1961 Buick at auction

[gofasttoday]

ends 3/16/2023

(https://williamshaefferauctions.hibid.com/catalog/437565/online-auction---4-1960s-classic-cars-corvair-oldsmobile--/)

[EmTee]

Well, I like '61s and this isn't a convertible or coupe, but 6-window hardtop would be a nice car.  Looks solid, BUT...

 

...needs EVERYTHING!

[JohnD1956]

39 minutes ago, EmTee said:

.needs EVERYTHING!

One decent set of tires would make it look 100% better.  Too bad they cost so much today

 

[rocketraider]

Appears to be a 225 6-window hardtop which I believe was Buick's absolute top line car in 1961. 

 

And which will unfortunately work against it because while people like us see it as what it is, the general old-car public doesn't see a flashy 2-door HT or convertible and won't give it a second glance. As evident by it hasn't snagged a bid yet, while the Y-body 2-doors are getting some interest.

[JohnD1956]

That is to our benefit.  Still nice deals to be had for true blue Buick guys. 

[EmTee]

Upon closer inspection, maybe it's not as bad as it first appears...

 

1. All of the exterior trim pieces seem to be there and in salvageable condition.

2. Body looks solid, rust shown seems to be superficial.

3. Interior shows clear plastic covers are mostly still present -- maybe the upholstery could be revived with careful cleaning (assuming no rodents).

4. Headliner and carpet need replacement, but should be available.

5. If I were restoring this car I would probably consider changing the exterior color to something more flattering; maybe Newport Silver Poly or Laguna Blue Poly.

 

Still, as nice as the car could be when finished, one has to really have an emotional connection to this model to justify the expense, which would never be recovered when it is eventually sold.

[JohnD1956]

This car still has what appears to be the cooling tube for the generator. When is the last time you saw one of those? 

 

[NTX5467]

Interior fabrics are most probably dry-rotted by now.  Although they might look good under the Fingerhut clear covers.  For best short-term results, those clear covers need to remain until a full re-do of the interior is scheduled.

 

The car would definitely look better with a MAACO (i.e., budget-priced) paint job, some new Nexen (not repro tires) whitewalls, and a general cleaning.  NO real need for a full restoration it might deserve, but have to keep it from being a money pit, too.  Scheduling things out can help with the finances, too.  One of those "clean it up and worry about the mechanicals first" cars.

 

I agree that these "unwanted" cars can also be "high value, affordable" vehicles of note, too.

 

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[NTX5467]

Just looked at the linked auction pictures.  It might "need everything", but it also appears that might be easier to do than on some other cars of that vintage I've seen.  A "motivated person" with decent DIY skills and some quality paint/sealant products could really make a difference in how the car looks.  To do incognito upgrades, an electronic ignition and EFI kit might make it run and operate better . . . for a cost.  Then the aluminum A-6 style compressor to replace the orig item, too.  Plus an electronic voltage regulator under the correct OEM-look case for good measure too.  Many of these things could be justified as "the current stuff needs replacing, so replace it with something better", which could justify some of the basic costs a bit.

 

I could see about 2-3 years of reasonably-constant DIY work there, but work that would result in a car seldom seen at cruises, much less other places too.  THAT could be further motivation to make it better, I suspect.  Resulting in a basically-correct car with a few modernized items, for good measure and additional reliability, hopefully.

 

On the downside, as rare as the 6-window hardtops might be, there is a reason for that.  It just looks a bit out of place on that swoopy '61 body, to me.  But on a '62, more better.

 

I'm NOT that "motivated person". 

 

FWIW,

NTX5467  

[Frank DuVal]

1 hour ago, NTX5467 said:

an electronic ignition and EFI kit might make it run and operate better . . . for a cost.

Why, unless it is going to be a daily driver it will never pay for itself. Points and carburetor on those models work just fine.  Put the money toward cosmetic/safety issues. And I do not mean disc brakes either!

[60FlatTop]

11 hours ago, NTX5467 said:

I could see about 2-3 years of reasonably-constant DIY work there,

 

My benevolently neglected white 4 door fit that description when I bought it for $950 in 2002. I drove it to Flint in 2003.

 

I have fixed some stuff as needed over the years but never did any upgrades. I know how to do upgrades. I just choose to buy Buicks.

 

In 1983 I reestablished my goals as a car hobbyist and have truly enjoyed the intervening years. The bar was lowered.

[NTX5467]

20 hours ago, Frank DuVal said:

Why, unless it is going to be a daily driver it will never pay for itself. Points and carburetor on those models work just fine.  Put the money toward cosmetic/safety issues. And I do not mean disc brakes either!

I know fully well that ignition point ignition systems worked very well back then.  BUT . . . it seems that finding quality point sets WITH the little vial of point grease in them was hard 20 years ago.  Then, when I tried to gap a set in a distributor I had on one of my cars with a dial indicator, THEN I realized how worn the lobes on the breaker cam had become, AND how much variation between them there was, such that dwell and gap were not what they used to be, which is why I went electronic on that car  To me, that is reality.  The kit I got was an OEM High Perf kit with a complete wiring harness and control box.

 

I know what a carburetor is and how to work on ine.  BUT on one car I bought, the Carter BBD would not idle when hot.  I spent hours searching for the "Low Speed Jet" in every service manual I had, finally finding where it was.  I drilled it out until I got brass on the twist drill bit, problem solved.  Afterward, it idled just fine and I didn't have to consider changing the carb to something else.  That was in the 1990s.

 

Still, I know that fuel-mixing technology is much better now than back then.  Plus that some of those older engines had some different things on them (like the heat track on the front of the carb mounting pad) that made them more "OEM-oriented" than not.  Not sure that I want to get a modern AFB and work to get it calibrated correctly (even the electric choke), although I could probably do that and it'd work just fine.  But to effectively use a more modern carb, a later-model intake manifold might well be needed.

 

So the EFI kit could cover all of those bases.  It would require a new distributor that the EFI unit would control the timing advance on.  The TBI unit injectors probably spray a better-homogenized fuel mist into the air stream through it, so engine efficiency could take TWO steps forward.

 

The reason I said "at a cost" is that the EFI and ignition items would probably cost $2500.00 for the parts.  Install labor would be by the "motivated owner", BTAIM.  It would take a few years of normal driving to get close to paying for these upgrades with fuel savings, for sure.  But the intangibles would be a better running and performing car that still looks stock to the untrained eye.  And . . . the car would possibly be more saleable with those modern items under the hood as most "modern buyer" could look them up on the Internet to see what they were and how to possibly fix them.  Rather than trying to find a technician who really knows enough about carburetors to do anything other than replace gaskets in one.

 

I certainly would NOT do power disc brakes on that car.  No matter who might build the kit for it.  A good drum brake system with good linings and drums will certainly challenge the tires to stop the car.  Further lining upgrades can also increase the capability to handle hills and mountains, too.  What I WOULD do is to swap a larger front sway bar under there and find a GM factory bar which would bolt onto the rear suspension.  Backed-up by some modern whitewall radials.

 

Such a car would only be competitive in the Driven Class, at best, but be fully capable of driving anywhere at any speed desired, in comfort and grace.  Of course, the a/c would probably need a mass-flow condenser for best cooling results with R-134a gas in it.

 

Just some thoughts and such, of mine,

NTX5467

Edited March 14, 2023 by NTX5467 (see edit history)

[Smartin]

Thus would be a fun one to detail.  It's a long way from me though.

[EmTee]

9 hours ago, Smartin said:

Thus would be a fun one to detail.

I think you're right; I'll bet that just a good cleaning would make a big difference...

[60FlatTop]

Almost all of the brown rust bleed on the car will come off. Although you can use a buffer and compound to do it I prefer NAPA brand chrome polish. It has a very fine grit to it. I have been using it to remove rust bleed for at least 40 years. I like going over the body by hand to get to know every square inch.

A little brush touching on the small paint chips can make a huge difference.

 

Here is my son doing brush touching on a 1962 Electra 225 6 window around 1985. This is my wife's all time favorite car. She was doing day care at the time and she would really load it up with kids. Similar to the one in the topic, I bought it through the old Swap Sheet. The seller told me he would absolutely not take less than $1,000. Challenged by the definition of absolutely, I paid $800 for it.

 

I love those kind of cars but they are not around so much anymore.

Edited March 15, 2023 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[drhach]

That picture reminds me of this 

 

[rocketraider]

Looks like our six-window friend found a new home at $1975. Let's hope it's a GOOD home and doesn't suffer any indignities.

 

But the Y-body cars all brought two to three times the money...