The featured classic car is the powerful and stylish 1967 Buick Electra 225. This large automobile’s presence gives the impression that it owns the road. The Electra was also the widest Buick model for 1967. The Electra 225 measures almost 19 feet in length and weighs in at over 4,500 lbs.
The Buick Electra was produced from 1959 to 1990. The Electra represented the flagship of the Buick line through its entire production. That three decade run illustrates how popular and successful this full size premium automobile was. A mixture of style, power and reliability.
In regards to the 225 designation on the model, it was not denoting engine size as was the case with many of it’s contemporaries. Instead it signified just how massive the model was…18 3/4 feet in length or 225 inches.
Where Did the Electra Name Come From
The name Electra chosen for a Buick model had nothing to do with the character in Greek mythology. Instead, Harlow H. Curtice, a former president of the Buick division and eventually president of General Motors, named the car after his sister-in-law, Electra Waggoner Biggs. Electra was a very wealthy socialite, named after her aunt Electra Waggoner, and owner of a very large ranch in Texas Northwest of the Dallas area. The ranch size was about half a million acres. Today, in addition to cattle, the ranch has over a thousand working oil wells. There is also a town at the vicinity of the ranch named Electra, TX. As it turned out, the choice of the name Electra was a good one since it represented Buick’s top of the line model and has been trademarked by Buick for possible future use with Buick EV’s.
1967 Buick Electra 225 Styling
The 1967 Buick Electra exemplified the bold, sweeping styling that defined the automotive design of the late 1960s. With its long, low-slung silhouette and distinctive chrome grille, the Electra exemplified power and sophistication. The car’s wide, squared off front end gave it a commanding presence on the highway and a muscular stance. The new for 1967 curved roof line presented an elegant flair. The lengthy character lines ran along the length of the Electra’s body.
The Electra offered a spacious and very well appointed interior with maximum comfort. Top grade seating, with ample legroom, and many more comfort features. Power windows and climate control systems which were a first with Buick. The Buick Electra improved even more during it’s decades of production. These improvements and advancements included items such as anti-lock brakes and electronic fuel injection.
1967 Buick Electra 225 Specifications
Engine is a 430 cubic inch V-8 with a Rochester Four Barrel delivering 360 HP. This replaced the standard Nailhead 401 cubic inch V-8 from the 1966 Electra.
Transmissions is a three speed automatic.
Brakes are front wheel discs and rear wheel hydraulic drums.
Front suspension is a double wishbone design with upper and lower control arms. Rear suspension included a live rear axle setup with coil springs and a Panhard rod. The Panhard rod isdevice designed to prevent lateral movement.
The 1967 Buick Electra 225 nicknamed the “Deuce and a Quarter” has an outside total length of 223.9 inches, 126.0 inch wheelbase, width 80.0 inches, 55.0 inch height. Average curb weight about 4,400 lb’s, and average new car price of about $4,200.
Buick 1967 total production was 562,500 vehicles. Out of that number were 100,300 Buick Electra 225’s.
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Reference material used for this article includes…Buick : The Complete History by Automobile Quarterly…Seventy Years of Buick by author George H. Dammann…Standard Catalog of Buick, 1903-2000 : Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick by author Ron Kowalke.
The Buick Electra of the 1967 model year made it’s mark on the American luxury car market. One reason for this had to do with Buick’s mighty 430 cubic-inch V-8 engine,and it’s 360 HP.
The Buick Electra 225 is a popular classic car with collectors due to its rarity and status as an icon of American automobile history. The Buick Electra 225 from 1967, where actually tens of thousands of examples were produced, is rare when attempting to find one in excellent to perfect condition with matching numbers and high originality. The 1967 Buick Electra 225 in excellent condition might be priced in the $35,000 to $45,000 range. The average retail for the 67 Electra 225 currently ranges from about $22,000 to $32,000.
(Article and photos copyright Auto Museum Online)