Keeps my summers full.

[alleyyooper]

I met my wife in August 1984, she was fun to be with, then in Febuary just a few days old I met Opels car. It was love at first site for me. I married my wife shortly after meeting the car I tell every one it was so I could keep track of the car and make it mine some day.

It was Opels car my new wifes mother, her dad was a fuss bugget sort of guy so the oil was checked befor the car was going to start and go some place, Not only did the body get waxed regular but the door jams did also.
My new mother in law was funny in she didn't like old cars she worried they were going to break down and strand her. So the car got 50,000 on it and mom refused to drive it and even ride in it. This was around 1999 or there about. By then Dad had retired from AC on Dort hyway and Davison road. He told mom that she could start driving his 1998 Buick Park Avenue and he would make her car his as he loved older cars.

Mom worked for AC also and liked the second shift the best so many times dad would take her out for some thing to eat before going into work. some times he would go into the shop takeing a lunch he had made for her then pick her up after work also.

Dad Passed away On November 9th 2006 so the car just sat in the garage. Mom would have me start them and let them run take her shopping some times and my wife useing the Park to take her to doctors appointments
I was never allowed to drive the car. in 2011 I started asking to buy the car and mom would say no it isn't hurting anything Setting in the garage.

2012 the oldest daughter a OLD MAID moved in with mom. Believe me I know why she is a OLD MAID what a **(&&R(**(+) she is.
But Mom asked me to move the car out of the garage because the OLD MAID needed the room to put all her crap.
So I didn't even start it just pushed it out enough for the door to clear the front.

I should have bought a cover for it but didn't, should have spent some time every summer waxing it but didn't.
I did continue to ask about every 3 months to buy the car. Always being told it wasn't hurting any thing setting out there.

Mom fell and broke her hip June 2016 was in the hospital for a couple weeks then they sent her to a nurseing home to recover. Worst place on earth to be way I feel, I kept at my wife to get her out of there that once she was home we could care for here along with the OLDMAID to do her share.

Mom was stil in that god forsaken home early August and she told my wife and the OLD MAID that she would sell me the car.

It officially became mine August 16th 2016 when I changed the title to my and wifes name and bought historical plates for it.

What is the car you ask. it is a 1985 LeSabre collectors edition that at the time had 83,000 miles on .
Before I started it I changed the engine oil letting it drain for 24 hours. Made a appointment to get the trans oil changed at the shop 2 miles up the road where all work was done dad could not do.

Keep in mind it had just finished raining a hour or so before. two tone gray topand silver bottom, crushed blue velour seats, Oldsmobile 307 V* engine.

More of the story to follow.

Al

 

[merc_man]

Cant see pics

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[I saw a lot]

The picture of the motor brings back memories. With all the plumbing under the hood I' surprised they even ran. Dad used to own a garage and body shop, so we grew up around cars. My job at the shop was more in the tire department, oh the days.

 

[alleyyooper]

Yup the plumbing of the motor was about right at the highth of thre air pump polition engineering.

Al

 

[merc_man]

See them now. Nice looking old car

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[alleyyooper]

So with getting a few things done in 2016 didn't get to do a whole lot of driveing before we put storage insurance on it and parked it for the winter. I didn't know about classic auto insurance till spring 2017.
Pay less a year for full coverage classic auto insurance than we were paying a month for storage.

American Collectiables is who has us covered, allowed 7,000 miles of driving a year, 500 dollars worth of parts covered and thre reast is the same thing as our daily drivers have.

Wife tells me she won't ride in the car till I get the AC to work. Made an appointment to take it to switch from R 12 to R134. Kare saw the left front tire was low so said have them remove it and reseal it.

Got it back on a Friday afternoon and decided we would go for a drive on Saturday. Any thing over 40 and thew tire was pounding bad so I stoped at a tire store we have been buying tires from for a while. asked them to check the balance. theey said the blance was fine the belt had broke loose. I had a recite for that tire and the other side from 1989 dad had put on. He paid 170 for the pair, we got two new for 190.00.

We showed at several of thre local towns week night cruises they are called.Monday is Lapeer, Pizzria Mi, in Davison Mi Tuesday Night, Wednesday was Otisville Mi, Imlay City Thrusday night and on Friday night there was down town Davison Mi.

Finally at the end of July we decided to do a all day week end show. Port Huron MIchigan's Main Street Memorys.
We had a great time enjoyed it so much we decided to do more all day shows.

the car needed a paint job bad and we thought we had a guy lined uop but he said he couldn't get to it till November. 2 novembers have came and gone and he has not called us yet like he said he would

Pitting and cracking paint.

At one time some one had keyed it I think and the touch up paint was comeing off.

the badges looked bad also.

A bit of surface rust on the right rear quarter.

Where the roof met the quarter there was peeling paint.

The stripes were Typical GM for the time stick on paper type.

Wife is very worried some one will steal the hood ornament.

So in November when the guy had not called when he said he would we started calling numbers of people we were told woud paint the car.
Some came across as down right crooked and did sloppy work. some wanted the car for about 6 to 8 months so they could piddle with it between dealer work and yet another wanted the price of a new mid size car to do the job.

We finally took it to Dave's collision in Unionville Michigan to get the job done.
Very happy with the work done. Unhappy with the picture taking documation of the job as promised.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

I got the only pictures at the body shop when I went uop to pick up the broken power antiana to fix.

Didn't think the engine compartment clean again.

Never got to see it in bare metal and just this one door in thr eepoxy primer.

We picked it up April 1st 2018 just 25 days before our first show.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Wow it shines, 4 base color coats and 5 clear coats.

The badges were fixed not replaced.

The body side mouldings were replaced because the old ones had peeling chrome.

The strips were now painted on.

No pits, cracks or pine pitch stains on the hood.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Our first show was Midland Michigan At Northwood institute april 26th.






We were awarded a top 25 plaque.



Al

 

[alleyyooper]

First part of May we went to a show in Waterford Mi. got a top tem there.

Then to Clinton Township day before Memorial day. we got the peoples choice award, thing is 3 feet tall.

Next Memoriel day we got a farthest traveled plaque.

We won 100 dollars at the Ithaca show in door prizesand my name was drew as a car owner vet.

At Sandusky we got the best in our class award. Makes a nice night lite too.




In Rease Michigan we got another top 25 award.



Al

 

[alleyyooper]

One of my favorite shows of 2018 was Flint Mi.'s Back to the Bricks with the Buick Club on Water street. Of nearly 200 Buicks we had the only 1985 collectors Edition coupe at the show.

Parked in front of GM Plant #1.






Al

 

[Clemsonfor]

Cool car and that plant looks really cool. Is it a museum now or something?

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[alleyyooper]

Yes it is sort of a Museum now. If you ever visit Flint Mi. it is on water street.
They had a engine history set up there during back to the bricks.Went all the way back to the 30's and th efirst straight 8's up to the present engines used in the Regal touring cars.

Al

 

[alleyyooper]

Fall Sundusky Mi car show, Held the same week end as Frankemuth Mi car show a monster show with over 600 cars for a 3 day peroid.

Sandysky is a small farming town in Michigans thumb, so small they have a volunteer fire dept.
They put on th eshow to earn a bit of cash to buy equipment. First year (2017) we attended our Buick was really ruff paint wise and I had a raditor boil over and had not cleaned up under the hood.
There were about 70 cars there that cold Saturday.
We stayed as usual and watched them pass out the award in thr elate afternoon and was shocked when we recieved a Memorial trophy the first (Deloris Schultz) for the most orginal 1985 0r older car.


That was our first award ever for the Buick.
Deloris Schults was a long time supporter of the fire dept and the show. She owned a 1963 Buick Riveria she showed every year and we were told she expected a trophy every year LOL.

So 2018 we went to the same show with our newly painted car and the engine compartment all cleaned up. Turn out was a bit less than the year before and since our car had now been painted was sure we would not get Deloirs trophy again.

We did get an award how ever. It is a need award and makes a great night lite.





Wonder what is in store for 2019?

Al

 

[Clemsonfor]

Fall Sundusky Mi car show, Held the same week end as Frankemuth Mi car show a monster show with over 600 cars for a 3 day peroid.

Sandysky is a small farming town in Michigans thumb, so small they have a volunteer fire dept.
They put on th eshow to earn a bit of cash to buy equipment. First year (2017) we attended our Buick was really ruff paint wise and I had a raditor boil over and had not cleaned up under the hood.
There were about 70 cars there that cold Saturday.
We stayed as usual and watched them pass out the award in thr elate afternoon and was shocked when we recieved a Memorial trophy the first (Deloris Schultz) for the most orginal 1985 0r older car.


That was our first award ever for the Buick.
Deloris Schults was a long time supporter of the fire dept and the show. She owned a 1963 Buick Riveria she showed every year and we were told she expected a trophy every year LOL.

So 2018 we went to the same show with our newly painted car and the engine compartment all cleaned up. Turn out was a bit less than the year before and since our car had now been painted was sure we would not get Deloirs trophy again.

We did get an award how ever. It is a need award and makes a great night lite.





Wonder what is in store for 2019?

Al

I was like am I reading the same post again? Haha, the award was covered up above in a post, but this tells the whole story.

Most of this country Is covered by volunteer fire departments. Up until a year or so ago we had no paid fire fighters in my county. We now have about 6 part timers to supplement the volunteers, of which I am one.

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[alleyyooper]

Many of SE Michigan towns are covered by paid full time fire departments.

Al

 

[Tbrown]

I am thinking about this Buick special for sale locally. I like the body style but am not sure if it's a great idea as far as parts and drivability.

 

[Clemsonfor]

View attachment 158132 View attachment 158135 I am thinking about this Buick special for sale locally. I like the body style but am not sure if it's a great idea as far as parts and drivability.

Drop a 350 and modern running gear in it.

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[alleyyooper]

That is about a 1937 Buick right.
There are parts out there and Depending on your taste I would keep it stock.
lots of Buick help here.
http://v8buick.com/index.php


Eau Clair Wisconsin ah, Have you seen my daughter on the bill board over there?

Just wondering?


Al

 

[Clemsonfor]

That is about a 1937 Buick right.
There are parts out there and Depending on your taste I would keep it stock.
lots of Buick help here.
http://v8buick.com/index.php


Eau Clair Wisconsin ah, Have you seen my daughter on the bill board over there?

Just wondering?


Al

Haha, I thought that pic of the billboard was one of the in app adds they place in tapatalk! Haha. I was wondering why it was targeting me with tattoo adds, then I read the rest of your post. Pulled down more and there was a boats.net add, I was thinking that is more like it. Haha

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