Dec. 2017 LROM...Santa Cruz delete

Shots to Tom for asking me to round out the year!!

Backstory:

Used to be an avid 96' SS guy (when they were new cars) until the 9c1 auction era hit in the early 2000's and every other impala you began to see was a poorly done clone sporting SS wheels/grille/spoiler, chrome door handles/rocker trim/antenna bezel sitting at stock 9c1 height.

This was also the time when SS's were defying all laws of depreciation and  getting over $20k w/50k miles.

So I was done!!!

Enter 95-96 RMS & FWB ...half the price, twice the luxury and all the power...Never looked back!

Many years later a cheapy 96 wagon popped up on CL under $2k. Never thought much about these wagons other than an ugly, bloated, peeling wood mess...which this wagon was but for the price I figured why not?

Needed some things like a grill and various trim...so I figured it would all be on ebay for dirt cheap right?  Wrong!  Bought fell out of my chair when I watched a rr qtr. stainless go for $250 plus $45 ship.

Sooo...fast forward to today and as you can see by my signature...I need help!!


*********************Santa Cruz Delete*****************************

So I always have little simple nicknames for my cars and this one is the "Santa Cruz Delete"

Kind of a rare one...WB4, cloth, tow pack...81k miles

A CL deal, spoke with the guy in SC and struck a deal, made the drive with the family & upon arrival there was a small list of not as described items...3 windows off track, snapped hood release cable, blown rear glass shocks, ac not cold, all of the rubbers screwed into the stainless, etc. These weren't exactly dealbreaker items but the agreed price was at a premium based on mileage so I came in asking for $300 off. Seller started going on about some guy from Germany who wanted the car and that he couldn't lower the price, so I walked. Told the guy we would be at the boardwalk for a few hours if he should reconsider...he didn't

So the whole ride home (couple hours) I was kind of regretting standing my ground and felt as though I should have caved and not let the good old pride thing get in the way.

Bought a month or so later the seller calls me talking about how his buyer backed, how sorry he was for not coming down the few hundred and felt guilty about making me drive all the way out there.....and offers to knock $2000 off the price if I want to come down again

IMG_6885 by BUICKNUTT, on Flickr
IMG_6886 by BUICKNUTT, on Flickr
IMG_6891 by BUICKNUTT, on Flickr
IMG_6894 by BUICKNUTT, on Flickr
IMG_6944 by BUICKNUTT, on Flickr

************************FAQ's*************************

Q: Can you really haul sheets of 4x8 in the back
A: Yes, If you put the seats all the way up and don't mind the airbag 4 inches from your chest

Q: Coming to Wagonfest?
A: Would love to, but that drive...

Q: Do I have tons of parts for sale?
A: I do, always love to help folks get their wagons back on the road.

Q: Most common repair?
A: Hmmm....window track guides and those damn fuel pumps!!

Q: Wagon til you die?
A: you betcha!

Again, many thanks to this site, its members, Tom and all of the wonderful wagon-ers iv'e met & dealt with over the years for keeping it alive!!  Wagon-on!!

Beautiful! It appears the kids like the wayback-seat too. Whatever was wrong with the car at the time of purchase seems to have miraculously healed.

Now, about that drive to Wagonfest... it's really not a lot farther that South Carolina.

Thank you Dan!

Loved the story (like Dave) about driving to SC to pick up the wagon.  I thought he really stood his ground, good for Dan.  He drove to South Carolina, coast to coast, and told the guy to cram it.  I liked it so much I had to read it again.  Then it dawned to me, Dan was talking about Southern California.

Guys say it's hard to find wagons out west, but apparently you just look a little harder.  Nice looking fleet and a couple of happy kids waiting for Santa.

Thanks again Dan.  

Good to know there is a western parts source, especially for big stuff.


Tom

Yep. I'm frequently wrong, never in doubt.

Nice write-up and beautiful car(s)!

Great story,I like Dave thought he drove to South Carolina as well. My first thought is that it was a Fred wagon. But the screws in the trim didnt sound like him. Again,nice write up.

SC = Santa Cruz...a cool little beach town out here where they filmed the original lost boys

I get a little carried away with my abbrev. smtmes.

Beautiful wagons!! And neat story

I was like...I never saw that WB4 for sale here in SC?!?!? lol

Nice! So cool to see this section still active with some interest.Well done Tom.

Lorne.

lornejay1 wrote:

Nice! So cool to see this section still active with some interest.Well done Tom.

Lorne.

It still active, but it's hard to get volunteers to do it. The Wagon of the Month idea was hatched by Lorne @ 10 years ago, when we were just starting. We spend the winter months in GA. Our neighbor is from Halifax, NS.

Tom

They are often referred to as Bluenoser's Tom, taken from the famous ship on our 10 cent coins, if you didn't already know try it out in them.

Known to be very friendly,I would definitely know their local Funeral Director.Good to hear from you

great story, but no one else noticed the pic of the kids is from a TBI Caprice wagon and all the other pics are his RMW???? Helloooo, have some coffee ha ha ha.