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1973 Buick Regal: A Gift from My Dad 37 Years Ago


Guest 827GFZ73

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Guest 827GFZ73

My Dad was the very special person who started my life-long interest in cars. Back in 1951 at the age of two, he allowed me to sit on his lap behind the wheel of his 1947 Oldsmobile 98 to crank the big ivory color steering wheel. At the same time, he had to listen to this car-crazed kid make guttural noises orally to mimic the sound of the Olds flathead straight-eight.

As I got older, he took me with him on the annual trek to the local car dealer showrooms each fall to view the latest Detroit offerings. The Buick dealership was always the first stop, since that was his favorite make, and that was all he drove. The only time he involuntarily betrayed his brand loyalty was during the immediate post war period, when all he could find was a comparable Oldsmobile due to the pent up demand for cars.

Entering the doors of automobile dealerships, whether to witness my parents buy a new car, or just to look at the latest models was more fun and entertaining than going to the candy store. After returning home, I would spread all the sales brochures on the table. My Dad and I would go through them, and often held "analytical" discussions on the merits of each car when I reached the "age of reasoning". (Some say that never happened). We did not concur on everything. We disagreed vehemently on the 1959 versus 1960 Buick issue. He was for the '60 and I was for the '59. Those happy childhood memories made lasting impressions.

Fast forward to March 1970. During spring break, my Dad and I went to our local Chevrolet and Pontiac dealers to look at the recently introduced 1970-1/2 Camaro and Firebird. Although neither one of us was in the market for a pony car, we were really impressed by how modern the all-new F-body cars looked and anticipated that GM was about to introduce a whole new styling generation to modernize the entire fleet commencing with the full-size cars for the 1971 model year.

When fall arrived, we were very surprised that the E-body cars were also totally redesigned along with the B and C. The first one we saw was a C-body. It was a 1971 Cadillac Coupe deVille on display in a Cadillac showroom. We were striken with awe. The car was so much sleeker and wider appearing than before. The curved side glass blended beautifully into the tubular body sides, and the very thin A-pillars was made possible by the new cantilevered roof structure. My Dad and I were totally convinced that the A-body intermediates and the G-body variants just HAD to be next in line for this new styling treatment for the 1972 model year. Incidentally, Ford Motor Co. also had a new line of mid-size cars concurrently planned.

Then the infamous United Auto Workers strike of 1970 altered the plans and dreams of many folks. "Centurion" thoroughly covered this topic where he eloquently presented the history of his beautiful Sandpiper Beige 1971 Buick Centurion, as well as offering many informative facts on the full-size Buicks of that period in his article, "My 1971 Buick Centurion: A long Term Relationship" (12/21/04) in "Me and My Buicks". Buyers of the all-new 1971 GM full-size cars had to wait months to have their orders filled. Buyers of the forthcoming all-new 1972 GM mid-size cars had to wait another model year to buy their cars as 1973 models!

At that time, my parents had two Buick Skylark 2-door hardtops, a 1968 and a 1964. They were looking forward to replace the '64 with a totally redesigned new car during the 1972 model year. That was not to happen. Meanwhile, I picked up an issue of Motor Trend (either March or April 1972, I don't remember) which featured an article on these cars of which the writer curiously described as "...the future shock of yesterday".

When we first saw the 1973 Buick Regal, Motor Trend's observations became self evident. The new body was indeed beautiful and the car did have the shape of the 1971 full-size cars. However, the front end resembled a giant '70-1/2 Camaro, the front fenders swept into the doors like the airfoil fenders of a forties Roadmaster, the rear end has a flavor of the '71 Centurion and LeSabre, the rear window was lifted off in tact from a '67 Eldorado, and the coach windows were a raked version of the one from a '71 Eldorado. Amazingly, all these styling elements seem to be in harmony due to the deft hands of the GM stylists.

During the summer of 1972, my Dad suffered a minor stroke shortly after attending my college graduation ceremonies. When September arrived, he asked me to select the model, color, and options for his new mid-size Buick, and locate it before the month is over. I chose a Regal in Brown Metallic with a Sandalwood vinyl roof and Saddle vinyl notch back seat, and was fortunate to locate one at Marx-Chevrolet-Buick in the small town of Gilroy. This car is nicely equipped, but by no means loaded to the hilt. It has the 350, 4 barrel version with the Turbo-Hydramatic 350. Sorry, it is not a 455. Of course chrome plated wheel and white wall tires had to be included.

On September 23, 1972, I accompanied my Dad to the dealership when he purchased the car. I was puzzled as to why he decided to add my name to the registration, but did not ask. Perhaps it made some sense since my Mom had the '68 Skylark. His condition declined rapidly a year later, and passed away from a major stroke on April 2, 1974. A week later, my Mom gave me the keys to the Regal, and told me that it was a gift from Dad.

Since I already have my trusty VW beetle to beat around in San Francisco where I worked, I decided to keep Dad's car in the safety of my Mom's garage at her home in Carmel for many years. The car now has 12,800 miles and is totally untouched original. This special car will always be kept as a tribute to the memory of my Dad. I admit though, 38 years seems like a long time to be a caregiver.

Included with the attached recent photos of Dad's Regal, is an old photo taken on New Year's Day 1973 with my parents standing next to that very same car.

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Wow, Joe, that's a remarkable story, and it's wonderful that you have the old photo of your parents standing beside the Buick!

Congratulations on your excellent stewardship of this time-capsule Buick, and I hope that I'll someday have the privilege of seeing it first-hand.

You made a great color selection with this car. 1973's brown metallic was my favorite color of the 1973 model year. I recall having taken my first look at a 1973 Buick -- a solid brown metallic '73 Centurion coupe with chrome-plated road wheels and the wide rocker moldings -- under the lights at the Eugene, Oregon Buick dealership. I'll never forget the image of that Buick! A few weeks later, my college roommate and I test-drove a new '73 Regal, and we were completely impressed.

Edited by Centurion (see edit history)
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Guest shorty7

Wow Great story! I also have a soft spot for the 1973 Regal as that was my first car also purchased used from a car lot I worked at thru school. Great Lines and a Classic!!!

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Thanks Joe, for the charming, heartfelt story of your Dad's Regal, and for the pictures, too.

Your youthful experiences mirror those of many of us; the early "driving,"

annual visits to the showrooms, etc.

You and your Father's table-top analytical interaction takes it to a very special place,

and you're lucky to have had that time together. That, and your stewardship of the priceless,

time capsule Buick makes it a most compelling read.

Just delightful,

TG

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Guest sherwoodstage1

As I had spoken thru numerous emails with Joe,he is a really nice guy,and now get to read his full story about his 73 Regal,and what a great story it is!!!!!That car is in unbeleivable orig shape,and I'm sure another 38 years it would still be in the same shape!!!!

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