1986 307 V8 Buick station wagon

[Lothlorian]

Does anybody have any idea how much weight they can tow. I have an opportunity to pick one up very cheap and it only has 77,000 miles. I would be towing 4500 LBS. This is a Buick estate wagon

Opinions please.

Brian

[dznf0g]

I was a Buick Service Rep back then. It's a 305, carbureted and pretty anemic. It'll pull 4500 lbs, but I'd only use it if I didn't have any appointments to keep, if ya know what I mean. I pulled a 1500# pop up plus wife and kids and gear and it did fine...very well in fact, but 4500 is a different story. If it's nice and cheap.....why not....it's a stable towing platform with maybe some good shock upgrades and a proper hitch.
Get a trans cooler and move on.

[dznf0g]

OOOOOH...does it have the vinyl woodgrain? That would seal the deal!

[doorgunner]

Is that the model with the raised roof and vista windows??? Plenty of room for a big motor swap I'm thinking.

[Lothlorian]

It has the wood on the side and power everything. It has been sitting in South Georgia sun for some years, but still runs. The sun has faded the paint and interior. It has a cracked windshield, but has only 77,000 miles on it. I really don't care what it looks like. I don't want to sink a ton of money into it. I just want a second tow vehicle. I have two Overlanders and I want to make sure that if my family and I want to take both at the same time we will have a back up vehicle. The 1960 is 3500 Lbs. The 1973 in 4500 lbs.

Thanks for the info. When I pull I am never in a hurry. If it can handle the work then it is good for me. What is the miles per gallon on the Buick engine?

Brian

[Lothlorian]

I just looked at pictures my daughters boyfriend sent me. It is a 1986 Ford staion wagon with a 302 in it. It has the wood panels like the Buick estate wagon.

The 1986 302 is rated to only pull 3500 lbs. Is that correct?

Brian

[DKB_SATX]

It's a Country Squire! The 351 would probably be a better tow engine than the 302, but they're tough old boats and there are lots of parts available to get a 302 to make some power. I think the '86 still has the first-gen automatic overdrive transmission, and it's probably geared for gas mileage. It might make a decent alternate tow vehicle for the smaller trailer without too much expense.

[richinny]

my dad had two wagons, 85 custom cruiser and a 90 caprice. i think you'll be asking scotty for more power. i don't know what the rear end gears were.

[Aage]

It's this one, right? Nice comfy cars.

Heavy, too, so a 302 won't really feel too v-8ish, but the 3,500 lb Overlander should be fine with a decent WD hitch and a tranny cooler...

[withidl]

Be carefull, if it hasn't been driven for several years. Condensation can corrode the engine interior and lack of lubricant circulation in the engine, transmission, air conditioner and differential can cause seals to dry out and fail; you may get more (or less) even though it only has 77K on it.

[overlander63]

The 307 is an Oldsmobile engine, with more get up and go than the Chevrolet version of the 5.0 It was during that time GM was putting any motor in any car, and they got sued for putting Chevy engines in Oldsmobiles and Buicks.
It was also the time of the truly rare powerplant, the 4.3 Liter Olds V6---diesel.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by overlander63

The 307 is an Oldsmobile engine, with more get up and go than the Chevrolet version of the 5.0 It was during that time GM was putting any motor in any car, and they got sued for putting Chevy engines in Oldsmobiles and Buicks.
It was also the time of the truly rare powerplant, the 4.3 Liter Olds V6---diesel.

The suit was in the 70s, Buick in the 80s was a 305, as was the Olds and Chevy and Pontiac, and the 4.3 diesel was like 84 & 85, IIRC and it was a pretty darned good engine, but alas, the tarnish from the 5.7 and 6.2 killed the demand.

[dznf0g]

I'm confused, is the car an Estate Wagon or a Country Squire?