Difference between a 1987 and a 1989 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon

Discussion in 'General Station Wagon Discussions' started by Twohundred, Feb 3, 2018.

  1. Twohundred

    Twohundred Active Member

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    Hi
    This question might seem not so important but I still have to ask. I have found some parts and a 1989 Buick Le Sabre Wagon Parts/Illustrations Book PO53. But I own a 1987 Buick LeSabre Estate Wagon. To me the cars look to be very similar, but I guess there are some difference. Is there?

    Do you guys think that the 1989 parts list will be usable for a 1987 car?

    Thanks.
     

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  2. jaunty75

    jaunty75 Middling Member

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    I'm sure many parts interchange, but there may be a few here and there that don't. It would depend on the specific part. One cannot make a blanket statement that EVERY part for an '89 will fit an '87 or vice-versa.
     
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  3. Twohundred

    Twohundred Active Member

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    Thanks, my thinking as well. I have Master Parts Books for my other classical cars and its a lot easier to find information for a 1967 Cadillac.
    I have found a MPR for 1987 from Bisho. But 200 USD plus shipping is just way overpriced.
     
  4. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    Most parts should transfer over from one wagon to the other. There will be different trim differences, particularly in the interior, if the OTHER wagon is an Electra Estate wagon - Electra being the more luxurious version.
     
  5. joe_padavano

    joe_padavano Well-Known Member

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    The 1980-1990 GM B-body wagons were nearly unchanged for that entire run. These cars were being phased out and GM never put any money into them. There was an "aerodynamic" front end change about 1986 (mainly the header panels) and the grills changed from year-to-year. Nearly all of them got the Olds 307 with CCC and the 200-4R. There were some differences in the Qjet around 1984, mainly the change from two-point idle solenoid adjustment to three-point. The 1989-1990 cars got the door-mounted "passive" shoulder belts to comply with federal passive restraint requirements. The sheet metal is identical on every 1980-1990 B-body wagon from the firewall back.
     
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  6. Twohundred

    Twohundred Active Member

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    Thanks. Then the 1989 parts book should be okay.
     
  7. jaunty75

    jaunty75 Middling Member

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    Eleven model years is a long time to phase something out, isn't it? Couldn't you go back further and say that the '77 to '90 GM B-body wagons were pretty much the same vehicle, sheetmetal-wise? That's 14 model years and even more time to phase them out.
     
  8. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    Joe - I thought it was only the last-year 1990 models that got the passive, door-mounted belts?
     
  9. joe_padavano

    joe_padavano Well-Known Member

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    I've seen a 1989 Custom Cruiser that had them.
     
  10. 101Volts

    101Volts Well-Known Member

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    Aren't the seat belts in the large Buicks, Chevys, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs 1990 only, though? I think they have door-mounted ones earlier than 1990 for the smaller ones but not the large ones.
     
  11. cammerjeff

    cammerjeff Longroofs Rule!

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    You would think so, but very little actually interchanges between 77-79 & 80-90 bodies. Unless they are parked side by side the differences are not very easy to spot. But I found only the rear tailgate actually is a straight swap between same make and model wagons. A lot of interior parts swap, but the sheet metal does not.

    But I think others covered the original question pretty well already.
     
  12. Twohundred

    Twohundred Active Member

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    Got the, 1989 Buick "B" Le Sabre Wagon Parts and Illustration Catalogue Effective September 1988, today.

    Good news most parts seems to be 1982-89, 1985-89 and 1986-89.

    1986-89 "B35" Moldings/Body.

    A right rear wheel well is called:
    Position 9. 12.116 MLDG KIT, Rr Qtr Rr Whl Opg-RH 9637418
    A left rear wheel well is called:
    Position 9. 12.116 MLDG KIT, Rr Qtr Rr Whl Opg-LH 9637419
     

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