Jim Skelly

Note the detail on the interior door panels and exterior side trim. This was taken for granted back then on all cars, and something totally lacking in newer cars.

Craig, According to the 1971 brochure, " Buick introduced AccuDrive in 1969". It also refers to it as "an improved version of Buick's exclusive all-road condition directional stability system". I also saw a passing mention of it in the deluxe 1970 brochure, but not in the 1969 brochure. Possibly it was introduced in mid-year. Maybe the trailering guides would provide more details, and I'm sure the chassis service manuals would explain it in great detail.

yes, MaxTrac controls traction, while Track Master is an early ABS system

This discussion has combined thoughts regarding the first traction control system (original poster) with anti-lock braking systems and limited-slip differentials. Cadillac first offered Track Master for the 1970 model year, and it was also available on that year's Eldorado. I believe the Lincoln and Thunderbird anti-lock brake system was first offered on 1969 models. I just pulled my MaxTrac brochure picturing a 1972 Riviera. The diagram shows a front wheel speed sensor (driver's front), a rear wheel speed sensor (at the transmission) and a miniature computer. To quote the brochure, "The system is composed of two speed sensors, one located at the front wheel hub to gauge actual vehicle speed, and one in the transmission to monitor rear wheel speed. A miniature computer actually compares the speeds of the front and rear wheels and, if rear wheel spin is detected, modulates the engine ignition to provide controlled power to the rear wheels." On the rear cover, "Right now, it's available only on a Buick."

a sad end to what had been the best selling car in America for a time

1987 El Camino that I ordered new (after hand-me-down 1971 Eldorado coupe and 1973 Caprice 454 hardtop). Pretty cool vehicles for cars number 1 and 2!

Actually it wasn't the police chief, but a high ranking police official. The police chief, James Craig, is a great guy doing a fantastic job.

I can't tell from the photo, but I think the one on the left is the Administration Building, which has recently been completely gutted for restoration. The owner spent over a million just to clean the debris out of it and to presumably remove asbestos, failed plaster, etc. The whole complex is in rough condition. If he can get this building restored, and the world's first concrete-reinforced building (1909), that will be a major accomplishment. Albert and Julius Kahn did a magnificent job building this complex. Hopefully the rest of it will be redeveloped and turn this neighborhood around.

Considering how the metal scrappers have had a field day at the Packard complex for close to 20 years, I'm surprised it hasn't happened sooner. I don't know if any metal had been removed from the bridge, but I wouldn't be shocked if it had. It's another lost treasure of Detroit - especially with the awesome Packard grille on both sides of it.

That's correct, the gold color was used only on the Bel Air. Lots of cars have had emblems and grilles swapped out as parts got damaged, or to convert a 210 hardtop into a Bel Air hardtop, for example. I didn't know about the script width being different between the 6 and 8 as I never saw one of each parked next to one another. Different countries must have had some variations from the U.S. and Canadian market, which I wasn't aware of before this thread.

like the one my folks' bought new (except w/o skirts and optional wheel covers, and Mom wanted a white top) …

Andy, Dearborn had an Amoco station almost identical to this that opened in 1913 and was torn down around 2007 due to the cost of replacing the original tile roof. The owner decided to set the new station further back and built an energy efficient station that replicated the look of the old station. I miss the old station, but have to credit him for doing that. There is another one in Coldwater, Michigan, a couple of hours west of Dearborn.

Detroit has one of the largest collections of 1920s commercial buildings in the country. It only goes back to 1701, so it lacks the colonial architecture of the east coast.

John, You are correct that the V was used on the V8s only. However, gold was not an option like on some '50s Cadillacs. The Bel Air came with a gold grille, emblems and front fender "vents". The 210 and 150 lines came only with the silver or chrome parts.

Andy, Truthfully, I never thought I would see a comeback in Detroit. Too many officials had been elected who only wanted to enrich themselves instead of improving the city for all residents. My parents lived in Detroit until 1935 (Mom) and 1938 (Dad). They used to say how great the schools were, the streetcars were always on time, and other aspects of city life were as you would expect them to be. I have no preference for one coney island joint over the other, but it must come with a cold beer! To others on this forum who have seen Detroit at its worst, pay a visit and you will be pleasantly surprised. For those who have never been here, you will enjoy it. There are many museums to see, and many sports teams, too. Finally, the University of Michigan has some great museums, too, and Ann Arbor is only an hour away.

thanks for the exact location; I'll have to check it out Detroit is slowly turning around after a sixty year decline. Much progress has been made since its bankruptcy, and getting a mayor and city council who are willing to work together to solve problems instead of finger pointing or taking payoffs. The Packard complex (4-story building in the series of pictures) is being restored, but it's an ambitious project in a worn out neighborhood. The goal is a mixed-use development. The owner is from Venezuela. I hope he succeeds. The 1913 Michigan Central Depot is supposed to be completely restored in four years. I was in it the day before it closed (January 5, 1988). It was in deplorable condition then. It's where my Dad left for the Navy and returned at the end of WWII, so I had to go. It was the only time I had ever been in it. I believe the mansion belonged to one of the Fisher brothers (Fisher Body). Most of their mansions have survived, though one was destroyed by fire a while back when it was being worked on. That Firestone store is just as worthy as the gas stations, in my opinion. Those old buildings sure have character that is lacking in most buildings today!

there are lots of old stations and banks in Detroit, but most have been substantially altered or painted; thanks for posting; where is it exactly? good story about meeting your wife, Bob

The Henry Ford Museum had a Regal Underslung Speedster in dark blue or black. They foolishly decided it wasn't pertinent to their collection, so it was auctioned off with a number of other cars around 1979. My parents and grandparents knew the family that bought it at that auction. It was eventually sold and I saw it sold again at auction a couple of years ago for about $110,000.

I should have been clearer on the drawing. It's not a hole near the chamfered end, but a 1/4" protrusion on either side, 1/4" in diameter, that allows the crank handle to catch into the crankcase opening.

As mentioned in another post, I found this on my grandparents' farm in the late 1960s. As shown in the second photo, there is a slight bump out in the center of the tip that is exposed when the handle is inserted into the crankcase. I don't see any other identifying marks. Thanks for your help!

I'll do that, Grog; thanks for the suggestion!

When my grandmother retired in the late '60s, she moved back to the family farmhouse that had been rented out for close to twenty years. My brother and I spotted what we thought was an old car in high weeds near some weed trees. We ran up to it, and Dad caught up to us. What a disappointment as he told us it was a manure spreader! I did find a rusted out tailgate with the Ford script on it. I also found a crank handle, which I took home, cleaned up and painted. I still have it and wonder what it came off of.

You are risking a catastrophic event by driving on such old tires. It's not worth risking your life or damaging the car when a tire decides to blow up or get a tread separation. Keep one as a spare for car shows and just find some tires that looks appropriate. I had a tread separation on my '77 Eldorado in 1998 while it was parked at work. Fortunately for the car and me, I wasn't driving when it happened. I went out and got new tires right away. It also had its original tires, and looked nice. I also had a rear blowout on my '71 Eldorado while driving on a freeway. Fortunately I was able to safely bring it to a stop. The tires on the '71 were not very old.

I can't say it better, Walt! If anyone has information on an obscure car or manufacturing process, please share! I'm trying to determine if any Detroit-Dearborn cars still exist. I posted the topic in General Discussions, but no luck so far. I have acquired an ad, photo, negative of the photo, and 4 pages of technical specifications for the car. It was only made in 1910, and only 110 were produced. One was reportedly still in use in the 1950s. Sadly, much information has gone to the graves with many enthusiasts from the past.

People eventually stopped buying cars when the trunk openings shrunk by a foot in depth, and the car widths narrowed from 80 to 73 inches, so you could no longer adequately (note I didn't say comfortably) seat three people in the back seat of full-sized cars. Add sloping roofs that reduce rear headroom and rear visibility, and you no longer have a suitable vehicle for families. Why GM didn't go to hatchbacks to provide an adequate trunk opening indicates how clueless they are. The foreign car companies have been making wagons and hatchbacks for decades, and have done quite well with them. GM, Ford and Chrysler have been too stubborn to continue making them. Yes, they are importing the Opel-made Regal hatchback and wagon, but I haven't seen any on the road. I have seen a couple of Cruze hatchbacks, but plenty from other manufacturers. SUVs provide decent seating for 5, and adequate room for 7-8. Trucks can comfortably seat 2 in the front and 2-3 adequately in back. GM complains that the cars aren't selling, but if they made competitive cars, they wouldn't have trouble selling everything they made. Since SUVs and trucks are more profitable, GM has been investing their money in those vehicles. I wouldn't be surprised if GM becomes totally irrelevant within a few years if it hasn't already achieved that.