12th Sep 2015, 09:47
I own a 70 Chevelle SS Big Block 4 speed with air. It is a mid size full frame car. It's not a traditional family car as equipped, but is very comfortable and well optioned. Not a 76 LeSabre, but is also a GM from the 70s. I wanted a car that one or both of my children can go to car shows in. It's nice having a rear seat. I have driven this car some distance to shows. An extremely reliable car. It gets 8 1/2 MPG on 93 octane. Many full size cars from this era were also 10 MPG including a Fleetwood Cadillac I had. Many Chevelles settle out on the expressway and it's a very nice riding car. I had unibody SS Camaros that rattled and were uncomfortable. The Chevelle is a very heavy car, even as a mid sized car.
The topic was on full frame cars from the 70s. So yes it's not completely relevant to those shopping for a 76 LeSabre. If you like these era cars, you can have a very nice balance of luxury and performance. Finding a classic with air and amenities like power windows, tilt wheel etc and a back seat makes for a very enjoyable car. Cars with no power steering and drum manual brakes for example make most driving a chore. There's a lot of cars from this era that are very nice to drive. The Monte Carlo even had an SS car with a 4 speed option. Buick had a 455 GS. I even like the boat tail Buick Riviera as an alternative to the Buick LeSabre being reviewed here. There's endless choices, which makes it hard to own just a single car, past or present.
11th Sep 2015, 20:05
Both however are made by GM. Both have V8s and full frames. Anyone wonder how great of a ride there is in an El Camino with factory Delco air shocks? Standard equipment for many years. Full frame or not, it's not a smooth riding vehicle. Terrible in snow, even if you add aftermarket ladder bars. Interior room is sparse. So any comparison to a 1976 Buick Le Sabre is really only in the first sentence of this comment. Amen to that.