Maybe someone can help

[keress]

My brother has been disabled for the past 30 years with arthritis of the spine. The only car he has been able to drive in all these years is his '78 Buick Century station wagon. He's tried switching to newer cars over the years, but subtle difference in the seating causes them to aggravate his back pain so much there's no point trying to go anywhere. The Buick is so rusted and worn out at this point as to be irreparable. We're losing him, he's just so depressed at being housebound the way he is.

I don't know if it would be old enough to be considered antique, but if any of you all can help us to locate a Buick Century station wagon between the years of '78 and '82 that's in good working order it would be a godsend.

Thanks much

[jscheib]

I suggest you post on the Buick forum, and check ebay and Graigs list, etc. Also let us know where you are located as you do not likely want to pay to ship a car any distance.

John

[Dave@Moon]

If you try autotrader.com you can search for specific cars like this, but only back to 1981. Looking there I found this 37K mile Century in Colorado. Unfortunately it wasn't a wagon.

You should also search for the virtually indentical wagons sold by GM as the Chevy Malibu, Oldsmobile Cutlass, and Pontiac LeMans/Bonneville (Bonneville after 1980). This 54K mile Cutlass wagon is located in Washington state.

[Dave@Moon]

Also cars.com has an older model search engine that might be of use.

It's a bit more cumbersome, but covers all years. Currently it lists only one Buick Century (a sedan) from 1978-1981. Searching for the other cars (Cutlass, etc.) may prove more fruitful.

[charlier]

I realize that finding another vehicle of same vintage with the same seats is probably the easiest solution.

The following might seem to be a strange suggestion but here goes....

Have you looked into the possibility of mounting the seats from the current vehicle in a newer one?

Are the seat mounts drastically different?

If needed, can a new mounting setup be constructed that will securely and safely hold the old seat in place in a newer vehicle?

These questions might be best answered by Buick or other GM owners.

Like I said, not the easiest solution but it might be an alternative to being homebound.

[Guest brh]

Just a word of caution but my Dad had a problem with his back. The ride on a car was critical to him. He always drove Lincolns. One year they made a design change that made the car ride much harsher. Of course this was the only time he did not take the car for a test drive. He battled this problem and his back for many years till he could get rid of the car. Make sure your brother takes it for a drive before you purchase, things that the rest of us may take for granted he may feel. Dad had to go with softer shocks, softer tires and drive with the tires underinflated just to drive this car, even padding in the seat did not help.

[Dave@Moon]

BTW, Although the Century and Cutlass (RWD) A-Bodies were discontinued in 1982, the Pontiac Bonneville and Chevy Malibu lived on until 1984. I can't say that the Chevy would be as plush or soft-riding as the Buick, but they are <span style="text-decoration: underline">very</span> close. The Pontiac is at least as plush as the Buick, at least in terms of upholstery.

Also the Chevy El Camino, which survived until 1987, is essentially a Malibu wagon with the rear turned into a mini-pickup truck. These were <span style="text-decoration: underline">very</span> popular and the survival rates are much higher than for the wagons. Also there are numerous commercially available caps to cover the bed (truck) portion of the El Camino, which largely turns it into a 2-seat wagon!

[joe_padavano]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dave@Moon</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW, Although the Century and Cutlass (RWD) A-Bodies were discontinued in 1982...</div></div>

News to me. There's an 86 Cutlass wagon on Ebay right now. Also, don't be confused by the A/G body thing. The cars are mechanically identical and all (except the ElCo) use the same wheelbase.