I purchased my first Deuce and a Quarter in 1990 from Gail Lewis who was the clean-up man on the LP mill in Trout Creek. “Deuce and a Quarter” was the nickname for the Buick Electra 225, as in two twenty-five – the deuce and 1 / 4.
It was 225 inches lengthy and this 1970 four-door hardtop had the largest inventory engine made as much as that point, an enormous 455 cubic-inch eight-cylinder. It was quick, however thirsty.
“It’ll move something however a fuel station” was the phrase. The 25-gallon gas tank was barely satisfactory for a visit to city.
I discovered all of that later. I used to be simply in search of transportation and noticed the advert within the native paper. It was close by, simply three miles away. I went down the hill to see Gail. The massive Buick was in a storage, a deal with that I used to be by no means capable of give it.
“I alter the oil each 2,500 miles,” Gail volunteered in his tough, deep voice – a voice that resonated with certainty. “With out fail,” he added.
“Does it ship mud on the county roads?” I requested. There was loads of mud that will insert itself via the cracks.
“I don’t drive it on the county roads,” he mentioned firmly. I received the purpose. This was a well-maintained car.
I assembled a bunch of associates for a check cruise. “All proper!” mentioned one, “a 4 holer” referring to Buick’s conventional symbolic ports on the hood.
He requested to drive it and proceeded to place his foot within the tank. It accelerated, not a lot with the snap to the neck {that a} quick automobile delivers, however extra like a jet aircraft taking off. A heavy machine gaining pace and momentum in direction of lift-off. I beloved it.
I purchased it. All 225.79 inches of it, all 4,497 kilos of it, all 455.7 cubic inches of it, all 370 horsepower of it.
I gave a woman buddy a journey on the first alternative. “Decrease your windshield visor,” I mentioned. “There’s a mirror behind it, you open the little door to see it.” She did. She laughed. There, on the mirror a script learn, “Buick is a magnificence too.”
My second 225 I discovered on a again road in Bozeman. It had belonged to the Butte, Anaconda, and Pacific Railroad. My third 225 was discovered for me by Denver Black of Paradise, Montana. It was a 1973.
Then there have been a few Oldsmobile 98s. Particularly, a 1976 two door. The doorways had been so large that I needed that they had hydraulic assists. If I parked it on a facet hill with the door on the uphill facet, I might hardly open it.
I used to be driving it headed east on Freeway 200 by Magpie Creek, east of Perma, and I used to be being adopted by some form of police automobile. I pulled over to see if it could move me, however it pulled in behind me. It was a CSKT Tribal Fish and Recreation officer.
“Have you learnt how briskly you had been going?” he requested. “Seventy-five,” I mentioned. “Attempt eighty-five!” he replied.
Then he virtually received teary-eyed. “Boy, these massive vehicles, they simply float down the street.” Making his hand describe a floating movement, he received again in his rig and drove on.
Driving the ’73 Buick west from Butte, a sedan with Montana authorities plates blew previous me. I used to be offended {that a} state worker would violate pace legal guidelines so blatantly. I resolved to get his plate quantity and switch him in.
I accelerated quicker and quicker, and the quicker I drove, the higher the massive Buick dealt with. I lastly caught up with him and slowed to his pace of 115 mph. And as soon as I spotted that this was the best pace for which the automobile was designed, I made a decision to only fall behind a little bit bit and let him run interference for me all the best way to Drummond.
Once more, within the ’76 Olds (with the Oldsmobile 455 engine) I received pulled over one evening simply north of Three Forks. “Have you learnt how briskly you had been driving?” inquired the trooper. “Seventy-five,” says I. “Eighty 5,” says the trooper. ”Your speedometer should be off.”
“That’s what I’m hopIng,” I mentioned.
He gave me a warning ticket and left me with this thought. “The pace restrict right here is 65.”
I obeyed the regulation all the best way dwelling.
Today all of them sit moldering right here on the ranch, whereas I sit and dream of discovering one other deuce and 1 / 4.
Montana Viewpoint has appeared in weekly and on-line newspapers throughout Montana for greater than 30 years. Jim Elliott served 16 years within the Montana Legislature as a state consultant and state senator. He lives on his ranch in Trout Creek.
