My dad always bought used cars. I remember a procession big cars from the sixties and seventies as I grew up. Mostly Buicks or Pontiacs but with the occasional MOPAR or Ford product thrown in. When I was little we had a 63 Mercury station wagon with the Mercury "God Head" in the center of steering wheel. I remember the steering wheel because my dad let me sit on his lap and let me steer when I was probably six or so. We had a blue Dodge Coronet 440 sedan (with a 318, not a big block), some other big old white station wagon that was probably another Coronet, a Ford LTD station wagon that was absolutely loaded with a 429, AC, power windows and seats, wood on the side, and two fold-away seats in the way-back. By the late seventies we had a sweet Pontiac Grand Ville sedan with an absolutely bitchin' blue velour interior. I drove my dad's last car, a Chrysler Newport 2 door to college. That thing was almost 20 feet long. My friends called it "Das Boot" (the boat). But the two cars I remember most were Buicks. As I was getting old enough to really tell one car from another my dad bought a Buick convertible. At the time a thought it was cool because, you know, the top folded down. I also realized that it was something special because kids occasionally wanted to race my dad even though mom and I were in the car too. It was a Buick GS. I think it was a 66 because I think I would have remembered the star wars air cleaner of a 67 if I had seen it. I also remember the swoopy console for the automatic transmission with the fine ribs on the top of the console that would make a zip-zip sound if you ran your 12 year old fingernail across it. I remember that it had a tach housing but no tach, just a Buick emblem. The exterior was green and the bucket seats were yellow/cream colored. I am not sure if this was a real factory color option or just a faulty memory. My dad drove the wheels off that car and traded it in for a different car eventually, like he always did. I am sure it went to the crusher before the 1980's. I learned to drive in a 1969 Buick Wildcat four door. Blue with white top and a big ole 430. My uncle replaced the original 430 with one from a junk yard after something bad happened to the original engine. I am not sure what happened to the original engine but it was easier to replace them than fix 'em in those days. My dad drove this one into the ground too. It was a nice car while it last though. Luxurious, big enough for the whole family, fast enough for a 16 year old who was learning to drive. I remember it would light up one rear tire for pretty much as long as you wanted or until you ran out of straight road. So now, about 30 years later. I finally have my life arranged in such a way that I have place to put an extra, completely unnecessary car, along with enough money to pay for it. So I bought a 1967 Buick GS 400 Convertible. Not exactly like dad's but close enough to really bring back memories when I drive it. As said, I think his had a nailhead but that will give me a reason to eventually buy another if the right deal comes along. Besides I couldn't pass up that funky air cleaner. Or maybe I should look for a Wildcat. I saw a really nice 69 on Hemmings... Even though it's April, it's still winter here in Minnesota. I will post some pics of the GS when all the road salt is washed off the road and its warm enough to put the top down and go for a drive!
I love the old stories from first hand experience and memories, thanks for sharing! Good luck with the GS drop top!
Great story - pics please! (Re: Why I am here) Dear PrairieCanary and V-8 Buick welcoming committee, First things first, Welcome to V-8 Buick!! Yup, same for my Dad. Check, me too . . . . Well, I also learned to drive in a Buick. Mine was a bit older though. !965 . . . . . Deluxe . . . . . . Special . . . . Station wagon. It didn't come with a 430 at the time. It is about to get a 430 stroked out to a 448 though! Unlike you, I was lucky enough to hang on to my first and only Buick! Congratulations!! :TU: Glad you've gotten a car to bring you back to those days! As you can probably guess I have a soft spot for stories like this! Sure would love to see some pictures of your newly acquired Buick and if you aren't shy, slap down a first name at the end of your postings or in your signature. We are a friendly bunch and on a first-name basis! Cheers, Edouard :beer P.S. If you car has a name, even our cars are on a first name basis!
priariecanary, Welcome, nice to have another member representing Minnesota. Where are you located? Brian
My first car was a 67 Lesabre 400. By the time I lost it to the cops, it had a dent in every panel. No brakes for a long time.
Welcome. Your reference to the `69 Wildcat with the 430 brought back some memories. When I was in high school my dad had a `69 Electra with a 430 that would also light up the rear tire as long you you wanted to. It had a set of Firestone 500s on it when he got the car. I worked at a service station at the time and since I spent quite a bit of time lighting up that rear tire, I frequently put the car up on the hoist and rotated them so it wasn't quite so obvious. I rarely fooled my dad but in that case I did, and he never had anything good to say about those Firestone tires :laugh:
Welcome and your story was well written and reminded me of a friend and a Wildcat back in High School.
Welcome from Andover MN Just north of MPLS. 5-5-13 there is an all Buick show at the state fair grounds. Come on out and enjoy. This snow should be gone by then. Hoping to get mine out of storage this comming weekend.
