61 Buick Special on Ontario Kijijij

I am to lazy to look up the exact price in USD but $7500 CD should be around $6000 USD. Not a bad asking Price IMO. You don't see many of any of the early GM Compacts other than Corvairs. Looks to have the 2-speed Automatic and Power Steering. I would like it better if it had the roll down rear window option. But not bad.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?requestSource=b&adId=1097698344&siteLocale=en_CA

 

Pretty nice example..... It's got the 215 V8 as well, instead of the standard V6.

 

The 215 was the only engine available in 61, the 198 V-6 did not arrive until 62.

 

Even better, Jeff. My thieving, money-grubbing venal bank will give me $US 5,400 for $CDN 7,500. Other banks may be better. Or worse.

Seems like a good price for a nice car. If it was a '61 Ford I'd be all over it.

 

That seems kind of odd - introduce an all-new compact vehicle, then put a thirsty V8 in it because you don't have anything else........
You would think they would have thought ahead a little bit.

 

Why would there be the beginnings of rust bubbling on this car if it was a California car, then a Texas car, then a New Jersey car owned ba a "collector"? Unless someone was (a) driving in the rain in Ontario (b) driving in the snow/salt of Ontario winters or (c) storing the car outside?

I count four (4) classic-looking cars in the pics and a four car garage in the background. Plus a truck. Hmmm ...

Norwood is a 2-3 hour drive from me on Hwy 7. Very pleasant drive through mostly untamed woodlands on a nice, clear day in March. I might try to check this one out. If I can muster the gumption to do so.

 

The Aluminum 215 V-8 actually gets as good or better MPG than the cast iron 198/225/231 V-6 that actually was derived from the little V-8 that is why the early versions up until 1977 were "odd fire" engines as they basicly used cut down v-8 crank shafts,
For Buick it was really more of a cost savings move to make the V-6, aluminum was very expensive back then, and they had a lot of casting issues with it. They could lower the base price of the Special with the cheaper but heavier V-6 engine.

As for the rust starting, California, Texas, and New Jersey all have coast lines. Cars close to the ocean can rust almost as bad as Rust Belt Cars.

 

California cars rust from the top down. But rock chips and paint baking off over the years exposes the metal and when you sit in a humid environment it will start to rust no matter where it is. It's a common misconception that Texas and California cars don't rust, they just don't rot away from salt damage.

 

This is where I got the Frontenac and Edsel wagons from, it's only a few miles from me. The owner is a private collector and good to deal with. He also has a 62 Tempest wagon but it's not for sale.