Our New-to-Us 1978 Electra Estate Wagon Project

Those darn sneaky GM designers!
Actually it does not appear to be a perfect fit. But who notices?

 

2/13/16 salvage yarding for my Roadmaster and found this doner for Eddie's wagon project. Really clean 88 Olds doner.


Parts Nabbed:




That Olds had a RARE cargo area roof light with fiber optic brake/signal repeater lights! Will be a cool mod for the Electra!



Will be replacing the boring round dome light with this.


And the biggest score, that Olds had a really nice roof-rack. Very pretty chrome!


Projects!

-Mike

 

Here's another unique this this Electra has. This is a reading light that is part of the sunvisor clips on the headliner, top-center of the windshield. I've owned a lot of 77-90 boxy GM B-bodies and had never seen this option before. It didn't work when we got the car, but I took it out, cleaned the contacts and installed a new bulb, and it works fine now. Bright too! You slide that little black arm to the side to turn it on. I love goofy oddball stuff like this!

 

And these are things found in the '78 Electra while cleaning it up. Neat!

In reading these goodies found in the Electra, I've learned the car was sold new in Hickory North Carolina and lived there through at least 1991. No documents newer than 1991 in the car. Inspection expired in 1992.


These books were in the side cargo storage box in the way-back. Awesome!



That's the latest on the Electra project folks!

-Texas Mike

 

Amazing vultures didn't descend upon that car the instant it hit the yard. In California that car would have had it's wheels and brakes stripped off within minutes. I really find it odd that it was even in a yard, it sure doesn't look like a used up candidate.

And finding those books in the back is well worth the price of admission!

 

I agree with elB. Around here people are driving beat up death traps and you find nice vehicles in the scrap yards.

 

Tell the kid "nice rack."

 

Cool Mike! Tell Eddie congrats on his wagon project!
Just got caught up on this thread, keep the updates coming.

 

The light is cool.
Eddie looks just like my nephew did at that age.
He's a 29 year old 6'5" police officer now, he doesn't like to be called a cop.

 

Poor '78 Electra wagon has been on the back-burner a while now. Been sitting untouched under the carport since before the holidays. Went to check fluids and start it and found a mouse living in the underhood hush pad after work, so now it no longer HAS a hush pad, and mice are evicted. It did fire right up, and I pulled it around to the front driveway. Spent two hours cleaning it....poor old car, it's not nearly as far along as it should be after over a year with us..life events just keep getting in the way. but it still runs! We'll get it in shape sooner or later!






Full Public Album with all the pics here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10208322573852660&type=3

Such Fun!

-Mike

 

Oh and for folks that haven't seen these, here are some Really Cool Pics! The person that saved our '78 Electra sent me these pics from the salvage yard where he found it, along with some more from the day it arrived home. It was not running when he got it. New tires, gas tank cleaned, tune-up and such brought it back. I love knowing this one just avoided becoming coffee cans or 10 Hondas or something. SAVE THEM!!





Here's the link to that full Public Album with all the Saved pics: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10208402285365398.1073742086.1553678810&type=3

-Mike

 

I REALLY need to go yarding. SOON, very soon.........
Priority items are:
- Dome lamp
- Sun visors with lighted vanity mirrors
- Antenna

Other stuff:
- Bucket seats / console. Very doubtful I will find anything, but I have been looking at other types/makes of vehicles to see what might fit / look good. My split bench is very uncomfortable.
- Better radio

 

What will you be doing on the woodgrain, Mike?

 

Congrats. Awesome.. I like it. I'll be watching for sure. I sure wish I had a set of those wheels for my car.

 

Hi Folks, sorry for not checking in more lately. We've had a bit a financial stress lately, such is life, but we'll get through it. I'm am still playing with projects...on a tight budget, and since I'd been gathering parts for the '78 Electra Wagon I finally decided to get my hands dirty on it again.

SO here is the latest updates. I have done quite a bit of work on the car since my last update in Feb here. I know some folks have been following along on Facebook, but for those that don't FB, here you go.

First, Facebook IS amazing, and this item found me through Facebook. This LeSabre Sport Coupe steering wheel has "found" our Electra wagon, all the way from the northeast! Big thanks to all the car folks helping with this project car! This alone will be a great addition to the project! I'm currently looking for the horn connection for this, the rod with the little spring is missing. I think it's fairly universal in older GM cars so will be on the lookout in the salvage yards.