When General Motors redesigned its full-size cars in 1971, the Buick Estate Wagon moved to the longer Electra platform, making it the largest Buick wagon since the post-World War II era. These were heavy wagons, coming in at 5,400 lbs., so it took a 455-cubic-inch V8 to get the beasts rolling. This ’71 Electra looks and runs pretty well and has the interesting “clamshell”-style rear gate. Located in Anaheim, California, this big Buick is available here on eBay for $17,000 OBO.
The 1971 Estate Wagon rode on a 127-inch wheelbase and featured a “Glide-Away Tailgate,” in which the glass receded into the roof while the tailgate slipped under the cargo floor. This design was intended to make it easier to load and unload these big wagons. 2 and 3 bench seat configurations were offered, with the seller’s wagon being the former with seating for six. Rated at 365 horsepower, the Estate Wagon had mostly the same engine you’d find in the GSX muscle car.
Because this wagon was an Electra, it has virtually every accessory available at the time. This includes factory air conditioning, which currently does not work. New parts include the water pump and a rebuild kit in the 4-barrel carburetor. With dual exhaust, we’re told the big Buick runs great. Aftermarket wheels are affixed at all four corners, and the front springs are lowered, but the seller has the original hardware should you want it.
We’re told the interior is mostly restored and the seller has a third back seat that you can have should you want to up people capacity to nine. The clamshell window and tailgate work as they should. There is minimal rust in the sheet metal, and the seller has extras from a donor that must go with the sale. We wish there were more photos, but it is what it is. Buick produced 24,000 of these luxury transports in ’71.
This is one of the coolest wagons I’ve ever seen. What an awesome way to haul the family.
5400 lbs?!?! IIRC the Chevy Kingswood could be had as a base model with a 350.
My parents had a 71 Kingswood when I was a kid. 350, I don’t know if a 2 or 4bbl. The air didn’t work, and the speedometer seldom worked, although the cable used to “sing”. It had two thin lines in the middle of the windshield instead of an antenna. I remember my father having problems with the power window in the clamshell tailgate.
Beautiful car – we had a Vista Cruiser which was similar. Very nice ride!
In 1971, Chevrolet offered its full-size station wagons with a base 250-cubic-inch (4.1L) inline-six cylinder engine. Models like the Biscayne, Bel Air, and Impala wagons could be equipped with the straight-six to keep the base price down.Because these full-size wagons weighed well over 4,000 pounds, a 6-cylinder engine was extremely rare to find on dealer lots compared to the V8 options.
The base-level Chevrolet Brookwood was the only full-size wagon trim that allowed a 6-cylinder configuration – in ’72.
You could not get a 6 in ’73-’76.
The SUV of the early 70s.
I had a 72 estate wagon. It was a good car that I bought cheap and drove for years. It was much better than the Dodge I replaced it with.
I never understood why, when trying to sell one of these ’71 thru ’76 GM full size wagons they dont show the tailgate closed AND open. At least you know it works.
My ’72 Caprice Estate wagon was wonderful. Not a race car by any means, but loved the looks, the size and that tailgate. All tailgate windows were power but you could get the tailgate itself in manual or power. Mine was power.
Pulled up to a bunch of sailors in Jacksonville, Florida, hit the buttons, window went up, tailgate went down and about 9 sailors climbed in. Took them back to the base. Rear bumper was almost touching the ground. Had about 13 people in that car.
This was around 1975, 1976
I had a ’72 triple black Caprice coupe. I had the 402 big block in mine and I added true duals from the manifolds back. With our 98s, that’s two cars we’ve both had.
How many cars have you owned?
Ooooo…. its got the 4 ventiports per side!…
It’s interesting, how today’s generations find Buick’s “ventiports” noteworthy. I grew up around cars in the fifties and sixties, and I don’t recall the feature attracting any interest.The same goes for the dual-hinged hood design, which allowed for opening the hood from either side of the car. No one considered it at all remarkable, accepting it simply as a “Buick thing.” But contemporary automotive writers as well as others who comment on cars seem–at least to me–unduly fascinated with the design.
Gorgeous wagon, BTW.
Ummm… sarcasm son, sarcasm.
My uncle had one of these boats, Navy Blue over White, like all his Buicks. He was normally a pleasant refined Southern gentleman, successful state senator. Well dressed at all times, loved Rum Raisin ice cream, and his evening glass of Cutty Sark. I saw him mad 3 times in his life. One of them was a startingly long physically impossible string of invectives about the clamshell doors. And that was his last Buick.
I really like this car. I put together a ’77 Caprice Estate wagon, lowered with 8″ Rallies and that car got comments everywhere I took it.
The price seems optimistic to me, but it still just drips cool.
dream wagon !
its got it all; though if it were a 65/66 Pontiac ..
cool wagon but why lower it? i would good back to all stock with the factory Buick Road wheels and some narrow whites. would be a big improvement for sure. be a great buy @13k.
For some reason the blackwalls and aftermarket wheels look really sharp on this wagon.
I wouldn’t change a thing. Í think that this wagon is bitchin’ just the way it is!
Donor car, not this one, but many were to harvested for the big Buford.
I love my wagons, but I’m to cheap, has to be a diesel. Harvest the 455 and put in the 12 valve. You can also save money on an exhaust system as the kids are going straight up through the hood. Think about all the money you save in mufflers and pipes cats clamps!
A guy in my town has a huge Ford F350,
And I was in front of him and when he rolled coal at a stoplight it was something to see, He couldn’t see as it must have been turned all the way up. Ok I guess you had to be there.
I had a deep metallic blue ’76 Estate Wagon like this one. It had the extra seat in the back and the factory road wheels. I can’t say it was the most reliable car since it was built during the ’70s, but it was fun to drive. My friends and I called the tailgate the “jaws of life” because more than once, we carried drunk friends home from the bars in the back. My best friend and I picked up a chrome roof rack from a Pontiac in a salvage yard to put on mine. It really made it look better. Sadly, my Buick passed one night when a drunk guy t-boned it in my driveway after jumping the curb at nearly a hundred miles an hour. His car flew into the air and came down on the driver’s side, moving my car twenty feet to the side. When I called the insurance company to tell them about it, they insisted that I drive the car in to the claim center. I finally got them to send someone out when I explained that the steering wheel was in front of the passenger seat. I hated to see that car go.
The photos look like they are from 2003. Nice car. Poor photos.
You could play the 8-track of John Lennon’s ”Working Class Hero” while tooling around in this.