1972 Estate Wagon Limited Coupe

Hey Jeff, I'm glad your Olds 455 lives up to it's Rocket fame...my sweet 98 can't get out of her own way until I have the Q-jet rebuilt. She coughs alot, and has developed a very bad drinking problem.

I'm sure the Buick 455 packs plenty of punch, but to tell you the truth, I haven't driven this wagon much. It will need some freshening for sure.

A Q-jet rebuild is inevitable, and all of the other things that are required to get a long-sitting vehicle going strong again.

I have been so focused on the body and such, that the drivetrain really hasn't been dealt with, other than I know it runs and shifts, and sounds great.

My parts Electra has a wonderful 455 that is strong and smooth. I have just been hanging on to the whole junk car, until I check out the wagon's drivetrain. I could swap out the entire drivetrain if needed, but I would rather keep the original engine in it. It's nice to have a spare. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima

David
(btw...I don't feel any of this is hijacking, because it is still focused on our wagons )

 

Since this is a '72 I would have used the '72 lock bezel, for the "factory" look. BUT, as we know this car was built in simpler days when it wasn't uncommon for bits to get lost for while then reappear later down the track. Thus it is very possible that a '71 bezel just happened to be in the box by the production line when this car rolled off the line.
Of course, the car amazing which every way you look at it.

 

I removed my headliner yesterday...not sure if I should have done this, but I was curious about the roof.

Turns out, the roof on these wagons is made up of two pieces of steel! Double-walled front to back! Who knew?
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This shows the roof from the vantage point of the front passenger floor.
The roof has light surface rust from condensation. I will clean this panel and epoxy prime it.


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This pic is the roof looking from the back forward. The glass is the down/closed position, and this spring is attached to the top center of the glass to help pull it up when raising it.


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Another view of the spring.


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This small access cover is the only removable thing on the entire roof panel. Can't wait to see what's inside...


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It's the other end of the counterbalance spring. I would imagine that if the defroster glass was ordered, the wire to power it would run along with this spring and connect at the top of the glass also.



All in all, I kind of wish I had just left well enough alone, and not taken the headline down. The roof didn't reveal very much as far as the rear window goes, and I won't really be able to coat the upper roof panel with sound deadening spray like I wanted...not enough access. But the material is very easy to remove and put back in, so no big deal really.

David

 

One other way to control the condensation is to use those dessicant bags (like the ones that come with electronic appliances). I keep one in the tire well. and always have one in my tool drawer chest drawers in the basement. You can buy it bulk at most hardware or industrial suppliers. Its pretty cheap.

I am impressed with that roof construction though. Somebody at GM had a lot of clout to go the extra mile on a dual panelled structure like that. Back when quality went in, before the name went on. Very nice.

 

wow David very cool, looks awfully roomy in there... just out of curiosity, where do you being to take the headliner down? Windshield header and pillars I would guess but how does it attach to stay "high and tight" ?

 

Hey Jeff,

I started at the front...it is glued to the roof with a light spray adhesive, and then every ten inches or so there is a metal bow that goes in a sleeve where the visable seams are.



A plastic attachment piece clamps onto each bow at four places corresponding with the "T" shaped openings in the roof panel.
The little plastic pieces fits up into the large opening of the "T", and slides forward and is thereby held in place.

It is a very nice and simple set-up...easy to put up and remove.
The only fragile part of it is the fabric sleeves get old and quite delicate...care must be taken to avoid tearing them.

David

 

ultra high coolness

 

Looks the same as the type of headliner I once removed from a 75 Riviera parts car (just to find out how the head liner was attached).

I found out again about that double layer in my Wagon when I changed the front dome/courtesy light for one with the lenses which I prefer over the original dome lenses.



Very nice photos again David. These photos are telling more than 1000 words or textst in manuals. :2_thumbs_up_-_anima

 

It looks great so far.
I have new old stock Sport Wagon Emblem if anyone is interested?
Your choice IS great but I thoguht I would let it be known I have one.

 

Thanks Norm, Jeff, Rob and Dean!

Dean, I will keep your NOS emblem in mind...thanks for thinking of me.

David

 

Looks like you could spray sound deadening in the roof cavity, wouldn't be easy but it looks doable.
As an aside, when did GM start using that domelight? They certainly got value out of it, my wife had one in her 1985 Holden Calais and her brother had one in his 1984 Holden Commodore police pack.

 

that dome light - wow hmmmmm I am going to guess 76 but I know I am wrong but I do know that wherever I got it in 84 it went into my 74 Cutlass Salon (that you may remember had NO dome light, just B pillar and under dash lights - completely inadequate.

I have always loved that light. Of course I am grateful for the dome / albeit single beam maplight that I have in the Toronado and Custom Cruiser, but that forced me to upgrade the Delta 88 Royale convertible as best I could (I understand that some convertibles actually had dome lights on the convertible bow - 64ish TBirds??? But what about when the top is down??? >>> but I digress

funniest part is I don't really drive at night anymore wow am I old

 

Ford used that 'dome' light too

coming along there pally.....strange tho....i didnt notice a 'sunroof'

 

LOL! Wish I could find a sunroof, but those things are pretty rare for these things.
I was even thinking I might go with one from another make, like maybe an '80's Mercedes SEL because those are the biggest sunroofs I can find,
but it still isn't right...it's big, but not big enough.
Plus, there's that whole double roof thing. Doh!


Been trying to clean the engine and undercarriage, because it is kind of a now or never kind of thing.
The engine cleaner I'm using, while not a smelly Gunk petroleum type product, is still quite strong and probably not good for fresh paint.
Same goes for the power-washing.

It came out pretty good so far...I will continue Saturday with trying to remove the undercoating that is on everything.
I think the wagon must have been undercoated at the dealer when new, and they were, unfortunately, very thorough.
This stuff is incredibly tenacious! I tried straight thinner on it and it barely did anything to it! :banghead3:








The single exhaust took a hit at one time, and is shoved right up to the oil pan. It is cracked where it all joins up.
I am going to put the duals from my parts car...they are very nice, and don't appear to be very old. They will hopefully fit...I know they will need some rerouting at the rear.














I think these are the original shocks...the undercoating overspray matches the undercoating on the frame and everywhere else.






This little tag on the differential was a fun surprize...



It says USE LIMITED SLIP DIFF LUBE ONLY! Told ya' this wagon was gonna' be "Limited" all the way! :2_thumbs_up_-_anima



David

 

I have to practice my close-up shots. Awesome camera work David!