Buick Electra

Buick Electra
1977 Buick Electra Limited Coupe
Overview
Manufacturer	Buick (General Motors)
Also called	Buick Electra 225
Production	1959–1990
Body and chassis
Class	Full-size luxury car
Chronology
Predecessor	Buick Roadmaster Buick Super
Successor	Buick Park Avenue

First generation
1960 Buick Electra 225 Convertible
Overview
Model years	1959–1960
Assembly	South Gate, California, United States Wilmington, Delaware, United States Doraville, Georgia, United States Kansas City, Kansas, United States Framingham, Massachusetts, United States Flint, Michigan, United States Linden, New Jersey, United States Arlington, Texas, United States
Designer	Bill Mitchell
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door 4-window hardtop 4-door 6-window sedan Electra only: 2-door hardtop Electra 225 only: 2-door convertible 4-door 6-window Riviera hardtop
Layout	FR layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Cadillac Eldorado Cadillac Sixty Special Cadillac De Ville Cadillac Series 62 Oldsmobile 98
Powertrain
Engine	401 cu in (6.6 L) Nailhead V8
Transmission	2-speed Dynaflow automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	126.3 in (3,208 mm)
Length	1959: Electra 225: 225.4 in (5,725 mm) Electra: 220.9 in (5,611 mm) 1960: Electra 225: 225.9 in (5,738 mm) Electra: 221.2 in (5,618 mm)
Width	80.7 in (2,050 mm)
Height	55.9"
Curb weight	4,700–4,900 lb (2,100–2,200 kg)

Second generation
1961 Buick Electra 225 Riviera Sedan
Overview
Model years	1961–1964
Assembly	Wilmington, Delaware, United States South Gate, California, United States Doraville, Georgia, United States Kansas City, Kansas, United States Framingham, Massachusetts, United States Flint, Michigan, United States Linden, New Jersey, United States Arlington, Texas, United States
Designer	Bill Mitchell
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door 4-window hardtop 4-door 6-window sedan 2-door hardtop 2-door convertible 4-door 6-window hardtop
Layout	FR layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Cadillac Eldorado Cadillac Sixty Special Cadillac De Ville Cadillac Series 62 Oldsmobile 98
Powertrain
Engine	401 cu in (6.6 L) Nailhead V8
Transmission	2-speed Dynaflow automatic 3-speed TH-400 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	126.0 in (3,200 mm)
Length	1961: 219.2 in (5,568 mm) 1962: 220.1 in (5,591 mm) 1963: 221.7 in (5,631 mm) 1964: 222.8 in (5,659 mm)
Width	1961–62: 77.9 in (1,979 mm) 1963–64: 78.0 in (1,981 mm)
Height	1961: 57.0 in (1,448 mm) 1962–64: 57.5 in (1,460 mm)
Curb weight	4,300–4,600 lb (2,000–2,100 kg)

Third generation
1965 Buick Electra 225 4-Door Sedan
Overview
Model years	1965–1970
Assembly	Doraville, Georgia, United States South Gate, California, United States Flint, Michigan, United States
Designer	Bill Mitchell
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door hardtop 4-door sedan 2-door hardtop 2-door convertible
Layout	FR layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Cadillac Eldorado Cadillac De Ville Cadillac Calais Oldsmobile 98
Powertrain
Engine	401 cu in (6.6 L) Nailhead V8 425 cu in (7.0 L) Nailhead V8 430 cu in (7.0 L) Buick V8 455 cu in (7.5 L) Buick V8
Transmission	3-speed TH-400 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1965–68: 126.0 in (3,200 mm) 1969–70: 127.0 in (3,226 mm)
Length	1965: 224.1 in (5,692 mm) 1966: 223.4 in (5,674 mm) 1967: 223.9 in (5,687 mm) 1968: 224.9 in (5,712 mm) 1969: 224.8 in (5,710 mm) 1970: 225.8 in (5,735 mm)
Width	80.0 in (2,032 mm)
Height	1965–66: 57.5 in (1,460 mm) 1967–68: 56.2 in (1,427 mm) 1969: 55.8 in (1,417 mm) 1970: 55.9 in (1,420 mm)

Fourth generation
1973 Electra Coupe
Overview
Model years	1971–1976
Assembly	Doraville, Georgia, United States South Gate, California, United States Flint, Michigan, United States
Designer	Bill Mitchell
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door hardtop 2-door hardtop 2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Cadillac De Ville Cadillac Calais Buick Estate Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser Oldsmobile 98 Pontiac Grand Safari Pontiac Safari Chevrolet Kingswood Chevrolet Townsman
Powertrain
Engine	350 cu in (5.7 L) Buick V8 455 cu in (7.5 L) Buick V8
Transmission	3-speed TH-400, automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	127.0 in (3,226 mm)
Length	1971: 226.2 in (5,745 mm) 1972: 227.9 in (5,789 mm) 1973: 229.5 in (5,829 mm) 1974: 231.5 in (5,880 mm) 1975: 233.4 in (5,928 mm) 1976: 233.3 in (5,926 mm)
Width	1971–1972: 79.7 in (2,024 mm) 1973: 79.3 in (2,014 mm) 1974–1976: 79.9 in (2,029 mm)
Height	1971–1973: 54.9 in (1,394 mm) 1974: 55.0 in (1,397 mm) 1975: 55.1 in (1,400 mm) 1976: 54.5 in (1,384 mm)
Curb weight	4,600–5,000 lb (2,100–2,300 kg)

Fifth generation
Overview
Model years	1977–1984
Assembly	Flint, Michigan, United States Doraville, Georgia, United States
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Cadillac De Ville Oldsmobile 98
Powertrain
Engine	252 cu in (4.1 L) Buick V6 307 cu in (5.0 L) Oldsmobile V8 350 cu in (5.7 L) Buick V8 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile diesel V8 403 cu in (6.6 L) Oldsmobile V8
Transmission	3-speed TH350 automatic 4-speed THM200-4R automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	118.9 in (3,020 mm)
Length	1977–79: 222.1 in (5,641 mm) 1980: 220.9 in (5,611 mm) 1981–82: 221.2 in (5,618 mm) 1983–84: 221.3 in (5,621 mm)
Width	1977–79: 77.2 in (1,961 mm) 1980: 78.0 in (1,981 mm) 1981: 75.9 in (1,928 mm) 1982–84: 76.2 in (1,935 mm)
Height	1977–79: 55.7 in (1,415 mm) 1980: 55.6 in (1,412 mm) 1981: 55.0 in (1,397 mm) 1982–84: 56.9 in (1,445 mm)
Curb weight	3,800–4,200 lb (1,700–1,900 kg)

Sixth generation
Overview
Model years	1985–1990
Assembly	Wentzville, Missouri, United States
Designer	Irvin Rybicki
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door sedan 2-door coupe
Layout	FF layout
Platform	C-body
Related	Buick LeSabre Cadillac Sixty Special Cadillac Fleetwood Cadillac DeVille Oldsmobile 88 Oldsmobile 98 Pontiac Bonneville
Powertrain
Engine	3.0 L Buick V6 3.8 L Buick V6 4.3 L Oldsmobile diesel V6
Transmission	4-speed THM440-T4 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	110.8 in (2,814 mm)
Length	1985–86: 197.0 in (5,004 mm) 1987: 197.4 in (5,014 mm) 1988–90: 197.0 in (5,004 mm)
Width	1985–86: 72.4 in (1,839 mm) 1987: 72.1 in (1,831 mm) 1988–90: 72.4 in (1,839 mm)
Height	1985–86: 54.3 in (1,379 mm) 1987: 54.2 in (1,377 mm) 1988–90: 54.3 in (1,379 mm)
Curb weight	3,300–3,600 lb (1,500–1,600 kg)

The Buick Electra is a full-size luxury car that was built by Buick from 1959 to 1990. Harlow H. Curtice, former president of the Buick division and later president of General Motors, named the car after his sister-in-law, Electra Waggoner Biggs.

During its more than 30-year run, Electra was offered in varying body styles including coupe, convertible, sedan, and station wagon. The Electra was replaced by the Buick Park Avenue in 1991.

For 1958, the Roadmaster and the Limited constituted the upper echelon of Buick's lineup. For 1959, they were renamed the Electra and the Electra 225 respectively. The appearance was shared with two other Buick models, the mid-level Invicta and the entry level LeSabre.

The Electra 225 nameplate was a nod to the latter car's overall length of over 225 in (5,715 mm), earning it the street name "deuce and a quarter."

The Electra 225 Riviera was the top-line model and it shared its six window hardtop roofline exclusively with Cadillac (which offered it on all of its models). Buick first applied the "Riviera" name to a premium trimmed 2-door Roadmaster hardtop in the middle of the 1949 model year, and thereafter denoted all Buick hardtops Rivieras. Also, from 1950 through 1953, Buick made a premium trimmed, stretched wheelbase sedan, exclusively in the Roadmaster and Super lines, that was called Riviera. But 1959 was the first year that not all Buick hardtops were called Rivieras. A standard 4-window four-door hardtop was also available, as was a 4-door 6-window pillared sedan, along with a stripped chassis of which 144 were built in 1959 and 1960. The two-door convertible was only available as an Electra 225, and the 2-door hardtop as an Electra.