1961 Buick LeSabre

Sport Coupe Coupe

8 - Cyl.

Automatic

4H8011642

Gasoline

Wow, This Is One Beautiful Buick Bubble Top !!! We Showed This Car At The Buick Club of America 2010 National Meet In July, The Judges Loved It !!! This Car Won A TOP TEN Of The Show Award !!! ( This was Top Ten of ALL the hundreds of cars at the show which was the best award any car could get !!! ) Considering that this car is not 100% stock this made me very proud to be awarded one of the coveted "Top Ten" Awards !!! This Stunning, Dry, Dry, Texas, 1961 Buick Le Sabre, Two Door, Bubble Top, Numbers Matching, Sport Coupe Is A Total Knock Out !!! Buick Only Built 14,474 Le Sabre Bubble Top Sport Coupes In 1961 !!! (Experts estimate that fewer than 100 of these cars still exist in ANY condition in the World today !!!) YES, this is a VERY RARE CAR !!!! Compare the GM Production Numbers; Chevrolet built 177,969 Bubble Tops as an Impala or Bel-Air. Oldsmobile built 31,332 Bubble Tops as an 88 or 98. Pontiac built 44,726 Bubble Tops as a Catalina, Bonneville or Ventura. Cadillac built 36,161 Bubble Tops as a Coupe De Ville. They were all pretty but the Buicks were by far the most stunning and the most beautiful !!! These Cars Are Just Plain COOOOOOL !!! This car was built in the Arlington, Texas GM Assembly Plant and sold new at Orand Buick in Dallas Texas in 1961. This car was born in Texas and lived in Texas it's entire life. It makes a serious difference in the solidness and value of the car. The car stayed in the Dallas area for 49 years until I bought it from the original owner's neighbor in March of this year !!! The body is SOLID and STRAIGHT !!! This car has the ORIGINAL NUMBERS MATCHING 364 Cubic Inch V-8 ENGINE !!! The car has not been abused. IF YOU WANT A CAR THAT IS A SOLID INVESTMENT, YOU MUST START WITH A SOLID CAR !!!! WE DID !!! The gentleman I bought this car from told me he bought it from the original owner about five years ago. Judging by the pictures he showed me this car was very solid and quite nice with worn out original paint when he bought it. He immediately began a complete restoration. He disassembled the car and began buying parts....lots and lots of parts many of which were NOS. He knew the car was very rare and wanted it to be nice. With the engine out and the car in pieces he cleaned and painted the frame and underside. The suspension was modified and totally rebuilt. The body and paint work was completed and the interior installed. Finally after nearly 4 1/2 years of hard work and heavy duty spending he had the car drive-able once again. The car was not completely finished but his budget was shot and his wife had lost her patience. We've all heard this story before....RIGHT. Something was going to have to give. He sold the car to me. When I got the car it had a lot of nice points, a few bad points and a number of things that had not been done. The paint was far from show quality and needed to be redone. I immediately sent it into the shop and disassembled it for new paint. The body was stripped. The bodywork was professionally re-done and the car was treated to a show quality base-coat clear coat paint job. As long as it was apart we decided to re-do a lot of the interior, restore the stainless trim and do some more suspension modifications. I also sent it out for a complete new exhaust system which turned out to be a pretty big deal. The Money Meter was ticking BIG-TIME and about spun a bearing. The car was back together and driving by the end of June. The Buick Club of America Nationals in July would be it's first big show. As I already pointed out that show would prove it was a winner. I am a hardcore "Car-a-holic" and Collector. I like to find them, improve them, play with them for awhile and then pass them on while they are very fresh. While I already know that I will regret selling this rare and beautiful car I am ready to pass it along and start over. Here Are The Details; Body- Dry, Dry Texas car. Solid and straight throughout. Hood, doors and trunk shut with a click. Excellent panel gaps. New door, hood, trunk and window rubbers. All the body work done by professionals. This was a nice solid, straight car to begin with not a rusted out junkyard hulk. Very nice body....very nice car !!! Paint- NEW PPG Deltron Base Coat/ Clear Coat Polyurethane in the Factory Code C Artic White. This is the color this car was born. The finish has been color sanded, buffed and glazed to that deep "Wet Look" shine that is only possible with modern urethanes. This car is very shiny but that is hard to have show up in the photos which were taken on a bright sunny day. Great paint !!! Engine and Transmission- NUMBERS MATCHING Factory Code 3H 364 cubic inch, 300 horse power, 10.25:1 High Compression Wildcat V-8 with automatic transmission. NOS 2bbl carburetor. Engine was removed, cleaned and rebuilt or repaired as deemed necessary by the previous owner. NEW pumps, NEW hoses, NEW belts, Rebuilt Power Steering System, NEW plugs, NEW wires, Rebuilt Radiator, NEW gaskets, NEW seals, NEW starter and upgraded to and Chromed Alternator charging system. The transmission was freshened at the same time. I had a complete NEW Dual Exhaust system custom fabricated by my exhaust specialist ( who has also done systems for the 2006 Ridler Award and 2007 America's Most Beautiful Roadster cars ) with Aluminized pipes and short glass packs for a nice throaty Buick rumble. It fits right, looks right and sounds right. This car was built to drive and enjoy. It starts and runs GREAT !!! Interior- Comfy Soft Leather six way power Cadillac Bucket Seats in front and Comfy Soft Leather Rear Seat with Center Armrest. Looks great and sits great. NEW dash pad and Custom Center Console. NEW Carpet. NEW Headliner with custom console in center. The Center Console was installed without cutting the factory dash in case somebody would want to go back to the original bench seat interior. GREAT INTERIOR !!! Chrome and Trim- A combination of good to excellent original, restored and re-chromed. Restored Stainless Trim. Re-chromed Front and Rear Bumpers and Guards. Rechromed Tail Light Bezels with NOS Lenses. EXCELLENT ORIGINAL GRILL and Headlight Bezels. NOS Die-cast LeSabre Emblems. Five of the six Portholes are pretty nice and one is weak....replating would make these perfect. I just ran out of time. The rest of the Die-cast is nice and very presentable as it is. Glass- Combination of NEW and good original. No cracks. No chips. NEW Windshield and Back Glass Rubbers. NEW window run channels and window fuzzies. NEW Vent Wing Rubbers. Frame and Suspension- Solid Rust-free frame. Front and Rear Suspension all repaired, rebuilt or replaced by previous owner. NEW Ball Joints, NEW Tie Rod Ends, NEW Upper and Lower A-Frame Bushings, NEW Brake Cylinders, Springs and Shoes, NEW Master Cylinder, NEW Shocks, NEW Brake Lines etc, etc. The intention was to build a reliable, drivable car so he did not cut any corners. I think that objective has been met. As with any car that has been lowered you obviously need to watch out for big bumps but that is part of the game. The suspension works well and does not bottom out even with passengers in the back seat. There are NO airlines or hydraulic lines to break and leave you stranded. Drives GREAT...rides SMOOTH !!! Wheels and Tires- NEW 17" Polished American Torque Thrusts with Michelin Tires. Other Stuff- New aftermarket stereo system AM/FM CD etc. This was in the car when I got it so I don't know much about it....plays tunes though. The trunk is finished with the spare tire under a hinged panel. There is no jack. The factory gauges are not hooked up as the new gauges are in the Center Console. The Speedometer is not working. I think it needs a new cable end but I have not messed with it. The Turn Signals do not self cancel. The clock does not work. These are things that will make good Saturday projects throughout the Summer. The big work , the heavy lifting and the heavy spending is done. Now we are down to the little stuff that can be done at your leisure. My goal was not to make a perfect, rotisserie restoration Trailer Queen. THAT KIND OF CAR IS NO FUN AT ALL. My goal was to create a good looking, drivable and fun car that people can enjoy. I think that goal has been met. THIS CAR IS READY TO GO ENJOY TODAY !!!! If you think you can buy a cheaper car and make it as nice as this car for less money go ahead and try. You have my blessing. You are only fooling yourself !! $50,000 buys you 12 weeks ( 480 hours) of LABOR in a good shop !!! That's with NO parts, NO materials, NO interior, NO engine work, NO driveline work, NO CHROME PLATING, NO STAINLESS TRIM RESTORATION. NO Glass, NO Wiring, NO Stereo, NO wheels, NO tires and NO allowance for a CAR to START WITH !!!!!! Most of these cars spend several years in the shop, racking up THOUSANDS of HOURS in labor costs and TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS in parts and materials !!! If you know what you are looking at you will quickly realize that this car CAN NOT be duplicated for anything close to the price you can get it for here !!! Plus, it's ready to drive and enjoy TODAY !!! As you can see I've tried to cover it. If I missed something I'm sorry. This car is For Sale locally as well and I reserve the Right to end this Auction at any time without notice. Despite What The Barrett-Jackson People Try To Convince You On TV, You Don't Have To Spend $100,000 To Have A Car People Will Admire !!! This Sensational '61 Buick Bubble Top Is For Sale Today For A Fraction Of What It Would Cost To Duplicate !!! Is this car perfect ? No. There is no perfect car. Is this car nice ? Yes. This car is very nice. Is this car a car I can drive and be proud of ? Yes. I love this car and feel very proud when I drive it. Is this car a good investment ? YES, YOU CAN BUY THIS CAR TODAY FOR FAR LESS THAN IT WOULD COST TO DUPLICATE AND THESE SIXTIES GM BUBBLE TOP CARS HAVE SKY-ROCKETED IN PRICE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. THERE IS NO REASON TO THINK THIS TREND WILL NOT CONTINUE. THE HOBBY IS DEFINITELY MOVING TO SIXTIES CARS !!! I will post a ton of large, high resolution pictures so you can admire this car and see her exactly as she is !!! Please take your time, look her over well and enjoy yourself !!! __________________________________________ Overseas Bidders are Welcome !!! I can assist you in arranging low cost, professional transport Nationwide Or Worldwide. We can have this car in your driveway in a few days !!! Let Your Money Buy You Happiness !!! ______________________________ Now for the business stuff and the Terms and Agreements of this Auction/Sale. Please read thoroughly before you bid. Your bid indicates acceptance of and agreement with all of the descriptions and Terms outlined in this Auction. You are bidding for ownership of this vehicle, not the right to come kick the tires and take a test drive. You are welcome to come examine this car before you bid, WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE !!! I take great care in preparing the descriptions of my cars so that you can a good idea of their quality and condition without the hassle of traveling but I am not perfect. A motor vehicle has thousands of parts and aspects and there is no way I can cover everything that may be important to you in a description. If you want to come and take a first-hand look I will me glad to meet you as long as I am available. If you have questions or issues that important to you please ask me before you bid. I will do my best to get an answer for you. We must receive a $1,500 non-refundable deposit within 72 hours of the Auction end with the balance due within 7 (seven) days of the Auction end. All payments must be cash, Cashiers Check or by Bank Wire Transfer in USA funds. We prefer Bank To Bank Wire Transfer as it is quick, clean and secure for both you and me. Bank to Bank Wire Transfer is REQUIRED for all International Sales. We will hold Cashiers Checks until they clear both Banks. This can take several days , sometimes weeks. We are a Licensed and Bonded Iowa Auto Dealer and have been in business in the same location for over 25 years . A flat fee of $98.00 will be added to the final bid price to cover Title and Document Administration fees, FedEx overnight costs for paperwork and Title, Dealer Prep, Handling, Packing and shipping preparation and loading assistance charges. $1,500 of the total purchase price will be considered as the non-refundable deposit if you choose to make one payment. Iowa residents will have to pay Iowa sales tax, Non-residents of Iowa are exempt from Iowa sales tax. This car will be sold with a current and valid Iowa Title unless otherwise described. This is a used car and is being sold as/is with no warranty written or implied. As a used car imperfections may be present . These cars are rarely perfect and this car is not being represented as being perfect in any way , shape or form . Paint chips, blisters, minor scratches, buffer marks, smudges, scuffs, nicks, dings, wrinkles, minor interior wear and so forth must be considered normal wear and tear. Engine size, heritage, displacement and horse power are NOT guaranteed. All sales are final. This description is based on my personal knowledge of the car and information provided by the previous owner and/or people I consider knowledgeable about it. Neither I or my Company can be held responsible for misinformation given to me by others and passed on in good faith. I am a car enthusiast and not an expert in any particular make or model. If you have specific concerns or questions that are important to you it is your responsibility to verify it. Please call or come look at the car before you bid. It is the bidders responsibility to verify the validity of all statements in this description that are important to you before you bid. I will try to find the answer for you. This is a used, vintage car. It has been driven and is not perfect, it may have defects which I am not aware of. Such defects must be considered normal wear and tear. We can assist you in arranging low cost shipping virtually anywhere in the World. All shipping costs are the responsibility of the buyer. The seller will not pay any shipping costs. Shipping costs incurred are not refundable under any circumstances. If you want to pick this car up yourself or arrange your own shipping we will store this car FREE up to 14 days starting from the Auction End while you make arrangements. After 14 days the car will be placed in secure storage and the buyer will be responsible for all storage fees incurred. The car will not be released for pick up or transport until paid in full and all payments and checks have cleared my Bank. Questions ???? Please Call Skeet, (515) 573-5353 days, Or (515) 571-4691 cell phone. Please be aware... I spend a lot of time traveling and away from my computer. I also spend a lot of time at my lake cabin which has no computer or internet access. If you have a serious question, want to do a Buy-It-Now, want to discuss an offer or what ever, please call me at one of the above numbers !!! If you don't catch me leave a message and I will call you back. ______________________________________________________________________________