I drove a new Lucerne yesterday; what an awesome car!! Quiet, powerful, tight yet very smooth ride; I may get one rather than a new Impala SS... The portholes on the Lucerne made me think... When did Buick do away with them alltogether? I'm thinking early to mid 1980's on the LeSabres and Electra/Park Avenues was the last time I remember seeing them in some form, but I might be wrong...

Buick used ventiports off-and-on on certain models in various forms with various meanings until - I want to say - 1984 on the Buick Electra Park Avenue trim (4-ports), the last year before the downsizing.

'Last' usage before the last few years was on the limited production '87 GNX. Before that; yes- the '84 Electra.

...well in either sace they need to come back! so does the Riviera nameplate with RWD and a RWD boat of some sort... Electra, Roadmaster, LeSabre call it whatever. A Rose by any other name...

They were removed from [mid sized A body] Skylarks in 1968, and were never on any 1973 up Centuries and Regals. {GN not inc.} They had them on the RWD X body Apollo/Skylark from 1973-1979. Not on the FWD X cars.

Im almost positive the Park Ave. Ultra (~98ish - 2004iirc) I don't remember the exact years, but they had them.

I'm glad Buick is using them again. They are so iconic....they are always associated with Buick. Too often car makers throw away established design signatures to the detriment of the brand. There is a certain comfort, identifying with the car when these cues are in place.

i just today saw a park avenue with port holes... i'd never seen one before with them, so maybe they were added on later...?

Yes, the were added on them in later years.

2004 Park Ave Ultras had portholes and all 2005 versions had them std.

2004 Park Ave Ultras had portholes and all 2005 versions had them std.

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They became standard on Park Avenue Ultras in 2003 when it received a minor facelift and interior update. :)

They became standard on Park Avenue Ultras in 2003 when it received a minor facelift and interior update. :)

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what interior updates did it recieve?

The last cars with portholes, before recent times, were on the last RWD Park Ave's in 1984. I think the last LeSabre with them was 1982? {Or, were portholes still on the RWD Estate Wagons into 1990?}

Edited January 10, 200620 yr by Chicagoland

The last real factory installed portholes were on the 1980 Electra and Electra wagon. The 1980-1984 Park Avenue had a full length moulding with a porthole design stamped into it. LeSabre last had them in 1979. The wagons last had them in 1980(Electra only). And yes, the 1987 GNX had them, but those weren't Buick factory installed.

The last real factory installed portholes were on the 1980 Electra and Electra wagon.  The 1980-1984 Park Avenue had a full length moulding with a porthole design stamped into it.  LeSabre last had them in 1979.  The wagons last had them in 1980(Electra only).  And yes, the 1987 GNX had them, but those weren't Buick factory installed.

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By real do you mean functional? The 2003-2005 Park Avenue Portholes are factory installed and go through the sheetmetal. They aren't glued on/stamped on like the ones available aftermarket. The believe the new Lucerne's portholes penetrate the sheetmetal too.

what interior updates did it recieve?

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Instrumentaion graphics were changed, wood-toned steering wheel added, and the (new for 2002) center console had wood-tones added. Then there are the exterior changes: portholes, chrome tip exhaust, chrome wheels, and new grille.

All of the updates were minor but incredibly successful in breathing new life into the Park Avenue for a few more years.

By real do you mean functional? The 2003-2005 Park Avenue Portholes are factory installed and go through the sheetmetal. They aren't glued on/stamped on like the ones available aftermarket. The believe the new Lucerne's portholes penetrate the sheetmetal too.

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No. I was just responding to Chicagoland's post. The only functional portholes were on the '49's, the GNX, and 2003-05 Park Ave. Not sure about the Lucerne. And on the '49 Buicks, the hoses were removed in the middle of the production year. They probably realized they were pretty much useless for significant cooling.

I remember seeing a '49 in the junkyard with these 'accordian' wire-reinforced fabric hoses hanging down inside the fenders. Frankly, I was amazed. I have always been a bit miffed that my Buick of choice is one of 2 models years in a string of decades withOUT VentiPorts.