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'78EstateWagon

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  1. I was curious about what Skyhawks might be out there. In searching I came across this video link to three 1983 Buick promotional videos. One's specifically for the Skyhawk lineup. One's for the overall 1983 Buick line. And the last is near-and-dear to my heart: the 1983 Buick wagon line. One the wagon video, at about 2 mins in they have running chassis going along the highway without any bodies -- funny, silly and interesting to watch. https://testdrivejunkie.com/1983-buick-skyhawk-manufacturer-promo/
  2. I don't know if the rear windows for Boattail Rivs are hard to find or not. I'd imagine they are. If so, here's a possible Craigslist lead. I have no connection to this sale. The seller says he has two. $250 for one or $400 for the pair. https://longisland.craigslist.org/pts/d/west-babylon-buick-boattail-riviera/7129510166.html
  3. Hi Thad, This is a question I had when I got my first old car six years ago. This advice will repeat what other hobbyists shared with me then. My experience supports that advice. To start, a GOOD cover is a good idea. A bad cover can actually do harm to your car. So let's start with what to avoid: Potential for scratching the finish. Many simple tarps and even some car covers are made of relatively rough material that in and of itself can scratch the finish. But the seams of any such material can be especially hazardous to a car's finish. Grommets also risk scratching the car. So look for a cover with reassurance that seams and grommets are designed to not scratch. Of course that'll mainly matter if you car has better than a 20-foot paint job. But still, inside a garage why choose anything that would add harm? NO breathability. Humidity can accumulate in a garage as well. So if the material isn't breathable then it might contribute to corrosion by trapping moisture under the cover. So why get a cover for a car that lives in a garage? As EmTee stated it will helpfully keep the dust off the car. It also offers the car a tiny bit of cushioning against being brushed by rivets on your jeans, a garden rake, etc. An inexpensive 100% cotton or flannel cover, or even old cotton or flannel bedsheets made of such material should be safe for these purposes. Cars are meant to go places... I like to take my car on overnight driving trips. I try to avoid leaving it uncovered overnight when it's out of the garage. And even if you only take it on day trips or to car shows there's always the unexpected. A rain shower comes from nowhere. Strong sunlight on a beautiful day exposes the car to heat and UV. Bird droppings are both abrasive and can etch the paint. Some might suggest my approach is overkill but I like to cover the car if I'm leaving it out for more than a few hours. (I don't always succeed in following my own advice mind you.) If you're going to use a cover in the way I do when traveling then you'll want it either custom-sized or relatively compatible AND you'll find a gentle elastic hem will keep it securely on in spite of wind. I laughingly refer to my cover as a big shower cap for the car. All of this led me to buy a Covercraft NOAH car cover. The NOAH product is like Gore-Tex -- waterproof but breathable. That product will also be custom tailored to the shape of your car which makes it really nice for quickly fitting on and off while traveling. But a quick search there revealed such a cover for your 1938 Special would be $364. Their more basic BLOCK-IT custom cover is $197. I think I got mine at a discount through a third-party car parts supplies with one of the first-time online customer coupons. (You know, give them your email and you get X% off your first purchase.) I hope that helps. And one last thing. If you splurge for a good cover look for the pressure points where the cover fits over the car, like a hood ornament. I have a cheap foam beer can cozy that I put over my hood ornament before I put the cover on to prevent prematurely wearing out the fabric there. Colin
  4. I have no connection to these. And I don't know if the Craigslist seller is interested in shipping them. They're in the Philadelphia suburbs. The listing has six good photos and says they're the 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern for A-body cars. https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/wto/d/west-chester-15x7-buick-wheels-center/7128916821.html
  5. I have no connection to this car. It's listed on Craigslist. There are 24 (mostly small) photos. A good car for starting in the hobby? https://newjersey.craigslist.org/ctd/d/lodi-1954-buick-super/7127268389.html
  6. I have no connection to this car. The Craigslist ad says next to nothing except "Decent paint. New mohair interior." But the photos look promising. https://newjersey.craigslist.org/atq/d/nanuet-1930-buick-series-47/7124278617.html
  7. I have no connection to this car. The Craigslist ad acknowledges that it's not perfect. But it sounds like a lot of valuable work has been done and the seven pictures posted look promising. https://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/d/hammonton-1956-buick-special-riviera/7128754372.html
  8. I have no connection to this car. The seller's listing suggests that it runs but needs work. Only this one photo is provided. https://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/d/middletown-1954-buick-special/7125493337.html
  9. I have no connection to these items. They're for sale in Delaware on Craigslist. https://delaware.craigslist.org/pts/d/wind-gap-1953-buick-stainless-trim/7122398049.html
  10. I have no connection to this car. It's for sale on Craigslist in the Philadelphia suburbs. https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/d/norristown-1978-buick-regal-limited/7120608032.html It looks very good, but I've identified the following possible issues: The front fenders appear to have a slightly different color tone. Repainted? I'm 99% certain that the steering wheel isn't factory. The rear bumper fillers are missing.
  11. I had a supercharged 3.8 in a 2003 Park Avenue Ultra. Compared to the Northstar V8 in a 2008 DTS I have now, the 3.8 wasn't quite as supple in the noise and smoothness department but for a car of comparable weight its performance was every bit it's equal and the fuel economy was certainly better. Compared to other V6s I've enjoyed: an Acura RL 3.5 or a 3.0 "high feature" in a 2010 LaCrosse, the supercharged 3.8 was more satisfying. So I agree with NXT5467 that a six- or eight-speed transmission might have kept that engine really competitive.
  12. That emissions issue is a good one to factor in. Even more recently, and relevant to our particular enthusiasm for Buicks, I've read that despite all its good qualities the 3.8 V6 was finally taken out of production and replaced with the 3.9 V6 (around 2009?) because they'd done about as much as they could with the 3.8 for increased emissions standards. And that of course marks the end of uniquely-Buick-developed engines at GM.
  13. I have no connection to this car. I found it on Craigslist. It looks like a fantastic daily driver candidate as it currently is or could justify some restoration. The interior looks REALLY clean except for the typical steering wheel deterioration and the righthand mirror remote toggle is missing from the dashboard. It's mostly some bumps and bruises on the sheetmetal, faded paint and missing front and rear bumper fillers that are downsides for the exterior. It's in the NJ suburbs of NYC. https://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/d/avenel-1983-buick-lesabre-limited/7119762069.html
  14. I have no connection to this car. Found it on Craigslist. It's near the NJ shore. And as the listing concedes, the car needs some work that won't make it for the faint of heart: new top, electrical, and the listing says some bodywork. (I'm assuming underneath?) Nonetheless, I think it shows a lot of promise. The sheet metal, chrome, paint and interior look good in the photos. It has A/C, power windows, power seat, tilt wheel, cruise and a factory 8-track. Someone splurged on this Skylark! I hope it finds a good home. https://cnj.craigslist.org/cto/d/toms-river-1969-buick/7119827816.html
  15. I have no connection to this car. It's certainly not perfect (there might be some evil lurking beneath the vinyl top) but definitely in good shape -- and it looks like a strong starting point for giving it a refresh. Includes an original 1978/1979 PA inspection sticker. (In PA a vehicle registered as an antique can use a vintage PA plate and vintage PA inspection sticker if one has them.) https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/cto/d/philadelphia-buick-regal-1979/7117121140.html
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