95 PAU Project

[Squilliam]

I figure maybe if I post up plans about my car, maybe my threads will get more than 1 or 2 responses. So here goes. Ive always had a thing for H bodys. My ex's mother had a 95 Lesabre and I loved driving it. Then in college, my buddy picked up a 97 SSE 40th Anniversary, but he was rear-ended shortly after. He used the insurance money to buy a 99 Lesabre Limited and had that for 2 years. So needless to say I've been around these cars for awhile now. Ive always like the 1G Parks, I dont know why. The Ultra's are my Mecca. 2 Tone, Supercharged, the tail lights....just such a cool car. I was lucky to have picked up my own back in June and I love the thing. Unfortunately it wasnt in the best of shape. Paint is shot, has a horrible aftermarket landau top, the carpet is stained in places and the sungear in the tranny broke so it clunked in Park and Neutral. Unfortunately I overlooked the oil pan, which was caved in. So a month later, spun a bearing. She's been sitting in storage ever since and I've been trying to scrap together some change to get it fixed. Im not selling it. Only has 115k and not a lick of rust anywhere. I'll keep this thread posted from time to time on the situation but for now, I just have a few crappy pics of the car.















This is how it looked when I bought it





Again sorry for the pictures. I really hope to get this thing fixed up soon. I should have a large chunk of change coming my way that Im splitting between 2 cars. I'd like to paint this one a nice deep black, but keep the whole two tone thing going. After all a Supercharged Buick just really isnt a Supercharged Buick without that 2 tone, haha.

[devin1986]

Not a supercharged buick without two-tone? Screw you! Just playing. Very nice platform, and it will be cool to see where you go with it. I don't think there's many c-bodys on here either, so it's pretty unique.

[MattStrike]

Nice car, I had always liked those. The interior on that car is immaculate! Are you going to rebuild everything yourself?

That top looks just like the one on my mom's '94

Aren't C-body's just H-body's with a different profile above the belt line?...

[DCJREDLINE]

I would have to agree with you, just something sexy about that car. Cant wait to see what you end up with.

[wake]

im so jealous, id love to have one, that interior is MINT too!

[nos4blood70]

Beautiful car despite the paint. The interior is beautiful. I wish more of these things were around today.

[Squilliam]

Thanks for the positive reception! I have a feeling that this car is going to turn into a project vs a DD. I've always wanted one since I was 15 and now that I have one, I cant stop myself. So, it'll see one winter then its off to find another DD, yet again. haha. My parents arent going to be too thrilled when they see that Im spending my money on yet another car, but hey, wat can you do. I cant tell you how many thousands I dumped into this....



At least its not crack, right? lol.

[Squilliam]

Actually, I havent said any of my plans really. I will be rebuilding the motor I have. Im sending the block out and having it cleaned and honed then getting the heads cleaned up, ported and polished. I cant remember where I saw a Series I cam, but I know I saw one, and I'd like to do that as well. Port the charger, smaller pulley off of a 91-93 L67, and Bonnie duals to get that great 3.8 burble. I want to paint the motor, But I dont know what color to use (suggestions?) I'm wrinkle coating the supercharger and I'm going to drill out functional portholes in the fenders for extraction. When I replace the sungear in the trans, I might as well throw in a shift kit for good measure. The wheels need repainted as years of neglect and brake dust have taken their toll, and like I stated before, a nice deep black to finish off the car. I want to leave the outside looking fairly stock, I really like how it looks. One thing I would love to do is a Bonneville interior swap, if that even possible. I know you can do it between all 2G LHs but I dont know a whole lot about GMs right now. Thats why I'm here, haha.

[Squilliam]

Nice car, I had always liked those. The interior on that car is immaculate! Are you going to rebuild everything yourself?

That top looks just like the one on my mom's '94

Aren't C-body's just H-body's with a different profile above the belt line?...

Yep, I've always done all of my own work. Put two trannies in my Trep and did the dreaded and feared 2.7 timing chain/waterpump.

[Squilliam]

Not a supercharged buick without two-tone? Screw you! Just playing. Very nice platform, and it will be cool to see where you go with it. I don't think there's many c-bodys on here either, so it's pretty unique.

Haha. Its just something that would get under my skin. IMO, the biggest offenders are Regals. Most of the GS' I see are two tone, but a few monotone's have snuck in there every once in awhile. I just think it looks cool as hell on a Buick. Bonnie doesnt need it to pull off that look, it has that killer bumper. No, I havent seen too many C bodys on here. I think Ive seen 3 other Parks and maybe one Ninety Eight. I dont think there's a huge difference between the two, is there?

[SSEiMan01]

C-Body is basically a long wheelbase H-Body.

[MattStrike]

The 6th gens were the same wheelbase even.

Engine color: Use the same color as the body paint or if you're going with black then a rich emerald green metallic, use clear over chrome paint for the 'aluminum' parts, and rustoleum "hammered" dark grey for brackets and such - my 2 cents.

Just make sure you wash the under-body weekly if they salt the roads out there in the winter.

[Wes]

C-Body is basically a long wheelbase H-Body.

From my visual observations, The C body is basically the same as an H body except it has more trunk space. All the brakes, drive train, and suspension are relatively the same.

Actually, my curiosity intrigued me to look it up. The wikis for both the H and C bodies in the 92-99 era are listed as 110.8 wheelbase.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Park_Avenue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Bonneville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Riviera

edit* the C and G bodies in 97 on were more like 2k+ H bodies. Slightly longer wheelbase though. 112 in vs 113.8 in.

[Squilliam]

The 6th gens were the same wheelbase even.

Engine color: Use the same color as the body paint or if you're going with black then a rich emerald green metallic, use clear over chrome paint for the 'aluminum' parts, and rustoleum "hammered" dark grey for brackets and such - my 2 cents.

Just make sure you wash the under-body weekly if they salt the roads out there in the winter.

Yeah, they salt alright. There's more GMs in the yards around here from rot than drivetrain. Im pretty OCD about my cars, so even in the summer they dont go longer than 3-4 days without a decent wash. Im going to be painting the underside of the car, and then putting some old oil on some of the critical areas. I was thinking about a black block, black valve covers with the indents painted silver and wrinkle coating the Eaton. But I do like your idea, sounds like it would be really wild.

[Squilliam]

C-Body is basically a long wheelbase H-Body.

From my visual observations, The C body is basically the same as an H body except it has more trunk space. All the brakes, drive train, and suspension are relatively the same.

Actually, my curiosity intrigued me to look it up. The wikis for both the H and C bodies in the 92-99 era are listed as 110.8 wheelbase.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Park_Avenue

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Bonneville

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Riviera

edit* the C and G bodies in 97 on were more like 2k+ H bodies. Slightly longer wheelbase though. 112 in vs 113.8 in.

Yay! Another C body, haha. Yeah, that's pretty much what I've dug up. They look like identical platforms except for the rear overhangs.

[gweg_b]

Nice car, and I really love that color! I've always liked the older Ultras, as I had, long time ago, planned to get one myself. You can't beat the roominess that can be found in those cars - bigger than some people's living rooms!!

Anyway, sounds like you have some pretty good plans, and I can't wait to see the outcome. I plan to rebuild my '95 LeSabre, but money, time, Bonneville problems, and recent family tragedies are proving to be major road blocks.

Good luck, I'm she she'll be beautiful when you're done!!

[devin1986]

Nice car, and I really love that color! I've always liked the older Ultras, as I had, long time ago, planned to get one myself. You can't beat the roominess that can be found in those cars - bigger than some people's living rooms!!

Anyway, sounds like you have some pretty good plans, and I can't wait to see the outcome. I plan to rebuild my '95 LeSabre, but money, time, Bonneville problems, and recent family tragedies are proving to be major road blocks.

Good luck, I'm she she'll be beautiful when you're done!!

Off topic to the original post, but nice lesabre. I'm a little biased though.

[Squilliam]

Well I decided to get the car out today and rip the gaudy landau top off. Even though there a mess of RTV and screw holes in the sheet metal underneath, I think it looks alot better than it did before. I plan on painting the car right after I do the motor so I figured, what the hell. Also took a chance to spit shine it for the first time since it blew back in the middle of July.








I really do miss driving this car. Im hoping I can start wrenching on it very soon.

[Wes]

I like it much better with out the rag top. I don't think I have ever seen a car that looks good with those.

I take that back. A friend of mine had a 85 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. It had a brushed stainless steel roof with the cloth top, and it was fitting for the car. But, for most cars I just want to ralph.

[Squilliam]

I like it much better with out the rag top. I don't think I have ever seen a car that looks good with those.

I take that back. A friend of mine had a 85 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz. It had a brushed stainless steel roof with the cloth top, and it was fitting for the car. But, for most cars I just want to ralph.

It would be one thing if it was the factory top that went all the way to the A pillars, bu this one was old cracked vinyl with severely oxidized aluminum trim that only went just in front of the C pillar. It had to come off. Made me feel old driving it like that, lol