New User - 1977 Buick Estate Wagon...

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone for all of the nice words of welcome and encouragement. I figure its only fitting to post photos when introducing myself and the story of the wagon. Of course it helped that its the basic intro I posted on the Buick boards haha. I appreciate the tips as well, I will have to print them off and be sure to use them when spring rolls around.

Keeping it original does sound good but its always hard to display it when its next to other cars that are in real good shape. I like the idea of original but there are rust areas that the photos don't fully show that have become a bit of a concern. Granted it's not always a 100% guarantee that you can get rid of rust after "fixing" it but those decisions are still ahead of us.

I have heard that keeping the wood grain is a better idea and I agree except on the passenger side its been torn off a little bit and needs patch work but fortunately that is a small area. I never power wash it because I figure that would only make things worse.

Regarding paint and such, I guess it all depends on what my dad wants to do since its technically his car, even though its a joint effort. We figured we would get a decent paint job, nothing too great because it wouldn't be worth the money, and nothing cheap either and fix small things here and there since the rest of the car is in pretty decent shape thankfully.

I appreciate all kinds of car care tips as well. I haven't had much of a chance to brose the boards yet but hope to do that in down time and read up on old posts. I want to make sure I get information from people who care about their cars like you all and use the right stuff.

Fortunately I don't need many parts for it, unfortunately they are mostly hard to find trim parts. I am gathering information on yards to go and explore looking for that stuff. One yard I went to a lot decided to crush all of the good 70's cars and scrapped them for metal since most cars now a days are all plastic, so I am looking for other places.

Sorry for my late response but thanks again for the warm welcomes!

Joe

 

Oh here are a few more photos

I had a few more photos to add, just took some detail ones and forgot I had posted them to photobucket.



This is from an all Buick car show at the museum of transportation this past year. First show we "entered" it in just for the heck of it to see what they would say and we won an award for best unfinished. I am glad some of the guys in the club didn't enter their original Buicks, they would have won but hey it was still cool



I like to look at photos so here is an detail of the wheel haha.



Here is is back in May, it was a display at a local Buick dealer which happens to be the same dealer my grandfather bought it from when it was new. They have changed names but the buildings and lot are still the same 34 years later.



A spot where the trim is missing. A box flew off a truck that had yard furniture in it and swiped the wagon taking off the trim. One of the items I need to find.

Joe

 

HEY!!!
Thats my car!
Well, not really, but its the same as same can be.
What an amazing coincidence.
My 403 Olds powered EW was orignally purchased from H E McGonigal in Kokomo IN.
The dealer installed Ziebart treatment kept the rust to a couple of pinholes below the left rear side window.
Somehow it found its way to Central Florida many years ago.
I bought it 4/4/2012.
Joe, please let us know if you still have your Buick wagon, and what you've done with it.

 

1988 Estate wagon

I bought this car about 3 years ago out of Chicago, not Florida. I know there are several of these, so perhaps one that you had was in Florida. Mine has a Olds 307. If you have any old photos of that car, please send them along. I would like to see them. I absolutely love this car!! No one has one like it so i get all the looks!! That's what it's all about, right?

 

There seem to be some crossed wires here, but its all good station wagon fun, eh?
Nah, I just bought my blue '77 Buick Estate from the grandson in law of the second owner.
Apparently he was too old to drive it anymore.
I wish it still had the woodgrain, even if it had flaws.
The old guy had it removed and painted the area brown.

 

I'm a bit confused. Are you referring to my Mercury wagon or my Buick? The mercury wagon I bought last year out of Montana. It has the 428! The woodgrain was painted brown. Yes, it is sad. However, i will restore it! The mercury wagon was originally a California car then lived in Montana for over 40 years.

 

Great wagon, wonderful history, and fantastic pictures. Normally, I would side with the 'preserve it' faction, but having experience with those late-70s Buicks, I do have to disagree, based on the photo of the award on the roof. If that roof paint doesn't get done, and soon, you will have major headaches to deal with. I'm not sure whether it is the primer on the outside, or the paint/insulation on the inside, but when the paint gets to that stage, you will end up with a brown roof from rust. My 78 Electra 2 door ended up with holes over the a-pillars, and the water ran down inside them, rotting the body reinforcements. The last time I drove that car, I had to jack the centre of the frame just to close the doors. I got $10 from the scrap yard, I saved so much from it. Wouldn't want to see that happen to your lovely wagon.

 

Very nice interior. I would keep her too (and I am a Ford guy )

mike