Coffee Brake: The Long And Winding Roadmaster
As the Draken transitions away from a regular DT project car (a number of interested folks have contacted me about the Draken and I expect it will be gone soon) it only makes sense that another car, in need of a few tweaks, would fill the void in my garage. Of course this next car doesn’t actually fit all the way inside my garage, but that won’t stop a 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon from becoming the Roadmaster Project Car (RMPC).
You can start reading the saga of the Roadmaster wagon here when Kaibeezy drove down to the DT offices to record an episode of the DT Radio Show…or I guess you could go back to when it was offered for sale with empty soda cups and Little Mermaid books littering the interior.
The Roadmaster arrived complete with 18 feet of monstrous length, squeaky suspension component(s?), non-functioning key-fob, balding tires, busted e-brake, and a warm AC. First thing’s first, that squeak was downright annoying with the windows down, so it was either fix the AC or murder the cricket in the suspension.
The annoying squawk was coming from the left front, so I made one of my kids jump on the bumper with the hood open and found the source of the noise — a mangled looking upper control arm bushing. It needs to be replaced in the future, but for now I pulled out my trusty grease gun and added the evil looking needle attachment. It’s flu shot season in Roadmastertown.
The patient was administered an injection of premium Mobile 1 synthetic grease into the rubber bushing and the noise is 100% gone. The bushing still needs to get replaced, but at least it isn’t embarrassing to drive over speed bumps near crowds of people crowds of people near speed bumps.
Nobody likes opening the door with a key like some kind of neanderthal (next, you’ll ask me to shift my own gears or navigate without voice assistance like it is the dark ages) and the Roadmaster came with a set of key fobs, but pressing the buttons did nothing. A quick google search and I found a website that described the programming procedure, which involved removing a rear plastic panel, shorting out a connector and pressing some buttons on the key-fob, 20 minutes later I popping locks like Rob Ford pops pills.
Stay tuned for more DT project car updates as we say goodbye to the Draken and fix the Roadmaster’s air conditioning, parking brake, and get some new tires. DT E-i-C Vince’s wife says “wanna support DT, somebody buy the damn Draken.”
How much did you pay for it?
couple of corrections… 1) it was an iced tea cup and it was not empty; 2) … nope, that's about it
huzzah on the squeakectomy and rebraining the fobotomy – shoulda drove it down there sooner
you do have two spots of loose headliner to deal with along the back windows – the edges got 20 years of sun and so have the consistency of a centenarian's eyelid skin – i had, and then lost, some very promising double-sided carpet tape – next thing i would have tried would have been 3M Super 77 sprayed liberally onto a strip of cheesecloth then conservatively patted into place – and yet… and yet…
are you going for the firehawk indy 500's? – add a trailer hitch and pull an airstream?
Not sure on the tires, but the cords aren't showing yet, so I've got a few miles. I'd love to have a camper/glamper, but I just can't justify yet another parking space filled with something that doesn't move under its own power.
I passed my driver's test in a 1971 Buick Estate (Clamshell) wagon (bigger than the Roadmaster), and have owned a '57 Caballero and the '65 Sportwagon. The kids will come around quickly as soon as they realize that they've all got first class seats. The wife; may have a hard time reconciling the difference between the kids smiling faces and being spotted by friends in it, but here's a trick. When you only have two of the kids with you. Fold down the middle seat and put them in the third seat. That gives you and the Mrs. a 7+ foot zone of peace and quiet that you haven't had in a while
Welcome to wagonland. Sorry you missed your shot at the Schlepwagen, but there's a family in Northern Michgan who are enjoy their first rust free car!
HB: Did you sell the sportwagon?
When are going to be on the podcast, Hunsbloger?
Needs some Impala SS wheels, or maybe 18×9 somethings, 255/45-18 tires now seem to be common.
Do the Impala T84 headlights fit, if you could find a set?
Sorry, would love to take the Draken off your hands but even if I could justify a K-Jet car subject to the California smog proctologist my fun funds have been thinned out over the past couple days' market mess.
I would withdraw from the market now, and reinvest when September ends. There may or may not be a bubble that's just about to burst…
I feel honored to have sat in it and a coward for not buying it myself. Timing is a harsh mistress.
More affectionately known as a Roadmonster.
also Roadmattress
My only question……….outside of sardonic humor purposes…is why?
Dude, how did I miss that you bought a Roadmaster. And one without wood no less! We have enjoyed our 94 for a few years but it's trailer pulling days for us are now over.