General 96 Roadmaster thread

Non-repair car talk
kevm14
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

There is a pull to the right under moderate to heavy braking. I don't know if it is just the alignment issue being magnified under braking (I've seen that before and been misdirected). It doesn't seem to be the rear as I applied the e-brake a few times and it seemed to not pull.
kevm14
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

Really enjoying the throttle response on this car, from an era where throttle response was probably at its peak aside from certain current high performance vehicles. The tight converter makes part throttle snaps very satisfying and reactive. Really excited about eventually moving to my Caprice's 3.42 axle and Truetrac. That will give an almost 17% increase in launch torque which I guess would be the equivalent of the engine moving from 330 lb-ft to 385 lb-ft, which will be noticeable.
kevm14
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

Decided it is warm enough that I would like to lower the driver's side rear window. One of the sliders let go so I couldn't lower it.

I found my replacement rollers in a box with the replacement lock solenoid (which I haven't needed actually). I decided to pull the door panel and assess the situation. No manual required - I know about B-bodies.
WP_20180525_15_29_39_Pro.jpg
WP_20180525_15_29_55_Pro.jpg
The front slider broke. That is the one that doesn't actually slide around much. The other one seemed fine and also looked like it had been replaced. The most tricky part is opening the window roller channel to get the old sliders out and get the new roller in. I used my high moly chassis grease. I was able to snap the ball from the regulator into the new roller with my bare hands. I guess the grease helped. I also lubricated the channel. Anyway, window works now so all 4 go down now. That's fancy.
kevm14
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

Just wanted to say the Roadmaster A/C, which is apparently all original, works really well. Today in the heat I had it set to 65 degrees and that required only 1 or 2 on the fan speed indication.

I don't know if it's because the tire pressure would have been elevated due to the temps but I had a hard time steering it today. It seemed to require constant corrections. It was actually really annoying. I will say the Ram has less wandery steering, and it doesn't have great steering...
kevm14
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Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

Did you really think I bought the only well taken care of Roadmaster from an older gentleman?

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6735316520.html
1996 BUICK ROADMASTER- COLLECTERS EDITION - $2450 (MORGANTON)

1996 buick roadmaster

condition: good
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 135000
size: full-size
title status: clean
transmission: automatic
type: other

GREAT CAR,135K COLLECTERS EDITION,, ,FULL POWER,RUNS AND DRIVES AS NEW,NEW BATTERY,COOLING SYSTEM,RADIATOR,WATER PUMP AND IGNITION.ECT,AND TIRES,SERVICED AT EVERY 3,000 K,HAS LT 350 C.I,MOTOR,FACTORY CD PLAYER,REMOTE ENTRY,,MOVING NO LONGER NEEDED.....LT.GOLD COLOR, LEATHER INSIDE ,LAST OF THE BEST CARS...OPEN TO ANY DECENT OFFER,,NO TRADES,CASH ONLY,CAN BRING TO YOU...SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY,,NO TEXTING,TALK ONLY...WILL SEND PICS TO YOUR PHONE..CALL show contact info
..........MUST SELL THIS WEEKEND MOVING,NO REASONABLE OFER REFUSED.......................NO TEXTING,,WILL NOT REPLY,,TIRED OF THE SCAMMERS CALLS ONLY................THIS IS A 4 DR SEDAN,,NOT A WAGON...........
Can someone just buy this? These poor cars aren't worth anything, even if they were well taken care of.
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kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

kevm14 wrote:Did you really think I bought the only well taken care of Roadmaster from an older gentleman?

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/6735316520.html
1996 BUICK ROADMASTER- COLLECTERS EDITION - $2450 (MORGANTON)

1996 buick roadmaster

condition: good
cylinders: 8 cylinders
drive: rwd
fuel: gas
odometer: 135000
size: full-size
title status: clean
transmission: automatic
type: other

GREAT CAR,135K COLLECTERS EDITION,, ,FULL POWER,RUNS AND DRIVES AS NEW,NEW BATTERY,COOLING SYSTEM,RADIATOR,WATER PUMP AND IGNITION.ECT,AND TIRES,SERVICED AT EVERY 3,000 K,HAS LT 350 C.I,MOTOR,FACTORY CD PLAYER,REMOTE ENTRY,,MOVING NO LONGER NEEDED.....LT.GOLD COLOR, LEATHER INSIDE ,LAST OF THE BEST CARS...OPEN TO ANY DECENT OFFER,,NO TRADES,CASH ONLY,CAN BRING TO YOU...SERIOUS BUYERS ONLY,,NO TEXTING,TALK ONLY...WILL SEND PICS TO YOUR PHONE..CALL show contact info
..........MUST SELL THIS WEEKEND MOVING,NO REASONABLE OFER REFUSED.......................NO TEXTING,,WILL NOT REPLY,,TIRED OF THE SCAMMERS CALLS ONLY................THIS IS A 4 DR SEDAN,,NOT A WAGON...........
Can someone just buy this? These poor cars aren't worth anything, even if they were well taken care of.
Come on guys. He is down to $2050 and claims it must go this weekend. Would have been nice to see interior shots...and I don't mean of him sitting in the interior...
Adam
Posts: 2240
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:50 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by Adam »

I already have one LT1 car and a spare LT1. Ed already has an LT1 car. You already have an LT1 car. I think it's Bill's turn.
Bob
Posts: 2440
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:36 am

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by Bob »

There's over a foot of snow expected in his area this weekend. Time to make a deal!
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

I checked the tires since it has been a long time. They were around 29 or 30. I aired the rears to 36 and the fronts to 38 and then took it for a drive down that local curvy road.

I swear, these cars will surprise you. Make no mistake, you aren't held in by the seat, nor is there any indication of what's happening through the steering wheel. But I was actually surprised by the grip of the front end. I barely squealed the tires and I was going around corners about as fast as I wanted to given the setting sun visibility. It is really fun to hustle these cars down twisty roads, and part of the fun is just how it is a large body on frame car with many of the characteristics you'd expect. The WOT 3-2 downshift is disappointingly laggy as I already knew but the good news is I ran most of the road in 3rd and it gathered plenty of speed that way.

But yeah, even though there are a few features of the car that would improve handling over perhaps a standard B-body (FE2, rear towing springs, Monroe SS shocks, and I guess the 17s), there is a lot you could improve, even to get back to where the Caprice was:
- Still needs an idler arm
- I'm sure it would handle better with lower springs but still no plans to change that
- Front shocks are tired
- I'm sure it could also use a performance alignment, which I had on my Caprice since forever
- It would also feel better with the 9C1 steering box even though that wouldn't technically change the actual handling
- I wish the previous owner installed the missing body mounts as he had once researched - I don't like the feeling without them as it makes the front end feel more numb and disconnected, which obviously the car does not need from a performance standpoint

Even with the 2.93 rear and mechanical fan there is certainly more power here than in my Caprice. Side note, Ed finally ditched his mechanical fan so that got me kind of interested in doing the same thing. These are good running engines and were pretty hot shit for the 94-96 timeframe. There is torque everywhere, it will run to the shift point without running out of breath, yet the idle is very smooth and quiet and overall the power delivery is very refined and progressive. It will NOT burn out or even chirp on a hard stop from a slow roll, but I think I could tune that up even with the 2.93s. It's probably pulling timing. But when you remember this is a 22-23 year old car with original powertrain at 184k, it is actually really impressive all things considered.
kevm14
Posts: 15200
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:28 pm

Re: General 96 Roadmaster thread

Post by kevm14 »

Driving the Roadmaster to work this week. Nice to have a faithful B-body as a backup car. Only real complaints are the rear is too stiff, the front is too soft, and it needs some steering help (Caprice's old box and probably old idler arm/center link/tie rods possibly). Otherwise it drives down the road very nicely. Everything happens at lower RPM with the LT1 compared to the NorthStar. It is amazing how much it reminds me of that 78 Fleetwood with the 425, at light throttle. It just has that low RPM torque feel, with the tight torque converter. Problem is, as you ratchet up the desire for acceleration, the older transmission starts to show its limitations, between the large ratio gaps and tight torque converter.

I like the tip in feel of the Roadmaster much better than the NorthStar (at least with my possibly lame throttle body). But I much prefer the overall spectrum of drivability on the STS, especially as you begin to ask for more acceleration in a variety of situations. Also the lack of HP is evident in the Roadmaster when you really mash on it, though it still does quite well for itself. It pulls linearly but obviously the NorthStar winds out stronger and rewards additional RPMs.
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