Hi there, my name is Tom. I am in the process of purchasing a 73 LeSabre 4 door sedan that is in pretty good condition but eventually I'd like to restore. When I was 6 in 1978 my dad bought my mom a 73 LeSabre for her birthday/christmas present. It was the family car for many years, as I grew up, and eventually I got the car when I started driving. In between my dad used it for work where it sat often and started rusting out. I drove it until 92 when it finally rusted out too bad to drive anymore. But I swore that some day I'd buy another and restore it. And now I'm at that point. I know it's not exactly a flashy or sporty model, but I really love these big old cars from the 70s and I'm pretty excited about it. I am having a hard time finding out a lot of info about these cars however, so anyone who has info for me please pass it along. Right now I'm waiting for it to ship to me, and it should be here sometime this month. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival. Thanks!
Welcome Tom, There is an unbelievable amount of knowlege on this board. I am currently working on my '72 Electra 225, so I understand your appreciation for the "Boats". There aren't many reproduced parts for the big cars, but perseverance and money usually prevail. Where are you located? Best of luck and enjoy.
Welcome to the board. I know what you mean about these cars. My dad had a '72 LeSabre when I was growing up.
Tom: Please put your name in your signature, we're all here on a friendly first name base :TU: ! What do you want to know about your model year 1973 LeSabre ? Is it a regular LeSabre or a LeSabre Custom ? 350 2-barrel, 350 4-barrel or 455 powered ? 4 door sedan or 4 door hardtop sedan ? Post the VIN of the car and I will tell you more about it :Smarty:
I'm in the Ann Arbor area in Michigan. The vin for the car is 4n69j3x199102. I guess I'd just like to know more about this model of buick in general, a little history of them. I want to restore it to new(ish) condition, maybe make a couple of customizations on it. It's green with a white top, and green interior. Mine was green as well, and I dig the outside color, but never liked the green interior color. I'd like to do a lighter tan or white interior. Most of the outside is in great shape, I don't think I'll have to do much as far as rust repair to it, but I'm not sure what the underside looks like. For now, I'd like to clean it up and just make it look pretty. Eventually I want to tear it all down and redo it from the frame up. I want to make it a keeper. I can post some of the pics from the auction. I won't have it for a couple of weeks.
It has 130,458miles. I'm buying it from a fellow in ND, he's the second owner and only put about 45,000 on it himself in the last 10 years. I don't know what ND is like but apparently it's good for not rusting cars out, unlike Michigan.
Tom: 4 = Buick N = LeSabre Custom ("regular" LeSabre = L) 69 = 4 door pillared sedan J = 350 CI / 5735 CC V8, 4 barrel Rochester carburator, 175 SAE HP @ 3800 RPM, 270 lbs-ft @ 2400 rpm, 8.5:1 compression ratio, single exhaust, engine code: XB 3 = Model year 1973 X = Built in the Fairfax, Kansas factory 199102 = Fairfax production number for model year 1973 (started with 100001) Factory price (without options): US$ 4091.00 Model year 1973 LeSabre production totals: 4 drs sedan = 29649 4 drs hardtop = 13413 2 drs hardtop = 14061 LeSabre Custom: 4 drs sedan = 42845 4 drs hardtop = 55879 2 drs hardtop = 41425 There was no LeSabre convertible for this model year :Smarty: Wheelbase = 124 inches Length = 224.2 inches Width = 79.6 inches Petrol tank: 25.94 US gallons Turning diameter (curb to curb) = 43.1 ft.
Looks like a very original car: Factory green rubber floor mats, AIR pump still has a belt on it, fan shroud not cracked, it looks like all the trim is still there, four original hub caps, and even the jack is stored away at the right place in the boot :TU: That rear view mirror is just a minor detail...
Erik, thanks for all the info. What is the big difference between the custom and regular lesabre sedan? The one I originally had was just a regular 4 post sedan. Being from Michigan, it would have been nice to get a flint made model, but beggars can't be choosers. Rob, thanks! Anyone have any suggestions?
Tom, Welcome to the board. You won't find anymore knowledge about Buicks than right here and a great group of guys. I see that your from Yipsi. Good ole cold country. I worked for GM for 30 years and actually did some work in the big ole bomber plant that housed the Hydramatic plant there in Willow Run or Yipsi. That plant is so big that there is one isle that runs the entire length of the plant and is one mile long. You can look straight down that isle and it just disappears from sight. Anyway, my mom started buying Buicks in 1960. (she switched from Olds because of the steel strike back in the 60's there was a car shortage) She bought a 4 door flat top Invicta and was hooked on big Buicks from then on. 1964 she bought a 4 door hardtop Wildcat with the 425 dual quads. I was too young to get to drive it. Good thing I suspect. But I used to bring all my friends over to the house just to lift the hood and show them that big ole chrome air cleaner with two 4 barrels under it. I used to make a dollar here and there betting kids that my mom had a car with dual quads. Dad would give me heck all the time then laugh at me and shake his head. Nothing like the sound of those two carters when the progressive linkage was slammed wide open. It sounded like it would suck the hood in. Anyway welcome Tom. Lots of good people here and lots of info. David Closet Buick nut for years.
Welcome to the board! Good to see another 4 door lover. I've had 3 71 LeSabre 4 door sedans. They are excellent cars. Regarding the Flint-built car, there were no LeSabres built in Flint (to my knowledge).
"No LeSabres" means all model years, right....:bglasses: ? LAST BUICK CITY LESABRES DONATED TO POSTERITY AND CHARITY :Comp:
I should have reworded that... I'm fairly certain that the 71-73 LeSabres should all have been built at the Fairfax KS, Wilmington DE, or Southgate CA plants. There might have been a few that squeaked by in Flint, but those would probably have been the experimental or show cars. EDIT: see post #24 below regarding Flint-built LeSabres of this vintage..
I didn't know that. Anybody got suggestions about getting info on the engine and/or drivetrain? I'm trying to do as much research about that stuff as I can, knowledge is power as they say. I've been reading a lot on this website, great info. I got the call today, the car is getting picked up tomorrow and should be here Tues or Weds.
My brother has a '73 LeSabre that we're about to resurrect. One of the best cars of all time, IMO. I wish they still made them. (And, while I'm at it, I wish they could get 30 MPG) -Bob C.
