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Origin of the expression "Deuce and a Quarter?"


wildcatsrule

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Does anyone know how the expression "Deuce and a Quarter" came to be used as a slang reference for the Electra 225? Obviously, it is a play on the numbers "225," but I was wondering if the expression could be traced to any particular person(s), place or time? I just thought there might be an interesting story about it. David

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In the Afro-American community around New York City, I heard 225's referred to as "9"'s (sum of the digits). It was a very popular car in the 60's. You are correct about deuce and a quarter referring to 2-2-5. Where the expression originated...who knows. Perhaps from the military deuce and a half referring to a 2 and half ton truck.

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GSTURBO's right.

Check this thread from the v8buick forum.

http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=13486&highlight=225

Quote from Bill S. @ Buickstreet.com:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> My 66 Electra is 225 is 224 inches from bumper to bumper which is a tad under 19 feet long. The 225 stands for the number of inches from bumper to bumper but apparently only the early (59, 60?) 225's where actually that long. </div></div>

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I first heard the expression in the 70,s from a buddy who worked at a Buick dealership. It refered to the 2-25. I know he use to often remark about a duce and a quarter with a "lean". Refering to the center arm rest.

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Guest John Chapman

In deference to Bob Rich, Deuce and a Quarter only refers to the Electra 225 series and an obscure rock and roll band ( http://www.thedeuceandaquarter.com/flashindex.html )

The WWII and post war era Military Truck (M44A2, A3 Series which included the M35, M35A2, A3, and M109 was a 2.5 ton 6X6 wheeled vehicle affectionately refered to as a "Deuce and a Half".

The half-track, officially known as the M3 served in many verisions from 1943 to 1973, never earned a widely known 'nom de querre'...

Cheers,

John

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  • 8 years later...
Guest DorianGray
Does anyone know how the expression "Deuce and a Quarter" came to be used as a slang reference for the Electra 225? Obviously, it is a play on the numbers "225," but I was wondering if the expression could be traced to any particular person(s), place or time? I just thought there might be an interesting story about it. David

Life is funny. I was looking for the origin of the phrase, 'do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with mustard'. I still havent found it, and in the meantime, I found this website instead. But I digress, I know part of the answer to your question.

In Los Angeles in the 60's and 70's, the olders guys called them,''duece and a quarter''. If I had got to the question shortly after you posted this, I might have been able to ask some of the guys who are no longer with us. But those guys, for the most part, are long gone. Ask any black guys and gals from los angeles over 50, although 70 would be the best age range to ask someone.

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  • 3 years later...
Guest discreet

I've registered here purely to resurrect this zombie thread... stumbled on it totally randomly while Googling the lyrics to John Hiatt's 'Detroit Made' (a song I'm learning for an audition) in which he refers to 'a deuce and a quarter', apparently a Buick Electra 225. I don't think '225' has much to do with the length of the car, however - I believe it refers to the engine, which was a 225 cubic-inch V6. 225ci approximates 3.5 litres metric - which in the UK is considered a big engine, though I did run a 351ci V8 for a little while until doing eight miles to the gallon became prohibitively expensive. :)

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The 225 was never available in the Electra 225:

1959 Electra 225 introduced

1964 225 CID V6 introduced (discontinued after 1967)

1975 231 CID V6 introduced (discontinued in 2008)

1979 last year the term "Electra 225" was used

1980 252 CID (4.1 L) V6 introduced (252 discontinued after 1984)

1980 the first year any V6 (the 252 CID) was available in the Electra

1985 first year the 231 CID V6 (now called 3800 V6) available in the Electra

Edited by sean1997 (see edit history)
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The Deuce and a Quarter was the half-track truck used in WWII. Because both vehicles were outsized' date=' the nickname was applied to the 225.[/quote']

That truck was a 2 and 1/2 ton truck nicknamed the "Duece and a half." Electra 225 - Electra was the name of some GM big wigs wife or niece or ??? and 225 was the length of the car. I'd take wagers that some GI from Brooklyn who first saw one nicknamed it a "Duece and a quarter."

When I was in basic training in '69 down at Fort "Lost in the Woods", MO, the "Duece and a quarter" was the car that all of the brothers talked about getting after they (hopefully) returned from Vietnam. That's also when I took up smoking (luckily that only lasted a few years) because smokers were given a smoke break. If you didn't smoke, you didn't get a break. So "Hey brother, lend me a Kool" became second nature.

Ed

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So "Hey brother, lend me a Kool" became second nature.

Ed

you sure the term wasn't a "spliff"

and up in Motor Transport School at USMC Camp Lejeune NC we would use a 5 ton to pull the little deuce and a half out of the mud. The guy who got it stuck then had to carry the 20 foot long muddy loggin chain used to pull it out wrapped around his shoulders the rest of the day.

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The 225 was never available in the Electra 225:

1959 Electra 225 introduced

1964 225 CID V6 introduced (discontinued after 1967)

1975 231 CID V6 introduced (discontinued in 2008)

1979 last year the term "Electra 225" was used

1980 252 CID (4.1 L) V6 introduced (252 discontinued after 1984)

1980 the first year any V6 (the 252 CID) was available in the Electra

1985 first year the 231 CID V6 (now called 3800 V6) available in the Electra

Awesome dude, awesome.

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I've registered here purely to resurrect this zombie thread... stumbled on it totally randomly while Googling the lyrics to John Hiatt's 'Detroit Made' (a song I'm learning for an audition) in which he refers to 'a deuce and a quarter', apparently a Buick Electra 225. I don't think '225' has much to do with the length of the car, however - I believe it refers to the engine, which was a 225 cubic-inch V6. 225ci approximates 3.5 litres metric - which in the UK is considered a big engine, though I did run a 351ci V8 for a little while until doing eight miles to the gallon became prohibitively expensive. :)

Send us a youtube video of it when it's done.

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Guest discreet

Well there you go - wrong again... of course, two minutes on Google would have prevented this embarrassment... duh! So I'm off to annoy people on another forum I know nothing about. Incidentally though, the 'deuce and a quarter' that John Hiatt refers to in his song 'Detroit Made' was assembled variously in California, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Texas as well as Michigan... so can it really be said to be 'Detroit Made'?

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Guest discreet
Kudos for coming back, discreet.

Thanks! As far as making mistakes go - no-one got hurt, but I'll have a red face for about a month, no doubt.

This is how we learn, isn't it? What doesn't kill you just makes you older and more embarrassed... :D

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Thanks! As far as making mistakes go - no-one got hurt, but I'll have a red face for about a month, no doubt.

This is how we learn, isn't it? What doesn't kill you just makes you older and more embarrassed... :D

I've done it. So have many of these guys. Some of us are better at admitting it.

:D

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Tell someone you own a Buick Electra and the first thing they say is "deuce and a quarter". My car is a deuce, two dimes, and a penny; 221". I just tell them a couple of years before it would have been a Super. The four inches is all in the quarter panel. Maybe a "deuce and 'dem big quarters" would be more appropriate.

I prefer the trim quarters and conservative lack of trim cladding.

Batavia1.JPG

Of course I have always been a big car, skinny woman kind of guy. Them big quarters, well, they do have followers.

In white as well.

post-46237-143142935698_thumb.jpg Yep, an extra 4" in the quarters.

Bernie

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As I understand it the 225 represents the length of the car. Deuce and a quarter saying, for lack of a better term, was slang for the Buick 225. Origin unknown but I have hear the slang term from blacks who have owned them or would have liked to have had one. I have used the slang word myself cause everyone loves a Deuce and a quarter. ;)

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Guest my3buicks
Tell someone you own a Buick Electra and the first thing they say is "deuce and a quarter". My car is a deuce, two dimes, and a penny; 221". I just tell them a couple of years before it would have been a Super. The four inches is all in the quarter panel. Maybe a "deuce and 'dem big quarters" would be more appropriate.

I prefer the trim quarters and conservative lack of trim cladding.

Batavia1.JPG

Of course I have always been a big car, skinny woman kind of guy. Them big quarters, well, they do have followers.

In white as well.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]290983[/ATTACH] Yep, an extra 4" in the quarters.

Bernie

The 59 Electra really couldn't be considered a Super replacement - I would say the 225 Replaced the Limited, the Electra replaced the Roadmaster, the Invicta replaced the Century and the LeSabre replaced the Special - the Super was put out to pasture. Of course that is subjective. Then again, I always felt owning a Century then was more desirable than owning a Super.

BTW, your picture of the Electra is beautiful, and has far better lines than the trollop in the sprayed on tights.

Edited by my3buicks (see edit history)
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When my father purchased his Electra 225s from Bauer Buick in Harvey, Illinois, the dealer called the car an "Electra Two-Twenty-Five". I believe that is the correct name.

Yup. That's what we called them around here anyway. Dandy Dave!

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When my father purchased his Electra 225s from Bauer Buick in Harvey, Illinois, the dealer called the car an "Electra Two-Twenty-Five". I believe that is the correct name.

You are correct, as we all are aware, but the intent of this thread is to see if anyone knows the origins of the slang term "duece and a quarter" which was used when referring to the two twenty five.

Ed

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Guest my3buicks

I think the term deuce & a quarter probably originated in a more "urban" environment (no disrespect intended) and just took off from there. When I had my 69 Electra convertible it was common for folks to refer to it as a D & a Q and would often get that yelled as I drove down the street with it. Just how many car models have cool nicknames? I like it.

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  • 1 year later...

Does anyone know how the expression "Deuce and a Quarter" came to be used as a slang reference for the Electra 225? Obviously, it is a play on the numbers "225," but I was wondering if the expression could be traced to any particular person(s), place or time? I just thought there might be an interesting story about it. David

225 is the reason, also the lesabre was known as a sword

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