1964 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon - 82K original miles – 401 Nailhead V8

1964 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon Description

Up for grabs here is a wonderful 1964 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon with approximately 82,442 original miles on its original “Wildcat 445” 401 V8 engine. I have owned and enjoyed this old girl for five or so years now, and while I’d love to hang on to her, the logistics of an upcoming move seem to be conspiring against that. She’s a rare and largely unmolested car that can either be enjoyed as-is as or would make a terrific platform for a full restoration.

I apologize in advance for a long-winded description, but there’s a lot to say about this old girl … so if you’re inclined, grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and read on!

HISTORY

1964 was, by all measures, a very, very good year to be a LeSabre wagon. For one thing, the rest of the LeSabre line were now powered by the 300 V8, while the Estate Wagon retained the legendary 401 V8. Additionally, 1964 was the first year of the Super Turbine 400 automatic transmission, a huge upgrade from the old Dynaflow. Essentially, the '64 LeSabre Estate Wagon was a LeSabre in name only, as it was part of 4600 Wildcat series.

This particular model is a 4635, with a total production number of only 6,517. I purchased her from an 85 year old gentleman (a preacher!) who was the second owner and had owned it since 1967. One of the things I really appreciate about this particular car is that it has never really been out of service … she’s a great driver-quality car, totally reliable, and has always been maintained and used as intended (not just hobbyist car shows, Friday night cruise-ins and the like).

Make no mistake – she has plenty of honest wear from 55 years of use and could certainly use some TLC here and there, but she carries her years well and, in my opinion has a great look. :-)

** Additional photos are available HERE **

MECHANICAL

Mechanically the car starts easily, runs well, and is driven frequently. It has its original Rochester 4GC carburetor that has been rebuilt once in my ownership. The “COLD” light still glows as the engine comes to temperature and shuts off as it should.

The engine itself is remarkably quiet. Acceleration is smooth and powerful – the ST-400 and 401 V8 combination (325hp) will really get you down the road, even for a car of this size (4600+ lbs and 18+ feet long)! She cruises easily on the highway at 75, and would do much more if desired … there’s no shortage of power.

The engine has matching numbers, and as far as I can tell neither the engine nor the transmission have ever been removed from the car. In my opinion, she could very much benefit from an engine reseal due to age. The engine is not particularly clean on the outside and shows evidence of minor leaks. That being said, she leaves only a drop or two of oil on the garage floor between uses and, again, is running just fine … so it’s really up to the new owner to decide how far he or she wishes to take it! She can absolutely be driven and enjoyed as-is.

Brakes are in great shape – she stops very firmly and surprisingly easily.

The exhaust note has what many would find to be a pleasant rumble, though I had planned to replace it in the not too distant future. A new stainless system and muffler would make her super quiet (which is my preference).

She has easily passed inspection each year since I’ve owned her. No problems whatsoever!

The car has no air conditioning, but does have left and right side vents that flow a remarkable amount of air into the car. Aftermarket AC systems are readily available. All windows are hand-crank with the exception of the power tailgate window, which can be operated either with the key in the tailgate, or a switch on the dash. Tailgate window is working as it should.

Courtesy light and overhead lights also function properly (and come on as the doors open). The clock is not currently working.

INTERIOR

The interior is largely original and what I’d call fairly clean overall, but in need of a little love. The front and rear seats have been reupholstered (in 1986 when she was repainted, I was told) and are in good shape. All else is original.

The door panels are original with a wonderful pressed pattern and stitching, and are showing significant wear towards the bottoms of each panel (especially driver’s door).

The carpet is quite clean, but does show wear on the front thresholds on both the passenger and driver’s side.

Headliner is in great shape – near perfect.

In the rear cargo area, all of the vinyl covering the metal panels is present except for one piece. The only actual panel that is missing is the inner tailgate panel (see photos – this panel is not visible when the tailgate is up).

The cargo area opens up to spare tire storage, and an ancient spare, jack, and lug nut wrench (all presumably original) are present).

PAINT & BODY

The wagon has had one repaint in 1986 in its original color combination of Marlin Blue and Arctic White. While it still looks good, the repaint is, at 30+ years old, definitely showing its age, with plenty of small dings, minor scratches, etc. … mostly just typical wear, tear, and fading.

The body is quite straight overall, with the most significant dent or crease being on the tailgate (see photos). There are some small areas of rust that are popping up around the bottom of the car, mostly around the wheel wells. Again, I’ve tried to show all of these areas clearly in the photos.

Undercarriage is solid as a rock – only very slight areas of surface rust. No holes or rust through that I’ve been able to find.

TIRES

Tires are older Perelli radials but are in very good shape – plenty of tread and no cracks or weathering.

ADDITIONAL PICTURES

Please be sure to see the additional photos - 150+ of them! – posted HERE. I’ve tried very hard to get an accurate representation of the wagon from all angles.

---

In closing, this is just a rare, solid, and wonderful old wagon that is sure to rise in value in the coming years. Whether you wish to drive it as-is or use it as the jumping off point for a concours restoration, it’s guaranteed to bring smiles everywhere you take it.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten things in my description, so please feel free to ask any questions and I’ll answer promptly and honestly. I believe its new owner will be very, very happy with it … I've been on ebay for close to 20 years and have sold several cars and vintage motorcycles and have never had an unhappy buyer yet!

Please review the photos closely, ask any and all questions and I'll do my best to answer promptly and honestly. Serious inquiries can reach me by phone at 512-484-3186 between 9am-5pm CST. Vehicle has a clear Texas title in my name, ready to be transferred to its new owner.

TERMS & CONDITIONS

A nonrefundable paypal deposit of $500 is due within 24 hours of auction's end to hold your purchase. Full payment is expected within 72 hours of auction's end by either certified check drawn on US bank, wire transfer, or cash in person. Pickup is expected within 7 days. I'm about 30 minutes south of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and I'm glad to meet your flight if you'd like to fly in and drive home … but considering the age of the car I would recommend against it unless you’re highly mechanically inclined and up for an adventure. :-)

SHIPPING

I'm glad to ship the wagon, but please bear in mind that its size and weight may require special arrangements with your shipper. All associated costs are to be fully assumed by the buyer. If you're interested in having her shipped or have other ideas, please discuss them with me before bidding. if you're planning on shipping, please be aware of the costs before you place your bid and be prepared to make arrangements promptly after the auction's end. Any exceptions to these arrangements must be discussed with me before bidding. I'm fair, flexible, and willing to accommodate in any way I can but I do expect honest, prompt communication and follow-through ... and I promise you'll receive the same from me!

Please note that this car is for sale locally and I reserve the right to end the action early in the event of a sale. However, once the reserve in this auction has been met I will *not* end the auction and the sale will be completed through ebay only.

Don't forget to check out the additional photos at this link!

I've gone to great lengths to photograph this old girl from every conceivable angle so the buyer will know exactly what they're getting. Please review these photos (more than 150 of them!) very carefully - they are an honest and accurate representation of the exact state of the vehicle.

Thanks for reading and good luck!

Again, serious inquiries can reach me by phone at 512-484-3186 between 9am-5pm CST.