potential value with a fresh coat of paint and an interior refresh would be around $15,000, and when you consider the seller’s asking price, that makes it a project worth considering.
Looks like all the BIG GIRLS are coming out of the barn for the NEW YEAR.
Nice old Buick. Detail and DRIVE it.
401ci “nailhead”
That’s a nice looking car!
What a great ‘under the radar’ cruiser. The 401 nailhead is a torquey sunnuvagun and will move this car nicely…2 of my Rivieras had this engine. Looks like a real nice drive as you restore kind of ride at a decent ask (if it holds up under inspection)
i had a 1964 wildcat what a cruser
“Wildcat”, oh, you got to hand it to GM, they knew what to call their cars, regardless of how mundane they may be,,it’s a “WILDCAT”! This was the car the poor single guy in the mailroom, finally saved enough living at home, he trades in the Chevy for a “WILDCAT”. Surely the other single gals at the factory will notice. Whether they did or not, we’ll never know. Maybe if he bought the Pontiac instead, but mom said go with the Buick. Reason I say all that, my uncle, who was single, lived at home and worked at Briggs and Stratton his whole life, had a ’68 Buick, 2 door similar to this. It fit him perfectly.
Now, I pixx and moan at what $9 or $10g’s buys today, but I will say, you get a heck of a car here for the money, some old faded squarebody pickup, not so much. We also simply can’t forget the jingle that graced every TV set in the nation, much like Dinah Shore, her name was Linda November, ( I never knew she was the “Meow MIx voice, plus many others) she helped sell a lot of Buicks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oizl5KF0e2E
Cool car, QUESTION:
Did Buick ever offer a Wildcat or Electra 225 in a 4 speed?
That would be the best, even better than the Riveria that did not offer a manual.
@ fran….In ’64 & ’65, a 4-speed was optional in both the LeSabre & the Wildcat.
Yes, I have a 65 4spd a/c bucket seat Wildcat in my driveway that needs a lot of work. Said to have made about 140 of them. It’s for sale cheap.
Hi, where are you located?
They actually did offer it. It was an option for the SUPER WILDCAT with the dual quad setup. Crazt 465 foot / lbs. torque,
i had a 1968 Wildcat with black bucket seats 400 + engine in burgandy with black vinyl roof that car could move when those four barrels kicked in . These were great cars .
Growing up my Uncle had a 68 225. It was a Beautiful Barge and talk about move. We worked at the same place and after work we would race across the bridge on the way home. I had a sweet small block Chevy pick up. The bridge was almost a mile long and I’d get him outta the hole every time but that Buick came to life as mine was running out of breath. I loved the HOT RODS back then but now being older I Love and Respect The BIG GIRLS….. Let’s Cruise.
I have seen only 2 Buick Wildcats With a four speed.
never seen a Electra 225 with a four speed.
I learned to drive in my dad’s black ’65 LeSabre four-door. I also owned a white ’66, and thought the styling of the ’65 was so much nicer. These were nice cars and I would still consider driving one, but it would have to be a convertible.
I had a 66 Grand Sport silver with a black interior bucket seats and console. with the 401. I rebuilt the motor with a mild cam. It had a 2-speed automatic from the factory, posi rear. Manual steering and brakes. Fast as hell, tough to stop. Boy do I miss that car !!!
Buick’s “445 Wildcat” was this 401, but unless some strange hp-subtracting was performed here, 401’s harbored 325 horsepower.
Actually. The 445 on the Carb cover referred to the Torque not the CI. This car produced 445 foot pounds of torque to the rear wheels. You could tow a small house with this beast.