1968 Buick Electra 225

The Buick Electra was a full-size premium automobile built by the Buick division of General Motors. The Electra name was used in numerous designations by Buick from 1959 to 1990.

The '68 Electra 225 got a revised grille and taillight trim along with concealed windshield wipers. Inside, there was a revised instrument panel with a square speedometer and other instruments, plus a new steering wheel. Shoulder seat-belts were standard for both the driver and front passenger. Base and Custom models were still offered, with the Limited trim option available on the Electra 225 Custom hardtop sedan.

Offered here is a unique 1968 Buick Electra 225 Custom 4 door pillarless hardtop which has done 11,000miles from new - yes, eleven thousand!

It is difficult to convey in words the joy of coming across a car (or any other object for that matter) that has remained totally untouched for 45 years and has been kept in perfect storage for all that time, so that every detail is exactly as the manufacturer released it - in this case the year before the moon landing!There are classics that have emerged, after staggeringly long periods of storage, which have a beautiful patina about them and so you have to accept the faded paint or the faded carpets, dry upholstery and burst stitching, because it would be sacrilege to "restore" it.Well, imagine a vehicle with unmarked factory chrome, stunning and utterly unmarked silver/green Brocade upholstery, unmarked carpets, headlining, unused cigarette lighters. Add perfect dash, instruments, steering wheel, rubbers, date coded seatbelts ... you get the picture.

The Inca silver paintwork, with the exception of a small area on one door (which may have been factory rework) is straight out of the Flint Michigan Buick plant - 1968.

Mechanically, the same applies - 1968 date codes on the spiral shockers and brake back plates. In isolated places there is surface rust of the light dusty variety, which has been treated to a light spray of Dinitrol 900 converter. The vendor has been in the restoration business for over 30 years and insists that he has never come across a "time warp" car as genuine and pristine as this. The one owner was a Mr Harry E Robb Jr, of Minooka Illinois. He bought the car from Ramme Buick in Coalville, some 25 miles from his house and clearly cherished it greatly. The original handbook is with the car and a rare "extras" brochure detailing dealer fitted options. Original colour matching genuine Buick overmats are in the car and virtually unworn. A clearly very rare outing occurred on the 17th March 2003, when Harry drove the Buick 30 miles to Sears Auto Centre in Joliet for a set of tyres (this is real Blues Brothers territory!). The mileage then was 9,199 and there is not the slightest shred of doubt that this is the original mileage. The same tyres are on the car now and the bill is present to verify this. Sadly, Harry died in March 2013 aged 79. Harry had some history in the US army and it is believed was subsequently involved in farming, which may be some explanation of the astonishingly low mileage.

The Buick was imported to the UK in 2011 and has been meticulously cleaned and serviced to preserve the car. A few items stuck from lack of use or hardened grease have been rectified. It attended the Stars and Stripes rally at Tatton Park this summer and won best in class. The vendor has confirmed that the 110 mile round trip was covered in comfort and near silence at motorway speeds and the car returned 22 MPG.

This is a very rare chance to acquire an irreplaceable historical artefact, yet one capable of reliable and comfortable long distance cruising if desired.