Criusin' in the 'Boat

Discussion in 'The Welcome Wagon' started by LauraR49, Sep 9, 2009.

  1. CapriceEstate

    CapriceEstate Yacht Captain

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    What do you mean?
     
  2. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Oh that Buick Ad isn't yours? It talks about a plexiglass rear window.
     
  3. Krash Kadillak

    Krash Kadillak Well-Known Member

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    Hard to know what your wagon might go for, Laura. Those GM box wagons are all over the map - as low as $500 or so for one that drives, but needs help, all the way up to over $20,000 for one particular Pontiac with only 800 or so original miles. A lot depends on how 'presentable' it looks, and how it drives. Is the paint in good shape, or is the clearcoat flaking off? Is there any rust underneath? It's OK that the headliner needs replacement (fairly common), but are the seats and door trim panels in good shape?

    See if you can post up some images for us, and give us a bit more detail on the wagon. We're glad to help......
     
  4. CapriceEstate

    CapriceEstate Yacht Captain

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    Yes, mine has the plexiglass window, my dad put it in for me. When I got it there was no window in it and the guy I bought the car from broke the glass he had for it.
     
  5. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    Is it glass-coated? The older glass in mine was 1/4" thick laminated with a sheet of vinyl inside, and the new one was 3/16" thick, no lamination. Did he use thick or thin?

    And... you know me, full of questions... How did he hold it in place to seal it?
     
  6. LauraR49

    LauraR49 New Member

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    pictures of Bess

    Sorry- just can't do at the moment- battery dead in camera, for one- and a zillion projects to get ready to move going on (so battery isn't high on list of things to get done at this moment). But the paint is good- no rust- some spit and polish ought to do for most of the interior-
    Like I said, the kind bro's dog decided to burrow into the seat, so either I get them re-done, or replaced- Might be easier to get them re-done,as they work(elec) and finding blue leather ones to match...hmmmm
    Runs great;just needs that little seal in rear of tranny to travel.
     
  7. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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  8. LauraR49

    LauraR49 New Member

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    Thanks

    Thanks! I really appreciate all your help in guessimating price-range. I did look around a bit on the Net, and couldn't find any info specifically about '79 Electra Wagons- which I thought a bit odd. Seemed like nearly every yr., except it, and nearly every other model, except it. I'm sure Bess would be fumin' to think she's the last of her kind....
     
  9. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    They sold the Queen Mary, didn't they?:rofl2:
     
  10. LauraR49

    LauraR49 New Member

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    Good one!

    Yes, I guess they did![​IMG]
    I looked into the seat issue awhile back, but could only find red...
    maybe I can ck around a bit.
    Boy, those prices for just the cars :whew:.... makes me just want to finish putting her to right. Maybe there is a miracle out there, and I won't have to move...then, I could spend a bit of time getting her little issues resolved. That would be so cool. She's a much nicer ride :1st:(although they just don't make parking spaces big enough anymore!)
    That dog made some scratches in the rear interior side panels- any idea how to bring those back up to nice? And they are a bit faded- is there a product that brings them back around?
     
  11. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    If they're just scratched a bit, not deep, you could use a vinyl dye paint from SEM called Color Coat. http://www.semproducts.com/

    If they are scratched up deep, then you could use a cheesecloth to reproduce the grain effects by dabbing it on a thin coat of epoxy (Lepage's or other two-part types) and then spray the color. Make sure you clean the panels with either the SEM's cleaner/preparation product. Ordinary soaps leave a film, and lacquer etches and dries the plastic's properties. Mineral spirits work too, but the SEM cleaners also act like a primer/etcher which helps the dye lock onto it.

    SEM's products are sold in most Auto Supply shops or Body Supplier's. They can also match your colors. Figure on about $10 USD for a stock color can, and $15 for a matched color. The problem will be where to stop. Once you see how nice it restores, you'll want to do the other plastic trim. :evilsmile: If you just did the rear panels, I'd say 3 cans plus the cleaner, maybe $60.
     
  12. LauraR49

    LauraR49 New Member

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    clever

    And what about the crack in the dash? Do I have to replace the dashboard?
    I am entirely new on doing any of this...how does one replace the headliner? His dog tore out the light back there by rear door;I have the light, but the lense is history.
    I was just out looking it over- is there a way to re-attach the carpet area in the rear? Since the dog managed to separate it, should I just put it out, clean it, and re-attach it(and if so,how)?:confused:
    I'm sooo annoyed about him doing all this little damage here and there. Bess was so fine. Taught me never to loan anything,for sure![​IMG]
     
  13. Stormin' Norman

    Stormin' Norman Well-Known Member

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    My wife has a cute joke about lending:

    The old guy says to a younger guy who just lent his car to a neighbor, "If you lend your wife, you know what he'll do. If you lend money, that's all you'll lose, but if you lend your car, its a lottery.

    She told me that after I lent our wagon to a good friend who drove into an alley to park behind her house, for a second. She got back in, and carried on down the alley, and a van came out, parallel-parked and knicked the rear passenger quarter. It would have been a simple job, except for the woodgrain. They wanted $4,000 to repaint the whole car and I supply the woodgrain and trim. :taz: $900 just to fix the rear quarter. Other guys fault. That was my part, because of its age. :slap:

    Usually the carpet is either screwed down or glued down. A Spray Contact cement from Permatex will do that.

    If you buy a headliner, the instructions come with it. If you're reusing a "previously owned" :evilsmile: liner, get the hoops too. They are usually color-coded for their location - front to back. Once you remove yours, take pictures, before you take it down. Again as you remove the hoops. You use that same Permatex contact to glue up the perimeter under the trim.

    The lenses should be available at the Junkyard.
     
  14. CapriceEstate

    CapriceEstate Yacht Captain

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    I think it's quarter inch. It was real brittle, and posed a problem. To hold it in, we caulked it, put the trim up, then caulked it some more. Works just fine. Cruise down the i-system with it with the windows down and the rear window never gives a problem.

     
  15. LauraR49

    LauraR49 New Member

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    Thank you Stormin' Norman

    Thanks for your help. Hopefully, I can get this stuff attended to soon!
    Yeah, learned my lesson about loaning - the hard way!:cry:
    Is it fairly easy to replace the dash piece?
     

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