1969 · Buick · United States
1969 Buick Wildcat
67,453 Wildcats; the last year of the 430.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
1969 was the last year for the 430 V-8, still rated 360 hp at 5,000 rpm and 475 lb-ft at 3,200 rpm, SAE gross, and the Standard Catalog lineage gives 67,453 Wildcats for the year. The six body-style rows here agree between TeamBuick and OldRide and sum cleanly to that 67,453 total, though the agreement still traces back to one Standard Catalog lineage rather than two independently derived counts. Those six rows run from 2,374 Custom convertibles up to 13,805 plain-Wildcat four-door hardtops, with the sedan (13,126), the plain two-door hardtop (12,416), the Custom four-door hardtop (13,596), and the Custom two-door hardtop (12,136) filling out the middle of the range.1,2,3
A genuine period price sheet survives again for 1969, giving suggested retail prices across six bodies from $3,474 for the sedan to $3,931 for the Custom convertible, with the plain Wildcat's three bodies at $3,474-$3,634 and the Custom's three at $3,800-$3,931. The Wildcat's own engine-code table lists RD for the standard 360-hp rating, though this record notes the Wildcat-specific table itself prints that code as "RO" rather than RD, an apparent typographical inconsistency between the Wildcat table and a companion Electra 225/Riviera table using RD; RE denotes a low-compression 8.75:1 export variant.2
The price sheet renames the automatic to Turbo Hydra-matic 400, priced at $227.04, and repeats several 1969-specific option restrictions tied to it: dual exhaust, power steering, power brakes, cornering lights, and the performance axle are all marked not available with a manual transmission, and the Economy axle option itself now explicitly requires the automatic rather than being offered without restriction. Automatic climate control air conditioning, at $499.94, again topped the option sheet, with manual-control air conditioning close behind at $421.28. Smaller items ran from a $3.79 trailer-towing or ride-and-handling option up to a $268.39 AM-FM stereo radio with front and rear speakers and an electric antenna, and a Cruise Master speed control, priced at $63.15, itself required the automatic transmission to order.
Fourteen exterior colors were charted with unusually complete cross-references to Fisher, PPG, and DuPont paint codes alongside the Buick letter code; six further colors marked Riviera-specific on the same Ditzler-derived table are excluded here since they are not stated to apply to the Wildcat. Interior trim for the plain Wildcat again ran on a chart shared with the LeSabre Custom, eight color groups spanning Black, Blue, Buckskin, Burgundy, Green, and Pearl; the Wildcat Custom's own separate seven-group chart repeats code 455 for two different descriptions, Parchment vinyl and Pearl vinyl, which this record carries as printed rather than resolving which color the code actually denotes.2
The VIN's series-code pair again distinguished the plain Wildcat (64) from the Wildcat Custom (66), its year digit read 9, and its plant letter spanned ten assembly locations from Flint and South Gate through Doraville, Bloomfield, and Oshawa. No overall-dimension, weight, or other specification figure, and no performance-test data, was found in an accessible documented source for 1969, so the specifications and performance sections carry nothing in this record despite the otherwise unusually detailed paint, price, and option sourcing available for the year.2
Fact sheet · 1969 · United States
The numbers
1969 Buick Wildcat — 67,453 Wildcats; the last year of the 430.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat, all bodies and trims1 Wildcat (all trims) · all bodies · not stated by source | 67,453 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcat 4-door sedan (46469)2,3 Wildcat · 4-door sedan · not stated by source | 13,126 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Wildcat 4-door hardtop (46439)2,3 Wildcat · 4-door hardtop · not stated by source | 13,805 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Wildcat 2-door hardtop sport coupe (46437)2,3 Wildcat · 2-door hardtop · not stated by source | 12,416 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Wildcat Custom 4-door hardtop (46639)2,3 Wildcat Custom · 4-door hardtop · not stated by source | 13,596 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Wildcat Custom 2-door hardtop sport coupe (46637)2,3 Wildcat Custom · 2-door hardtop · not stated by source | 12,136 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Wildcat Custom convertible (46667)2,3 Wildcat Custom · 2-door convertible · not stated by source | 2,374 | built, model-year | Reported |
Package rows are subsets of the total.
The six body rows agree between TeamBuick and OldRide and sum to the 67,453 series total recorded from Wikipedia (one Standard Catalog lineage).
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Wildcat sport coupe (6437) | $3,579 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
| Wildcat hardtop sedan (6439) | $3,634 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
| Wildcat 4-door sedan (6469) | $3,474 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
| Wildcat Custom sport coupe (6637) | $3,800 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
| Wildcat Custom hardtop sedan (6639) | $3,849 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
| Wildcat Custom convertible (6667) | $3,931 | manufacturer's suggested retail price, destination charge extra, 1969 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| 430 V-81 430 cu in · 4-barrel | 360 hp @ 5,000, 475 lb-ft @ 3,200 (SAE gross) | standard | Not yet sourced |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Options and packages
| Code | Option | Price | Installed |
|---|---|---|---|
B2order code |
Turbo Hydra-matic 400 transmission (Wildcat) | $227.04 | Not yet sourced |
B4order code |
Operating console (bucket seats and Turbo Hydra-matic 400; Wildcat Custom sport coupe only) | $61.05 | Not yet sourced |
C1order code |
Power disc brakes (LeSabre, Wildcat; not with manual transmission) | $78.94 | Not yet sourced |
C6order code |
Power steering, Wildcat (not with manual transmission) | $115.78 | Not yet sourced |
C7order code |
Power brakes (LeSabre, Wildcat; not with manual transmission) | $42.10 | Not yet sourced |
D1order code |
Sonomatic radio with manual antenna | $88.41 | Not yet sourced |
D2order code |
Sonomatic radio with electric antenna | $117.88 | Not yet sourced |
D3order code |
Stereo tape player (radio and rear speaker required) | $116.83 | Not yet sourced |
D4order code |
AM-FM stereo radio with front and rear speakers and electric antenna | $268.39 | Not yet sourced |
D5order code |
AM-FM radio with electric antenna | $177.88 | Not yet sourced |
D6order code |
Rear seat speaker (included with D4) | $16.84 | Not yet sourced |
E1order code |
Dual exhaust (Wildcat, Electra 225; not with manual transmission) | $30.53 | Not yet sourced |
E9order code |
Space-saver spare tire and mini-pump | $15.79 | Not yet sourced |
F1order code |
Whitewall tires 8.55 x 15 (LeSabre, Wildcat) | $42.41 | Not yet sourced |
F2order code |
Oversize whitewall tires 8.85 x 15 (LeSabre, Wildcat) | $69.26 | Not yet sourced |
F3order code |
Oversize blackwall tires 8.85 x 15 (LeSabre, Wildcat) | $22.31 | Not yet sourced |
F7order code |
Radial-ply whitewall tires 225R-15 (LeSabre, Wildcat) | $107.36 | Not yet sourced |
G1order code |
Performance axle with Positive Traction differential (not with manual transmission) | $47.37 | Not yet sourced |
G4order code |
Positive Traction differential (included with G1) | $47.37 | Not yet sourced |
H1order code |
Trailer towing option (rear springs, front and rear shocks, front stabilizer, rear control arm assembly) | $3.79 | Not yet sourced |
H2order code |
Ride and handling option (front and rear springs and shocks, front stabilizer, rear control arm assembly) | $3.79 | Not yet sourced |
H3order code |
Automatic level control | $78.94 | Not yet sourced |
I-2order code |
Forced upper level ventilation | $42.10 | Not yet sourced |
I-3order code |
Heavy-duty cooling, extra heavy-duty radiator (I-5 or I-6 required) | $21.05 | Not yet sourced |
I-5order code |
Automatic climate control air conditioner | $499.94 | Not yet sourced |
I-6order code |
Air conditioner, manual controls | $421.28 | Not yet sourced |
I-7order code |
Heavy-duty cooling (fan-driven thermo control, heavy-duty Delcotron and radiator; fuel return lines standard on Wildcat) | $31.58 | Not yet sourced |
K2order code |
Cornering lights (not with manual transmission) | $33.68 | Not yet sourced |
K3order code |
Speed alert | $11.58 | Not yet sourced |
L1order code |
Soft-Ray tinted glass | $44.21 | Not yet sourced |
L2order code |
Soft-Ray tinted glass, windshield only | $29.47 | Not yet sourced |
M7order code |
Rear window defroster (except convertibles) | $22.11 | Not yet sourced |
N2order code |
Four-note horn | $15.79 | Not yet sourced |
N3order code |
Heavy-duty air cleaner | $9.48 | Not yet sourced |
O4order code |
Door guards, 2-door models | $5.27 | Not yet sourced |
O5order code |
Remote-control outside rear-view mirror | $10.53 | Not yet sourced |
P1order code |
Carpet savers and handy mats | $14.53 | Not yet sourced |
P2order code |
Carpet savers | $7.37 | Not yet sourced |
Q4order code |
Power seat, 6-way, bench (not on 60/40 trim) | $99.99 | Not yet sourced |
Q5order code |
Power seat, 4-way tilt adjuster | $73.68 | Not yet sourced |
Q6order code |
Custom-padded seat cushions (LeSabre, LeSabre Custom, Wildcat; standard with bucket seats) | $22.11 | Not yet sourced |
R1order code |
Power windows | $110.52 | Not yet sourced |
S6order code |
Cruise Master (automatic transmission required) | $63.15 | Not yet sourced |
S7order code |
Tilt steering wheel (automatic transmission and power steering required) | $45.26 | Not yet sourced |
T1order code |
Automatic trunk release | $14.74 | Not yet sourced |
T2order code |
Vacuum-operated door locks, 2-door models | $47.37 | Not yet sourced |
U4order code |
Accessory group (electric clock, licence frame, trunk, map and courtesy lights; LeSabre, Wildcat) | $31.31 | Not yet sourced |
V2order code |
Chrome-plated wheels (Wildcat) | $94.73 | Not yet sourced |
V3order code |
Wire wheel covers (LeSabre Custom, Wildcat) | $57.89 | Not yet sourced |
W4order code |
Protective side moldings (LeSabre and Wildcat) | $33.68 | Not yet sourced |
W6order code |
Custom window frame moldings, door window frame (with custom vinyl roof; Wildcat 4-door sedan) | $27.37 | Not yet sourced |
1Border code |
Reclining passenger seat, bucket seats (LeSabre Custom sport coupe, Wildcat sport coupe, Wildcat Custom sport coupe) | $31.58 | Not yet sourced |
27order code |
Head restraints, front, driver and passenger (LeSabre and Wildcat) | $16.84 | Not yet sourced |
O4order code |
Door guards, 4-door models | $8.95 | Not yet sourced |
T2order code |
Vacuum-operated door locks, 4-door models | $68.42 | Not yet sourced |
W6order code |
Custom window frame moldings, door window and belt reveal (Wildcat 4-door sedan; not with custom roof) | $42.10 | Not yet sourced |
G5order code |
Economy axle, not Positive Traction (automatic transmission required) | $0 | Not yet sourced |
|
Custom Trim No. 438, vinyl Strato-bucket seat option (console, bucket seats, custom padded cushions and trim; LeSabre Custom sport coupe, Wildcat sport coupe) | $126.30 | Not yet sourced |
|
Custom vinyl top with rear quarter belt molding (Wildcat and Wildcat Custom sport coupes and hardtop sedans, Wildcat 4-door sedan; LeSabre applications also listed) | $121.04 | Not yet sourced |
|
Two-tone paint with rear quarter belt reveal molding (all except convertible) | $44.21 | Not yet sourced |
|
Special order paint (other than standard colour, single colour) | $84.20 | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
A |
Regal Black2 | Not yet sourced |
B |
Burnished Brown (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
C |
Polar White2 | Not yet sourced |
D |
Crystal Blue (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
E |
Twilight Blue (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
G |
Trumpet Gold (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
H |
Lime Green (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
K |
Turquoise Mist (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
M |
Verde Green (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
N |
Burgundy Mist (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
P |
Silver Mist (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
Q |
Fire Glow Orange (poly), spring colour2 | Not yet sourced |
R |
Signal Red2 | Not yet sourced |
S |
Champagne Mist (poly)2 | Not yet sourced |
Y |
Cameo Cream2 | Not yet sourced |
Z |
Antique Gold2 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
428, 438 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Black, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
411 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Blue, cloth and vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
421 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Blue, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
413 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Buckskin, cloth and vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
426 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Buckskin, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
427 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Burgundy, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
410, 400 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Green, cloth and vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
425 |
LeSabre Custom/Wildcat: Pearl, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
468 |
Wildcat Custom: Black, cloth and vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
458, 478 |
Wildcat Custom: Black, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
451 |
Wildcat Custom: Blue, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
453 |
Wildcat Custom: Buckskin, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
464 |
Wildcat Custom: Parchment, cloth and vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
455 |
Wildcat Custom: Parchment, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
455 |
Wildcat Custom: Pearl, vinyl2 | Not yet sourced |
Identification
- VIN
- E.g. 444379H101555 (example as printed). Digit 1 = 4 (Buick); 2-3 = series (Wildcat 64, Wildcat Custom 66); 4-5 = body (37 2-door hardtop, 39 4-door hardtop, 67 convertible, 69 4-door sedan); 6 = year (9); 7 = plant (H Flint, C South Gate, Z Fremont, X Kansas City KS, Y Wilmington, D Doraville, B Baltimore, K Kansas City MO, V Bloomfield, I Oshawa); last six = production number.2
- Engine codes (Wildcat)
- RD (printed "RO" in the Wildcat table): 430, 360 hp, 10.25:1, 4-barrel; RE: 430, low compression 8.75:1.2
Identification
Read a 1969 Buick VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1969
- AMC AMX The two-seat AMX's biggest year: 8,293 cars by the enthusiast production table, with a mid-year run of Big Bad colors and 52 Hurst-built Super Stock AMXs for NHRA drag racing.
- AMC Javelin Production fell to 40,675, but the 1969 Javelin added the Big Bad colors, with 2,282 cars painted blue, green or orange, plus the Mod package.
- AMC Rebel and Rebel Machine A base and SST Rebel with no convertible. The Big Bad colors were test-marketed through the New York–New Jersey 'Raider' hardtop. This is host-car context for the 1970 Machine.
- Buick Riviera Another record at 52,872 Rivieras; 5,272 had the GS handling option.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX GS production fell to 12,465, and the GS 400's Stage 1 package became a factory option while Stage 2 stayed a dealer item.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS Super Sport became RPO Z25 option equipment, available for 1969 only on the 300 Deluxe coupes as well as Malibu sport coupe, convertible and El Camino.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova SS is RPO Z26 per the source, with L48, L34 and L78 engines. Enthusiast-compiled production: 251,849 cars; Super Sport 17,564.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS SS 396 became RPO Z25 option equipment, orderable on the V8 Malibu El Camino (13680); the El Camino share of the 86,307 Z25s is not separately published.
- Chevrolet Impala SS Only the SS427 (RPO Z24) remains; the reported count ranges from 2,425 to about 2,455.
- Dodge Charger The second-generation Charger's peak-sales year added the SE package and the aero-bodied Charger 500 and Charger Daytona homologation cars, whose production totals are still disputed.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The Super Bee added a hardtop body and the 440 Six Pack, while the 440-powered Coronet R/T continued as the upscale hardtop and convertible.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon The low-priced Swinger 340 arrived and outsold the GTS by more than two to one (16,637 against about 6,700), while a 375 hp 440 joined the GTS options.
- Ford Fairlane The Fairlane hardtop was the intermediate line's volume leader, while the Fairlane 500 SportsRoof shared its body with the Torino GT, Cobra and Talladega.
- Ford Ranchero GT The Ranchero GT carried Torino GT trim; 1,658 GTs were built, per reference-site counts in the Standard Catalog lineage.
- Ford Thunderbird Fifth-generation Thunderbird; only the whole-line production total was found.
- Ford Torino The Torino GT carried most of the line's volume, the 428 Cobra Jet was in its first full year, and the Talladega aero fastback was built in a short run at Atlanta to homologate a NASCAR nose.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone The Cyclone fastback came as Cyclone and Cyclone CJ, mid-year Spoilers carried Dan Gurney and Cale Yarborough graphics, and the extended-nose Cyclone Spoiler II was built at Lorain for NASCAR homologation.
- Mercury Cougar A longer, restyled Cougar added a convertible, the Boss 302 arrived in April, and the Eliminator replaced the GT as the performance Cougar.
- Mercury Marauder and S-55 The Marauder name returned on a full-size hardtop, and the X-100 carried the 360 hp 429 four-barrel as its only engine.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds The 4-4-2 kept its 400 while the second Hurst/Olds, in white and gold with a 380 hp 455, went into production at about 900 cars.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda The last A-body Barracuda introduced the 'Cuda name as a stripped performance package with a standard 340, alongside Formula S and a midyear 440.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite The GTX shared the Road Runner's new Air Grabber scoop and Super Track Pack but sold 15,602 cars, fewer than a fifth of the cheaper Road Runner.
- Plymouth Road Runner A convertible joined the coupe and hardtop, the 440 Six Barrel arrived at mid-year, and the Road Runner reached its production peak of 84,420.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The last first-generation Firebird, and the mid-year debut of the Trans Am package: 697 cars by the commonly published count, eight of them convertibles.
- Pontiac GTO Three four-barrel 400s under one nameplate, and the first year of the Judge package built around Ram Air power.
- Pontiac Grand Prix A new 118-inch Grand Prix with the SJ and a 390 hp 428 HO: production more than tripled to 112,486.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The last year of the OHC Sprint six and the 350 HO.
- Rambler American and SC/Rambler AMC and Hurst put the 315-hp 390 V8 and a close-ratio four-speed into the compact Rambler hardtop for NHRA F/Stock. 1,512 were built, and the split between the two paint schemes is disputed.