88 Custom Cruiser vs 94 Roadmaster?

As mentioned in my intro we're shopping around right now for another wagon and found this for $500...

Excellent body and interior , no rust. needs front brake work. runs excellent with less than 40k on top to bottom engine rebuild 150000km total. tires exhaust all excellent. my own vehical for many years. ice cold air. $2200 spent on engine at local shop and machine shop. wire hubcaps. newer 3core rad, heater core. hidden class 3 hitch used to pull 20' boat.

Any thoughts out there?? Is this an upgrade or a downgrade if the body is in shape of course. Also, anybody know if it would even be possible to swap the LT1 into this old girl let alone worth the potential headache??

Thanx in advance...
Thedarkshadows

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I'm wondering why you would swap out a fresh motor?
And do you mean a multiport fuel injected odb2 LT1 motor?
That would probably be major surgery.

 

I really wouldn't want to swap motors...and figured it would be major surgery...more a curiosity. I have a space to store the Buick, but would only store it in case the Olds motor turned out to have issues. I'm even more curious why somebody would sink that kind of $$ into rebuilding an engine and then sell the car for $500. Time will tell...just collecting info for now....have a grrrreat night....

 

Well it sounds like a something worth checking out sooner than later.

 

my 1988 buick estate wagon is loaded and has the 307 olds.
my 1995 caprice was plain jane but had the 350LT1, like yours.


the 1995 was the best of the two, for traveling down the road. my buick is very nice shape and can haul more than the caprice could but the buick is very weak under the hood. so i feel like i might have mess up selling the 1995 caprice.

i say swaping your 1994roadmaster to 88customer cruise will not be as great as you think it could be.

 

Ah there are those that love the earlier B-Bodies and those that love the later ones better. Me I'll take the box behind door number 2.

 

I like B bodies, old and new. If I had to make a choice I'd be hard pressed to pass up the $500 wagon. Lots of folks pour money in to a vehicle because they feel it needs it, then realize that having something newer would make sense for them. Maybe the brakes going was the final straw, which happens often. They get to thinking that if they put more in to the brakes, and then what if the tranny goes and on and on so they sell it. Someone comes along and gets it cheap, does the repairs, and drives it for years and years.

I've been on the selling side and been real upset with myself every time I've seen the old beast cruising around just like I sold it, tires and all. I know I should have kept it, but we were tired of the constant outlay but afterward we got to thinking that we'd replaced almost all the expensive stuff already and it would have been good for another 100+ K miles most likely.

 

Well we went out and checked out the OLDsmobile wagon tonight...unfreaking believable. She's a woody with burgundy paint. For an Ontario car of this vintage there is next to no rust underneath. She will need one patch on the floor under the one rear seat. The only other minor issue is there seems to be a support bar that goes across the underside by the fire wall...that seems to be a tad soft where it mounts to the frame. Anybody know how crucial that bar is??
The story I've gotten from the guy is he parked it 2 years ago and has had it stored outside under a tarp. He doesn't have the space in his driveway for her and has since been driving a new van. When he moved it he blew out one of the brake lines. I think we're seriously considering parting with the new and into the olds....so to speak...if we go back a second time I'll be sure to bring the camera and take some pics...
Any other thoughts on what to look for/at would be immensely appreciated.

TheDarkShadows

 

You are willing to give up an LT1 powered 94 Roadmaster for an under powered Olds? How bad of shape is your Roadie in, for you to consider that change in pace? I wouldn't give up my TBI 350 92 Roadmaster for a 307 wagon, no matter how nice it is. To each their own I guess. I will give you $500 for your Roadie if you are willing to go from a powerhouse to pushing that bad, lol. I would love to drop an LT1 under the hood of my 92.

 

This thread has me totally confused. Sooooo....is something wrong with your 94 Buick?? I would sure like to see pix of each of these cars and get an explanation as to why you want to swap cars or engines. I love B Bodies...had the 80's models and now have a 96 LT1. I am at a loss as to what is in your mind and for what reasons you are wanting to do this?

 

Oh dear....so sorry for the confusion out there...going back...I can see why...I posted in the intro and then just jumped in here...posted...had a shot....had a brain fart...then hit post...D'OH! My bad....allow me to clarify...
I have a 94 Roadmaster...my wife absolutely loves as do I....her underside is shot and is becoming more and more of a safety concern by the day. Heck I just noticed that the top of the rear wheel well is MIA and the safety belt retractor is hanging in mid air...
We've been looking around for another wagon and we found a 1988 Oldsmobile Custom cruiser...which I am completely unfamiliar with and was looking for the general consensus on what they were like performance and ride wise. Part of what we loved soooo much about our Roadmaster is the performance and we hate to give up the LT1.
Thus far...what we have learned is...no the LT1 is not an easy swap....the 307 seems to be a tad underpowered....the 88 wagon looks absolutely awesome de-wooded in flat black...and we should never ever drink and post...*hic*...OH...and we have a potential buyer for the wagon in New York...sorry Blackfoot...we won't deliver...but if you want to head up this way I'll throw in a 40 pounder of crown royal just to see her soul live on in another wagon...

 

Thank you for the clarification, shadow. Makes sense now. One thing that will bother you....when you punch the gas pedal you will soon find that it's no LT1 under the hood of that 88. I love the 80's box wagons but they are under powered. That's why I put built 455's in them. Still....they are nice wagons and well built. It disturbs me that the tranny mount cross member is, as you say, soft. And I believe you mentioned some floor rust repair? Not good things, but....then again....the car is very cheap at $500. I hope you make a good decision. My question would be, however; why not get another LT1 wagon?

 

If the car was parked on the grass, dirt or a wet gravel drive with tarp over it and he already blew a brake line I would check the underbody and frame very well. I bet all the lines are gettig ready to blow, fuel included, frame is shot, rust encrustation everywhere.. That tarp is the formula for rust, better off leaving the tarp off of it and putting plastic underneath to keep it from sucking up moisture.
500 bucks is cheap, you get what you pay for though, the car prbably isn't worth anymore than that. The guy knows what he has and that's a parts car price, why buy more of the same problems?
There are clean bodied wagons around, mechanicals are a piece of cake , rusty bodies and frames are a nightmare and I won't go near them anymore, those deals are not deals. It's always better to take your time and find something decent locally, pay more up front for a clean body, pay the money to have one transported to you that is clean, or take that extra clean-body-premium cash and go get the car .
The 307 will make it go okay, could go with an Olds 350 couldn't it? The LT-1 is nice but a real PITA IMO. I'm "Olds" school, the distributor shouldn't be behind the water pump and a carb should be sitting on top with an air cleaner that's round and doesn't look like home plate.

 

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What Blue Vista said. 100%

 

Hey DarkShadow, there was a '71 Country Squire for sale that was posted yesterday here on the site that looked in fine shape. The bid then was somewhere around $400. I'd check into that one as it seems to me it's a much better buy and it sounds like it's in better condition.l