Greetings from Colorado

I have been lurking the better part of a couple months. Just bought a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon today. I pick it up tomorrow. The interior is clean, for the most part (some loose trim pieces, and dirty leather) but she only has 103k miles on her. Really the biggest down side is a large set of dents going down the passenger's side of the car. I will be looking for advice on reattaching the loose trim pieces, and where to get a tow receiver. It has the tow package, but no receiver. I will post pictures in the next few days it is baby blue with wood paneling, and a blue leather interior.

Congrats on your purchase! Looking forward to seeing photos.

Welcome! Let me guess, you are at Carson?

I am actually in Denver. Though I have been to Fort Carson before. I got the car home today no issues. Over the next week I will be going over her with a fine tooth comb. The previous owner left $7.20 in change in the car so that was a win!

No immediate plans for the car, just going to get her tagged and drive her for a bit and check all the suspension out. I will also be ordering a trailer hitch from probably KDS as that seems to be the logical choice here on the forum. I started my car love with a 1975 Datsun 280z (that I still have) and I am hoping this car becomes my forever family car, with lots of miles to be driven.

I will be starting a build thread where I go through the things I do on the car during my time owning her. We (the kids) haven't decided on a name yet. I thought Beluga would be a good name. Here are the pictures I pulled up the rear seat and vaccummed it all out from under there. Now I need to get a good leather cleaner/conditioner.

With a name like Alpha Whiskey, I just ASSumed lol. Looks good. Any rust on her?

Couple of questions, what do you plan on towing with her? I ask because you MAY want to consider changing out the stock air shocks with the Airlift 1000 bags. And have you considered driving the 3 days to Florida for WagonFest? (There is NO snow here.... Just sayin')

You are right to assume, I am military. I haven't seen any rust yet. I haven't had it up on stands or anything, but I didn't see any Rust in the wells or anywhere. I haven't determined which shocks to use. I am still in the research phase on that.

I am looking to pull a pop-up camper. I haven't thought about going do to WagonFest. I doubt I will make that drive, but it would be fun.

Shocks are a personal choice, I ran the Monroe SS while others run the Bilstiens or KYB. The general consensus is that the Gabrials are crap. There is a LOT of weight over the rear wheels and the ass tends to sag if you carry any weight in the back without the air ride. How you accomplish this depends on what you carry.

Welcome aboard!   A pop up is so light, you won't even know it's back there.  Any trailer of size and you may want to go to a heavier spring or air bag arrangement.

One nice thing about the woodgrain is that it hides dents.  My wife put a few in our woody over the time she had it.

As far as making a run to FL, that's childs play for one of these.  Sure any 20 year old car is a dice roll, but in 2010, I took a 91 Olds that had been sitting in my driveway for a year with a leaky rear axle seal, fixed it the leaky seal and test drove it around town for 100 miles.  Next day, threw my 2 kids in the car and did 3300 miles over the next 9 days, driving from South FL to Niagra Falls and the NY WF.  Why?  So I could meet people like Superior Finish, and others.  

All my friends said I was frigging crazy.   I had my tool box and a few phone numbers of other wagon owners.   If I were going to do it today, the only difference would be a couple of jack stands and a better jack (factory jack is a POS).

The only issue on the whole trip was I got stuck in traffic and didn't realize 1/4 tank meant fill up now! I had to bum a ride to the gas station and buy the dude a tank of gas for his trouble.

It is more of a work conflict, less of a confidence thing. I thought the same thing about the wood trim.

glad to see more in colorado. i am in castle rock and just got my 96 a few weeks ago. with snow i plan to make mine 4wd maybe ill see you on the road sometime.

mythi wrote:

glad to see more in colorado. i am in castle rock and just got my 96 a few weeks ago. with snow i plan to make mine 4wd maybe ill see you on the road sometime.

I love Austin but if I had to deal with snow, Colorado would be my only choice.   We lived in Englewood from 1983-86, right off County Line Road...which back then was where the city ENDED and there was nothing until you hit Castle Rock.  I understand it's grown a bit since then!

Here's pics from Keystone and Dillon Lake WAY back then!   Great memories of Colorado Always!



Welcome to the Group!

-Texas Mike

Nice wagon! I really like that blue interior!