January LROM

First I would like to thank Tom for allowing my wagon to be LROM. I don't feel my wagon is nearly as nice as many that I see on this and other forums. But, I like it and appreciate the opportunity to show it off a little.
Since I am on the leading age of the baby boomers, my influential years coincided with the wonderful days of the 50s and 60s when American cars were such an important part of everyone's life. Or at least it seemed so. Every September was so exciting when all the new models were introduced. Growing up with 4 older brothers, it seems there was always an interesting car around our house. My brothers and I would go to the local half mile dirt track most Saturdays and I became a NASCAR fan early on. Somehow I don't find it as interesting as it used to be, but I still keep up with it. I have owned a few wagons over the years and always especially liked them. 2 of my favorites were a 57 Pontiac and 62 Impala that I had owned when I was in the Air Force in the 60's. I also had a 1983 Century wagon that was made to look like a Grand National wagon with complete interior and running gear from the GN. A very fun wagon.


Since I had married at a very early age, I didn't have a real muscle car until later in life. I had plenty of enjoyable rides however, my favorite being a 1948 Buick Special Sedanet. Strait 8 with 3 speed on the column. I became partial to Buicks and when the Buick Grand National was introduced, I fell in love with it. One of my brothers purchased a new T-type and I just had to have one then. I was able to purchase a new Grand National in 1986. I owned that car for 10 years and sold it to purchase a 1987 turbo-t which I still own. It is amazing how fast these little V6 turboed cars are with a few mods. I always enjoyed the fact that the Buicks had kind of flown under the radar and really weren't supposed to be as fast as they were. In fact in 1987 they had listed the hp on the Buick below its actual numbers at the insistance of Corvette management so the Vette could be advertised with higher hp than the Grand National. Over the next few years I upgraded this car from a start of about 13 seconds in the 1/4 mile to the high 10s.
Heatum up in Bradenton, Fl

Buick Nationals at Bowling Green, Ky


In 1991 when the new style B-bodied wagons came out, I liked the way they looked but never really considered buying one at that time. Over the next few years they began to grow on me. In the spring of 2007, an older woman came to my office (I sell hearing aids) driving a 91 Caprice wagon that looked to be in excellent condition. It turns out she was moving out of state soon to be near her daughter and would be selling her car before the move. I told her to call me if and when she decided to sell it. She called in May and was ready to sell. I was not in the market for a car at that time but I couldn't pass it up. After driving it a week or two, I decided to sell my truck and make the wagon my daily driver.


I drove the wagon for a year and I really liked the Caprice, but I wanted an LT1 car and decided it had to be a Buick.
I found a 95 Roadmaster for sale on the internet in Kansas City. The car had originally been in Arizona for the first 12 years of it's life and Fred had found it for the owner I bought it from. He had made many upgrades on the wagon. It had big Hotchkis sway bars, front and rear, aftermarket lower control arms, new brakes, all new front end parts, new springs and Bilstein shocks, all the interior was dynamatted with new carpet and bonnie seats with new leather all around. He had put in a B&M floor shift that just didn't look right in this car and didn't work right either. The car had upgraded stereo with new speakers all around and factory service manuals. There were other things that I can't remember now. He had spent a lot of money on the car but never could get his wife to warm up to it and was selling it for that reason. I bought it for about half the amount of just the upgrades he had put in it. Flew up to KC and drove it home.
Before I bought wagon

Some of the work the PO did

Completely stock under hood

B&M shifter


The trip to pick the car up and the drive back was very special for me. My brother had been diagnosed with cancer at that time and we knew it was very serious. I asked him to fly up and meet me in KC and we could drive back in the wagon and take our time and catch a few sites on the way. He did and we had a wonderful trip and thoroughly enjoyed being together for that time. He has since passed away, so it makes the memory that much better for me.
My brother and wagon at KC airport getting ready to head to Florida


Since I have owned the wagon I have made a few improvements such as wheels and I changed the B&M to a Bravada console and shifter.
I was able to make it to wagonfest this past year and had a great time spending time with others who appreciate these cars.

The weather was beautiful and it was a nice trip except for the distance. Very worthwhile experience. I really appreciate all the hard work that was put in by Mike and Joel and everyone else there.
I don't know that I have ever owned a car that I enjoyed any more than this wagon. It is a pleasure doing little things to it to try and improve the look or performance. Makes me wish I had owned one a lot sooner.
Under hood now.


Before b pillar and mirror black out

B pillar, mirrors blacked out and euro headlights.

Thanks for listening to my ramblings and happy wagoning.

Great story, thanks for sharing. Very nice wagons too. Loving the Boxy Buick up there.

Very cool story, man! Love the wagons. That old Century was too cool.

Nice write up GLen and I have NEVER seend a GN wagon, that's too cool.
Need to get up to St. AUggie Doggie and catch up with you.

I especially like that Red wagon in the background of one of WF pics......

Mike, Bill and Sprocket, Thanks for the comments. The GN wagon was a lot of fun. Like most cars I have ever owned, I wish I still had it.
Sprocket wrote:I especially like that Red wagon in the background of one of WF pics.....
Yea I thought you might like that one. I would welcome you up to the old city anytime you want to make the trip. Thanks, Glenn

SSRI intake with the RAISS deflector...... looks familiar......


Nice write up!! Always did like the white WB4's.

Looking good !!!! GN wagons are great to !!

Nice cars.... Nice write up..... And my neighbor at Wagonfest 2010.

Tim

Nice story Glen, I always enjoy the story behind the story. The 57 Pontiac was one of my favorites also. I remember they had a Chevy Nomad type 2-door. They were really nice and they were nicely equipped. I also remember you could get them with the 347, tri power. That was a going machine.

Oh, and don't let Glen fool you, his wagon is as nice as any.

Good job and thanks

Tom

Nice LROM write up Glen.

I am interested in more about that sound proof stuff on the floor. Lorne.

Great pics, neat cars, love the GN wagon and your latest RMW.

Congrats and nice write-up!

-Mike

Glen, you did it right - buy it from a fellow enthusiast who's already put a lot of effort into it. My next B-body purchase will be this way.

Your wagon is beautiful, BTW. Are those rims rare?

And what's the story on the '97 Z28 in the background?

Glen that was a wonderful story about your brother and you will always remember that trip you 2 took together to
pick up your wagon.Personally I think that your GN wagon looks better than the original coupe did but I am prejudice
towards the wagons.Congrats on the LROM and keep on modding your wagon!
Take Care
Jim Gordon

Good stuff, and cool wagons!

Thanks for all the kind words. I really appreciate it.

Lorne asked. I am interested in more about that sound proof stuff on the floor.
Lorne, I am not sure what the sound proof stuff is. It is about 1/16th thick and is adhesive on one side. The previous owner put it in and it seems to work very well. If I can find out more about it, I will let you know.

Joel asked. Are those rims rare?
And what's the story on the '97 Z28 in the background?
Joel, The rims are 17" ARE torq lite. I don't think they are rare.
The 97 Camaro was my wife's car. She hardly ever drove it, so it has been sold. It was not a 6 speed so I really didn't have that much interest in it.
Thanks, Glenn

Nice story, Glenn. You still own both wagons?
Pete

Dutch Pete wrote:

Nice story, Glenn. You still own both wagons?
Pete

Thanks Pete, the only wagon I have now is the Roadmaster. It is my daily driver.

Nice story and pics! Do you have any shots of the updated interior? (Bravada console?) Love the Euro lights too!

Chris

Chris, here a couple of pics of the interior. Doesn't show that much but you get an idea.


Thanks, Glenn

Glenn..that is SHARP. Love the leather Bonnies and that console. Just flows nicely! Thanks for posting that up!

Chris

Chris, thanks for the kind words. By the way I absolutely love your project and have been watching the progress as it comes along. I wish I had your talent.
Thanks, Glenn

do the bonnies and the center console "feel" right? I mean does it feel like it should be there?

Krzdimond wrote:

do the bonnies and the center console "feel" right? I mean does it feel like it should be there?

Absolutely Robert. The seats are very comfortable and feel somewhat supportive. And the position of the console and shifter seem very natural. You have to trim the console some to fit the hump, but other than that it is very easy and I think it looks very natural in this vehicle.

interior looks very nice Glenn. Did you find the seats in the right colour? (or had to redo them) The console looks as if it belongs there (IMHO)
Pete

That little box wagon Century is bad ass. Cool car. I'm somewhat close to you, being in Jax for school, too bad you don't still own it. Any idea where it ended up?

Did you find the seats in the right colour? (or had to redo them)
Pete, the seats were reupholstered before I bought the car. The carpet was done at the same time. Both were from LeatherSeats.com in light mocha.

That little box wagon Century is bad ass. Cool car. I'm somewhat close to you, being in Jax for school, too bad you don't still own it. Any idea where it ended up?
It was a fun car and pretty quick also. Sold it to a man in Arizona. We need to get together since we are so close.

I'm down. There's some others near us too, send me a PM.