So, yeah, I sort of went and bought something....

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King_V

Master Mechanic
Jul 17, 2013
307
5
18
Sicklerville, NJ
And I shall name it "The b*st*rd" - no, actually, I shall name it "The Cheap b*st*rd". Explanation forthcoming.

So, on occasion, I browse Craigslist ads without really looking for anything all that seriously. But then I stumbled across this particular vehicle.

It was more or less the OPPOSITE of what I was looking for. I was hoping to find a G-body, a Ford Fox body (preferably NOT a Mustang) or at least something smaller than full-size. Preferably 2-door, but for a good deal I'd have considered a 4-door.

The thing is ugly. Not hideous. Not cool-looking ugly. Not worthy of a Road-Warrior type of movie. Just ugly. Baby blue. Faded. Some surface rust here and there, but for a New Jersey car, shockingly rust free and straight.

It's a 1978 Buick LeSabre 4-door. It is a very minimally optioned car. Rear defog (was that standard?), does NOT have a passenger side mirror. Manual vinyl bench seat, manual locks, manual windows. AM-only radio with in-windshield antenna. I think the only options it has (other than the rear defogger, assuming that's optional) are Air Conditioning (not working, but for how little I paid, I'm not complaining), and the 2-bbl 301.

Just under 63k original miles. I suspect it's original in that the interior, less the headliner, is in pretty good shape. Only one minor split in the bench seat seams, the plastics for the interior trim are not as beat up as one would expect, and it rides VERY smoothly.

EXCEPT when idling - then it runs like crap. Sounds like it's missing, and smells like it's running stupidly rich. But oddly, at cold fast idle, it smells cleaner and runs smooth. Pretty much anything that requires cracking the throttle open a little bit makes it MUCH happier.

Oh, and the tires are only a few months old.

I call it The b*st*rd because it's that typical late 70s mix-and-match of engine. I'm mostly an Olds guy, driving a Buick that's equipped with a Pontiac V8, and a Pontiac V8 that's considered the red-headed stepchild of its own family.

I call it The Cheap b*st*rd because it was cheap, I actually AM a cheap b*st*rd, and this car will have improvements made to it only when they are free or stupidly cheap to do. I may just do the minimal to get things running right and use it as an "I don't give a crap about it" cruiser - or I may pick up things for it here and there... castoffs, etc., but that will improve this car.


I suppose EVENTUALLY I should do the "me too" Chevy 350 swap, though I guess a Pontiac 350 or 400 swap will be more straightforward, assuming I can pick up one of those motors somewhere along the way.

Ultimately, something that's lower mileage and straighter than I would've expected for the price, and that I have no feeling that I should sink any real money into. But somehow, I think it's going to be fun.


Oh, and the clock is still working!

Here are the pics from the CL ad - I've yet to take my own photos of it.



Sheesh - I'm posting this thing, and I still haven't posted pics of my G-body yet??!
 

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307 Regal

Royal Smart Person
Oct 21, 2009
1,667
915
113
Northern Indiana
The-Driver.jpg

cars.jpg

vlcsnap-2010-05-01-12h33m19s105.png

The_Seven_Ups_Car_Chase_1973_02.jpg


I hope these pictures are inspiring you to film a '70s style chase scene.
 

King_V

Master Mechanic
Jul 17, 2013
307
5
18
Sicklerville, NJ
ROFL! They are, except almost anything on the road can outrun me!

But, yeah, uh, some of those front ends look familiar . . . similar makes and models of cars I've owned before.

My daily driver is a 1987 Ford Crown Vic coupe.... and that body pretty much was the same from 1979 to 1987.

I've previously owned a 1986 Chevy Caprice ex-unmarked police vehicle. That 350 did NOT feel like it had 205 (net) horsepower . . with overdrive and it still only averaged about 12 MPG!

Your third picture has a car whose front brings to mind a 1970 Chrysler Newport convertible I used to have.

And while it's a little bit different, the last pic reminds me that I've had a 1972 Delta 88 convertible (paid $500 for it and it LOOKED like about a $500 car), and a 1972 Olds 98 2-door.



And while my hairstyle suggests "stunt double for one of the guys from Winger", well, there was some overlap in 70s and 80s styles, so I guess I can pull it for the chase scene!
 

tc1959

Comic Book Super Hero
Dec 23, 2009
3,963
1,975
113
Surprise AZ.
I miss my 77 Impala Coupe I paid $500 bucks for it and drove it for 10 years. Blew up the 305 so I stuffed a low mile 454 from a wrecked GMC 1 ton truck.
It was one of the best cars I have ever owned. I wish I had it back. It was cheep to keep running and super reliable.
 

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King_V

Master Mechanic
Jul 17, 2013
307
5
18
Sicklerville, NJ
Damn! That's nice-looking! $500 could buy a car in a LOT better shape 10 years ago than it can now.... :(
 

442_olds

Apprentice
Dec 10, 2010
95
8
8
My Dad bought a 77 LeSabre Custom just like that one in late 77, only it was silver with the cloth interior (and of course the big clock). Dad got lucky in that it had the 350 Olds in it instead of the V6 or the 301...that thing would run! It was one of the first cars I got to drive, aside from his white 73 Ford Explorer. I ran the wheels off of that Explorer. Dad's LeSabre was nearly identical to a LeSabre that I drove in drivers ed the summer before, along with a BIG yellowish tan Chrysler (I think it was a Newport, from what I remember of the tail lights). A lady I know bought it, and drove it for years before she finally got rid of it.

pencero said:
that baby blue LeSabre is awesome dude idc what anybody says lol

Yes, they were awesome...they rode and drove great!
 

chevy2480

Royal Smart Person
Apr 28, 2010
1,245
6
38
williamstown nj 08094
Hey neighbor. Lol. I seen it on CL it was cheap i was thinking of looking at it. But i already own 5 gbody cars if i brought another car home the women would kill me. Lol at least thats what she said after car #2.
 

King_V

Master Mechanic
Jul 17, 2013
307
5
18
Sicklerville, NJ
Ah, yes, I can understand that. My girlfriend complained about my car-hunting, particularly my "casual" hunting! On the other hand, the day after I bought it, she became my EX girlfriend - though NOT because of the car.... long story behind that.

Saw the ad on CL while I was at work - and thought that I better at least take a look before he had it junked. I usually hem and haw and argue with myself before buying something, and I've missed out on a few because of that.

I went in my office-clothes, dark as hell out, looked it over, and bought it. I don't think I have EVER bought a car the same day before. MAYBE once....


Uh, did you say FIVE g-bodies? I'd love to impose on your hospitality to have a gander at 'em one day.... and probably take precautions not to drool on them...


So far, just got it titled. Gotta go to a different DMV to get the historic plates. Probably do that Tuesday night.

Interestingly, tip-in feels really awesome on this car.


I'm starting to wonder if the previous owner clobbered the curb, though. Only 3 of the original hubcaps remain, the tires were installed new in the summer, and the spare? Ye gods, what the hell did he do? It looks like burst on the side and the tread was torn off of 25% of the circumference of the tire! Oddly, the rim doesn't appear to have suffered any damage. Gotta snap a pic of that and post it.... I think I noticed some slight shake, hard to tell, when driving it. Wonder if it's got front-end issues. Ah well, for as cheap as it was, I guess if I have to fix that, I can learn on it!


But, initial things to do:
1) Fix speedo. Hopefully it's just something simple like the cable broke, or it came loose from the back of the cluster.
2) Fix rough warm idle issue.
 

chevy2480

Royal Smart Person
Apr 28, 2010
1,245
6
38
williamstown nj 08094
Yup i said 5. Lol
1 86 GN
1 86 wh1 turbobuick. Under construction
1 84 Cutlass supreme with 4sp stick
1 84 Hurst/olds. Car# 2772 Future project collection dust
1 81 Olds cutlass Drag wagon. Probably seen it roaming the streets in your area.
 
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