need info on Ninety-Eights and Electras (1971-74)

[Guest Bob999]

I am researching the "down-market" versions of the Oldsmobile Ninety-Eights (in other words, non-LS or LC versions) and the Buick Electra 225 (non-Custom versions) of the 1971-74 era. GM sold only a fraction of these compared to the "up-market" models, therefore there isn't a whole lot of information on these cars or surviving samples of these cars. Please reply with any info.

[joe_padavano]

What is your specific question? Here's the dealer's specs page from 1971, which details the equipment differences on the luxury models as opposed to the base models. Looks like the big differences were standard power seats, power windows, and spare tire cover on the luxury versions.

[joe_padavano]

Looks like the same thing for the 1972 model year.

[60FlatTop]

Although t was a few years earlier, I had a base black 1967 Buick Electra 4 door sedan with no options as a daily driver about 29 or 30 years ago. I got some insight on marketing when I stopped at the liquor store in town with it. The store was run by the former Buick salesman. He looked out the window and said "Oh, you ended up with that strip job." He told me he remembered the car well. It was a factory floor plan car that the dealership wondered if they could ever sell. At the time salesmen still drove cars to potential buyers on request. A farmer in a town about 15 miles away, Kendall, if you know my area, had just sold some property and called saying he wanted to buy a new Buick. With a request that general from the rural community, Bert, the salesman, took the shiny black "strip job" down to show them. It was everything they wanted, a new Buick.

That's how they sold them in those days.

Another point, I sold that car for a few hundred more than I paid for it when I was done. The next owner kept it a few years and put it up for sale. His price was less than he paid me, but more than I had paid the first time I bought it. I just couldn't bring myself to pay more for a car the second time I bought it than the first. I let the deal pass on a matter of principle.

Bernie

Edited December 27, 2014 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[Guest Bob999]

Thanks for the info. I found both of those same "dealer specs" online already, but I have yet to find an equivalent for the Electras. Let me explain, I am a frustrated writer, I read articles in Collectible Automobile and Hemming's Classic Car constantly and I say to myself: "I can write like this". I am trying to come-up with different subjects and I thought an article on these particular vehicles might be interesting. My Grandfather had a 1971 Ninety-Eight 4-door hardtop. It was a base model, with optional power windows. My friend's parents up the block had a '72 Ninety-Eight LS 4-door hardtop. The door panels on my Grandfather's were very plain and the one's on my Friend's parent's were much-more elaborate and had the power window buttons and power seat controls on the door "console". But, when you read the "specs", if a base 98 was ordered with power windows, it came with the more elaborate door panels. I wonder if my Grandfather bought an early version of the '71 and that's why. Also, as far as i know, the base Electras all had the plain door panels with or without power windows. Sorry to get too technical on ya, but it's details like these that I need to know in order to write an accurate article. So, whatever info you may have, I'll be happy to receive. Thanx.

[TG57Roadmaster]

Bob999,

This old and very long thread about oddly-optioned Electras (and other full-size Buicks) may help you. Many members familiar with big Buicks have contributed and, while the links may no longer work, there should be plenty to learn.

TG

[Guest Bob999]

Bob999,

This old and very long thread about oddly-optioned Electras (and other full-size Buicks) may help you. Many members familiar with big Buicks have contributed and, while the links may no longer work, there should be plenty to learn.

TG

Thanks for the link to that thread. Despite the old links that don't work anymore, there is a bunch of info there for me!

[NTX5467]

I suspect that one reason for the "base model" not selling better had to do with customer perceptions AND customer expectations (which are not quite the same things), plus purchase cost.

Even the base model was what it was, an Electra or a 98. With the base sedan or coupe, you could add the optional vinyl roof for a more luxury look. Same with wheel covers. Might not get there "all the way", but far enough to get the same visual effect. Might not have had the same roofline as the hardtops, though, but some preferred the sedan roof for better interior headroom.

Back then, there was still some "distrust" of power accessories. Power seats that might "get stuck" in the wrong position, power windows that not close, or deck lid unlock mechanisms which might fail (as one did on a relative's '67 Delta 88 2-dr hardtop, while we were on vacation). Hence, the "stripper" base models. In any event, they usually had more standard equipment items than the lower models, as a part of the fancier flagship model, plus nicer interior trim (although some fancier than that trim might have been available on the Custom or LS models.

Not unlike buyers might want a Buick or Olds, but NOT power brakes or an automatic transmission, or even a radio. Today, these cars can be rare and collectible to a certain niche of the hobby. A friend recently traded for a '70 Wildcat 4-dr hardtop, with a 3-speed manual transmission. Only year for the high-compression 455, too. With a 2.73 rear axle, it's not too good around town, but got over 19mph on a recent highway trip. And . . . no power brakes.

When there were many smaller-town Chevy dealerships, we learned to look at the FULL equipment list rather than just the model and engine, and colors. In the smaller towns, they'd order some cars with their aging clientel in mind. Power seats but no power windows. Power steering but no power brakes. Tilt wheel with no cruise control. Whereas, us being on the edge of a major metro area. could not sell such vehicles to our normal customers. This was in the later 1970s these smaller dealers were doing this.

Even as late as the earlier '70s, what brand of vehicle one owned was more important than which model it might be. I have a VHS tape of early car commercials. One of them deals with a freshly-graduated and employed school teacher at her local Buick dealer. She has a list of things she wants and how much she can afford to pay. Seems that the base Buick Special can be had and still fit her budget. She buys her FIRST NEW BUICK, as the story goes. Just a little more financial sacrifice got her into a Buick rather than a Chevy or Ford.

Just as the "few dollars more" orientation got many Chevy, Ford, and Plymouth owners into Buicks/Olds/Pontiacs, Mercurys, and Dodges/Chryslers, respectfully, the same could be said for a loyal Olds customer getting a 98 rather than an 88 or Electra rather than a LeSabre. Equipment levels didn't really model, it was the upper scale model name that did the trick. Having that extra "Custom" or "LS" added didn't make nearly as much difference.

I'm not sure why the power windowed 98 might have had different door panels, but if the normal cranked windows didn't need that extra panel, that might be the reason. Just depends upon how Buick and Olds configured their door trim panels, back then.

Until many years later, I perceived that Olds was next to Cadillac in the GM brand hierarchy of things. Oldsmobiles were typically nicer-appearing cars than Buicks, to me, back then. Whereas, in many cases, the Buicks were "more restrained" in nature. Yet, it was Buick that was next to Cadillac in the hierarchy! Olds, by observation, had more "luxury look" than many Buicks of the '70s, but that's a personal orientation.

Some of those trim difference could well have been based on the ultimate "build cost" of the particular model and equipment configuration. Rather than just sticking an add-on armrest/console onto the door, Buick might have needed a little less expensive approach and just used the switch mounted to the door panel itself, reaping a few more inches of hip room in the process (which might have played into the "spaciousness-feel" of their interiors over similar Oldsmobiles OR better fit their customer demographics.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467

[Rusty_OToole]

I had a 1968 Buick Electra 2 door hardtop that was the most basic, stripped model with exactly 2 options. A radio, and the biggest most powerful engine they made.

Have run into this combination before ( full size car, cheapest model, biggest engine) and it usually turns out that it was special ordered by some old guy who wanted to pull a trailer. But mine had no trailer hitch on it.

[Rusty_OToole]

I suspect the cheap car with power windows got the fancy door panels for the following reason. They didn't want to make any more different door panels than they had to. So they made a hand crank panel for the stripped jobs and a fancy one for the power window switches, and let it go at that.

[earl e rizer]

Up here in the frozen tundra called Canada the base model Buick's were much more popular than the totally loaded ones. Unless you were in the big cities. There are still a few of them around, but most of the 70's got scrapped due to rust out and poor fuel mileage. The sheer bulk of those models also led to their demise. I drove a '75 Olds 98 for a winter car back in the 80's that was a Regency LS I believe? It was quite different interior wise compared to the base 98.

The same for Cadillac models. It seem the Canadian market cars were always the down market models compared to the Detroit cars across the Ambassador Bridge from Windsor.

Especially the Buicks. The Detroit cars always had more trim, rubber bumper trim & guards and better dressed interiors with all the options. The Buick 225's of that era were usually trimmed out better than a Canadian market Cadillac!