New to G-Bodies....

[Longroof79]

Terry, Sorry to hear that the '78 turned out to be a POS. It definitely looked like it had potential in the picture. I guess it goes to show you, you need to view these things in person and up close. There's nothing that pisses me off more than having to drive many hours to look at a car that turns out to be less than how it was described.
I guess it looks like the yellow '81 is the top choice at this time.
Good luck! Let us know how it all transpires.

 

[maliburacinfreak]

yellow wagon looks pretty good to me, ive had 3 and every one of them had that same crack at the back window/quarter panel. just grind the old filler out and smooth it back over. looks like there may be some filler there in the dog leg by the back door too. youll have to buy aftermarket rear bumper fillers, or get REALLY lucky finding used ones that arent already brittle. overall looks pretty good though. good luck

 

[Ribbedroof]

DO NOT GRIND that cracked area..it's lead.

Melt it out with a torch, then fill.

May need to weld the seam, I've found some that have cracked due to flexing.

Not a big fan of repaints, as already said tends to hide previous issues.

Other rust spots to check are near liftgate glass hinges (you have to pull the weatherstrip loose), front of hood, radiator support.

Yellow one isn't terrible, but I'd keep looking if it were me...and I live where there are virtually NO G body wagons. East coast/Southeast seem to have a lot more G bodies than most of the rest of the country.

 

[TerryD]

Yellow one isn't terrible, but I'd keep looking if it were me...and I live where there are virtually NO G body wagons. East coast/Southeast seem to have a lot more G bodies than most of the rest of the country.

As far as the body goes, the yellow one is in great shape. Especially compared to the green one. I'm going to be keeping my eye out for the next two weeks, but I'd like to get this project underway so we can start using it. We have to miss out on alot of stuff we could do in the hot rod because it only seats four. Unless I find something else by the middle of June, I'll probably be getting it. I need to go look at it again and make sure the wiring hasn't been hacked and talk to the owner more, but right now it's holding 1st place. A member offered me one in Tn, but I don't know when I'll be able to make that trip out to see it.

 

[Longroof79]

Terry,
Any luck or news on your wagon purchase?

 

[TerryD]

No purchases yet but I have also not seen any other near me for sale yet. We are in Avon NC for the week right now and this weekend we have another wedding to attend. It has been a busy spring/early summer for us so making a move on a wagon is taking longer than I had hoped.

 

[TerryD]

Still no wagon. Wind storm last month with our power our for a few weeks drained the funds again. Then during cleanup, I chain sawed my left knee a little bit and lost a weeks pay recovering. Looking at one of a fellow members Cutlass wagons in TN. I was wondering if anyone makes replacement door panels for them yet or if I'm going to be spending ALOT of time looking for replacements in junk yards and swap meets?

 

[journeyforce]

Well I hope you find what you are looking for.

I have a couple of suggestions for you. If you are looking for a comfy G-Body to take the whole family to shows, why not consider a G-Body sedan instead? They are easier to find and seat just as well as the wagon.

What about a B-Body wagon (Custom Cruiser/Electra Wagon(to 1984)/Buick Estate Wagon(85-90)/Caprice Classic/Impala/Pontiac Safari/Parisienne Wagon) instead? They have lots of room and have plenty of ways to upgrade

 

[TerryD]

Well, I wouldn't mind a sedan myself, but Julie doesn't like them. I'm not sure why, nut she has an aversion to everything g-body really, but is ok with the wagons for some reason. As for the larger stuff, I'm wanting a hot rod and to get the level of performance out of twice the car, you need four times the motor. If it was just about having a car, I would be fine, but the g-body stuff is what I like.

I will eventually get one, it is just a matter of time. I'm patient when it comes to car buying, I've learned my lesson about rush buying the hard way.

A question though, are the door panels for a sedan and wagon the same?

 

[Longroof79]

Terry,
The sedan and wagon door panels will interchange. The styles will vary slightly, but can be utilized. You can also use the A & B pillars from a sedan in a wagon, and visa versa.

On Malibu Racing about a month ago, there was a super nice, low miles, original '82 Malibu wagon for sale. He was asking $4500. for it, which may seem a bit high, but it's a get in and cruise car. Other than having a V-6 in it, it could be a nice builder while you're actually using the car. No bodywork or paint required.

http://www.maliburacing.com/forum/viewt ... 1&t=113290