Finally home, The Crusty Cruiser

Well, here it is.... I picked it up today. Its got some rust issues under the cladding and a coupla dents, the clear coat is shot... but otherwise pretty straight. Got it out on the hwy for the 1st time and it drove pretty nice, gonna need tires and shocks very soon. Everything seems to work well. How do I drop the tailgunner seat back down? I raised it and it locked and now I can't get it to release... What about the trip reset? I cant figure out how to clear it back to 0, I don't see a stem.
Once I get all the loose ends tyed up and the weather warms the dents and rust will get repaired, havent decided on the paint yet, its not gonna be a show car, but I dont wanna cheap out either. What do you guys think?

Congrats on the OCC, same color as my 91 caprice wagon! if you look on the right side on the rear well, near the top, there should be a release trigger for the rear seat.

Thanks for sharing the pics! I love the spinners on the wheels! Looks like they even have the Rocket logo on them. Same colors as my Cruisers. Planning on sticking with that color or something else?

The third seat release is on the right side in line with the seat bottom. There should be a lever near the rear most part of the footwell area. Pull it upwards to release the seat.

The trip reset is a button right next to the counter, should be pretty obvious so perhaps it's broken? I can snap pics of either if you need.

My first suggestion would be to find yourself the proper grille for the car. That's a Caprice grille. Cruiser grilles are getting a bit tough to find though unfortunately.

Good find. Saw this today a guy had a CC grill for $50 for sale.

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=216375


Tom C.

Looks like this:



HTH

Thanks guys, I found the seat release, I totally over looked it. There is a package on its way that contains a c pillar, grille and master window switch thanks to a fellow wagon owner. After looking at the dash for a while, it appears the trip reset was mangled by a p.o.. There is a lump in the bezel right next to the tripometer. Dunno if whats left of it got tucked under the bezel I will pull it off when I get a minute. I like the spinners too... 2mrow it will have deep dish rings in the back and new front tires. Thanks for all the feedback everybody!!

Congrats on the wagon purchase. Looks like a good project car. Thinking about putting a set of those wheels on mine.

Nice find on Krusty Have fun with her. Paint looks a bit like my '92s clear coat (I only photograph her from the drive's side so it doesn't show, lol)

Well, I decided today was the day to get new tires all the way around... I only drive about 3 miles a day, but the fronts were ready to pop the belts. I wanted to go with a 255 in the rear and a 225 in the front. Dropped the car off at the tire shop, was gone 20 mins and they call.... Gotta a problem, need you to come back. Ok.. The car is up on the lift with the rear axle hanging real crooked. Drivers side spring was a taco. To add to the problem, the only thing in the front end any good is the ball joints, everything else is toast. I had them put the tires on it ( the 255s wouldn't fit at all) and get it back down so I could limp it home. 20 miles an hour for 20 blocks in traffic with the rear axle popping and slamming the whole way. The drivers side is about 3 inchs lower than the pass, and alto it looks pretty mean, its not safe at all. I have to work tonite, so I guess I will get up early in the morning and go yard hunting and see if I can find a set of rear springs. I wanted to get lowered spring to put on it, but I need it back on the road asap. I guess for a temp fix I will get a set of stockers and whack a coil outta them to get me thru for now. This sux, the plan of action for the week was to get the tires done, do a solid tune up and maybe get it tinted... Looks like I am gonna spend my off days repairing broke stuff. On the up side, I ordered a set of balonie cut tips for the exhaust to route them out past the axle and they are here. Whoo Hoo!!!!

Sorry to hear about the problems! I wish the timing were better as I have a 92 Cruiser I'm parting. Springs are working right now. I have a set of cargo springs too but they will raise the rear of the car from stock height. I didn't like them so took them back out.

Hey Mike, Don't suppose you have a drivers side rear power window motor that works, a drivers front arm rest and the cup holder assembly for the dash? Someone used mine for an ashtray and ruined it. I don't care what color they are, I can dye the armrest and the dash piece. Thanks

Tuffluck1975 wrote:

Hey Mike, Don't suppose you have a drivers side rear power window motor that works, a drivers front arm rest and the cup holder assembly for the dash? Someone used mine for an ashtray and ruined it. I don't care what color they are, I can dye the armrest and the dash piece. Thanks

I might have the window motor, I'll have to look. No on the armrest, it's getting hard to find those in decent shape. I have the cup holder but it's spoken for. If that falls through, you can have it though.
Mike

My armrest cover is in good shape, but the base is busted from getting pulled on to shut the door, let me know about the other stuff tho, thanks

Tuffluck1975 wrote:

My armrest cover is in good shape, but the base is busted from getting pulled on to shut the door, let me know about the other stuff tho, thanks

Yeah, that's typically what happens when they are used instead of the pull straps. If I come across a spare, I'll let ya know. I'll check on the window motor.

Well, it seems I have lucked out for once. I hit the junkyard this morning and the guy running the counter said he had a coupla wagons on the yard, that I COULD go look!! As it turns out there were 2 RMWs sitting on their axles out in the weeds. One had the windows down and was hit hard, the other has a very nice tan interior. I am missing the 40 of my 60/40 bench (don't ask) and they will sell me the whole seat for 75 bucks. The missus looked at me funny and pointed out that I have a blue cloth interior. I could probably dye it, but I have never seen a dye job that held up real well on seats, at this point I really don't care that it doesn't match anyway. I need to look when I go back to see if the power ant is still on it. I told the counter guy just to pull the car out, there was serveral parts that I needed and it would save from digging thru the bryers to get to it.

Now the Crusty has new shoes and shocks, springs and tommorow a new seat and hopfully a power ant. Next project is a tune up and window tint ( to hide my mismatched seats, lol)

Why wouldn't the 255's fit on the rear? A lot of owners have swapped them onto their cars and at the most they said you may or may not have to trim/roll the lip on the wheel well. I am confused now, I was under the impression that these tires were supposed to fit these cars.

I'm thinking it may be due to the backspacing of his rims. I was gonna get a set of truck rallys but got nervous some problem would come up knowing my luck so I passed.

Truck rally wheels and 255 tires not getting along is not what I want to hear. Are we talking about the 7" or 8" rally wheels? I have the 7" and the rears are actually easier to remove off the car then the stock alloy wheels were. If I remember right the BS of my wheels was less than 5" but more than 4.75", man I really hope these wheels and tires will fit, of course I will roll/trim my wheel wells if needed, I might just do that to be on the safe side.

I don't think there should be a problem with 7" versions. It's the 8" version that I wanted and waqs worried about. I saw a post on the other forum about 8" and 235s fitting perfectly though.

I have an 8" on the front of my sedan (long story) and need to quit being lazy and see how well it fits my wagon.

I didn't mean to cause concern for anyone, lol. I am gonna assume that the reason they wouldnt fit was due to the fact they are probably 8s with the different backspacing. I watched the tech hoist the mounted tire into postion and even with the lip rolled it was way tight. At this point I was already aggarvated and even thou the 235s probably woulda fit, I just put 225s back under it. My little brother has Rallys on his c10 and is getting ready to put new tires on it. When he gets his done we will play tire shop in the driveway, I will measure both sets of rims and respective backspacing and maybe clear up the problem. I too had read elsewhere that 255s would fit and thats why I chose to go that route, I wanna have that street rod flaire on the Crusty.

I have been at the hospital all day and never got a chance to check on her and see if she was done. I can't wait to drive it with a set of shocks on it. I have to goto the yard at some point this week and get my seats. I am probably gonna take the rest of the week off, so I may go ahead and drop it off at the tint shop. Tn/Ga are both kinda funny about tint, so I am gonna go with a meduim tint. I had limo on 2 of my VWs and its hard enough for me to see at nite now, without straining to see out of black windows. That and I don't need a reason to get stopped... lol.

Sorry for the threadjack but at least it was information that was relevant to your car.
I understand the wanting to drive your car after making changes. I spent a whole day with a couple of other forum members lowering my car and adding different shocks only to have the engine of my car lock up about a quarter mile from the house with a spun bearing on the maiden voyage. So I have no idea what my car rides like now and I have to do an engine swap.

As far as tint is concerned I got my car tinted and the car is registered in Florida but will be operated in North Carolina so I had to look into the laws of both states. NC says 35% all the way around where as FL says 35% in the front and 20% in the rear. To keep things legal I went with NC as it had different requirements. Here are a couple of pics of my car with 35% tint all the way around, it is enough to keep the heat down and I can still see at night.

Nice pics Uber. I did 35% all the way around on my Roady, I really do like the look. I've tried different levels on various wagons. 35% on all is nice because, as stated, it still keeps the heat down, allows you to see out and looks pretty darned good. In VA, we can do 35% except the front doors which are limited to 50%. With 35% all the way around it still looks darkish but not so dark that I get pulled over. On one of the Cruisers I have 50% on the front doors and 20% everywhere else. It looks good but it's also obvious that the tints are different, just doesn't look as consistent, obviously.

Just my .02

Thanks for the pics uber, your car looks real nice. The tint looks good! My sis has a late model chevy with 70% and its too lite, I think 50% is gonna be about where I wanna put it. I got it back this morning, picked up the seats and got them in. I will post some pics later, I still have to modify the dash console brakets to get the ashtray assembly to work. It looks a little off having tan leather in a blue cloth car, but man are they comfy.

PICS!!!!!









Seats tires, shocks and coming soon, tbi cai, lol. I told the guys at the yard today to keep a look out for any wagons, I am gonna cut the quaters off the buick and do a little body work in the spring.....

I need the wiring diagrams to run a power passenger seat. Anybody have ideas, part #s? I have the stock seat controls for the drivers side, ideas?

Started building the Cold air for my tbi, I had to cut the inside of the hat to get it to clear the injectors, got a sewer pip from lowes and a cone filter from pep boys... so far I have less than 50 bucks in it, lol. Its supposed to be raining tomorow so I will stay in and finish it up. I had a brake bulb burn out and removed the 2 screws inside the tailgate, but the light won't come off... am I missing something?

I am liking the look of your wagon. So are the springs that wore out or is the car lowered? Either way the stance is great. The seats look great and who cares what color they are for now.

Thanks, I am digging it more and more everyday. I had it lowered and with new rear springs and shocks all the way around it rides pretty nice. We loaded up and took the kids out in it today and even with the extra weight in the back, I had no problems with it scrubbing or bouncing off the bump stops. My brother brought me a nice suprise this morning, twin electric fans off his old lt1 z28!!!!!

if you get bored of the pass side roadie seat leme know because I need one

roadiewagon wrote:

if you get bored of the pass side roadie seat leme know because I need one

Where are you located? The woodie I have been stripping has a twin further up the yard. I might can score a seat for yea. I do have a good power drivers seat outta Crusty, was gonna hang on to it in case I needed it, but will part with it to help someone else if need be. I see more woodies here than cappys so finding one shouldn't be a big deal.

Tuffluck1975 wrote:

roadiewagon wrote:

if you get bored of the pass side roadie seat leme know because I need one

Where are you located? The woodie I have been stripping has a twin further up the yard. I might can score a seat for yea. I do have a good power drivers seat outta Crusty, was gonna hang on to it in case I needed it, but will part with it to help someone else if need be. I see more woodies here than cappys so finding one shouldn't be a big deal.

hey sry man Im in IL but if you find a tan passenger roadie seat full power leather leme know I will figure something out even if it means shipping it...

Tan leather

http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=217865

hey sry man Im in IL but if you find a tan passenger roadie seat full power leather leme know I will figure something out even if it means shipping it...[/quote]

Thats cool, I will take a look when I go back out there. Funny that I pulled a set of seats out of a woodie thats got more miles than my sho had and are in way better shape, says something for gm, huh?

I am bored, this not working is driving me nuts. Aleast the weather has been decent today. I got my new ashtray assb. from the roadie put in, am reglueing the drivers armrest and fixed some other little doo-dads on the insides. I will redye the ashtray and compartmen when I get ready to freshen the interior. Considered playing with the fan set-up today, but the clouds come and go, sure as I pull it apart it will start to rain. As some may notice the roadie pieces overlap the dash a bit when closed. The stock one looked like someone set it on fire (see burnt spot on the dash?), its warped and looked terrible on top of the fact they used the upper tray as the ashtray.

Almost forgot, lol. Got the proper grill put on!! Anyone need a nice Cappy grill?

does it say Chevrolet at the top? and depending on where you are, I know where you can find some nice tan leather roady seats

Grille looks much better now enjoying the pics of the transformation from when you got it....

BTW the RMW you are getting the interior out of, is it an LT1 car? If so what does the tan driver's door panel look like *inside), the one in my '94 RMW is cracked,

Lookin' good. I've always been a big fan of the Cruisers...