Dear V-8 Buick lovers, Regulars to this forum will have seen my numerous postings regarding our family heirloom 65 Buick Special Wagon. Compared to many beloved cars represented on this forum, our wagon may not seem worthy of the attention I'm giving it. From a collector point of view, the car is certainly nothing special. Nor at 268,000 miles is the car pristine. So why put so much effort? This is my attempt to explain how this car endeared itself to our family and me. The story begins in the spring of 1968. My family was back in California after an overseas assignment. My Dad had carefully researched our next car and wanted something practical and thrifty like an AMC Rambler. However, at the used car lot was a Seafoam Green Buick wagon and . . . . . Mom fell in love with it. It was more than Dad had planned to spend, but . . . . Not too long after we bought the car, this photo was taken at our new house: Obviously, I've grown a little since then! My parents had immigrated from France and so our world was permeated with French culture. The car got the name Biquette. Is it French slang that roughly means billy-goat. For her first 10 years, Biquette was an everyday family wagon. Occasionally, she would get more exciting duties like towing our powerboat: As I grew up, I was a good son and would help Dad maintain the car as much as I could. Along the way, the car started to get upgrades. Things like a emergency flashers and rear seat belts. By the time I got into high school, we had gotten a bargain on a second used Buick: a 76 Skylark. In the meantime, Biquette was now closing in on 15 years and was getting old. During one tune-up in 1979, Dad and I thought we spotted coolant on one of the spark-plugs. The first of many: "Is this the time to get rid of Biquette?" crises had arrived. However, the family couldn't let go of the family wagon, and so, we had the engine rebuilt instead. The car had ridden out the 2 oil crises of the 70s, so trying to save gas was a priority. The transmission was replaced with a TH350 and another less thirsty carburetor was fitted. Alas, the rebuild was botched and the car didn't run well. Eventually in desperation we had the valves redone a second time and finally the engine ran smoothly. Alas, all this had shaken Mom's confidence in the reliability of the car and so Biquette's original champion was reluctant to use her. Still we had only one wagon, so Biquette still had the heavy-hauling chores. So the car continued in this semi-neglected state until things went from bad to worse. In June of 1986 the car was stolen. Weeks went by and the car didn't turn up. Saddened, the family assumed the worst and eventually we purchased a used Pontiac wagon to take over Biquette's duties. Then on Friday the 13th of September 1986, the police called us to report that Biquette had been recovered in a drug bust. The family eagerly rushed to bring back our trusty wagon. The car's interior looked and smelt awful, but the car was in amazingly good shape for her 3 month, 1000 mile ordeal: From that point on, I increasingly made Biquette my car. Mom wasn't comfortable driving the car any distance, but somehow I was emboldened to take the car all over the state of California. I had a passion for amateur astronomy. So the car became camping and astronomy headquarters: Later on, I took up scuba diving and the car soon got a second nickname: the Divemobile. My enthusiasm for scuba reached the point that I was assisting in scuba diving classes. At the time I was working on a PhD in education and suddenly I realized that some of the most interesting learning was happening: in scuba classes. The result was: Diving into Communities of learning: existential perspectives on communities of practice and zones of proximal development. Buried in all that academic gibberish was the following photo: So my trusty wagon ended up being included in my PhD! Alas, that was something of a high-point in my own life. I tried my hand at the academic world but was beaten out by the savage competition. I then turned software engineering but eventually burned out there. During that time, I wandered all over the West from Washington to Arizona. My trusty wagon remaining my only car. Biquette managed to survive in this way because I had managed to commute by foot, bike, or public transit most of the time. Eventually though, it was time to come back home. As those wanderings started to wane, my Dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He died on March 22, 2000 two days after his 71 birthday. His loss was even felt by Biquette in some ways. So many things we could do as two now are impossible for me to do by myself: Taking car of my car has been that much harder since. Before he died, he asked my Mom to offer to buy Biquette back should I ever "want to get rid of her." The message couldn't have been more plain. So here I am with the trusty wagon very much in need of a lot of mechanical TLC to become useable one more. I'm using a healthy chunk of my inheritance in this drivetrain makeover and if Dad were alive he surely would ball me out for wasting my money. . . . . But I have a feeling he wouldn't have it any other way. So that's why I've been picking everybody's brain on this forum and I thank each one of you for your help. I certainly wouldn't have come this far without you. :TU: Kinda appropriate to tell this story on Father's day. Hope each one of you can find an appropriate way to commemorate the day. Thanks again and hope you all enjoyed the story, Edouard
That is an awesome story well worthy of attention :beer And boy does it sound like it's getting some top notch stuff now, and I can imagine the satisfaction that will come with each upgrade bringing it closer to your perfection. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to continued progress.
Love the story and love the wagon.I have a feeling your dad would be proud.Can't wait to see it "pumped up". :TU:
Sounds like a story that one of thoes car make over shows would pick up on and redo your car in 7 days. If you see Chip Foose lurking around your neighborhood watch out.
Great story and I completely understand. I was brought home from the hospital in a 1964 Special wagon that my parents bought new. We went all over the country in that car - it probably visited at least 25 states, from Maine to Florida to California. It was replaced in 1977 by a Century wagon but kept around as a backup. We couldn't keep it when we moved to Germany in 1980 so it was finally sold after 16 years of faithful service. I'd give a lot to have that car back.
Edouard thanks for bringing a smile to my face this father's day eve. I am sure your dad would be proud of you keeping and making the car better than it was before. Although I kinda agree he would be yelling at you for the upgrades (been following your progress myself) but all in all it would likely bring a smile to his face when you stomped on the gas and he felt the torque take over...... Happy Father's day Scott
V8Buick is a better place with Biquette and her family as a member. Thanks for sharing her history :beer I too grew up in the back of a ('68) SportWagon ... the memory's of laying in the back looking up at the stars through the roof and side glass While my parents drove us to whatever adventure we were on are still quite vivid.
Thanks everyone!! (Re: trusty "billy-goat" Wagon!) Dear SilverBuick, Erik, Jamie, Ritchie, Briz, Frank, Chris, Scott, Gary, Alan, and V-8 Buick "billy-goat" fans, Thanks for all the kind words!! :TU: Certainly has been a struggle! Yes I agree. We went through a period were we wanted a large trailerable sailboat. He sure wanted that sort of a boat, but it sure seemed like Biquette couldn't handle the tow duties. So he knew the need of an upgrade. We even talked about trying to fit Biquette with a 4-speed overdrive transmission. Had we understood how relatively simple it was to fit a 200-4R, we might have done it. Thanks for sharing your Special wagon story. Biquette had a few ambulance runs in her time, but no new siblings. She hasn't done as much exploring the country though. She's only made it to 5 states: Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and of course California where she was "born." She was built in the GM Fremont plant so she is a genuine "California girl." Well, I wouldn't mind a little help with the bills . . . . but given how "extreme" some of those makeovers turn out to be . . . . I may need a restraining order!! :laugh: Thanks again everyone!! :TU: Cheers, Edouard :beer
da' engine is comin' along . . . . . (Re: trusty "billy-goat" Wagon!) Dear V-8 Buick fans of a certain trusty "billy-goat" wagon, Unfortunately, some of the stubbornness of the car seems to be rubbing off on the engine assembly. Jim has been struggling with more than his fair share of issuez. He even had a mishap while working on it that forced him to take it easy for a few days. However, he is hoping to finish up the assembly soon and sent me this picture: The intake manifold and valve covers are just sitting there temporarily, but that gives an sense of what the engine will look like. Unfortunately, the engine color is being distorted by the camera flash and shop lights. Jim assures me that it looks a respectable shade of Nailhead green. While I'm at it, here is a photo of the 200-4R transmission that has been waiting patiently last September. So the project is coming along . . . even if slower than anyone, even Jim, would prefer I presume! Of course it would help if the silly engine wouldn't bite him!! Jim promises a full write-up with all the gory details once the engine is finished up and "out the door." :grin: Alright, so move along lads . . . . that's all the drooling you get for now!! Cheers, Edouard :beer
Edouard, that is a very nice looking engine, almost to nice to hide under a hood. perhaps you should consider having somebody make a hood for your car out of clear plexiglass. :Brow:
Too hard to do.Just paint the hood clear...that should work!:TU:ou:uzzled: Looks great Edouard,cant wait for more updates.:beers2:
Thanks and "stay tuned" (Re: trusty "billy-goat" Wagon!) Howdy GranSportSedan, Jamie, and V-8 Buick "engine art collectors" . . . . :3gears: :grin: It looks so nice that I was tempted to donate it to Metropolitan Museum of Art . . . . . But those softies don't really know what true art is . . . . They probably all drive "Prissies" (Piruses) :bla: :grin: Of course not Jamie, for that sort of a job only one paint will due: Acme Invisible Paint - what else!! :laugh: Stay tuned to this channel for further reports as they become available! Cheers, Edouard :beer
It's "together!!" (Re: trusty "billy-goat" Wagon!) Dear V-8 Buick fans of serious displacement . . . . . :3gears: You all cannot have been as impatient as I've been to see the engine for my trusty wagon assembled . . . . but you might have felt that way!! Fortunately, Jim has come through for all of us!! Jim has promised a complete write up on this engine so I won't steal his thunder. Still, here are two teaser photos of the completed engine: Jim had a cute "story" about building this engine that isn't what you would imagine until you actually try to assemble a big-block Buick engine in Nailhead green. He wrote in an email to me: :grin: Hmm, too Christmasy huh? Golly, people decorate their cars for Christmas - why not the engine compartment!! So what do you'all think? Should I get a red distributor cap and put it on every Christmas? :laugh: Anybody know where I can spark-plug wires with built in Christmas lights? :Brow: . . . Hope that's enough pictures to satisfy your drooling until Jim gets around to the writeup with all the gory details. I sent Jim the final payment by Express mail yesterday. So he is hoping to get the engine on the dynamometer sometime next week. Stay tune for initial results as soon as they become available. :3gears: We now return you to your usual V-8 Buick programming!! Cheers, Edouard:beer
I am assuming you got wood too.If it lasts for more than four hours,see a doctor.Mine said I'll be alright:grin:
I hope the engine Jim is building for me looks half as nice as yours Edouard. I bet you can't wait to get it installed in your billygoat. Bob
Decide what you want!! (Re: trusty "billy-goat" Wagon!) Howdy Bob, Richie, and V-8 Buick engine art collectors . . . . :grin: Well, to be honest I could have asked Jim to do some things to make it look even nicer (at least potentially.) Definitely give it a little thought as to how you want the engine to look. It's all vanity, but . . . . . don't it feel really good!! :TU: Seriously, check out what TA-Performance and other folks have in the way of components to make your engine look really slick. You'll be glad you did!! Well, considering that I've been afraid to drive the car over 35 mph for over a year . . . . yeah I'd say so!! :3gears: Keep the faith and stay tuned!! Cheers, Edouard :beer
