Minneapolis Street Sighting: Buick LeSabre T-Type

 Continuing our 1980's theme set by yesterday's post, tonight we'll look at another 1980s "icon". Okay, so it isn't quite an icon, but these cars do have a (limited) following. Launched in 1987 and remaining in production through the1989 model year, these cars were, like the Grand National LeSabre (yes, you read that right), a limited edition. 

Unlike the Grand National Lesabre, the T-Type did not have a rear opera window, and it came in colors other than black. Like the rear-drive Grand National, and its front-drive namesakes, these T-Types were also motivated by a 3.8L V6, unfortunately without any sort of forced induction. All is well, however, because even without being "fast", these were arguably the best looking H-Bodies.

1987 cars were the only ones to receive black and gray interior trim, and this example features black and gray interior trim, making this particular car a 1987 exactly.

I don't think I've ever seen one of these in white, and certainly not this nice. The only other ones I've seen have been maroon, and one of those I'm now certain was a clone.  On the surface, this example seems seriously well-kept, especially given the climate it lives in. I've also never seen this particular car in the same spot, so I'm certain this one is a daily driver.

The paint is very nicely kept, though as with all cars of this vintage, the plating on the badges and has flaked, and the grille has been pitted; as a daily driver, those two facts are not surprising.  Another thing I notice about this  example is the (probably recent) wheel swap; honestly, in this case, its for the better. The stock wheels aren't the most elegant examples, but being a 1980s GM product, what else do you expect? I feel that these American Racing generic specials suit the T-Type far better than the stockers do, and thankfully the owner agrees.

Does the owner know what he drives? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, it's cool to see a rare vehicle that isn't locked in some old fart's garage. I can only hope that while it does get driven, it also gets regularly taken care of. I certainly don't want this rare LeSabre to fall victim to the ever-so-destructive tin-worm.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Buick LeSabre Custom 455

Buicks are classy cars; cars like this LeSabre make that evident. Minimal chrome, an minimal vynil trim make this big GM stand out from other cars of the era; add six passenger capacity (with front bench seats) and a big stonking V8, and you've got a cruiser.

While most people would associate the 455 mill with loads and loads of power, when fitted into the LeSabre, the 455 had only 250 horses; loads of torque was standard, though, but that didn't shave any time of the big boat's leisurely performance. Motor Trend's road test of the car yielded a 0-60 sprint of 11.1 seconds and a top speed of 121 miles per hour. Okay, so the big Buick wasn't meant to be fast; but it still looks odd with the 455 logo on the front fenders.

I would wager that these sedans are going to be more popular as they get older for two reasons; not many have survived the demolition derby phase, and the ones that have survived are likely in very good condition (as this one here is) ; while Rallye wheels were extremely popular on the LeSabre, the ones I've seen have had full-face metal hubcaps, and arguably, the hubcaps suit the nature of the car better; Rallye wheels suggest a muscle car, and despite having a mother of an engine, performance suggests otherwise.

I have loved 1970s GM cars for quite some time, and this fullsize Buick is no different; granted, I think it looks better as a Centurion convertible, but still. The lines look great, and despite me not being a sucker for four-door sedans, I quite like this.

It's got enough dirt on it render it a daily driver, but it doesn't really show its age very well--and that's a very good thing. Does this car look like its forty years old? No, it does not.While I will acknowledge the missing trim, this LeSabre looks like something that could pass as an extra in the movie "Used Cars". Waitaminute...

I really like this bodystyle, and again, while I don't like four-doors, I am happy I shot this one; I've never seen a well-kept four-door Buick of this era, and I've certainly never seen one with all the stock badges and hubcaps in place. Well-spotted and well shot, I say.

Minneapolis Street Sighting: Buick Le Sabre

Cars of the 1960s are a growing fascination of mine. I'll be honest, though; aside from Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes and other common cars, I know very little about 1960s-era vehicles. I'm slowly learning, though, because each time I find a new example a car from this era, it intrigues me.
The Buick LeSabre is a vehicle I am familiar with, not because I necessarily know a whole lot about the car itself, but it seems to be the most common Buick nameplate in Minnesota besides the new cars; every day, I encounter various post-1985 models in all sorts of condition, decaying pristine. Never ever have I seen one that was a pre-1970s model parked on the street--until now.














From what I can gather, this is a 1965 car judging by the front grillework and the rear fascia; from the front and rear ends, it looks amazing; the interior, too, looks to be in incredible shape. The fascias are mar-free, and the chrome is excellent. Inside, this classy Buick stays true to its heritage; minimal trim, and material abound adorn this proud classic. If I only saw the bottom picture, I'd assume it was taken almost forty years ago; not two weeks ago.
Unfortunately, all cars have flaws--that what gives them character, and this Le Sabre is no different. Gladly, though, this example has minimal rust, and its in the usual places. It almost seem like with a new pair of front fenders, this Buick would be ready to take its owner to church again without hassle.
I hardly ever see vehicles this old in my state, and when I do, they're often donked. Thankfully, this Buick has lived over forty-five years of unmodified history, but with a for sale sign placed in the windows, that might change. I sure hope it doesn't; I quite liked this finding, and its surely not an easy one.

Hendersonville Street Sighting: Buick LeSabre

I usually tend to shoot cars wherever my travels take me; sometimes it's in quaint little neighborhoods of bigger cities, or sometimes, I happen to catch something even in the tiniest area poking through a bunch of trees along a state highway. My grandma used to live in Hendersonville, North Carolina for short stint before she decided to move back to her Kansas home. In the winter of 2009, she invited me down for a few days; I gladly accepted. I understood that there were classic cars down here, but I was also aware that she didn't quite have the same viewpoint as shooting that I did. I basically had to explain to her that it was not illegal, and that I wasn't breaching any privacy rights by shooting cars on the street.
Hendersonville, North Carolina is a quiet town; most of the same cars are spotted throughout the day, suggesting that the residents of the community are rather tight-knit. As with other small towns, older cars are plentiful out east. Most of the vehicles I did see tended to be in this shape, too. All original, and very nicely kept. While donking and hi-riding is sort of prevalent on the Eastern coast, I didn't see a one.
That's good, because the lack of donks made it that much easier to spot potential blog candidates. Ironically, out of all the iron I did see, what I finally snapped was another Buick. No big deal, right? Well, maybe not if you're used to seeing 1969-1970 LeSabres in mint condition. Clearly, I have not seen them in mint condition; heck, this may be the first one I have seen and shot in this great of detail.
The LeSabre was Buick's midsize pricier family sedan, a cheaper alternative to a Park Avenue if you will. People who wanted an Oldsmobile 88 often cross-shopped it with the midsize Buick. Up until 2005, the LeSabre was a mainstay in the Buick lineup, offering midpriced Buick luxury on par with corporate cousin Oldsmobile. In the 1960s, styling between the brands was different enough to attract different types of buyers. By the 1980s, the two brands had relatively similar styling, so rather than be a style choice, the difference between the two brands came down to preference.
With most cars, I didn't get to talk to the owner of this impeccable Buick, but I would venture to say this clean old car doesn't get driven much, and when it does, its likely just around town; to the store and back, or to church and back perhaps. Scoping out this particular car, I drew up a few easy conclusions; this car was bought locally, at the dealership in the background of the photos, and judging by how well it's been kept, it is likely an original owner vehicle. As with most babied classics, this clean LeSabre shows no signs of ever being abused. The exterior looked downright fantastic; paint had shine, chrome appeared to be in quite the best shape I've seen this side of a car show, and the cool-looking 1960s era hubcaps were all intact, and dirt-free. To see a Buick of this vintage that hasn't had customizing in some way is actually pretty pleasing. I've honestly never seen one as nice as this one, and because I live in the rustbelt, I doubt I ever will again.