Hello from NW Ohio: 1980 Buick Electra Estate Wagon

Ok here are some more pics

My national carb
you could easily resell their work for a profit, even after paying the core charge.




The TA Stage 1 intake that I powder coated myself.



And the double stacked I run in the summer, using a drop base from a 2nd gen z28. I use a stock enclosed unit for the winter.

 

to the garage

glad your having fun with your WAG...thats what its all about

 

thats one sick wagon. you should put cragars on it.

 

don't like chrome or aluminum really, I always end up painting them black soon as I get sick of cleaning them.

Also I spent some decent coin to track down 4 stock steel replacement rims as all 4 originals were out of whack. [found at a truck n trailer place cause of the big bolt pattern, cheap then GM]

Firebird had chrome rims, now 99cent matte black.
It and the wagon are easy to clean up.
Every few weeks I spent 99cents and give em a fresh coat of paint.


Did try some 10in rims on the back that I got. Are a set of 10x15 n 7x15 saw blades with the small Dodge bolt pattern [with real low miles]. Which left plenty of room to drill the Buick pattern, making them dual lug rims. But I just don't have the room in the back, as all the Buick cars came with a 4 link rear end, which has the frame rails right there on the tire and with the way the body rolls in, I don't have allot of room out unless I jacked it up with like air shock or bags to keep it from rubbin on the tires, as there wouldn't be much travel room stock with our rough n tumble streets.

 

And no one has noticed or asked yet but yes that is a piece of pipe / galv fence post I used for a middle section of my top rad hose.

As the middle portion was perferct for fixing the kitchen sink
[Dam plastic compression fittings never work for me.]

The pipe was a temp fix but it stayed nice and I learned not to rest my arm on it. Just flared the ends so it would not slide off under pressure, if it was just smooth pipe. Been several years now.


Also had to rebuild my thermostat housing.
The solid cast replacements they sell now suck and the neck for mine was full of pin holes and paper thin, Did the same thing, using more of that galv fence post I welded a new neck to the main body which was thicker metal. Flared the end the same. Funny is they all say the cast one was stock, but mine is like stamped steel.

thermostat housing, not a bong

 

R B Dar. wota car.

Nick

 

even IM lost???

 

Finished painting the back half today.

only took 1 pic, Im pooped.

 

Are those L.E.D.'s where the 'portholes' go?

 

Hehehe no, I stuck some red reflective tape in there, like on the bat wings.

But not that into it, Gonna get a strip of black reflective to put in there.

Will light up just the same under the camera flash or car lights, but be less obvious. Was gonna do the door handles too, it has those 80s square style that you could get custom decal inserts for them. Won't be real noticeable till hit with light at night.


Though have thought about that LED idea, but they would have to be hooked up to run off the ign system, so they light up with every spark.
But dunno if the dual spark of the MSD box would have enough of a delay to see them go on and off any at all. Which would ruin the effect.

 

I have also entertained the idea of making them functional exhaust ports.
Id probably keep em the same size and just make allot of racket with at will using some type of ball valve and not a cut out, so the stock exhaust still works.

My straight shot dual system is as free as it gets, I don’t need real cutouts for anything.
You can look down each pipe with a spot light and see all the way to where it turns up to the motor.

Would be still neat like a real cutout when someone pulls us next to ya asking for it, play with the choke and watch it crackle n spitfire out the fenders.

 

I knew something was out of place, like a hand in front of my face.........

Those are old engine pics, I changed the lid.

I had that 350-4 sticker custom made as real Buick ones only come in red.
But it also was a see through stcker. So I first powdered coated the lid chrome and put the sticker on. Then masked and painted it black a while later to give more contrast.

 

awesome wagon! I think I like the skulls

 

Don't have a clue what Im gonna do with it, but had to have it.

Maybe it can be rebuilt into an air cleaner, or just set on it for display, suppose to be poseable.

 

Gonna swap the two Fuzion HRi's off my Firebird onto the rear of the wagon for the winter. The Matrix Multi-miles by Cooper I got on there are nice but way to consertive tread pattern, not allot of bite for the winter. Barley any room between blocks.

The pic on the website doesn't do them Fuzion HRi's justice.
They got nice deep deep wide block treads, with large gaps between block for monster bite, they look 2xs better in person.

Usualy with all weather performance tires they are still near bald new but these suckers got tread in every way. I see no problems with snow.

Best idea I got over spending money I don't have for new tires.