New Member and needing direction! Long Post.

So let me start off by saying I'm a long time car nut but I've never been a GM guy ever. I stumbled across my Buick on an off chance and drug it home. Needless to say I've fallen for the car and really want to get it back into service!

The Story:

Dad calls and says "Hey I'm going to look at an old snowmobile on FB Marketplace that I need some parts off of... Go with me." While we are there I look off through the field at the guys house and along the tree line there are some cars lined up. Nothing to really write home about at first glance... An old Astro van, a rusty 80s C10, a Sunfire, a first gen Mustang complete with a tree growing through it, and a few others. We go back to his barn to look at the parts sled which turned out to be not what dad needed. As we were getting ready to leave I got another look at the line of cars across the field and saw one that I didn't notice before. I asked the guy hey what is that one with the double headlights it looks pretty clean. He replied that's my uncles old '68 Lesabre. He drove it up here (ohio) from Virginia about 10 years ago and there it sits. I went out and crawled around it and was surprised to find very little rust. Still Paint on the the underside of the floor pans! I wanted it. I figured it was sentimental probably but to my surprise he said he'd part with it and he'd even haul it to my house for me! It was quite a battle to get that thing up on the trailer when only one wheel would spin! With alot of screaming and will power we made it happen. That was a year ago I brought the car home. The only thing that would work in the car with a battery in it was the right side parking lights. Upon inspection I found the issue there to be a crusted up fuse panel due to moisture. I attempted to crank the car with the ole starter button but nothing. Pulled starter... Shot. Put a new starter in it to find out the engine (350-4) was stuck. 2 weeks of marvel mystery and PB in the jugs and some love with the breaker bar and she cranked. I vibrated with excitement as I ran to the garage for my jumper wire and some gas. Somehow the tank was bone dry and clean LUCKYYYY! I threw some gas in the tank and after about 30 seconds of cranking it fired up on high idle and came down clean to low idle and sat there running no problem for 10 minutes before the gas I put in ran out. I couldn't believe it. I checked all the fluids, put some more gas in it and even more surprising I put it in drive and across the yard we went. With no brakes lol. Now for the bad. I've been slowly working on things when I have time and have been thinking this is gonna be fun cruise around car. UNTIL I found the only bad rust on the car which was HIDING LIKE AN A**H***! I planned on working the little bit that needs done on the body over the winter and spraying it in the spring but I pulled the chrome trim around the windshield which in turn had me pulling the whole windshield when I found it was a little crusty under there and someone had glued the trim down. They did a nice job though... You couldn't tell anything was going on underneath the trim at all. The side and upper channels that the windshield are ok. Not great but i'm not afraid of them. I'ts the lower lip that the glass sits on where the big problem is. It's pretty much gone all the way across and started eating the leading edge of the dashboard. It was all hidden behind the shiny chrome trim beneath the wiper arms. This explains the fuse panel being in tough shape... Don't know how the floor pans survived but they're fine. Not really sure what my options are for repair here. Does anyone make a repair panel for the area under the windshield or am I trying to source a used one? I know I'll have to find a dash tin somewhere. I'm handy but I know I can't fab well enough to rebuild it from scratch. Can I save my Lesabre? If it's only good for parts now I'm going to be bummed but I didn't pay much for it!

 

I am relatively new to restoring cars but if it were mine I would have to know what the rest of it looks like to make a decision on it restorability. I never make a decision based on an assumption it will bite your ass every time. Take your time and dig into it and then decide what you want to do. Just my opinion.

Welcome to V8 Buick

 

Thanks for the insight IlliniGSX. I've completely crawled over the rest of the car and there is nothing else that would make this car unworthy of being put back together other than the area below the windshield. and it doesn't go lower than that either which is surprising. I'm hoping someone can turn me onto either a parts car that I can get panel from or somewhere that makes a repair panel for the area. those would be the only options that I would be able to handle. I can cut and weld well but I don't have the tools or ability to shape raw stock and build it myself.

 

Pretty much this. All I can add is it might not be a total loss. You could find a different purpose for it like a daily beater, rat rod, drag car.

 

Thanks for the reply buicksWILD. I guess I should have added that my original intent with the car was never going to be more than rat rod daily beater anyways. Never going to be a showcar again while it's in my hands. Just something fun to cruise around in. That being said I would like to end up with a little more solid of a fix than great stuff and bed liner LOL

 

Don't worry, this is fine. You need a decent metal guy to help you patch it up. As long as you get the shape right so the window fits, and it's water tight, it will be covered. How do I know? Because my wildcat has a fiberglass fix there from a prior owner. Had I not dug into every inch of the car, I would never had known. You are not taking the thing to Carmel to be judged. The car will also never be worth a fortune. It will be a great car to enjoy. You just need it to be safe and properly repaired. Check out theses guys http://www.beldenspeed.com/rust-patch-panels/1965---1968-gm-b-body-window-channels-and-patch-panels

Great story, hope you are driving it soon.

 

Welcome to V8 Buick! That's a cool story, it's amazing you got the 350 running.... that LeSabre wants to live!
That windshield rust is severe. Best bet is to find a donor car but even that's a lot of work r & r'ing a replacement.
There is a company that makes repair pieces, Beldon Speed. They do have repair parts for the 'B' body, but I'd suggest looking for a comparable repo part for maybe an Impala (if they're even the same?). Unfortunately they don't yet offer the bottom channel you need. Maybe they can offer some advice.
Here's Beldon's new website:

https://www.rustreplace.com/home/1965-1968-gm-b-body

 

bostoncat68 that makes me feel a little better. My dad actually proposed a fiberglass fix but I was skeptical that it would stay in place and water tight for more than a year or two. How is it holding up where yours was fixed and do you know how long ago it was fixed?

 

It does want to live! Doesn't smoke, tick, knock, nothin. I searched for a windshield on car-part and it looked like 65-69 maybe '70 impala, delta88, deville, and a couple others I think all use the same front glass as long as they are sedans. Problem is i'm sure most of the places that list the glass in stock don't actually have the vehicle anymore and I can't find anything in my area as of yet. And Northeast Ohio isn't the most fruitful market for clean sheet metal.

 

Welcome! The 68 LeSabre is near and dear. I know about a couple parts cars
In Michigan and one in Wisconsin if you are looking for something.
Cheers,

 

Dessert Valley Auto Parts has a 68 parts car

 

Thank you for the heads up on the parts cars I'll shoot you a message soon to find out the details. And nice Lesabre!

 

I don't know how I forgot to check DVAP... I lived out there 3 years ago. wonder if they will cut and ship. Time to make a call.

 

Here's my 65 Lesabre, gang gang fam.

 

NICE find! Thanks for sharing the adventure. Good luck with the restoration. I look forward to following your journey...
-MIG

 

oooooWEEEE thats alot nicer than my car lol

 

No problem and ill keep you posted as I go. Got all the interior out today to get a good look at the floor. All is decent except the passenger front is gonna need replaced.

 

Jon, per your earlier post, I wouldn't use fiber glass to fix it, maybe if it were smaller. If DVAP is a bust I think you could craft it. Call Belden Speed and see what they can do for that channel.

 

I actually sent an email out to DVAP this morning. Their lot shows 4 or 5 '68 sedans! Just not sure how they operate. Will they cut and ship or I could fly out pull what I need and ship it home.

 

DVAP will cut and ship, but you will pay $500-1000 I suspect.


Compare CT Auto Ranch which also has the 68 donors:

http://www.ctcautoranch.com/Parts C... Sub-Pages/LeSabre - Wildcat - Centurion.html