I wish couches with v8’s were still made!

Honestly, look for a second wagon and just swap parts. That's more likely to save you some time, and peice of mind concerning rusted out frames.

I'd say with a rotted out frame, it wouldn't be worth saving but keep the motor and transmission tho if they are still good.

Game over when you have rust

Hey man. Sometimes cars are too far gone, and they just are not worth the effort. That seems to be the general thoughts of most people on here so far. But if you like it and have a vision of it, then do it. Ive had a couple that shouldn't have gotten the work that they did, but so what? You own the car. You've driven it, gotten a feel for it. What does the car want? Every car speaks to you, you just have to listen ;)

I have that same litter box. Use it for drill bits, clamps, and such.

I saved mine. It was heading for junk but showed her the love no one else would. Totally worth it.

Use your magic and save it, there aren't a whole lot of them left.

Yes save it. Flat black,nice wheels, and put air suspension in it. Thatd be a bad ass pro touring wagon .

I love your videos! Keep them coming. And this vehicle is definitely a keeper, the panels look awesome even with all the rust, you got my support!

NICE INFO/VIDEO

Find a B4C caprice wagon frame. If you look it up I believe the frame is the same from the 77-90 wagons too. If I were going to swap frames I'd set up the game with a 6.0 & 4L80E out of a 1999 up truck or van. More power, you can pull a trailer, and better MPG

save it but sell me the iroc rims

Check the Cats. Had a 96 wagon. Ran the same way catalytic converters were completely clogged.

do a quick tune up, spark plugs, spark wires, it should run a bit better

jay smart had two of them which is a scrap recycler don't know how good the frames on them were underneath but back end had went down on one of them could've either been a leaf spring broken or shocks cause I would say the same buy a donor with better frame on it

Same here . keep the motor and transmission. Those frame rails are shot .

Save it

Ouch that frame rust.

I would try to keep it, if at all possible.

Try to use seafoam or crc gdi cleaner, it should eliminate the hesitation

Just found your channel as I am now the owner of a 94 impala ss. As far as the temp gauge not working check to see if it flicks a little when you turn it on. If it does that you shouldn’t have an issue with the gauge cluster but more likely the coolant temperature sensor itself. The sensor on the front of the block next to the water pump controls the electric fans for cooling but there is also a second sensor that goes to the gauge which is located on the passenger side of the block near the head. My gauge isn’t working and I think I’ll just replace both sensors at the same time since the coolant will have to be drained. Would love to see it saved but this car may be better off as a parts car to save another one. If you could find one with mild surface rust and use the new parts included with the car and various other parts you might need off this wagon it might be more feasible. I think to find a nicer wagon and swap the parts onto this one wouldn’t be right but it all depends on the condition of the other. Thanks for the great video!

Find a frame for it! My 96 Impala SS had a bad water pump. Swapped it out and was told there was all that Dexcool mudd which messed up the cooling system. Had to replace all the hoses, thermostat, along with a new radiator and heater core. Squeeze your hoses and check to see if they feel soft or hard. I say fix it up and use it! I would love another 96 Impala SS!

Damn, I wish you made a part three to this. Wagons are really coming back this year especially. I just picked up a 95 caprice wagon with 40k miles

Sort out the cooling issue and pull the motor (hopefully not a head gasket issue). Yank the rear end and any other salvageable parts and scrap the rest.

previous owner didn't put 1 penny into it so it's up to you if your nerves can handle the "torture chamber". my sister in law had a late '90's sable wagon daily driver car bought brand new. she got into countless rear end fender benders. got to the point none of the doors would open/close.

Bring that car back to life!

The Iroc rims alone would get you about 3-400.00 bucks.....I'd part it out

brian, check the ECT sensor on the intake. faults include running rich, hard start, black exhaust and no dash readout of temp

It's a nice car. It needs a bit of engine work. Rusted metal is replaceable. But it's a Roadmaster for chrissakes. They don't make them any more. Worth saving.

I don't think that fuel filter is the original one from when the car was built, it's just not corroded enough compared to everything else under the car. However, it does look like a GM original equipment part which strongly suggests that the car has been maintained by a GM workshop in the past, which is a good sign for how the car has been maintained and that the owner wasn't scared of spending money on it...

Only 112k man that's sad

please save it! ill take it!

I would say if it can be fixed definitely fix it Or pull the drivetrain and rear end and repower one of your other cars with a more modern drivetrain.

If you are willing to do the work, You at least need a frame. You might be able to save other parts. But that frame is toast.

I personally still like the car. Can the frame be repaired? The other problems can be fixed.

Part it out, the front clip should be worth $500. The LT - 1 Most likely needs a rebuild should be worth $1000. Good luck.

U need a new harmonic balancer that's all, my 95 used to do the same, overheating and such

Thanks for the Roadmonster film. I’ve painted frames before, learned how to do the prep work from a friend who was a talented auto body man. I don’t have a hydraulic lift and working underneath is a danger to your eyes even using goggles. I might like to find a Roadmaster or Chevy wagon and have seen them for sale in Cincinnati, all of them badly rusted. There was an Olds wagon as well but I don’t know if it had the Corvette engine. Thinking about looking for one in Alabama or Mississippi. Good look with the motors

if you can fix the frame totally go for it

I would put money on it that the remaining bad running problem and the reported overheating are linked. I'll bet the coolant temperature senders have turned up their toes while the car was sat meaning that the fuel injection system thinks the car is constantly running cold and so it is constantly running in cold fast idle mode and pumping too much fuel in, like running on choke constantly in a carburettor car. The overheating is being caused by the temperature sender for the fan not working so it isn't recording that the engine is getting hot and running the cooling fan when it's needed to increase the air flow through the radiator. It's also worth replacing the cooling system pressure cap, it looks like the original one and they have a spring in them to release the pressure which wears out over time so it appears that the car is overheating when it really isn't. This is ultra common on Audi and VW vehicles which also use that style of plastic pressure cap and I've seen it hundreds of times. I've come across these problems time and time again in fuel injected vehicles, especially after they've been sat for a while. Replacing the senders, which with it being a GM engine are going to be easily available and probably cheap, and taking the opportunity to flush the cooling system and radiator through and giving it fresh coolant is an almost guaranteed fix, though it is worth checking out the electric cooling fan too as the salt can corrode the motors and cause them to seize or bind up which will pop fuses every time it tries to activate so if the fan feels stiff it would be worth replacing the motor at the same time. It seems like a big issue and can cause people to think there are major engine issues, which could be why it ended up being donated, but it's no biggie on a big, tough iron engine like this which would need to be seriously cooked multiple times before getting into trouble...

SAVE THE B-BODY'S. Keep it and repair the issues, Brian. Your hesitation, hard starting, high idle and rough idle may be issues with the EGR system or a bad injector. as for the overheating, it may be a stuck thermostat, non-operational cooling fans( wich may be due to a bad temperature sender or temperature switch), clogged radiator, clogged cooling passages or a blown head gasket. INVESTIGATE AND DIAGNOSE, DON'T FIX BY JUST REPLACING PARTS YOU GUESS ARE BAD.

Its a boxed frame They always rust there, patch the area and run it

looks like a bad head gasket or fouled spark plugs.. u got a mean misfire.. the over heat could be the water pump and or fan.. i think the fan is electric isnt it?? im sure u can get alot of videos out of that car.. in repairs.. but seriously id say pull that ls1 and put it into a regal/cutlass.. that would be dope af!!

This one is a no-brainer. Fix the rust and rust proof the hell out of it and you've got a car that will last another 20 years. It's clear the previous owner took a lot of care over the car and it is overall in very good condition. Apart from the frame, none of the problems are serious and sorting the frame clearly doesn't faze you at all. The other option would be to find another one from a dry state with a good frame and body and then transfer all the good parts, pretty much everything, into a rust free car but that will be a massive job. It's not worth buying another one from your area because it is likely to be as rusty or worse underneath so fixing this one is going to be the least effort and expense option. This is an incredibly low mileage car that has clearly been loved by it's previous owner up to being retired as is easy to tell from the condition of the interior, with no damage to the seats, carpets or dashboard plastics. As you say, it's a very cool car of a type that nobody makes any more and in pretty much the highest specification possible and in a few years, once you've sorted it out, it's going to be worth a chunk of money...

Pull the engine and trans drop it in a g-body along with the IROC mags and scrap the rest, also I've never seen the blue Camaro before is that new?

First I would see if the over heating effected the head gaskets if there ok pull the motor and transmission, and rear end anything that's worth salvaging junk the rest. Sell off what you don't want.

Thermostat? If it's only the frame, watch for another Roadmaster with a good frame, from a different area of the country. Sounds like you like the car, and that's important before saving a car. Save it. Watch for another Roadmaster with a good frame.

I say QUALITY over quantity........put more time and effort into your favorite cars and part out or move along the others. Most restorers suggest you getting the best car you can afford as your starting point. It does seem to me that you truly enjoy the acquisition then repair or parting out of your cars. Always glad to see your enthuiasm for your/our hobby !!

they are awesome cars but unfortunately I would only use that car for parts. you could find a solid version of this car with a bad motor or transmission and make one bad ass gbody parts hauler

on second thought.........tune her up and driver her, fix her when she breaks !

part out buddy...

Fix what you have to ,Drive it till you can't no more. That's my motto on :Haulers.

Wow I’m late on this one. I hope you save it. I have the same car, and would like to get some tips. I used to have a 96 SS, but I never had to get into the nitty gritty with it. That car was a champ through and through. Haha it’s back to B body school

Save it by getting a better frame.

Time to run some seafoam through that oil and see if you can clear up that lifter tick.

Once I saw that rusted out frame, I'd say get whatever was salvagable and then get rid of it. Rusted frames aren't safe

If the fuel filter is so ld, the brake lines obsolete and whatever seemed to be the anti freeze, the wagon probably wasn't properly serviced in years... That's the engine... as to the rust your call. BUT I am here only for the Wagon.

saving it would be up to you. $ and time always is a factor when deciding. it would have to be a frame off restoration, that's if it does not fall apart when the body comes off.

Do a frame patch tutorial !

Give it a second chance! It may seem worthless to most people, but with a little time and money, you could probaly fix it.

Oh and another thing, the secondary cooling fan doesn't kick in. I guess there is a problem with the wiring coming from the computer because I did change the thermistat and the temp sensor. Started to put in a separate switch. You've probably either fixed this car or gotten rid of it. So I may be just spinning my wheels. It's a great car though. I would've kept it and just for the love of the car would have gotten it fixed up.

Save

I truly think you should save it the car runs if you know how to put brake lines and gas lines on do it and the engines are simple and stong work horses and think your problem is plugs and wires another easy fix

Part it out and start working on the G bodies.

the heads or block surfaces might have warped if it has overheated repeatedly

This car must of been in a very salted road part of the country to rust that much or has been sitting outside for awhile. I'd assess the frame and find out how many places are really that bad. If they're not a sand blasting may be in order for all parts that are really rusted. Repair the frame as needed. Make sure all rusted areas that are seriously bad, cut them out and replace the cut out metal with fresh steel. Weld steel piece's on these cut areas. Hopefully there's not to many. The only other thing to do is replace the frame with one that isn't rusted out. Salvaging the car is dependent on what your sentimental value is of this classic vehicle. The amount of mileage is important, the maintenance history is important. Knowing if there's been a tune up on it is nice to know. Knowing the condition of your engine in detrimental. It sounds like the plugs haven't been changed in awhile to me. I would also assesess the exhaust system. The catalytic converter may be fouled up, along with all the O2 sensors as well. The air filter may need changing and charging out and not checking the antifreeze level, well, lets hope the engine hasn't come close to seizing up. The oil level and what it looks like can tell you a story, too. It sounds like the maintenance on this vehicle has been severely neglected. You can get rebuilt or remanufactured engines for these vehicles from a place that's located in Indiana. The transmission will have to be drained and all the fluid must be changed. You might have that done two or three times due to the internal reservoir. The brakes, the temp gauge are things that you can slowly work with as other things are taken care of. The engine itself and the radiator may need a serious flushing, a good one at that. Changing the oil and filter may do wonders. If there aren't many body rust areas or even not at all, I'd say go for saving it. IT's according to your love for this classic. A little elbow grease and some cash can work wonders with a classic. IT's the amount of time and resources you're willing to put out. If you dont' want to do that, then find some collector that will pay for the car in the as is condition. It's all up to you. I can say yes or no but the ultimate decision is yours. I use to own a road master and I love it.

The fuel filter is original. I changed the one on my 91 caprice and it was original and looked the same, the filter had about 250000miles on it, it run like crap and now it runs like a champ. Put new spark-plugs & wires and look at the air filter, also the idiotic thing with the LT1 is that the water-pump is located directly over the distributor (Optispark) and if the water-pump goes bad it will leak into the distributor and the car will run like shit after it.. The LT1 has reverse cooling, so one issue might be a small "steam pipe" that takes vaporized coolant from the heads might be clogged but check the thermostat first. The frame aint that bad, just scrape all loose rust off and weld it. The cars body seems to be in nice shape and the interior too, there is not much of these last generation of body on frame sedans and wagons by GM on the road so I think that every one should be saved!

Did it get saved? I know I love mine...

the temp gauge on these cars are kind of a joke. the sensor for the gauge on the dash is in the head of the engine which is the first part that the coolant hits after the radiator so it always shows cooler than it actually is. theres another sensor in the water pump which the computer uses thats a lot more accurate. when ever an lt1 runs like shit the first thing that people say is causing it is the opti spark which isnt always right, but seeing as this one has issues with the cooling system that could be the case. if it was sprayed with coolant at all from boiling over that could have done it those things are kinda sensitive to moisture. in my personal opinion i would try saving it. its not gonna have any resale value with that frame and its not gonna be worth putting a whole lot of work into it but if you can sort out those issues then it will treat you well. one of my caprices has a frame comparable to yours and it still drives great and i plan on enjoying it until it rusts so bad that it snaps in half lol. these cars are getting harder to find and it would be a shame to junk one that might still have some hope

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HELL NO! (I know this is old) but...HELL NO! Strip it, sell whatever parts you can, and crush it...consider it your donation.

Restore those G-Body Classics!

Well if your willing to save it..save it.. Its not that far gone. I've seen worse..its only metal ..cut the cancer away and weld in new metal.. She was left abandonned to rot for a while..not stored properly..propably parked on the lawn. Poor girl she his worth it. She deserve it.

salva ele

save it ! body is good still has a couple years left in it

Save it!

you need to save that car. or if you don't take on this project, pass it to someone who will. this car deserves to be done right

Frame is wayy too rusted out. Fix it the proper way and sanblast + paint it or salvage it for parts.

I love old Buick and Oldsmobile vehicles but I think it's time to let this one go- engine problems can be fixed and/or body problems but when you have frame rot, with either, it's time to make it a donor to save another car.

save it

Find an old custom cruiser wagon and put all the good stuff on it since you are an Olds man lol the rear end will only work in a wagon it is wider than a sedan length and mount wise .

part it out...its done.

Hi, do you still have this roadmaster? Wondering if you’d be willing to part with the new set of front inner fenders. Thanks

Fix that land yaht

if you can fix the rotted frame, keep it

get an old non lt1 b body and swap frames, or ill take it lol

Did you ever found why its weak when you pull off

Can you fix the frame? It’s really in bad shape! And hopefully it’s not a head gasket issue!!

water pump working?

What do you do for a living I want your job be able to for that nice garage and all them cars

I'm going to be in the save it minority even though its a not a rare color. The body appears to be in good shape despite the frame being as bad as it is. With this being a Light Driftwood Metallic Woodie, its one of the most common RMWs out there, especially with a tan interior. I have a '92 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser with a lot of the right options and I think all of these wagons should be saved, as many as possible.

Save the engine. Scrap the rest.

Bless it goodbye....

I would love to see that wagon burn them tires off

save it bro or put that LT1 in a cutlass

keep the car

0:39 - Can't believe you installed the battery ground cable BEFORE the positive cable. Not very safe!

Pull the motor and rear end, junk it

Get a good frame from a Caprice cop car