The GM B/C-Bodies of this generation have been a staple here at CC from the beginning, and we’ve spent a lot of time poring over their every little quirk. But we’ve never asked ourselves the question of which exact model (and engine/options) we’d buy if the CC Time Machine would finally function properly.
My initiation into the cult of B came early. In 1977, the tv station I worked at in LA had a deal to buy cars and trucks through GM’s fleet purchasing program. Which meant that employees, friends, and friends of friends showed up to put in their orders with one of our engineers, who was a big car nut and GM-phile. One of his friends wanted a new big car, so said engineer pored over the option lists and specced out a new white Caprice with every possible goodie in the book: 170 hp 350, THM 350, F41 suspension, and every HD part that might possibly have been of some theoretical (or real) use, as well as all of the comfort and convenience options. This friend was loaded, so money was no object.
I got to drive the resulting car when it came in (friend was out of town at the time), and it was a revelation, given what just about every limp-noodle American car was like at the time. We bombed it up into the hills and along Mulholland Drive, and it was unlike anything I had ever experienced. So I’d go back and repeat that experience. I’m still mulling over the color, but then I’ve always been a fan of white.
Ok; I’m ready to take your order now. It should be ready to pick up in about six weeks.
I’d buy a 1978 Chevy Caprice Classic, or my grandmother’s Impala. Hers was white with red interior. 🙂
Hi,
1983 Buick Electra Estate a Wagon with 455, 1985 Parisienne Safari Wagon and 1986 Pontiac Parisienne Brougham sedan (all of which I own today. Gary
Hi Paul,
The 1996 Buick Roadmaster Collectors Edition a Wagon featured in the B
“B” There ‘Till the End is one of my Roadmaster Estate Wagons.
I like your posts! Gary
1978 Buick Electra 225 2-door, 400 cu. in. V-8, white vinyl top over baby blue with white bucket seat interior. Had one, should never have sold it.
A stripper wagon, but with AC, circa 1985.
I was watching “Running Scared” the other day, the buddy-cop flick with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. And they were running around in this beat up non-descript Impala under cover car. A real sleeper with the beefed up police package, a car like that must’ve been virtually invisble in the mid-80’s. I’d like something like that, a dented no frills Impala, but with real sleeper potential. No graffiti on mine, though…
That reminds me of this unfortunate ’73 LeSabre that I spotted while shopping the other day. Is this C.C. Effect in reverse?
If you ever get a chance, watch To Live and Die in L.A. for some good 80s Impala action. Both it and Running Scared are great flicks for B body fans 🙂
I immediately though of this flick and its insane chase scene too!
After you watch this fun flick , make a point of finding the ‘ how this film was made ‘ documentary , it has detailed bits on the freeway chase scene , what they did was really clever .
-Nate
1980 or 1981 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham, Delta 88 Royale Brougham, or LeSabre LImited. I think a 350 was still available at the time. The 301 and 307 would have been too weak.
Yes, the Bonneville Brougham with the 350 and AC would have been the ticket. Dark Gunmetal with a Burgundy interior in my case. Super Sport rims if available.
The last year for a Pontiac built 350 was 1977. For 1978-79, if you ordered a 350 in a full size Pontiac, it could have been either a Buick, Chevy, or Olds 350. That option was dropped for 1980, with the Pontiac 265 as the standard V8 and the Pontiac 301 as an option. The 265 was still the base V8 in ’81, with the Olds 307 as an option.
In 1980, the Olds 350 was still optional in the Delta 88. It was dropped from the option list in ’81. I know the Buick 350 was still an option in the Riviera for 1980, so I would think it was also available in the Lesabre.
Last Buick V8 was built in April 1980.
It didn’t occur to me that the B-Body launched just as the division specific engines were going away.
In that case, I’d go earlier and get a Bonneville with the Pontiac 400. Although an Olds with one of the larger Rockets would be tempting…
My father had a 1978 Bonneville Brougham (was it ever a brougham with the red velour pillow cushion seats) that had a 400 Poncho under the hood. Choked down to a rated 180 horsepower it still had enough torque to chirp the tires going into second gear. IIRC it even had a 2.41:1 rear axle(!).
Dad ordered the F41 suspension (or whatever Pontiac’s code for it was) yet the car was smooth as butter on the highway. Many times I would look down at the speedometer and be surprised to see it pegged at its government mandated 85mph. What a joke.
He also ordered the car without a vinyl roof and without wire wheel covers. Brougham or not those were just maintenance items that didn’t help the car go faster or handle better. But he did order the gauge package complete with a vacuum gauge.
Dad is an enthusiast with a twist. The first Pontiac he bought was 1957 Super Chief; trimmed nicer than a Chieftain but still on the shorter wheelbase (thus lighter) than the Star Chief. Of course it had Pontiac’s legendary 347 V8 and a 4-speed Hydramatic. He eschewed AC (expensive in those days and maybe Texas wasn’t as hot as it is now :-)), power steering (didn’t help the car go faster) and a few other amenities. He did however get the Wonderbar radio with dual power antennas on the rear fenders. I guess that was too cool to pass up.
Along with the 1977-79 Pontiacs my next favorite B-body of the era would be the Impala or Caprice coupe with the bent rear glass. It just looked neat.
1990 Chevy Caprice 9C1 cop car with the 350, preferably in civilian-looking detective trim and color.
That would be my second choice, ran into a Swedish guy driving a mint condition one in Baltimore about 4 years ago. Looked like it had just come off the production line.
This ’85 Impala 9C1 was for sale on ebay several years ago.
Maybe an ’85 Pontiac Parisienne.
Everyone here knows that, being a Proud Cannuck (Canadian), I Love the Canadian versions, such as Pontiac’s Parisienne and lower priced Laurentian!
You’re not the only one and add also the 1977-81 BelAir who was still offered in the Great White North. 🙂 http://www.productioncars.com/gallery.php?car=15730&make=Chevrolet&model=Bel
That’s an ’80 or ’81. After were rebadged Caprices for a few years, though they later would bring back real Pontiac sheetmetal, trim, seats, and inner door panels from the B-pillar back.
I’d go for a 1978-79 LeSabre Sport Coupe.
+1 hands down.
Absolutely the le sabre sport coupe for me as well!!
Agreed.
Excellent choice! A most satisfying car to drive, in bad weather and on a twisty road.
A big coupe that could hustle and Haul Azz when needed to do so.
My choice too….Olds 403….love those Buick chrome road wheels
+1!
Absolutely agree. This would be my choice. Second choice would be the car I already own. A Buick Electra Estate Wagon. Only I want one that doesn’t have a blown 307 like mine does!
Since I like being different, I’d buy a 77-79 Impala 2dr with the 250 six with tinted glass, AC, rear defrost, bumper rubstrips and bumper guards, full wheel covers, HR78-15 White stripe tires, quiet sound group, AM/FM mono, gauge package, front/rear floor mats, sport suspension, HD battery, HD radiator, power trunk opener, auxiliary lighting, and Custom Interior.
I’m going to include the Cadillac C-body in this and say that I would take a 1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Coupe with the D’elegance package. White with s tan interior.
+1!
There is a multi-divisional mix and match that represents the ideal version of these cars to me. Each represented the sportiest of the divisional offerings, which together add up to a car that would look the most modern and not at all geriatric today.
– 1977-79 Buick LeSabre coupe body, with the hardtop-like roofline and sloping C-pillar
– 1977-79 Pontiac instrument panel with full instrumentation
– Cadillac 425 V-8 / THM400, or Oldsmobile 350 V-8 / THM 350
– Chevrolet F41 suspension
– Buick road wheels or Oldsmobile Super Stock wheels
It probably would not be difficult to assemble such a car today, with a clean 1977-79 LeSabre and a collection of the other elements.
yeah, mix and match is the way to go…either an 84 Fleetwood Brougham coupé with a 500….or an 84 98 Regency coupe with a 455…or an 87 Caprice Brougham coupé with a 350TPI.
Chevy, Pontiac, or Buick, but a 2 door sedan.
For a B-body afficionado like me (early years anyway, they were allowed to soldier on way too long), this is a very tough question. Kind of like asking a parent with 4 great kids to pick his favorite…
If I had to pick just one, I’d replicate the awesome ’77 Caprice my Pop had–I loved that car! Dark Green, no vinyl top, sport wheel covers and mirrors, loaded to the gills.
But, I love all the first generation Bs, so right up there with the Caprice I’d happily have:
’78 Bonneville Brougham–really luxurious for a B-body.
’79 LeSabre Limited–upped the luxury for the limited inside that year, really nice clean styling continued outside.
’77 Delta 88 Royale-just a great family car, handsome and comfortable.
With the “aero” reskin, I’d pick as follows:
’80 Delta 88 Royale Brougham–best of the aero reskins to my eyes, still could get a 350.
’80 Bonneville Brougham–also very striking outside, really posh inside.
’80 LeSabre Limited–not as clean as before, but a uniquely Buick front end.
’82 Caprice–no need to go for an ’80 here as the big motors were already gone, so might as well go a few model years newer.
For any B, I would specify the biggest available engine and the sportiest wheels available–Pontiac Snowflakes, Olds Super Stock, Buick Road Wheels, Chevy Sport Wheel Covers. And I’d load them with options to make them really comfortable American cruisers.
It’s fun to dream…
1979 Pontiac Bonneville Brougham coupe – loaded with 5.7L, moonroof, gauges, and all the goodies but with a painted, no-vinyl roof.
+1. The snowflake wheels are a must.
Amen to that!
There is actually nothing I could add since I’d literally take ANY of them, But I guess I’ll narrow it down to the LeSabres (any year/body style) ain’t gonna be picky!
I’d pick a 1978-79 Olds Holiday 88 with the 350 and super stock wheels! I had one in 1981 and loved that car.
It would be hard to choose between a 1978 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the 403 V8 and handling suspension (no vinyl roof and make it that metallic green that so many of them were) or a 1978 Pontiac Bonneville with the gauge package, Pontiac 350, and whatever the handling suspension was.
Those cars could still be driven in modern traffic and keep up.
Good choice I’m surprised nobody else picked a 403 Olds yet.
If gas mileage isn’t a consideration, you could still order the Pontiac 400 in 1978.
80’s Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance in triple burgundy (whatever GM would have called that or a similar color) with velour seats. Don’t really care about the engine as long as it’s not an HT4100.
I also wouldn’t kick an early 80s Buick Electra Park Avenue or Oldsmobile 98 Regency Brougham out of my garage either, similarly appointed.
The Chevy photos threw my head into thinking this was Limited (pun intended) To “B” bodies, I amend my list to ALL of the “C”s I had both Buick and Cadillac versions, And would love to have an 80-84 Ninety-Eight to complete the hat trick!
Pontiac Parisienne, loaded, dark burgundy.
My aunt had a beautiful 1984 Oldsmobile 98 Regency 2 door fairly loaded up with options bought new by her. It was dark maroon (probably Firemist paint) with red interior. As a little kid I thought it was an amazing car, especially after riding around in Tempos and Escorts most of the time. Even then, I didnt see how a Cadillac could be any better than that. She promptly told me they weren’t (she knew all about the HT 4100 and wanted no part of it). She loved the car although she did complain about the carb being very tempermental. One day she took me to look at toys at L.A. Joe’s department store (local Wal-Mart equivelant). When she shut the motor off it started to diesel and she cussed her son because he drove it the day before and she knew he put cheap gas in it when she told him not to. She kept it into late 90’s and still talks about it to this day. For me that car started a lifelong facination with Oldsmobile and I wanted to be successful when I grew up so I could own one too. Unfortunately by the time that happened Oldsmobile was gone.
I would love a brand new Olds just like that one only with Olds super stock wheels instead of the wire wheel covers hers had. An Olds 350 would be nice too instead of the 307 but it was long gone by then.
You can make the case that an early ’80s Oldsmobile 98 (or Buick Electra) was a more reliable answer to the Cadillac!
Yeah, after the 6L they put some pretty crappy and weak engines even in the big Broughams. The Olds 307 was at least reliable if not very powerful.
+1 the story has a sad ending tho. She drives a Lexus now 🙁
That’s pretty much the closest thing to an Olds 98 or Electra available today.
I wouldn’t kick a Lexus out of my driveway, especially an ES or LS.
I would pick same 1987 as have now, only would make a dealer to order it with police 350v8, HD everything and 3.42 rear end. And 3 points rear seat belts 🙂
Nice car, congrats.
Thanks. I have a quite a good story how I acquired the car. The car in fact, founds me. Its around 7-8 years now, I just sold my 3rd gen camaro and asked a friend over the internet forum if he is considering to sell his Caprice. Very soon after, I got a email from the total stranger offering me his car. One more week, and the car was mine 🙂
Well, I’ll be.
My ’87 Caprice is identical to yours in every way, right down to the black steelies.
For short period of time, my friend had a very similar car, Pontiac Parisienne which looks very similar to mine. We took few pictures when had a chance, and there are some of them, since its B-body article.
Some more
Last one
Fantastic pictures !
How’s the classic US car landscape in CZ ? Many owners, specialists, shows, etc. ?
Nice pair of B-bodies. My family owned an ’86 Parisienne, but I wish it would have had the two-tone paint like the pictured car.
I still have the wire wheel covers on the shelf in garage, but hate the noise and rattle they makes. So black steelies is my solution 🙂
Johannes, the us scene in CZ is very active, I would say more then in Germany. Beside the crowd of late muscle cars and pickup trucks, we have a lot of cars from 50-70s with a lot of shows running. To get a feeling, this article is about one of the biggest events with +500cars comming, even from abroad.
http://myclassicride.eu/blog/2015/06/lets-cruise-lets-be-lucky/
Nice !
The most popular segments of US vehicles:
– the tailfins from the fifties;
– pony- and muscle cars from the sixties;
– land yachts from the seventies;
– the more recent pickups.
The best (IMO) classic US car show we have here is every first sunday of september, in the south of my country. Hundreds of classic US cars from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany show up.
An impression of last year’s show:
“C” bodies included extra sound insulation to make up for this! (Ok, I just made that up, LOL)
1986. Last year for sealed beam headlights.
1977-79 Chevrolet Caprice Classic with the 350 V8 and F41 suspension package or a 1977-79 Oldsmobile 98 2 door with the 350 Rocket V8, I always thought the 1977-79 cars have the best powertrain’s.
Just got rejected and have been unused to that happening since I quit being single.
Hate reading about the B body. Had a 77 Impala wagon that was a truck in station wagon clothes. Without a doubt I should still have that of all the cars I have cycled through. 350/350 drive train.
If I could go back and buy new I suppose I would buy it a couple years later so I could have the 305/700r4 setup. It delivered about 20 mpg compared to my 13. It would probably have to be a caprice as I think Impalas stopped with mine for a few years.
1977-78 Bonneville Brougham coupe, 400, Rally II wheels (T/A Snowflakes never looked right on the big cars) F41 (or whatever Pontiac called it) suspension and the Valencia striped interior.
My first car was a ’78 Brougham w/400. That car had a bit of scoot to it!
I was going to mention the Valencia boldly-striped velour, which I have never seen outside of a brochure or dealer ordering guide. It was available on the ’77 Bonneville Brougham (in brown/tan). For ’78, the Valencia option was moved to the standard Bonneville which received the previous year’s Brougham interior (the ’78 Brougham got new crushed-velour button-tufted loose-cushion seats more worthy of the Brougham name than the restrained ’77 design). You could now have your Valencia stripes in red as well as brown/tan. IIRC the Valencia trim was discontinued in ’79 in favor of a new design that I recall being some sort of starburst pattern.
When I was a kid a young attorney and his family living at the end of our street had one. Two-tone tan (roof and hood) and brown (rest of the car), Rally IIs, no landau top and the brown/tan striped interior. Never saw another one like it.
Every so often that Bonneville shared a driveway with a silver Citroen SM. It would be parked at the lawyer’s house for a few weeks at a time without ever moving, disappear for a few months and then sit next to the Bonneville for a few more weeks.
Found some pics online of the ’78 red Valencia interior. Wow is this garish! It looks much better and certainly more sedate in beige/brown IMO. (more here: http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/threads/1978-bonneville-with-red-valencia-interior.34239/ )
Couldn’t find the custom upholstery choice that replaced the stripes online
My eyes hurt.
That reminds me that back in 70 Ford offered a seat trim called Blazer Stripe that I’ve also never seen outside the brochure. And I’ve looked at hundreds of 70 Mavericks over the years.
’78 Riviera LXXV anniversary edition w/403 or an ’85 LeSabre Collector Edition with a V8…307 was it?
I can’t play the game of speccing it to the nth degree, but an early 80s Delta 88 sedan or Buick Electra Estate Wagon.
Easy call Paul!
77-79 Caprice 4dr with F41, V8, A/C as as little else possible
2nd place–2 dr version of above
Honorable mention: 77-79 Delta 88 2-dr with 350 (from any division)
Olds Custom Cruiser 77-79 as long as it has the 350, and no wood grain sides.
I wouldn’t say no to any Chevy,Buick or Pontiac with the same stipulations.
Having had the late 70s RWD Electra 225 and late 80s RWD Cadillac Brougham, I’d go for the car that in my view combines the best of both of them:
’77 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham. 425, THM 400, the rear footrests from the predecessor model, and the one-year only taillights.
A ’78 or ’79 Cadillac Le Cabriolet convertible conversion by Hess & Eisenhardt Co., medium gunmetal metallic, dark red interior, black top, fitted with the rocker panel trim from the Fleetwood Brougham.
1980 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham Coupe d’Elegance
I’ll take an ’89 Caprice Brougham LS with the fuel-injected 305, and velour seats.
There’s a pretty incredible looking low miles 1977 Buick LeSabre with a 403 for sale on Hemings… Wish I had $7,800!
’78 Bonneville Brougham for me, dark blue on blue. 400 Pontiac if possible, but I’d take the Olds 403.
I know that from 1977-79, the Buick/Oldsmobile/Pontiac B-bodies along with the Olds/Buick C-bodies equipped with California emissions used either the Olds 350 or 403 V8s or the Buick V6. The Buick and Pontiac V8s couldn’t meet California Air Resources Board regulations.
1990 5.7L TBI 9C1 Caprice or 1978 LeSabre Sport Coupe (3.8L Turbo or Buick 350). 1978 Delta 88 coupe with the 403. Can’t decide……
1989 Caprice with Fuel Injected 350 V8. Midnight Blue metallic with matching Blue crushed velour interior. Automatic, Power Windows, Door Lock & Mirrors, Cruise Control, AM/FM radio with cassette deck, Air Conditioning and 5 of my best friends to go cruising with.
So many choices!! I think I could settle for this one, though!! 🙂
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-outtake/in-motion-cc-outtake-1979-oldsmobile-delta-88-royale-i-deserve-this/
That was a sweet ride. With the 403 Rocket it would be epic.
1978 Pontiac Grand Safari with the 165 hp Chevy 350 and, of course, loaded to the gills. Though, I must admit, a 77′ Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d’Elegance with the fuel injected 425 would be equally tempting.
My pick would be an optioned-out ’80 Buick Park Avenue sedan, which had IIRC a one-year-only plush pillowy seat design and was the last year they used the excellent brushed silver gauges, burgandy or maybe dark blue interior. I also like the ’78 Park Avenue with its over-the-top interior, possibly as a coupe (the ’77-’79 B/C coupes had distinct rooflines from the sedans; this doesn’t appear to be the case after the ’80 facelift when they became 2-door sedans).
I’m also fond of the ’81 Bonneville Brougham (again loaded with burgandy velour interior), or maybe the Bonneville coupe with the rare high-back bucket seats and center console (which was from the mid-sized Pontiacs like the Grand Prix). The Pontiac dashboard (which vies with Buick’s as my favorite) didn’t survive after the ’81 models, but got slightly better looking each year until then.
I’m not up on which were the best engines and transmissions, but lets just pick the best one whatever that may be.
We could play this same game with the ’78-’87 A/G bodies – I have some definite favorites amongst those….
Yeah!, The Buick dash with the silver gauges! My favorite panel of all the 77-90 B/Cs!
I had a 1980 Buick Electra Limited from 2003 to 2005. 4.1 V6 with a still good THM 200c transmission. A thunderstorm and a falling tree branch took the roof out. Paid $300 for it and got $107 running it across the scales. I took the drivetrain out and it’s currently sitting in the shed. I need to find something to put it in. It was a quiet smooth riding car, no doubt about that.
Wow, That’s sad, At least it was around that long. 🙁
Yeah I was going to fix it. In fact one month later I went to the Impound Auction and actually got a running driving 83 LeSabre wagon for $75 for the windshield since that was the only really broken part. However it’s hard to just junk out a running driving car you get for $75 so i used it instead for a couple of months. Sold the LeSabre to someone my wife knew for $100. So I made a little profit. Hindsight is 20/20, I should have kept both of ’em!
Black 1985 Buick LeSabre Collector’s Edition four door sedan
White with wood 1990 Buick Estate Wagon
I’d Definitely go for that 85 LeSabre Collectors Edition. (could mine have the above mentioned silver gauges?, If we have time machine technology, Why not?) 🙂
I *think* the ’77-’80 silver gauges could be retrofitted into the later models that had black from the factory – only possible exception was that huge analog clock on the passenger side, not sure if that was still offered in the mid-’80s or if they used the thinner digital clock exclusively. You could of course change the whole panel it was set in, but again the woodgrains sometimes changed.
Yeah, The clock too would have to be part. And it HAS to be analog! In thinking of it, I’d be OK with variation of wood grain, if the “instrument” side and “clock” side match, if the “radio” section (and rest of “wood” trim) were slightly different, Maybe that would say “Custom” – Of course, I could be just weird!
Have you priced factory clocks on Ebay lately? Egads, when did they become so valuable. I was wanting one for my 74 Impala and cheapest I could find was $150 with shipping. I’ll just stick with my wristwatch and cell phone!
I’d buy a 1979 two-tone grey coupe with grey velour interior, 350 engine, 40/60 bench seat, f42 suspension, climatronic and moon roof….
For me the 1977 Delta Pace Car is the only answer.
I like the way you think!
1980-1981 Pontiac Catalina (as seen as Capt. Frank Furillo’s ride during the first season of ‘Hill Street Blues’). Same light metallic blue, dog-dish hubcaps, and (hopefully) police package…
1977-79 Caprice coupe – I always loved the bent-glass rear window.
1977 Caprice sedan, optional custom two tone paint (light blue over dark blue), and the following:
350 V8
F41 suspension
Gauge package with trip odometer
Positraction rear axle
Twin remote control sport mirrors
Special custom interior package
Rear window defogger
Intermittent windshield wipers
Air conditioning
AM/FM stereo radio
Power windows
Power door locks
Body side moldings
Power trunk opener
I learned to drive in a ’77 Caprice with the base suspension………nice car, but the handling was too sloppy for my taste. I’ve always wanted to drive one equipped with the F41 suspension.
I bought a used 1979 Caprice Classic in 1985……Two tone black and silver…..58,000 miles…..traded it in at 89,000 miles on a used S10 Blazer in early 1990 ….If I had it to do over again, I would have kept the Caprice another 5 years at least…….
The black and silver two tone of that era Chevy was always my favorite… Just stunning. A little red pinstriping and a red valor interior… Oh yeah.
If I recall correctly, my 79 did have the red pinstriping dividing the silver midsection from the black body…..Interior was either black or a dark dark gray.
Yeah, that combination of Black over Silver with the red accents was beautiful on that car. I seem to recall that when they changed the body in 1980 to the ‘state cop car look’, they reversed the colors and made it silver on the top and black on the sides. While this looked nice, I really liked it the other way around. If I were to customize one to my tastes, I’d have the 1980 and up body, with the 1978/79 black over silver paint. That would be cool. Although I think the 2 door looked better in your year than the later model.
I like the ’81-85 Caprice front styling; I’ll take that on a wagon sans woodgrain with a 350/350.
Hard to say….maybe I should pick a favorite from each make:
Early Electra sedan with the upright nose/grille
Late 98 sedan
Bonneville sedan with the turn signals between the headlights……1981?
Late Caprice sedan with the Cadillac looking roof….was this called the “LS”?
AND
Any Grand Safari, Custom Cruiser, Estate Wagon or Caprice Estate as long as it has wood.
You said as long as it has wood!………Runs for cover
I’d go back in time and never sell my 77 Impala 2 door aero coupe with 350/350 and the f41 suspension (rebuilt with poly bushings by yours truly) Now I have an 87 caprice 4 door 305 which almost fills the hole in my heart, almost…