Buick Electra II photos

Debuting in 1961, the second-generation Buick Electra reflected General Motors' shift toward cleaner, more sculpted lines under the direction of design chief Bill Mitchell, eliminating the exaggerated tailfins of the previous era. Built on GM's full-size perimeter-frame C-body platform with a 126-inch wheelbase, the model was offered as a 2-door hardtop coupe, a 4-door hardtop sedan, a pillared sedan, and a 2-door convertible. Under the hood, the standard power plant remained the dependable 401 cu in (6.6 L) Nailhead V8 delivering 325 horsepower. For 1964, a larger 425 cu in (7.0 L) V8 was introduced, producing 340 to 360 hp with dual 4-barrel carburetors. Crucially, the 1964 model year also replaced the aging Dynaflow transmission with the all-new 3-speed Super Turbine 400 (Turbo-Hydramatic) automatic gearbox, greatly enhancing performance and driving refinement.