Nova, Omega, Ventura and Apollo, talk about GM badge-engineering! And from a performance perspective, the Nova and the one year only Ventura based GTO have all of the cred. The others? Not so much so. Well, Nova and GTO, move over because Buick is taking charge with this 1973, 455 engined Apollo. Located in Kirkland, Washington, it is available here on craigslist for $6,000. Thanks to Ken for this great tip!
The Buick Apollo was Buick’s “X” bodied compact introduced in 1973 and discontinued in 1975. Not a particularly remarkable car, it was overshadowed by its lesser corporate cousins. As for performance, a 175 net HP, Buick 350 CI engine is about as wooly as it got. The production numbers were pretty stout though, about 113,000 copies over three years. That said, I can’t remember the last time that I saw one on the prowl.
This example is rocking 1973 with its Burnt Corral Poly, better known as brown, finish. I didn’t get brown back then and still don’t today but to each his own! That said, it looks great, good depth and no fading. The seller states that there are some rust bubbles but they must be minor, there’s no visual evidence in the accompanying images. The seller does add that the finish is a repaint but it appears to have been professionally applied over a very straight, sound body. The Buick road wheels are a great inclusion, they always provide a little visual kick whether it’s an Apollo, an Electra or something in-between.
The 800 lb. gorilla with this baby is under the hood. This Apollo possesses a ’70 vintage 455 CI V8 engine that claimed a Riviera as its original address. That would mean 370 gross HP before all of the messing around occurred. There is an extensive list of upgrades that have been implemented and I encourage a full review of the listing to take it all in. The seller is an engineer by trade and it appears that he has put his academic and professional experience to very good use. He even goes into specific detail about how he set this big Buick mill up for its initial firing. Whereas a car like a Nova was no stranger to big-block and small-block Chevy engines alike, this Apollo was not of a state to accept the big engine so the seller designed, created and installed his own frame mounts to accommodate the 455. That’s motivation and dedication – a whole lot of work! And it continues, nothing seems to have been left untouched including the brakes, steering, cooling, etc. the list goes on. For transmission action, this Apollo is still using its original Turbo-Hydramatic 350, three-speed automatic but that has seen modification too. So, how does it go? The seller claims, “It runs great and sounds amazing!” I bet it does.
Inside there is more metamorphosis occurring as the bench seat is being swapped for a pair of BMW M3 buckets. A color change is in store too as the original brown shade gives way to black. The seller states that he has everything necessary to complete the changeover.
What a hot-rod! I don’t know how much the seller has invested in this Apollo but I have a tough time imagining that it was anything less than his $6K price – especially when you include the base value of the car. This is a huge amount of well-engineered modification for a very reasonable price. Someone, please, buy this car! After all, wouldn’t you really rather have a Buick?
Yes, I would, and this is a beauty, as well as a testament to the engineering skills of the owner! Just needs to source a console/shifter assembly to go with the new interior! GLWTA! :-)
how about a 70 lemans sport console or a factory dual gate
I really like what the owner has done by using a Buick big block instead of a Chevy. It’s worth the asking price all day long.
What’s up with that radiator hose?
Looks like if they changed the inlet and outlet on the radiator they could fix the convoluted path to the thermostat.
He likes to see the coolant go by in the “sight glass”. An ORIGINAL J C WHITNEY accessory !!!!
Hi Weasel, I’m the owner. Due to trying to cram the 455 where it wasn’t designed to go, I ended up with an odd radiator hose angle and try as I might, I couldn’t get the air bubble out and it was impacting the cooling performance. So I added the vent to be able to “bleed out” the air from the highest point in the system. Also, the HEI distributor is a lot larger, which drove the need for the strange flexi-hose. Thanks for your interest!
Thanks for the response dude
David,
Did your 455 Apollo get purchased? I’ve never seent his format before, so I’m sorry if I missed ths opportunity?
Bargain of the week. Sleeper image is priceless.
Just where would this be a sleeper now? It sticks out like a sore thumb compared to every blob of current motoring.
Sadly, this thing, while probably loads of fun to launch off the line, would get eaten alive by many of the sporty cars on the road these days. I mean can you picture this pulling up next to a newer Charger and attempting to “surprise” the driver? He’d probably give a thumbs up for rocking the classic iron when you caught up to him at the next traffic light.
So! It would surprise most that thought it was a stock Buick Apollo. I could put in an LS in my 55 and remove the 302dz and be faster but it’s fun to drive and I would guess the current owner may feel the same about the Buick.
class dont need to be fast
It was all done right and the asking price is reasonable for all of the fun that’s lurking under the hood.
My verdict,
“I LIKE IT”
Apart from the fact that it looks as though front’s had an argument with a slab of concrete wall. Considering that it is also a post 1970 American, model I also like it.
We Buick owners believe in keeping it all Buick
so kudos to the owner! Nice car at a great price. Goes to show you how overpriced the Novas are. GLWTS.
Nice. Price is a value.
Nova
Omega
Ventura
Apollo
Wonder if that was intentional or coincidence on GM’s model naming department.
It was absolutely intentional.
There’s no substitute for cubic inches, just so long as everything stays together. Come to think of it I don’t remember the last time I saw a Buick Apollo, anywhere, in the past thirty years or so, somewhere I’m sure.
Neat spoiler of a hot rod, nobody expects it to have That many cubes making it a sleeper in brown. Plus the fact it’s not a Chevy Nova….
Or as I used to say, there is no replacement for displacement, and this is coming from a car I had to give up which had a ram inducted 428Ci SCJ.
Don’t get me wrong, that engine (69 Torino) was an blast of adrenaline. LOL!
But anyway, I don’t say there no replacement for displacement anymore. Today, I drive a 17 Lincoln MKZ 6 cyl Bi-turbo, 400HP, and still gives me between 17 and 26 MPG depending on if I wear flip flops, or steel toed army boots :-)
Everyone, stay safe out there
It’s a whole different ball game today with how they get these modern engines to run so efficient, believe me when I say this… I’m glad. The Buick here is more like a set of free weights as opposed to the modern cross fit training yoga gym kata stuff. Both ideas work, one is all about muscle.
I don’t believe GM ever put a turbo 350 trans behind any of its 454 or 455 motors. Same with Caddy & its big motors.
I would swap to a TH400.
a turbo 350 has a lower first gear and they can handle 600hp. Level 3 TH350 Transmission & #8 Torque Converter, rated at 600 HP at transmission center…
I saw this beauty on Craigslist and knew it was perfect for Barn Finds. I’m surprised no one has snapped it up. My wife and I recently took out a home equity loan to do some remodeling, but I’d be more than happy to divert six grand of it for this baby. Kirkland is only four hours from here.
Wife said no. Gotta remodel the ol’ homestead. 😎
Back in 1983, I was working at a Buick dealership in New Jersey doing motor vehicle work. Some girl had traded in a ’73 Apollo in this same color. Cute little car. As I love the luxobarges of the time, me, getting a small Apollo was something odd. But, I needed a vehicle, it was good condition, and it only cost me $200. I’m thinking it had the 350 in it, but I was impressed that when I was driving it home, I burned rubber all the way across an intersection from a red light. Sweet little car. Unfortunately, it got rear ended, bad! I bought it back from the insurance company when they totalled it, and then sold it for $900. Those were the days.
They originally had considered the Cadillac “Uranus” but the Legal Department poo-pooed the idea,
That’s enough outta you. sorry lol
Like, your comment made me think of a road side attraction in Missouri. Here is a picture of their sign.
1. I want pics of those custom frame mounts.
2. What do the stock bench seats look like? They don’t look like “junk” from outside the car. How far along is the recoloring, is anything irreversably ruined? Can I pull the driver’s seat and reinstall the bench in your driveway and leave you the BMW seats to sell separately?
Assuming the engine swap is good and the stock interior’s in at least usable shape, and nothing inside that left Flint in brown has been painted Boring Black, I’d say offer 5 grand sans seats.
Soooo much cooler than the garden variety Nova. Love the original color and hate black cars so I would pain whatever part was black.
A cool car you never see.
These cars are great for the big engine swap.I had a 74 GTO that I put a 71 455 and a rebuilt TH350.
The best part is the Buick and Pontiac 455″s bolt right in with stock mounts and virtually no weight gained from it, with the Pontiac there’s none at all and a huge performance upgrade over the sad 350’s
pontiacs 350 ho was no slouch…
I never thought that the Pont. 350 was sad.. and yes, I did have a built 400, the 350 Ventura was my daily driver
I remember reading that the ’74 gto was faster than the ’74 nova ss – both 350s – maybe cause the GTO 350 got a FUNCTIONAL shaker & the SS made due with just an underhood air cleaner – even tho the pontiac 350 was about 75 lbs heavier than the chevy 350!
Surprisingly, the Pontiac 350 has the same long stroke(longer than the chevy 350) as the Pontiac 400.
They discontinued the name Apollo in 1975 but the X-body Buick lived on as the Skylark until 1978.
I built a 1975 455 Buick Skylark from a V6 card in 1985. It wasn’t hard at all. Very little custom work. My motor came from an Electra and I used the big car frame mounts to bolt the engine in. I kept the Turbo 350 transmission and all the accessories bolted up with minimal fuss. The only custom fabrication was the alternator arm need and extension to make the belt tight.
When I was done it even had working factory air conditioning. If it had been a hatchback, I’d probably still have it.
The fact that the builder is an engineer does not mean that it is “well-engineered.”
Hi CCFisher, as the owner/seller, that’s a fair statement. I didn’t do any finite element analysis for the stress calculations on the engine mounts, but I did do some voltage drop analysis to figure out the wire gage for the larger alternator. :)
Slap!
Brown is finally back! Very cool car. What else matters?
If I needed a car like this,I’d be seriously considering it.
I’ve always liked something different.I looked into an Omega
back in ’74 (new),but didn’t buy one.
This car is as far away from me as possible! The price is right but thank you for being on the other coast or it would be in my driveway. I do so want it! The Apollo even looks better than the Nova.
That’s your deal of the week, that right there .
Step away from the car,and bring those BMWeenie seats with you .
Love it. Great price
As some one who grew up riding around in a very Brown 70’s car.. I can agree. For me the 70’s where a lot of Brown, Olive green, muted yellow cars. But as much as I detest them, I also can’t stop looking at them. Kinda like hearing a Carpenter’s song, I won’t actively look for it, but if it comes on, I’ll be singing right along with Karen. Because Memories.
Out of curiosity wouldn’t the engine mounting be the same as a Chevy Nova with a big block? It seems like they were built on the same platform.
Being a Mopar guy I know that parts are interchangeable on most A bodies (Dart, Duster, Valiant etc).
Hi WH, as the owner/seller I can answer that. The Chevy Big Block engine mounts would indeed have bolted right up so that would have been an easy sway. The Buick 455’s have different mount configurations than the Chevy BBC even though they are both GM. Thanks for your interest!
A lot of car for little money! Why it is so cheap? Because it`s not a Chevy Nova. Nothing more.
But like hell, why this silly idea of putting these extreme ugly BMW seats in it?
It looks so nice with the brown bench. It`s perfect as it is!
It would be an elegant sort of understatement sitting on a bench like this, but having such an engine under the hood of this car.
This is the same old case where the car’s worth nothing but it’s content is what makes you think it’s a good offer. To make a 7+ litre engine fit in that medium you’ll need the mounts of a full-size GM and just cut-and-mold a bit here or there. The Apollo which I’d like to build would’ve been a sedan or a hatch with a six cylinder engine and three speed manual. This is just another “nice” project, one of thousands you’ll see repeatedly because no one wants to work with smaller engines. Except, me, of course…
That’s a lot of bumper for ’73, they must have been ahead of the requirements that I thought started in ’74?
Pretty cool car and the 455 is certainly part of that! In today’s world nobody builds a car like this to win any races because this car won’t but at the same time it’s a simple car that looks fun to play with and it would be fun in ways that the newer 700 plus HP cars just can’t. I like this car and hope the new owner enjoys the heck out of it!!
That is really cool. I like that. From the brown ( we had a 74 Ventura in that color with the 350) to the build. Talk about a sleeper, there is no callout to the 455. Thats a great find I think
@md
The 5 mph bumpers were implimented in 1973.
who does 5 mph…
5 mph bumpers front & back in ’74.
5 mph front & 2.5 mph back in ’73.
It was to reduce/eliminate insurance claims on minor impacts at up to those speeds.
The Bricklin’s bumpers could take a 12mph hit!
& on some big GM cars back then, if hit up front, the front grill also would move inward!!
Today it’s the direct opposite – “bumpers” are made to encourage max damage at the slowest speed! All i see are front plastic grills on many “cars” right at the frnt edge & NO bumpers, though they are hidden behind, but hardly protect plastic. lol
Hey Guys, I’m the owner/seller of the car, thanks for all the kind words! After lots of blood, sweat and tears (and lets be honest, $$$) to get the car to this point, it’s great to see such a positive reception. I’m sad I won’t be able to finish it off, but I’ll be happy to see it on the road!
It sounds to me that if you don’t get rid of it, there will be trouble in Paradise. I’ve been there. Sounds familiar.
You did a great job on it. A cool car you never see anywhere.
If you were on the east coast you’d have my money in your bank account.
Nice car and something you don’t see much any more……..
David, you mention you will not be able to finish it off – what still needs to be done?
needs nothing? what a great daily driver. and a little fun between red lights. i was having fun one time at a red light in shalimar florida. working the 350 shift kit with chirpy 2nd. well come to find out there was an unmarked car next to me. he pulled me over and was laughing all the way to my car door. oh, those teenage years…
if this car had aftermarket AC and was 2500 miles east it would be mine…what a great road trip this car would be. if i only had a week off.
I’m not an expert here, and I could be wrong, but I believe the 350 & 455 are the same block, that Buick didn’t have big and small blocks. That being said, I don’t know why the motor mounts & other fabrication would have been necessary.
Whether I am right or wrong, still a neat, well done car that should be a blast to drive.
I had an uncle who was an engineer. Very analytical mind. Sometimes he over thought things and had complex solutions to simple problems. Could have been what happened here, if I am correct. If my assumption that the blocks are the same is wrong, then it is still well done.
I would have left the stock interior myself, and probably replaced the chrome rims with steel rims & puppy pan caps, but that is all minor & subjective.
I wish the buyer & seller both fair trade, and all a Corona-free existence.
What would have cool is if buick would have made a skylark gs out of one of these. 455 turbo 400 and 12 bolt would have been fun. This thing is cool, I do have questions about 350 trans and 10 bolt rearend. Why not upgrade? Seems to me that close to 400 go and a torq monster, that the trans and rearend should be upgraded to support the 455.
What would have been cool is if buick would have made a skylark gs out of one of these. 455 turbo 400 and 12 bolt would have been fun. This thing is cool, I do have questions about 350 trans and 10 bolt rearend. Why not upgrade? Seems to me that close to 400 hp and a torq monster, that the trans and rearend should be upgraded to support the 455.
I do agree with a turbo 400 and a 12 bolt backing up the 455 but in reality the only time that would come into play would be if the car could ever actually hook up and get serious traction on launch like at a drag strip with slicks on. Driving the car on the street it’s never going to get enough traction to put any serious strain on with the trans or rear end. I ran a Camaro with a 377 ci SBC that dynoed at 526 HP and ran a turbo 350 with a 10 bolt both on the street and on the strip and this car had a 3000 stall converter in it with 456 gear and never had any problems.
This car will likely never end up on a strip. I’ll be cruising mainly with the occasional roastie. Definitely gonna run the 350 till it gives up then turbo 400. In terms of a rear end tho, I’d be more inclined to go with the same Quick performance Ford 9″ that’s in my skykark. But without it really needing that type of performance…. I’ll likely end up putting an lsd in the stock rear end first. As it sits tho… it’s a beautifully ugly runner. 70s brown has never been my thing
Had I an extra $5500 in the bank I would’ve taken the day off and been heading north for this car.
Funny thing…. this car is on it’s way to my garage and I had no clue it was featured here. My dad will be swapping my heavily modded 72 buick skykark convertible with a 71 455 for this apollo. The car is in process of having the remainder of the interior installed in a buddies garage. We might do some suspension work then I’ll be finishing the audio once it comes home. My 455 is quite a bit more powerful than this car…. but none the less I can’t wait to cruise it this season.
it this still for sale?
if so, can someone put me intouch with the owner.
‘thx
Lee
cruzn57@yahoo.com