I guess I have a thing for older women...

Anyone who knows me, or has spent time on my web site, is aware of Vicky. Since it was recently requested, I guess it is high time for a more formal introduction.

Vicky is a Cordovan 1961 Buick Invicta Convertible, Model 4667, one of 3953.

Let's go back to 1994, where the story sort of begins. That is the year Suzanne and I got engaged. She decided the old car hobby was OK, but the condition placed on me was that the next car, after Ellie, would have to be a convertible. This is a condition I could live with. Fast forward to 2000, we have moved from Saskatoon to Winnipeg, and joined the Manitoba Classic and Antique Auto Club. A past-president placed a couple of ads for cars for sale in the family, one of which was Vicky. She had been purchased about 20 years prior by the previous owner, but before restoration began, found a '62 Electra convertible, so Vicky sat where she had been driven in the quonset.

She has some bruises and slowly progressing cancer. Hopefully we can get the '29 done relatively quickly and turn our eyes toward treating Vicky as she deserves.

Now it is time for some eye candy (at least for those who can see past the soil and condition).

Here's a couple of photos from where she was purchased.

She has power windows, seat, antenna, and steering. There's also the clock and Wonderbar radio.

Here's after we got her into the old garage here at the house...I hate pushing Buicks uphill.

Finally, some shots from August 2008. This is after we bought our rural property and moved her there. In preparation for a garage tour for the local club, she did get a sponge bath. I apologize for the quality of some of these photos...the focus on the camera was going and we replaced it shortly thereafter.

There appears to be 3 colours on the 401 - green underneath, red, with purple on top...between that and the chroming, I wonder what was done to it.

I hate limits on photos....

With the exception of the kick panels, the interior is in pretty decent shape. The top has one small tear.

The dealer tag says DePape's Regina (in Saskatchewan). If anyone can give me some history on that dealership, I'd appreciate it. Of course she was built in Flint, I have Manitoba key tags to the early 70s, and she was sold at some point in Regina. GM of Canada Vintage Services tells me she wasn't built for the Canadian market. I forget, but was this at a point when all convertibles were built in Flint? If so, then perhaps she was built for the Canadian market, and they just meant that it wasn't built in Canada...unless I can find some additional history I may never know. Suffice it to say, she has been in Canada most of her life.

When the kids are in the country, they definitely need to work...

All cleaned up and with a camera that focuses....

Now, I'm not a fan of brown cars, but Cordovan really grows on you. It is a deep, rich metallic colour. There was a '61 Electra in Cordovan in Flint in 2003. I introduced myself to the owner and he seemed really pleased to tell me about his car, and started it for me...it was so nice and quiet. That's one of the things I love about these cars...there's so much power, but it is graceful and relatively peaceful...as opposed to the little tin cans out there now with fart cannons...or the motorcycles that need to announce their presence from 8 miles away.

Derek,

That is a fine choice for a convertible project. As Pete noted a few issues back in the Bugle, the 61's are special cars. To some they are the forgotten car, overshadowed by what Buick did before and after.

I think every 61 is a good car. I would own a 61 LeSabre convertible in a heartbeat too but the Invicta was well placed with the bigger 4 barrel motor.

I have owned or driven at least 15 61 to 64 General Motors convertibles and believe these to be the high point of open air motoring. I have also driven several modern convertibles and feel the atmosphere is claustrophobic compared to your 61. The countryside just open s up with these full size convertibles, your stress waifs out behind you...

Just imagine that first drive with a distant lightning storm, but it's 75 degrees and mother nature's paint stroke is taking place against the receding sunset. All will be right with the world...

get er' done!

And frankly I can not picture the Cordaven. I used to sell shoes and remember Cordaven to be a reddish brown, and the hide of horses, but can not see that in your photos. Yes that would be a great color! ( I do kind of see it in the trunk and on the steering wheel, nice!)

Yeah, I look forward to it. I also look forward to showing her with her little sister, the '62 Special...the front fenders are shaped so much alike, but scaled down for the Special.

The scan of the paint chips at Buicks.net are even more confusing for the colour since it shows as darker yet (code N)...next time I'm out there, I'll try to remember to take a close-up of a fender or the hood with the flash to see how it looks. Of course, all those photos were taken indoors too and everything looks different in natural light.

I have a fetish for vintage cars as well. Nice find you have here. I am sure with more few tweaks she'll be as good as new.

Beautiful car Derek. The '61 (or 62 skylark) is definitely on my short list for my next purchase.

I just love those front fenders! Best ever on a Buick, IMHO.

Thanks hilllogan, although it will be more than just a few tweaks.

There's a 2 tone blue '62 Skylark in Colorado...it was on eBay and didn't meet reserve...I suggested to the seller that he arrange for a car corral space in Colorado Springs in July. Depending on what he wants, it might almost be better for me to get a car like that, then offload my little convertible. There's one for sale up in this part of the world too...there's no interior...I forget what the rest was like (only saw an ad).

I was in some sort of a state of bliss this past summer in Oshawa in early August. There was a parade to celebrate 100 years of Buicks in Canada. It wasn't nearly as extensive as the one in Flint for GM's centennial, but it was exclusively Buicks. Anyway, there were 5 (if I remember correctly) full size 1961 Buicks representing LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra lines (not sure whether or not any of them were 225s). Here's some:

Those were cars that participated in the weekend as well as the parade...I'll have to take a look through the rest of my photos from that trip.

A number of years back I came across (or rather he found me) a fellow in a small city in Saskatchewan with a '61 Invicta convertible. We made a detour on our next trip west to meet him. He took me to see another fellow there who was restoring a '61 LeSabre convertible. On the way back to the motel he told me to drive...that was sweet. Remembering that trip really makes me want to get Vicky on the road.

You still haven't divulged who is first in line (as in in front of me) for that beautiful brown beauty if you ever decide to sell. I really need to know who it is so's i can get a contract written up on him. I'd take the Cordavan over the blue any day. This is a beautiful classic, Derek. I vote that it be the next one to take to the folks that restored the 66.

Well, the '29 comes first...then Vicky, assuming nothing terribly catastrophic gets in the way (like the '33 8-58 that's for sale in these parts). The body shop that dealt with Ellie will continue to get my business - they are one of the few shops that still deal with rust, they support the local club, and they stand by their work.

Based on the discussion of contract, I still don't think I'll reveal the name...I'm pretty confident he has more money than you do He's a friendly BCA member from Colorado...so that you can narrow it down

The other nice thing about the Cordovan...it isn't white or black (yeah, good luck keeping that detailed since it shows everything), or resale red - those 3 probably cover a huge percentage of convertibles. I got into Buicks after an AMC because I like stuff that is different.