1965-1969 Buick Electra 225

During the mid-Sixties, size was "in," and the 1965-1969 Buick Electra 225s looked the part with their right-angle rear quarter panels. Oddly, after completely abandoning tailfins in 1961, this mildly restyled Electra's back fenders protruded past the deck to give just a hint of the old finned look.

Coincidence? Or was it a mild harkening back to the bolder past?

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Either way, the horizontal look now was de rigueur. Electra filled that bill handily, highlighted by a wide ribbed trim strip that extended all the way from the front wheels to the back bumper, crossing the rear fender skirts, to enhance the car's vastly long silhouette.

The expected quad headlights stood side-by-side in a straight-up mesh grille. Four wide stylized VentiPorts arranged in a row told viewers this was indeed a Buick.

"It's big, it's sleek, and it rides like a dream," Electra prospects were informed by the 1965 sales catalog. Better yet, it "has the look of solid success," just the thing to let people know "you've arrived." No idle boast, that.

An Electra sedan stretched out at the curb really did look like it belonged to someone who'd achieved worldly success, and didn't hesitate to flaunt it. At least a little.

Stretching 224 inches from stem to stern, an Electra proclaimed one's role in the material world with restrained elegance as opposed to gaudy baubles. Interiors, to no one's surprise, put plush comfort uppermost, fitted with a selection of fine fabrics and leather-grained vinyls.

To learn more about the 1965-1969 Buick Electra 225 engine, pricing, and production, go on to the next page.

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Continued

Customers of the 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Buick Electra 225 didn't have to be content with a single engine choice, either. This breed of Electra came with any of three Wildcat V-8s, rated at 325, 340, or 360 bhp, the latter breathing through twin four-barrel carburetors. Variable-pitch Super Turbine automatic was standard, of course; shifting gears in a luxury motor car belonged to the past, or to European upstarts.

Expensive? But of course, though the top Electra convertible at $4,440 cost only a tad more than a Riviera. And that was an easy thousand lower than a comparable Cadillac.

By this time, Buick was building 50 percent more cars than it had in 1960, rising to fifth in the marketplace (thanks largely, but not entirely, to the Riviera's popularity).

Buick pushed the idea of the "tuned car" for 1966, suggesting that they "tune the entire car from the ground up." Actually, no major change was evident, though Electras wore a new grille and rear-end look.

Lowered spring rates and a larger front stabilizer bar played a role in improved handling, while the Super Turbine automatic now contained dual planetary gearsets plus the customary variable-pitch stator. Engine choices this time were the standard 401-cid "Wildcat 445" with its 325 bhp, or optional 425-cid V-8 rated at 340/360.

"Stodgy? Never." That's what Buick said of the restyled 1967 Electras with their new roof curvature and sweeping full-length contour lines. Hardtop coupes had a semi-fastback profile, promoted as "the luxury car built for the man or woman young enough to enjoy a luxury car."

Custom models contained woodgrain door moldings. A new 430-cid V-8 was Buick's biggest ever, ready to deliver a "subtle throb of power," though its output was identical to the prior 425 engine.

Restyling for 1968 consisted of a new split grille and front bumper, recessed windshield wipers, a new hood molding, fresh taillights, and revised rear bumper. Front disc brakes were available to replace the usual drums.

All-new upper-series bodies for 1969 had ventless side glass, as front vent wings faded out of the picture. This final Electra of the Sixties had an even squarer, more formal profile than before.

Sculptured sweeplines extended the car's full length from front wheel housing to rear bumper in a straight diagonal line. A Turbo Hydra-Matic 400 transmission was standard, substituting for the abandoned Super Turbine. Under the hood? Still the 430-cid V-8 powerplant.

Record-setting sales (past the 665,000 mark) gave Buick its long-sought Number Four spot. Plenty of Americans, it seemed, still appreciated what Buick had to offer in a big, powerful automobile.

For 1965-1969 Buick Electra 225 specifications, go on to the next page.

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1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Buick Electra 225 Specifications

The 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 Buick Electra 225 boasted a long horizontal stretch , plush interior, and a wealth of engine choices -- including a new 430-cid V-8, Buick's biggest ever.

Specifications

Engines: all ohv V-8; 1965-66 401 cid (4.19 × 3.64), 325 bhp 1965-66 425 cid (4.31 × 3.64), 340/360 bhp 1967-69 430 cid (4.19 × 3.90), 360 bhp

Transmissions: 3-speed Super Turbine automatic or (1969) Turbo Hydra-Matic 400

Suspension front: upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, link-type stabilizer

Suspension rear: 4-link live axle, coil springs

Brakes: front/rear drums (front discs optional 1968-69)

Wheelbase (in.): 126.0

Weight (lbs): 4,176-4,344

Top speed (mph): 114-118

0-60 mph (sec): 9.0-10.0 (est.)

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