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This post will be kinda' long because I want to give as many details as I can.
My car is a 1992 Buick Century. It's the only car I own at this time. I want to fix it up. I can't start on it right now (no job) but I like to plan for the future. The more knowledge I gain ahead of time, the better.
I'm not a mechanic. I'm not totally inept, but I have no means with which to perform serious work on a vehicle. No garage, limited number of tools, and a very short/slanted driveway (far to steep to work on a vehicle). So I will have to hire someone to perform any serious mechanical work.
Mechanically, the car is pretty sound. The exterior and interior need some attention. I also wish to upgrade many parts.
There are 3 reasons I want to fix it up:
1) It's my car.
2) It was the last car my grandparents owned. My grandmother gave it to me approximately a year before she passed.
3) You never see these cars fixed up. I like to be different.
I have searched and searched and searched online and have found exactly jack and shit for Buick Centurys. All I have been able to find are a few basic parts and some JC Whitney types of crap-ola. Is there nothing available for these cars?
I definitely want to use parts from other vehicles to fix up mine. I know that I can use parts from a Celebrity, Cutlass Ciera and Pontiac 6000 of similar years. Is that it though? There has to be more compatable vehicles.
Basically, I want to dress her up and sup' up her engine, suspension and braking.
I found a few examples online.
I could make her look like an '86 Century Gran Sport. I wouldn't use either of these wheels.
This guy had a pretty decent body kit, but it's only available in Mexico. That's not gonna' happen.
I like what this guy did, except for the yellow pinstripes and lettering.
This guy put Jeep wheels on his Century. Cool look, but there is no way that actually works.
I like the wheels on this one. That's it though.
This one looks pretty good.
The wheels on this one look good. That's it though.
I like what this guy did except for the wheels. Too big.
I really like what this guy did. Once again though, not those wheels. Not my style.
So what do y'all think? Any help, opinions or hints are greatly appreciated.
"Deep in the human psyche there lies the need to believe in something fantastic, something powerful, something unknown."
"Touch what you cannot solve, and return to me. I'll give you hints, and I'll give you three..." Zork Nemesis "I eat asbestos and piss PCBs." | |
I like the first ones, all blacked out and such. I almost want to say build it like a rally car. I shit you not, I have always wondered what one of em would look like, jacked up an inch or 2, good suspension, rally wheels and tires, good set of driving lights. But I don't know if you would want to go this far with it.
Ezekiel 25:17 | |
heres the problem with an A-body (which is what your car is). They used two different bolt patterns. Some used the tried and true 5x100mm, some used the 5x110mm. You're going to have to measure what pattern it has. Is this car a V6 or a 2.2/2.5L I4?
Now here is the FUCKING AWESOME part... seeing as how this is a FWD GM, you can mix and match until blue in the face. The Pontiac 6000 was the sportiest of the A-bodies, so finding suspension pieces from the SE/STE would be good... lowering springs can be sourced from the X-body (Citation/Phoenix/Skylark/Omega) or even the 1st and 2nd Gen J-body (Cavalier/Sunbird). Now, if this car is a 6, it's probably the tried and true 3.1L MPFI... which is a BULLETPROOF engine (far more than the later 3100 SFI that replaced it). There are all sorts of kits you can get through GM performance or even 3rd partiers to give your Ick a little more umph. Make sure that you look at the transaxle as well when you do this... the 4speed is kind of fragile when you start piss pounding it.
What else? Brakes... you can source the bigger brakes from the 6000 as well. If you can find it, the Oldsmobile Ciera International Series had a pretty sweet interior and 'body kit' as well... the Olds is closer to your buick than the Pontiac or Chevy.
most of this mix and matching is going to take a fuckload of legwork as most of these cars are now Hyundais, especially when scrap steel went berserk a couple of years ago... Still, some yards don't crush and you might get lucky.
just be tasteful when you do this... one of the catchphrases with Buicks was "Go Fast With Class". 
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You mean he can drive an SUX 6000? 
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Posted by Agent Skelly
You mean he can drive an SUX 6000?
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how many of that vintage Taurii do you see running around compared to the A-body? That's right... the funky-navel'd Fords were rustbuckety JUNK (even though the Vulcan 3.0L V6 was a tough little fucker).
listen fucko, that was a mean mean dig at the 6000... the 6000 SUX from Robocop was actually a Colonade-era Malibu/Cutlass/Century with liberal amounts of fiberglass work. When you look inside the car, when Boddicker is getting in it, you can see its 1975 all over again...
IMDB is the shit for stuff like this.
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Posted by Samurai
how many of that vintage Taurii do you see running around compared to the A-body? That's right... the funky-navel'd Fords were rustbuckety JUNK (even though the Vulcan 3.0L V6 was a tough little fucker).
listen fucko, that was a mean mean dig at the 6000... the 6000 SUX from Robocop was actually a Colonade-era Malibu/Cutlass/Century with liberal amounts of fiberglass work. When you look inside the car, when Boddicker is getting in it, you can see its 1975 all over again...
IMDB is the shit for stuff like this.
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You missed the part where the 6000 SUX also was powered by jet engines for its 8.2 MPG
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Posted by Samurai
heres the problem with an A-body
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You mean theres actually a list of problems, other than it being the car that it is? Rofflecopter.
An armed society, is a polite society. So lets get to it! | |
when ever I wanna find pics of boring or ugly cars that are modified i check out cardomain
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the guys asking for some actual help here, atleast try to assist here guys.
and I was going to suggest contact Samurai, but he already chimmed in.
Good luck with everything
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Posted by big dave
You mean theres actually a list of problems, other than it being the car that it is? Rofflecopter.
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why do you guys have to dump on him? He already explain WHY he is keeping that car and why he wants to do something with it...
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Green '73 Beetle in the background of the one pic...
hi i like cars | |
I'm just making a joke about the 6000 SUX
I like the black look there on the one photo; its a got a sharp look!
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Posted by Agent Skelly
I'm just making a joke about the 6000 SUX
I like the black look there on the one photo; its a got a sharp look!
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the Chevy Celebrity and Buick were the cleanest of the A-bodies, but the Ciera was the most fun. One version of the International Series came with a 2.3L Quad 4 H.O. and manual gearbox... 
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Posted by Samurai
heres the problem with an A-body (which is what your car is). They used two different bolt patterns. Some used the tried and true 5x100mm, some used the 5x110mm. You're going to have to measure what pattern it has. Is this car a V6 or a 2.2/2.5L I4?
Now here is the FUCKING AWESOME part... seeing as how this is a FWD GM, you can mix and match until blue in the face. The Pontiac 6000 was the sportiest of the A-bodies, so finding suspension pieces from the SE/STE would be good... lowering springs can be sourced from the X-body (Citation/Phoenix/Skylark/Omega) or even the 1st and 2nd Gen J-body (Cavalier/Sunbird). Now, if this car is a 6, it's probably the tried and true 3.1L MPFI... which is a BULLETPROOF engine (far more than the later 3100 SFI that replaced it). There are all sorts of kits you can get through GM performance or even 3rd partiers to give your Ick a little more umph. Make sure that you look at the transaxle as well when you do this... the 4speed is kind of fragile when you start piss pounding it.
What else? Brakes... you can source the bigger brakes from the 6000 as well. If you can find it, the Oldsmobile Ciera International Series had a pretty sweet interior and 'body kit' as well... the Olds is closer to your buick than the Pontiac or Chevy.
most of this mix and matching is going to take a fuckload of legwork as most of these cars are now Hyundais, especially when scrap steel went berserk a couple of years ago... Still, some yards don't crush and you might get lucky.
just be tasteful when you do this... one of the catchphrases with Buicks was "Go Fast With Class".
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i learned the hard way that the chevy and buick shared doors, and the pontiac and olds shared doors. the chev and buick had a fold in the sheetmetal near the top, the pontiac and olds had it at the bottom. door would fit, but the sheetmetal wasnt the same.
Montreal Expos 1969-2004 Forever Proud Lets Keep The Dream Alive | |
Thanks guys. I truly appreciate the help and support.
Dave - I had already been considering the rally look. I like it, but I dunno'.
Sam - Thank you. That is exactly the info I need. It's a 6 cyl. 3300. No worries about keeping it classic. There will be no hip hop, ricer, Fast & Fucktastic shit on any of my cars. Not ever.
Nostra - Thanks for the tip on the doors.
No worries about the guys hatin' on me. I've dished out plenty of insults on here. I can take it. Otherwise they can kiss my rebel dick.
"Deep in the human psyche there lies the need to believe in something fantastic, something powerful, something unknown."
"Touch what you cannot solve, and return to me. I'll give you hints, and I'll give you three..." Zork Nemesis "I eat asbestos and piss PCBs." | |
Posted by PorkChopExpress
Sam - Thank you. That is exactly the info I need. It's a 6 cyl. 3300. No worries about keeping it classic. There will be no hip hop, ricer, Fast & Fucktastic shit on any of my cars. Not ever.
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i forgot about the 3300... that engine is the smaller 90-degree V6 that has more in common with the larger 3800.
Now, here's something fun... the 3800 Supercharged engine will fit in the engine room of the A-body if you're looking for more go. Unfortunately, the 3300 V6 was more a gramma-mover than a firebreather. It had more everyday torque than the 3.1L 60-degree, but it was nothing to right home about in the performance column.
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Posted by Samurai
i forgot about the 3300... that engine is the smaller 90-degree V6 that has more in common with the larger 3800.
Now, here's something fun... the 3800 Supercharged engine will fit in the engine room of the A-body if you're looking for more go. Unfortunately, the 3300 V6 was more a gramma-mover than a firebreather. It had more everyday torque than the 3.1L 60-degree, but it was nothing to right home about in the performance column.
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Hmmm. That would be interesting. I think I'll save that for later though. Phase 3 of the project will be a new engine and transmission, moving the shifter to the floor.
I think I want to do a 'retro rod' type of thing. Not the strict definition of a 'retro rod'. With the car's square shape, I was thinking of a slight tribute to the sedans of the 1960's.
Another question. I can't find new seals for the doors and windows. All of them must be replaced. Even the small ones on the inside and outside of the window. Any ideas?
"Deep in the human psyche there lies the need to believe in something fantastic, something powerful, something unknown."
"Touch what you cannot solve, and return to me. I'll give you hints, and I'll give you three..." Zork Nemesis "I eat asbestos and piss PCBs." | |
As for wheels you could probably cop some off a Mk. IV VW Golf/Jetta. Even the factory wheels off these cars would be an improvement as they're also 5x100.
Other than that I don't know much about A-body GM cars let alone GM cars in general.
“A turbo: exhaust gasses go into the turbocharger and spin it, witchcraft happens and you go faster."
-Jeremy Clarkson | |
Posted by JerseyDub
As for wheels you could probably cop some off a Mk. IV VW Golf/Jetta. Even the factory wheels off these cars would be an improvement as they're also 5x100.
Other than that I don't know much about A-body GM cars let alone GM cars in general.
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the offset on VW wheels is weird in relation to GM. And since his car has the 3.3L V6, i'm betting they're the larger W-body bolt pattern.
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Sam, would the blower off a 3.8 work on his 3.3 or is his compression to high?
Ezekiel 25:17 |
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