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65 Wildcat 4-Speed coupe


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Christmas eve day I went on an awesome adventure to rescue this silver 65 Wildcat 4-speed Custom coupe from a farmer's field, where it had been hidden under a cedar tree since 1975. Buick only made 64 401 4-speed 46637 Wildcat Custom coupes. The story is the farmer's daugher drove it for a few years until the motor spun a bearing. It was then towed to a far away field and parked. The farmer removed the original Formula Five wheels and put them into the barn, and set the car on concrete blocks up off the ground, and then just walked away. There it sat until December 24, when I put the wheels back on and carefully extricated it out from it's hiding spot. I had to weave it through a maze of farm trucks, old 60's era farm equipment, and cedar trees. Being off the ground on the blocks for 31 years worked out great for the car (instead of just sitting in the dirt), the underside of it is completely rust free, and all the hubs turn easily by hand. Thankfully the only part of the car removed in 31 years was the alternator. It still has the original spare, 4-Q-64 dated spark plug wires, plugs, T-3 headlights, wheels and centercaps (complete with the original chrome acorn-style lug nuts), Wittek tower top hose clamps, and so on. The car is very optionless, it only has a 4-speed, 3.42 positrac, tinted glass, Custom interior trim, Formula Five wheels, and oddly enough a power rear antenna. No power steering or brakes, no interior power options whatsoever, single speed wipers. That's how I like my 4-speeds, stripped! 3 of my 4-speed Buicks are strippers with no power options at all, the black 2x4 64, the black 63 LeSabre, and now this one. Cool!

The 65 is kind of sad, but is 90% rust free and a 100% complete and original car, a perfect candidate for a restoration. All the rare, odd, and hard to find parts are there and accounted for. My initial plans are to get it running and driving for now, to enjoy it and have fun for a bit, then do the frame-off thing after the black 64 and 61 Bonneville are finished.

I'll attach more pics below.

Have fun!

Matt

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  • 3 months later...

That farmer's daughter must have had some pretty good biceps to drive a heavy 401 front end with no power steering...! This car is the very same body style and color combination as the 4-speed '65 Wildcat that I discovered north of Paris, Texas about 9-10 years ago, and Ted Nagel now has. What a wonderful find.

Whenever you decide to send in some photos and an article on that 4-speed convertible, a page or two is reserved for that in the Bugle.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

1963 Wildcat conv. 4-spd.

1949 Super Estate Wagon

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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> The story is the farmer's daughter drove it for a few years until the motor spun a bearing. It was then towed to a far away field and parked.

That's how I like my 4-speeds, stripped!

</div></div>

That's how I like my farmer's daughters. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" />

Mike

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  • 9 years later...

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