AWAKENING A 1964 BUICK LESABRE AFTER 40 YEARS OF SLUMBER
We’ve all seen it happen. That melancholy moment when the family workhorse gets put out to pasture, officially retired from daily duty. From there, the vehicle’s first few months in storage quickly turn into years, and years turn into decades, as the once prominent transport of family and life gets buried in layers of dust and dirt—sometimes becoming convenient horizontal storage for other cast-aside items of daily life.
Our featured 1964 Buick Le Sabre convertible was one such vehicle, unceremoniously retired after years of committed service, and banished to the back of a family’s storage space for half a lifetime. Though this seems to be a brief, bleak recap of this Le Sabre’s history, there is an upside to the near tragic tale. Luckily, by a twist of fate, this drop-top cruiser’s metal had been preserved, and the Buick arose from its years of hibernation for a second chance at life.
That day recently came when its then-owners decided it was time to let go of the Le Sabre. Once pulled from neglected storage, it was sent to a public auction. It was there that New Jersey barn find guru, Carl “CJ” Manfra, saw the dusty Buick as it went across the auction block. “I’m not really into going to auctions to find cars, but I just happened to be at the sale and saw this one roll in. The Buick looked like it was just dragged out of a long sleep. It was soiled, but it was a relatively solid looking car, so I took a chance bidding on it, and won it for a good price,” says CJ.
What CJ eventually brought home was an interesting Buick to say the least. His acquisition proved to be a very complete and original mid-Sixties convertible. “I took a stab at it basically because, first, it’s a convertible. Second, it’s a pretty straight car still wearing its original paint. Lastly, it’s basically all there and hasn’t been messed with. That’s a great combination that’s hard to find these days. You just don’t get to buy many Sixties vehicles in this barn-fresh condition anymore.”
Le Sabre became an intricate part of Buick’s catalog when it was introduced; not only with an entire B-body platform redesign, but also as the Special’s entry-level replacement model in 1959. As such, it picked up where the Special left off by becoming one of Buick’s best-selling full-size cars for decades to come. The formula for sales success was virtually unchanged. Bolstered by attractive pricing, Le Sabre offered buyers sufficient power, luxurious cabin comfort, and sleek exterior styling. The model’s design spanned consumer desire for two-door sedans, hardtops, and convertibles as well as four-door sedans, hardtops, and station wagons throughout much of its lifespan.
In its initial year, the Le Sabre was powered by Buick’s “Wildcat” 364-cu.in. V-8 engine that, fitted with a two-barrel carburetor, was rated at 210 hp when paired with a standard manual transmission, or 250 hp when paired with a Twin or Triple Turbine Dynaflow. The ensemble was supported by a new box-section K-frame that featured a 123-inch wheelbase and a full coil-sprung suspension system.
Improvements were modest for 1960 examples, most notably minor styling upgrades and tweaks to the power team, but by ’61 the B- (and larger C-body) platforms witnessed dramatic visual and engineering changes. Conspicuously absent were “Delta Wings,” Buick’s short-lived name for the angled tailfins. Together with crisp flanks and new front-end styling, the second-generation Le Sabres ushered in a new era of sophisticated performance.
As it happened, 1964 was the last year for the second generation Le Sabre. Over the course of the previous three years, the model had received minor trim and sheet metal refinements but retained its overall styling. The main change for 1964, though, was under the hood. Sedans and coupes welcomed the new 300-cu.in. “Wildcat 310” V-8. Based on the architecture of the all-aluminum 215 V-6, the new block was cast-iron but saved weight with the use of cast-aluminum cylinder heads. Using a two-barrel carburetor, the V-8 boasted 210 hp. The only option was the 250-hp “Wildcat 355,” equipped with a four-barrel induction system. Conversely, Le Sabre station wagons received the 325-hp 401-cu.in. engine as standard equipment.
Regarding this Le Sabre that CJ purchased, at first glance the body seemed to be in overall great shape for its age. As mentioned, the convertible had been off the road and in hiding for over 40 years. If there was any question about its retirement from the road, one merely needed to cast an eye at the 1982 Pennsylvania registration sticker. Exterior rust was deemed minimal, relegated to the bottom of some of the lower body panels and portions of the tail panel. For a car hailing from the Northeast, the body’s condition was impressive.
One noticeable fact was that the Le Sabre obviously spent some time outside due to the heavy paint burn on top of the rear panels and trunk lid. A big plus was that the car still wears all its trim that remains in excellent shape. Even the grill and front bumper are relatively clean, a rarity for a near 60-year-old car.
“Having the trim means there’s no need to search for those hard-to-find parts. And without a doubt, the paint condition makes this Buick a perfect candidate for a driveable dream-type ride,” says CJ.
Under the hood, the Le Sabre’s engine appears to be factory-original, in this case it’s believed to be the baseline 300-cu.in. “Wildcat 310.” Around it, the engine bay has barely been touched, with the exception of common wear items such as hoses and wires that clearly were replaced. One glaring exception is the fact that for some unknown reason, the engine is wearing an air cleaner lid from a 1971 Chevrolet “Turbo Jet” 400 engine. According to CJ, “Everything else seems to be there. I haven’t tried to get this car started yet, nor have I cleaned it. I’m going to let the next owner do that.”
Unlike the engine, CJ is not completely certain as to which transmission is currently installed. “It could be the two-speed Super Turbine 300 or the three-speed Super Turbine 400. I’m thinking it’s the former.” (Editor’s note: The ST-300 was the default automatic in combination with the Wildcat 310, while the ST-400 was paired with the Wildcat 355 and was available as a heavy-duty option with the Wildcat 310.) Regardless, the transmission sends engine output to what CJ believes to be the factory differential containing – potentially – a highway-friendly 3.07:1 gear set; a base setup from the assembly line. Buick’s noteworthy 12-inch brake drums remain at each corner; finned aluminum up front, finned cast-iron out back.
Despite the exterior’s reasonable condition, the interior has seen better days, though much of it is still intact. While the dash is in excellent shape, with the original radio surviving years of fair-weather cruiser, the two-spoke steering wheel shows use, even on the aftermarket wrap that provided a driver a little extra grip and thickness. Amazingly, the front and rear bench seat upholstery doesn’t show any noticeable tears, though they are covered in six decades of storage dust and grime. “The fabric could possibly be cleaned and saved,” says CJ. The door panels are not so lucky, and worst still is what remains of the convertible top. Despite the apparent base model build traits, one plus here are the optional power windows.
As for the remaining exterior attributes, the original hubcaps are in excellent shape and show little or no road rash or pings. Unfortunately, the back bumper displays some heavy rot and will need to be replaced. Meanwhile, the chassis does show some rust and surface corrosion from its early years in the Northeast, but none of metal malady is as bad as it could have been. As an example, the floors seem to be solid front-to-back. Understandably, the exhaust system has slowly disintegrated with time.
Overall, CJ is quite pleased with his bargain buy. “I’m really not much of a Buick guy, but I was drawn to it for the reasons stated earlier. For now, it’s going to stick around, and I’ll eventually pass it on. My plan is to let someone else get this one back on the road; someone who can revive it properly and enjoy it. This Le Sabre deserves another shot at life on the road.”