Junkyard Hunting

[Little6pack]

I am going Junkyard hunting Saturday.

IF I WAS to stumble accross a 86-87 GN what would be the best Items to take off quickly? & Worth most?

Same for 84-85 GN's

 

[zam70]

any black trim (including lights)
center console
spoiler

anything we2/we4 specific.

 

[MeanBuicks]

I always keep my eyes peeled but...

I have never seen (nor have any of my buddies) an 84-87 TR in a junkyard. A couple 80's 442s and reams of Monte SSs, but never a TR. I guess they are usually parted out privately.

How many folks have comes across a poor TR in the boneyard?

 

[SLZ]

Back in the early 90's out in Leominster, Ma at ABC junkyard there was a whole long row of Montes, Regals, T-Types, GN's in there. Havent seen any turbo cars in the yards for many years. Ive seen plenty of the other Buick t-types in the yards even now. Good source for those emblems and steering wheels and maybe some seats. STEVE Z

 

[equalizer442]

How many folks have comes across a poor TR in the boneyard?

i have well it was in some ones back yard but it sure looked like a junk yard.

if you find a tr just buy the whole deal and sort it out later

 

[gn1220]

Found a Pace Car Regal in the yard once. Didn't realize how rare it was until it was too late. Also a non turbo T that had a car sitting on top of it Went back a few months later and it was gone "86 Century Grand Sport, Got the spoiler off of it but I can't seem to give it away.

 

[olds443]

about 6 months ago there was an 84 Turbo T-Type. It was complete with a good interior and the turbo and top half of the engine in the trunk. This guy was out there buying the engine and trans from it. After talking to him for a few it seems he had Turbo Buick habits as he had bought the engine from another T Type that was there almost a year before. It was an 86-87 that had been beat pretty badly. It was in primer over 2 or 3 coats of paint. It had the blackout trim but the front clip had been changed (non-turbo hood) and the trunk was from another Regal (incorrect vin and RPO codes). Seems to have been a light weight car, alluminum bumper braces, drums, no power windows, no t tops.

I did get the intercooler, rear end (now in my Cutlass ) and a new radiator out of it. I so wanted to buy the entire car, but the roof was damaged, looks like someone messed it up with the forklift.
The unfortunate thing is either of these cars could have been repaired but the yard looks at them as just another Regal.
The fortunate part is being just another Regal the parts are cheap. (My Rear cost me $65)
I did see a wrecked 442 in a Sacramento junkyard. The rear was the first thing gone.

 

[Little6pack]

JUNK YARD UPDATE

OK Saw Lots of MONTE SS's & 442's from the 80's. Unfortunatly it is MUD season & they were all in 2 feet of water to get at.
No GN's

There was an 89 regal sport with funky looking alum wheels & spoiler.

 

[1BADT]

Last summer I was at a local boneyard and found a complete 85 Grand National. Posi rear, Nice interior but rusty... I didnt havve the right tools with to get the rear. Went home ccamme back next day the entire car was gone. All I got was a MAF, A couple emblems and some trim. I was pissed. Oh well!!!

 

[Vendor Defendor]

theres a guy down here who claims to have 3 of them, or maybe 5? well i dont remember ive seen two of them through the fence, but he says hes selling those complete and parting the others out, when i asked him to see the cars, he asked what i need, i asked to see bumper fillers, emblems and those pull strap covers, he said no to both the emblems and the fillers and said he wouldnt break up the interior, that he was selling that complete...

-neil

 

[PaulBZ65]

A local yard here had a 87' Grand National which appeared to be a theft/strip and recovery. It turned out to have at least 193k miles on it and was rusted pretty good, but the theives took pretty much everything. The only parts left that were TR specific where the front header panel, black out trim and the rear end. I got the rear end which is posi for $100, cut out of the car for me . Definately my finest junkyard score. Posi still works!

They also just had a 86' 442 and have had about 5 Monte SS's, but generally g-bodies worth a damn for parts are getting hard to find in yards here, half the SS's they had were stripped before they got them.

Safe to say the clean ones(SS's/442's) are parted privately, and Im sure any TR's if the drivetrain is still present. Similarly for f-bodies, the same yard has 50+ of them, mostly 3rd gens, but never a TPI car.