Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #6849
    V8 Staff
    Keymaster

    We saw this cool 1962 Buick Invicta Wagon on eBay. The bid starts at $16,000, and it features new paint and interior and is advertised with 69,000 miles. It’s a very cool car…. we thought it would be fun to lay out what WE would do to this car.

    62InvictaWagonRed0002_zpsiazh4nxw.jpg

    62InvictaWagonRed0006_zpsaypjhbn9.jpg

    It’s a really clean car, painted in its original red / white color scheme. We really dig the interior, which has been re-skinned in the original pattern and the black / red carpet.

    62InvictaWagonRed0030_zps88ytqejc.jpg

    62InvictaWagonRed0032_zps0f38z2bo.jpg

    62InvictaWagonRed0053_zpst7nq3jpw.jpg

    62InvictaWagonRed0055_zpszkdh2vnm.jpg

    Kevin Oeste

    #6853
    V8 Staff
    Keymaster

    It’s powered by a Buick 401 “Nailhead” V8 that demonstrates the same level of detail as the rest of the car.

    62InvictaWagonRed0074_zpsqayev8mg.jpg

    62InvictaWagonRed0078_zpshbknlnpx.jpg

    And being a big American wagon, the “way back” folds flat to hold all kinds of stuff!

    Kevin Oeste

    #6854
    V8 Staff
    Keymaster

    This thing is just begging to be driven on some big cross-country adventures. If it were ours, we’d do the following mods to make it new-car reliable without ruining the cool vintage ’62 vibe.

    Front Disc Brakes

    Drum brakes work, but they tend to fade and react differently than the disc brakes we are used to in newer cars. Scarebird Mechanical offers a retrofit kit to allow later model GM brakes on these older Buicks.

    Air Conditioning

    It would be hard to imagine a long trip in the hot summer without A/C, and while it would be possible to retro-fit a stock Buick A/C system from a donor car, it would be easier and more functional to install a universal kit from Vintage Air. Their Gen IV systems also offer temperature specific climate control and a smooth, servo control using the stock dash controller. A beefed-up fan and radiator would probably be wise along with the A/C.

    Fuel Injection

    Holley Terminator EFI systems can be installed on virtually any V8 engine, and their throttle body hides under the original air cleaner unit, so they are virtually invisible when in stalled but offer reliable starting and improved performance over carburetors.

    We usually recommend an overdrive transmission for cars like this, but this wagon probably already has a highway gear in the rear end from the factory.

    Other items that would be nice upgrades would be an improved audio system, tilt steering column, and better headlights.

    What would YOU do to a car like this?

    Kevin Oeste

    #6856
    V8 Staff
    Keymaster

    62InvictaWagonRed0008_zps8ldbtxvd.jpg

    By the way, we don’t know the seller, but here’s the eBay listing:

    [ebay]141839970716[/ebay]

    Kevin Oeste

    #6868
    Mike Clarke
    Keymaster

    That’s a gorgeous wagon! Okay, I’m with you all the way on disc brakes, A/C. Not super sure I would fuel inject it. I kind of like carburetors. I would, for sure, add electronic ignition. Also, I would want to have some quick ratio steering and stiffer springs and really good shocks to take it around a corner without falling all over itself.

    One thing I dig on wagons is a really wide wheel with a deep dish on it. This Invicta would look sweet with that setup.

    The next thing I would do is drive the jeepers out of it!

    Sent from my SM-T217S using Tapatalk

    #6873
    V8 Staff
    Keymaster

    Good plan!

    And yes, electronic ignition is key.

    Kevin Oeste

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