What's wrong with this Electra?

[Philippe Racicot]

Look at this car presently on Ebay, do you see what's wrong on it?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1976-BUIC...1QQcmdZViewItem

[sintid58]

Red intake manifold blue valve covers. I beleive the entire motor should be blue this year car. Wonder if different motor of just manifold?

[imported_65gs76limited]

I believe it has the wrong air cleaner or at least the wrong lid.It's been a while since i've been under the hood of my 74 Riviera or 76 Limited but i don't think i have 455 sticker's on either lid.And yes the intake should be blue.75 was the first year for the color change from red. Tom

[Junqueboi]

By George it ain't got no front side marker-lights!
Weird, since it appears to have the correct front bumper
& header panel though.

Wait...do I see a seat-belt interlock wiring harness...
(looking at orange connector on firewall by booster).
Seat-belt interlock I thought was 1974 only.

Oh yeah, the driver's remote mirror joystick is hiding.
Funny how the car has cruise but no tilt.

This thing scares me!

[Junqueboi]

This is fun....
Here's the VIN# given on the auction for the...
1976 Buick Electra...
4X3915H443845
Now, I'll assume the "1" is probably a "T" (engine code for 455)
but that "5" makes me wonder just what the he11 we have here.

[RSmith]

I'm going to take a guess here, but it looks like it has '75 fenders. The '75's had the front side markers in the bumper so there were none in the fender (except cornering lights if so equiped). I noticed in the drivers side picture the fender, hood, and door don't seem to match up very well. Again, I could be wrong, just a guess.

[Philippe Racicot]

You are right,
This car is a 1975 with a 76 grille, bumper and header panel (and an incorrect red intake). The interior shows it's an early 75 with the aluminium side trim on the seats and the woodgrain trim on the dash that extends near the radio clock, lights, lighter and A/C control panel and near the steering column instead of having black trim there (note the brown rubber ring arond the steering column, later ones have a black one instead).
The 1975 seats also have different material from the 1976 seats.
As you noted, the car has 1975 fenders, for the reason you mentionned. If it would have been equipped with cornering lights, the fenders would have been the same, but not the cornering lights.

There's a 58 Limited convertible in the background, I'm wondering if it's for sale too.

[Shaffer]

Considering that this car sold for $2500 (reserve met), I should have at least got $3000 (or more) for my 72'.