Buickestate has a new project! - 1985 Buick LeSabre Collector's Edition

Pat (buickestate) picked up his latest project today!
The car's been awaiting its maiden voyage from Michigan to Ontario since it arrived here from California last year.

It's a 1985 Buick LeSabre "Collector's Edition" sedan; last year of the RWD "B body" LeSabre.

This is a "parts car" that was part of the deal when I bought my 88 Electra Estate Wagon. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it ran and some of the options actually worked. Pat told me he wanted it as soon as he saw it.

Here's the happy new owner with his new acquisition:


And here's Pat driving off with his friend Paul driving the Roadmaster support vehicle.


Buickestate will take it from here.

Thanks Joe,

I made it home, it was an adventure. First off this Buick's last registration expired in January 2009, or so the Californian plates say. I was nervous to say the least, it's a 300km drive in a car that hasn't been driven in nearly 8 years.

The first issue is that when we stopped to pick up a new fuel cap at autozone on Gratiot ave, we came out to find a steam of antifreeze coming from the Buick,  turned out to be the upper heater hose had burst above the water pump, simple fix since the person who last worked on this heater hose did not have a cutting tool and just looped four feet of heater hose on the engine.

a while later when we stopped for more fuel, we checked the trans fluid level and it was near dry, topped it up, and the sluggishness disappeared and the car ran even better

crossing the boarder, Canada customs had their sniffing dog go over the car, Joe has  story about something like this to tell you. the car was clean and after paying taxes it's now a Canadian car.

about 30 miles from the boarder I lost sight of my roadmaster in my rearview mirror, had to double back and found my roadmaster on the side of the road dead, it would seem that it needed fuel. so I had to go get some fuel for the roadmaster but we were like 14 miles from the nearest gas station,

Over all the old buick seems tight and firm, the 307 runs strong, so she's going to live.....

Back in 1985 I was living and working in Banff Alberta, I worked full time at the Banff Springs hotel, as the room service chef. On my days off I worked for hertz rental, and that's when I first got to drive a collector's edition 85 leSabre same colours as the one I picked up, I loved them and have always wanted one.

Over the winter I'm going to pick through this buick. I have many ideas......

Pat mentioned the drug sniffing dogs at the border...

These two cars were shipped in January, 2015 from California to Michigan on an open trailer.


When the driver was unloading the cars here in Michigan, he told me about his experience with a State Trooper in (I believe) Oklahoma.

The trooper thought that these two ugly, old cars must have been used to move drugs cross-country because he didn't think anyone would actually be paying someone to transport these things! The driver was pulled over and had to wait for a complete inspection of the vehicles and his rig.

Drug-sniffing dogs, hub cap removal, underhood and underbody inspection.
They held him for 3 hours before releasing him.

Glad to hear you got home without a body cavity search, Pat!

Maybe put a 403 in that car with a strengthened 200-4R with a 3.42 or 3.55 gear.
You'll be surprising lots of people with a combination like that....

A Parisienne sedan in the works?

Tom

Thats too cool Pat, I like it as is but I'm sure you'll spiff it up real nice. Looks like it had a vinyl top?

Looking good,Pat. I vote T-Type tribute.

did the 96 collector's edition Roadmaster estates have something like this?

Pat, you probably don't need a parts car, but if you do:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-LeSabre-Custom-/351840220523?forcerrptr=true&hash=item51eb4fb56b:g:nPsAAOSw8gVX2Wuq&item=351840220523

Lil ruff around the edges (and underneath) but many good parts if needed and not too far away.


Tom

silverfox103 wrote:

Pat, you probably don't need a parts car, but if you do:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Buick-LeSabre-Custom-/351840220523?forcerrptr=true&hash=item51eb4fb56b:g:nPsAAOSw8gVX2Wuq&item=351840220523

Lil ruff around the edges (and underneath) but many good parts if needed and not too far away.


Tom

thanks Tom, sadly that's a plain jane Lesabre the only parts shared with mine on the interior is the dash, window trim, and headliner board. Mine is the limited collector's edition, it's more like the interior from an 84 electra than that of a Lesabre.

the only parts I need for mine are the front and rear bumper fillers, the front lower chrome on the passenger front fender between the wheel opening and the front bumper, a nice steering wheel, the whole dash's ashtray assembly, a working period correct radio, the rear window chrome trim since I'm not going to put a new vinyl roof on this one, going to go with a two tone factory style paint. every thing else is either on the car or in my part's stash, I've had time to horde lesabre parts.

I am looking for a decent 9C1 disc brake rear end, posi would be nice, some front spindles so I can go to the bigger GM bolt pattern so I can use Buick turbines.

you should make it into a pontiac catalina!!
Or a roadmaster sedan!!!
or an oldbutiac,.

I like those plans Pat. I know a guy who has the 9C1 parts you need, but it would be a bit of a haul for you to pick them up.

Got a source on the bumper fillers?

Andebe wrote:

Got a source on the bumper fillers?

eBay

phantom 309 wrote:

you should make it into a pontiac catalina!!  
Or a roadmaster sedan!!!
or an oldbutiac,.

it's already an oldbuick with that 307........

MalibuSSwagon wrote:

I like those plans Pat. I know a guy who has the 9C1 parts you need, but it would be a bit of a haul for you to pick them up.

how far is he?

Near me in Amherst,NH

I love the key case and literature. I'd almost be afraid to use those keys.

Awesome! Congrats Pat! Can't wait to see updates as you progress

Chris

it's in getting a new windshield,