Rare Power Tailgate: 1971 Buick Electra Estate

I’m a sucker for classic American station wagons. I know they aren’t as exciting as a muscle or sports car, but I like that wagons are often overlooked simply because they were family haulers. Yes, most were just that, but some had innovative and unique features. Just take a look at this 1971 Buick Electra Estate. It not only has a 455 V8, but also the rare power clamshell tailgate. You read that right: this wagon has a motorized tailgate, and it’s way cooler than the power tailgate of any modern SUV! I’ve included a video below showing it in action, and it’s really impressive. If you’re interested in owning this one, you can find it here on eBay in Anaheim, California, with a BIN of $15,000.

When I first spotted this Buick, I quickly dismissed it. The photos aren’t great, and I’m not a fan of wheels, but while I was writing up a different car, this one came back up in my feed, and I noticed the seller mentioned a power tailgate. Growing up in the ’90s, that was a feature you never saw on affordable family vehicles. Heck, I can’t think of a single luxury vehicle from that era with a power tailgate. I’ve always been fascinated with the dual-action tailgates found on some late ’60s and early ’70s station wagons, but this clamshell design might be cooler.

Here’s a different Buick’s power tailgate in action. You can see that the glass slides up into the roof and the bottom section rolls under the floor. It’s probably not the best use of space, but it sure looks awesome. The seller doesn’t say what condition theirs is in, but there are photos of the trunk, so it probably works correctly.

This Buick was really well optioned, with all the power options, fiber-optic dash lighting, and the big-block engine. The 455 V8 has a 4-barrel carburetor and is said to be the 365 horsepower version. Yes, this is a big, heavy vehicle, but that’s a healthy amount of power to have on tap. There’s no word on it’s history or if things like the A/C work properly.

I’m really not a fan of the wheels or lowered stance, but the original wheels are with it, and this thing is so cool, I could live with it not being perfectly original simply because of how the car was optioned. The seller is including some spare parts, including a third-row seat, from a parts car.

This wagon is sure to be a hit at car shows, both with people that grew up riding around in big wagons like this and us younger gearheads that rode around in boring beige SUVs. If your like me and appreciate the novel features of this Buick, be sure to take a closer look at it. So, who here grew up with one of these Buicks and its clamshell tailgate?