Guest imported_MrEarl Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 I'll be heading out tomorrow afternoon, empty trailer in tow, to Maryland to check out some 50's Buicks in a yard up there. If any body close to 85/95 wants to go, I can slow down enough for ya to hop in. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
50jetback Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 Sounds good Mr Earl, but I think I'm just a bit too far off 85/95.Looking forward to seeing what you locate.
Oxnard Montalvo Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 Runnin' around an old boneyard is one of the simple pleasures of life. Wish I could go.Good hunting.
Guest ewing Posted March 31, 2007 Posted March 31, 2007 I'd love to go with you. Can you swing by Winnipeg, just a few miles north of Fargo.Have fun, and we expect a full report when you get back home.
Fr. Buick Posted April 1, 2007 Posted April 1, 2007 Hey, Lamar!!I will be in Maryland this summer. Any chances of a name and address? I might go check it out myself.Thanks,
JohnD1956 Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 Are you getting yet another 54? It would be interesting to see if any of the metal is good in that location. I figure lots of humidity and sea salt air probably turned a lot of the things to mush..JD
Guest imported_Thriller Posted April 2, 2007 Posted April 2, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd love to go with you. Can you swing by Winnipeg, just a few miles north of Fargo.Have fun, and we expect a full report when you get back home. </div></div>If you decide to make that detour Lamar, we can make sure you are comfortable whilst in the area.
Guest imported_MrEarl Posted April 3, 2007 Posted April 3, 2007 Thanks Derek but I didn't have time to make it up. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />Father Buick, I think the guy is trying to clean out before summer but will forward you his info. Didn?t see much you?d be interested in. JohnD, you have the word for what I saw... a lot of "mush". Not just rust but the kind of rust that when you touch it it's sorta soft and if you push harder it gives way. The whole area around there seemed to have a high water table or perhaps it was more or less at sea-level. All the cars were in wet ground with some of them being in water too mirey to walk in. Here's my little story of my junkyardin trip to Maryland:I actually need to start the day before. As always I can't stand traveling in a dirty vehicle so I set about cleaning up ChevyRoadmaster (96 Silverado 1500 5.7ci.) Let me give a little scenario here. I have the front clip off of Buttercup (BC) and a car cover over her and she is backed into the garage with about 42 inches of clearance between her and my workbench. I have finished vacuuming my truck, pick up the big shop vac to put it away, and holding it up about head high so as not to bump into BC start walking between BC and the workbench. Unable to hardly see around the vac and the weight of it making me walk rather briskly I manage to bump into BC. Suddenly a sharp pain hits my left thigh but I manage to continue to the back of the garage and sit the vac down. Looking where I bumped into BC I see the front tip of the sweep "SPEAR" sticking through the car cover. I look down at my leg and see a whole in my jeans and it?s turning a deep dark red. I drop my pants and there's blood gushing from about a half inch deep 2 inch long gash in my thigh. Well when I see my own blood, I pass out. After waking up on my own and thinking no time now for a 6 hour emergency room trip, I manage to get it cleaned and dressed and proceed with getting ready for the trip. Next scenario... it?s getting dark, there?s a tight area (about 11-12 feet) between the barn and a 55 Super up on blocks and I'm trying to maneuver my truck and trailer between the two. I know I'm close to the cedar post holding the barn roof up, but don't realize how close til I hear that unmistakable sound of metal bending under pressure. I stop immediately, but apparently it had been stretching metal before the sound made me aware what was happening. So now ChevyRoadmaster has a 1 inch X 3 ft dent down his side. I am quick to apologize and tell him I know exactly how it hurts.Next morning 0500 me and ChevyRoadmaster hit the road. Traveling along 85, gas prices seem to be getting cheaper the more north I get. 2.49 at home, 2.29 in NC. Good I figure it will be real cheap by the time I need gas. About the time I hit Virginia they go sky high again at about 2.69. I look at my gauge and guess what, I need gas. Traveling on hwy 301 arrive in Maryland at around 2:00. Cross the mighty Potomac bridge and am greeted by daffodils lining the grassed median. Thoughts go back to Buttercup and how I have got to get her back on the road. Maryland has some beautiful countryside and all the spring flowers are busting wide open all at the same time. Unlike in Georgia where they come in slow and intermittently. Arrive at the gentleman?s shop. This guy has been restoring Packards, Buicks, Internationals and Cadillacs for 30-40 years. We go to look at what I had came after, a little 4 door Special with a 3 speed and a non-flexible steering wheel. The car looks great from the rockers up. It was apparently loved and taken good care of just prior to being parked in the woods some 15 years ago. I had hoped it would be easily restorable into a daily driver but I don?t think that will be the case. We load her up and ChevyRoadmaster is happy that it?s not another heavy a** Roadmaster. We walk around the woods and his shop yard and it gets sadder and sadder. This guy must have started 5-6 different projects over the last 20 years but for one reason or another never finished. There?s a 48 that he detailed the engine bay, installed a lot of new chrome and NOS fender and side panels etc but for some reason never finished. A 56 Continental that had been about half way completed. A 54 with some evidence of beginning to restore but never got past a few bondo patches. He is now in his upper 60?s and has decided to let someone else finish his projects and sell all the cars he?s collected over the last 25 years or so. These include 30-40-50?s Buicks and Packards mainly. Although he seems to think that most everything is still restorable, I feel like he must still be viewing them as they were when he first bought them. He currently has a few on eBay but I personally feel they are overpriced for what they are. The pictures look good, good enough in fact to make me drive 1250 miles round trip to check them out. I would make a return trip for one vehicle at a maybe a couple hundred dollars, a 54 Roadmaster that is totally eaten up but still has some good parts I could use. The guy makes me aware that he hasn?t had his Sunday nap, so upon checking my tie downs and washing up, me and Chevy Roadmaster hit the road for home at about 5:00 and after a looooong night of driving and rest stop napping pull into home at about 8:00. Perfect timing, Rita just left for work so won?t see the new addition til she is unloaded and it?s too late to carry to the scrap yard which is where she thinks most of what I bring home shoud be?. And sometimes she?s probably right. Oh and guess what I named the car. Why Maryland of course?..Geez this is starting to get long ain?t it. So OK here?s some pictures.Hitting I-85, sun just coming up, (dang it, it looked better in person)The woods, what we call a Loblolly in GeorgiaSame stretch of I-85 24 hours laterMaryland, new home amongst her kin....What I went after, 2 little pedals in the floor instead of one biggun and the standard Special steering wheel.Cost BreakdownGas..........................................................280.00McDonalds fast food and coffee ...............................25.00 Buick Special 41D.............................................175.00Estimated Savings by not going to Emergency Room...........(1,200.00)Estimated cost to remove dent and paint truck side panel....1,200.00Learning why a sweep spear is called a sweep <span style="font-weight: bold">SPEAR</span>, that I need to get a certain 55 moved farther away from the barn, experiencing the evidence of one gentleman's life of loving too many old cars, trying to restore them all and not quite finishing a lot of them, experiencing the crossing of God's great Potamac and St James rivers through traveling the Buick highway and...... saving one more old Buick.............................PRICELESS EDIT-ENSURE THAT ALL WIVES READ THIS!!Actually this little story started about 3 days prior to my leaving when the Warden handed me her Honey Dew list. In 3 days I spread four 16 ft trailer loads of mulch, installed 1 ceiling fan, replaced 3 electrical outlets, installed shelves in her closet, replaced the faucet in the kitchen sink and the upstairs bathroom and did it all with a smile and a yes dear answer to anything she said.
Guest 53Nailhead Posted April 3, 2007 Posted April 3, 2007 Lamar, wish I had seen this thread earlier, might just have headed south. As I was reading your recount of the trip I didn't know if I should laugh or cry, I laughed...hope none of your old buddies from the Marines see this, "well when I see my own blood, I pass out" LOL <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />Just kidding!! Looks like some decent projects around the yard, it's a shame when people start something & get side track by the next project. Drove about the same distance from Ottawa to Geraldton for both my Supers, it's along nite driving & that far up in northern Ontario theres no cell or radio signals. The Special looks restorable!? Great pics!! Les
jscheib Posted April 3, 2007 Posted April 3, 2007 Lamar,I enjoyed your write-up on the trip (except for the injury and car damage parts). I hope you are recovered. I am just curious about the stuff you mentioned on the other Buicks. You mentioned some in the '30s, but I suspect these are mostly are newer then the mid 30's. If there is anything older let me know as someone I know is looking for parts. Also, I know some Packard guys that might be interested if I could get the contact name, number and location, etc.John
JohnD1956 Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Oh man! Look at that 2 dr special... Are you going back for that one? That would be awesome with the stick and the 2 doors....We should start a new thread on injuries from this hobby. I got a beaute to tell.. JD
Guest ewing Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Great story, what fun seeing all those old Buicks!I can add a Buick injury story.Ever take the tail lights off a 58 Buick? That fin at the back end of the SS trim on top of the rear fender is lethal. I have the scar to proove it. So dangerous, I decided to hang old tail light assemblies back on just to avoid deja vu, all over again.
Guest imported_Thriller Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Way too much interesting stuff...Suzanne'd have my hide if I went there as I wouldn't be able to leave all those Buicks in misery. I like how your new toy amounted to a grand total of about $500...you're doing better than I did with the '56...it started at under $500 US, but by the time I drove to get it and two hotel rooms later, it had gotten up to about $1500 Cdn for a running car that wouldn't run, nor even deliver fuel.I guess you'll just need to have some fuzzy navels to get over the impaling.Thanks for the colourful storytelling.
Guest Silverghost Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Lamar: Great Adventure...except for the two injuries... It's adventures like your's that we all live for in this hobby...My only Question...How could you come home with only One Car???You need a multi-car trailer!I would have bought all his un-finished projects!The way I look at it...You can NEVER have enough project cars...I suspect the owner felt the same way as I do...Sadly his projects were never finished!I have some like this too...One 1960 Corvette has been sitting for 25 years!Half finished...or half Started...if you ask my Dad!There is always another new project that bumps the older project to the back of the line...in a little better shape, needing a little less work than your current project...I keep saying "No more Un-restored project cars!"Then I see a new one and fall...Madly in Love ... with a rusty hulk...all over again...I seem to be able to look through all that rust and see the Gem that once was...and will be again...When finised!These rusty hulks talk to me...I don't mind...There are only two or three that I have not finished out of some 20 or so that I have finished...in 30+ years...That's a pretty good record! After all...I will still need some projects when I retire in 10-15 years!PS: What did your Wife say about your latest find? Has she seen it yet???
Dandy Dave Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Dang, If that lottery ticket was just a winner I would be able to do what I was born to do with out interruption from every paying customer telling me how important it is to get their stuff done first. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> And then there is the money thing. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Saving them is the "easy part". Restoring them, that's another thing! Money+ time+ parts = Restoration. Sometimes it seems that we lack one of the three and never seem to be able to obtain an end result. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> But it is fun trying <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Life, What a ride it is! May all your days be Buickfull and your dreams also fellow Buick Fans. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Dave!
Mike Cullen Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 I sure hope you will be saving that lime green shag carpet in your new toy! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />The 2-door Special and the Lincoln should be parked here in my yard, I have a short waiting list.
serb Posted April 4, 2007 Posted April 4, 2007 Lamar,A very amusing and interesting story. I guess it is all OK when everything ends well. No great permanent injuries and another Buick rescued. The only thing lacking in this story would be that there was a herd of goats in that yard living amongst the Buicks.Stevo
Guest imported_Thriller Posted April 5, 2007 Posted April 5, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Money+ time+ parts = Restoration. </div></div>Well put...sufficient money does seem to solve the equation though as you hire someone like Dave to machine new parts <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> That's pretty much how the Wildcat has gone. That being said, the lottery draw here is $38M tonight...even in Canadian dollars, that would go a long way.Stevo - I'll wait to hear about whether or not Lamar's leg wound is infected before ruling out permanent injury <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now