Things to Look For when shopping for a Roadmaster or other Whale Wagon

Well since I'm celebrating 12-years since I first bought my '96 Roadmaster Wagon, thought a share some things to "Look For" when shopping.   This is mainly for 94-96 cars, because I know them the best.   I always having people asking me about my car and wanting to know what is the "right" wagon, so took the time to write my thoughts.   Feel free to point out any mistakes!   Just want to help others!

SO here we go.  

The 94-96 models with the LT1 under the hood are the most fun. Look for ones with the towing package, which includes an engine-driven mechanical fan, an external oil cooler and transmission cooler (which GREATLY adds to the life of the transmission on these) and also includes the posi-traction 2.93 rear axle, which makes these huge cars a LOT faster, more fun, and also helps the transmission life as the car will not be shifting in and out of Overdrive on every little hill on the highway. The base non-tow-pack cars have a silly 2.55 gear that makes them feel like real dogs, especially if you drive a tow-pack and then a non-tow-pack right after. It's not a deal-breaker that the car is not a tow-pack, but a rear axle swap is a near-must if it's not...if you want to really enjoy these vehicles. Regardless when you drive the car make sure the transmission falls right into gear and shifts smoothly with no slip. Also feel for any hesitation under load...the '94 was the last LT1 to use the early non-vent-hose OptiSpark distributor...which you can Google if you don't know about. They are more prone to failure and a pain to change. Beyond that it's just the usual, in looking for leaks, listening to any odd engine sounds or noise from the rear. These cars are mechanically built, literally, like trucks, so they are pretty stout, but do the usual once-over. You will want to check that the tailgate opens both down and to the side. Oh and the interior door panels are made of plastic crap...NEVER EVER slam the door on a 94-96 Roadmaster. GM did a fast-an-dirty redesign on the door panels for 94 when they installed the new dual-airbag dashboard, and the panels are prone to cracking, especially toward the front of the panel in front of the arm rests on both front doors. You will also want to make sure all four door power windows open and close fine. There are plastic sliders on the window tracks that break....VERY common, and they DO make redesigned rollers to fix the issue, but it's a bit of labor to change those. I can do those in my sleep now. Other things to check are that the a/c and heat work, and that the climate control switches smoothly from floor to dash to defrost, meaning the blend door is working. And even on a southern car, check for rust under the spare tire well below the passenger-side rear 1/4 panel. The roof racks are known to leak, water ends up standing in the tire well and it rusts from the inside-out. Lastly, these cars have rear air suspension..and in many cases the air shocks are shot or the compressor (mounts under the front bumper) is shot, which makes a soft car REALLY soft. One of the FIRST mods I do on my wagons is to pull the compressor fuse and order Moog variable-rate rear coil springs and KYB Gas-A-Just shocks for all four corners, which TOTALLY fixes the car, takes the float away but still gives a smooth ride. If the buy the car, I would out this mod near the top of your 2-do list.

The '94 models are somewhat of an odd year, being the first year for the LT1, the updated dashboard, door panels, and they changed the way the 2nd-row seat folds down (simplified hinge design). They do have some leftover parts from the older models, with the main detraction on the '94 being the much-smaller door mirrors. The '94 was also the final year for the older style din-1/2 radios, carried over from 1993 and previous years. Beyond that, these have that older-style OptiSpark I mentioned above, which is a bit more fragile and failure-prone.

You really are not missing a lot in a 1994. In 1995 the Roadmaster got the new large-format double-din stereos, with large buttons, a bigger digital screen, and the option of having both CD and Cassette in the radio together, along with improved "Concert Sound" 6-speaker audio system. Also in '95 the cars got the much bigger (and better integrated) exterior door mirrors, and as mentioned the redesigned OptiSpark distributor that uses intake vacuum via a hose to remove moisture from the distributor, and removed the vents which allowed water to enter the Opti..the 95-96 Opti is just a lot more reliable. '95 was also the first year for the "Limited"-level interior trim, which included seats in a design shared with the Riviera, that offered seat heaters and power lumber support. The '96 was a carryover year with the somewhat-large exception of moving to the OBDII computer and diagnostics system...meaning for tech issues the '96 is easier to diagnose for most shops, as OBDII is still the standard for cars and almost all shops have scanners for them, but the downside is you now have FOUR oxygen sensors instead of just two, and some mods are a bit more difficult without tripping a Check Engine light. The only other "updates" in '96 were, being the final year, they got the big round "Collector's Edition" hood ornaments and some have special fender emblems as well, and the seat belt's got interior color-matched plastic caps on the male part of the buckles.

Oh, ha, in mid-95 they changed to a larger 1-piece fold-down center armrest that is a bit more comfy when you are using the cupholder. I know, zippity-do-dah, but you asked for year-over-year changes.

Just to note on a non-tow-pack car....in addition to being a bit weak power-wise due to the rear axle gearing, it most-likely will have a badge on the dash that says DYNARIDE. That is the base-level suspension and it is very VERY soft and floaty. The tow-pack cars got the Gran Touring Suspension option, which was a bit firmer and more stable. See my notes way-up-high about the spring and shock most...highly recommended mod if you buy the whale-wagon. Oh and be prepared if it has the wire wheels that are known to creak and rattle. I would find a set of stock Roadmaster wheels if you want to keep the original look or Impala SS wheels bolt right on.

If you do decide to change the rear gearing, a super mod is to find a rear axle from a 1991-1993 tow-pack Roadmaster/Caprice/Olds Custom Cruiser wagon. Those had a 3.23 rear axle, and let me tell you, going from a 2.55 to a 3.23 will feel like you added 100-horsepower. Those can still be found in salvage yards or online forums/Craigslist. You will have to have the ecm flashed for the new gearing for the correct shift points and speedo reading, but there are quite a few good tuners that know the drill. I can't stress enough what a great difference that makes to a non-tow-pack car to move to the 2.93 rear from an LT1 car or a 3.23 for a TBI car. Totally wakes the car up, makes the transmission live longer, and makes the car feel 1000-pounds lighter.

Since I've now written you a novel, check if either of the front seats "rock", feeling like they are loose from the floor just a bit. GM used cheap plastic sliders for the seat tracks, and they break, and then the seats will rock just a bit. You can get new sliders, made of better materials, but it's a project to change them. Broken sliders can also lead to jamming seats, so make sure the power seats work in all directions.

That's ALL I can think of now. Good Luck!

As-Found in 2007


And now 2019 (well late 2018 in this pic)


I hope I haven't scared anyone off....I love these cars a lot, and wanted to give you the common things to look for.

-Texas Mike

Folks ALWAYS get that wrong. ALL B BODIES have a vented Optispark from the factory.

The leaks from the roof are mostly the seam under the edge of the roof rack, and the top of the cargo bay glass. The water feeds into the channels on both sides of the headliner, and flows to the rear grab handles, then drips/runs into the trays and fenders. Look for water stains in the trays on top of the spare cover, and storage bin panel. I had the headliner out of my OCC, and water dripped from the seam under the edge of the roof rack. A roof seam leak is not extremely difficult to repair, but you should know if, and where leaks are before "fixing" things that are not broken. A window glass leak repair is expensive, and a royal pain in the butt.

If you can remove the interior vista window trim, check the rear glass support for rust holes. I found holes big enough to stick my thumb into. If it is raining, you may also be able to see any leaking onto the headliner if you shine a flashlight between the headliner and roof.

A heads up on the mechanical fan...the tensioner is NOT available anywhere. If your tensioner fails, plan on putting an electric fan in place of tthe mechanical one.

Low mileage on these cars can be 200K.

I got to the second paragraph, TLDR after the second error.

TLDR???

jayoldschool wrote:

I got to the second paragraph, TLDR after the second error.

Well please comment with the corrections.   Want to get things right and help folks that are looking to buy one of these cars. They seem to be growing in interest, and when folks ask me about them, I'm sending them to our forum here for more info.

If I'm mistaken on something above, please point it out.  Thanks!

-Mike

94Woody wrote:

Folks ALWAYS get that wrong. ALL B BODIES have a vented Optispark from the factory.

Here is some Optispark info I've had bookmarked for years:

The LT1 Optisparks are very similar between years, but there are only 2 styles : 1992-1994 and 1995-1997.  The 2 cannot be interchanged without front cover and camshaft modifications.  There are 3 main differences in the units : drive method, ventilation system, and electrical connection.


Vented Optisparks have 2 small vacuum line attachments.  These attachments allow for engine vacuum to remove moisture from the Optispark unit.  


Non-vented Optisparks have no vacuum line attachments.  Instead, 3 small holes are located at the bottom of the unit to allow for ventilation.  This causes failure when driving in rainy weather or through a puddle.


The Optisparks use 2 different drive methods : Spline drive and Pin drive.  On spline drive system (92-94), the Optispark has a splined shaft that mates to the camshaft timing gear.  The gear is clocked so the shaft only goes in 1-way for precise timing.  On the pin drive system (95-97), a pin extended from the camshaft runs through the timing gear and into a slot on the Optispark, and the shaft from the Optispark runs through the camshaft center for better bearing support.



Non-vented:


Vented:


CONVERTING FROM NON-VENTED TO VENTED OPTISPARK

Some advantages of the vented Optispark are (1) the ventilation system allows for a longer life span and less misfires, (2) the bearing and drive method allow for longer bearing life, and (3) the larger diameter front seal reduces the change of oil leakage through the cover and into the Optispark.  You can convert from a non-vented Optispark to a vented Optispark by changing the Optispark unit, the front timing cover to a 95-97 model, camshaft timing gear to a 95-97 model, adding the vacuum lines, and changing the Optispark extension harness to the later model.  The camshaft does not necessarily need to be changed, but you will need to drill the cam centering hole deeper for the Optispark unit to slide in all of the way.  

Look man, I know there are 2 optisparks and I know the difference between them. I also know that every b body came with the 2nd version, the vented optispark.

Looking at my screen name will let you know I had a 94. Guess what it had? A vented optispark.

Do some research at ISSF if you need to because your post is wrong.

Thanks for the info, that's a good summary of Whale wagon traits to know about and look at on prospective wagons. I am grateful my 96 is a tow pack car, but I'm not crazy the mechanical fan. I've been contemplating switching to electric fan for a few years. I even got all the parts except for the new wiring harness. My only hesitation is that the big mechanical fan may make the AC more effective, which here in Texas we can use all the AC we can get.

I don't know about the Optispark issue. Thankfully I've had two 94 Caprices and didn't have to mess with the Opti in either.

Your wagon looked really tasty and tempting on the used car lot, with "low mileage" and a TX flag on the antenna, all for only $3950! How did they keep the flag on when the antenna retracted automatically? I kind of like the non-original hubcaps.

jon7190 wrote:

Thanks for the info, that's a good summary of Whale wagon traits to know about and look at on prospective wagons. I am grateful my 96 is a tow pack car, but I'm not crazy the mechanical fan. I've been contemplating switching to electric fan for a few years. I even got all the parts except for the new wiring harness. My only hesitation is that the big mechanical fan may make the AC more effective, which here in Texas we can use all the AC we can get.

I don't know about the Optispark issue. Thankfully I've had two 94 Caprices and didn't have to mess with the Opti in either.

Your wagon looked really tasty and tempting on the used car lot, with "low mileage" and a TX flag on the antenna, all for only $3950! How did they keep the flag on when the antenna retracted automatically? I kind of like the non-original hubcaps.

The power antenna was broken when I bought my car.   I've replaced it twice now over the past 12 years, both with used ones, one sourced here on the forum, and one I found on a Caprice in the local salvage yard here.  

As for the fan change, mine was also a tow-pack car and I swapped to dual-electric fans about 3-4 years ago.   I pulled the fans, shroud and such from the local salvage yard, and ordered the harness from Innovative.   As a fellow Texas I was worried about the a/c too. The a/c was not hurt at all happily, as the fan(s) comes on as soon as the a/c compressor kicks on, but I was not happy with how long it took for the fans to come on with the a/c off.   Before the swap, the temp gauge never EVER went above halfway, but after it would go to almost 3/4 hot on the gauge before the fans kicked on.   I ended up sending my ECM to a tuner in New York who did a power-tune and also lowered the temp when the fans kick on.  I love the mod now.   You can SEE the front of the mortor, and it just looks so much cleaner.

Before:


After:

94Woody wrote:

Look man, I know there are 2 optisparks and I know the difference between them. I also know that every b body came with the 2nd version, the vented optispark.

Looking at my screen name will let you know I had a 94. Guess what it had? A vented optispark.

Do some research at ISSF if you need to because your post is wrong.

Well good deal! I'd heard different from others, but personally have a '96 so you're the expert having the '94. Thanks for the correction. Keep them coming, want folks to have all the right info!

-Mike

Out of the 14 Bbodies I've owned...the two 94s did have the vented Opti Sparks.  

You should mention other rust spots to watch out for as well (these are the ones I've experienced and watched out for):

1. Rust in the rear wheelwells - take the rear wheels off and poke around looking for soft spots.

2. Rust under the plastic rocker trim panel at the bottom of the A and B Pillar.  If you don't stop it BEFORE it shows up...the cancer will be bad.  Take the trim piece off and CLEAN.  

3. Front Inner Fender Rust (under the battery, under the PCM). If you see bubbling under the hood latch fastner (at the peak of the drivers side inner fender above the washer fluid tank) or where the power steering reservoir is located, you know its much worse where you can't see.  

4. Where the firewall meets the frame..the body bushing area.  If you are replacing the inner fender or have it off...clean and treat that area. It holds rot and will rust out quick

5. D Pillars above the rear tail lights

6. Rear Brake Line near the fuel filter and where it goes over the axle. Seems to hold crud and will blow out there if not cleaned / treated

7. Power Steering Lines - will hold crud and swell/rot out quickly around the steering box connection

2.56
vented opti

Small stuff.

You might include some info on LT1 vs. L03 vs. L05. I've never had a pre 94 model, but I know some people prefer them. I dont know much about L03/L05, but I know there are pros and cons.

Fred Kiehl wrote:

TLDR???

Too Long, Didn't Read.

jon7190 wrote:

You might include some info on LT1 vs. L03 vs. L05. I've never had a pre 94 model, but I know some people prefer them. I dont know much about L03/L05, but I know there are pros and cons.

I had this beautiful '92 Olds Custom Cruiser....for less than a year. It was a wonderful car and had the LO5 350 with a towing package, really low miles, and I liked it a lot...but when I had the opportunity to get my LT1 Roadmaster back, the Olds went bye-bye fast.






If I had never owned an LT1 car and had nothing to compare the Olds with, I would most-likely still own it today. BUT the LT1 car is just so much quicker and feels lighter on it's feet.

Little things stood out. The a/c vents sit higher in the LT1 car so it cooled better here in Texas. The LT1 car is both quieter and smoother (could be because the TBI intake sticks up and sits right in front of the windshield, while the LT1 intake faces toward the front of the car, and the TBI car had a mechanical fan vrs electrics on the LT1)...the LT1just felt a lot more...well..modern.

I also prefer the door panel comfort on the LT1 Roady, where there is a ledge on the windowsill to put your elbow on, vrs the way the door panels curve away on the TBI cars (but that door panel design DOES make the car feel even wider and more spacious). The Olds lacked roof grab handles, only had single exhaust, and well...on and on.

As far as reliability, the TBI cars are known to be bulletproof mechanically and easier to service in general. I also feel the interior QUALITY is better on the TBI cars.

In 2016 I refurbished this really nice 1992 Roadmaster Sedan, with the L05 350, but NOT the tow-pack, and it was shocking how that rear axle ratio cripples the power. This too is a fantastic low-mile car, but it felt 1000lbs heavier than my LT1 wagon when you drove it, and the same comment applies regarding the "curve-away" door panel design. BUT the Limited seats in the '92 ARE fantastic!





These b-BODIES are ALL great cars, TBI or LT1, and everybody has favorites, but that's my two cents.

I hope others chime in!

-Michael

81x11 wrote: "You really are not missing a lot in a 1994. In 1995 the Roadmaster got the new large-format double-din stereos, with large buttons, a bigger digital screen, and the option of having both CD and Cassette in the radio together, along with improved "Concert Sound" 6-speaker audio system."

I would confirm that the 95-96 is definitely better in the audio department. The head units are nicer. The Caprices have speed compensating volume (at least on the upper level stereos), but the Roadmasters don't (that seems wrong!). They do have a security feature that prevents swapping units between cars, so if you buy a radio from another car, it has to be programmed by a dealer (Perhaps there is another way to do this yourself, I'm not sure). Stock CD decks seem to be pretty rare in the wagons, so if you find a car that has one that is definitely a point in its favor.

The audio quality in a stock "Concert Sound" Roadmaster system for 95-96 is surprisingly quite good. I think the deck puts out a decent amount of power for a stock 90's system, but the main thing working for it is the true component 6.5 inch round speakers (meaning the woofer and tweeter are separate units with a crossover splitting the high and low frequencies between them, as opposed to a coaxial speaker that has the woofer and tweeter built into one unit. Caprices have rectangular 4x6 front speakers, which are terrible). The only thing really lacking in the stock stereo is bass, since of course they don't have a separate subwoofer. If you are inclined to put an aftermarket system in, it is pretty straightforward in these cars. I documented my experience with that here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10217836433322469&type=1&l=ae8e05421c

" GM did a fast-an-dirty redesign on the door panels for 94 when they installed the new dual-airbag dashboard, and the panels are prone to cracking, especially toward the front of the panel in front of the arm rests on both front doors. "

No whale B/D-body will ever show up on a Top 10 highest quality interiors list. However, as mentioned above, the 91-93 interiors are better. The full gauge package on the dash is great, and the dash and door panels are a bit tighter and more durable. The Caprice kept the same door panels through 96, but the Roadmaster got redesigned door panels along with the new dash and steering wheel in 1994. These Roadmaster door panels are infamously fragile, so check those closely on any prospective car. If the door panels are good with no cracks in the panels, rattly wood trim, or scratched up power window switch plate, you should probably buy that car immediately because it is a sign that the car overall has led a pampered life.

94-96 steering wheels are terrible, too. The coloring rubs off really easily on the soft plastic rims, and on really hard-used cars the rim will be worn away smooth, black and ugly. If they are merely discolored, they can can be redyed successfully.

As bad as the quality of the 94-96 interiors is, I have to say I prefer them, especially the Roadmaster. The dash and doors are much more attactive designs. I thought it was cheap of GM to share the door panel and lower dash between Chevy, Olds and Buick. The leather wrapped Buick wheel is nice. The leather is more durable than the soft plastic rim and I like the thinner feel of the leather rim. You just have to be careful to mostly use the leather portions to keep the plastic part of the rim from wearing down (Curse you GM, it's always something!) The 94-96 Buick interior is appropriately more "premium" looking, it just would have been nice if they could have engineered it a little better.