My new (family) car

[Tango Charlie]

Well, last week lovemysan posted how he bought an SUV, and no one flamed him, so I guess I'll come clean and show you what we bought a couple weeks ago. It's a '94 Buick Roadmaster complete with genuine fake paneling.
The wife had to have something that carries more than five people.
We try not to drive it much, 'cause with the LT1 engine in it, she gets REAL thirsty. Besides being too tempting to keep your foot in it...

I call it The Bomber 'cause it's about as long as a B-29.
Gee, could they put anything more draggy on the hood?


There, that's my first aeromod.

[swng]

Looks like a clean nice car. I am not sarcastic. When you need a car like that, you buy a car like that. I respect Buicks. But what is genuine fake paneling? Also, I don't like the mod! Just kidding! May be now I am sarcastic afterall, but still friendly.
BTW, I notice that you drive a Vibe. I drive a cousin of the Vibe, namely the Matrix. Nice cousins!

[SVOboy]

Hey man, I wish they'd bring the station wagon back.

[Concrete]

Tango,
I think you did pretty good for a +5 seat vehicle
very clean - even has the beginnings of a wheel skirt
in fact the only thing I see working against you is the roof rack

I would be very interested in what FE you can get
should be better than any SUV - if you keep your foot out of it

[bbjsw10]

I would drive it, half skirts, nice start for a kammback or boat tail. Plus you could do this and still seat 5.

[Red]

Looks like it could do well aero modded. Full rear skirts, lower front air dam, ditch the roof rails, lower it a tad, could run very well. Plus since you have an LT1 you could swap in the 6 spd from a 'Maro in there. That would be sick.

[klrv6]

Nice car. There are plenty of user forums for them online. That platform shares many parts with the 2wd suburban like the one that I have. You can get good parts from any boneyard and they get really good mileage for their size.

[Tango Charlie]

Thanks, guys. It really is a clean car.
bbjsw10, that modified photo is great! Made me laugh.

swng, 'genuine fake paneling' is just a silly reference to the vinyl decals they stick on the sides to simulate the wood grain. Which reminds me of a joke...

A couple of hillbillies (or insert your favorite politically incorrect classification of person here) bought a station wagon with the fake woodgrain stickers. As soon as they got it home, they immediately start peeling off the woodgrain. Once they had ALL the stickers peeled off, they step back to admire their work. Then the one hillbilly says to his friend,"You know, it looked better when it was still in its shipping container."

[RH77]

I always liked the Caprice Estate and Roadmaster. Wagons deserve the respect equal to their utility.

So I expect an LT1 under the hood there?

I nearly bought a new '95 Imapla SS with the same engine (for those unfamiliar, it's essentially a sport/luxury civilian version of the Caprice Police Package). I opted for a Level-II Beretta V-6 and saved a few bucks.

Kudos on the first aeromod It's the official "Police Pursuit" mod from the era.

At least the wood "paneling" isn't like the 1-inch thick plastic paneling from the "Town and Country" version of the LeBaron Wagons from 1979:



As a kid, i didn't get the plastic wood on my Uncle's new ride.

RH77

[justpassntime]

Well, if you are going to waist gas you might as well look good doin it.

An havin good reasons too. Why else would you drive a station wagon anyway?

So you are going to start choppin the top next week? The material from the mods could be recycled and spent on gas.

You could take the top off of a school bus and use it for a belly pan.

Just kiddin man don't get your panties in a bunch.

It's a nice looking car and better aero than a mini van. It's got potential.

I just can't believe you let lovemysan step up first...scaredy cat!

[bbjsw10]

Originally Posted by Tango Charlie

Thanks, guys. It really is a clean car.
bbjsw10, that modified photo is great! Made me laugh.

Glad you got the joke in it, I was bored. Nice ride. Would look good all black with some nice rims.

[pint]

I have always loved wagons of any sort. I only wish my wife did! Especially the old Volvo 240's.

[RH77]

Originally Posted by pint

I have always loved wagons of any sort. I only wish my wife did! Especially the old Volvo 240's.

Same here -- I point them out on the road and get the "Ugh, it's a wagon".

Even the "Classy" ones like a BMW, Merc, Volvo, and the Euro Accord Estate (essentially a TSX wagon) and I get the

I'm slowly chipping away, with the realization that a crossover-utility is too expensive to operate and maintain.

I think the stigma just comes from growing up riding in one. As a kid, I rode in the likes of 70's and 80's GM "intermediates" -- '76 Cutlass, '80 Caprice, '82 Malibu, '88 Cutlass Classic RWD (still in the stable -- threw a rod).

For her, it was a brown Volare wagon.

I think I get it now

RH77

[Daox]

Don't feel too bad about having an inefficient vehicle. If you need it, you need it. If you don't then try not to use it much. Getting 12 mpg and driving 1 mile is still better than getting 40mpg and driving 100 miles each day.

BTW, I still think I have everyone beat here for having the worst gas hog. Here is a quote from an enthuiast site. I just have to laugh when I read it.

The V12 particularly is a very good performer if one is willing to accept fuel consumption that would make an SUV owner feel like an environmentalist...

Just for the record, I really never drive the vehicle. Its a project car.

[justpassntime]

You shoulda got one of these!

[Tango Charlie]

It was either this or going into debt for a Honda Pilot. The wagon's EPA is 18 combined, 23 on the highway. The Pilot's is 17 combined, 21 highway. Must be a frontal area thing.
We decided to use our tax rebate money to stay out of debt and got the wagon for $2500.

My wife grew up riding around in a wood-grained station wagon. She has the same feelings as pint's and RH77's, but she's resigned herself to it. I keep telling her, "but it's a cool car, honey!"

All black with some sharp rims, eh? bbjsw10, I like how you think!

Daox, what's your project car?

[Daox]

The car is a 1973 Jaguar XJ12. Its a restoration project. I'd eventually like to show it.

[Johnny Mullet]

The Buick Roadmaster is a great car! You can carry 6 people ans tow a boat with that thing! I doin't want to sound like an idiot here, but my father had a 1994 Roadmaster and being an "Old School Hypermiler" or maybe just cheap, he managed almost 30 MPG from that tank on the highway at around 60 MPH. The only mod he had was a vacuum gauge.

That car will last a long time if you take care of it!

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by Red

Looks like it could do well aero modded. Full rear skirts, lower front air dam, ditch the roof rails, lower it a tad, could run very well. Plus since you have an LT1 you could swap in the 6 spd from a 'Maro in there. That would be sick.

my friend so happens to have a 6 speed swap for sale right now. We pulled it from his wifes Caprice wagon today.

Man that wagon was fun.. 6 Speed, Full exhaust with cut outs, lowered, thick sway bars, wide wheels and tires on all 4 corners.. Painted flat black.. Coolest wagon ever


and you get the Vista roof in your wagon.. very cool!

[cfg83]

Tango Charlie -

I took the half raindrop :



Cut it into "just the outline" :



Applied it to the end of your wagon to get an 8 degree Kamm Back that I stop at the "bumperline" :



And ended up with this :



CarloSW2