July 2012 - Longroof of the Month

Well, like so many here, my wagon affliction seems to stem from constant exposure from a very young age; or more accurately, constant exposure my entire life. We had a mid-60’s Ford wagon (Country Squire, I believe) when I was born in ’67. That was replaced with a 1972 Plymouth Fury wagon. Here’s me (middle) and my siblings camping in Rhinebeck, NY with the Fury.



The Fury was primarily the Mommy-mobile. In 1984, Mom sold it to a friend (for $1) and replaced it with an Olds Cutlass Supreme coupe. However, that same year Dad bought a new Chevy Caprice station wagon in that popular two-tone tan/brown with wire wheel hubcaps. 1984 was also the year I got my driver’s license so the Caprice wagon was one of the first cars I got to drive. If I could parallel park that, I could park anything. I don't have an actual photo handy but it was identical to this:



I started my own family in the mid-90s and after our second child in ‘98, it was time to have something more than a two-door. I despise front-wheel-drive and minivans and by now wagons were fading into the sunset. It was the era of the Sport Utility so we picked up a 1997 Ford Expedition and it became the Mommy mobile. It was a great vehicle that served us well for many miles and lots of vacations.



One day in the Fall of 2001, I drove past a little used car lot in town and something catches my eye. Sitting out front is a large barge ’92 Olds Custom Cruiser station wagon. I wasn’t in the market for a car and didn’t really need another but something compelled me to go look at it. I didn’t know why but I guess it was just all those wagon memories socked away; the family trips & all the miles spent staring out from the Fury’s rear-facing third seat. I wound up making an impulse buy like a candy bar at the checkout counter.

The car had already logged some 170,000 miles in its first nine years and I was to be the second owner. It was in good condition, everything worked and it ran like a top. Sold! Now I had a ‘utility’ vehicle of my own to go to the hardware store and haul back lumber or bags of mulch. Or to roam the Mississippi junk yards and load the back with goodies. Or to take my son camping with the Cub Scouts.



More recently the wagon was employed to haul a Christmas tree and it works well for hauling my son and a couple High School classmates and their gear to Trap Shooting practice at the range. (Crappy cell phone pics. )



In 2008, after logging 199,000 miles, the Expedition was sold on Craigslist and replaced with a 2006 Dodge Magnum SXT, the new Mommy mobile. (By the way, the above Expy photo was taken for the ad so it weathered well considering all the miles and it wasn't garaged.) The Magnum was a fantastic find having logged only 8100 miles in two years. It's fully loaded with leather, sunroof, CD/DVD player, heated seats, etc. The 3.5L is spunky yet decent on mileage.



My son recently got his learner’s permit so the majority of his seat time has been spent in the Magnum and the Custom Cruiser. I’m sensing a pattern here…

The Good:
The Custom Cruiser is my daily driver. My Grand National turned 25 this year so I registered it as an antique and it’s only driven on weekends now. At 20-years old (as of 4/13), the Cruiser is a good, solid, dependable car even at 245,000 miles. It’s rust free and still has the original exhaust system. This past spring I replaced the original water pump and starter. The fuel pump was replaced a few years ago after it pooped out in the driveway one day; gotta love that, although I had over half a tank of gas. Last year I put new rear window rollers in a couple doors and a window motor in one door as well. Both power seats and outside power mirrors work fine. Knock on wood, even the power antenna still works. My son and I also replaced the gravitationally-challenged headliner a few months ago.

The Bad:
Unfortunately, even though the A/C system works great, it won’t retain Freon and I haven’t found the leak. Truth be told, it’s been a number of years now since I’ve even tried. The auto level pump motor still runs but the little integral compressor doesn’t function any more mostly due to internal corrosion from sucking in this humid air so it’s disconnected. I tried to fix it to no avail so I’ll have to get another.

The Ugly:
The clear coat is peeled on the hood and a bit on the front fender tops. There’s evidence that it was in a minor fender bender and this is an old repaint on the front cap. The original Sungate windshield has a long crack on the driver side. The gray paint on the back bumper cover is abandoning the top surface. The leather on the front seats is getting tired. I guess all this adds up to patina.

The biggest problem the car experienced was transmission trouble a couple years after I bought it. It already had a GM reman unit in it and the front pump rotor broke which basically leaves you in Neutral in every range. When we pulled the transmission out and apart, we found that the flexplate was cracked almost all the way around the crankshaft flange. The aluminum transmission input drum had a myriad of stress fractures throughout it too. The transmission now has a HD input drum and sun shell, billet pump rotor, Corvette 2-4 servo, upgraded frictions, TCI Trans-Scat valve body kit, extra-capacity cast-aluminum pan and an SFI-approved flexplate. It’s propelled with a TCI Breakaway torque converter which aids in spirited driving with the granny-like 2.73 rear gear by putting the engine up on the torque curve more easily while accelerating. It shifts firm and quick without being harsh; like a tuned Olds Rocket should launch.

If you’re still with me here, thanks for reading and without further ado, here are some recent pics of the Cruiser in all its faded glory.

Nice story. It looks like you cleaned under the hood and put on Armorall.

Whoa. What color is that interior? That doesn't look like any 91-93 tan that I've ever seen?

Great story, and a sharp car. She wears her mileage well.

Nick Danger wrote:

Nice story. It looks like you cleaned under the hood and put on Armorall.

Simple Green and a hose keeps it nice.

Stingroo wrote:

Whoa. What color is that interior? That doesn't look like any 91-93 tan that I've ever seen?

RPO decode:

67I INTERIOR TRIM, LT CAMEL (91)
672 TRIM COMBINATION, LEATHER, LT CAMEL (2) (91)
679 SEAT BELT, COLOR, LT CAMEL (91)

The front seating surfaces got really weathered so they have been spray bombed with a tan vinyl dye that's a bit lighter than the OE color. Thanks for the compliments guys.

Nice write up and my 91 OCC is right behind you at 235K+.

Now that you teased us with the black GS400, more pictures are demanded of said vehicle and your GN!

Roo, that interior is not as BRIGHT in person, I have a camel cargo cover here at the house and it's not as loud as those pics.

Car is aging well, Should have another 2-300K left in her

Nice story Greg!

Like the family history and pictures!

That is one clean CC, inside and out. That engine is carbureted now?

Thanks for being the "Wagon of the Month".

tom

Great story as well as great pics.I too would like to see more of your GS 400 as well as your GN.
Thanks Greg

Sprocket wrote:

Now that you teased us with the black GS400, more pictures are demanded of said vehicle and your GN!

Actually, the '67 is Verde Green, or Green Green. The GN is, of course black though.

The GS has been disassembled for many years. Matter of fact, I had the body off the frame and had to move so it's only held on by two finger tight bolts right now.



Long story short, bought the car while living in NJ in 1986 for $400. Complete, numbers matching with two rechromed bumpers and a new radiator; 1 or 2140 built.







I did a body-on restoration during summers home from college in a barn on my Dad's property. Welded in trunk pan, floor pans, rebuilt the engine, repainted the car, etc.







August, 1988, it was reborn:







I used it as a daily driver for a while, cleaning the clocks of Mustang 5.0 and IROC-Zs around the Jersey shore. After I moved to TN the car had spun a rod bearing. In the process of pulling the engine, I went overboard and pulled the whole thing apart to do a more thorough resto. Then I had kids...

This GN was bought in 2006 to replace my stolen/stripped GN that I had owned for 17 years. The current car had 55,000 miles on it when I got it and it now has 114,000. It was built with the rare Astroroof power sunroof.

silverfox103 wrote:

Nice story Greg!

Like the family history and pictures!

That is one clean CC, inside and out. That engine is carbureted now?

Thanks for being the "Wagon of the Month".

tom

Still sporting the all-powerful, factory TBI. Awesome!

Greg,
I enjoyed your LROM story. Thanks. What is really great news to me is that it has 245K miles and seems to still be a reliable car for you. My OCC (purchased in March 2012) has 56,000 and I hope to have it a long time. It seems these cars have longevity if you can keep them from rusting.

COL

ummmmmmmm Umm! That '67 GS is one nice ride. I'm drooling.

Nice story, Greg. I'm way behind you with the clock only at 151K. I sure like the Buick...
Pete

Great story. Like some of the others, I'm way behind (thankfully!) in the mileage department, with just about 79,000. I really hope we keep the Roady forever, and since we will drive this car only about 10,000 a year that may be possible. By the way, of all the wagons, the Olds is my favorite. I think it has the nicest wheels and grill. The fact that you never see them helps too. Continued good luck with your car.

WOW 235K!!! I thought mine was getting up there with 165K... nice write up Greg and thanks for sharing. Now how 'bout that 84 Cutlass?!

Great story and a lot of good looking cars. That OCC is just getting started, should go for many years to come

Nice write up indeed.

Great pics, great story, and great drool-worthy cars! Glad you posted all this. Hope we can meet up someday when I'm home visiting family in Jonesboro. I love Memphis!

-Mike

I love the sunroof on the Grand National. Makes a lot more sense than the t-tops on my Cutlass. I love the t-tops off, but hate them when they're on, and the car is a lot more flexy than it would be with the sunroof.

Gorgeous cars!

Great story and write up and very nice cars. Still think the GN is one of the most sinister looking cars ever built by GM. I owned 3 different turbo Buicks over a 24 year period and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Now I know how you have such great looking cars,you have plenty of free time available since
you dont have to cut much grass! I would really like some up close pics of your GS 400
convertible.
Thanks Greg

MarkH wrote:

WOW 235K!!! I thought mine was getting up there with 165K... nice write up Greg and thanks for sharing. Now how 'bout that 84 Cutlass?!

Matter of fact, just this evening I drove the Cutlass for the first time in 10 years. The interior is excellent and the car is clean, straight and rot free. However, it's still wearing the original lacquer paint and vinyl top and both are pretty haggard looking. Great patina one might say. I'll shoot some pics this weekend and post 'em for ya. Oh, and the wagon now has 247,500 miles.

81X11 wrote:

Great pics, great story, and great drool-worthy cars! Glad you posted all this. Hope we can meet up someday when I'm home visiting family in Jonesboro. I love Memphis!

-Mike

Just let me know when you'll be around and you're more than welcome to come over and bench race in the Man Cave.

Flasheroo wrote:

Now I know how you have such great looking cars,you have plenty of free time available since
you dont have to cut much grass! I would really like some up close pics of your GS 400
convertible.
Thanks Greg

We'll, I do have less grass at this house than my last one. My backyard is shaded so much that it only needs cutting every other time I do the rest of the yard. With the GS in pieces, it's not much to look at right now. Maybe I'll just get my front yard paved and then I'll have even more spare time to rebuild the GS.

OK, as promised, here are some pics of the ol' Cutlass. We'll start off with the Southern Fried Laquer. Now that's patina some folks pay a lot of money to replicate. That's Papa John's pizza grease on the left side of the trunk lid.



It's got a new gas tank and sending unit along with a 442 exhaust system. All from RockAuto by the way.



Besides the surface rust on the top side, the car is free of rot & dents.



The wheels are 15" Super Stock II from a junkyard dog 442 scored years ago.



The cushy interior is in nice shape.





Another junk yard score was a rally gauge panel. I had actually done this once before when the car was still a 3-speed. Now that I put a 2004R in it, I swapped the dash again for one with an OD indicator.



Clean trunk.



The mighty VIN A 231 V6 powerhouse. The Grand National valve covers didn't add any appreciable horsepower.



Thanks for looking. Now back to the regularly scheduled station wagon stuff.

That instrument panel brings back memories.

I miss our Cutlass so much. I want one someday....

Man I like that Cutlass! Clean and I dig the patina (and Pizza grease)

My dad bought himself a new cutlass back in 84 as a retirement gift to himself.Was a great car
until some druggys rearended him while he was parked at a grocery store.Car was never right
after that accident and he just couldnt stand having his Cutlass not perfect so he sold it and
bought a 88 taurus wagon.

Need some good big underhood shots of your OCC....so I can steal your ideas!!

Hey I like the GN valve covers on the Cutlass motor! Cool!

My Cutlass is my daily driver for today and the next week. That is NOT what it's meant for...ha!

I love it, but I forgot to put the t-top shades in this morning and when I went out at lunch it was 2000 degrees inside the car. Put the shades in and left the doors open a bit and it finally cooled down enough to close the doors and fire up the a/c. T-tops are great in cool weather and at night, but during the day I'm JEALOUS of your GN's sunroof!

I also wish I had 15-inch wheels. The SSII's on my car are 14's.

Keep the pics coming!

Oh and we'll be driving through Memphis next Sunday in my new-to-me white OCC. Let me know if you're around. Would be cool to have a pic of the twins together!

-Mike

Hey is that a dash cap on the Cutlass? Kind of looks like one. My dash has cracks nearthe defroster vents so it has a carpet (ugly) cover on it. Been thinking of getting a cap.

Nice OCC wagon you have there!

Olds Weighty Eight wrote:

Is it bad that I know exactly what this screen capture is from?

Anyone else know? Wanna guess?

81X11 wrote:

Need some good big underhood shots of your OCC....so I can steal your ideas!!

I can do that.

81X11 wrote:

Hey I like the GN valve covers on the Cutlass motor! Cool!

Yeah, but it still runs like crap. Damn computer-controlled Rochester. Really leaning toward a FAST EZ-EFI.

81X11 wrote:

Oh and we'll be driving through Memphis next Sunday in my new-to-me white OCC. Let me know if you're around. Would be cool to have a pic of the twins together!

-Mike

That would be cool even though your OCC will put mine to shame. Then you can get your own underhood shots of my OCC. I'll PM you my contact info. I'm also on the Longroof Google map.

81X11 wrote:

Hey is that a dash cap on the Cutlass? Kind of looks like one. My dash has cracks nearthe defroster vents so it has a carpet (ugly) cover on it. Been thinking of getting a cap.

Nope, the dash is all factory. When the car sat outside I kept one of those fold-out sunshades in the windshield which helped save it.