Not a Centurion...but still a Buick!

[Smartin]

I bought a "driver" to use while the Centurion goes under the knife:Dou:

66 Wildcat - Factory CA emissions car, power windows, AC, I think it has AM/FM radio, floor mats..

No rust, CA car all its life. It's rough around the edges, being sun-drenched all 40 years. The interior is a bit on the ratty side, but I'm not being picky with this one. I figure it may end up being a car I keep to enjoy. Now THIS is a true car I can call a driver. When I bought the 71 LeSabre Custom 4 door last year for a driver, I tripped all over myself when I turned it into a show car:laugh:

[EEE]

Pretty damn nice.. You know that I just saw that the premium gas here was 3.19$.. right.. driver.. you couldn't help it right, fingers itching for more Buick.. I can make a call to car-aholics anonymous for you if you want me to, it's not too late yet.

[Smartin]

I won't drive it any more than the Centurion, really. I can't rely on my work truck to go everywhere - so this is the next best thing.

Gas? I'm not worried about it....yet.:rolleyes:


:coffee: <-----I love this guy!!

[Bob Alberini]

You're just full of surprises, Mr. Martin. This looks like a pretty nice one (am I seeing 65 wheel covers though?) and, of course, this now makes more shared interests. I had a Silver Mist 66 Wildcat Custom 4 door hardtop that was loaded (AM-FM Stereo, power seat, power windows, power locks, cornering lights, factory air and more) for a few years and still have the 66 Wildcat 4 door sedan. If it has had any kind of care, you'll like it! Congrats on the new acquisition. Is this now going to become the Wildcat/Centurion website? OK, we won't go there.....;)

[Smartin]

I don't think I will go Wildcat crazy, as my budget won't allow for it. So, Bob, how many cars do you have that we don't know about?? You think I'M full of surprises!?:laugh:

It appears that this car is Saddle Mist?

I'm going to break this off into another thread...

[Smartin]

Ok, so here are some more details on the beastie.

I said before that there is no rust - well, that's true, with the exception of the rear window. Boy, that's a surprise!! Rusty rear window in a 60's GM passenger vehicle? No way!

Keep in mind that this is just transportation, and will probably remain in its (near) current condition. The interior leaves....a lot....to be desired.

More pictures..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat002.JPG

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat004.JPG


Rear window rust..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat006.JPG

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat007.JPG


The front seat pretty much needs to be completely rebuilt. The dash is cracked up pretty badly. The only bad door panel, is the drivers front. All the door jambs look good..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat009.JPG


Front drivers side trim around the headlights is bunged up a bit..

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat017.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat022.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat028.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat030.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat032.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat043.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/wildcat045.jpg

:confused4: :coffee:

[Bob Alberini]

Your Wildcat is the standard version (model 6439) and Saddle Mist is the color. It is certainly nicely equipped though and the wheel covers on the right side are correct for sure. I was only getting a peak at the left side and the front one looked more like a 65. Yours was an earlier built one and I would presume was built at Southgate. The script Wildcat nameplates on the rear quarters and deck lid indicate that. The later ones had block letters on those areas. It still remains to be seen if you can truly have a driver but this one probably would take a lot of your time and energy to restore. Still, it would not come as any great surprise.

[Smartin]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this may just be around for a short time while I work on the Centurion. Not to mention, the funds won't be available to put any real money into this car.

[Smartin]

Bob, you were correct about the front left wheel cover being for a 65. One of the first things he pointed out to me today, was the fact that he lost the original one on the road, and a uddy of his found a replacement.

It's home safe now!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/home.jpg

[Bob Alberini]

That car remains a mighty good looker in your driveway, Adam!

It is also good to know that my eyes are not deceiving me and I can still spot some of the small stuff. Your "clue" was not very big but I sure thought that was a 65 wheel cover on the left front.

Did you actually get the car from California or did you find it locally? Oh yes, I noted the CA license plates but they are not original to the car. The original CA plates would have been yellow on black and would have had three letters followed by three numbers.

[Smartin]

The car spent most of its life in CA, as evidenced by the lack of rust (except the rear window) and the cracked to pieces dashboard and seats. The guy who I bought it from, owned it in SoCal, and then moved here in the late 90's. I don't know the whole story of the car, just that. The car was located in Billings, MO - which is located just Southwest of Springfield, MO. We met in the middle - Rolla, MO - just off I-44.

He's a dragster guru, who is not a Buick guy at all, he just thought the car was cool.

I hand-buffed a spot on the passenger side fender. It looks really good. The paint is extremely oxidized, and will require a TON of cleaning.

[Centurion]

Congratulations on this acquisition, Adam! The mid-1960's Wildcats remain my favorite cars of the entire decade, so I've got to applaud your choice.

Please keep us posted as you find time to do a little detailing on this one. I agree with Bob that this car appears to be nicely-optioned for a standard Wildcat.

[Smartin]

I killed a few...hours...sanding and buffing today.

Also got the front windshield replaced, and the rear window rust "plugged" so it doesn't leak into the trunk. What an oddity that is - an almost COMPLETELY rust free car, and it is rotting in the rear window. I guess that goes to show how bad of a design that window channel is.

Here's a comparison shot...

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/buffing001.jpg


The whole hood and the upper front fenders are complete as of this evening.

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/buffing004.jpg


Now that I know how to handle this GOD AWFUL paint oxidation, I can go much quicker on the rest of it.

[Bob Alberini]

It really has made an amazing difference, Adam. Will the TOTAL RESTORATION be completed later today? Why did I not know that you'd be tackling your "driver"?

The rear window problem was there for a long time. Our 66s had it and, of course, it was a problem for the 71-73s, so it seemed to be a problem for a number of years.

[Smartin]

I had to go into work for a while today, so I'm way behind on the Wildcat paint. I've only gotten as far as the passenger side rear door...nothing else on either side.

I have so many projects going on right now. Everywhere I turn, there's something that's staring me in the face! My house is a total mess, due to the trim work and painting I am doing to the entire interior. Then there's the Centurion...and this car.

[philr]

Adam,

Don't spend too much time on it. Keep it like that and sell it to me for cheap once your Centurion is ready as you won't need it anymore! Well, maybe if you have the seats redone with the oiginal cloth (or better, if you get the complete interior from a Wildcat Custom) I'll give you a few hundreds more than what you paid!:Brow:

I remember a while ago you said the 1966 Wildcat was your favourite Wildcat model.

Phil

[Smartin]

Buffing is done..

I also repainted the inner parts of the whiskers on the fenders, and the panel between the taillights. I didn't know what parts to paint black on the grille. It's all faded.

The engine compartment still sucks, but c'est la vie!

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean001.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean002.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean003.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean004.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean005.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean006.jpg

http://www.buickpartsdirectory.com/wildcat/clean007.jpg

[Smartin]

EDIT:

Buicks.net has the engine code wrong in one of their spots. It's a 401

[Robroy]

You really did a good job waxing it up!
What did you use to get such a result?

[Smartin]

Per, I used a combination of things.

First, I used 1000 grit wet sand paper on the entire car. After that, I used a machine buffer and a wool pad with some 3M Perfect-it rubbing compound. That brought out the shine in the paint. After that was finished, I went back over the entire car with the machine buffer with a foam pad...and used a swirl mark remover also made by 3M. I then washed the car thoroughly and waxed it with some Meguiar's high tech yellow wax.

It's VERY smooth now. It's amazing how soft paint can feel just after it's been buffed and waxed. My 71 LeSabre felt the same way...

[EEE]

Sweet mon dieu, tres bien monsieur Martin.. Voules vous wax et buff mon voiture? C'est tres mal maintenant.

[Smartin]

If you can figure out how to get your car here, Kimson, I'd be happy to do it!:D

[Smartin]

Scheduled for eBay tonight at 6pm PST..

[EEE]

Miss it?

[EEE]

Also got the front windshield replaced,

any chance you remember how much this was?

[Smartin]

$250... www.safelite.com