In 1959 Buick dropped the full size premium Roadmaster and Roadmaster 75 model names in favor of the Electra and Electra 225 names. The first generation Electras were superseded in 1961 with new models with much smaller fins and cleaner squared styling.

Today’s featured car is a 1962 6 window Electra 225 Riviera a body style shared with the 1962 Cadillacs. The 225 refers to the cars overall 225 inch length from which it derived the nick name “deuce and a quarter”.

All 2nd Generation Electra’s shared the same 325 hp Super Thrust Wildcat 6.5 litre /401 cui V8 motors and up until 1964 all Electra’s had the same 2 speed Dynaflow Transmission.

It was almost certainly not evident too Buick Designer Bill Mitchel at the time but the vertical adornment ahead of the rear bumper was an uncanny omen of the safety bumpers that were to appear in the 1970’s and 1980’s particularly on the Volvo 700 series vehicles first seen in 1982.

As might be expected the premium Buick Electra came comprehensively loaded with two speed electric windscreen wipers, cigar lighter, step on parking brake, glove box light, power steering, power windows, anti glare rear view mirror, two way power seats an courtesy lights to name a few.

A couple of years ago I came very close to taking a bus trip to Ashville NC in order to visit a friend in Brevard, unfortunately I was persuaded that my stay would inevitably be so short I may as well go and visit some other friends for a little longer. It turns out that Deal of Ashville NC was taken over by new owners Harmony Motors who operate a VW/Audi/Porsche dealership from the same site as Deal when they supplied this Electra 225 fifty one years ago.

Last year a similar monotone 6 window Buick Electra 225 Riviera fetched a fraction over $17,000 at auction which seems like a lot of sheet metal for the money.

My thanks to Toni Burrell at Harmony Motors Asheville NC for taking the time to fill me in on what happened to Deal.

Thanks for joining me on this “The Harmony Deal” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to came back now !