this post may be some what extraneous to the topic: a "sidenote" perhaps.
In approximately 1963 or so I inherited my Dad's 1958 Caballero Station wagon with the triple turbine option. (Actually I think it was standard on the B 58}
Inasmuch as I was attending college at the time, I greatly appreciated the vehicle's sterling qualities, including it's rapid {for the time} acceleration. (As a sidenote to this sidenote, my Dear Father had offered his other Buick to me, which was a 1953 Roadmaster straight-8 Oinkmobile, which I drove in High School, slowly, with it's Dyna-Slow tranny.} [I refused it.] {<typical brat..]
The way in which the transmission utilized the engine torque curve was of great interest to me, and I at least learned the "flow" of the power through it's smooth operation, which was reputed to be the "most efficient" tranny in the market at the time.
So, ... I was surprised to note that, two model years later. the transmission was dropped in favor of the more plebian (imho) and common "kick-down" hydro-matic.
When I inquired at the dealership as to the reasons, I was told that it (the TT) was too damned expensive, too damned hard to work on, required special training, and etc. like that.
I was also told that if my transmission went out, it would be replaced with a "modern " one, and (by the way) your Air Bag Suspension is about due and I should save up for the repair cost. (It lasted another year or so. )
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In 1970 or so I gave that lovely car (well, lovely except for body panel accuracy) back to Good ol' Dad, who subsequently gave it to an advanced tinkerer-mechanic-rockhound mutual friend, who promptly made a JACKED 4-wheel drive go almost anywhere buggy out of it. The fact that you could sneak up grades without wheel spin {relatively speaking} made it superb on lonely dirt roads in the Gila National Forest, and other such locales.
Wish I had a picture of that boosted Buick!
Wish I still had the Caballero....
Wish I was 25..
(Nah, I really don't, kinda. Well, in a way...?)
out.....
