1976 Buick Estate Wagon

My guess is that that fender was replaced early in the cars life. The repair didn't have the proper corrosion protection and this is the result. Notice how the wood grain pattern doesn't repeat itself properly.

 

Very possible explanation.

This well optioned GM clamshell Buick Estate Wagon is worth consideration. Let's not anyone overreact.

 

Thank you for all the feedback on my 1976 Buick!

I appreciate all the comments, some of them made me smile "Old Man Tan" lol being 43 I feel pretty young. Ive changed the post a few times based on what I learn from your comments, the title on the car from PA said 68k and that is what I registered the car when in MA - however I have received enough comments on ebay, that I figured - I would just change it as it makes no real difference to me, its still a great car with everything there, rides super nice and needs some help in places I noted. I currently own 4 wagons - love them! My baby is my 1972 Ford Country Squire baby blue with wood. When growing up my neighbors had a 1975 Chevy Clamshell and across the street (a rather wealthy family) had a Forest Green 1976 Buick Estate wagon and I loved it! I vowed one day I would own one and that day was 2012 with this "Old Man Tan" (cracks me up). Anyway, I so enjoyed the comments and subscribe to this post. Shout out "Thank you" to the member who has been positive with comments of kindness to a seller throughout the post, Im not an expert on old cars so I have learned a bunch from the feeds, so thank you to all. I know theres a buyer out there may not be anyone on this site and thats ok too, maybe someone on ebay or local ads.

Keep the comments coming, enjoy reading the back and forth banter. Oh and if you are interested in talking to me, Mark or my mechanic Tony who manages all my cars, please give me a shout out - more then happy to chat with other wagon enthusiast!

FYI I may put my 1988 Ford Country Squire for sale, she's silver blue with navy blue leather and has true 88k, rides perfect but does need a paint job. Not sure Im ready to part with that one, I'm a Buick and Ford wagon guy - the Clamshell will go first and then I'll think about letting the 88 go, but never my 72 Ford, love that car!

Night all!
Mark

 

Hi Mark. I hope that my own remarks in this thread did not seem unkind. While it's true that I do find the colors to be too dull, it's also true that if I had that wagon I would rock it with pride. I'm dying to buy a clamshell. I scour the internet every day, and have one solid lead at this time.

The rusty fender scares the poop outta me just because I have no bodywork ability.

In sum, your Buick wagon is a super-cool machine, color preference aside. I have its smaller baby cousin, a '95 Roadmaster.

 

Its all good, but thank you

Appreciate the follow up - no big deal, really. In the end what I say online is being viewed by many and I always want to be respectful of others and their cars. Best of luck with the solid lead, I hope you get it. I can understand the rust, its something to think about, I have located a right fender in Arizona for $183.00 if anyone is interested. If your deal falls through and you want to have a look, take her for a spin - let me know and of course open to a fair offer too if it comes to that.

Be Well,

Mark

 

Nice to hear from you, Mrippa.

How long have you owned this Buick and what can you tell us about its history? I, for one, would love to know more.

John in Nashville, TN.

 

How long I've owned it?

I won it on ebay $4200 in 2012 and spoke to the owner during the auction. He told me it sat in a barn for 15 years and was not started at all - I knew about the rust but felt that the price seemed right as ones that are in perfect shape seems to be getting prices in the $10k + range and I just did not want to spend that much money. When I got the car, my mechanic Tony goes through the car and replaces parts with original GM parts from that year if he can. To start I had to replace all the gas lines, then the brake lines and new tires to get her back on the road. Once inspected and passed, I drove her sparingly as I wanted to get her in restoration soon, but could not find anyone who would do it within reason. I put the car in storage for most of 2013 and part of 2014. In that time, I bought a 1975 Buick LeSabre Convertible, 1988 Saab 900 Turbo and a 1970 Cadillac Deville Convertible. With my current collection requiring less work with minor cosmetics, I decided to put this one up for sale.

I hope that helps, I lowered my reserve on ebay and will on Craigslist too

 

Welcome mrippa, its so refreshing to see a seller drawn to this forum only to provide such good honest detail about the car they are selling. Good luck with your sale. Out of curiosity, while that front fender is terminal, is there any other rust that we should know about as it seems strange that this is the only panel that is so badly effected. Cheers Mike.

 

I can tell you with my experience with Buicks this.

I have seen instances where they have had "bad metal" meaning rotted out parts way before other parts of the car. On Buicks it was generally the hoods but I have seen fenders do the same.

Buick full size in the 70's did this as did 70's(73-77) Pontiac grand am's. they would have funky rusted parts on perfect cars only a few years old, generally hoods and deck lids. That's a possibility here?

Hey don't take offence at the Old Man Tan I bought mine and it was a year older than this but exactly the same scheme minus the vinyl! too damn boring for me so I changed it.

 

Thanks, Mark. That is good advice about being respectful; I've fallen short of the mark. It's good to be reminded.

I'll keep your car in mind as my other deal unfolds, or collapses, whatever the case might be.

 

In regards to other rust, I agree with you, but theres surface rust around the door of gas tank, but thats it. Even the usual places like the spare tire rear quarter is dry.

 

Thanks wagon killer, I agree with your assessment because my 75 lesabre has surface rust on a tiny part of the fender, but nowhere else - strange and happy to hear from you thats this is common.

Old Man Tan was really just funny, make sense, but in the end I don't get to decide the color when I want to buy a car thats at a reasonable price. As I just did with the 70 Caddy, its that 70's Green - but I kind of like it, its campy, classic color, the comments I get with that one is "Daddy with the Caddy" even though Im singe and 43.

 

Mark, rust or not, you have a great wagon there. I grew up with a 1976 Chevrolet Caprice Estate as a kid (you and I are very close in age). Back in 2006 I was fortunate enough to buy one of my own from the original owner; it was a 1975 CCE with the same color scheme as your wagon (dark brown with wood exterior). I subsequently sold it about six years later. I miss that wagon a lot. I hope you find a caring home for it. Best of luck.

 

Thank you Glide, to be honest I do like the brown, if my Buick was dark brown - we nit be talking right now I have to agree, it is "old man tan" boring boring boring, like I said in my first post my neighbor as a kid had Forrest Green metallic, very sharp! over the years researching for a clamshell, I came across lots of dark navy blue - Wow! so nice, what a difference but that was the wagon that was selling for 10k+ on ebay and the reserve was not met and their were like 30 bidders.

 

I've heard more than one person who grew up with wagons with rear facing third seats refer to these as "throw up seats". But as for the leg room, you're probably right. I've never seen a third seat area with more leg room than in my '72 Town & Country.

I guess I must be an old man. I don't find this color boring at all.

As for the woodgrain, there's probably no other feature that divides wagon lovers more -- some love it, some hate it. I have 15 cars with woodgrain (not all of them wagons). You can see which side I'm on.

Overall, I really like this car. But, if I were considering spending this kind of money (this isn't a trivial sum for me), I'd check it very carefully, preferably with the aid of someone with some expertise in clamshells or body work, or both. There's too great a chance for hidden rust that even the seller and the seller's mechanic didn't know about.