Looked at a nice oddball car today.
1983 was the last year for buick regal wagons. Looked at an 82. I really like the styling of the quad headlight GMs from the early 80s. And I like the elcamino esque in-bumper taillights in this particular car.
These year cars came with one's choice of 3.8 or 4.1 gas V6s, or 4.3 or 5.7 diesels. This one had the 4.1, a punched out 3.8. I guess GM marketing wouldn't allow the mighty 150 hp 307 V8 in the midsize wagons.
Full frame. I understand the coupes have a most-frame that disappears at the front of the rear axle. Not this beast. Think it rode on 195/75/14 tires.
70k original miles. Was, as the seller told me, used by a museum to make deliveries only in the summer. Was in some snooty rich guy seaside village type of town. Not too shabby body wise.
I wonder if this heap shared the original 3.8s oddball firing order. Motor shook at idle. Also seemed to idle rather fast. 4 barrell carb. Owner moved to Spain and his brother is trying to dump the car. Is blaming all the cludges on said missing brother.
Oil fill cap demanded 5w30.
3 speed automatic tranny. Found a spec of 3400 lbs for this motor and wagon. Light! (A chevy cruze is 3100.) Supposed 2.73 rear end. 110 hp, 180 ish ft lbs torque. Only drove it two inches. Trying to imagine what kind of dog it must be, and what the gas mileage reward is; IE can it hit 20? Has the computerized carb but without a zillion vacuum hoses.
It's really funny, as this car felt like a full size wagon, even though the B-bodies like the caprice must be bigger. It's way larger than a FWD ciera/century wagon. It's also a rolling memorial to some weird days of downsizing and gas mileage pursuit.
AC was dead. Seller said in his ad his price was firm. I went through my "I don't want to insult you" routine after revealing I was looking for the AC that was advertised and left an offer he didn't accept... but didn't dismiss.
Edit, this thing had four v-belts including a skinny little thing for the smog air pump which miraculously remains connected stuffing air into the middle of the cat. Has a crazy set up where the crank spin the water pump and PS, then the water pump spins the AC, smog pump and fan. Don't wear a tie when you bend over the motor!
1983 was the last year for buick regal wagons. Looked at an 82. I really like the styling of the quad headlight GMs from the early 80s. And I like the elcamino esque in-bumper taillights in this particular car.
These year cars came with one's choice of 3.8 or 4.1 gas V6s, or 4.3 or 5.7 diesels. This one had the 4.1, a punched out 3.8. I guess GM marketing wouldn't allow the mighty 150 hp 307 V8 in the midsize wagons.
Full frame. I understand the coupes have a most-frame that disappears at the front of the rear axle. Not this beast. Think it rode on 195/75/14 tires.
70k original miles. Was, as the seller told me, used by a museum to make deliveries only in the summer. Was in some snooty rich guy seaside village type of town. Not too shabby body wise.
I wonder if this heap shared the original 3.8s oddball firing order. Motor shook at idle. Also seemed to idle rather fast. 4 barrell carb. Owner moved to Spain and his brother is trying to dump the car. Is blaming all the cludges on said missing brother.
Oil fill cap demanded 5w30.
3 speed automatic tranny. Found a spec of 3400 lbs for this motor and wagon. Light! (A chevy cruze is 3100.) Supposed 2.73 rear end. 110 hp, 180 ish ft lbs torque. Only drove it two inches. Trying to imagine what kind of dog it must be, and what the gas mileage reward is; IE can it hit 20? Has the computerized carb but without a zillion vacuum hoses.
It's really funny, as this car felt like a full size wagon, even though the B-bodies like the caprice must be bigger. It's way larger than a FWD ciera/century wagon. It's also a rolling memorial to some weird days of downsizing and gas mileage pursuit.
AC was dead. Seller said in his ad his price was firm. I went through my "I don't want to insult you" routine after revealing I was looking for the AC that was advertised and left an offer he didn't accept... but didn't dismiss.
Edit, this thing had four v-belts including a skinny little thing for the smog air pump which miraculously remains connected stuffing air into the middle of the cat. Has a crazy set up where the crank spin the water pump and PS, then the water pump spins the AC, smog pump and fan. Don't wear a tie when you bend over the motor!
