Budget Buick Build Before & After: Cherry Avenue Auto Parts Junkyard Part 4

Need a reason to visit a junkyard? Buy a busted Buick. Watch Junkyard Life put this grandpa-fresh LeSabre back on the road. We won the bid on a wrecked 2000 Buick LeSabre with $650 at a local Birmingham, Alabama wrecker auction. The Buick came home on a wrecker, but as a bonus, we had keys and the 3800-V6 engine runs. Well, sort of. The bent Buick has a torn up radiator, so we didn't let it run for long to avoid overheating the engine. This purchase would be prime flipping material – the Double Aught Budget Buick Build – if we could locate all the parts and put it back together. (Note: Save time, money, and headaches when you buy projects that run.)

MAKE A LIST

We jotted down a list of damaged parts and a scoured websites, such as Facebook Marketplace and the local Pull-Your-Own yard. The key to a budget build is finding straight body panels that have matching paint to what you are working on. This saves big money. 

JACKPOT!

We found Cherry Avenue's listing on Facebook Marketplace. Their Buick parts car was the same color as our car! That's a major bonus. Bolting on same color parts saves a ton on paint expense. Even with the saving, we did spend $450 in parts for a $650 car!

DISMANTLE

Cutting away the bent parts and removing the damaged pieces left the front end of the Buick nearly naked. We found color-matched hood, fender, grill, and bumper cover at Cherry Avenue Auto Parts. We also snagged a replacement frame horn piece that was crunched in the front end collision. The new boxed frame horn structure (unibody does not have traditional frame) would need to be welded into place. A few other parts, headlight, air intake box, and radiator were located at the local you-pull-it yard.

A FAMILY THAT JUNKYARDS TOGETHER...

I try to include my family in the many automotive projects that funnel across my driveway junkyard. This time my youngest daughter, Noelle, pitched in with some underhood wrenching to put the airbox and wiring back in place on the 3.8 liter Buick engine. My son, Joe, you may remember him from the Project $300ZX (https://youtu.be/kRqUlRAHbiQ), helped out at the you-pull-it yard grabbing a radiator and a headlight. 

Teach them how to do stuff and they will do stuff. It's simple. And you're helping yourself, down the road, at the same time.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER

The fun begins when you put the final pieces of a puzzle together. But there is always a few problems to solve. The Buick's factory aluminum hood did not want to line up with the fender edges. Metal against metal. Bam! No good. A degree in Alabama Auto Mechanics was needed. A chain hoist and a tree were used to pull the understructure into position. When all aligned, bolted, and welded in place, the fenders were mounted. The hood, headlight, grill, and bumper cover were easy additions. 

Almost as good as new! 

Grandpa-fresh

The Double Aught Budget Buick Build name is a nod to the 2000 model year, which introduced the redesigned LeSabre's front-wheel-drive, full-size, 3800-V6 to another decade of sensible transportation. You know your grandpa would give the Buick LeSabre a 4-star review every year. From 1992 thru 2000, the Buick LeSabre maintained a legion of buyers eager to hold the keys and place this full-size people mover at the top of the best-seller list.  

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Leave us a comment. Do you think we did ok? After all said and done, about $1,200 was spent to get the Buick back in shape for the road. Have you worked on a similar project? We're always under a budget constraint at Junkyard Life. We cheap because we have to be out of necessity.

Do you have a junkyard or a junky yard?
Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com

WATCH MORE FROM CHERRY AVENUE JUNKYARD:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

 

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Junkyard Life: The Story Beneath the Rust.

WATCH: 1958 Buick wrecker auction refugee

Finding a 1958 Buick Limited Riviera Sedan at my local Birmingham, Alabama wrecker auction is not a common occurrence. Only 5,571 were produced of the Buick in Model 750. These were the top-of-the-line four doors, loaded with a bevy of options, such as power seat, power windows and Buick’s smooth, seamless Flight Pitch Dynaflow transmission that did not have any step shifts and utilized multiple turbines. Big and beautiful At nearly 19-feet-long, there is no denying the yardage of stainless trim and 160-cubed grill grabs the attention, even when adorning a time-battered yard ornament. It was a shame to see this classic, rare Buick end up very close to being scrapped for pennies on the pound – but hope is alive. The rescued relic has found a new owner after landing at a Birmingham, Alabama wrecker auction. I hope the new owners make progress on preserving this treasure from the 1950s. Much design, history and automotive development went into making the 1950s American cars the most beloved decade of rolling art, and in this case, rotting beauty. Time will tell if this ’58 Buick will get a full restoration. We'll keep you posted as we discover the history of this particular Buick that led it to the wrecker auction or restoration info. Jody Potter
— Junkyard Life

Do you have a classic or muscle car barn find? Send us details and we’re on the way!  Send emails to Jody Potter at junkyardbull@gmail.com or Ron Kidd at Kidd403@bellsouth.net.

Reader’s Rides: Trio of 1976 Buick Free Spirit Indy Pace Cars rescued for restoration

Flock of Free Spirits. Len L'Heureux has gathered a trio of 1976 Buick Free Spirit Pace Cars at his shop in Canada. Len, no stranger to automotive restorations, located the rare (only 1,290 built), pace car replicas and negotiated their purchase.
  Despite their junky, as-found appearance, two are driveable. I was also surprised to learn that two of the slab-sided, silver Buicks were bought from original owners who had squirreled them away for decades. 

Attention-getting graphics on one of GM’s popular A-Body Colonnade beauties were not a recipe for success, but these overlooked, limited-production Buicks should soon skyrocket in value.

Fly again?
  Plans to restore the lone, t-top-equipped Free Spirit are underway. Once the restoration is complete, Len plans to sell the Free Spirit wearing the best graphics. He hopes to recoup some of the t-top Buick’s restoration costs by selling off the hard top swan. The ugly duckling of the bunch will likely be stripped of Free Spirit-specific parts. Those unobtainable, crown jewel items will be needed for Len’s parts stash or retirement fund. 
  Try finding a 1976 Buick Free Spirit aluminum roof halo or deck lid spoiler. I hate to say it, but I will. Len’s collection may be worth more, sold in pieces and parts. Let’s hope these three Buicks hit the road again.

  We will keep you posted on Len’s progress but if you get a wild hair and want to buy Len’s collection, he may consider leaving the Buick business. You can reach him at: lenbone.1@gmail.com

Jody Potter  
— Junkyard Life

The interior 1976 Buick Free Spirit Pace Car replica features bucket seats, console shift, tilt, A/C, and Rallye steering wheel.

Free Spirit spotter’s guide: Aluminum accent strip tops the squared roof.

Rare flock of three 1976 Buick Century Free Spirit Pace cars.

Only the best Colonnade-era Buicks featured a stunning, sweeping console.

Len L'Heureux plans to sell this Free Spirit replica, which has the best decals.

Len’s favorite t-top-equipped 1976 Buick Free Spirit is flanked by two hard top models.

A red Buick Rallye steering wheel frames the pace car’s gauges.

The Buick’s silver paint has dulled to a shade of grey that is often mistaken as primer. Spotter’s Guide tip: Pace car replica striping makes the lengthy hood look longer.

Cloth or vinyl interiors were option on 1976 Buick Free Spirit replicas. I’ve seen black cloth in person, see that previous Free Spirit find here.

1976 Free Spirits featured reddish-orange painted wheels.

1976 Free Spirit Buicks spotter’s guide: Blacked-out tail panels.

Read more 1976 Buick awesomeness!

• First Turbo Buick
• Cars in Yard: 1976 Free Spirit Indy Pace Car replica
• Lessons from the bus that ate my Buick
• Scrap yard claims 1977 Buick Regal  

Do you know where a classic or muscle car is parked in the weeds, send photos and an address. We’re on the way!?  Send emails to junkyardbull@gmail.com.

 

Barn Find: 1932 Buick uncovers original 1969 Camaro Z28 DZ 302 engine, Corvette rear end

Monster of a barn find. Heard this one before? A Ford guy walks into a local, Alabama feed store for his morning cup of coffee and winds up buying a 1969 Camaro DZ 302 engine bolted to a 1932 Buick sedan with a Corvette rear end.
  Huh?
  It wasn’t that easy, but the facts are simple. This beefed-up, barn find Buick had been tucked away since 1975. Now, the family wanted it gone. That’s where Jerry Weber got some hot coffee and a lead on this monster in the barn!

Complete DZ 302 engine sitting between the frame rails of a mothballed 1932 Buick. Holley carb, Winters intake, and finned valve covers all correct ’69 issue.

Are you kidding me?
  As unbelievable as it sounds, this Franken-Buick received a DZ 302-V8 heart transplant, 43 years ago. A resourceful, north Georgia, hot rodder scored the engine from a junkyard in 1971. He managed to yank a complete, DZ-stamped engine from a totaled, Daytona Yellow, 1969 Camaro Z28. To complete the 1932 Franken-Buick make-over, he added a Turbo 400 transmission, Rocket brand wheels, and a complete, independent rear end, including disc brakes, out of a 1965 Corvette. Hurst motor/frame mounts were also used.

Jody Potter, Ron Kidd, and Keith Lively check out the 1965 Corvette rear end, disc brakes under the 1932 Buick.

 
Really, it hits the fan
  As it turns out, this Georgia, junkyard super hero was building the hot rod for his sons. Somewhere along the way, between 1971 and 1975, he moved his family moved from Georgia to Alabama with the ’32 project in tow. The Buick was road worthy for a couple of years before the sons lost interest and went away to college, around 1975. 
  In the name of hot rodding, or busting knuckles, so to speak, the fan blades hit the radiator. Despite successfully grafting parts onto the Buick, including a Mustang II front end, a destroyed radiator spelled doom.
  That unfortunate event parked the project for the next 39 years. Blame the flex fan, if you must, but that sacrificial radiator helped preserve a low-mile, original DZ 302 engine. The body on the ’32 is also rust-free.

 

Franken-Buick was hauled to his new home in as-found condition. The hood, grill shell, and other parts were removed 39 years ago when the project went on hold.

 

New owner gets coffee, more
  Back to the guy who wanted some coffee. Somehow, things ran off the track when the Ford guy, Jerry Weber, was told a 1940 Ford coupe would soon be for sale. Weber left the feed store, with a phone number, ready to meet the owners and make a deal on the 1940 Ford. 
  Weber found out that the family, who owned the ’40 Ford, was planning an estate sale to liquidate the assets of the man who built the 1932 Franken-Buick. The family wanted to quickly clear out all the buildings, including structures that housed cars that had been untouched since 1975. 

Love at first sight
  The ’32 Buick Model 57 caught Weber’s eye. The owners, more concerned with preparing for an estate sale, knew it was once a hot rod. They confirmed that they knew it was a 302-V8.
   Without batting an eye, Weber and his son-in-law, Keith Lively, were loading up a 1940 Ford and the 1932 Buick sedan with the DZ 302 engine. 
  A second lease on life for two, great American classics!

Jody Potter

— Junkyard Life

Send photos, money, junkyard tips and stories to Junkyard Life

Email junkyardbull@gmail.com

Much has changed on this 1932 Buick Model 57 except the 114-inch wheelbase.

1965 Corvette independent rear suspension, disc brakes and differential casting #3830303 found under the 1932 Buick.

Original 1932 Buick rat rod, from 1975. Evidence that art imitates life.

1932 Buick body tag details.

The interior of the ’32 Buick has undergone some modifications. Wood dash is original.

Fisher Body construction utilized wood and steel on 1932 Buicks.

Must be less that 30,000 miles on this DZ 302 engine since it was rescued from a wrecked Z28 in 1971 and parked. The engine spun over freely and looked free of gunk.

Beautiful detail on the 1932 Buick fenders — and rust-free.

A Mustang II front end made its way under the 1932 Buick between 1974 and 1975.

A tilt steering column and aftermarket gauges were added to the hot rod 1932 Buick.

Large vents including front air scoop opens on redesigned 1932 Buick hood.

DZ 302 engines featured a Winters aluminum high-rise intake with their snowflake logo.

Wood panel supports center section of 1932 Buick Model 57 roof.

Rocket wheels and Delta 60 tires, rear, Delta 70, front.

An inline 8-cylinder powered Model 57 Buicks in 1932. That’s 230-cu. inches – a Buick favorite.

After spending decades in locked away, the 1932 Buick is moved, to you guessed it – a barn.

Delta 60, raised, white letter tires spread the hot rod mojo on 5-spoke Rocket wheels.

Camaro Z28 fans speak reverently of the DZ 302 engine, knowing it packs a 350-400HP punch, not the underated 290HP advertised.

1932 Buick barn find monster or Franken-Buick lives again!

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1977 Buick is Regal no more; Scrap metal dealer claims another GM Colonnade model

Scrap yard eats 1977 Buick. If you are a Buick fan, you usually arrived there because of their hook in the automotive industry. Luxury or performance, and often times known for both. Buick has been referred to as “The Gentleman’s Muscle Car”. When you seek out Buick knowledge, a wealth of stories and photos can be found on the stealthy Buick GS or the bright GSX. Maybe you prefer the Darth Vader appeal of the Grand National? The Riviera has even carved out a bit of recognition because of their luxury class appeal with the punch of a muscle car. But I’m not talking about any of those, now. I’m talking about the little-to-no muscle, late 1970s era, fan club that may just consist of Jody and myself. We are the beleaguered fans a 1977 Buick Regal that is a soon-to-be scrap yard victim. 

Battered Buick
  An abused child to be sure. No cloth bucket seats, no power windows or door locks. This Regal for sure rolled out with factory air (long gone) and I am pretty sure it had a tilt wheel. It saddens us that these era cars seem to find their way to the scales. Junkyard Life cannot be the only ones guilty of loving these cars. We need to find a way to at least give someone the opportunity to rescue these situations and prevent them from become shopping buggies or beer cans.

Regal history
  Introduced to the car buying public in 1973, the very word “Regal” refers to royalty. The Mad Men of Madison Avenue were digging deep for a hot name in the dark era for the automotive industry. If you wanted a sporty version of the Century, look to the Regal. The counterparts across the street were Chevrolet’s Monte Carlo and Pontiac’s Grand Prix. By 1977, the last year for the medium size Colonnade body style, conformity reigned. Being somewhat lost in a sea of comparable models, nothing (much) was super grand or regal. No one ever thought of this 1977 Buick Regal to be story worthy, but it is to us. 

 

No Buick buyer
  Someone once again decided that a few hundred dollars and no more Buick sounded better than five hundred dollars (which it said on the windshield) and having a Buick. I hate the scrap place. This is what I saw as I passed by recently. A 1977 Firethorn Red Buick Regal with all four Buick Road wheels (or whatever name they became by 1977). 

Buick engine mystery
  This Regal had an “H” in the V.I.N designating the engine code. Two sources indicated varying opinions. One claimed “H” was a 350 C.I.D, but was unclear which engine. GM was swapping Buick, Olds, Pontiac and Chevy power plants around the board like Fleetwood Mac. All makes had their own 350-V8 that could have been installed here. The other source said “H” wasn’t a V8 at all in 1977. It was listed as a bullet-proof Buick 231-cubic-inch V6. 
  My guess is either engine was long gone and the happy swapper decided on a 350, of Chevy persuasion, that was completely intact including an aluminum intake and an Edelbrock (Carter style) carb. The engine bay was so complete, that the only thing that didn’t raise its hand in roll call was the A/C compressor. Outside that the paint code hinted to a beautiful color Buick called “Firethorn”, otherwise known as paint code #36 going down the assembly line. 

Along with the aforementioned Carter-style Edelbrock carb, the one who abandoned the Buick also gave up a heavy duty 3-row radiator. Someone needs this.

 

Junkyard Life Note: My family had two of these Colonnade Buicks over the years. Both were this same color - Firethorn Red. My Dad bought one new in 1976 and loved it. My cousin, Mike, bought one around 1977. He almost bought a 1977 Trans Am instead, but the Pontiac was leaking something underneath, so Mike went with the Buick. We all loved that car.

Happy Hunting! Wait, strike that – Sad Hunting, and the bearer of bad news.

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life 

Complete 1977 Buick Regal grill and emblem will soon meet the crusher.

1977 Regal wears four factory chrome, rally rims at the scrap yard. White wall rolling stock and the original Buick wheels with the centerpieces
indicate it was not always intended for it to end it all at the recycler. This Buick just fell into the wrong hands.

We’ve patched together worse project cars and driven them home.

Friends don’t let friends scrap complete chrome-bumpered cars. This 1977 Buick Regal deserved a better fate.

Know a junkyard that we need to visit? Got a car story?  

Send emails to Ron at Kidd403@bellsouth.net or Jody at junkyardbull@gmail.com.

Low-buck Grand National with manual windows, door locks for the Turbo Buick Guys

Darth Vader and the roll-up windows. To add to Jody’s story on the original Turbo Buick – I have a question about Grand Nationals. This really should be entitled, “To Further Educate Junkyard Life on Buick Turbos.” Last weekend, during a Junkyard Life adventure, Anthony and I attended the Ardmore Car Show and swap meet. Hundreds of cars and gear heads united in beautiful Ardmore, a city at that straddles the Alabama-Tennessee state line. A Buick Grand National stole my attention because it was missing options taken for granted on almost every new car.
  I always hope to run across a turbo car from the Buick line, particularly the 1986 and 1987 intercooled models, at any show. I have a beautiful dream of someday owning a T-Type wearing grey or Rosewood paint. More on that later.
 
Question of the day
  There were three Grand Nationals in attendance at the Ardmore car show. That alone is note worthy! Outside of the GS Nationals in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where else can you expect to see a Buick Grand National? The three black beauties at the show were packed with options. You expect that. It was a Buick. The top of the line Buick, at that. All were super nice cars. Cruise control, tilt wheel, cloth seats, special badging, air conditioning, power seats, power door locks and power windows can always be found in a Grand National. Or so I thought. I found a Grand National with manual, roll-them-up-yourself, windows and powerless door locks. Did I?

I’ll take fries with that   Do you expect this beautiful GN to have power everything? I did. I loved the manual windows! Surprise!
  Before you call shenanigans on me, look at the picture below.

Manual windows and manual locks on a Buick Grand National! How many of these have you seen?

My car is fast, my windows are slow
  See? See? I wasn’t making this up. Also note the Turbo-6 hardware covers on the door pull.
  I have seen a couple of T-Types with manual windows. That makes a little more sense. That is even believable. I have never until now have seen a Grand National with manual windows and locks. It’s like Darth Vader opening his own doors. So my question is this: "Does anyone have any numbers of these?" 
  Buick Grand Nationals optioned with manual windows and locks must have super, low build numbers. Has anyone ever seen one? It couldn’t have helped the sticker price that much. Buick Grand National buyers were rarely concerned with price. They wanted it all. But it does add to the muscle car persona. Did I really see this one? It was very hot that day… 
  So send me your weird Buick Turbo option, or lack there-of, facts. We must know.

Happy Hunting!

Ron Kidd
— Junkyard Life

Know of wacky Buick GN build numbers or a junkyard that we need to visit?  Send emails to Ron at Kidd403@bellsouth.net or Jody at junkyardbull@gmail.com.

A total of 30,022 Buick Grand Nationals were built during the 1982-1987 production run.

Weird Things overheard by Ron while standing beside a Buick Grand National

• Adult male, in his mid-thirties, looked at the Grand National and asked a friend, "Grand National? Is that really what they were called?” I wanted to call security and have him put in jail.
• Adult male, mid-twenties looking at a GN was overheard “Yeah, Grand Nationals, they were supposed to be fast, but no one has ever seen one run.” I just didn’t know what to say. Poor guy. THAT guy needs an education and not just the stats on power windows.

Compare this power window switch and power lock on passenger door panel of this Buick Grand National. 

Tell us something about an old junkyard or rusty relic.  Send emails to Ron at Kidd403@bellsouth.net or Jody at junkyardbull@gmail.com.