NTX5467

Any time you remove/tighten fitting on tubular lines (i.e., brake lines, fuel line at carb) you should use what is called a "line wrench" to do that. They differ from a regular open end wrench in that they encircle about 3/4 of the nut instead of just on two flats as with a regular open end wrench. They will greatly decrease the chance of flattening out the hex on the nut so the line will not have to be repaired/replaced as a result. You can get them at Sears and they come in various sizes too. As for replacing the lines, they should work "as is" unless they are kinked or bent already. There's enough give in the lines to compensate for minor differences in where the lines attach to the master cylinder. There are also some little tubular devices called "self bleeders" that you screw into the new cylinder to get the air out of it before you attach the main lines. They screw into the same holes the fluid lines do, but will curve back into the reservoir to allow you to pump the brakes to get fluid everywhere inside the cylinder bores before hooking up the main lines. I've found that you can many times use some light and quick brake pedal depressions/releases to get the last little bit of air out of the guts of the cylinder. Might not work all of the time, though, if there's very much. As always, compare the replacement with the existing cylinder before installing it. Enjoy! NTX5467

It might be an "external" torx. You might find some sockets at Home Depot as similar shaped things are on the headlight adjustment mechanisms on current new vehicles. I found some at Home Depot that seem to work acceptably enough for the headlight adjusters, without having to buy the special tool. Enjoy! NTX5467

There is some sort of seal at the base of the dipstick/filler tube. It NEEDS to be a seal that is compatible for the fluid it is sealing in. Just because one rubber o-ring seal looks like the next one doesn't mean both would be compatible with sealing ATF. The generic one might look like the GM part number item, but the generic will typically leak inside of 2 weeks while the GM item will not. The particular seal probably is the same one that fits later GM automatics up until the later '70s when they went to the multi-lip boot seal. One time, we had a parts guy that gave out a generic o-ring seal with transmission rebuilds. They always came back in about 2 weeks with a fluid leak complaint. I knew it should not be that way and found the correct GM seal for that. No more leak complaints from that area of the trans. It's worth the little bit of time and effort to put a generic seal in there when you consider what it takes to replace it the second time. As for the ST300, advertise it in Hemmings or in the For Sale forum listing. It might only have 2 speeds, but it takes less power to run it too. Enjoy! NTX5467

If you can indent the vinyl fabric (gently) with your finger nail, the basic vinyl fabric might be able to be "saved" a little. That would entail treating it with appropriate vinyl top "renewal" liquids and processes. If you can't indent it easily, the oils in the vinyl fabric have gone away and you'll probably never get it back to anything near "like new". Anytime you start such an activity, the first thing should be to completely clean it with approved soap and water and a soft bristle brush. Let the soap do the work and use the brush to get in the low places in the fabric (the grooves in the pattern). This can take some time and lubricated elbows, but it's the first thing that should be done. Might even take a few cleanings to get it all done. If the color is still good, I think I'd try some of the protectant products (I personally like the STP Son of a Gun as it's not too shiney and "obvious"). Use a large car wash sponge to apply it and let it sit in the garage as it soaks in. It might take several applications over several days before no additional protectant is absorbed by the vinyl. When that happens, let it soak little bit longer before the final buff off. Hopefully, the vinyl should be a little softer (finger nail test again) and look nicer. It'll also bead water so wiping it off will prevent streaks later on as it runs down the paint in the rain (possibly). Naturally, a warm environment helps this whole absorption process along. This will probably help extend the life some as you decide if it really needs replacing or you decide to use it as is. As for "painting", I would recommend "dyeing" as the best way to do it. Make sure the gloss of the dye will match the gloss of the original top or it'll look "worked on" if it's too shiney or glossy. "Paint" will probably have a less resilient surface and not look "accurate". As for replacement vinyl top fabric, the thicker backed top fabric of the later '60s has not been available "new" since the early '70s when the change to "gauze back" fabric took place. Even the reproduction vinyl tops for the '60s muscle cars and such available from the top reproduction vendors are the gauze back variation. The additional uncompressed build thickness between the thick back and gauze back (fuzzy) fabrics is probably just 1/16". As for replacement, the drip rail mouldings probably should be removed. Only thing is that I don't know of a good way to do that and not have it show on the moulding. One friend said they used a common can openner to get his off, but it also had little dimples in it every few inches too. The moulding is just a snap fit anyway, so a better procedure to remove it might be found. Either way, it'll be labor intensive plus you risk damaging the moulding itself. Not removing the moulding results in the "substandard" reseal methods mentioned. Some of the factory tops did use sealer in the drip rails to seal the edge of the top to the drip rail trough with the sealer being in the bottom of the channel and what the water actually contacted there. Checking your factory service manual for the vehicle might be enlightening in this respect as it could detail the "field fix" methods which GM recommended for warranty vinyl top replacement situations. I think I'd try to save the top to start with. It'll take some time and effort to do that (as mentioned). If it comes back good enough to please, fine, if not you've bought some time to see what your options are. The GM "grain" fabric typically was what all of the vinyl top shops used if no one was picky about what was put on in an "after the fact" installation or replacement. It was common and still should be, if it's what I think it was . . . "Levant Grain"? Once you find someone with the basic fabric, then the width of the "rails" in the fabric would be of concern as they need to match what you have. I believe this was prior to the later "Center Seam" GM vinyl tops so there would have been one wide head welded seam running the lenght of the top on each side. Kind of like a simulated convertible top configuration. Of course, competent installation of the new top would be important. Making sure it's glued down good will prevent the prevalent "bubble" in the fabric when the car is "at speed" on the highway. This might be one reason the thick back was replaced with the gauze back top fabric? Check out the various muscle car related national activities where the main vendors will be. i.e., Super Chevy Sunday, Mopar Nationals, GS Nationals, etc. Then you can effectively shop to see what the various vendors have (Year One, Inc., Legendary Interiors, and a few other national vendors would be good places to start). While the backing might be thin, there have been observed variations in the thickness of the vinyl on top of the backing that ARE significant when you put the two fabrics side by side. Of course, the thicker one will look better and last longer and cost is typically pretty close for the thinner one compared to the thick one. Thick is better! Of course, having recently manufacturer fabric would be a plus rather than trying to use NOS fabrics (unless the car will be a total 400 point class contender). Key thing is that the NOS fabric will be as old as the vehicle and will possibly be partially "dried out" whereas the new stuff would be "new". Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

If know know the hole dimensions (in the rod itself and center bolt hole diameter) of where the bushings go, you might have a better chance of finding some that fit something other than particular Buicks. I suspect they might be pretty close to what is used on other GM vehicles for which they might still be available. For example, GM still catalogs the bushings for the '69-'72 pickups. It might also be possible to use something like a pair of shock absorber bushings or sway bar link kit bushings if the sizing is right, or get someone to make up some polyurethane bushings to replace the rubber ones. Other GM cars and light trucks used panhard bar coil spring rear suspensions for many years, just as Ford did for many years starting with the '65 full size cars. This might be uncharted territory, but the search might be interesting. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

In the old days, it was acceptable to "top off" a power steering reservoir with ATF, but if you had a hose or seal leak, you soon got a full load of ATF instead of the specified power steering fluid. If the power steering fluid was red, you needed to flush it with power steering fluid and you'll probably find most of the hose leaks will diminish too. I would NOT dare put ATF in a modern rack/pinion power steering unit unless the vehicle manufacturer allows it! ATF also had other uses too. And ATF/water mix in a Coke bottle, administered via the carb at fast idle was a decarbon treatment. Made for some additional clatters and much white smoke. Berryman's B-12 in the fuel tank and a long freeway trip worked much better (from my experience). ATF in the motor oil was supposed to put oil flow where things had become sludged up and help clean things up inside the engine. A lighter oil with different detergents in it could work, but didn't if things were very bad. S-W Alemite CD-2 has a detergent additive that works much better, from my experiences, but if it's really bad, disassembly will be needed. Berryman's B-12 also had uses to clean up the insides of an automatic trans (as stated on the can). Adding a can and then driving it before a fluid change was the best way to clean things out back then. Might still work, but I don't know and don't intend to try it. STP would allegedly stop oil burning (and reportedly would increase the viscosity of the oil by 10 numbers in the process) plus other things. One person I knew of with a '76 Trans Am did an oil change and put a can of STP in to help with an oil pressure issue. It was still low and he added another can. Then we got him a new crankshaft and bearings for it. To me, the "transmission flush" procedures being sold these days can be flaky. One thing is that they typically do not include a filter change. All they do is put new fluid in the system (all 15 quarts or so of it). There are many variations in the machines that do that procedure too. Some are self-limiting in that when fluid is removed, equal amounts are replaced. With the less expensive machines that require manual adjustments, operator error can result in a wiped out front pump. It might take more time and initial expense, but if a modern automatic trans is in need of a flush, doing a couple of fluid/filter changes over a short period might be better. There are lots of automotive chemicals out there that offer quick fixes. Some work and others are used because the distributor pays spiffs to those technicians who use them. Just some thoughts . . NTX5467

Very good comments, MARTINSR! From my observations over the years, what constitutes "restoration" can be a VERY wide definition and somewhat variable with the customer and shop owner. When "restorations" became somewhat popular, I saw many older car owners mention "restoration" instead of "getting it fixed up some". To these people, it meant a new coat of paint, new tires, some upholstery work, and maybe a tune up (all of which would or would not be to original factory specs or configuration). If they happended into a person's shop that had a history of doing good restorations, they inquired about getting their car restored and left with a strong case of sticker shock--at which time they learned that a full restoration on their vehicle was not cost effective or was much more involved than they ever suspected. Therefore, when anyone goes into a shop to get a restoration process initiated or inquired about, THEY need to have an idea of what they want to get done before the shop owner can give them any kind of estimate. THEY also need to have an idea that it's not the same thing as a collision repair their insurance company might pay for on a modern vehicle too. Similarly, the SHOP OWNER should make a check list and notes on the condition of the vehicle and what (if any) parts are to be replaced and who will get them (and in what time frame). This procedure can take some time for both parties, but can make things much easier as things progress. If some additional parts are identified during the initial walk around (which the owner was not aware of needing attention), those should be figured into the mix too rather than having surprises and delays later on. It should also be determined in what condition the vehicle will be presented to the shop in. For example, if the owner removes some interior/exterior trim from the vehicle, it can save labor costs at the shop. Some might desire to bring the vehicle to the shop with much of the sheet metal prep/priming done, BUT if the color coats bring out imperfections in the body work, it was wasted effort and the shop owner (hopefully) will notify the owner if he finds something wrong before progressing with the full paint job. Hopefully, the chemistry in the products used by the car owner will properly link with the products used in the final paint coats too. Hopefully, the shop owner and his employees will have some expertise and knowledge with the vehicle or brand of vehicle you have to be restored. Many good restoration shops have track records which are verifiable and they do not mind the owners coming around. Plus, they tend to take pride in their progress and what the outcome will be. It SHOULD be a mutually friendly process, from what I've seen. Many car owners desire a "one stop" situation where the shop owner takes care of the mechanical and body repairs himself. This can be a big source of problems, unfortunately, and added expense, and added time. If the shop owner is a good business person and a good scheduler, things can happen pretty close to schedule and keep cost overruns to a minimum. Just like building a house, you can let the contractor handle everything or you can put limits on what the contractor will do and what you will do -- and when -- and when payments will be made. As mentioned, many shop owners can be very good artisans and not too good business operators. I've seen some regular shops that tried to take in custom or restoration work which went broke because they didn't have sufficient "other" cash flow to pay their bills. Not to mention owners who were frustrated with additional requests for serial payments as things progressed and their estimate was exceeded for whatever reasons. I've also seen a case where a "running, driving" collectible muscle car was taken to a shop for restoration and the time card for the vehicle soon ran the labor costs well past the initial estimate. This was at a reputed reputable shop too, but when he had two employees working on the car, he charged for both employees being on that job (employees that probably were pair hourly). If the car is going to compete in a national marque show event, it needs to be restored to THAT level and not a perceived level of correctness by the owner. Having a shop that is knowledgeable of the particular vehicle is a must for this sort of thing. One that understands the various paint inspection markings and who will take the time to photograph them and reproduce them as the vehicle is restored is a definite plus. To the knowledgeable, this is the mark of an accurate restoration instead of just a "pretty" restoration and can ultimately affect the value of the vehicle. So, the owner needs to have a good idea of what they want done. Many times, what they want is within the realm of a high quality body shop that will do what I term "at least OEM spec work". The car owner needs to understand the sequence of which items need to be done first and if other repair shops need to do them rather than the restoration shop (i.e., rebuilding the engine, transmission, rear axle, suspension; upholstery; vinyl top; carpeting and underlayment). It might increase the time expenditure/investment of the car owner to shop for reputable shops for each of these functions, but by networking with others in the car hobby in their locale, their potential list can be shortened somewhat. Similarly, the car owner needs to procure as many of the parts needed for the restoration as they can well in advance of when the actual work is initiated. Things like correctness for the model of vehicle can be verified in a non-critical time frame this way as can condition. Many times, a used part will need to be refurbished prior to installation. Getting these things out of the way BEFORE work begins can save time and frustration later. All businesses need a certain amount of positive cash flow and profits to stay alive. Most body shop facilities are "production" facilities but that does not mean they all do quickie work either. Similarly, there can be restoration shops that keep their work moving and can support enough good people working for them as a result just as there can be a car club member that does stuff in his garage that is just as good as any restoration shop can do (provided zoning regulations and such don't shut it down). So, I would recommend that the car owner operate their restoration operation like a business venture. Cost of the raw material (vehicle, if purchased), cost of the materials to be replaced/refurbished and associated labor costs versus estimated market value when done. From this time and money estimate, you can probably double the money and triple the time estimate (from your best guess) for a worst case scenario. If the cost analysis for the projected value of the vehicle is too out of whack, then some adjustments might need to be made or make a determination of getting some help with the various jobs to be done or spacing them out. Many car enthusiasts started doing their own body work and such as they discovered they could do at least as good work as what they were paying money to get done. If you don't count their labor, the various restoration projects become more realistic in cost as you're only paying for parts and materials. In the early '90s, myself and others in our local Mopar club participated in a "down the to shell" restoraton of a '70 Superbird. The car was stripped and plastic media blasted. Each component was disassembled and rebuilt/refurbished/replaced as necessary. The various components were treated as subassemblies when possible (i.e., engine, trans, instrument panel, interior, suspension, rear axle) such that when the vehicle was ready for reassembly, it was done as close to the same way it was done at the factory (including installing the engine/trans/front suspension/k-frame from underneath in one operation that took 4 self-centering bolts to make it attach to the body structure). The instrument panel was removed as an assembly (which allowed the heater system to be rebuilt/refurbished much easier) and then reinstalled as an assembly with the front seat not yet installed. Doing things this way does require a body contact lift and is much easier than doing things on your back. As assembly progressed of the subassemblies, they were "remarked" as they were when removed (paint stripes, daubs, marks) when finished. Pains were taken to get the correct finish on the various parts as they were done at the factory. When the final costs were totalled, it was something like $30K to do that car (which I suspect included the purchase of the unrestored car after several months of negotiating). That might have included a few group meals at Red Lobster for the other car club members who participated in that venture too. Our payment was the experience of helping restore a piece of American automotive history and seeing it win its class in a national event where originality (and reproduction thereof) is paramount. When the car was sold about a year later, it was sold to a body shop owner in Chicago who found out that it was cheaper to buy a car of that calibre already done than to do one in his shop. He had a GTX done the same way, but he paid one of his employees to do it at the shop. Not only did he loose the production of that employee, he tied up his shop space too, which cost more production loss. He was glad to pay the agreed upon price for the Superbird and not have to work on it. This has become a little long, but I felt the need to mention some of the side issues and how to go about them in the quest for a restored vehicle. Key thing is to find a good shop that knows your vehicle (and had done them before) PLUS getting a plan in writing of what is to happen and what it will cost. In some municipalities, a written estimate by the shop is a binding contract to produce the listed work for the stated price (with some variance in some cases), but that does not mean they might not find "addons" which need to be done "while you're there" when they will be cheaper to do than later. Once you have a plan and an understanding of what is to be done when, by whom, and at what cost, you can proceed to the limit of your tolerance. Restorations don't come in a box and getting Samantha to twitch her nose to make it happen immediately is not an option either. Patience can be a virtue in these situations too, especially if all parties involved trust each other to take care of each other (the shop owner to produce a good job and the owner to pay for it). MARTINSR does have some good guidelines on choosing a shop and I hope I've added some other questions you can ask the potential shop owner in the process too. Thanks for your time and consideration, NTX5467

As with later Chrysler steering columns sourced from Saginaw Gear division of GM, they might have been built by GM, but they were built to Chrysler specs and that's where any differences will come from. The Chrysler search tuner radios were sourced from Delco, but they sound much better than ANY Delco radio of that period. The column in my '80 Newport looks just like a GM column on the outside, but the insides are different and seem to be of a higher level of design than what's in the similar GM/Saginaw columns. The Chrysler columns also seem to have a higher quality "feel" to them than the similar year GM columngs too. Might be a higher quality grease for the bearings or something? I agree that the translucent steering wheels look really nice, especially since Ford or GM didn't do them. As I recall, some of the colors in the Chrysler steering wheels were more "see through" than others, but weren't quite solid colors as later years were. Might have been some metallic tints too, to match the metallic tint in the trim codes of the interior colors too. Enjoy! NTX5467

If you have a Chrysler sales brochure for that year, you can determine what options the car has pretty much from that. The rear axle should have a tag on it with the ratio stamped on it. There was only one option code for TorqueFlite (as only B/RB engines were in that car). Factory A/C cars had the hd suspension front torsion bars, which left the rear springs to make the balance of the option hd suspension along with high control shocks (all front shocks were limited to 1" diameter pistons due to the space in the K-frame they had to fit into whereas the rear shocks would have been the larger 1 3/8" bore diameter). Specific to '67 Chrysler ONLY, the optional 383 4bbl engine had a single exhaust but had the same horsepower/torque ratings as the dual exhaust engines in similar C-body Plymouth and Dodge vehicles. 383 4bbls came with standard 3.23 rear axle ratio whereas 2bbls came with 2.76 ratio. 440 TNT would have a 3.23 standard too. Only 15" wheel use was with the disc brake option. Otherwise, 14x5.5" or 14x6.0" wheels on non-station wagons. Wheel cover use can be determined from the sales literature. Bucket seat interior used the same seats as the Chrylser 300, but with different door panels, dash insert trim, and a different rear seat "speak grille" insert. As with all Chrysler trim codes back then, the seat fabrics and vinyls had a metallic tint to them. The whites had a pearl tint to them too (which might look dirty as it agea, where the "grunge" will not come off). Cars ordered with the "Basic Group" had: 8.55x14 white wall tires (usually Goodyear Power Cushion), wheel covers, Light Package (map light, trunk light, fender mounted turn signal indicators), AM radio with rear seat speaker, undercoat with hood pad, AirTemp air conditioning, Power Steering, Power Drum Brakes. I think that is about all, as I recall. Some dealers who wanted a long window sticker or a few extra dollars, could order these things separately too, without ordering them in the particular option group. Other than original paint and trim colors, with the sales brochure and a little time, you should be able to pin down how the car was originally equipped from the factory. There weren't that many "secrets" on those cars as most were pretty much unmolested as they changed owners over the years. Not quite the same situation as with the Dodge/Plymouth muscle cars. Of course, if you can find a dealer's Order Guide (which would list all of the options and their codes and availability on which models, plus trim and paint colors/combinations) it would have all of those things in it too. As for the sequence number of the VIN, if there were two plants which could produce the same line of cars, they would have similar sequence numbers (except for the starting number). I believe the Chrysler service manual for that year will further explain that situation. Therefore, you could only determine that a vehicle was in which sequence at each plant instead of doing that with total production of that vehicle. Unfortunately, knowing all of the option code information probably will not make much difference, value wise, like it might for a B or A or E-body car. Once you get past the normal things used car lot people look at (PS, PB, A/C), other things will not make much difference with C-body cars. Fortunately, there is a pretty nice upward trend in the values of pre-'69 C-body Chryslers. Email me from the link above if you have any questions. NTX5467 CE23H73 Turbine Bronze/White Vinyl Roof & Bucket Seat Interior (non-console) DH43N0D Brougham Package, W23 Class II 16-slot Road Wheels Unmolested TH42KAA 360 2bbl used a 318 size Carter 2bbl this year only (How's that for 3 low production Chrysler C-bodies? Did it without trying too!)

My father's '69 Chevy pickup had something similar under the carpet. Kind of like a thin layer of asphalt-type sheeting with some thin foamy plastic on top of it. Probably there more for sound deadening than heat insulation as it didn't cover all of the parts of the floorpan. I suspect it was used mainly on vehicles which did not have factory undercoating to deaden road noise or gravel hits (as most GM cars of that era were not factory undercoated). At one time, SnakeOyl enterprises had some for sale. I think you can also find it from some of the aftermarket vendors in the restoration part of things. I think I've seen it in National Parts Depot for Camaros. Seems like 3M and other body shop supply vendors also have some adhesive sheets to apply to the inner sides of sheet metal panels to seal holes and might work for the underlayment deal too. Usually comes in sheets. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Unless they are licensed "GM Restoration Parts", there can be (and probably will be) some differences due to copyright infringement issues. For example, the gauge of the metal might be different or some holes might not be there which are there on the now-discontinued GM items. Or there might be a slight length difference too. Maybe even a stiffening rib (if there is one) would be deleted as well as the water drain holes (if they exist). I suspect that whatever differences which might exist would be things you'd have to know about as you looked at it after it'd been installed on the vehicle. Personally, I think I'd be more concerned about the gauge and quality (hopefully OEM spec) of the metal. For example, on the "aftermarket" fenders and such for more modern vehicles, the dimensions of the part will be a little off from the factory part and round holes on the factory part might not be on the aftermarket part or might be square instead. Somewhere, I have a GM Chevrolet parts book which had all kinds of patch panels for GM and other makes of vehicles. These would have been patch panels for rust repair just as what is currently sold by vendors such as Sherman and others. Does anyone have any NOS items to compare these eBay items to? Just some thoughts, in general . . . NTX5467

The Eagle GAs were a pretty strong OEM level tire in the early '90s when they came out. Their main claim to fame was a much quieter ride (from lack of tread noise). They were OEM spec for all of the Chrysler LH cars, many Lexus cars, and many GM full size cars too. They are still used on several GM cars (i.e., 3.8L V-6 Impalas but not the base 3.4L V-6 Impala, which gets Uniroyal Tiger Paws) and Dodge Intrepids so there is still some viability to that particular tire. By observations, reasonable care of the Eagle GA will result in pretty good tread life and the many LH cars I've rented (with those tires) leads me to believe they are a decent handling tire too, but not to the same level as a performance oriented tire. By the number of sizes of the Eagle GA, which are less than they used to be, that tire will probably be phased out over the next couple of years. As you can note, it's also an expensive tire to buy (especially from Goodyear!). The Eagle LS has a much wider size range so it'll probably be around a good deal longer. But as long as the Eagle GA is used for OEM production applications, those particular sizes will be around longer. The Eagle LS came out with the current generation Park Avenue. An upgrade from the Eagle GA and generally a little more performance oriented. At the Park Avenue consumer Ride & Drive I went to, I questioned the Product Specialist as to the technical details of the LS and he mentioned they had a lower rolling resistance than previous tires of that type. As you mentioned, the LS is still used on many GM cars with performance orientations. They were also used on many Chrysler 300M and LHS cars also, although later model 300Ms come with Michelins. You can also note from the Goodyear website specs that tread depth of the LS is about 10/32" instead of the formerly more common 11/32", but then some Michelins are that way too. TireRack.com also has a cummulative survey area where they put all of the survey results together for the particular tire performance groups. That is a good tool to use to see where things settle out. As you will notice, no OEM level tire will typically rate very highly in those surveys. Also consider that many of their customers are performance oriented so that can affect the OEM level tire ratings too. The information in there can be a very good shopping tool, though, and probably aid in your purchase decision. It might be good to shop their online website and then see how close you can get to their pricing at your local tire stores (who could provide local services that TireRack can't, if needed). Buying the tires mail order and then expecting a local dealer for the same tire can have its rocky aspects should there be some warranty issues. In one respect, you could do a whole lot worse than the OEM level tires, but then there are many other options which might work better for less money (as the survey chart will indicate). Otherwise, the Goodyear Aquatread 3 looks to be a pretty good tire and probably is in the size you need. The Regatta 2 is similar in concept to the Eagle LS, but is a "replacement" tire. If white side walls will be a consideration, it might limit things a little, but there are still some choices with those too. Hope this helps a little, NTX5467

Thanks for that clarification. I wasn't aware THAT was going on to quite that extent. What I have seen happen is people who like the style and "presence" of the older vehicles do is "repower" them with modern drivetrains and even swap frames to something more modern to allow them to drive them without having to worry about finding parts should something break. I have an acquaintance that had a late '40s (I think) Lincoln Continental coupe. It had the original V-12 and transmission when he got it. It was a restorable car as is, but he had other ideas. He had been down the road with those vintage flathead Fords and their durability issues on rod runs and such (he said it was why when you took one on a trip, you also took your tow vehicle and a trailer along, plus spare parts). He sold the V-12 and trans to a guy via Hemmings, sold off other things to people who needed them, and then commenced getting it ready for a 500 CID Cadillac engine/trans from a donor vehicle. I certainly would have put a newer Lincoln V-8 in it myself, but he was determined to put a Cadillac in it . . . kind of like the old days when Cadillac V-8s were the thing to have in your hot rod. At least he had the good sense to put the parts he didn't need where they needed to be. At the first Good Guys meet they had at Texas Motor Speedway, in the swap meet area was a beautiful silver '65 or so Riviera. Even had the Nailhead motor under the hood. The interior was not there and a "firewallectomy" had been performed and they'd started putting some flat metal in its place (and not a very slick job either) "just like the magazine cars". I just shook my head and walked away. Kind of like having a really slick car and then, when you raise the hood, a terriffic "WOW" factor. In my case, it was "wow, WHY??" I concur that these restored vehicles really need good homes that will appreciate and care for them, but as long as there are people with enough money to purchase such a car and then change it, we can't really stop them. About all we can do is not watch as it happens. Kind of like some women, with all due respect, I've seen that will marry a man and then try to change his habits and orientations, knowing full well what she was marrying before she entered into that contract. Then, when the changes are done, we're supposed to be impressed. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

Dave, the deal with using "good" cars for hot rods or race cars has been going on for decades. Everyone wants a good, straight body and chassis to deal with, it seems, even though they immediately start cutting and hacking on it. In retrospect, there have been many cars ripe for a great restoration or "saving" that were made into race cars--not to mention the demolition derby cars. Not to mention the number of steel-bodied 1930s Fords that were cut up for street rods (street rod=prior to 1949; street machine=1949 and newer) over the years. I saw a chopped top street rod guy with a t-shirt which read "Anyone can restore a car, but it takes a real man to chop one" (or something to that effect). Some neat creations, for sure, but some solid original cars were lost in the process of creating that niche of automotive history. Considering this is a Buick oriented organization, I would concur that any modified vehicle entered in a BCA or BCA chapter event should have a Buick motor/drivetrain unless another GM motor was factory installed when new. No real change from what we have now in that respect. At the present time, it seems we have the 400 point and Archival classes for correct/original vehicles. The proposed activation of the Driver's Class would then kick in for the not exactly correct, but "reasonable facsimilie" preservations where use takes precedence over correctness. To round things out the modified vehicle class would, it seems, fit right in. Even with the current 12 year rule, modern vehicles will continue to expand the show class ranks of judged vehicles. So, conceivably, there would be a Buick class for most any Buick enthusiast in the BCA to display their vehicle. It might be that the details aren't fully developed for a year or so, but this is a start. Enjoy! NTX5467

Those Jetfires were unique in that they had normal "high compression" just as a normally aspirated engine did. This is why they needed their "rocket fluid" (an alcohol/water mix as I understand it) to kill detonation under boost at full power. The Chevy Corvair Spyder (similarly turbocharged but with the more normal lower than normal compression ratio) did not need it. Unfortunately, only a two speed automatic was available as a three speed would probably have helped things, but I suspect that a regular Olds HydraMatic of that era would have absorbed too much power compared to the two speed, not to mention packaging issues. I don't recall a manual trans being available for it either. Turbocharging was still relatively exotic back then so Olds was being "A Step Ahead" by offering it. Olds was usually the technology leader of GM in those days too. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Although I've been accused of being a "purist", I will concur that modified Buicks DO have a place at ANY BCA event, just as I believe that ANY BUICK produced (including late models) should be welcomed with open arms at ANY BCA or BCA chapter event. They are just as much a part of the Buick family as a completely correct or older Buick. Some of the best looking modified cars I've seen have been Buicks. I concur that a different judging scheme would be needed for any modified vehicle class, but it could mimick the current point deduction system already in use. It might also be advisable to not use the "point range" award system for this class also, having 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place awards instead. I might also go so far as to propose that the modified class should also be included as candidates for Best of Show too, but I know others might disagree with that, or have a Best of Show "400 Point" and Best of Show "Modified". I rather doubt the modified class would be a large one, but it can also serve to attract the general public (i.e., potential members) who might not care if a 1960s Electra has whitewalls of the correct width on it (much less radial tires). It can also show others that you don't have to have a Ford or Chevy to have a really neat modified car. The additional rule that it needs to be Buick Powered be in place or award extra points for that. Yes, there are many street rod clubs in existence, even a Buick Street Rod Club if I recall correctly, just as there are several local and national street rod club sanctioning organizations. As mentioned and as I have also observed, they are full of Fords and Chevies, usually with Chevy engines. Nothing wrong with that, if that's what you want, but to take the time to do a Buick or Mopar (for example) street rod in completely "manufacturer's family" execution is definitely worth rewarding. The BCA and its members have done a great job of focusing on "assembly line correct" vehicles with the orientation of preserving them for future generations and such, but for the club to grow and expand there also needs to be a "widened horizon" orientation to admit that more modern Buicks and modified Buicks are worthy of the same preservation efforts. Last time I looked, I didn't find the word "antique" anywhere in the BCA's Mission Statement yet it seems many members put it there themselves by their actions and orientations. Nothing wrong with that, but such actions also send signals to younger Buick enthusiasts (yes, there are teenagers who have websites to showcase their fwd LeSabres in the Buick Only Webring, for example, not to mention their late model fwd Regal GS cars) that they need to look elsewhere, which many do. I don't perceive that we need to be alienating these people up front as they CAN be the future Buick enthusiasts that keep this organization alive. I feel that it should be one of the BCA long term goals to make the BCA an "all encompassing" Buick enthusiast organization for ALL Buick enthusiasts where everybody is really welcome at BCA events. Such an orientation works dang well in the Mopar end of the hobby (where you can see grandparents, parents, and grandchildren all enjoying the cars of their past and present youth at the Mopar Nationals each year) and it can work in the Buick end of things also. I suspect similar things can be observed at some Ford and other GM enthusiast events also, but haven't seen it to the degree as I have at the Mopar Nationals. Yep, Buicks have traditionally been known as an "old man's car" in the past, due to the placement of the Buick carline in the higher end of the general scheme of things by Billy Durant, but there have been "young person" Buicks too and will continue to be in the future. I'm not advocating that we abandon any of the 400 point orientations, just that we expand things so that we have a better marketability factor to Buick enthusiasts who are not currently members or those who didn't realize they could be a Buick enthusiast. If that means allowing some modified Buicks in the show field of a BCA event, then let's do it. If that means easing or decreasing the 12 year rule, then let's do it (but that's a whole 'nuther subject). The current Archival Class and proposed activation of the Driver's Class are also ways to expand the membership and show participation at BCA events, but they are still seemingly in their infancy and not fully appreciated. Adding the Modified judged class would send the signals that the BCA is not specifically an "antique" car club, but a car club for ALL BUICKS. These are some of my own orientations and I respect those of others. Hopefully, we can find a viable middle ground on this an other issues pertaining to the future of the BCA. Enjoy! NTX5467

From my experiences, anything that bogs down the normal "taking care of buisness" issues before any club's BOD should be minimized and dealt with up front so the BOD doesn't get bogged down or side tracked in their normal course of affairs. Many times, it's easier to table things and leave them for later officers to deal with--for whatever reason. By the time is reached when some action MUST be taken, there probably already is strong sentiments on each side of the situation and things can get pretty emotional as a result--plus the original facts can become altered as things are repeated among the members too. In any event, what has happened has happened and there is NO purpose it digging it up! It's now history and that's how it needs to stay! The BOD needs to move on and get some things accomplished to make the OCA the great and FUN organization it (and other car clubs!) need to be instead of a bunch of fragmented members who aren't informed enough about particular club issues to even be talking about them. Not being fully aware of how the OCA operates, I will state that when the BCA started letting individual chapters host the quarterly BOD meetings, it openned things up a whole lot to the general membership. More people could see what was actually happening (not that anything had really been hidden previously!) and it was good. The minutes of these BOD meetings are now posted on the club website too. As always, if you want to be involved, you can be. Run for a national BOD office and then you'll really be involved. Yesterday is history and leave it at that. Trying to right previous alleged wrongs is counterproductive to any organization, but evolving into a better organization (using past accomplishments as a base to build from) is much better. Once you get the momentum rolling from these past accomplishments it is usually easier to accomplish more great things. Make the future as good as it can be--it's more fun that way! Enjoy! NTX5467

I might be a little late in finding this post as I haven't visited this part of the forums in a while, but I had some comments from my own experiences as chapter newsletter editor and a newsletter editor for a non-GM car club too. When I first started writing and later editing our NTBCA newsletter, I knew I would be dealing with a varied audience with respect to ethnicity, religion, and other issues. I have always tried to temper my comments such that no one would be offended by anything in my publications. I felt that was my responsibility as editor and was also empowered to also screen all articles and input for publication in the same manner. We always solicited input from members on their car projects and related technical articles which would be of benefit to anyone who might read the publication. One member contributed an article on the pitfalls of putting a Chrysler 440 in a Dodge Dart/Plymouth Valiant vehicle. He had been there and "done that" so he had some good comments. In general, it was a very good article and mentioned many of the things the magazine articles didn't mention or allude to. Only problem was that this gentleman tended to use words that had "ck" in them to emphasize certain issues. Many people DO talk this way and I have heard more younger people use these words in their normal language with others, BUT I felt it was my responsibility to not contribute to that situation so I carefully went through and substituted equally strong language, but using normal words and descriptions, for those "ck" words. No content was changed, just how it was worded. At that time, we mailed the newsletter to other chapters and I also knew that we had members with young children that were similarly intense in the car hobby as were their parents (for this particular corporation's vehicles). I didn't want them to find out about these words and usage from the newsletters I published (as an elected officer fo the club). Therefore, I did what I did and went on. I regretted I had to make those wordage alterations, but I did it for what I perceived to be the good of the club and the image it projected to others. From what I've read of the "Jap" reference, it probably would have been acceptable to use "oriental import vehicle" instead and not have changed the content or message of the writer. I will concur that while it might be showing too much sensitivity or fear of offending someone, IF someone who didn't know this contributor picked up the club magazine and saw those comments, they could possibly suspect that the whole club mirrored this person's orientation and then it could become a "marketability issue" for the club. I totally respect the orientations of the contributor and understand his orientations, but those of us who are editors should, I believe, also consider how our publications help the club to market itself to non-members and the general public also. In that orientation, any words or language which might offend or put the club in an unfavorable light should be screened and altered (without affecting the content and "message"). I do not make these comments as a scolding of the existing magazine editor by any means as I feel the editor made an appropriate judgment call at the time with the information and knowledge of the contributor. Every situation is different and requires such judgment calls by the editor--plain and simple. Nor do I desire that anyone start any dialogue that the editor acted inappropriately by not altering the words. I might add that some sort of disclaimer on these contributions (as to whose orientations are presented, etc.) might be advisable if it isn't already there. This deal is over and done and can't be changed, but can be used as a learning tool for the future. I also recall that CAR AND DRIVER made a comment in a "short take review" of a 1990s Olds Delta 88 (after the 98 was discontinued) that the prime customers of these Delta 88s "remembered Pearl Harbor". Several messages in that short description . . . I view the situations were some groups desire to hold current generations responsible for the ill deeds or indiscretions of past generations as inappropriate and harmful. By doing so, it seems they only perpetrate the past deeds with their own current actions. History is one thing, but "baggage" is another. Best thing we can do is to make sure that "today" and "tommorrow" are as good as they can be for everyone and to make the world a better place because we're here. There will be some bumps in the road, but as long as we're pointed in that direction, things can be better. Just wanted to add my experiences on this situation. Enjoy! NTX5467

I tend to concur that any information on this situation can be considered from several orientations. Yes, the general membership CAN have a "right to know" provided there are no "sealed" issues or outcomes, BUT discussing what the whole deal might have been about, how it transpired, and its resolution --in an open forum -- would serve no worthwhile purpose and could only result in increasing the fragmentation of the membership which might already exist over this situation. Typically, there will be "for" and "against" orientations with a good deal of emotion involved instead of looking at the "just the facts". Several years ago, we had a situation in the Buick Club of America which involved the club's magazine editor and some actions he took. The BCA Board, who were closest to the whole situation were divided over the situation and it got worse from there. Neither the Board nor the Editor were totally blameless in how things transpired (from what I could see), but that whole situation centered on the fact the editor is an employee of the club and should act accordingly, even though he was a club member too in this case. Prior to the final airing of the whole event (which those of us in the North Texas Chapter had a ring side seat for as we hosted that particular Board meeting in Arlington), there were "Save __________" petitions for the editor and there were also piles of "for" and "against" communications to the Board from club members (the contents of which were read to those present). Lots of emotions on both sides for keeping or firing him at that time! I will dare say that until sitting through that whole situation down here, few people fully understood the scope of the whole situation and how it had escalated to the frenzied level it got to, which required some action to be taken. What I felt was significant was that one of the "save" petition originators was totally silent during the whole deal when public input could be made. That, in itself, indicated to me that he didn't know all of what had been going on. So, having been through that deal as an impartial observer, club member, and chapter member, what has happened in the court room should remain there unless someone specifically desires to know what went on--in which case the individual can do their own research on the matter with knowledgeable individuals in the club. Such research should include several people who would have a balanced orientation as there probably was a good deal of emotion involved just as there was in the BCA situation. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

The ETS or "Enhanced Traction Control" is a pretty basic traction control system that uses engine management to control wheel slippage (it cuts power!) with NO brake intervention as the traction controls systems on the larger GM cars. It uses the wheel speed sensors for the front wheels to determine wheel slippage (one with respect to the other) and then cuts power as needed. The GM minivans also use a similar systsem. I was at an Olds ride and drive event for dealership people in about '99. We were driving the various GM and Ford and Chrysler minivans on the short road course they had for them. I was driving a Silhouette for that part of the deal. There was a straight stretch that allowed up to about 45mph before you had to brake for a hard left hand turn. I used my best apex strategy and nailed the gas for the exit--nothing happened, no power "as requested". I glanced at the instrument cluster and saw the "Low Trac" light on. As soon as I got it straightened out, the light went out and the power came back. Another time, I was in a rented Grand Am and turned into a parking lot. The "Low Trac" light came on then too. It appears that when relative wheel speed between the two front wheels is great enough (for any reason), it thinks a low traction environment is happening and cuts engine power until the wheel speeds get more the same. As for the light being on all of the time, it could be a bad wire from the sensor at the wheel or a bad sensor itself. Some sensors are part of the wheel hub assembly and aren't replaceable as individual parts. I thing TRW and other vendors have them in aftermarket at NAPA and similar. Best thing would be to pull the codes from the Brake System Computer and see what they show (just like pulling codes from the engine computer). Enjoy! NTX5467

I will readily admit that I've had limited exposure to TommysTrailers, usually seeing ads for them in car hobby publications. That's why I was not aware of the "fender" deal with them. I believe that FeatherLite also has similar products as I've seen their ads in National Dragster. Most of my drag racing associates either have an open trailer they tow behind a 3/4 ton pickup with a camper shell or have an enclosed trailer. I don't recall seeing too many (if any) TommysTrailers in that crowd. I do know that TommysTrailers have always been considered to be a premium product and priced higher than the normal type trailers. But, as with everything else, you tend to get what you pay for. When FeatherLite trailers branched out into horse trailers, many of our custoemrs got them and were amazed at how much easier they towed due to their lighter weight. More money, naturally, than the normal trailers they were more used to, but worth it. That's where the "value judgment call" comes into play . . . One of my friends used his father's pickup to tow his enclosed car trailer. It was a F-150 extended cab 4x4 with the 351HO motor. Sounds good enough, it seems, but on their way to Ohio the first time, with a midsize car in the trailer, their gear, and three of them in the truck, in the Tennessee hills, it was 85mph in the valleys and 35mph at the top of the hills (flat out, with the 85mph necessary to get to the 35mph at best at the top). Fuel economy would have made a 454 C30 blush! Prior to the next year, the F-150 was traded for a similar F-250 (8600+ lb GVW) extended cab with a 460 V-8, still 4x4. Same route, same loaded trailer, etc. and it would pull the tops of the hills at reasonable speeds without the "run" at them. Fuel economy also went UP 2 or 3 mpg too (to about 9mpg towing). Much nicer to drive too! Better to have a big motor that "loafs" under load instead of a smaller motor that's straining all of the time. As for the 4x4 tow vehicle orientation, that's something I came to realize might be better. I noticed that many of our customers that towed large travel trailers were using K20 4x4 Suburbans instead of normal vehicles. Typically, conventional wisdom indicated that 4x4 is for "off road" activities until you realize that towing in 4WD HI would distribute the driving forces throughout the whole chassis instead of having them centered just with the rear axle. The additional fuel (usually about 1mpg or so less) would pay for itself in better durability on the total vehicle. Plus, losing that little bit of fuel economy in a tow situation would not be that noticeable, all things considered. Again, just observations over the years . . . your experiences might vary. Enjoy! NTX5467

Enterprise can be a viable choice, but I've noticed that their "advertised" rates are for pretty small vehicles and they have been known to try to push their "insurance" on the renters when they can. I got the "hard sell" for a weekend rate on a Neon several years ago and that deal ended up costing me about $100.00 for a weekend rental that would have cost me a good deal less elsewhere. I might be more aware of what other rates are but even with their "shop" rate, they are more expensive for a weekend rental than National or Dollar or others. Yes, I have to drive an hour to the airport locations and such, but I'd rather do that than rent from our local Enterprise franchisee. Yes, they will transport you to their office and such, but I haven't seen that as being a good deal, at least for me. Just my experiences locally. Key thing is to call the franchisee specifically before you make your rental reservations to see what cars they typically have in the various size classes. These can vary with location to location and even day to day, but there are some general trends--especially if it's a national chain as they generally buy the same types and brands of vehicles each time they turn their fleets. Hertz, for example, might features Ford products, everytime a couple of years ago when I wanted to rent a 4 passenger T-bird (just to check it out), I ended up with Monte Carlos. National might be more inclined to have GM cars, but I've seen Mitsubishis and Nissans there sometimes (even before the combination with Alamo operations in some places). All things considered, it might be a nice deal to rent a Buick for the Flint activities, but considering how things go, getting a GM car might be an accomplishment in itself. In the middle '90s, some friends and I were going to the Mopar Nationals in Indy. I flew in on Wednesday and got an Intrepid for a rent car. My associates came in the next day and ended up with a Hyundai sedan (albeit a "full size" class car). They were livid, understandably, as the travel agent had "reserved an Intrepid". I knew that they typically knew when each car was scheduled back into the station so, having done business with these people in prior years, told them to take the car and then I found out when they would have an Intrepid coming back in the next day. I arranged for a car swap to take place for them the next day--same contract rates, just changing cars as if there had been an operational problem with the original car they rented. The station manager at Thrifty was obliging and the swap was made smoothly and everyone was happy. The station management was careful to state that the return schedule was tentative at best, but from what I suspected it was still the way they planned their reservations and such and that most people had planes to catch so it was probably more accurate than not. Just my experiences and further pointed out that all you are reserving is a class of vehicle instead of a particular vehicle. Others might have had other experiences with particular rentals and I appreciate that and am just relating my own experiences over the years with rental car activities. I did a lot of weekend rentals when there were more frequent flyer miles to be had with each rental . . . Enjoy! NTX5467

In general, AFBs of that vintage were configured similarly to the 4GCs, with respect to the way the secondaries were operated (with weighted auxiliary throttle plates above the main throttle plates in the secondaries). As for CFM ratings, that didn't come into play until the later '60s or so. Prior to that, carbs were rated by their "venturi area" (in square inches) with the orientation that more was better. If you compare the throttle bore sizes to later Holleys with CFM ratings, it would appear that many of the 4bbls in the '50s and '60s didn't quite break the 600CFM barrier whether due to venturi restictions or basic throttle bore/venturi sizing. There might be more performance items for the AFBs for incognito enhancements as the current Edlebrock AFBs are built from the same basic blueprints as the originals. Meaning, metering rods and jets and power piston springs. The current AFBs that Federal Mogul sells are still the original designs, but began life as a Chevy 327 carb that has been upgraded with an electric choke and other things to make it more universal. You can also use these carbs to gauge the CFM of the earlier carbs also. Other than the polished appearance of the AFBs, I suspect they are still pretty close to the cosmetics of the earlier ones or could be made to look the part with a little work. I believe the later version AFBs might have the dual bolt patterns (on the base plate) but with the larger air cleaner air horn (air cleaner mounting circle) that's "Holley size". These would be definite things to check for plus whether the carb is configured for the exhaust heat track in front of the primaries or not. Make sure that all of the linkage for the ones you have found are all there and mostly correct for what you need. Other than that, it would be a judgment call of which one would be best for what you have. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Fenders which can be removed would be a neat deal, I guess, but I have not seen anyone with such a trailer in all of my car activities--not saying they don't exist. The theory sounds plausible, but most fenders are already pretty close to the top of the tires when loaded so I don't see more than an inch or two of difference at the most, unfortunately. As for having the car loaded closer to the ground, that's a good deal too, but there is also a certain relationship between the trailer and the ground AND the way the trailer end will pivot on the axles as the tow vehicle encounters dips and such. Getting the trailer too low could cause the "tail to drag" more than it normally would, thereby limiting where you could take the trailer and what driveway approaches it could easily encounter (in many cases, ramps are stowed in compartments at the end of the trailer also). I highly suspect that anyone in the car trailer business has the ground clearance/center of gravity deal pretty much figured out by now as most trailers have a height that is pretty much like all of them are. End result, the amount of load capacity will relate to tire size and diameter, which will relate to how high the fenders will be on the trailer. Those architectural items are pretty much "hard" points in the design. Knowing that car doors are pretty much in a general height range is another hard point. Trailer maximum width is another hard point as max width is regulated by most state legislatures to be basically as wide as a lane of traffic. So, with those particular criteria, plus the other issue of dragging the end of the trailer, things are pretty much in a particular ball park already, just as where the axles are placed in relationship to the center of the trailer so most of the loaded weight will be on the front end of the trailer (nose heavy automobiles notwithstanding) for tow stability. The one thing not yet mentioned would be the air deflector for the front of the trailer. This would shield the car from debris and also make it less wind resistant than if there were none, in most cases. A winch can be used to secure the vehicle at the front, but many also use ratchet tie-downs to pull from the rear of the trailer too, further securing the vehicle from any movement. As always, there are nationally known trailer manufacturers that might be better to deal with and already have many variations of trailers in their catalog for various functions and might also have warranties. Open, enclosed, and variations thereof; Wells Cargo and similar manufacturers come to mind. It seems like there's also many regional trailer manufacturers that could do credible trailers too, but you would need to know more of what you're looking at with them, I suspect, to see which one might be best. Being an informed shopper can be necessary here too. You might consider checking out the weekly drag racing events in the pits to see what others have for trailers and where they got them. These non-casual users might be a good information source as they use their trailers weekly (if not more) during race season and also usually tow some long distances during race season too (if they're chasing a points award). Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Pete's comments are dead on!! From what I recall some of my drag racing associates mention several years ago, there are also some considerations as to what kind of bushings (plastic, bronze, etc.) are in the suspension mountings; whether or not it's a torsion beam axle or if there are springs involved; tandem axle will work best and ride best too; type and quality of the wheel bearings; having adequately sized brakes, axles, and tires for the weight being hauled, including some extra capacity above the combined trailer and vehicle weights; signal lights and license plate lights that are visible and obvious with quality wiring that will not always be having problems; a sturdy draw bar area with safety chain provisions. There might be a few other details, but these are most of the ones I can recall. Many times, its the "unseen" items that make a good design trailer a better design trailer. Of course, no trailer is good without a suitable tow vehicle. Many people still tow with passenger cars so having suitable brakes and suspension upgrades would be in order. Most everyone down in this part of the world uses light trucks to tow with, many are 1/2 ton models but for the combined weight of the car, trailer, and "other things" at least a light duty 3/4 ton would really be better with its heavier suspension and larger brakes PLUS factory tow packages. If you have a late model GM pickup with the factory tow package and hitch, you've already got the wiring to the back with a 7-wire trailer connector plus provisions for the trailer brake controller--all without having to cut and splice wires, just plug things into the main harness. Of course, a Class III or IV Equalizer Hitch is the best way to go due to the weight and such that's involved. Others might have other orientations, especially with the tow vehicle and accessories. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467