TommyValentine
New Member
I was directed to these forums some time ago but never got around to making an account. I'll provide as much background information as I can, but my knowledge of this specific car are limited, as is my knowledge of cars in general. I know my way around a motorcycle but cars are a whole 'nother beast to me.
Last March, my father passed away and left behind a 1986 Buick Grand National T-Top with fairly low mileage. Under 40,000. I did not have much of a relationship with my father so all the information I have on this vehicle is through other family members and my own observations. I'm going to write out a list of known issues and potential issues. I was told this was a very helpful community so really I'm just looking for advice on how to best get this car restored to its proper glory while hopefully not eviscerating my bank account. I will include a link with pictures.
-The engine is currently out of the car on a stand. I'm told my dad was in the process of rebuilding the engine at the time of his death. I believe he may have caused some engine issues by running it pretty hard back in the day.
-It has not run since at least 1999. It's safe to assume that all rubber hoses and gaskets would need replaced due to the amount of time it has been sitting idle. I'm told it was sitting outside at some point, though I don't know how long, but for most of the car's life it was garage kept. My uncle tells me the paint is a bit faded on the passenger side due to the way the sun hit it. A paint job is low on my list of priorities.
-The driver's side taillight is broken and the bumper filler is broken a little also. I also noticed some cracks in the front grill.
-The headliner will need replaced as it is falling down. The rest of the interior looked to be in amazing shape.
-There is a small dent on the driver's side.
-From a quick observation in a dimly lit garage I noticed very little rust.
-The turbo and other engine components are laying around the garage, but not labelled. I'm not sure where all the hardware, screws, bolts, etc are. It's not well organized but I do have all the major components.
I live in central Pennsylvania and have been looking around for shops for several months. I found a classic car restoration shop within 30 minutes of me that said they would come to give me an estimate on the work I would like done. So my questions are:
They claim to have experience with these vehicles; is it safe to trust them to do a good job on getting this car running again? Or are these cars rare and finnicky enough to require someone with more intimate knowledge of them?
My priority it getting it running smoothly before fixing the cosmetic issues. I plan on keeping it close to stock for the time being. However, I've been told there are a couple mods that are well worth it and highly recommended for better performance and smoother operation. What would these include and what kind of prices would I be looking at?
What general advice would you have for me as a brand new owner with essentially zero knowledge of these cars? Anything I should tell the mechanics specifically?
With the car sitting idle for almost two decades, what else would I need replaced or fixed up?
I'm expecting it to be almost impossible to answer this but, any idea what this may end up costing to get running again? Worst case scenario?
Here are some pictures https://imgur.com/a/RjZcq. And if you need any extra information I will try my best to answer. I appreciate all your help and I hope to have this beast back on the road some day. Thank you!!
Last March, my father passed away and left behind a 1986 Buick Grand National T-Top with fairly low mileage. Under 40,000. I did not have much of a relationship with my father so all the information I have on this vehicle is through other family members and my own observations. I'm going to write out a list of known issues and potential issues. I was told this was a very helpful community so really I'm just looking for advice on how to best get this car restored to its proper glory while hopefully not eviscerating my bank account. I will include a link with pictures.
-The engine is currently out of the car on a stand. I'm told my dad was in the process of rebuilding the engine at the time of his death. I believe he may have caused some engine issues by running it pretty hard back in the day.
-It has not run since at least 1999. It's safe to assume that all rubber hoses and gaskets would need replaced due to the amount of time it has been sitting idle. I'm told it was sitting outside at some point, though I don't know how long, but for most of the car's life it was garage kept. My uncle tells me the paint is a bit faded on the passenger side due to the way the sun hit it. A paint job is low on my list of priorities.
-The driver's side taillight is broken and the bumper filler is broken a little also. I also noticed some cracks in the front grill.
-The headliner will need replaced as it is falling down. The rest of the interior looked to be in amazing shape.
-There is a small dent on the driver's side.
-From a quick observation in a dimly lit garage I noticed very little rust.
-The turbo and other engine components are laying around the garage, but not labelled. I'm not sure where all the hardware, screws, bolts, etc are. It's not well organized but I do have all the major components.
I live in central Pennsylvania and have been looking around for shops for several months. I found a classic car restoration shop within 30 minutes of me that said they would come to give me an estimate on the work I would like done. So my questions are:
They claim to have experience with these vehicles; is it safe to trust them to do a good job on getting this car running again? Or are these cars rare and finnicky enough to require someone with more intimate knowledge of them?
My priority it getting it running smoothly before fixing the cosmetic issues. I plan on keeping it close to stock for the time being. However, I've been told there are a couple mods that are well worth it and highly recommended for better performance and smoother operation. What would these include and what kind of prices would I be looking at?
What general advice would you have for me as a brand new owner with essentially zero knowledge of these cars? Anything I should tell the mechanics specifically?
With the car sitting idle for almost two decades, what else would I need replaced or fixed up?
I'm expecting it to be almost impossible to answer this but, any idea what this may end up costing to get running again? Worst case scenario?
Here are some pictures https://imgur.com/a/RjZcq. And if you need any extra information I will try my best to answer. I appreciate all your help and I hope to have this beast back on the road some day. Thank you!!
