11/28/05
Chapter 4 The Good & The Bad
With attention to quality parts and fine restoration detail, your "soon-to-be classic" can be a better car than came off the production line. Still, a well maintained survivor, doesn't have to be a show car to enjoy ownership and fair-weather driving.
In spite of low-production numbers for these vintage convertibles, most used parts and even some NOS pieces can still be had at reasonable prices. Since front clips, exterior trim and radios are mostly identical for 69/70 Electras, LeSabres and Wildcats there are many parts cars out there. Restorers will tell you that if you look hard enough, any part for a 30 or 40 year-old vehicle can be found.
Still, as different States legislate wrecking-yard clean-up, and the Chinese drive up the price of scrap metal, scavenging for for old project cars and used parts gets more challenging. In the last decade, over 50% of traditional auto scrap yards have closed. The new business model is mainly self-service pick n' pull. After 60 to 90 days in the yard, any remaining recyclable parts such as alternators, radiators and radios are removed before the hulk is crushed.
Whereas the bust dot com economy temporarily depressed collector car frenzy, by 2004 prices of 60s and 70s relics began to accelerate. As attested to by attendance at car auctions, well-heeled boomers are a major factor. What auctioneers fail to say is that old cars are a poor investment in that restoration costs usually exceed current market value.
And remember, old American iron has world wide appeal. Japanese and oil sheiks are still on the prowl for excellent restorations of any vintage. Indeed, the new capitalists in China will soon covet old Buicks. Far-fetched, you say! Well, prior to WWII 20% of cars in China were Buicks. Since 1999, current versions of Buicks have been built and sold in China as millions of workers gain middle class status. The December 2007 issue of the Buick Bugle magazine reports that GM's Shanghiai complex out-produces and out-sells Buick in the US. The plant produces 40 cars an hour and manufactures 170,000 V6 engines for export to Canada.
Should Buick Division survive GM's restructuring it may be due to the sizable Chinese market. Indeed, you may soon be driving a Detroit-designed Beijing-built Buick. Although GM cannot continue to support so many distinctive brands and dealerships, it has to recognize that Cadillac and Chevrolet and Buick built General Motors ...and that together they can sustain it beyond its 100th birthday in 2008.
Now to return to bad news:
Generally, 35 to 40 year-old big Buicks are expensive to restore. Unlike Chevells and Skylarks, reproduction parts are seldom available; just try to find a front bumper emblem or a passenger-side mirror ...either used or NOS. Furthermore, engines and transmissions are expensive to rebuild and re-chroming a set of those heavy bumpers can cost a couple of grand.
Convertibles, by nature are prone to leaks and this leads to rusted floor pans and trunk floors as well as door bottoms and rear quarters. Interiors are frayed and often in need of refurbishing. Much of the exterior trim will have to be re-chromed. All these repairs add up to meticulous work plus thousands of dollars in labour and parts. If you entertain up-grades such as electronic ignition, disc brakes, dual exhaust, over drive, and three layers of clear-coat, be prepared to dig a lot deeper.
In spite of low-production numbers for these vintage convertibles, most used parts and even some NOS pieces can still be had at reasonable prices. Since front clips, exterior trim and radios are mostly identical for 69/70 Electras, LeSabres and Wildcats there are many parts cars out there. Restorers will tell you that if you look hard enough, any part for a 30 or 40 year-old vehicle can be found.
Still, as different States legislate wrecking-yard clean-up, and the Chinese drive up the price of scrap metal, scavenging for for old project cars and used parts gets more challenging. In the last decade, over 50% of traditional auto scrap yards have closed. The new business model is mainly self-service pick n' pull. After 60 to 90 days in the yard, any remaining recyclable parts such as alternators, radiators and radios are removed before the hulk is crushed.
Whereas the bust dot com economy temporarily depressed collector car frenzy, by 2004 prices of 60s and 70s relics began to accelerate. As attested to by attendance at car auctions, well-heeled boomers are a major factor. What auctioneers fail to say is that old cars are a poor investment in that restoration costs usually exceed current market value.
And remember, old American iron has world wide appeal. Japanese and oil sheiks are still on the prowl for excellent restorations of any vintage. Indeed, the new capitalists in China will soon covet old Buicks. Far-fetched, you say! Well, prior to WWII 20% of cars in China were Buicks. Since 1999, current versions of Buicks have been built and sold in China as millions of workers gain middle class status. The December 2007 issue of the Buick Bugle magazine reports that GM's Shanghiai complex out-produces and out-sells Buick in the US. The plant produces 40 cars an hour and manufactures 170,000 V6 engines for export to Canada.
Should Buick Division survive GM's restructuring it may be due to the sizable Chinese market. Indeed, you may soon be driving a Detroit-designed Beijing-built Buick. Although GM cannot continue to support so many distinctive brands and dealerships, it has to recognize that Cadillac and Chevrolet and Buick built General Motors ...and that together they can sustain it beyond its 100th birthday in 2008.
Now to return to bad news:
Generally, 35 to 40 year-old big Buicks are expensive to restore. Unlike Chevells and Skylarks, reproduction parts are seldom available; just try to find a front bumper emblem or a passenger-side mirror ...either used or NOS. Furthermore, engines and transmissions are expensive to rebuild and re-chroming a set of those heavy bumpers can cost a couple of grand.
Convertibles, by nature are prone to leaks and this leads to rusted floor pans and trunk floors as well as door bottoms and rear quarters. Interiors are frayed and often in need of refurbishing. Much of the exterior trim will have to be re-chromed. All these repairs add up to meticulous work plus thousands of dollars in labour and parts. If you entertain up-grades such as electronic ignition, disc brakes, dual exhaust, over drive, and three layers of clear-coat, be prepared to dig a lot deeper.
