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

As a National Car Rental Emerald Isle member, I can say they do have GM cars and BUICKS in their fleet, but it can vary from location to location and even the time of year as to what they have. Several years ago, Buick partnered with National for their Emerald Isle members to have a access to Regal LS cars with leather, CD players, upgrade suspension, etc. National has also partnered with Pontiac at times too. Most recently, the Buicks down here have included Centurys, some Regals, some LeSabres, and even some Park Avenues in the Luxury section. Similarly, Grand Prix SEs, Grand Prix GTs, Bonnevilles, and Grand Ams too. Sedan DeVilles have also been in the luxury area too. As National and Alamo have merged operations in many areas, their fleet has become more diverse and even has some Saturns and Mopars now. Unfortunately, I don't know of any car rental company that will let you reserve a particular model of car as they typically sell a "size class" of vehicle. Emerald Isle membership allows renters to choose which car they want from those available in the designated area instead of having the keys to "something" chunked at you by the rental person (gently, of course). Avis also has some GM cars too. When I got to Indy last summer, about the only larger size car I could find was a Grand Prix SE in a group of Mazdas and Grand Ams. The odds might be better with National, but it's still a crapshoot of sorts to get a GM car specifically. Hope this helps . . . NTX5467

The Edsel "TeleTouch Drive" was in the steering wheel and I believe used an electric motor to do the shifting. Chrysler and others used cables. Pushbutton shifts were basically outlawed when the federal regulations for a uniform shift quadrant went into effect with the '65 model year. Also why GM cars ceased having "R" below "L" probably. Enjoy! NTX5467

There used to be one cable that AC-Delco was still making for Buicks that was the original cable--and it was for '68 full size Buicks with the plastic square conduit where it went beside the engine on the way to the starter. To find it, you had to get in the back of the catalog where there was a picture of it with the part number. I don't recall it being in the regular listing, but it might be. I know it was there a couple of years ago. NTX5467

"MC" = mixture control solenoid; it takes the place of the old power piston I mentioned that could be stuck in the "down" or "economy" position, resulting in no power resulting from no mixture enrichment when needed for extra power; basically, the computer pulses or cycles the metering rods up and down from commands from the ECM to deliver the correct mixture for the operating conditions at that particular time (i.e., idle, cruise, power, WOT). Not the previous "analog" (if you could call it that) system where the power piston was compressed against a spring by manifold vacuum to do basically the same thing. When you took the carb apart, there most probably could have been some small little circles of what might look like orange-red silicone in the bottom of the float bowl. When those appear, it's the mixture control solenoid that they came out of and failure is imminent or has already happened. Don't feel too bad, though, as not everyone remembers those solenoids are supposed to make a little noise. Glad you got it figured out and with everything else that got "attended to", things should run pretty good for a good while into the future without further maintenance. NTX5467

GM Restoration Parts recently put out a bulletin on reman steering gearboxes. I believe the vendor is Lares. Lots of coverages. There IS some adjustment on the sector and also on the input side of the gearbox. Normally, the sector adjustment on the upper side of the box (with the jam nut over an exposed threaded stud) is the most common adjustment, though. I concur that you might check the rest of your steering linkage under the car for possible wear areas and also see if the gearbox can be adjusted satisfactorily before condemning it completely. Might even be a tire issue, ball joint issue, or worn or "settled" suspension bushings too. Any pivot point in the suspension can be a possible wear area, especially where there are also rubber bushings. Just some thoughts . . NTX5467

I never figured the bigger wheels would make it into production on the Impala SS, bu they did. I you consider that these vehicles might reflect trends at the time of their "predicted" production, which is about 3 years out, 22" chrome plated aluminum wheels might be pretty common. Dodge has 20" chromed aluminum wheels on their current production Ram trucks (by the way, the 5.7L Hemi Ram 1500s are on the lots now . . .) and with the way the customizers are heading toward that 1" tall sidewall, then it's possible. Don't know what real good it will be other than cosmetics, but they will happen sooner or later. Enjoy! NTX5467

Fuel pump should be in the tank. Only frame rail mounted fuel pumps in that general year model orientation were on the diesel pickups. Relay will probably be in the underhood area with the other fuses and relays. If replacing the relay doesn't get the pump to run, then you'll need to troubleshoot the system starting with the oil pressure sending unit and tracing the wiring to the back of the vehicle and the sending unit/fuel pump module. Could ALSO be that the wires on the fuel pump module are melted due to the pump pulling too much current as it worked hard to push fuel through a clogged fuel filter. Repeatedly running a fuel injection-equipped vehicle out of fuel or with less than about a 1/4 tank of fuel will also kill a fuel pump as the fuel around the pump is also a cooling agent for the pump. When the Low Fuel light comes on, it's typically when there are about 2 gallons of fuel left in the tank, which, spread out over the tank is not much fuel. Always replace the fuel filter any time you replace a pump AND at about 30,000 mile intervals thereafter. If you heard a significant buzzing or high pitched whine from the fuel tank area, that was the fuel pump telling you it was starting to fail and/or needed a new fuel filter. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

Thanks for this information, Roberta. I'm not that "in love" with all of those curves, but it does look pretty nice. Visuals can be a little deceiving, though, as to interior room. Main issue might be the rake of the windshield A-pillar and how it interacts with your head as you get into the front seat. Hopefully, that new turbo 3.6L engine will find its way into other GM/Buick vehicles too as the horsepower wars are kicking in again . . . Still like the feel of the old high cubic inch torque of the earlier V-8s, though. Enjoy! NTX5467

First thing is to make sure that the remote you have is correct for that year and model of vehicle. They did change from year to year, typically, even though they might look the same (the keyless entry transmitter). Matching the FCC number on the back might be one way if you bought it used. Second, when you do the programming procedure, make sure to have ALL of the remotes there at the same time. The programming procedure basically clears the memory in the receiver and starts over so if you only program one, that's all it'll recognize. I think the vehicle receiver can be programmed for up to 3 or 4 remotes on the same programming procedure. I think the procedure for those earlier vehicles is pretty simple, but must be followed correctly. It might be listed in the owner's manual too. If, for some reason, you can't get them programmed, the first thing to check would be to put a fresh battery in the transmitter(s) AND make sure they are correct for the vehicle. When programmed, all of the functions should work and not just part of them. If just part of them work, the transmitter(s) probably might not be correct for that vehicle as to model year and model of vehicle. Enjoy! NTX5467

Philippe, I know that there can be good engines in the salvage yards, or at least they were good when they came in there. Basically, if the issue is in the bottom end of the motor and providing there are no other issues with oil consumption via the rings or valve seals, there's no reason to bother those things. In the middle '80s, it was somewhat common for a 3.8L Buick V-6 which had not received regular maintenance to develop a lower end knock as you describe. Basically, the oil galley in the block is rough cast to a particular size. Other GM carlines would use one long drill bit to machine them out to finished size, but Buick used two shorter drill bits, one from the front and one from the back. By design, they did not meet in the middle. If, perchance, the block's internal castings were not quite within the best relationship to each other, the drill bits might have a mismatch where they didn't meet. That area of the main oil galley is the area that feeds the center main bearing. In theory, it would receive sufficient oiling volume, but if gunk had built up in there due to poor maintenance, the oil supply was starved and guess where the knocking bearing always was. This typically happened at about 60-80,000 miles. To replace the crankshaft and bearings, the engine must be removed and turned upside down on the engine stand. It's not necessary to take the heads off or disturb other areas (as pistons, rings) but the lower timing sprocket and related items would be affected. Back then, when people bought one of those cars (usually Regals for some reason) with a knock, they just put a crank kit in them and went on down the road. As you've already done the timing chain and cam interrupter, that's less to worry about. If you've got an intake manifold leak, that needs to be fixed too. It could also be the reason for the knock if it's been there a while (from oil dilution with coolant) and undiscovered. Oil dilution will happen sooner or later if it's not fixed, either way. As for compression checks, as it was pointed out many years ago by a dealership technician, all you're checking with a compression check is the top compression ring and how well it's sealing. An engine with good compression can still have compromised or worn oil rings which might not be doing a good job of scraping the oil from the cylinder walls, therefore letting oil get past the upper rings regardless of how well they were sealing. Hence, an engine with good compression can still have an oil consumption problem that is ring related. I also know there are many good salvage yard operators, but I've heard stories of some that changed instrument clusters among like vehicles to sell the engines out of them. Naturally, the cluster had a low mileage for the year model. In more recent times, the clusters might be sold themselves as people don't want to send their defective clusters out for high dollar exhanges. End result, many times you're taking someone's word that can have little supporting evidence as a worst case scenario. Of course, if you can trace the vehicle back to the prior owner, those things can be verified, just as you might do if buying a used car. In your area, it might be common to have a rusted car with reasonably low miles, but down here in the TX areas, we don't have that rust problem and we usually don't have engine problems with Buick V-6s either (other than some intake manifold leaks of late). The problems we saw when those cars were newer included the crank pulley/damper and the interrupter you mentioned. Everything else was pretty much bulletproof, which is why everyone got by with just doing crank kits on the earlier motors. I fully understand cost overruns and such when starting to do a simple mechanical procedure. There are always things that are neat to do "while you're there", but if you don't have some guidelines in place, those things are sure to happen. Unchecked, a simple bearing job can end up as a full blown rebuild. Reality is, if the oil consumption is not an issue, the top side and rings will be ok so there's no need to get those replaced. Just because you might see some wear on the lower cylinder walls is no reason to rebore everything or get excited, especially if there are no existing piston knocks. Anyway, just some additional thoughts. Of course, it's your car and your money. Enjoy! NTX5467