I bought this 69 Electra in hopes of putting the 430 into my LeSabre, but then found the motor mounts are part of the frame and it's a bigger project than I want to deal with. I was told by the former owner that the car is from California, which accounts for it not being rusted to pieces. Unfortunately, someone had started "customizing" the car. The roof is chopped very very poorly and the door handles have been shaved... also poorly. However, the rest of the sheet metal is not the rusted out mess you might find here in the land of winter and salt. I did have the car running, on a marine gas tank, as the original is dented and plugged up. I also drove it up and down the road, so the transmission is at least functional to that extent. However, the 430 either ate a washer (can't find it, but likely it's on the road someplace) or spun a bearing.... doesn't want to stay running, squeaks loudly and has metal in the oil, now. It's sitting outside, and the interior is exposed, as it was prior to me purchasing it. If you're restoring a car and need sheetmetal that's not all rusted, this could be a good purchase for you. Car is located in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek, MI area. I've got about $1200 into it, and would like to get as much of that back as I can. Pictures are links to larger images. Also, if you scroll to the end, you'll find Youtube videos of the engine, if you're interested in that. Here is the engine running. I think this is the first time I had it running before changing the thermostat, and alternator (10DN was cracked, and I put in a 12si that my dad had in the shed) Here is the engine squeaking a few weeks after the test drive that changed everything.
I know the feeling. I'm trying to sell a fullsize Buick too. Most people on this site are into the A-body Skylarks, very few of us are into the bigger cars, which in my humble opinion are far better built and engineered than the smaller ones. I'm beginning to see that trying to sell an Electra is like a bad marriage, deceptively easy to get into, and ridiculously hard to get out of.
I still have this, and need to move it. I've had zero interest here, are these old fullsize cars just scrap when not already in good condition? I thought for sure someone in the mid-west would want a CA car for parts. I'd understand if parts were easy to get, but here in MI, the salt monster got most of these cars decades ago.
I looked everywhere for an album link button and didn't find it. I guess I could try Googling for the answer.
I still have this car. I've gotten zero interest. Is the price too high? No one is working on C-bodies? I'm a bit confused why I've had no offers at all, except a local guy wanting to trade me a Jeep or a trail cam. I thought for sure someone in the midwest would need a parts car from California. It's getting to the point where I may have to scrap it, as I can't store it much longer.
I expressed interest back in July if you were going to part it out and be willing to ship some things .
It's a rust free parts car, in Michigan, where we salt our roads before it snows, and cars rust to pieces. If there wasn't something major wrong with it, it would be a restorable driver.
What are you looking for? My issue, is that I have no idea how to ship larger stuff, and little time.
Sent you a PM. Have a few Midwestern focused contacts. They might be able to help. If's it's of any consolation, I still have a bunch of Trims and bits, from a '69 225 Coupe. Clean W TX conditions, but still not sellable.
Time.... I work 9.5 hour shifts, and commute quite a ways. Definitely the poor chop job. If it weren't for that, it would be worth restoring, but the person who did the "work" had no business doing so. The doors are shaved poorly, but they're solid unlike anything that would typically found in the rustbelt. The door panels would be actual metalwork, not rustwork. Even the underside of the car looks good.... rockers still there, no frame rot. If I had a better place to store it, I'd just keep it, and pull parts as I needed them for my LeSabre.
