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2fit's 1988 LeSabre T-Type


Guest 2fit661ca

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Guest 2fit661ca

I am new to the forum, and apon sharing my story of how I fell head over heels for Buicks, JohnD1956 and Centurion have requested that I start a thread for my T-Type.

Being as it is so late at night, and I have school in the morning, I will only be uploading some photos for now.

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Guest Redwind89

Thriller you are right. He has had a few in fact. Same here. :) Fit I know you are also on the Lesabre T-type board, welcome to both boards. Its nice seeing another T-type show up. Please enjoy it but take care of it too.

The first picture is of my second t-type. an 89 sold 2 years ago with 211K, but still getting 27mpg. Second Picture is my driver now an 89 Park Ave, and the last is my newest T-type also an 89 with only 96k and was a one owner. Can't wait for the spring to paint it.

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Guest 2fit661ca
Nice.

If I remember correctly, Alan in Cedar Rapids has one of these.

That's actually kind of funny being as I bought my from a man named Alan.:eek: But he was from Ft. Madison

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Guest 2fit661ca
Thriller you are right. He has had a few in fact. Same here. :) Fit I know you are also on the Lesabre T-type board, welcome to both boards. Its nice seeing another T-type show up. Please enjoy it but take care of it too.

The first picture is of my second t-type. an 89 sold 2 years ago with 211K, but still getting 27mpg. Second Picture is my driver now an 89 Park Ave, and the last is my newest T-type also an 89 with only 96k and was a one owner. Can't wait for the spring to paint it.

Thanks!! I don't plan on driving the "T" in the snow or cold weather, but my parents had to borrow my 97 LeSabre for the week because my dad's truck was out of comission, and I couldn't drive my truck to school because she's averaging 12 mpgs with all of my tools inside. I just can't wait until summer to start working on her!!

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Guest 2fit661ca

So, on with my story. After buying my first Buick (1990 LeSabre), I had begun to research the model; searching for absolutely any piece of information that I could find on it. Shortly after I had begun, I had stumbled across a site called LeSabreT.com. The site had me rather intrigued. I had looked over the sight and the car it was named for, and had thought it to be rather cool, but not of significance. As the months of me driving my '90 went by, I had grown more and more in love with the car. The more I fell for the car, the more significance the T had to me. Last September, I had replaced my most recent SFI3800 LeSabre with my current 97 Series II Tuned Port. The car was amazing in everyway... but it just didn't have the "kick" that the SFI had, it lacked the handling, and frankly, the ability to drive in the snow and on ice. The car was very smooth, which also meant it was less responsive. After some time, I had began to miss my old SFIs dearly, and eventually it got to the point where I started looking for one again on Craigslist for a few hundred bucks that I could beat around all winter long, as I had done wit my previous Buicks. To my suprise, the only LeSabre I had come across on my local Craigslist was a Black 88 LeSabre T-Type. Even better, he only asked $1500. The car had 226K which to most would seem very high, but I didn't care. I'd trust one of these engines to run for ever with proper maintainence. After a month of trying to come up with $1500, I finlly found an avenue, so I gave the gentleman a call. To my suprise, he still had the car. I drove down the following day to test drive, and the next day, it was mine.

(I know, boring story)

Car info

1988 Lesabre T-Type (WE4)

226K miles

dual power seats

full instrumentation

moon roof

(F41) suspension package

Plans for the car mostly include restoration for now. The driver's door armrest is broken, driver's window track is broken, moon roof switch needs replaced, tie rods and ball joints, plastic trim is broken in many places, bumper trim needs repainted, and a few other things.

I have an SFI 3800 that only has 59K on it, so when the T-Type motor retires, I will "restore" the engine bay, the drop the new motor in. (Hopefully, I will strike gold before that point so as to Turbo the new motor) :D

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Guest Redwind89

Fit, Just some points for you.

The Lesabre T-type package code is WE2.

The 85-87 Regal T-type package was WE4.

the 84-87 Regal GN code was WE2.

The F41 suspension package is great, by far the best one offered in those years.

The moon roof your car has is really a dealer installed option, no Lesabres left the factory with a moon roof in those years (86-91).

With the duel power seats, you should also have the lighted vanity mirror, power antenna, and rear carpet savers. all part of the value package SA.

Good luck with the car, if you need anything ask. In case you can't tell I'm also a member of the T-type board and I live for these cars. :)

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Guest 2fit661ca
Fit, Just some points for you.

The Lesabre T-type package code is WE2.

The 85-87 Regal T-type package was WE4.

the 84-87 Regal GN code was WE2.

The F41 suspension package is great, by far the best one offered in those years.

The moon roof your car has is really a dealer installed option, no Lesabres left the factory with a moon roof in those years (86-91).

With the duel power seats, you should also have the lighted vanity mirror, power antenna, and rear carpet savers. all part of the value package SA.

Good luck with the car, if you need anything ask. In case you can't tell I'm also a member of the T-type board and I live for these cars. :)

lol, my bad about the WE4/WE2. I know the moonroof was actually a "SkyTop" installed in Urbandale, IA; I still have the paperwork. My power antenna is bent all out of shape; (my fault...:() and needs replaced.

Thanks for the input!!! As soon as the now-21 inches of snow here is gone, I will begin work on her. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest 2fit661ca

Not that this is entirely relevant, but I had just realized that this car only cost me $85. The asking price was $1500, but because of the radiator springing a leak during our test drive, we got the price down to $1350 (then we spent $50 in fuel to haul it home) I had been on medical leave from work for the past month, and with worker's compensation, I had recieved a check worth $1315 for sitting on my a** for a month and doing nothing. :) So essentially this "rare" 1988 LeSabre T-Type only cost me $85. Talk about sweet!!

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Not that this is entirely relevant, but I had just realized that this car only cost me $85. The asking price was $1500, but because of the radiator springing a leak during our test drive, we got the price down to $1350 (then we spent $50 in fuel to haul it home) I had been on medical leave from work for the past month, and with worker's compensation, I had recieved a check worth $1315 for sitting on my a** for a month and doing nothing. :) So essentially this "rare" 1988 LeSabre T-Type only cost me $85. Talk about sweet!!

Don't make me hate you... ;):D:rolleyes:

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Guest 2fit661ca
Touché... ;) However, I didn't pay $85 for any one them... ;):D:rolleyes:

I've also got a 59K '91 3800 SFI ready to drop in, that I pulled out of one of my other LeSabres that I only paid $400 for, and drove for 6 monhs. :D ...but I still want a Reatta. The only two I've seen in person were both trashed. One was left to rot in a field for the past 5 years, and the other was owned by so kid at college who decided all of the interior needed spray painted blue. Do Reattas have the F41 suspension?

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Nice to see another T Type in Iowa. My (non running) cost was $400. I need a grille desperately so take care of your grille. By now, that plastic has to be a bit dry.

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Guest 2fit661ca
Nice to see another T Type in Iowa. My (non running) cost was $400. I need a grille desperately so take care of your grille. By now, that plastic has to be a bit dry.

I have two non-T-Type grills that could be painted. I'd be happy to give you one. The're not broken or rotted at all.

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Guest Redwind89

The grill is the same save for the fact that the non T-type ones has that "chrome" finish that won't hold paint. You will first have to sand it down to take that off, than fix any problem areas, then prime and paint in a flat/semi gloss black.

Bryan if you can wait and are going to the national this year I have a spare T-type grill I could sell you.

Edited by Redwind89 (see edit history)
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The grill is the same save for the fact that the non T-type ones has that "chrome" finish that won't hold paint. You will first have to sand it down to take that off, than fix any problem areas, then prime and paint in a flat/semi gloss black.

Bryan if you can wait and are going to the national this year I have a spare T-type grill I could sell you.

Thanks for the confirmation. I will try to find one in the local you pick it yard first but if not I'll take one of 2fits. I am sure I can "restore" it by sanding and painting.

I am not going to the Nationals this year but hope to have this car in Charlotte. Also, just found a black 88 in Madison Wisconsin on CL (see Buy/Sell)

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Guest 2fit661ca
I am not going to the Nationals this year but hope to have this car in Charlotte. Also, just found a black 88 in Madison Wisconsin on CL (see Buy/Sell)

there's one on Des Moines Craigslist for $1500 in urbandale

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  • 2 months later...
Guest ULuvSarah

I just wanted to share my T with ya'll. I just got her from my mom about 2 weeks ago. She's had her for about 6 or 7 years. I never really liked her, mainly cus I didnt know what she was. My mom always made a big deal about her, and I see why now. She's an 88 with 163k, and runs AWESOME!!! We flew done to Jax, Fl to get her, and drove her back up to Atlanta. She got 24 mpg hwy... and the AC was freezing me! As soon as I got here I put the Viper alarm (since I do live in atlanta), keyless entry, and remote start. That is awesome! Her interior is almost perfect! Leather seats still in great shape, and everything still works! I'm in love with her, and so is my husband! hope ya'll enjoy and please comment! Thanks!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest 2fit661ca

I fixed the broken driver's side armrest in the T last week. I'll upload pictures tomorrow. I used a soldering iron and weedeater string to melt the plastic back together, then reglued the vinal with walmart foam padding. all in all cost me around $8 and i have planty of material left.

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2fit661ca, your armrest repair looks great!

Since the plastic had fractured on the interior door panels / armrest base of my '89 LeSabre coupe, we riveted the door panel to a backing material we placed behind the door panel. It worked great, but your solution looks even better!

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Guest 2fit661ca
Not being familiar with these cars...I need a before picture to be able to see the effect of the repair.

Sorry, but when I made the armrest post, I thought that I had previously posted pictures of it before. guess i was wrong

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Guest 2fit661ca
2fit661ca, your armrest repair looks great!

Since the plastic had fractured on the interior door panels / armrest base of my '89 LeSabre coupe, we riveted the door panel to a backing material we placed behind the door panel. It worked great, but your solution looks even better!

Thanks!!! the only problem is that I didn't shave the foam padding down enough, so it is trying to pull the vinal off again. oh well, i can always fix it.

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