keep your fingers crossed for me!

Honestly, I don't think the smoothies would look right on the wagon. That front wheel drive offset would take away the look you are going for. If you are staying with the same size, some of the later years of these cars had some nice looking factory wheels, and being alloys, they will ride and handle better than steelies, too. Back in the 30s, Ford went to solid wheels because they were lighter than spokes. The engineers figured out that the ride benefit of losing 10 pounds of unsprung weight was the same as adding 250 pounds to the weight of the car.

Those wagons look GREAT in black, but to my eye, they need to keep the full chrome package to give them sparkle. Otherwise, they look like the poverty special wagons from my childhood.

 

i dont know, im thinking those rims are great for the look that im going for. do the outer part flat black, like the car. and only the center stay chrome. planning on doing a dark blue pin stripe, to match the interior. im going for somewhat of a hot roddish look on this, not rice burner. and im not sure about the chrome yet. id like to eliminate the roof rack. and all the black plastic trim. real smooth and mean lookin.

 

The wheels for an A-body should be fairly plentiful around the junkyards. Might be able to find some of the alloys in the 15" sizes as well. (Don't think these ever had 16" from the factory...)
Here's some specifically for the Century from Google





You can also use any other A-body wheel - just get a Buick center cap to fit.
(Chev. Celebrity, Pontiac 6000, Olds Ciera)

 

they wont really fit the style im going for on the wagon.. the only stock rims that might, i have found on 85 cutlass cieras. these :





but im still really wanting the look of the smoothies.

 

Well, cap....I like those cars but, you are right, the 3.1 is prone to intake leaks. I don't like the looks of the rust. Or the dent either. Find out what the repair costs will be. If it was running I MIGHT give $1000 for it for a DD. If it ran good.

 

late model century wheels or regal wheels look good!
i still say i would pass on this car.

this however ....
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/3371568657.html

http://youngstown.craigslist.org/cto/3385966217.html

 

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/3316691328.html

this could be a great deal

 

Those Ciera rallys won't fit. They are 5x100 bolt pattern. You need 5x115. I would look at wheels from newer models. Example, the 15 inch wheels used on the newer W-body Century (16 holes) until 2005 and you could run a 205/60R15 tire to match the original 185/75R14:



I also like the 16 inch wheel used on Buick Lucernes (12 spokes), this would be something you'd go with a 205/55R16 tire to match those original 185's. If the car had larger stock tires you could adjust that a bit, maybe 205/60 or 215/55, I'd have to look it up:



And one more since I'm on a roll, another 16 inch wheel (9 spokes) found on Regals from 1998 to 2000, both GS and LS models:

 

too late to pass on it now.

and im likin the lucerne wheels!

 

If you want smoothies, why not use this one:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/usw-52-5610

4.5 inch bolt pattern is 5x114.3 which is close enough for 5x115. The slight 6mm positive offset and 3.75" backspacing should be enough to clear the brakes. It's a 6 inch wide wheel so it should not poke out much.

If you pick out an older A-body wagon which HAPPENS to have the 5x100 pattern, the Smoothies they make for PT Cruisers will work fine.

 

more and more everyday i see the wagon slipping away from me. this lady just isnt serious about selling. i wanted buy it originally off of her as-is, she said "no, i wouldnt feel right about that because if it turns out the motor is totally gone, i would feel bad" which i could understand. so i said ok, we'll get it running right again and then ill buy it. well, fast forward a little. and the battery is dead, so i said i was gonna go buy one. she says "no, ill get one" i say ok. cause it needs to be running again before i can do the last thing to fix it which is flushing the oil. well this was about 2 weeks ago and she is yet to buy the battery. and then today, my one neighbor asks her "so what are you going to do with that car" her response was "ahh, i dont know. everybody keeps screwing me over when i ask for help. im thinking about just junking it" i honestly think that was the last straw for me. i think im gonna get my money back off her, take my oil, and flushing fluid back and let by gones be by gones. im just so angry though. I WANT THAT WAGON! i know its crazy, but by driving and working on it, iv formed a bond with the car. all my friends already know for it too! :rant: ahh well on a better note. iv found 2 pretty cheap older projects.


i really like this! http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/3367297326.html

1977 ford granada straight 6 - $500

great body 42000 miles on motor needs a battery and some exhaust work 2- door this car would be nice with some work -my grand paps car







2. not too bad, i wouldnt mind driving it, but i like the Grananda better.

1986 Mercury Grand Marquis - $500

1986 Mercury Grand Marquis. 5.0L, auto. Runs rough, needs work, have to let it warm up when it's cold out. Inspected til December. First $500 takes it.







really need advice, and knowledge on these cars. :confused:

 

Don't see too many Granadas (or Monarchs) around anymore - almost extinct.

In 1974 when these came out, I was working at a Ford dealer in Marina Del Rey, trying to be a car salesman. Thought they were pretty nice, especially the more fully-equipped ones. The basic ones were about equal to a deluxe Falcon. Handling was a step up from what the usual Fords were at the time.

 

any major faults with them? like an issue they were known for?

 

Not particularly that I remember. There wasn't anything about them at the time that was 'innovative'. Just a compact Ford in a new box. In the ads, they compared them to the Benz 250's and BMW 528's......

 

1982capricestaionwagon wrote: "and then today, my one neighbor asks her "so what are you going to do with that car" her response was "ahh, i dont know. everybody keeps screwing me over when i ask for help. im thinking about just junking it"

Let her junk it...then buy it from the yard!