Tatra87’s seemingly endless finds in the Tokyo area have one most obvious feature: their mostly impeccable condition. That’s not quite the case in Eugene, where it all started with finding beaters still on the road. And boy did I land a whopper the other day on our walk: a massive, lumpy, rusty white whale, out for a spin.
I can share with you what it looked like, but unfortunately not what it sounded like as it took off at this stop. But you all have vivid imaginations: think 430 cubic inches exhaling through unobstructed and unmuffled pipes.
I’m not going to say it was a glorious sound, as the tired V8 sound a bit labored chugging away with its load of car and passengers. More like a typical old non-high performance American V8 sedan that lost its muffler; more pathetic than wondrous.
Nevertheless, given just how rare occurrences like this have become, I was quite enthralled as it worked its way across the intersection. It’s one thing to hear the high-pitched scream of a typical modded modern car, or even the very healthy bark of an overly-restored ’60s hot car, but the chuffing rumble of a Buick missing its muffler is something quite different.
If I’d had the presence of mind and dexterity to put my camera into video mode, you’d all be hearing it yourselves. Now your stuck with using your imaginations. Maybe that’s just as well.
These cars hit a tiny little memory spot with me. Friends of my parents had a 66, white with black vinyl roof and black interior. It seemed on par with any Cadillac or Lincoln of the time, and I was in love with those full-width taillights (though I think the center section was a gas door with red reflectors). It was the first air conditioned car I could recall being in, so I even now get a whiff of slightly damp cold air when I look at this car.
My dad had a ’67 Electra sedan in cream white with black interior and black vinyl top. Starting in ’65, he began buying Electras every two years. The ’67 included two first’s: a vinyl top and air conditioning.
“Slightly damp cold air?” A mildew smell would be more like it!
A few years ago there was a post about a ‘69 Electra that prompted a post from a commenter linking the video for Sir Mix-a-lot’s “My Hooptie”. That’s the first thing that popped into my head after reading this post.
The woman in the passenger seat appears to be happy to be out for a drive and being photographed! People in Eugene seem really nice.
BLUH-BLUH-BLUH-BLUH–Bleb, Bleb, BLEB-BLEB-BLEB-BLEB-BLEB . . .
Seeing (and hearing) something like this would have been common around 1979 or ’80. Now it’s a real time warp–1980 was a long time ago.
Few months back I was driving behind a white ’66 Buick LeSabre 4-door sedan which looked a little better than this ’67. Didn’t get a picture. “White Whale”–good description!
Part of that sound may have been due to its being an uneven-firing V6. Not the one Buick designed, though. Burned valves will do that…
Luv them deep dish Buick wheel covers. Picked up a few at the junkyard for my ’69 Wildcat, shined them up, put ’em on and did wonders for one of the ugliest cars on the road circa 1978. Of course beater looks notwithstanding, many fond memories of that my first car, purchased for the princely sum of $300. And the silky smooth 430 was a big part of the allure.
It must have been a little sad when the last ‘nailhead’ equipped Buick left the assembly line in 1966 to be replaced by a conventional wedge-head engine for 1967. For a brief period after the Ford flathead and before the SBC arrived on the scene, the Buick nailhead V8, even with its tiny valves, was the go-to engine for many hotrodders, eclipsed only by the early Chrysler Hemi and preferred to the early Olds and Cadillac V8 engines.
Old cars still on the road all used to be in about this condition!
Do you remember the opening scene in Thunderbolt and Lightning?
Sorry: Thunderbolt and Lightfoot🙄
Eek! Ominous.
The sound of the ‘59 Cadillac!
Our ’68 pillared sedan had a thin chrome/black rubber molding down the side curve, so usually these look naked to me without that. This one has so many distractions that it doesn’t. Ours was running on 7 (or fewer) cylinders when Dad sold it for $50 in ’79.
Just plant some lichen for a skosh of color.
I bought my dad’s 68 Buick Electra 225 430 on excellent Condition with 99,000 miles beige with black Vinyl top hard top black interior Vinyl I put glass pacs with chrome tips
10 yrs old in my grandmother’s 225…..she was a life long employee of magna Buick in holyoke ma. Every year it was the 225 till I believe 68 then it was the Riviera. Seeing this on easter was a better ride down the memory lane at magna.
As the proud owner of a 67 Wildcat convertible and a 67 GS400 convertible, I have a special place in my heart for 67 Buicks. Whatever body style, whatever condition! Just good automobiles.
Eugene strikes again! What a catch.
I do find the odd rusty hulk on occasion, but they almost invariably are immobile and have been for a while. Something like this Buick being driven on Japanese roads would probably cause some sort of loss of face. Or of muffler.
I too remember these as new and like this lumbering down the road…….
Good to see a few are still out there doing the Yeoman Duty they were made for .
-Nate
A treat for the eyes & ears. We own a red 1968 Buick LeSabre Custom Convertible and we LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!!! It has the 350 – 4bbl. A friend dubbed her Lola and the name stuck. Now, when a mechanic says Lola needs this or that I say “whatever Lola wants, Lola gets”.
I will always love those classic Buick automobiles. They were always very dependable. From the 1960s up until 2006. Strong tough autos that were built to last
Seen many like this in 1975-79 Chicago. Old ‘mid lux’ cars driven by working class, a badge of honor. Once the 80’s started, then it was aging 70’s cars.
Nowadays, a 15-ish year old German lux car is a similar status symbol. never mind the cost to maintain.
For the Hollywood buffs out there… Blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield died in August 1967 when her ’67 Buick Electra rear ended a truck in the the early a.m. hours in Billoxi, MS. Mansfield was seated in the front seat when the car went under the truck, decapitating her. Mansfield’s daughter, Mariska Hargitay then 5 years old, and son Zolton were asleep in the back seat at the time of impact. Mariska of “Law & Order” fame still has a scar on her forehead from this gruesome accident that took her mother’s and 2 other front seat passengers lives.Google it for pics. The ’67 Electra was a beautiful car. Much likened to the Cadillac.
I will reply back I love the car in NY in my driveway and I’m the owner of a 1968 electra 225 @9000miles convertable has air cruise power window runs out like a V8 should I am putting a new top on it this week let me know when you want to come over and take a ride bradswinderl@gmail.com
These reminded me of motor boats, with the seasick ride and exhaust burble.
Nothing like a deauce and a quarter lighting up the tires for all to see and smell!!!! Fountain avenue on a crisp night!!!!