BaT Auction: 1964 Buick Wildcat Convertible 4-Speed

This 1964 Buick Wildcat convertible is powered by a 401ci Nailhead V8 mated to a four-speed manual transmission. According to the seller, the car was special-ordered for a person who was killed in Vietnam, and the car reportedly sat from the late 1960s until the seller’s father purchased it in the mid-1980s and subsequently had the car repainted. The seller took ownership of the car in 2015 and reports that it is one of three four-speed manual convertible Wildcats registered by the Buick Club of America as of the mid-2000s. Refinished in black with a white soft top over a red interior, this Wildcat is now offered with factory literature, recent service records, and a clean New Jersey title in the seller’s name.

The car was reportedly repainted in the factory Regal Black (AA), and the seller notes a chip in the finish near the passenger-side taillight. The motor for the white convertible top is said to have been replaced in mid-2019, and spotlights have been added on both sides of the body. For the 1964 model year, the Wildcat deviated from the previous horizontal VentiPorts traditionally seen on Buicks and instead had vertically oriented chrome accents behind the front wheels.

15″ Buick Rallye wheels with Wildcat center logos are wrapped in 225/75 USA Classic radial whitewall tires. Red-painted drum brakes were reportedly refurbished within the past two years.

The interior features bench seats finished in red vinyl (447) with matching red door panels and carpeting. A Buick Sonomatic AM radio is mounted in the dash. The shift pattern for the floor-mounted gear lever is embossed in a multi-color trim piece.

The red-rimmed steering wheel fronts a 120-mph speedometer, a combination gauge, and an 8,500-rpm Sun tachometer. A trio of AutoMeter auxiliary gauges is mounted below the dashboard, and the red trim around the dash and steering column exhibits wear in various locations. The five-digit odometer displays just over 79k miles, approximately 3k of which have been added by the seller.

A 401ci Nailhead V8 equipped with a four-barrel carburetor sends power to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. The Wildcat 445 marking on the air-cleaner cover refers to the engine’s factory rating of 445 lb-ft of torque.

Additional photos of the rocker panels and the underbody are provided in the gallery below.

The cowl tag shown above partially decodes as follows:

  • 10E – Built during the fifth week of October
  • 64-4667 – 1964 Wildcat convertible
  • FB235 – Manufactured at Flint, Michigan assembly plant; Fisher body number
  • 447 – Red vinyl upholstery
  • AA – Regal Black exterior finish

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