By 1978, the second phase of General Motors' downsizing program was in progress with phase three ready for 1979. The first phase began in 1977, when all of the corporation's B-...
By 1978, the second phase of General Motors' downsizing program was in progress with phase three ready for 1979. The first phase began in 1977, when all of the corporation's B- and C-body full-size cars and station wagons shrank in size and weight compared to their 1976 predecessors.
Customers were delighted to learn they could have their automotive cake and eat it, too, as the cars shed weight and inches without losing important qualities such as interior and cargo space. This '78 Buick Electra Limited Coupe was no exception. For its sophomore season, the grille was updated along with revised taillamps.
Made in General Motors' Linden, New Jersey factory (VIN code E) during the second week of April 1978, this big cruiser was finished in White (code 11) with a Light Blue half-vinyl poly roof (code 22T). It left the assembly line with the following options – 60/40 split front bench seat (code AM6), power locks (code AU3), power trunk release (code A90) and sport sideview mirrors (code D68). It was originally delivered to Reagan Buick-Oldsmobile in Omaha, Nebraska.
The car's paint and trim are in overall very good order and notably, the bumper filler panels are intact! The blue vinyl roof looks great, the bodywork is straight and solid and the engine bay is tidy. The chrome bumpers fit well to the car's body.
This big Buick rolls on Milestar Touring SLE radials, size 225/75R15 at every corner. Each tire is mounted on to a Buick rallye wheel. The wheels and tires are all in very good condition. It rides on a 118.9-inch wheelbase and offers 20.4-cubic-feet of trunk space.
Under that big, counterbalanced hood is a 350 CID V-8 engine with four-barrel carburetor, the standard powerplant, with GM-Delco's High-Energy Ignition System. Backing up this motor is the General's venerable Turbo Hydramatic 350 three-speed automatic transmission. Driver convenience features include air-conditioning, power recirculating ball steering, power brakes with discs in front, cruise control, power locks, power sideview mirrors, remote trunk release and tilt steering column.
Open those big and long doors to reveal the Light Blue Custom Cloth interior (code 24H), with its tufted pillow seating and velour cloth look inviting. The front bench seat, which is split 55/45, looks great and has a fold-down center armrest. The rear bench seat looks spacious. Even the courtesy lights still work! A/C and wipers are inop. The matching carpet and headliner go well with the upholstery and the car's three-spoke steering wheel. The inner door panels and matching dashboard are in very good order, the latter with its silver-face gauges, a fad at the time. There is a column-mounted shift lever and a factory AM/FM stereo fits in the dash with an optional Citizens' Band (CB) radio with a Triband antenna.
For 1977, a fifth-generation Electra was introduced as GM downsized its C-body full-size lines. Again a counterpart of the Oldsmobile 98, the Electra shed over 11 inches of length and over 800 pounds of curb weight. Coinciding with the major size reduction, Buick ended production of hardtop body styles, with both two-door and four-door Electras offered only as pillared sedans. The downsized model brought increased sales, with 161,627 Electras produced in 1977
As a consequence of the lighter body and chassis, the 455 V-8 of the previous generation was retired entirely, with a four-barrel Buick 350 V-8 returning as the standard engine. The Oldsmobile 403 V-8 was introduced as an optional engine.
The Electra was offered in standard, Electra 225 and Electra Limited trims; the Park Avenue option was added to the two-door, though the full-length center console option was deleted from the option package.
Coupe competition to this Buick in 1978 included American Motors' Matador, Buick's own Riviera, Cadillac's Coupe de Ville, Chrysler's Newport, Mercedes-Benz's 280 CE, Mercury's Grand Marquis and Oldsmobile's 98 Regency.
If you prefer your American full-size cars with only two doors instead of four, you should pounce on this Electra Limited at MotoeXotica Classic Cars. Sedans almost always outnumbered coupes on these big cruisers and this model is no exception.
VIN: 4X37X8E127145
This car is currently located at our facility in St. Louis, Missouri. Current mileage on the odometer shows 41,767 miles. It is sold as is, where is, on a clean and clear, mileage exempt title. GET OUT AND DRIVE!!!
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