Hello! Let's be honest, I'm not a car guy. I wasn't raised with a wrench in hand, I didn't bathe in brake fluids during my summer breaks, and I have no idea what to look at when you want to fix the big noisy thing under the hood. Quite frankly, that itself irritates me. I don't want to be that helpless guy on the side of the road with no clue how to fix his old car. Not that I've had to yet. My Buick is an old '77 Electra, four door sedan. She's also a bit of a pig when it comes to the giddy-up despite having a V8 under the hood. She's also dirty, paint wise and I want to change that too, but am too worried about the textured top and what it would take to also change that. I've got some ideas with what I want to do, I just have to get the know-how. Thanks in advance, and I'll be seeing you folks a lot. Regards, Bone
Welcome to the board! You'll find there's lots of knowledge here. Just ask your questions and someone will know the answer.
Greetings from Florida. The vinyl top is not a big deal to replace. Its what could be lurking under it that will give you the problems.
The '77 Electra likely has an Oldsmobile engine. Whatever engine it has Buick or Olds, the '77 emission standards made them very sluggish. There are ways to pep them up. As Stanley says; this is the place to learn those tricks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Welcome! (Re: Something Clueless this way comes....) Dear Bone, Curtis, Sean, Briz, James, and V-8 Buick welcome wagon . . . . Welcome Bone to V-8 Buick! Don't fret. Not all of us have motor oil in our veins. Sometimes you do need to ask a pro to solve your problems - nothing to be shamed about! Unfortunately if you want beautiful bodywork there are two ways: learn the secretive art or pay somebody who has learned it. You need to decide how much effort you want to invest one way or the other. I don't know what sort of choices you have with respect to the engine. Depending on the state you live in, you might still be bound to the pollution rules in 1977 and that might limit your "mods" options. Still, if there are tricks to be played, somebody on this board knows what those tricks are. Once more welcome and feel free to become casually more of a car guy! Cheers, Edouard :beer
Might want to consider removing the top, and painting the area that was under the top - color of your choice. That way one can have the "appearance" of a vinyl top, without the attendant problems - moisture and dirt retention. Hope its not too bad under the top now.
