Buick Electra Landeau 1975 Quarter windows

[ghrp6]

Hi guys,

 

I am new here. I am a 22 years old marketing student from Canada and I just bough a land yacht last autumn, a Buick Electra 1975 2 doors. It's in a fairly great shape except the paint that's a bit rough and the interior that needs some love. The paint was completely redone about 10 years ago but it seems like the previous owner didn't really take care of it. I'm planning on repainting it soon enough.

Basically the vinyl top has been removed. I don't know how it was when the paint was redone but the previous owner told me that after a while the quarter windows were leaking so his idea what to put caulk sillicone around both quarter windows. It doesn't look horrendous but it doesn't look good either. You'll find an attached picture of how it looks at the moment. I am looking to buy the chrome trim that's placed around the quarter windows just like on the blue Electra on the other image attached. Also attached a picture of what my car used to look - everything was all black except the bumpers and the exhausts (I am looking for bringing that look back !!) 

 

Thank you very much,

[JohnD1956]

Welcome ghrp6!  That chrome around the windows is hard to find.  Maybe impossible to find.  And the silicone caulk will eventually begin to leak again. 

 

You might want to take the car to a glass shop and see if they can give you a price on removing the windows, repair or resurfacing the lips they sit into, and then resetting the windows with the urethane glue, as was originally used.  They also may be willing to look for the original chrome strips, but if not, and if you are not a stickler for originality, I have seen rolls of plastic with chrome finish in auto parts stores.  They are relatively inexpensive and come in various styles for attachment.  One such style is a flat bottom with a glue strip already attached to the plastic product.  With some care that can be applied to mimic the original stuff, especially since your vinyl roof is already removed.

 

You may want to schedule the removal of the glass to coincide with repainting the car, so that you can paint the lip ( welt) that this glass sits in.  You also may want to take a close look at the glue holding the front and rear windows in while you're at this.  It's the same glue, and presumably the same age.  Chances are it is leaking just like the side windows were.

 

Good luck! 

Edited December 11, 2018 by JohnD1956 (see edit history)

[ghrp6]

Hello John,

 

Thank you very much for your answer. That makes alot of sense and that's pretty much what I had in mind for the steps to follow. I'm going to do my best to make it looks mint again !

 

Best regards

[JohnD1956]

@ghrp6 So, you want to restore it to original condition again? 

[Thriller]

I don’t have any answers better than JD, but also wanted to welcome you.  The 2 door 1975 Electra is the longest 2 door Buick ever built.  I have one with the halo roof...it too is in somewhat rough shape but is relatively low mileage, original, and fun.  It’s a very comfortable car.  We got ours in early 2010 for $1500, so I just couldn’t pass it up.

 

We are in Winnipeg.

 

[ghrp6]

@JohnD1956 I don't think I'll put it all original since alot of mods have been done to the car (very huge exhaust system, suspension has been lowered 2-3 inches, no vinyl top anymore, the markers on both rear fenders have been shaved and so on). I'm guessing my best bet will be to give it a Buick GNX look, basically everything chrome trim and even the bumpers are black. It'll give it a mint look in my opinion. Here's a blacked out Caddy, that's pretty much the look I'm aiming for. 

 

 

10 hours ago, Thriller said:

I don’t have any answers better than JD, but also wanted to welcome you.  The 2 door 1975 Electra is the longest 2 door Buick ever built.  I have one with the halo roof...it too is in somewhat rough shape but is relatively low mileage, original, and fun.  It’s a very comfortable car.  We got ours in early 2010 for $1500, so I just couldn’t pass it up.

 

We are in Winnipeg.

 

 

You had a very great deal sir ! Even in a rough shape they still have a decent look in my opinion. It's very unique

[JohnD1956]

Ok. And in that case forget the chrome trim.  There is a place in Utah, called Kinnetic customizers,  I think.  Try looking them up.  Their forte is rebuilding window welts eliminating chrome trim so that when the window is reset there is a minimal gap between the glass and the finished body panel.  It does look great on pony cars,  Not so sure how it will look on the full sized cars.  But worth investigating if you are just looking to glide through the night in an all blacked out vehicle.

 

One possible caution for you.

 

Side marker lights can be ugly, but they are life savers.  If you are going to have an all black car on the public roads at night, you run the same risk as all the fools dressing in all black and walking across busy highways.  Just cause you can see someone approaching does not mean they can see you.  I had a real life experience with this a few years back and it was a very close call to impact.  The other car's headlights were on but from the side near the intersection it was near impossible to see that guy.

 

Good luck!

[ghrp6]

Awesome John, thanks for all that info. I will do my best to make the car visible, that's a part I did not think about. 

 

I will keep you guys updated on how's going the project so far. 

 

On another subject, any thought on what could be good upgrades for the engine ? At the moment it is bone stock and I am willing to maybe put a few mods on it but I am still unsure on where I shall begin. Camshafts and springs ? Intake ? Headers ? Carburetor ? I am not looking for a monster HP machine but if I could overall help it to run better that'd be great.

[RivNut]

Contact TA Performance for all sorts of go fast goodies for the Buick Big Block

 

http://www.taperformance.com/categories.asp

[ghrp6]

Awesome, will have a look !

[Thriller]

By 1975, the engine was detuned somewhat to have less power.  In stock form, considering it is something like 4600 lbs (if memory serves me correctly), the engine moves the car pretty well (tires can be chirped) and it can get in the range of 20 mpg on the highway.  Everything has a trade off. I’m not trying to dissuade you, but just reminding you to keep in mind some of these considerations.  

 

Enjoy!

 

[Buicknutty]

 Neat car, and hope your project goes well for you. Nice to see your new ride.

 Keith

[ghrp6]

5 hours ago, Thriller said:

By 1975, the engine was detuned somewhat to have less power.  In stock form, considering it is something like 4600 lbs (if memory serves me correctly), the engine moves the car pretty well (tires can be chirped) and it can get in the range of 20 mpg on the highway.  Everything has a trade off. I’m not trying to dissuade you, but just reminding you to keep in mind some of these considerations.  

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Hello Thriller,

 

You are totally right, in 1975 the 455 produced around 205 hp in 1975. However, the engine I currently have in the car is a 430, probably a 68' or a 69'. It is probably making around 360 hp at the moment, maybe a tad more considering the 3 inches straight pipe exhaust system. I am not willing to build a super beefy engine, I was planning on getting a new camshafts + springs and maybe upgrade the cooling system. 

[JohnD1956]

If you already have a 430, and it runs well, you might consider spending that money to change the rear axle gears instead.  The 430 is already 10.25 to 1 compression ratio. And it often pings on the highest octane gas available today.  Build it any beefier and it may ping at idle,  but with the economy rear end the '75 likely came with, it can only perform so much.  The Riviera of 68-69 could have had 3.42 rear gears while you car likely has 2.78's?  But chances are a Riviera 3.42 carrier will bolt right into that rear axle. 

[RivNut]

After 1971, horsepower ratings were changed from gross to net.  Prior to 72, the horsepower was calculated at the flywheel, as if the engine were on a test bench with no accessories or restrictive exhaust systems.  In 1972, horsepower was rated with the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, mufflers, transmission, and differential taken into consideration  Or in other words in a fully equipped car measured at the rear wheels.  The engines probably put out the same hp but the way of rating was different.  But then emissions came into play and hard parts were changed out to meet environmental requirements and the actual horsepower came down.  

[ghrp6]

Awesome, those are very wise advice. There's a shop in my town that is specialized in old engines/rebuild, LS swaps, dyno tuning and all that stuff. He inspected the car before I put it in storage for the winter. We have to lift the engine since there's a freeze plug that leaks and that needs to be changed. We're going to start there and see what we are going to change.