A little 80' Regal from France

[JFKen]

Hello all,

One year ago, I found a 1980 Regal Sport Coupe.

I always liked american car, particularly the 75/85 period (square, quad-headlight,...). So I thus realize an old child dream :redface:

This car was stored long time (at least 6 years, probably more) on a used auto parts dealer's ground. Fortunately, it was stored on gravel (not on grass), so the body was fine and unrusted, and this is a good point

The car was remotorized with a V8 engine Maybe a 305 or 350 SBC (not identified yet). I've got no time actually, so i don't do lot of things on it.
Just clean the car and the engine compartment.

Next step :
¤ Repair or replace the engine (but Buick V6 engines are very hard to found in Europa, espacially in France (there is a lot of US car in Belgium, Germany and Swiss, cause US Army base located in these places, but in France it's really "exotic car" :biggrin: ).

¤ Make a restauration of the brake system, and a refreshment of the interior (I'm in the south of France, an it's a sunny place > the 80's quality of plastic interior don't like sun ).

Here some pics as was the car when i take it :

In the junkyard :

 

[JFKen]

From back :



The engine (don't be affraid !) :




Inside, look well for a 26 y.o car who are stocked long time outdoor :



And after a half-day of hand cleaning, look better :

 

[BEATAV8]

Cool man! It's neat to see a French Buick. Looks a bit different.

 

[JFKen]

Cool man! It's neat to see a French Buick. Looks a bit different.

Thanks

The stange thing on it it's the location on the engine of the alternator and A/C compressor

The white paint was applied like a *#$£% (and it's not a car paint, but bathroom paint !) !! Originally, it was metallic light blue.
I don't choice yet the future color of my car... I hesitate between the original color, black (eh eh) or white... But this is not the priority

 

[garyk1970]

Ken, looks like you've got alot of work ahead of you.you're at the right place for help.good luck.
looks like it has the four door sedan header panel on it?looks like the interior is good.

 

[JFKen]

looks like it has the four door sedan header panel on it?

What is the "header panel" ? The front face with the grille ?

 

[garyk1970]

yes,it holds the grill and headlights.

 

[JFKen]

Ok. The face is a 80's style. I found these pics :

This one is strange : 1980 but not SportCoupe ?

And a classic 80' Regal with an other grille :

Edit :

Ah ok, I uderstand : the 4door version of Regal don't have the same header panel !

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

if you need any help, by all means give us a shout. Id love to see an american car burnin up the roads of france, passin' those little peugeot's like nobodys business. lol. Though, do you have your heart set on THAT car, or would you prefer any old buick. Parts for that car can be hard to get.

 

[JFKen]

Thanks :wink:

I'm really in love with my Regal, I saved it from this junkyard... if not, at present it would be with the state of soda cans

I like all old cars, but american are my prefered :tongue:
The french community of US car owner is very friendly and active

I have an other (very) little US car, an Olds Omega 1980 (GM X Body). I have almost finish to retore it.
If you want see it : Oldsmobile Omega 80', The JFKen's new Toy

:biggrin:

Parts for that car can be hard to get.

For the 1980 models ?

 

[Pablo]

I think parts for any Buick are going to be hard to get in France. I'm sure driving that around must get you a lot of looks. Thats kind of funny when we Americans think about that because a car like that here is not special or desirable. I'm sure that you are speaking the truth when you say that its rarity makes it almost "exotic".

The car doesnt look like its in too bad of shape. As far as parts, the SBC and its accessories are going to be the easiest to get. I would stick with that combo. If you are going to do the engine and transmission the easiest and cheapest combination would be a 350 sbc and Th350 transmission.

 

[By-Tor]

I have a question? The door panel says Limited and the deck lid says SportCoupe. My Question is, could you buy a SportCoupe and get a Limited interior?

 

[usetaboost]

YUUUUUUUUUP! The chrome, the seats that make you fall asleep, map lights, cb , and a few other weird options.

 

[JFKen]

I think parts for any Buick are going to be hard to get in France. [...]
The car doesnt look like its in too bad of shape. As far as parts, the SBC and its accessories are going to be the easiest to get. I would stick with that combo. If you are going to do the engine and transmission the easiest and cheapest combination would be a 350 sbc and Th350 transmission.

Mechanical parts aren't hard to find, and body parts (interior,...) in France, and Belgium and Swiss too.

Until end of 90's, there was in France a "power" tax on car, this tax varied with the real power of the car and the eqipment.
Just imagine for example : a little city car, like a Renault 5 or Peugeot 205 was worth around 5 tax units , a berline like a Citroen XM or VW Jetta between 6 and 12 tax units, and a luxury car like a big Mercedes or BMW around 15 tax units...
For american car there was a 20, 30 even aound 40 of tax units !!
Lot of US cars was abandonned in the 60's - 80's period, or for the homologation (european standard are very stupid !). Thus ther is a lot of cars without paper, and sell only for parts :wink:

For the engine and gearbox, I hope have a 350 SBC and a TH350, but I think it's a 305 and a TH200 :frown: I would see well :tongue:

I have a question? The door panel says Limited and the deck lid says SportCoupe. My Question is, could you buy a SportCoupe and get a Limited interior?

I don't know... informations on the 1980 models are hard to find, I found only
on Before Black site, but there is two line on it.

 

[KrisW]

That's a great car. Even T-tops!

I have seen lots of sport coupes like yours but most of them had Pontiac V8 engines. The 301 and 265. The 305 was an option.

It also looks like someone took all of the accessories and made them work with home made brackets, oh well...

I guess as long as you can afford shipping, you can do what you want. There are lots of parts available no matter what engine you want to use.

Good luck and keep us posted!!

 

[JFKen]

That's a great car. Even T-tops!

Yeah, the T Tops are a great option (or not an option ?).

If you know any sites or have photos about the 1980 model, I'm very interrested . When you type "Buick", "Regal", etc... in google, 90% of results are about the GN... vut for the before black models... ouch !

 

[SolarGoldRaptor]

Salut JFKEn, c'est raptor3388 du forum-auto ^^

Yeah, there ain't not much info about late 70's and early 80's Buick V6 cars on the web. Here are the ones I found to have interesting info :
Before Black.net
Buick V6 motor tuning article
Buick V6 "even-fire" in a Porsche 914
GN T-Type.org

 

[b4black]

I don't know... informations on the 1980 models are hard to find, I found only
on Before Black site, but there is two line on it.

There's a lot more than just two lines. The 1978-80 were very similar. Check the pages on the engine evolution and you see how similar (and different) they are.
BEFORE BLACK - Evolution of the Buick Turbo V6
BEFORE BLACK - Turbo Notes

 

[JFKen]

There's a lot more than just two lines. The 1978-80 were very similar.

Yes, I know. The mechanical is similar, but for informations, owners site or blog, about the car (the 80 Regal), not a lot of things on the web (except the BeforeBlack Site, of course :biggrin: ).

 

[JFKen]

Salut JFKEn, c'est raptor3388 du forum-auto ^^

Salut toi, merci pour les liens Que le V6 soit avec toi mon ami :smile:

T'as vu, j'ai osé faire un topic sur TurboBuick , entre toi et ta firebird et ma pauvre Buick toute dépravée, ils vont prendre les francais pour des fous :wink:

As you see, I dared to make a thread on TurboBuick's forum, between you and your firebird and my poor almost stray Buick, they will take French for crazy guys ! :wink: