(first posted 2/16/2016) I just returned from a whirlwind vacation with friends in Las Vegas, Nevada which included Superbowl Sunday festivities. I won’t even pretend to be a serious sports fan or that I had any investment (financial, emotional, or otherwise) in either the Carolina Panthers or Denver Broncos. I’ll also state with 100% clarity that watching sports is not beneath me even if it’s not a priority, and I thoroughly enjoy watching the commercials as much as watching the game with friends who actually do care about the teams and outcome. This was the case last week. As per my normal practice, though – once the din of cheering, hooting, booing, and the clinking of bottles had subsided – I found time to branch out on my own the following Monday with my Canon, away from my friends and the tourist traps, to see what I could could find…or what would find me.
I’ve covered a ’74 Regal before in a CC Capsule post from last year. I don’t know if I have a heightened awareness of vintage Buicks just because I hail from the city of its former headquarters – Flint, Michigan. Or perhaps I’m always on the lookout for Colonnades, as I owned one for about five minutes when I was in high school. But this beauty combined so many elements that were too good to pass up and not photograph. Part of what I enjoy about Las Vegas is how areas and aspects of it just seem so frozen in time, especially in the downtown area. Whereas “The Strip” district of Las Vegas Boulevard seems to change significantly from year-to-year and seems up-to-the-minute modern and chic, Fremont Street and the downtown area in general feel like somebody just pressed “pause” some time around 1981 and forgot to un-pause…in the best way.
As for this Regal, I was over by the White Cross Market not far from the Stratosphere tower when this thing came barreling up the street. I’ve already written about how unsubtle the lines of these mid-70’s Regals are. While a contrasting, burgundy color spear probably wasn’t needed on this one in order to emphasize the highly-sculpted, “pontoon” front fenders and character lines, it somehow just worked. This thing is a rolling leisure suit, and while I wouldn’t necessarily wear it, I respect it. Nineteen seventy-four was the first year for the Regal sedan, with roughly 9,300 sold that year, starting at $4,004 (roughly $20,500 in 2016). The coupe far outsold the sedan, moving about 57,500 units for ’74, and listing for just $20 less from the factory. Still, $20,500 for this Regal sedan seems like a lot of car for the money compared to cars of today.
The entire package seemed to fit the vibe of its driver – who looked like a cool cat and someone with whom I would have enjoyed striking up a conversation. “So, if you don’t mind my asking, when did you buy this car?” “I bought it new for my wife as a birthday present, years ago. She didn’t like it, though…said it handled like a boat, so she got a Toyota instead. I kept it, though, because I liked it. It’s got the Buick Three-Fifty four-barrel and the three-speed Turbo HydraMatic. It’s got plenty of get-up-and-go, and rides like a dream. These days, you can’t even tell me what a Buick looks like. One look at this baby, and there’s not a person out there that can tell you it doesn’t look like a Buick.”
Pride of ownership is so apparent with a car like this, and specifically with this car. There’s not a shred of doubt in my mind that the gentleman behind the wheel of this dessert-hued sedan has taken only the very best care of what is surely his baby. She ain’t the best looker on The Strip. She drinks too much (at the gas pump). All the same, this full-figured beauty is robust, loyal, and has probably stuck by her owner during what I’d like to imagine has been through thick, thin, and there and back again. Here’s to a fine piece of Colonnade representation and an ode to 70’s fashion – all rolled up into one proudly all-American package.
As photographed downtown Las Vegas, Nevada on Monday, February 8, 2016.
I like these a lot and love the pontoon fenders. They were nice cars. I assume that isn’t factory colors. As a kid several friends had these and they were nice to tide in.
Of all of the Colonnades, I think the Buicks had the most style (esp. the early ones with round headlights) The sedans looked the most “natural” of the four. (leading me to wonder if they were styled first, like the ’59 GM B/Cs) I always thought they were a modern take on the 1942-48 Roadmasters Indeed no one seeing one says “I don’t see a Buick” (And god, I h8 thoses ads!).
Slick: “I don’t see a Buick”
You know, those current TV ads could backfire
for the division: While trying to shed the
“grampa’s Buick” stigma, they may find themselves
inadvertently blending right in to the current
automotive landscape! Oops. lol
They should had used instead that following line:”Who loves ya baby?” as a nod to Kojak. 😉
I agree with you they made the new bricks stubby and little and they don’t convey Buick at all. I miss the lesabre and park ave. Buicks need to be large and flashy with toothy grills and style. They really don’t have a great line up that appealed to many people like they did with century, park ave and lesabre and to a lesser extent regal. Its Luke Oldsmobile in its death throws now. This that’s not a Buick nonsense is going to backfire. Its not really Buick but what is it? Nothing that seems very desirable. Hopefully they get a ct6 derivative for a new park ave and a proper lesabre again and a Riviera.. selling rehashed opel. Cars isn’t going to work
In those terrible commercals, when the woman says “I don’t see a Buick”, this car could come into the frame and the man could say “Now you do.”
Of course in the Cascada commercial they are correct: they are seeing an Opel. Too bad they aren’t seeing this:
On the Encore one as well, as it is a Daewoo.
The show car is nice, but the modern computerized animation of a former Holden concept makes me wonder how Buick it will turn out. Are they really saving so much skipping the photographer?
The next Lacrosse is okay looking but the designers definitely knew what an Avalon looked like.
Ha! Sad but true. No wonder people in the ads don’t recognize the cars as Buicks… maybe there is truth in advertising after all 😉
It’s “this is not your father’s Oldsmobile” all over again.
Give it 5 years and Buick will probably be China-only.I actually like the Regal and the Enclave, but the Lacrosse and Verano are anonymous, the Encore a stubby, weird-looking blob, and the Cascada is all too obviously borrowed from GM Europe.
James, now you’ve got me really thinking…which ’73 Colonnade used that basic architecture to its best advantage? For the sedans, I’ll agree with you – the Buicks looked the most organic and natural with that greenhouse. As for the coupes (and I love the Chevelles, all variants), I think the ’73 Cutlass coupe gives the Buick a run for its money. I’ll give it to the Buick simply for the way the shape of the flag-shaped rear quarter windows seems to echo that of the pontoon fenders.
I’d agree these were the best. As though it was designed first as a Buick, then modified (Olds) /simplified (Chevy) /overdone (Pontiac!) for the other divisions.
The owner is offering a lesson to GM. “This is a BUICK. It must have a SWEEP-SPEAR. See? Like this.”
And he’s right. They should have done it exactly like this. Convincing illustration.
I think I’d like it better if the second colour terminated in a C-curve on the rear door, like on early fifties Buicks.
I definitely have a soft spot for the Buick Colonnade sedans. My grandmother had two of them: a ’73 Century Luxus and a ’76 Century Custom. Both were great cars and 100% Buick. I prefer the styling of the earlier cars before the stacked square headlamps, but in general they were recognizable from any angle.
The first shot(s) of this ’74, before you can even make out the 2-tone paint, really showcases the lines beautifully.
Joe, you are right, Buick did do the Colonnade sedan the best. The others all had their various goofy and frumpy styling quirks. And this two-tone absolutely works. I see dual exhausts on her, so I bet it sounded great going by.
One of my favorite toy cars from childhood was a Buick Colonnade sedan. It’s obvious Corgi (I think that’s who it was) used their Kojak model and painted it blue upon the release of the Superman movie as it did say “City of Metropolis” on it. I still have somewhere in the basement.
hehehe
This is it! Although my doors don’t open.
I have the police car, found it at a flea market in Maine.
I think there was a smaller Matchbox-size one as well. But after my toy-playing years.
This. This is awesome. Don, I can’t believe you found one. And Jason, I can’t believe you had one! Actually, yes, I can. 🙂
He needs to paint it brown and pretend he’s Kojak.
I couldn’t quite tell from rereading the article: was two-tone on the Sweepspear a factory thing? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it on the few Colonnade Regals I’ve seen.
Dr. Zhivago, this paint scheme was not factory – never seen one before this example. Very nice custom job, though.
Confirmed on the two tone. The only way to two-tone these was either a vinyl roof or (rarely) a painted roof.
I do wonder if the painted roof was factory? It appears not to be the same burgundy used on the fenders, unless that’s a trick of the light.
I was assuming a vinyl roof from the photos, but as the photographer, Joe would probably know best.
Chris, I’m pretty sure this one had a vinyl roof. In the third shot, it looks slightly matte (unlike a painted roof, which I think would be shinier), and in the fourth shot, I can make out a bit of the seam. Great catch and question! Color-matching for that custom paint on the fender must have been painstaking.
“Rolling leisure suit” – Best line of the day!
I had no idea that these sold so poorly back then. My family got another one of the slow sellers when mom bought the 74 Luxury LeMans sedan. Cutlass Supreme sedans were on every block, it seemed.
I always liked the look of the Buick sedan better than the Olds (though reversed on the coupes.) Very nice find, and the paint job says Vegas perfectly. I love that lead picture with the sun glinting off the shiny paint.
You know, that’s one of the cars that actually pulled off the mandated 5-MPH bumpers and made them look stylish! The two-tone paint it awesome. It emphasizes the swooping lines, and makes you think of those late 60’s LeSabers.
True. It needs a wider track though, especially at the rear. From some angles it looks like oversized furniture rolling around on casters. 🙂
These cars actually had a problem with too wide of a track, and severe rocker panel tuck under, like a fuselage Mopar. Same with the ’71 to ’76 GM B and C body cars. On the Midwest US roads they rusted pretty badly. When they were new there was a huge demand for mud flaps or mud guards. But really nothing short of running boards could help.
When you live in Las Vegas, as I do, you kind of stop seeing these things. There’s a good number of people frozen in one moment in time.
I like to think that cars like this were bought by people of limited means on the day they hit that one big jackpot in 1974. It was the nicest car they’d ever owned, so they kept it that way forever.
I really need to start paying more attention to these.
I like that! The first year for the Regal sedan. Last year for the available 455 in a mid-size Buick.
Cool post. I love Vegas and I love Colonnades. It’s especially nice to highlight the four-doors, which seem to be very under-collected and under-appreciated. I’m looking forward to seeing what else your camera lens found in Las Vegas. Here’s a coupe in much worse condition I saw in Hollywood recently. It looked terrible but was impressively quiet and obviously still in daily service for somebody.
Chris, what I like about your example is that despite its well-worn condition, it still appears to have all of its emblems and wheel covers. It even appears to still have its stand-up hood ornament! Awesome. I love to see that this car is still in service.
That’s a very good point. A peculiar but still impressive type of pride in ownership. It’s dented and rusty, but by God it’s still a REGAL.
One of the things that I like about the modern era of alloy wheel predominance is that you no longer see as many cars rolling around with one missing hubcap, or mismatched ones. That always drove me crazy. A missing center cap (the new version of the same malady) is much less obvious.
I agree, Joseph! These are getting rare enough that I try to shoot them if I’m ever lucky enough to see one! I have some more photos I can share if you want (not really any of the front, though). It was getting away just as I saw it!
CC Effect-I stumbled upon this pic in an unrelated search. I hope Kojak & Crocker were buckled up!
Wow. That’s just horrifying. I suppose it could have been worse if this ’73 actually went off the overpass after impact.
Buick did the colonnade’s the best. The 4 door was on point, the wagon was good, the fast back coupes (Century, Special) looked good, but the formal coupe (Regal, Century Luxus) was a bit awkward looking.
I agree that the two tone paint on the feature car actually works well. I remember seeing the 1974 through 1976 Riviera’s having a factory two tone paint that was somewhat similar to that design, except it terminated at the bottom of the door in a rounded fashion.
There was a 1975 (or maybe it was a 1976) Riviera in my neighborhood that had the factory two tone paint in light blue/medium blue and it looked very sharp.
Kojak Baby!!!!!!
Yep, he moved west and decided the plain brown was not stylish enough for Vegas.
This is why I liked Kojak. A truly stylish large American car, at least to me.
Call me crazy, but the Pontiac with fender skirts was pretty cool looking…without the skirts, not so much.
My mom’s 76 Cutlass S sedan was poorly constructed, but a tough car that got lots of use in our family. Ours was a V8, I assume 350, but some friends had a 75 Buick colonnade with a V6 that was a real dog…got worse fuel economy than the V8 and was slower too.
I have a Corgi police Buick Regal that I found at an antique shop a few years ago