New and looking for some advice in Lockport, NY

Ok, So first off, My name is Hoss, Actually not really but if anyone asked around about my real name, No one would know me.

So anyhow, Im a semi faithful employee of GM for 16 yrs. I've had boats, Jet Skis, ATV's and god knows what other kinds of toys over the years. Being single with no kids has allowed me to indulge my inner child at will over the years. About 7 years ago I got rid of the last of my toys from my 20's and have spent a rather boring existence of working two jobs, with zero entertainment except for way too much alcohol at times. I've decided, for practical reasons, I want a toy car, truck etc..... Im just thinking at this point, its way more practical and affordable than another object that floats. So Im looking for a little advice.

First Ive looked at some wagons for sale on Ebay and a few other online sources. Im partial to the 68 Impala wagons....or others around about that time period, My parents had one Circa 1984, I remember it had the 327 4bbl, and for the boat it was, That thing went like crazy. Had fat mag wheels and zero trouble roaching the hell out of the rear tires. Ive also admired a few Olds Vista Cruiser wagons of similar vintage online and the Buick equivelant.

I guess my main question, How much should I be willing to pay for a partial project car. Most Ive looked are in very good condition body wise. Strait, Not much rust, Very little to no glass. The engines are all reasonably decent rebuilds with same for trans. The interiors, range from Ok original....to absolutely must be REDONE....Everything Ive looked at is relatively complete...IE the pieces are all there, They need finished. So anyone who could throw me an opinion on what I should expect to lay down, for a Runs, Drives, Reasonably reliable, driver.... That basicall needs paint, interior recover and my own custom tricks....That would be greatly appreciated. Thanx in advance for any insight you may have.

 

68 Impalas are nice...



But... a 69 Cutlass screams class...



mike

 

Welcome aboard! Good luck on your search sounds like you have some nice choices picked out!

 

Welcome Hosanova!

 

Welcome to the nuthouse we call home. The best thing I can suggest for the wagon hunt is to check out the section in here about auctons/eBay/Craigslist etc. You'll see wagons of all types from all over the place. On top of that, it is a useful way to get a feel for what wagons in different conditions sell for, and the comments about conditions, and what to look for could give you some ideas, too. Good luck. We are also GREAT around here at spending other people's money!

 

Ma.... Thats the Exact car my dad bought my mother! Same color w blue interior....except ours had the 327/275hp w turbo 400 trans. My mother hated that thing. It had mag wheels and a stereo booster! My father and I were just talking about it. He swore it was a 1965, I siad 67, Turns out after looking online etc...I believe it was actually a 68, I distinctly remember the Horse shoe, 3 Tail light assembly. I was probably ten years old. I hated the tail lights. They made me uncomfortable because I felt like they were angry and staring at me!

Now the Ive always loved Oldsmobiles too, My dad has had three different 69-71 Cutlass' over the years. Ive been looking at a 66 cutlass Holiday Coupe. Problem with that car is, Its borderline show quality original. I start changing things to suit my likes....Not only do I spend money on parts or tricks, I devalue the collector value of the vehicle to boot. So thats what got me thinking just doing something a little different, Theres also the cost of Olds motors....Man they run good when done right, but Small block Chevy is HALF THE MONEY, Probably less.

 

Welcome Hoss from a neighbor to the East.
Sounds like you have a few good ideas on the type of wagon you might like.
My search involved GM of course but I kept options open for things like a 50's 2dr wagon, mid 60's Buick Sport wagon with a vista roof and of course a 66 Malibu wagon. I also considered a price range that was based on my "one of a kind" 2dr conversion design ideas of what I really wanted to do with a wagon.
Prior to an annual Woodward Dream Cruise trip to Detroit I ran a Craigslist search and found a running, driving factory air 66 Malibu wagon near Detroit. A visit, a test drive, a little price negotiation and I drove the car back to my sons home north of Detroit.
http://www.stationwagonforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29015&highlight=rmay
Yes I have found a few surprises during my build, but nothing I would not be prepared to handle. When I went over all the receipts the previous owner gave me, they actually totaled more than what I had paid for the car. The new suspension, exhaust, wheels/tires and others parts he replaced will save me both time and money on my build in the long run.
My point is simple. Have a plan, be patient, shop around and I am sure you will find the right wagon. Good luck to you.

 

Those small block chevies can be quite nice, I knew a guy with a 69 Cutlass 2 door fast back with a four speed and a very street-able 350. Elegant, unassuming in dark metallic green but would snap your neck if needed. Very nice.

I suppose an Impala would be heavier but I know that a 351W can be built to handle very large vehicles and I bet the same can be said for the 350 bowtie.

I would focus on getting a car with a very solid frame and as little rust as possible (none structural). Everything else, I would think, is comparatively easy.

mike

 

welcome.. take your time and find what you like.. makes it easy to work with that way

 

Mike, Were on the same page....LOL. Im just thinking frame and body straight and few to no holes....Motor and Interior I can do what I like. Any of the small block Chevy's will make plenty of HP for few thousand bucks. Im toying with Fuel Injection too. Maybe something I get, drive, then build a motor for next winter.

RMay, Have you ever had any dealings with BTR performance in Rochester? Hes a pretty big deal in the Oldsmobile world, Heavily involved in Olds Drag racing, Wrote articles for the Peterson publications and wrote a How to book for Small and Big Block Olds...

 

yea chevy is alot cheaper to build thats for sure.. but what do you have but another old chevy. ha ha ha . i like olds...they are not sitting around everywhere and the low end torque of a olds engine will set ya back in the seat... but if we all had the same car it would be boring..

 

aboard Hoss.

Ditto what everyone else are saying. It's difficult for anyone to say what to expect to pay at this point. As to have pointed out there are a wide range of brands, condtion and asking prices out there. I would suggest you shop around, including our classifieds here, and when you find a car or two bring the info here and let eberyong have an opinion as to the condition and price.

HGood luck with your search. Hope to see you around the joint.

 

Welcome to the forum Hoss! Great to have you join us.

 

RMay, Have you ever had any dealings with BTR performance in Rochester? Hes a pretty big deal in the Oldsmobile world, Heavily involved in Olds Drag racing, Wrote articles for the Peterson publications and wrote a How to book for Small and Big Block Olds...[/QUOTE]

I have not had any personal dealing with Steve. There are several members from another local club that log a lot of track time with their cars and BTR is one of the local performance shops some of them use.