NTX5467

Typically, everything GM built that came without H-speed rated tires (or higher) would hit the fuel shutoff in the computer in the 97-105 mph range. Vehicles with H-rated tires (GTP Grand Prixs and Autobahn Package Intrigues) as Goodyear Eagle RS-A from the factory would go to 127mph. Z-rated tires on the Camaro Z-28s, Trans Ams, and Corvettes would be unlimited. Notice that anything that runs faster than 105 is a vehicle with a stiffer suspension calibrated for better handling at those higher speeds. Enjoy! NTX5467

Check out www.grandprixstore.com to get an idea of what's out there and at what general pricing. Headers, Random Technology catalytic converter, DynoMax and Borla cat-back exhaust systems, cold air intakes, etc . . . it's all out there if you have the money to partake. The only signifigant difference in the Grand Prix/Monte Carlo/Impala and the Regals and Intrigues of the same year is the 110.5" wheelbase on the NASCAR vehicle platforms (GP & MC) whereas the Buicks and Olds models are about 109". The Grand Prix Store site has parts for the non-Pontiacs too. Also, you can check the DynoMax Exhaust site for bolt on cat-back systems, plus the main websites for the other manufacturers too. There used to be a site with nothing but performance links for the W-cars but I haven't been able to find it. For discussions and other information on mods for these cars, you might check out www.regalgs.org. Lots of performance upgrade information in there! Also check the www.3800performance.com website link from the www.regalgs.org website too. There are links to the manufacturers' websites at that site also. Happy shopping! NTX5467

When I first heard about our antique plates/registrations here in Texas, the most common comments had to do with "special functions", "parades", "club functions", "car shows", and such. Each of these phrases can be interpreted pretty liberally. Our antique plates exempt the vehicle from the yearly safety inspection too and are good for 5 years at a time. As the owner of the vehicle that had just registered his Edsel Ranger convertible pointed out, any time you drive that car it's "a car show" of sorts. Typically, parades, car shows, car club events, and such are weekend activities and that might be where that orientation could have come from. Regardless of how the interpretations are manipulated, the other stipulations in Texas are that the vehicle can "carry no advertising" or be used on a daily basis. Some of our law enforcement people might desire verification on that "daily basis" issue and use it to perform other checks of the vehicle OR its occupants for other reasons too. I suspect that as long as everything is above board according to state statutes, everything will be ok. In Texas, an "antique" vehicle has a set of criteria for it that basically excludes "street rods" by definition. Of course, the "newer engine in older chassis" things could really cause some havoc with the street rodders too if they didn't have things configured correctly. We have the option of using either a year of manufacture plate or a state-issued Antique Plate. We also have a "classic" plate provision that is like a regular plate and carries none of the exemptions/restrictions of the antique plate. I suspect that most state-type entities will have similar statutes to their counterparts. Enjoy! NTX5467

It's in a cluster of motels just off Miller west of downtown, as I recall. You can go into Yahoo Maps or Mapquest or similar and put that address into the search window and it'll pull up a map for you. Driving instructions can be had to that address also. Enjoy! NTX5467

I suspect the films you mention would have been dealer training films. There probably should be some accompanying booklets for them too, possibly with some short tests in the back. In the earlier times, they might have had some specific player of sorts for them, but I'm not sure. Somewhere in the middle or later '60s, these instructional programs were transitioned into video tapes. Much easier to deal with plus they played through a regular television. The later videos came in a packet with workbooks, a leader's instruction guide, and the tape. These would cover new models and how to work on them, new model updates and improvements, specific vehicle systems, and even some "Curbside Chats" that Buick brass (as in Ed Mertz, for example) did for the dealers. Most of those videos were about 30 minutes long. Even the more modern videos have become somewhat obsolete with the new Individual Distance Learning program that GM has. Satellite broadcasts of new model information, interactive classes and testing, web-based programs and testing that can be taken by the employees via the Internet. There are still some hands-on training/testing situations at the regional training centers, but bringing "factory training" to more people in the dealerships is much easier to do now than ever before, with less intrusion on their work place activities. Enjoy! NTX5467

Matt, that sounds like what I'd classify as a "good rebuild" orientation with great machine work and mods that would hopefully increase durability, reliability, and maybe even a little bit of power too, without being obvious. As with any rebuild, boring the cylinder walls just enough to get a smooth surface for quality honing operations is all that's really necessary, so I concur with your .020" overbore completely (dependent on piston availability too). The few extra horsepower from the bigger overbores .040" or .060" would not be felt except in a tight drag race when another 2-5 horsepower at the flywheel might make a difference. Does anyone build any torque plates for that engine (had to ask)?? I suspect you'll also check the line hone on the main caps too? Plus resize the rods? Plus balance it? As for the porting and polishing of the head and manifolds, I understand the Extrude Hone works best for that. A polished exhaust port in the head might help with decreasing heat absorption from the exhaust gases into the head itself just as your coating the inside of the exhaust manifold would--basically keeping all fo the exhaust heat in the exhaust system on the way out. I suspect it would not help exhaust flow that much to get excited about as that's usually more dependent on shapes and such than surface texture. While what you mentioned might be different than what many would do, I would say that as long as it's invisible when assembled and increases durability and driveability, then let it happen. A valve is a valve regardless of what it's application is, same with the valve springs too. There might even be a more modern lip seal that could be used for the rear main seal too. Using the high quality machine work which is usually available "everywhere" in modern times, rebuilds of vintage engines can be done that can turn out much better than they ever could have in earlier times. Add the much better lubricants and there's no real reason that I can see NOT to drive those cars. Of course, putting rear axle gears that will keep the cruising rpms down on the highway is another incognito swap (as others have mentioned too). Good luck on your project! NTX5467

In any city of any kind, there will be places that might not be the most desireable to be in--period. I highly suspect that if things get really bad, there will be additional security provided by the lodging locations for the protection of their guests as it's in their best interest. When doing my research, the location on Pierson Rd that you probably are at is now a convention center location (which it wasn't when we were up there for the last Flint BCA meet). I rather doubt they'd invest that kind of money in the property if it was in a bad place or had a high crime rate--just my suspicion. In that earlier time, it was on the shuttle bus route so we didn't drive up there at all, but I did walk it one afternoon from the end of the city bus route back then. More toward the downtown area on that side of town, I did see some places that I would not feel comfortable in, but we all have our own comfort levels with that sort of thing. I booked into the Super 8 on Miller Road many months ago and felt good to get it then. At this point in time, any hotel room inside the city limits could be a good thing to have. I'll have to wait until I get up there to make a final determination, but I feel that as long as you stay at a name brand chain facility, you'll probably be ok. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

The operation of the 2T DynaFlow sounds very much like the switch pitch torque converter used in the Buick and Olds versions of the '64-'66 (might have stayed until '67?) Turbo HydraMatic 400 where the stator angle was switched electrically between "tight" and "performance" angles. Higher stall speed angles were used at idle and also at WOT to decrease creep and add a little extra power at WOT, respectively, yet had the lower stall speed angle (i.e., "tight") for better lockup characteristics during cruise situations. As good as the various versions of DynaFlow might have been, I suspect they had a good deal of power absorption in them due to the internal rotating mass (including the fluid in the various torque converters and such). This would not have mattered much during cruise conditions, but would have been more critical during lower speed acceleration when all of that rotating mass was being accelerated along with the vehicle itself. Kind of like a manual trans car with a heavy flywheel (DynaFlows) or a lighter weight flywheel (ST300, ST400). Those earlier versions of the THM400 had some very good shift characteristics yet you could hear the engine speed change with each gear change. Obviously, manufacturing costs were less too. One of our chapter members had his '62 LeSabre converted to a THM400 and was amazed at the increase performance (so was his high school son!) with no other changes. The 3.4 torque multiplication ratio mentioned would have matched the typical torque multiplication ratio of 2.1-2.2 on most torque converters back then. Similarly, 2.2x2.48 in the THM400 would be more and also more efficient in the process too. This torque ratio would apply only at start-up and diminish as the two halves of the torque converter turbine/stator mechanism approached the same speed (i.e., lockup--but not "lockup" as with the more modern torque converters with an internal mechanical clutch inside of them). Obviously, the DynaFlows and TurboGlides were after that smoooooth operation with no jerks or such in the process. At the time, they were technical advances and might have lived longer with a little better finesse in some design areas plus the much better fluids we have now. Anytime there is slip in a torque converter or fluid coupling, there will be some additional heat put into the trans fluid. With the "jet" theme of that era, the 3T DynaFlow probably had that feel a little more than did the regular 2D DynaFlow and TurboGlide. Punch the gas and let it soar?? I suspect that where the CVT deal is headed is to allow the engine to get to a particular rpm where it is efficient and then vary the car speed within that more narrow rpm range. Kind of like the more modern non-self-propelled lawn mowers that now have only one engine speed instead of the earlier ones that had throttle controls. Obviously, the smooooth feel of the DynaFlows were preferable to the various versions of HydraMatic used in other GM lines back then. The 4-speed HydarMatics were probably a little more efficient (or at least felt that way) yet had more noticeable gear changes (especially the first one about 1 car length from the standing start!) Those HydraMatics were also used with open drivelines too, which made them more adaptable to other applications. I haven't read Bill's article just yet, but look forward to getting the time to digest it all. I did find a Chilton book that was a chronicle of automatic transmissions of the '50s and '60s and how they worked, unlike what you'd find in a Motor manual. Enjoy! NTX5467

The TurboGlide was a "poor man's" copy of the Dynaflow concept, but less expensive to build as it was for a Chevrolet, is suspect. I've never heard anyone mention any family lineage between those two transmisisons. Back then, Chevy did their own transmissions and GM Hydramatic did the rest. The CVTs will probably be found mostly on lower powered vehicles (although the Murano is not weak by any means). The Inifiniti QX45 (the Infinity "Murano") has over 300 horsepower from its V-8 and uses a conventional automatic transmission. The allure of the CVT is greater fuel efficiency with the smooth "feel" probably being an added benefit. As I understand it, when the Murano's shift lever is moved to the lower "geared" position, it just positions the drive belt to a particular location on the pulleys or restricts it from moving past a certain point so it stays in the lower geared area. One friend related that if you went through a dip too fast (and bottomed out the suspension in the process) in a TurboGlide '58 or so Chevy, it could crack the case as the casting was a little too "light", even though it was aluminum. The TurboGlide did have a more variable stator torque converter and included a "Grade Retard" position instead of manual low gear. My late uncle had a '61 Impala with a TurboGlide and it worked fine for many years. Performed good even with the 283-2bbl engine. TurboGlide was the "upgrade" from the PowerGlide. One used car dealer related that whenever he bought some rental cars in the late '50s from Hertz with TurboGlides, the first thing he did was to convert them to PowerGlides so they would not cause problems he'd have to fix later. Some people had bad names for the DynaFlows too, unfortunately, so it might well have had more to do with who was working on the trans than how it was designed. Back then, it seemed that anything that was new and different was not liked too well, even if it was designed pretty good from the start. New styling was ok, but new mechanical advances might not have received the same reception. Enjoy! NTX5467

Chapter contact information is in the front of "The Bugle" every month, but if you might not receive the BCA magazine I feel confident that you could contact Mike and Nancy Book at the BCA National Office and they could supply you with whatever information you might desire. Their email is on the webpage if you desire to use that medium and there could well be a phone number listed there also. Of course, you can join several chapters other than the one closest to you. Hope this helps, NTX5467

With respect to 3.8L thermostats, there was a service bulletin in the later '80s dealing with temperature gauge "overshoots" as the thermostat initially opened. Seems the temp gauge would head past the point of opening and then suddenly fall back to where it should have been as the thermostat did it's "thing". The bulletin mentioned the existence of a small hole in the thermostat's flange as being necessary for a little more "bleed through" of coolant during this transitionary period. Later versions had the bleed hole with a loosely fitting small rod in the hole for something of a variable orifice situation. Be aware also that the temperature rating of the thermostat is the openning temperature and not tne "full open" temperature. That's the way I've seen it explained in some service literature. Hope this might help, NTX5467

Bill -- Unfortunately, I seem to be getting signals that we are going to end up with a National Meet Coordinator whether we like it or not. I've yet to see the existence of a valid business case for this whole situation, although there has been much talk on the subject. The BCA appears to like to delegate lots of things for others to do, so let's just delegate the whole realm of National Meet Coordinator functions to the BCA Board of Directors themselves, all of them. That would solve the problem. When a bid for a national meet is not received by a certain date, the default mode would kick in and the BOD would take over and make it happen. Pretty simple. If the By-Laws don't currently empower the BOD to do that, then they can be changed as needed. I don't perceive we need another layer of organization in the BCA or put more work on the National Office just to make national meets happen. As far as "ideas" go, I would be very interested in hearing specifically from those chapters west of the Central Time Zone. I fear that if we neglect those members of this fine organization we could functionally end up with an East and a West BCA. It's my orientation that we need to make a more active effort as an organization to make sure our western USA members are not neglected or have any reason to feel that way. If those people have some information as to why no bids have been forthcoming from those groups, then addressing that information should receive high priority when it comes to discussing things. If some changes need to be made in the way things happen, then the BOD can consider those themselves and initiate changes in the way things happen in the future. I still concur with the orientation that the National Meet Computer Coordinator only be concerned with areas that affect the BCA National Office (i.e., judging activities, award activities, record keeping of awards). I DO feel that this computer coordinator function is needed and will be beneficial for the organizaiton when implemented. I feel that the computer coordinator position should be considered separately from any National Meet Coordinator functions, although the meet planning and all things computerized could compliment each other. I am of the orientation that the BOD might need to be more "hands on" in seeking out bids from chapters (especially the western USA chapters in the near future). From my observation, just sending out letters to solicit bids is not enough. Just some thoughts, W. Bell 20811 NTX5467

Borg Warner used to stock some of that stuff in earlier times, usually they carried it after GM had already discontinued them. NAPA might be a possible source too. You might also find something with some of the New Old Stock parts vendors (either Buick specific or GM in general). There are several carburetor vendors which advertise in the club magazine which might have some leads on those choke thermostats too. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

Greetings -- The proposal to have some alternating, consistent venues for the National Meet does have some merit as other clubs or business entities that put on national level car meets have been doing this for years. But, these events' draw isn't the locale specifically but the cars, massive swap meet, and racing action. It has also been observed that these shows typically draw from the surrounding 4 or 5 state area with very little truly national attendance of people who bring their cars (trailered or not). Consistently attending yearly meets in these same locactions does provide a higher degree of service as the hotel people have worked with their guests very well to keep them coming back. This eases things a whole lot once you find where you want to stay as the hotel people recognize their role in helping their customers have a good time and being willing to make their reservations a year in advance for the next year. A definite plus situation. But the way the BCA does things is not necessarily the same as other clubs and we should not try to mold the BCA into the image of these other clubs from what it has been in the past. Each club is different and this isn't going to change any time soon. Therefore, we might look at what other clubs are doing and see how those ideas might be adapted into the BCA culture for the betterment of all as we evolve into the future. While I attend a yearly national meet that is consistently in one location for about 5 years at a time, I fully understand how the consistency of locale can be an asset to the event. But, as I mentioned, the main draw is not the tours or such but the car-specific aspects of the event and the fact that it is a recognized prestigeoud event in all respects. It's obvious from the responses that a good deal of BCA members look at driving to a BCA National Meet as "Vacation with Buicks". In this orientation, going to consistent locales each year might get a little "old". Having the meets in different areas each year is a reason to "go somewhere different out of town" each year. New adventures, so to speak, each year. As the BCA has grown, so have the meets in number and quality of vehicles judged, number of attendees with or without cars, and the resultant strain to find sufficient space for lodging of the attendees plus the other activities related to the meet itself (i.e., banquet space, show field space). The trappings of success for the BCA or any other club can cause problems at several different levels that must be overcome to maintain the growth cycle. I know that one of the lures of hosting a BCA (or similar) national level meet is the financial rewards of such, but it might be pointed out that in our planning of the 1996 BCA National Meet in Plano, TX, we looked at how other chapters had "gone in the hole" financially on their prior national meets and set things up so we would not repeat those same deals. I mention this to point out that it takes some good planning to just break even on a national meet, yet if things are planned and orchestrated well, profits can happen (even significantly). Similarly, losses can result if the planning function is deficient or a break even analysis is not done in the planning stages. End result, profits are not something that just automatically happen at these events. I sense we all concur that some sort of BCA meet planning individual(s)/group might be beneficial--a mentoring group, possibly, if nothing else. The points of contention seem to revolve around the degree of active/inactive involvement of the BCA meet planners with respect to the host chapter's involvement--or if there even was a host chapter. I know there have been some efforts to have a standardized meet planning computer program for some time now, but I'm not sure if that program is proven to be really sufficient for all cases just yet. What has been observed in the past is that when a host chapter offers their assistance/expertise to the next year's host chapter, the "We know what we're doing" orientation tends to come through and any help is typically shunned. Therefore, each year's host chapter can have a really steep learning curve for a "one time deal" and problems in facilities layout/use and other problems usually crop up somewhere during the meet. It might be debateable whether or not a Planning Function document would be beneficial in that situation. With the bulk of the USA population being east of I-35, it's not surprising that more meets have been held on that side of the country as that's where the people are and also the greater number of Buicks. Yet we DO NOT need to neglect those members/chapters west of the I-35 boundary line either! Even so, there are some really big population centers in that part of the country with many BCA chapters there too. Yes, the BCA National Meets are a significant undertaking to research, bid for, and make happen, but it's not rocket science either. It doesn't necessarily take a "cast of thousands" to make it happen either, nor massive amounts of seed money. It does take people who are dedicated to working to make the meet an enjoyable experience for everyone that attends, though. I don't recall any specific rule that would prevent a BCA region from hosting a BCA National Meet, either (which would help with manpower providing that all could attend the planning sessions before and after the bid is made). Some regional shows already contain many aspects of the BCA National Meet so expanding those shows to National Meet status would not be that hard to do, it seems. In planning a BCA National Meet, the first thing to consider is where it could be adequately held. Hotel space, parking space, banquet facility, swap meet spaces, and moderately expensive room rates are some key issues that need to be decided on early on in the process. Once these things are nailed down, the rest of the planning can proceed--whether it's by the host chapter or the National Meet Planners, or combinations thereof. I can understand how some chapters might not decide to be a host chapter or put together a proposal to host a BCA National Meet. This is where other local resources (Convention and Visitors Bureaus, for example) can be put into play and even let them submit bids to the prospective host chapter for the best one to be voted on by the chapter membership (what we did in our planning for the '96 meet). An energetic Convention/Visitors Bureau can be an invaluable asset to the host chapter. All things considered, what might need to happen is the BCA Board would solicit bids from various locales where there is a significant Buick population and then put together a proposal for a yearly meet in one of those locations. This, plus some local investigations might test the waters to see what's out there. From the proposals, the membership could then vote on where they wanted to go in a particular year and then let things take their course after that. It would be up to the appointed BCA operatives to make sure that each meet at least broke even as the chapter would not be in the mix any more. If there was a local chapter in the area that wanted to be involved, that could happen too but it would not be a foregone conclusion that a local chapter would be involved at all. At the very least, I would propose that any chapter considering doing a bid for a BCA National Event would be put with some mentors in the organization to assist and guide them through the planning stages to see if it would be a good idea for a national meet in that particular location. I would also suspect the BCA National Office would be actively involved in this activity too. When all "ducks" are lined up, then a proposal could be made. At this point, BCA operatives' involvement would be minimal, except for things related to the basic minimum specs for the meet location, etc. Having someone that is used to seeing the many contracts that would need to be signed for each year's national meet could be beneficial. It could also result in more "value-driven" room rates each year too. There are credible discussions on the many asspects of having BCA operatives get the various proposals together for each year's national meet. There are many credible discussions about how a BCA chapter should be the only ones to present proposals to host a BCA National Meet. There are also several credible discussions as to how deeply involved the BCA National Office would be involved in putting the meet on by themselves. Unfortunately, there seems to be about as many "plus" discussions as there are "minus" discussions on the National Meet Planner issue. Hopefully, careful deliberation and compromise between the extremes on the decision continuum will result in a proposal that fits the BCA well and also can increase the quality of life at the BCA National Meets for all involved. At this time, it might be difficult to speculate as to why no bid proposals for 2005 have been received or inquired about. I know that some would have a ready answer that no one is bidding due to the meet coordinator proposal and that others feel they lack various aspects to adequately orchestrate the meet activities. I suspect this is a situation where there are no simple answers to complex questons. What we need is definite input for chapters west of I-35 (or other areas too!) as to why they might not be consideing hosting a BCA National Meet event. Once that credible input has been received, then these things can be considered by the BCA Board to possibly make some changes or enhancements to the existing event specifications or "culture" to have an improved National Meet situation. Thanks for your time and consideration, W. Bell 20811 NTX5467

Even with the current batch of front wheel drive cars, or even the rear wheel drive cars which have the same general 60% forward weight bias, the increase in handling is usually the result of putting more stiffness into the rear suspension with springs and larger roll bars. In prior times, the regular suspension had a "normal" sized roll bar in the front. The upgrade suspensions usually had stiffer springs and shocks all around, plus the addition of a rear sway bar (or a larger one if one was standard). Put some performance oriented tires in the mix and you had the GM F41 code suspension (later variations were also called FE2 or FE3 in some cases). For example, the 2004 Grand Prix has two basic suspension calibrations. The first one covers all of the Grand Prix cars except for the GTP with the Competition G package. The only real change is from 16" to 17" wheels and tires for the GTP model. For the Comp G package, the rear suspension is stiffened up with different sway bars, stiffer rubber bushings, stiffer rear springs, and the BFG Comp TA KD tires round out that particular part of the package (there are several other items in the package also). Yes, there is a particular balance between the front and rear with respect to spring rates and sway bar diameters on these more nose heavy vehicles. Sway bar size for the rear usually should be about 75% as stiff as the front one, as I recall and have observed. The whole idea of putting more roll stiffness in the rear is to let that end of the car do more work in the corners instead of all of the roll resistance being in the front end of the car and overloading the front tires quicker. Having too much roll stiffness in the rear can make the rear end of the car reach its limits earlier and resultantly spin out, but it takes some extreme measures for that to happen considering that a good deal of understeer is designed into modern cars. "Understeer" is where the front end of the car slides off the road first, "oversteer" is where the rear end goes first. Ultimately, for completely balanced handling, both would slide at the same time, but it's usually better to have a little understeer at the limit as if you just slow down a little, things come back into line much more easily. The other variation that you might experiment with is tire pressure. We all know that tires have a particular load carrying and handling capacity that can increase/decrease proportionately with the relationship of load and air pressure. I found out years ago, that in a car with a 55% forward weight bias (typical of front engine rear drive cars of the middle '60s), that using 30 front/28 rear made the car handle and respond better to steering inputs. Plus, it kept the contact patch more even for longer wear. This was when 32 psi was the max inflation pressure and 28psi was the minimum pressure recommended for high speed freeway driving (up to the 75mph or so range) and 24psi was the minimum inflation/smoooth ride inflation pressure. These are things I discovered on my own and you should proceed at your own risk if you do them on your vehicles as the typical factory inflation pressures of the earlier times called for more air in the rear tires than the front. Modern vehicles usually recommend the same pressure in the front and in the rear. As for which springs have which stiffness and such, GM has become more ambiguous on those issues in more recent times, just giving spring codes for particular applications in the parts database. That means that you'll have to find a Moog or similar chassis parts book that covers springs. In the back is a specs section that details the ride rate and such of the each spring they sell. This is about the only information you can find, but it can also point out which cars have the stiffer springs within a platform family too. What the aftermarket people might sell might not exactly match what GM puts on the cars, but it's a pretty good "ball park" situation. Plus, the aftermarket springs are sold only n pairs. Eibach is a high quality spring manufacturer whose claim to fame is basically lowering springs. There might be some others of merit too, other than the OEM replacement aftermarket springs. Might check some of the Pontiac websites for some additional information also. Hope this might help explain things a little better . . . NTX5467

Sounds like you need to find out just what you have there! I can't imagine someone going to the trouble to install an aftermarket alarm system to replace the original equipment one, all things considered. That car also has a transponder key (stamped "PK3" up near the head) and I wonder if they disabled that system too? Many of these aftermarket installations, when not done correctly, can also cause issues with the ECM or BCM and other electronic controls on the vehicle. One new Cavalier came through that someone had TRIED to install the "kewl blue" spectrum headlight bulbs in. Apparently, they pulled enough extra juice that they wouldn't let something in the headlight circuit operate correctly, all orchestrated by the BCM (body control module). When the correct production bulbs were installed (especially without the duct tape the owner used with the other ones) everything worked normally and as designed. In order to get the alarm/security system(s) to reset, you might need to unhook the battery for a while, BUT when hooking everything back up after that, it might trigger the aftermarket alarm too (not to mention activating the TheftLock in the radio). Sounds kind of like there's a flaky ground in the system somewhere, otherwise the wipers and such would not have activated from what could have been a "current back-feed" situation. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

I kind of doubt that these inserts would interface very well with strut suspensions where the spring is outside of the shock absorber structure (i.e., like a "coil over" somewhat). On one of the older cars where the shock absorber was not inside of the coil spring, they would probably be ok, though. There are some similar inserts for GM motorhome applications where the shock is not inside of the coil spring. Only thing is that you would have to run some airlines as the GM items are just the airbag insert itself. Eibach springs typically are a little stiffer than factory springs and also will lower the car about an inch or more. Aurora and Riviera are the same basic platform in those years so there might be a little crossover in that respect. Kind of similar to most of the performance stuff for the Regals being first found in the Grand Prix websites. NTX5467

I concur, direct wiring the fan should not be necessary. Modern radiators are very efficient when they are clean inside and out. The new condensor might be restricting some air if it has a higher fin count/inch than the previous one did, but I don't suspect that would be a major issue. What might be an issue is if some of the rubber baffling that might have been sealing the condensor off to the surrounding underhood areas was not replaced as it was old and crumbled. Similar if there now are air gaps around the edge of the radiator too, that weren't there previously, which will allow air to go around the radiator instead of through it. Check the baffling and air dam under the front bumper area to see that everything that was there when the car was new is still there and attached properly. If there was something there that would help route the incoming air to the condensor/radiataor assembly that isn't there now, running the fan constantly on high speed might be compensating somewhat, but not completely. Finally, although a cross flow radiator might appear to be good when you look down through the filler cap neck, it can be seriously clogged in the lower passages and cause what you are experiencing, especially if the new condensor is more efficient than the older one at shedding heat from the refrigerant. The composite aluminum radiator is an extremely efficient item so replacing it with a copper one isn't a good option for many reasons, nor is running a lower than stock temperature thermostat. I suspect that ultimately you'll end up with a new radiator in there. Then you can make sure all of the baffling is in place and can get the fans wired back in as they should be. Don't forget to use the correct amount of regular coolant in the system too. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

The first LeSabre I rented along about in '98 was really an eye-opener for me. It was like they were trying to keep the old big car ride in the smaller car, as best they could. When the car went into a dip, the suspension compressed, then rebounded upward as the car left the dip, then compressed again as gravity took over, and then a final upward motion as the springs resisted the final compression. It WAS smooth, but hardly what I prefer. The car had 17,000 miles on it too. I thought the struts were worn out until I found earlier version Park Avenue out on the interestate and the LeSabre matched it up and down and such exactly. As long as the pace was "deliberate" and turns were slowed down for, things worked fine. Definitely not much damping in those struts! Tires can make a difference, it seems, to take some of the softness out of the car's ride. That LeSabre had Generals on it. Something with reinforced sidewalls and stiffer tread (compared to the OEM tires) might help. In previous discussions, one owner recommended KYB gas struts as helping firm things up at a reasonable price. We used to put Bonneville struts on the Buicks that had complaints of being too soft, but after I rented a Bonneville, I don't know if that's a really good choice--of course, in the Delco aftermarket they're usually all the same. From my research on the net, seems that KYB is the only brand with any performance aspirations at all. No KONI or Bilstein or equivalent were found in any listings. Yes, the calibration probably felt ok when new, but it probably is too soft now that there's some miles on them. Seemingly pretty much "normal". Also be aware that many of the aftermarket brands (Monroe, Gabriel, and similar) will be cartridges for your struts instead of assembled strut assemblies. The extra labor time to install the cartridges can eat up their initial price advantage. Just some thoughts, NTX5467

The carb can be doing exactly what it's supposed to be doing, but if the thermostat for the automatic choke is adjusted "too rich" (meaning it has too much preload via the thermostatic spring), it'll act as you describe. I don't recall if that choke thermostat is in the intake manifold (divorced) or is in the side of the carb (integral) and might have some exhaust heat coming up to it as some of the Chevy's did. In any event, readjust the choke thermostat a notch or two toward the "lean" side (less preload) until things get back to normal. The thermostatic springs have been known to have an increase in tension as they age, making "putting it to specs" result in black smoke out the pipes from a too rich mixture while cold. You might also adjust the pull-off link adjustment a to get a little wider "qualify" adjustment as a secondary situation. Also, it could be that the air horn in the middle is warped from people tightening down the air cleaner nut too much (for a good seal). If that has happened, it raises the casting enough at the rear of the float bowl to allow air flow through the carb to pull raw fuel from the float bowl into the carb venturis. This can happen easier when the choke is on too. Had that situation on a Stromberg WWC-3 Chrysler 2bbl. If the choke thermostat is in the intake manifold and gets heat from the exhaust crossover passage, if that passage is gunked up and blocked, it makes that passage as a heat source for the choke thermostat inoperataive (happened a lot on Chrysler 318s that were driven for short trips and such). In that case, you'll have to remove the manifold and clean the passage out for things to work right. I suspect that a little extra tweaking is all that's needed to get things back to normal. Enjoy! NTX5467

Check out "California Bill's Chevrolet GMC & Buick Speed Manual", (ISBN 1-55561-106-0) 1954 Edition. It's a reprint of the 1954 publication with a lot of interesting information and specs. Lots of it is about Chevy inline 6 cylinders and GMC inline 6 cylinders too, but there's a section on 248 & 320 cubic inch Buick Straight 8s. There is mention of using flexible exhaust tubing from each exhaust port on the Buicks with a picture that shows something of that nature too. This stuff was in the bush leagues by modern comparison, but was really high tech for those days. Even mentions how to mix alcohol/nitromethane fuels to use in the street cars back then (for racing purposes). There are some good comments about the construction and longevity of the Buick Straight 8s compared to other engines of that timeframe. An installation in a Hudson that raced on the drag strips and salt flats of the day is also detailed (engine specs and performance instead of how to put it in the Hudson). I found the copy I have at Barnes&Noble several years ago so you might find it on their website. Retail at that time was $14.95 US. A really neat piece of automotive racing history literature! Enjoy! NTX5467

When I was in high school and those Road Runners were new, the horn sounded similar to the 6 volt horn on our '51 GMC pickup that I drove to school. One day, whoever it was that drove the Road Runner honked (beeped) at someone. I answered with the GMC's "beep beep" and laughed. Haven't heard what the repros sound like lately. All horns typically are run with a relay circuit, making the relay a switch of sorts (using a lesser voltage to trigger a full battery power). There is a small screw on the horn that is an adjustment for the tone. You might try adjusting it 1/4 turn one way or the other to see if it changes it to what you think it should be. You might seek out a similar car at a car show and see if the owner will "beep beep" for you and compare notes. Just some thoughts NTX5467

That's a great website! Thanks for the link! If that Cadillac picture (on the front page of the website) is what I think it is, you can buy it on www.fitz-art.com. Those were some magnificent vehicles Kris has/had! Fantastic pic of the '58 Limited too! Enjoy! NTX5467

A guy at an auto parts jobber told me that Moog had a warehouse of their old and discontinued parts. You had to know about it as not everyone did. If you can get ahold of a local jobber or auto supply store that does Moog parts, perhaps they can contact the corporate people to see if they have what you need. Only thing is -- no returns, and the amount of stock is limited. He said he'd found some suspension parts for a project from that warehouse too. It was about 10 years go that related that information. It sounded like you had to know who to contact to find out about it as most of the people behind the counter only know what's in their current catalogs. NAPA might be a source also. The many specialized Buick vendors are typically good people to deal with, even if the price is more than you might expect (although there might be other sources). By the same token, they have to make a living too. Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

An oil bath air cleaner was pretty much the norm before the technology of paper air filtration progressed in the '60s. When paper filters became popular in the earlier '60s, the oil bath was still listed in some truck applications as "heavy duty" or "heavy duty/fleet" (in certain car applications) for several years. As the air changed directions in the oil bath unit, I suspect the theory was that the heavier particles would slam into the oil instead of changing directions and then the oil wetted "horse hair" element would catch the rest. I know that on the tractors we had, the sump with the oil in it would have lots of goop/sediment in it, especially during the dry/dusty seasons. Oil was cheap back then and so was labor time so dumping out the oil and sediment in the oil drain area, wiping it out, and washing the rest of the filter in kerosene (or similar), and then putting the correct amount of oil back in the reservoir was not that expensive to do or needed to be done that often. As you might recall, the hot rod V-8s from the earlier to mid-50s had a dual element (one on each side) oil bath air cleaner assembly. Other than obviously restrictive, they were bulky and expensive to build. Of course, filter case design and underhood packaging were later issues too. Paper elements were much more compact and cheaper to build and maintain--not to mention not having to worry about oil spilling out on hi-g force turns or during backfires. As good as they might have been for their time, they probably were not as air flow or air filtration efficient as the later paper filters. Enjoy! NTX5467