1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate....special edition?

So as some of you know, least I think some know, I drive a limousine for my currant job. So I get to meet and deal with all kinds of folks. Today (Friday), it was a slow day here in Chicago, I was really just wanting to get my shift done (12pm - 12am). I waited at O'Hare from 10pm till 12:15am, got a fair about an hour north west. It was a long drive and I was tired as all heck.

It was a really nice older couple, about mid 70s. We started to talk about what I did for a living (Volvo mechanic) till I went back to college.....

Turns out they want to buy another full size wagon and could not find anything they liked. So they where thinking of a Volvo wagon. I gave them my 411 on what I liked and didn't like about them. Then I asked "What kind of wagon do you have now?" (Thinking it was some smaller, like a Honda wagon or something of the sort).

When he opened the garage, I couldt belive it. It was a 1996 Buick Roadmaster Estate. Gold with tan cloth, fully loaded other than the leather. He is the org owner, never smoked in, always parked in a headed AND A/C garage, and only used for "moving the dogs about"......At 136k miles, it looks like 30k miles. I gave him my name and number, told him I love the big wagons for what they are. He laughed and added "you don't meet 20 somethings that are into wagons!"

When I was looking it over, I found a gold tag on each of the front fenders that had "Collectors Edition". Is this some dealer thing or a documented General Motors issued edition?

I don't know ANYTHING about the big Buick/Olds/Chevy wagons in the 90s, other than they move and they can go at a high milage rate. I had always liked them as a teenager growing up in the 90s, I always thought they looked classy. And that "vista roof", I really like that.

So any info on this car would be AWESOME. I have no idea if he will sell it to me or what. But if that time comes up, I want to know what I am looking at.

Thank you all,

Jonny

 

That's not a BBC in there, Jonny, it's an LT1. Nice engine. The special edition models marked the end of that style wagon and are often loaded up with options. Some even come with the Corvette engine that has aluminum heads and a few more HP. These are super comfortable wagons with enough snort to move them around fairly quickly and, with a little money and knowledge, can be made to go a lot quicker. I'm a fan of the Buick wagons from the '80's but recently have become more and more interested in these wagons from '94-'96. Those are the models that have the LT1 in them. Some of the earlier models came with the smaller 4.3 engine. I mentioned in another thread that I have a chance to buy a '96 special edition from a one owner. The car has every option available. I like to drop 455 engines in the '80 wagons so they go but I may be changing around my thought process and opt for the '96 and play with one of those. They seem to be nice wagons.

 

Sounds like an awesome find.
Go back and take some pictures!
You can ask over here too, lots of B-body wagon fans:
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/
There's a wagon forum there too.
If you see it again there should be a SPID tag somewhere, but I'm not sure where it is on the wagon. It has three digit codes that specify the options.
http://www.capriceclassic.com/spids.html

 

WOW, I would have never thought that this wagon has Vett heads on it. I remember bothering my dad at the Buick dealer (he drove Buicks as company cars from '87-'94ish), I wanted him to lease a wagon. He laughed, said they where old looking and slow. The sales man gave us the keys to a brand new '94 Roadmaster wagon and he replyed "This wagon, it will make you rethink about them". The salesman was right, it was a fast wagon. But my dad and the salesman could't come to a price they where happy about.

I did a quick glance over this wagon I saw last night. The rear seat looks like it has never been used, he opened the glove box (it was filled with documented service history at the same dealer he bought it), no door dings or dents I could see.......it just seemed to be a well kept wagon.

Dose anyone know the build numbers of these cars?

 

Thank you for the links.....its like I hit the mother load on there. If this guy calls back, I will take some pics then.

 

Another couple of points of interest, Jonny, ....the compression on those LT1's is 10.5:1. In order to get them cool enough to run with the emission systems required, GM came up with a reverse cooling system. The heads are cooled FIRST. They also have no distributor as such...they have what's called an opti-spark system. They cost around $500 but usually last to around 100K miles. Do some Google checks on the car and the LT1. Then on some of the LT1 performance companies and sites. It's interesting. The more you get me talking about them the more I want to go get that '96!

 

To answer your specific question, I think I read in the Impala SS Forum wagon section that ALL the '96 Roadmasters were labeled 'Collector's Edition". Quite a following of them over there.

 

bought mine about 3 weeks ago and love it very quick and actually gets decent mileage after i finish the fairmont i plan on some customizing.nothing overboard a 2 tone paint and some rims i'll call it the conservative pimp.:2_thumbs_up_-_anima

 

NICE, I like the ring to that!

 

Wasn't 96 the last year for the Roadmaster wagon? Definately sounds like a find that all of us dream of!

 

wagon nut.

that is my exact ride... the 1996 rmw's didnt have side badging that said collectors edition. that must have been added by the dealer. however, they did have a special hood ornament and the center caps for the wheels. mine has been a p.i.t.a but i think that is because the dealer pulled a fast one on me. the stories i hear from owners of roadmasters say they are steadfast. 300k+ is almost a standard to expect from one with regular maintinance.

silverfox, the roadmaster never came from the factory with the aluminum heads. however, this is a fairly common conversion as it doesnt require anything other than a remapping of the ecu. (and a switch to high octane). the RMW only came with the iron heads as the car was built to tow. as far as i know a performance verson of the roadie was never made...however one of the guys on the afforementioned impalass forum has a wicked roadmaster sedan he has dubbed a "GS"

p.s i am still in florida, just had acess to a computer for a min.

 

Yes, '96 was the last year and they are all Collectors Editions.

None of the wagons came with a 4.3, only sedans.

The LT1 in a wagon is not a Corvette motor but it's in the same family.

Look around on eBay and the classifieds, they're for sale everywhere!

They are nice but very heavy!

 

A1Awind...yes, you are right about the engines in the '96's....however, I was told by a dealer that they, as a dealer, could specify the Vette engine when ordering. I could be wrong but this is a huge dealer. I have seen the Vette engine in a '96 wagon that belongs to an older gentleman...not sure he even KNOWS it.

 

id love to feel the power! some "big dealers" do get special treatment from the manufacturers..i.e yenko chevrolet (which is in a pittsburgh suburb ) and they give them special options.