So I found a sweet little buick special long roof today. It's very straight and almost not body damage. The floors are trash, but I have plans for those. It's got the stock drive train (340 and st300) which I'll have no use for. There's a spare rear bumper and tail light inside, along with the stainless luggage rack. I'm pretty excited about this one. -Josh
My initial plan is to find a 2008-2009 Pontiac G8 gt and cut the body off, cut the floor out of the wagon and set the wagon on the Pontiac floor pan. I've still got a lot of measuring to do before anything happens, but that's the direction I want to go with it. -Josh
Whoever tinted the windows put the film on the outside of the glass . The engine compartment looks complete, minus the a/c compressor. I like the pattern in the seats, even though they're toast, but the dash pad is in great shape. No cracks. -Josh
I've found it's a lot easier to check the transmission linkage with my heel as I'm pressing the brake pedal. The door panel pattern is pretty neat, but the driver card is trashed. I wouldn't be surprised if the odometer hadn't rolled over. -Josh
neat car. love the plan. You probably know this, but I'll say it anyway - that right rear lower 1/4 is not the same as any other car but the 64-67 Buick wagon. With that said, glass top and long roof cars have the same quarters... and it took me 6 years to find a usable right rear quarter for mine - they all rust out because the window leaks into the spare tire carrier and rusts out. Strangely, the rockers - solid as a rock, not sure why that's true, but alas it is. Also, your 'spare' rear bumper is worth $500 as a core and $1500 rechromed... ask me how I know... lol. It is a wagon-only bit, and that bit gets beat up because it's a wagon and in the day people used wagons as a pickup with canopy or SUV.
I scored a 2009 pontiac g8 gt for $6000. I included a list of everything that was in the ad. Coil overs, headers, full exhaust, rebuilt transmission and lots of mods. The guy told me he was showing off and shooting a video when he lost control and ended up in a field. Besides some body damage and the side curtain air bags being deployed, the only rear damage I'm concerned about is the left rear lower control arms being bent. Josh
I've removed all the bolt ons and Started measuring where things are going to find their new home. The blue t-square marks where the wagon windshield will be. Everything under and forward of the t-square will technically be outside of the vehicle, so it'll have to be plated and sealed up. All the wiring and defrost vents will have to be rerouted, and I'm trying to retain the factory wiper motor and linkage from the wagon to keep from having to make something else work, provided there's enough room behind the dash board Josh
I replaced the rear lower control arms today. The left one was bent from the wreck, and I got both side they were only $20 each. I also got two 6 foot lengths of 2x2x1/4" angle iron to make sub frame connectors to minimize flex when I cut the roof off. I welded a nut on a pair of old lawn mower blades and slid them into the forward sub frames to secure the angle iron.
I made a measurement from the back seat frame to just below the a-pillar on both sides. Then I cut the roof and b-pillar out and remeasured and, so far, nothing has moved. I still have to remove the outer rocker panels, but I'm still hopeful the sub frame braces will keep things square Josh
I finished removing the passenger side outer rocker panel and sail panel. I scored a few parts at the junk yard, including a pair of 2010 cadillac cts tail lights. They're the same size and shape of the quarter panel. I think I can make them work. I order a transmission cooler. It's a lot bigger than I thought, but I shouldn't have any issues with the trans overheating Josh
I'm removing the door openings. That's why I made the sub frame brace. I measured from the rear seat frame to the a-pillar after removing the passenger outer rocker panel, and is still hasn't moved Josh