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 June 2011 Long Roof of the Month

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DBeaSSt
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lornejay1
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Nick Danger
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YachtDriver

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PostSubject: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 12:57 am

Tom Asked me to be the Long Roof For June this year.

So here is the story of the Yacht.

Ever since I was a little kid I was always into cars. I had a matchbox collection of several hundred little cars and I always was building new designs out of Lego's.

In 1985 my parents rusty 1980 Citation v6 manual transmission was disintegrating from underneath us. The CV joints were in the middle of failing again. The rust monster was taking full hold. (Mike they didn't last up here) My dad who was at sea stated. "I don't care just get something. I trust you." So lo and behold my mother purchased our family's first Longroof. A 1985 Subaru 2wd 5 speed Gl wagon. It was the first year of the boxy Subaru wagons. This model later became the Loyale. This car lasted till about 1991 when it failed inspection. Right before that my mother purchased what was one of her favorite cars of all time. A 1989 Toyota Camry Wagon. 5 speed 4cyl with full power options. It was a really nice car.
It looked just like this one. Same color even. Took this photo heading to SC this year.
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month DSC01412
At that time I was just learning to drive. So I spent the fall months driving the old Subaru. When we were with the family we took the Camry. The Camry was the first car I drove on the road. It's also the first car I ever drove alone.
The years passed on. With the Death of the Subaru (rusted completely out) my father purchased a 88 Honda Accord hatchback for me to commute to school in. I was in private school as the local High School had lost accreditation. This is the car that I learned to drive in. It survived me and my brother's torture to finally die in California with 330K on the clock. The only reason we junked it then was that it was not possible to repair it due to all the rust. She still ran quite good but the alternator and water pump had both failed.

So My mother was still driving her Camry and my tastes still hung in the Honda crowd I purchased my first car.
A 1988 Sterling 825SL. Essentially an Acura Legend with British interior. (Stupid car but I still liked it.) I really liked this car's highway manors. It flew! 2.5L V6 with a 5 speed manual. Leather interior with real walnut accents.
Looked like this. I don't have any pictures available of the actual car.
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Sterling-1
This car lasted me through my first real job. I was now working in IT and started to earn real folding money. I found a 1992 Honda accord and purchased it to replace the now temperamental and very rusty Sterling. We donated the Sterling and I thought I had a car that would last me 10 years or so....
WRONG. This car was not all it was cracked up to be. (More on this later)

At this time about 1999. my parents Camry had passed on after 315k and they replaced it with a new 1999 Camry sedan. This car did not compute. Nothing fit. The seats were like sitting on cardboard. The quality of the car had really suffered compared to their 1989.
So my father started to search for a replacement. It came down to either a BMW 5 series wagon or a Merc. He wanted something with a warranty. In the spring of 2003 we found a 2000 Black 528 ITA. It was the first car we as a family had ever purchased on EBAY. My brother and I flew to St.Louis to pick it up for them. It was an epic road trip home. We made it back in about 15 hours straight. The 5 series really burns up the miles. My parents still have this car to this day. It's well over 230K and still goes like a train. They just came back from a road trip to my brothers house in Montana.

This car renewed my love of the longroof. Everything fits! Of course I immediately wanted one for myself. But fate being who she is I didn't have $20,000 dollars to spend on my next ride. I had been laid off and was starting a new job. I muddled through with the Honda for a couple more years paying my mortgage and looking for something larger. The Honda really started to show her age. The roof leaked. The dashboard started to act up and the final straw the AC died.
At this point I was really getting into Model Aircraft. It was quite funny to see how much I could cram into that little Honda. The wing of my trainer was over 6 foot and I would usually have it draped from the back package shelf to the front dash. It was time for me to find a larger vehicle. Minivans were suggested but I wanted nothing to do with that. Finally after a discussion with a good family friend and co-worker of my father we started looking at Buick Roadmasters.

I found the first Yacht in the spring of 2005.
It was a 1995 LDM with wood. I believe there were about 89K miles on her. We got a really good price on EBAY. Well the history of this car was not as good as I had thought when I purchased it. It was from the Cape and there was sand everywhere. The dealer I purchased it from stated that he guaranteed that it would pass inspection without hassle so I took my bargain home. Sure enough the rear shock and spring mounts were rotten as heck. I informed the dealer and he promised to make it "right". Well surprise me he did. He found a welding shop and had the car repaired to a high standard. My regular mechanic was actually impressed with the work so I put the LNDYAHT (yacht was not available until 2006) plate onto her. My first YACHT!
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month 172394836_154f6734bb_b
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month 181907691_4545292580_b
So I was hooked. The only problem was the Rust Monster was really taking a toll on this car. By the time 2007 rolled around it was starting to look like it may not pass inspection for the next year. October rolled around and an opportunity to purchase a 1995 Lincoln Town car from Florida came about. It was such a good deal that I could not pass it up. I still have a tough time believing how much you can put into the trunk of this car. It became my year round car. Daily beater what have you. (currently the HOT rod Lincoln due to an exhaust leak)
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Winta_Beatah
So the 1995 LDM is on it's way out. Slowly leaving pieces of itself in the driveway etc. I kept looking on Ebay building a war chest to purchase a clean southern Wagon. I started watching MostlyUnusualCars on ebay. December of 2008 rolls around and sure enough Fred has a Floridian 1996 WB4 wagon for sale. Rust Free! clean car. So I wait and wait for the numbers to climb over my war chests level. It does not. So I place my bid. Lo and behold I win the auction! I am now the proud owner of a LAB WB4 wagon! I trade Fred the LDM wagon for the Auction Fees. I drive the old LDM car out to Waterloo and she runs perfectly all the way out there.
We clear the snow off the "new" car. Start her up and drive home before the white stuff starts to fall. I get her home unscathed and place her into winter Storage. About two weeks after getting her home the Fuel pump fails. This is the first and only time this car has let me down. I replaced the fuel pump in April of 2009 in the garage and it's been smooth sailing ever since.
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Field_shot
So some minor changes over the years. Monsoon stereo. Clear headlights and finally Impala SS wheels. It's a work in progress.
Wall Drug April 2010
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Wall_drug
Wagon Fest Friday Afternoon 2010
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month WF2010_1
OCC May 2011
June 2011 Long Roof of the Month IMG_0274
That's the story of the Yacht to this point.
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Nick Danger

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 9:40 am

Good story. Nice car.
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81X11

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 10:12 am

Really good story. Kinda interesting to see someone that drove foreign for so long coming back to American cars. Sadly you don't see that much anymore.

A Citation started it all. I hear you on the rust, my first two were from New Jersey and both took torches to service. Scary stuff. And 80-models were the first year and total junk. Ouch. Good job for keeping it alive 5-years!

I remember looking at new Sterlings at Potamkin Chevy on Rt 22 in New Jersey. For some reason the Chevy house started selling both Yugos and Sterlings. The leather interior on the Sterling was gorgeous, but the long-term road tests in the car mags at the time killed them over electrical glitches. I remember the one Automobile Magazine tested had issues with the gas gauge constantly failing and the wood on the dash cracking, and it left them stranded numerous times. It's funny since mechanically they were Acura Legends.

Oh and the snow pics of the Lincoln are goregeous. We're headed for 97 degrees today and 99 tomorrow and those pics sure look good to me!!!

I love your blue Roady, easpecially with the Impala wheels.

Good story and congrats on car of the month!

-Mike

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lornejay1

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 1:09 pm



Nice writeup on a very nice current wagon.

Thanks for taking the time, I often refer back to these threads to keep up with who owns what.

keep em coming Tom.
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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 3:03 pm

Great story about growing up and finally getting to drive!Picture of the Lincoln in the snow
made me think of the Sapranos on HBO.That trunk carrys 3 bodies easy.Thats a dramatic
change in your wagons appearance with the SS wheels.
Jim Gordon
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Sprocket

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 01, 2011 7:06 pm

Nice write up and loved your car when I saw it last year at fest (my old OCC is on left in the WF Friday pic). Sadly though that OCC has left the fold as the neighbor sold it and I didn't get to meet the new owner and tune him in...

First car I solo'ed in was a red 1980 V6 Citation. 1.5 years before obtaining my driver's license Smile
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DBeaSSt
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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeThu Jun 02, 2011 9:14 pm

Thanks for sharing! Still my favorite color too. Beautiful wagon.
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gwturbo

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeMon Jun 06, 2011 8:09 pm

Great story. Love the roadie with the wheels on it. It is also one of my favorite colors. I saw this car at Wagonfest 2010 and it is beautiful.
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silverfox103
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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 08, 2011 9:00 am

Nice story Douglas!

I have seen the wagon a few times, you won't find one nicer. As always, I enjoy the story of how you got here to the world of wagons.

Tom C.
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brokecello
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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeWed Jun 08, 2011 9:43 pm


Very cool story and love the pics Smile That is a beautiful wagon...
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FlashGumby

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeThu Jun 30, 2011 10:20 am

Thanks for sharing, Douglas. Great wagon (my, but she's clean). but even better story!
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YachtDriver

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PostSubject: Re: June 2011 Long Roof of the Month   June 2011 Long Roof of the Month Icon_minitimeThu Jun 30, 2011 7:39 pm

Thanks for all the comments about how clean she is. During the summer months I visit the flying field which is down a two mile dirt road. I only have to wash it about every two weeks.

It's surprising how well the LAB Blue color hides dirt. Laughing

The only color that seems to hide it better is the light driftwood color. The first yacht looked clean even in the winter.

It's amazing how many people will come up to talk to you when you drive one of these cars. My parents have a small Antique business. They borrow the wagon to go to shows as it carries more than their BMW. A couple of weekends ago my father locked the keys inside while at a show. It was parked in front of the show for several hours waiting for AAA to send a locksmith. Several people approached him to ask if it was for sale. They were all amazed when he would reply. It's not for sale and it's my son's car. He figured he could have sold it at least three times.

Thank you for all replies.

Looking forward to July's Wagon of the month.
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