1961 Buick Special

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1961-buick-special-station-wagon/

bids soon

 

What a gem! The bid's still within reason

 

Is that a dark red (or Brown ) dash with a goldish interior? I do like the 3 on the tree & no carpet just the full rubber mat



Must be part of the 2 tone seat package, I see the door armrest pads match the dash & seats



pretty low option car, doesn't even have rear seat armrests, clear glass. but does have seat belts, and roll down rear hatch window



I like that engine compartment, nothing to clutter it up like Power brakes or steering, just that sweet little aluminum V8



Nice car without that odd Buick 2 speed automatic of 61-63.

 

Yeah, a wagon without tinted glass would only be humane for passengers, during an Alaskan summer.
It doesen't look like the engineers left enough room for a power brake booster, from here. Let, alone, a dual-circuit conversion.
That box attached to the wiper motor certainly doesen't look original. Could it be an electronic ignition module?

 

Bidding went to $12,750. reserve not met.

 

A column-shift 4 or 5-speed would be a cool sleeper mod and not impossible to do. Did the original 3-speeds even have a syncronized first gear, back then?

 

I don't think they did until later in the decade, but I am not sure of that.

 

Brochure describes the standard trans as a 'Three Speed Synchromesh' - so I would take that to mean synchros on all gears.

 

The brochure twice claims that the brakes are air-cooled. Who would have thought that .
This is up there within the top ten most desirable wagons ever featured on this site, IMHO. It's unfortunate that the buying public underrated these. Maybe, it was GM's advertising potential which was shortcoming?

 

Seeing as how my first-ever car was a 1963 Oldsmobile F-85 Cutlass coupe, with the aluminum V8, I've been eyeing this gem......
The seller calls it a 'F-85 Cutlass', but the 'Cutlass' name should not be applied to it. In '63, only some of the 2-doors got the 'Cutlass' name - basically higher-trimmed models with bucket seats. The station wagon was available in 'F-85' and 'F-85 Deluxe' versions. This one appears to be a F-85 Deluxe.

Seller is asking $18,950. North Carolina...

https://www.cars-on-line.com/gen3-cars/col1/posting/79819

 

Go for it. You'll likely never get a second chance, at something this good

 

YES! This is a Deluxe model. The OE air cleaner on the optional 4 bbl engine said "Cutlass" on it, maybe this one is a 4 bbl with an altered air cleaner? Maybe that's why the seller called it "Cutlass"? There was no Cutlass trimmed wagon in '63.

KK's Buick brochure must be for a '63 wagon? The brochure says the 215 V8 was standard, Buick did have their V6 in at least the 61 and 62 models I believe?

 

The brochure page I posted is actually an early '61 brochure. And I'm not seeing anything indicating you could get anything other than the aluminum 215 cubic-inch V8 in any F-85 / Cutlass / Jetfire in '61 - '63. No mention anywhere of a V6 being offered. You COULD get a V6 in the Buick Special.

 

That is a Beautiful Wagon.

 

I saw this car at the Oldsmobile Nationals in TN in 2016. Asking price was $16K then. The car is beautiful, and I'm sure the seller has more than that much into it, but that's Jetfire money for a non-stock wagon with custom touches. Only you can tell if the price is worth it to you. And I'm sure I'll have more than that much into my 62 wagon when I get it done, but I don't expect to get that out of it.