1996 Roadblaster wagon - now for parts or restoration, or for LT 1 use in another vehiclle

Hello Everyone,

Time to sell the 1996 collectors edition Roadblaster 9 passenger wagon. Metal prices so low couldn't even get $100 for it from a recycling guy last year - for a 5,000 Lb Vehicle!. The WW tires are worth more than that!

Bought new, 168,200 miles, rebuilt tranny 2 years ago,  LT 1 still runs great and squeels the tires whenever I want.

But too much rust for a sticker. Frame rusted at both rear upper trailing arms; body mounts rusted at left front, right front, left rear, and right center. Fuel tank straps. Steering center link.  Some rust on body in Right lower quarter. Won't start and my guess is the ^%$I&^*% in tank Fuel Pump AGAIN, which has been replaced about 5 times. Bad pump and design I guess. But you guys already know that.

 Lot of great parts for one of you collectors. More details and photos on Craigs list.

https://nh.craigslist.org/search/cto?query=1996+Buick+ROadmaster+wagon

Seems a shame to lose it's parts value to collectors who are restoring and keeping these cars going. Great ride. Nothing really available to replace it except MAYBE a Ford Flex. Have driven a GM wagon since 1963 when I got my first - a 1957 hand me down with the 283. Suffered through the 350 diesel in one, and then the 305 Tonowanda made under powered in others, and finally got this one with the LT 1.  That GM 350 diesel -what a disaster. Probably responsible for the DEMISE of Cadillac when they foisted that baby on their highest end cars. Guys literally RAN to Lincoln and Lexus, or went German.

I don't think Cadillac ever recovered. Some of you remember when Cadillac really WAS the Standard of the World, and if you had one in the 50's or 60's or 70's you were doing pretty well. Ike was Prez. Great time in America for many.
Somebody buy this last of these big GM wagons and help with your upkeep or restoration. I really miss it.

Hi Bob

I can relate to much of what you said. Cadillac is not what it used to be, that's for sure. I have a 96 Fleetwood which was probably the last Cadillac. The Mrs. has a 2007 Cadillac CTS, it's not a Cadillac by any stretch of the imagination. Can you imagine a Cadillac with "pleather" seats (plastic made to look like leather). It's more like a Chevy Cavalier. She wanted something small, so be it.

Tom

I wish I could give that wagon a good home but sadly I can't right now. Love the Trump stickers by the way

GLWS

silverfox103 wrote:

Hi Bob

I can relate to much of what you said.  Cadillac is not what it used to be, that's for sure.  I have a 96 Fleetwood which was probably the last Cadillac.  The Mrs. has a 2007 Cadillac CTS, it's not a Cadillac by any stretch of the imagination.  Can you imagine a Cadillac with "pleather" seats (plastic made to look like leather).  It's more like a Chevy Cavalier.  She wanted something small, so be it.

Tom

Hi Tom,

You sure you don't need this one to go with your blue roadblaster? Littleton isn't that far! Same color, same interior!

My Grandparents and Dad had Caddys since the 1930's. I remember the first one with AC, which was I think a 54 or 55 in Green. Had the two "vents" on the side behind the back doors to bring air into the AC unit, which back then was basically a Frigidaire window type AC unit sitting in the trunk. My dad had a 54 convertible, grey with red leather. Not many of those when I got dropped off at the local grade school back then. I would love to have that one today.

The 1958 Fleetwood special was also a chrome wonder and had that back seat big enough to do about anything. Had the "signal seeking radio" and the "Guide a Matic," I think it was called, (from GM GUIDE Division) to automatically go from hi to low beam on the lights when a car approached.

The radio also had a floor switch to change the stations. It was under the floor mat and could not be seen. We wondered for a long time how my Grandfather could just point to the radio and tell it to change stations and it magically happened. Was a big mystery back in 1958. Now you can actually probably make it do that with voice control.

When I was 16 I got to drive their new Black 61 Fleetwood Brougham. It only had about 500 miles on it, and I drove down route 28 from the Merrimack Valley area down to Norwood, Mass to visit my other grandparents. There was no route 93 yet, and 128 was not down that far yet. So I went right through Boston and out the VFW Parkway. I'm not sure I would have let my son at 16 drive do that. But I was careful and made it uneventfully. What a boat!

I had their last one in 1976 which was a 71 Fleetwood, and unfortunately it was in a garage fire some years later.

Great times and great cars. Now I know 16 year olds who "don't think they want to get a license to drive a car." Huh?? Can't imagine that, but maybe Uber and automatic electric cars will be fine for them. But not for us!

Awaiting summer at the lake. Bob

TheRoadmasterKing wrote:

I wish I could give that wagon a good home but sadly I can't right now. Love the Trump stickers by the way

GLWS

Hello GLWS,

No extra charge for the partially obscured Romney sticker with the TRUMP sticker. Actually, my wife was the last one to drive the car, and turned it facing out so no one could see the bumper stickers. She also said, "knowing you, when they come to tow it, it will be easier for them facing out." Right as usual...

Bob

bobsr wrote:

TheRoadmasterKing wrote:

I wish I could give that wagon a good home but sadly I can't right now. Love the Trump stickers by the way

GLWS

Hello GLWS,

  No extra charge for the partially obscured Romney sticker with the TRUMP sticker. Actually, my wife was the last one to drive the car, and turned it facing out so no one could see the bumper stickers. She also said, "knowing you, when they come to tow it, it will be easier for them facing out." Right as usual...

  Bob
 

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or totally don't know but GLWS means "good luck with sale"

bobsr wrote:

Hi Tom,

  You sure you don't need this one to go with your blue roadblaster? Littleton isn't that far! Same color, same interior!

I need to update the picture Bob.  As of last week, the blue wagon now resides in New Jersey with its new owner. Two toys is really more than I need.

Tom

I'm thinking my friend Ben would love to have the blue door panels other interior parts from that car. He's in New Jersey, as Tom noted. Will send him the link.

-Mike