1973 Buick Estate Wagon

The Buick Estate was a line of full-sized station wagons produced from 1970 through 1996, with a legacy that dates even further back to the early 1940s. When the name was revived in 1970, it served as the top-of-the-line luxury station wagon for General Motors and Buick's first full-sized station wagon since 1964. It used the B-body platform shared with the LeSabre and Wildcat, with a 124-inch wheelbase, and a similar exterior and interior. The woodgrain body sides were optional, incorporating the traditional 'Sweepspear' feature. The all-vinyl interiors were comfortable and in a Custom grade.

While the Buick Estate used the B-body platform of the LeSabre and Wildcat, its engine was sourced from the top-of-the-line C-body Electra. The 455 cubic-inch V8 had overhead valves, a cast-iron block, 10.0:1 compression, a Rochester four-barrel carburetor, five main bearings, and delivered 370 horsepower at 4,600 RPM.

The 1970 Buick lineup also included a Sportwagon station wagon option which had a shorter 112-inch wheelbase and could be equipped with a 350 cubic-inch V8 with 315 horsepower. Buick produced 12,241 examples of the Sportwagon in 1970 and 28,306 of the Estate Wagon. The Sportwagon was priced at $3,210 while the Estate listed at $3,925.

1972 saw a slight decline in prices with the Estate Wagon listed at $4,590. Production rebounded to 28,968 units including 19,793 of the three-seat, nine-passenger version.

The 1973 Buick Estate Wagon came with woodgrain exterior body paneling and equipped with the 455 CID V8 now rated at 225 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. Styling updated included lower rear bumper ends, taillamps incorporated into the blade-shaped body edges, and model identification on the upper rear fender tips. The six-passenger wagon was priced at $4,645 and the nine-passenger version listed at $4,790. Standard equipment included a Custom steering wheel, a Turbo-Hydramatic transmission, power steering and brakes, dual headlamps, energy-absorbing front bumpers, and Deluxe wheel covers.

The nine-passenger version was once again more popular than the six-passenger version, with 23,513 units compared to 12,282 units. The total production was 35,795 units, a healthy increase from the previous years total.

The basic styling introduced in 1971 would continue through 1976, with 1975 and 1976 model year distinguished by having one less VentiPort and the front fascia now used the LeSabre's design. 1973 would prove to the most popular, as sales dipped to 14,412 in 1974 followed by 13,740 a year later. In 1976, the year before a major redesign, sales rebounded to 20,374 units. The total Estate Wagons produced from 1971 to 1976 was 137,323.

The styling introduced in 1977 would continue through 1990. The downsized Buick Estate used General Motors' B-body platform with a wheelbase of 115.9-inches and its length of 220.5-inches.

By Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2021