Ken's 1979 Buick Electra - A Classic Car Journey

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A year ago, I developed serious motivation for getting a new old car: with issues related to vertigo, I could no longer safely ride motorcycles, which I had done since 1972. My wife, Dana, and I discussed the potential transition from two to four wheels. I suggested that, with all the motorcycle gear gone, I wanted a big-ass Buick (BAB). Dana did not hesitate: she agreed!

Having spent many years in the marketing world, my networking, relationship-building, project management, and team development skills were put to good use. My recent social work training also proved beneficial. A friend in Louisville, who once owned a Buick franchise, counseled me well: first, do my research; second, be vigilant for those who would misrepresent their offers.

My research began with local and national car clubs: primarily, the Buick Club of America (BCA) and the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). I embarked on the following information gathering:

- Reaching out to BCA and AACA headquarters

- Making my first contacts in BCA with people in Chicago and Atlanta

- Finding my initial AACA contact in Louisville: Mark Kubancik

Through Mark, I had the pleasure of meeting Roger Stephan (my Godfather) and Fred Trusty, the Chairman of the Board. They invited me to a KYANA board meeting at Hunsinger Lane, where I met the rest of the dedicated folks on the Board. This was a great start! Everyone was welcoming and freely offered their assistance as I continued my search for a classic Buick.

My online research began with poring through many sites: Hemmings; classiccars.com; trovit.com; Gateway Classic Cars; to name a few.

The first car Dana and I “had to have” was a 1956 Buick Roadmaster, coral and white, a beauty! However, I backed off: the Roadmaster was very expensive, located in Florida, and had no air conditioning (crucial for the Ohio River valley!). Most importantly, I had no understanding of what I was getting into! I still needed to develop a team of trusted people to keep a classic Buick running well.

I spent considerable time reading about and analyzing potential cars, primarily mid-60s Electra and Wildcats; early 70s Electra. I called many sellers; the best of the bunch included a 66 Wildcat in Boston (no a/c) and a 64 Electra convertible in Pittsburgh (not all original spec). We contacted BCA members in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Ft Lauderdale, NY City, Ames Iowa, and received guidance from both Mark and other AACA events attendees!

I met a couple on the east coast who were trying to sell their dad’s 76 Electra Limited: one owner, full set of service records. Their rule for selling was that the buyer would keep the car original, without wild modifications. After a few months of their dad’s hesitancy to sell (emotional ties over 46 years), we had to let it go. But these were such nice people!

Some other noteworthy cars we found included:

- '69 Electra convertible, Ft. Lauderdale

- '69 Electra convertible, NY City

- '66 Electra, Ames Iowa

- '70 Electra, South Carolina

- '77 Electra, Indianapolis

- '72 Electra, Nashville

One car was beat up and badly repainted, one was missing trim parts, and one was visited by Auto Appraisal Group, who basically concluded I should walk away. Another was a dealer with no history on the car other than “trust me.” One had a magical price increase in the final hour, and one was, in the words of the BCA member who assessed the car, “just awful.”

In April, Mark emailed me about a 1979 Buick Limited, a 2-door model with a Landau roof and bright red velour interior on Virginia’s Eastern Shore (“too new?”). I reached out to the owner: this was a one-family car since new, garage-kept. Both the father and son were mechanics, so the car was carefully cared for. It had been shown at local events, with original paint and matching numbers for the real Buick 350. The only challenge was that the owner disclosed the a/c compressor was frozen. A BCA friend in Virginia Beach drove up to see the Electra and sent me a video, calling it a keeper!

My BCA friend in Chicago helped arrange closed transport to Louisville. We spent additional time and money: replaced the a/c compressor with a GM OEM part; tightened and aligned the front end; bought new white wall (!) tires; installed a new carburetor; and even got new floor mats with the Buick logo. And yes, we added a floor console with cup holders. Still need to fix the clock (as Joliet Jake said to Elwood: “fix the cigarette lighter.”)!

This has been a 10-month adventure! It has been worth every minute and dollar. Dana and my journey has been a remarkable learning experience, and it will continue. We’ve met wonderful people through AACA events and look forward to enjoying new relationships and new adventures.

As I’ve heard many times, especially from those new to older cars, do your homework and get involved with a good car club. We have met incredible people, particularly with the KYANA group from AACA.

The fun is just beginning. We attended the AACA/BCA show in Auburn, Indiana. We met fellow KYANA members at Claudia Sanders. We went to the Buick races in Bowling Green (Dana: “they race Buicks?!”). We attended the Concours at Keeneland, and I’ve been to several KYANA Board meetings. Plus, we get 14 mpg with hi-test!

As Mark Kubancik advised, 'welcome to the world of older cars.' The urgency to replace the tires was sparked by a blowout on the Watterson near Westport Road. Talk about adventure! With LMPD and AAA support, we got Big Red off the road to safely change the tire.

We have begun building a service network: Tony’s for the front-end work; Mills for the engine work; Bob Hook for the a/c compressor; Towery for the tires (“sure, we can get white walls”). And, of course, AAA.

BAB is now named Big Red! Big Red is a fine car, and Dana and I will enjoy her for a long time, 'running down the highway, going to a show.'