1976 Buick Electra Limited Coupe: Sun-Kissed Yacht
If you’ve been reading my columns long enough, you’ll know I’m a big fan of the full-size, “Nimitz Class” cars GM built from 1971 to ’76, from Caprices to Delta 88 Royales to Fleetwood Talismans. They were the last GM hardtops, and the last GM full-sizers that were available in every basic body style: coupe, sedan, convertible, and station wagon.
Buicks were still pretty big in 1976—in fact, this was last call for truly unapologetic room and length. In 1977 all the big Buicks—indeed, all big GM cars—would be downsized to tidier dimensions, except for the Olds Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, who had to wait until the 1979 model year.
There were three versions of Electra for 1976: The Electra 225, the Electra Limited, and the super plush Electra Park Avenue, the last of which had a center console—though the transmission lever was still mounted on the steering column. The Park Avenue was available as a sedan only.
I have seen two very nice Park Avenues too, and will be writing at least one of them up sometime, but that’s for another day!
Technically, the Limited was also an Electra 225, though it was not badged as such. The lowest priced Electra was the 225 coupe, at $6367. GM built 18,442. Limited coupes started at $6689 and were more popular, to the tune of 28,395 units sold.
Most popular Electra of all was the Limited four-door hardtop, with 51,067 cars built at a starting price of $6852. For comparison, the priciest ’76 LeSabre was the Custom four-door hardtop, at $5166. LeSabres looked more like their flossier Electra brethren this year as well, adding the quad rectangular lights the Electras first gained in 1975.
As one would expect, there were plenty of standard features on the Electras, including the 455-cubic-inch V-8, Turbo Hydra-matic automatic transmission, power front disc/rear drum brakes, High Energy ignition, power windows, and Custom seat and shoulder belts. The Limited added a two-way power seat, a 60/40 divided front seat upholstered in cloth, a quartz crystal digital clock, and of course the much more luxurious seats and door panels. The 225 interior was nice too, but it was a bit plain in comparison.
And there were still many optional extras, as you’d expect of Detroit in the ’70s. Such as the Landau roof seen on our featured example. You could also get steel-belted whitewall tires (steel-belted blackwalls were standard), automatic level control, a four-note horn (these were loud and well worth the extra charge), carpet savers, a litter container, power antenna, automatic climate control, power door locks, power trunk release, and more.
The seats, of course, were really plush. While they perhaps were not as scientifically fashioned as Volvo’s famous orthopedically designed chairs (I can speak to those seats too, as a former Volvo owner) they were definitely cushy. It was the kind of car that was pretty much like driving around in your living room.
And if you were on a business trip to Omaha and the Holidome was full up for the night, the Limited’s seats made for rather nice first-class sleeping quarters—in a pinch!
I saw our featured car at the annual car show held indoors each January in downtown Rock Island, Illinois. I had seen the car before a couple of times, but hadn’t gotten any really good pictures. It was interesting, of course, due to its color. I recall seeing it the previous summer and thinking if it wasn’t the original color, the paint was done very well.
Well as it turns out, the car came out of the factory wearing this color. I did recognize the color, but believe it was limited to the smaller Buicks like the Skyhawk (Buick’s version of the Chevrolet Monza 2+2) and Skylark coupe, sedan, and hatchback. But I was fairly certain it was not available on the LeSabre/Electra/Estate Wagon.
Shortly before I began this column, I saw the car advertised on my local Marketplace: “All original 76 Electra Limited. 2 door, 455/400. 37K original miles. Factory optioned “Firecracker Orange” paint only offered in 76.” So the car apparently was special-ordered in this color. Of course, back then, you could do such things. Today, not so much!
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My Dad had one, I drove it to my prom in 1976, with my then girlfriend Joan. It had a 350 which was standard. His 1974 had the 455. Buckskin. Miss you Dad!
I love my 72 Cad CdV with leather interior. It’s like driving my living room, a wonder after two Vettes in a row. And it’s fast. But faster is my 63.5 restomoded Ford Galaxie 500 coupe, with a stroked 390 (445 ci) in it. That’s where I go for REAL fast.
My parents had a slate blue 2 door 73 Buick Electra with a 455 in it, back in the early 1980s. It was a big boat that would go like a scared cat once you got it rolling. My dad eventually sold it for peanuts back in 1984 and my parents then purchased a brad new 1984 Dodge Omni hatchback. Quite a difference in ride going down the highway.
My Dad loved Buicks, so there was usually one in the driveway. He leaned towards LeSabres, but my brothers and I would stare at the Electras in the lot. One brother had stuck his head inside the front passenger side, and another brother powered the window up, locking him in by his head…
On Oct 7, 74, I took delivery of a brand new special, ordered seventy five lesser convertible with the four fifty five up under the hood and I still have her 50 years later. Carolina blue white top white seats and just over 400,000 miles. Never rebuilt.
My comment should have said 75 LeSabre
The 1976 model Buicks were the last of the ” big ones .” They were next to the Cadillac and had every available option you could think of ! The first Buick I ever drove was a 1972 4-door Electra in ’77 . Nice car !
I had a 1966 Buick, alacria, 225.it was a one owner car
Nice car, I remember these well, you can always tell the age of the reporter because they call the average full size car a land yacht they were never thought of as a land yacht when they were new
The very first Buick I ever drove was a ’72 Electra 4- door hdtp . They were almost as big as a Cadillac and were very ” comfortable to ride in !” Buicks were true luxury cars with many nice features , which is why they cost more to buy new .
Nice, but I would much rather have a Regal coupe, as I helped my dad custom-order in 1976. White landau vinyl over red (not this orange-red), with a tan vinyl interior. He ordered the 350-4 (thank goodness, not the V6!) And, I convinced him to order the beautiful Buick chrome wheels, which I still have!
I purchased a 1977 Electra Limited in 1996. It was very quiet & smooth riding. They called it the banana boat because it was yellow.it truly was one of Buick’s last real landyachts. It was the first car that I owned that me the car, & the paperwork matched. I miss that vehicle,& regret letting it go to the salvage yard. I haven’t had anything come close to that since