Happy to report that after four-and-a-half months of daily searching, I found my Roadmaster Wagon! Has all the options I was looking for and then some!
Congrats on the find. It really look like it is in good condtion. Please do tell us the story behind you find.
So here's the story. In January of this year, I decided I was finally going to buy the car I've wanted since high school - a 1970 Buick GS455. I started my search, joined the SoCal GS Club and went to car shows. Anything I found was either too expensive or "in need of some work". Another thing is that when I would find a nice car, it wouldn't have the options I was looking for. You know, the things we are used to today like A/C, power windows, etc. I then decided to look at cars that were a little more "plush" from the factory, like the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and SX455. I then joined the SX455 club, but soon found out the same thing applied to these cars - too much $$$ for anything half-way decent. Next, I started looking at 60's Buick Rivieras - they came loaded from the factory and seemed to be within my budget. Joined the Riviera Owners Association and let the new hunt begin. Met some nice folks and saw some nice cars at local shows. Came real close to buying a '65, but it turns out the car didn't have the original block and since I am into originality, it was out. In the meantime, I also considered a 1969 Chevy Caprice. I liked the hidden headlights (which the '65 Riviera also had) and thought a 427 big-block would be real cool to own. Didn't join any clubs this time (they cost money, you know!) and found a light green 1969 Caprice with a 427 and it was a couple of hours away. Ultimately, the price was too high and the engine was puffing a little smoke, so out went that one, too. As I attended more shows, I began to realize how much this was going to be "my thing". My lovely wife doesn't mind old cars, but she and my 20-month-old daughter were not about to hang out at car shows all weekend in "Daddy's new car". This got me to wonder...what kind of car could I get that would account for the whole family? It is now mid-June and I started thinking about wagons (you knew I would get here, eventually, right?). I remembered enjoying a few rides in an Olds Custom Cruiser as a young lad, so I looked at the different wagon models. Having a toddler, I decided that a relatively new wagon was in order, from a safety point of view. Once I started looking at the mid-90's GM wagons, I knew I finally had the "right" car to pursue. The wife liked the idea, also! I posted a want-ad in the "Drag'n Wagons" section at v8Buick.com. Someone there advised me of impalaSSforum.com, so I posted a want-ad in their wagon section, as well. There is a guy named Fred who sells nothing but these wagons out of Waterloo, NY. I spoke to him on the phone to get some tips before buying. At this point, I am set on a '95-96 Buick Roadmaster Wagon. The wife and I would like to buy a vintage travel-trailer some day, so I knew the car would have to have the trailer tow package. I also wanted to hold out for the limited-slip rear. So the wagon hunt begins. I start to search on eBay, autotrader, cars.com, pennysaver.com and any other source I could find. Had a subscription to Hemmings and checked there as well. I looked at one car in July, but it was modified and not as clean as described. The days turned to weeks, then months. I always knew when a new car was posted, because I checked every day. The past few weeks, I started to "wander" and began checking out early 70's Buick Estate wagons. Nothing really happened there, but I decided it would be nice to have one of those some day, too! Last Friday, I saw a new ad at autotrader.com and knew instantly that this was going to be the one, even before I called! My first phone call went to voicemail, so I left a message. About an hour or so later I gave a call back and spoke to the seller. Everything sounded OK, so I gave him my list of 8 "must-have's" that were in code on the tailgate jamb. He called me back to say that they were all there. Yippee! These were: 1) heavy-duty suspension 2) 2.93 rear axle 3) limited-slip rear 4) trans cooler 5) oil cooler 6) load-leveling rear suspension 7) trailer tow package and 8) "Concert Sound Stereo". Now I wanted to see the car that night, but it was 85 miles away and we'd have to deal with Friday afternoon Los Angeles and San Diego traffic - not easy to do, especially with a 20-month-old! The seller was working until after 4 PM, so I suggested Saturday. He was busy all that day, so we agreed to Sunday at 10 AM. Needless to say, it was a long weekend! The hours crawled by and my sleep suffered as well. Sunday came around and we got on the road by 8:45 AM. Took a little over an hour to get to my brother-in-laws (where I dropped off the wife and wee-one) then finished the journey solo. We met in a shopping center parking lot and knew for sure the minute I saw the wagon that it was coming home with me! Still checked all around and took it for a test drive. Wrote up a bill of sale, handed over the cash, took the title and went back to pick-up the family in our Volvo. Came back to the wagon, showed the wife, had some lunch, got some gas and drove the wagon home. The missus followed to make sure everything looked OK. Things went smooth on the trip home and I'm sure I smiled most of the way! The rest is history!
and...you get an A for your report with all the special stuff you wanted on your's...i would have thought the odds were against you .....soo...pretty cool ya found 'the' one!! now what???
Last Wagon ! Don't always get a chance to read and post, and I miss y'all ... I am excited and happy for you ! While it's always nice in general to find a car one likes, it's especially exciting to find "THE" car, and one that isn't going to blend in to the crowd. The Roadmaster wagon IMHO is one of the classic shapes of not just the last decade but one beautiful design. All the more eloquent, a bit sad too, that it is GM's swan song for wagons. Not that there won't ever be an endless demand for a good wagon, but the American car industry now wants us to shift from mini vans and SUVs to the new Cross Overs, which IMHO are more marketing niche than car. They don't have the panache of a wagon's styling. One thing only I can say about the GM swan song for their wagons ... they went out in high style ... the last wagon rolling out of Ford's stable will be the little Focus. They will stop building the wagon model by the end of this month to make room for their new turkey, the Ford Edge. The remaining Focus wagons on dealers lots are not very loaded. Base models. Not too noteworthy. Another sad day for Ford. Boo Hiss. I had wanted to order one but no dealer would cooperate. I am hoping to find one in a bordering state of Pennsylvania where I live. If I do find one I like the vanity plate will read "LAST ONE" ! All for now, travel well and be safe ! And remember, the Road goes on Forever ! "ZXW" Robb
Nice looking motor and as you say its all got the extras including the posi rear end. I was after a 96 myself recently until I bought my Squire. I may still add one to my collection soon as they really are a nice shape and very practical. Good luck with it.
Actually the Freestyle even though they call it a cross over is a wagon. Just like the Malibu Maxx (that we own) is a wagon and the general has decided to kill it even though they all sold well and the new body style could prove to be handy as the car is very versitle. I like how the manufactuers can make up names and some people actually buy it. All these mothers driving around in thier "SUV's" are really driving a station wagon. Just on a truck body instead of a car. It is the standard uniform especially around here. How many fake platinum blonds in thier white SUV's can you count in line to pick up thier kids from school and in the mall parking lots. It is insane and you would think I was kidding. It must be some sort of club I am not aware of. I think that is why my wife chose the Malibu over a SUV.
