To Do List

With my wife starting her evening job this is going to give me ample time in the garage! So I've comprised a small list of things to get done on my wagon:

• Replace Brake Line

• Replace Fuel Filter (and line when I bend it)

• Replace Heater Core (before winter 2012/13)

• Get rear windows back on tracks (they'll go down but not up. They slide backward then get wedged)

• Repaint C Pillars


• Patching



• Remove/Strip/Polish Trim

Mark, best of luck on your wagon "to do list".
Are you going to paint the pillars black (to blend in with the tinted windows)?
Also, on the D-pillars, is that rust through the metal (from the inside of the car)? I can't say I've ever seen that here.

The White Elephant has some rust on the D pillar at the base, so it does show up on some cars. Painting the trim on the rear doors is not an uncommon exercise. The spot on the hood will require a complete repaint on the hood. I noticed that you are missing the ornament, and that you have a little sheetmetal work to do on the PS rear quarter. Figure on about 1/2 to an hour for each rear window.

Kevin - I don't know how extensive the rust is, but I want to stop it before it gets any worse. I'm going to take off the interior panels behind the light and pillar to see if it's from the inside or moving in. It's a strange place for it to rust tho....

Fred - Yes... the sheet metal damage on the PS is from the previous owner. I think he tried to take out a house and lost. That's one of these projects that I don't want to take on just yet since she's my daily driver. Thanks for the input on the hood and windows. Do you happen to have a hood ornament for sale?!

The only hood ornament I have left has one of the shields missing. When you remove the D pillar interior panel, be careful with the latch cover. The latch cover has 4 hooks on it, they face out from the center at the corners, and they are easy to damage. I have broken a few trying to get them off. I do not have any extras in blue, but if you have a can of SEM paint, I do have some extras in other colors. Be careful putting the grab handle back on. I got the lamp wire trapped near one of the screws, and about a month later it worked its way to the screw, and blew a fuse. It took me 3 days before I figured out where the short was, because it was so long after the reinstall, I did not think that would be on the list of possible problems. Just a heads-up.

Well... there's already a short in the system somewhere. The dome lights stay on all the time so I just removed the fuse and "fixed" the problem. I've done some research and it's a common problem. I'm missing a few interior pieces and will post pics of the things I'm missing too. The DS rear door panel is a mess....

but thanks for the heads up Fred!!

Mark, theres still a blue OCC in a yard here if you need blue interior pieces (I think theyre the same color blue). Its semi stripped but the door panels and some of the cargo area are still there. Also, I saw a rms hood ornament when I was at the yard last weekend (I think the hood ornaments are the same).

Cracks in your rear door panel may be repairable. What are the specifics.

Hood ornaments are the same on all but the 96 RMs.

OCC blue is darker than MAB.

I'll go out at lunch and take some pics of the interior... someone tried to "fix" the door with blue painters tape... uh huh. There are a few reasons why I picked up this wagon for only a grand! I've fixed some of them and will eventually get to the rest.

DS Pass Side Door - Unrepairable...




Missing Parts
Rear Handle Light Cover & Light - DS


There's a missing button or snap to keep the spare tire compartment closed


ALSO... I just thought of this... the storage compartment on the DS in the rear is locked and won't open.

I've got a spare light cover for the back. I nab these whenever I see them in the salvage yards. PM me if you want it.

Upper door panel should be easy if you have some good salvage yards near you. Blue is a common color...I've seen a lot down here with that color inside, sedan and wagon. Now the lower panel...good luck....those ALL break.

Hope the rest comes out well. Nice start!

-Mike

81X11 wrote:

Upper door panel should be easy if you have some good salvage yards near you.

I'm sure this has been asked... but sedans and wagons have matching doors?

MarkH wrote:

81X11 wrote:

Upper door panel should be easy if you have some good salvage yards near you.

I'm sure this has been asked... but sedans and wagons have matching doors?

Yep..94-96.

SWEET!! I know my local pick-n-pull has 2 on their lot... doesn't say if they're wagons or sedans tho.

Your door key should open the storage compartment. There are a number of tree type fasteners around the perimeter of the lower part of the box. If you take them out, you can access the striker from the inside. The striker unscrews from the inside of the panel. You can at least get it in a viewable work area by pulling it apart. The lock may be jammed. It will capture the key when opened, and release it again when shut. It is possible to remove the tumbler, and rekey it if it has been tampered with. I have set of locks and keys for the entire car if you ever want to make it keyed alike.

You could get a top panel, and paint it to match, if you can not find the entire panel. Same with the courtesy light. SEM can make a spray can of paint to match. The rear panels are not nearly as hard to find as the fronts. There is a tan one in a car here right now. They are unique to the RMWs. The only difficulty with replacing the top panel and painting is removing the woodgrain trim module from the door without breaking it. I have been successful on a couple of occasions by carefully removing the melted pieces from the back side, and carefully pushing them through. The upper and lower panels are heat welded together. If you got the trim off of a panel, it would be easier to paint the entire panel. I can get the tan one for you for $35 plus shipping. I do not normally pull rear panels, because there is not much of a demand for them, so I never have any in stock. The rear wagon panels only fit the wagon, and nothing else fits.

I have the little black twist fastener for the spare cover, and a DS lens.

If the door panels are the same, theres quite a few blue int rms' in the yard I go to.

The left rear door light cover should be easy to find. If not, I can get you one.
Same for the pass side cargo panel clip.

As for the drivers side compartment, have you tried the door and ignition keys in it? One of them should fit.

cadillac kevin wrote:

If the door panels are the same, theres quite a few blue int rms' in the yard I go to.

The left rear door light cover should be easy to find. If not, I can get you one.
Same for the pass side cargo panel clip.

As for the drivers side compartment, have you tried the door and ignition keys in it? One of them should fit.

The sedan panels are different from the wagon panels, and the only years that are the same are 94-96. The door key is the only one that fits the compartment lock. Trust me on these.

I've tried both keys in the storage compartment and neither work. The door key felt like it was going to break off so I didn't want to push it too hard.

Mike's going to check to see if he's got a rear light cover and if he does he'll send me one. If not I'll letcha guys know.

Once I get the panels off to fix the windows I'll take a look and then plan my attack.

Thanks again for all your help, suggestions and encouragement. This is by far one of the best forum sites I've ever been on!

Mark

Probably have to get that storage lock re-keyed. Might not be original to your car.

If the door panels are the same, theres quite a few blue int rms' in the yard I go to.

The left rear door light cover should be easy to find. If not, I can get you one.
Same for the pass side cargo panel clip.

As for the drivers side compartment, have you tried the door and ignition keys in it? One of them should fit.

Stingroo wrote:

Probably have to get that storage lock re-keyed. Might not be original to your car.

If you can not get the cylinder to turn, you can not get it out of the latch. The latch is molded into the compartment door, so you have to get a new compartment door. with a key, or without a cylinder. You may be able to drill out the cylinder to remove it, as a last resort. I have taken a few of these apart. Fortunately the door is screwed to the panel, and can be easily replaced. It has carpet on it, and you do not want to paint the carpet, because it will get nasty. You really need a correct blue piece, from a 94-96 RMW or Caprice Wagon. If you need assistance getting a cylinder out of a latch, I can guide you through it, but it has to turn with the key.

Mark, I found a hood ornament for your car.