When first looking at the Buick online, it was clear that there were a few body issues. Little dings here and there, along with one or two scratches. The front bumper cover had a large patch of duct tape. Another patch of tape covered something on the right, rear column. A large crack crossed the windshield. Of course, it had the traditional Midwestern wheel-well rust. I could deal with those things at my leisure, probably.
Getting it home, I decided to check that tape on the rear column. Two strips of tape ran along the path of a large dent. Pulling the tape off showed the true extent of the damage. It looked like something heavy fell on the car and not only punctured the body, but actually ripped a bit of it. That was going to require some serious work, probably welding. Summer would be a good time for that.
Most of the rust spots were normal. I brushed and scrubbed the rust as best I could and then sprayed some rust converter. The idea was to keep them from getting worse until I could do proper repairs the following summer.
I really enjoy doing small projects involving auto body repair. My skill is good enough for my own car, but nobody would ever pay me to do it. The little rust spots would be easy to fix with minimal tools and it would be good enough for my purposes. The repairs would prevent the damage from spreading. Anyone looking closely would find flaws, but a glance at the car wouldn’t show anything.
A Big Hole
The other issues had more to do with plastic. A crack ran through part of the plastic cover on the trunk lid, just behind the license plate. It was barely noticeable, so would be easy to fix, probably. The hard part would be disassembling everything to get the plastic part out. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may just be a matter for J-B Weld Plastic, or it may require some plastic welding. Either way, that wasn’t going to be the big job.
The tape patch on the front bumper cover hid a large hole. I hoped it was holding in all the original plastic so I could piece it back together. No such luck; the hole stood empty. The only fix would be to replace the bumper cover. I got a little giddy at the idea; it sounded fun.
I ordered an aftermarket bumper cover. They come in a large box, but have to be unfolded so they can return to their proper shape. They arrive, covered with primer but you have to paint them. Fortunately, the sticker with the paint code was still in the car. I was able to order some 513F Medium Spiral Gray Metallic paint and some clearcoat.
With the last warm days of autumn, I moved my KIA out of the garage to make a safe painting space. A couple layers of the 513F and a few more of clearcoat, and the new bumper cover looked gorgeous. It was ready to be installed.
The problem with it being autumn was that it was also during a semester. Any work I did was while taking a break from grading and class prep. I had no time for anything else. Winter weather came around and the new bumper cover sat in my garage. It’s the nicest looking thing in the garage, but that’s different from being on the car.
The issue is that the Buick does not fit in the garage. This means I will need to wait for a combination of warm weather and free time before I can put the new bumper cover on. That’s probably for the best; the grill could use some touchup and painting requires warm temperatures as well.
So, in early summer, after classes end, I can get to work on the bumper. I’ll put the car on ramps so I can undo the lower air dam (a plastic barrier) and the wheel well covers (also plastic). I’ll need to take off the upper covers. Then I can take off the old bumper cover. With that off, I’ll need to remove all the parts being kept, such as light lenses, and the big foam block that lines the inside of the cover. I’ll be able to paint the grill with chrome plastic paint. Then put it all back together with my beautiful new bumper cover.
And I can reclaim the garage space currently taken up by that same beautiful new bumper cover.
As the summer goes, I should be able to get a lot of the other work done. The trick is to do loud things, such as grinding, during the day so it’s less of an issue with the neighbors. Then I can be up all night in the cooler air to do sanding and painting.
The Big Rip
I’m looking forward to tackling that tear in the rear column. The interior trim can come off to give me access to the back of the damage. That will help when pushing the metal back out. I’ll get the tear welded, hopefully.
Getting all the dent back in shape will take more work. Part of it goes over a body line (one of those crease-like lines that give the body its shape). Trying to match the line and the curves on both sides will take patience. Again, I will be able to do it well enough for my car, but nobody would pay me to do it.
It’s that challenge of working with my hands and getting something fixed back to the way it should be that I find most satisfying. Whether it’s something mechanical or some old, wood furniture being restored, it’s just pleasant. There’s a wholesomeness to it to put something right. As long as you wear the proper protective equipment, of course.
Headliner
During the summer, I will also consider tackling the headliner. That’s the cloth that covers the ceiling of the passenger compartment. The current one looks quilted because the cloth is falling down and the previous owner put in rows of thumb tacks to hold it in place.
Removing the cloth will be easy, if a bit messy. Getting the structural part of the headliner out of the car will be a pain. It’s a solid, flatish piece that spans the entire top of the car. Removing it from the car is the only way to clean it thoroughly and glue new cloth to it. Then, the same fight goes into putting it back into the car. It needs done, but I’m not as enthused about this project.
Say No to Crack
That left the matter of the windshield. The crack began at the bottom, about ten inches from the driver side, rose six inches, and traveled in a straight line almost to the edge on the passenger side. A smaller crack of the same shape followed along beneath it. A window repair kit wasn’t going to fix this one.
My regular mechanic recommended a local auto glass shop. I got a quote from them and was surprised at how low it was. The replacement took place in November. The folks did a really good job and were quick about it. Because the windshield of my fifteen-year-old KIA was heavily pitted, I got a quote for that and then had the work done in December. It was nice to be able to safely see out of both cars.
At this point, most of the repairs are cosmetic. As long as the mechanical and electrical issues are done, the car should last another couple of decades. It will also look really nice, at least for the 2005 era. I wonder, a little, how the story would have been different if I had gotten the Grand Am instead. Hard to say, but I’m an old dude and should probably have an old dude car.
Buicks, as a manufacturer of cars, has been around since the end of the 1800s, so this car has the chance to last as well. I just need this one to last another twenty years so I can get my money out of it.