NTX5467

Bill -- Thanks for this very detailed explanation of this issue! In further considerations of the Stated Proposal, I tend to agree with a suggestion that has been made by, as I understand it, Mr. Rick Schick which proposes that the BCA National Office only be concerned with the aspects of the national meet which would concern the BCA National Office itself (i.e., judging activites, judging records, various judging materials/implements, and possibly a standardized registration form). I do not feel the National Office should handle the registration funds (although you have a compelling argument for such) due to how and when these funds would be transferred to the host chapter for their various activities which would require pre-funding/deposits (which might exceed the seed money they would request from the National Office as host of the meet). Having these funds first travel to a basically third party before they reach the chapter could potentially cause more problems for the host chapter than having to deal with the other problems you mentioned. Could some of the problems you alluded to have been minimized/eliminated with some altered confirmation documentation activities, perhaps? On the surface, the "split" of profits from the meet might seem reasonable, but a decrease in the "profit motive" in doing a meet could also result in fewer chapters wanting to be involved. It could also expose the BCA to losses in some extreme cases, I suspect. I recall hearing of the bad financial mess from the prior AZ meet of many years ago. I do strongly believe that any chapter which desires to consider hosting a BCA National Meet should receive as much assistance in those early "talking about it" and pre-bid stages as possible. I would also like to see more positive dialogue about why chapters need to consider doing these things instead of "why not" do to them. An alternative to the "profit split" could be having a menu of services available from the National Office from which host chapters could decide for themselves what/where they might desire assistance (in the areas other than which the National Office would be normally concerned with, as mentioned in the Schick Proposal). These services could be priced just a hair above or at "cost" of making them happen to increase the affordability for the chapter. As the BCA has had minimum specifications for the banquet facility and related activities for many years, it would seem that if the National Office would be involved in actual site selection, there would be some travel expenses involved and how those would be funded might be of concern. This might be an area where some discussion might be beneficial. One main concern is that the BCA itself not be exposed to any more financial risk in the National Meets than it currently is. It would seem that if the National Office is going to be actively involved in a meet's profits, it would conceptually be actively involved in the losses which also might similarly occur. By the same token, if the meet is planned and run correctly, about the only reason there should be an operating loss would be from non-attendance or otherwise poor turnout with respect to the expenses of putting the particular meet together. One other possible issue might be that if few chapters desire to host a meet by themselves, how many would want to work at one if it was not "their" meet? Similarly, I don't recall there being anything written which states that several chapters might not band together to host a national meet or that a BCA Region could be the host. That might be an option too! I would not desire the chapters to generally bail out or be less involved with the national meets with respect to their past level of involvement. It might come to that, but I don't feel we should encourage such to happen. Of course, if the BCA gets into the national meet business, whether with a Meet Coordinator or via the National Office, there can be many positives involved--specificially that meets could be planned several years in advance. That could be good. If properly planned, profits for the BCA would similarly result, but I don't see the suggested involvement and its 3 way split of profits being enough individual financial motivation for those involved to justify their investment in time and effort. From my observations, I feel that Mike and Nancy have been doing a good job for the BCA and its members. I like their enthusiasm and willingness to do what they can to make things as good as they can be. I'm aware that BCA requires a financial statement from the host chapter on the meet's financial aspects. As the chapter is the primary financial entity involved with the meet, I don't perceive why the BCA would need to oversee what went on financially at the meet other than as a matter of information. I would expect the chapter operatives to make any in depth investigations and corrections if any were necessary. If the BCA was the primary risk taker and operator/promoter, it would certainly be different. I'm also aware that when anything "kapoots" at a national meet, the BCA is looked upon as the "enforcer" to guarantee customer satisfaction when the meet participant perceives the host chapter's operative(s) aren't responsive to their requests. Having the National Office/Meet Planner as the main meet operative would make things easier, no doubt. There are many other expenses involved in putting on a National Meet other than just arranging for tours and banquet accomodations. One of the largest expenses to the host chapter is from National Meet trophies and castings. These items must be purchased from the BCA by the host chapter and then presented by the host chapter to the award recipients. It would seem that anything other than the castings for the actual award plaques which each class level winner would receive, should be provided by the BCA itself. That would include any Senior and other similar awards. It would seem that the BCA receives the "glory" of how many Senior award vehicles it has rather than the BCA chapter that hosted the meet it was awarded at. No doubt, the BCA operatives shop for the best prices on those things, but it's still a significant amount for the host chapter to fund themselves. One significant issue I would have with the Stated Meet Coordinator/Planner Proposal is that I've not seen anything about it being "optional". I get the impression that it would be mandatory. In heading toward this grand plan, decreasing the profit motive for the host chapter could also result in capable chapters not desiring to be involved in hosting national meets any more. I am aware of several issues from several past meets (in recent history) where the BCA President and other board members had to handle concerns by participants and other post meet issues. In one respect, if everyone tends to look to the BCA Board for resolution, as if they were running the meet themselves, perhaps they should be running the meet themselves? These would be issues which the general membership might not be aware of also. I concur that there are many positive aspects to the Stated Proposal, but I feel the Schick Proposal should be the maximum level of involvement of the BCA in any National Meet unless the host chapter desires otherwise. Whatever expenses would be involved in the level of BCA involvement with the Schick Proposal would be budgeted for in the annual budget of the BCA National Office and not passed on to a host chapter. A higher level of involvement by the BCA National Office could carry appropriate charges to the host chapter or a "division of net profits" that would be negotiated between the host chapter and the BCA, perhaps. I perceive that although the Stated Proposal has some solid advantages, there are also several other areas that would need more discussion (i.e., travel expenses regarding meet site selection, approval of such by the authorized BCA operatives, "mandatory" or "optional" issues) and consideration. Other aspects might also tend to be good on paper but might not be as advantageous in operational reality. In researching and formulating the Stated Proposal, were there any simulations run for the prior meets to see how things might have been different or is the Stated Proposal based on "reactions" to what went on at those meets? Whatever the outcome, I concur that the end goal should be a BCA National Meet that is enjoyable for all attendees, all participants, the hosts, and all support personnel involved in making it happen. Hopefully, that will happen. Thanks again, Bill, for your detailed explanation of the Stated Proposal. Thanks for your time and consideration. Willis Bell 20811

Unless someone's hacked into or modified the various wiring harnesses, I somewhat doubt there would necessarily be a problem with the production harness. If you are doing a full restoration, you might be removing much of it anyway so you could inspect, rebuild as needed without automatically replacing everything. If you replace the harness with another one, you'll be pulling the old one out so why not just repair as needed (with QUALITY repairs) instead of just figuring it's bad to start with? In the GM Parts listings, there are many smaller harnesses that make up the total wiring for the vehicle. There's a forward lamp harness. An air conditioning harness. An instrument panel cluster harness. Body lighting harness. Rear lamp harness. An underhood engine harness. Others too. All of these probably go through the bulkhead connector near the base of the steering column on the firewall. You might find some questionable connections at that point which could explain your accessories and such not currently working. Also, consider that getting a reproduction harness might not be exactly the same as your existing harness. Always REQUEST and DEMAND the wiring, connections, insulators and other components of the repro harness to be AT LEAST equivalent to GM production OEM specifications--period. What might first look correct and such could well have smaller gauge and lesser quality wiring, insulation, and connectors than what you now have. Be an informed buyer and don't automatically expect the replacement to be like what was originally on the vehicle from the factory. There are some good and trusted vendors, just ask the right questions and get the right answers from them. Otherwise, the main areas to look for on your existing harnesses would be connections/terminals that are broken from flexing or loose when pluged in, insulation that might be chaffed and could soon short against another wire or "ground", and the bulkhead connection terminals that I previously mentioned. Most, if not all, of the OEM spec/production terminals and connectors can be found in the restoration industry or from GM entities themselves. If you were rewiring a street rod from scratch, I'd recommend you contact Painless Wiring in Fort Worth, TX. There are some cases when it could be better to check first and go from there instead of automatically presuming that what you have is faulty when it might not really be. I fully understand your concerns on having a trouble free vehicle--they are much nicer that way! Enjoy! NTX5467

As we've mentioned previously on a tire balance post, there are a couple of balancers on the market that can do Road Force Variation measurements (and instruct on possible ways to attempt to decrease it with repositioning the tire on the wheel) are part of GM's dealer shop equipment requirements. I suspect that not many tire stores will have them for obvious reasons, but GM dealers which are "tire brand neutral" of sorts will have to have them to adequately address tire vibrations issues on new vehicles under the GM warranty. We've even had some Michelins that have failed. As I discovered with Pirelli P77s on my '77 Camaro (w/WS6 upgrades), they rode nicely with the KONIs but I also could not get the KONIs adjusted "up" enough to get them to feel "right" either. When I got a set of BFG Radial T/As back on there (after two sets of P77s), only then did the "gutsy" feel come back. Something in the rubber and construction of the Pirellis obviously were filtering too much out compared to the BFGs. Since model year 2000, GM has standardized their chassis components more than in the past, especially with struts/shocks on the cars. Intrigues had the same front/rear struts as Grand Prixs (which have only one f/r set of struts regardless of whether it's an SE, GT, or GTP), for example. Similar with other platform families too. If the struts are the same, sway bars only vary in a few mm or from tubular to solid, that only leaves tires and springs as the other calibration areas. In some cases, the only difference in an FE1 and FE2 calibration would be a different tire on the vehicle (i.e., General with the FE1 on a Buick and Goodyear Eagle LS on a Grand Prix), for example. The one area that seems to be most ambiguous is the spring area itself. There are still label codes/numbers on the springs and codes on the SPID label in the trunk, but how they typically relate to stiffness are not listed, only how they relate to one another in the "rated load" consideration in the GM Parts spring chart. There might be something out there that lists each spring part number and its ride rate and rated load, but I haven't seen any evidence of it. Therefore, the stiffer tire (higher performance capabilities) and the different spring rates (which also interact with vehicle weight) can probably affect the accelerations the pistons on the struts "see" as the vehicle moves down the road. A stiffer spring would be expected to put higher accelerations (+ & -) on the piston/valving against the oil in the strut/shock than a softer one would, I suspect, as it would see more and quicker movements that it would need to control. Therefore, the same strut could kick into the firmer calibrations sooner with stiffer tires and springs than with a softer tire/spring combination (at least that's the best explanation I have come up with). In prior times, it was easier to figure out what was stiff and what wasn't, but with everything now being firmer than in the past, the base suspension is what the previous "handling" suspension used to be, just not with the higher performance tires. As for aftermarket struts and such for Buicks, sometimes you have to look for Pontiac stuff to get the higher performance items (when the same GM part fits both). The KONI website does not list things for the current Grand Prix but other websites and magazines say they are out there and are necessary when using lowering springs on those cars, for example. Other "car parts" websites might not list all applications either--at least that's my experience. Being that Buicks of recent times have not been classed as performance vehicles, whereas Pontiacs have, that's where the bulk of performance information tends to exist (even thought both makes share many chassis components and dimensions). Also, GM used to list the sway bar specs in the parts database, but that has only begun to happen again in the past few years. But, with the advent of tubular sway bars, that issue is typically not addressed in the parts database except in a few cases. Therefore, picking the largest bar might result in it not being the stiffest one either. It's like the chassis calibration people did their "thing" with each make and model and did not want anyone tampering with what they did. The other thing is that as the Gran Touring Suspension could be listed as a "free standing option", it was usually paired with a more encompassing option package on many Buicks and could have even been standard equipment on some models. Note, the first Ultras did not have the Gran Touring suspension as standard equipment, even with the supercharged motor. Therefore, you usually have to look for the instrument panel nameplate, if there is one. There are probably more crossbreed capabilities in struts, sway bar sizings, and spring combinations in the various GM platforms than are evident in the GM parts database. There are some insignificant "changes" that will generate a different GM part number for an item compared to another "like" item. Drilling one hole in the same stamping or casting will generate a different part number, for example, when both parts will fit the same application. I've been looking in the GM Parts database to try to figure out what makes an Aurora handle and have a different "character" on the road than a Bonneville or Park Avenue of the same model year, for example. Similar with the GM W-platform cars too. Along in about '98, CAR AND DRIVER magazine did a track test of a Regal, Intrigue, and Grand Prix with each division's upgrade suspension package (when available). Each had a little different character and feel, but the track times and skid pad figures were so close it was unreal--although different driving skills were needed. I do know that a '98 Regal LS with the Gran Touring suspension is a much more firm and stable car than the current similar vehicle. The struts are different than what are currently used too. I mention that for reference purposes. In some ways, you have to break the "code" to figure out what's going on and how to enhance it--just like reconfiguring a computer program. Not quite like it was in the '70s! Enjoy and thanks for your time! NTX5467

It is somewhat common, unfortunately, but then there are a whole lot of GM vehicles out there too. At one time, it was suspected the battery bolt itself was a hair too long or the pad it screwed into was too shallow, but it's been going on long enough that changes could have been made to either component. Could also be a material concern too, but strangely, it only seems to affect certain batteries more than others. Be sure to get some acid "killer" and thoroughly clean everything the battery fluid has touched, repainting if necessary. If the cable is very bad, replace it as a corroded cable (internally) can result in higher resistance and make the alternator work harder and probably malfunction. Current and recent Delco battery warranties (purchased NOT as part of a vehicle) have an 18 month free replacement proration, but at the 19th month, you will pay a 19 month proration. Keep your documentation on the original purchase! The original purchase is when the "warranty clock" starts. If you get a prorated adjustment/replacement as part of that warranty, the battery you received in that action will continue under the existing warranty period and the "warranty clock" will NOT restart on the adjusted replacement battery. Therefore, weigh your options of getting a prorated adjustment (with a continuing warranty period from the original purchase) or getting someone to sell you one at wholesale and having the full warranty period start over again. This should be applicable whether it's a AC Delco product or some other brand. If the battery was part of a new vehicle, it will be covered under the applicable GM warranty (for the complete vehicle) and any battery warranty will cease with the vehicle warranty. Therefore, whether the battery has a 5,6, or 7 yr stated warranty or not, the battery warranty ceases when the vehicle warranty period ends. Some extended warranty coverages might also extend to batteries, so check that out too. Sometimes, the leak is just a seep when discovered, but there have been some batteries that the cable mounting lug has completely broken out of. Why the problem is typically only on the positive mounting pad is another mystery. I know that most GM cars are so maintenance free that the hood rarely gets raised except at oil change time (which can now extend much longer with the new "Oil Life Monitor" system on some GM vehicles). In the old days and top post batteries, it was easy to see when the battery cable connections were needing attention, but with side post batteries doing that has basically been forgotten--until the vehicle stops for no apparent reason and THEN the cables are found to have problems at the battery connection. This might be something that needs to be checked on a monthly basis these days and/or at every oil change to help prevent needing a tow truck. Also, with a dead battery, OnStar and other similar systems probably will not function. Consider this an "awareness" situation. Enjoy! NTX5467

As you have a Buick you're working on instead of a "more common" car, why not do something "uncommon" and get your existing air cleaner chromed or paint it crinkle black? The hot air tube from the manifold would also be something you could get bent at a muffler shop and also chromed or painted crinkle black too. If you're building this car to impress people, sometimes the "road less followed" can be the way to really make your car stand out from "the pack". Plus, having a car that looks like everyone else's and runs crappy is not cool! The carb calibrations and such are optimized to decrease exhaust emissions and require the air cleaner intake air to be at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature for those things to work. Hence, the hot air stove on the exhaust manifold for initial warmup and cold weather running. Instead of having the intake manifold looking like there's a lot missing on it (from hole plugs and such), why not take the time to build a loom of plastic tubing (similar to many imports and late model GM cars) and really give things a custom look under there plus keeping everything operational? You can buy the plastic tubing at NAPA (or similar) for some truck air brake applications and then add the rubber plugs at the end. Or even bend up some smaller diameter brake line tubing with the rubber plugs on the end. Then you can polish the tubes with 600 grit Scotchbrite and some polish and have a chrome-like finish. Enjoy! NTX5467

See earlier posts on this subject. Park Avenues had Automatic Level Control (the air compressor was what y'all heard running) and were not listed with DynaRide until the last redesign for the current body series, but that intial orientation could have changed if the "DynaRide" nameplate is on the instrument panel. It was listed for Regals and LeSabres initially, but not until several years after '85. Enjoy! NTX5467

Whenever there is a recommendation for transmission fluid change intervals (i.e., 100,000 miles or similar), there is usually also a "severe usage" maintenance schedule in the mix also that will recommend a change at a much shorter mileage interval. Also, the current DexronIII fluid is better than the fluids of the '60s by a long shot so change intervals can be extended from what was recommended back then. Considering that many modern fwd vehicles will never be exposed to the uses of their rear wheel drive forefathers, the life of an automatic transmission is somewhat easier. Hence, the trans oil temp will very probably never see the critical 270 degree F temp where ATF starts to break down. But, just as in the "old days", when the fluid starts to change color (turn brown from its normal red color) and the smell changes from it's normal pungent odor, it's time to change it. The electronic controlled automatics now in use also have a temperature override switch in them. When the transmisision fluid temp gets to a certain level, it will downshift the transmission AND/OR let it freewheel whenever you back out of the throttle so it will try to cool itself. Sort of a fail-safe operational mode (but not good if you are trailer towing!). With that built-in protection mechanism, trans fluid temps should never reach the levels they used to. Of course, in heavy duty towing situations, adding the biggest aftermarket cooler would keep the fluid temps down so the driver would retain full control of the transmission and the vehicle. Depending on the ECM programs, engine compression braking via the trans can be a thing of the past too, even on car applications (notice the tach on your late model car to see how it reacts). B&M sells a kit to put a drain plug in an automatic trans pan that didn't come with one. Some pans of the '70s still have the flat spot where the plug would go anyway. Some of the current rear wheel drive truck automatics have drain plugs in their pans too. Before the dacron filters came into vogue, the typical filter screen was just that, a screen of fabric or brass wire. As such, that "filter" would be somewhat self cleaning as the fluid above the screen in the trans would drain back into the pan when the engine and oil pump stop. In those earlier days, there were no massive amounts of clutches to wear and the magnet in the pan would catch the non-alloy metal clutch materials anyway. In a modern transmission, there are more clutch packs and other friction materials in the main transmission, not to mention the torque converter lockup clutch. Everything's modulated electronically for a controlled amount of slippage for the ultimate smooooooth shift between gears. Some of that smoothness comes from engine computer power modulation during the split second the shift takes place and then there will always be a certain amount of clutch slippage involved too. Now, the "Trick Deal" is a transmission flush. Remember, when you change the fluid in the pan, there is still fluid in the torque converter (where the drain plugs went away along about 1970). A transmission flush may not include a filter change, though, so be an informed shopper. Also, some of the machines require constant supervision and others work automatically. In some cases, it's a good deal but overkill in many others. I read an article in the early '70s when people were starting to bemoan the lack of trans pan and torque converter drain plugs. A GM engineer was quoted as saying that when you just changed the trans pan fluid, there was enough new fluid and related additives in the new fluid to keep things up to snuff internally in the trans (i.e., detergent and viscosity additives). Granted, the trans fluid change can be a messy affair. Other than the baking pans mentioned above, there are now plastic drain containers (usually available at WalMart) that are rectangular and wide enough to contain the bulk of trans fluid that will come out from around the pan. In the case of a trans that is pretty dirty inside, addding a detergent additive prior to the drain might be advisable. In the earlier times, Berryman's B-12 (pour can) was used with good results as it would cut the varnish and such from the valve body passages. Following that with a change of fluid was usually all it took, but a second change might be needed too in some cases. GM also has an Automatic Transmission Conditioner additive that has a little detergent plus seal expander to keep things working well in higher mileage transmissions. In what might be an "ultimate cost saver", GM deleted the dipstick on the Turbo 125 transaxles several years ago as they were so trouble free. Things have come a long way. In any event, check the fluid reasonably often for level, color, and smell as those things haven't changed (unless you have something with the T125 in it). That way, you will be checking the condition of the fluid in your own driving conditions. Or, you can go the time and expense of changing it every 24-36,000 miles. Now, it might also be advisable to consider changes based on your climate conditions and where the vintage car might reside when not in use. Keeping residual moisture from the fluid for a car that sees little use might be a consideration. Just as with engine oil, the transmission fluid needs to get good and warm to let the residual moisture cook out of it each time it's run. This might take 30 miles to happen, too. Therefore, just as with motor oil, short trip uses might need some added consideration in that deal too. Enjoy! NTX5467

There is a certain relationship between the piston bore size in the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders that must be maintained for things to work right. Therefore, find out what size the master cylinder piston size is in your car (from a GM factory service manual for that particular year and model of car) and go from there. That will be the first step in making sure you don't put something on there that will deteriorate the designed braking performance due to a mis-match situation. It's all about fluid displacement and hydraulic leverage. I suspect there are some larger auto supplies up there somewhere that can get you what you need or at least have a catalog to order from. None of those things will probably be in stock, but could be shipped in. There also is a website for NAPA Auto Parts that you might be able to use to order parts from. There might also be some items on other auto parts websites, but NAPA is also a mortar and brick entity instead of just a website to order from. All the local auto supplies and mass market chain stores will have is what they sell the most of, understandably, so just because they don't have what you need for your '60s Buick should not discourage you in the least. Check out the NAPA situation and see what you can find. A good credit card will help too if you need to buy things online. NTX5467

Considering that most of the OEM spec replacement parts will be the same regardless of where they might come from, shopping price and service can be important. Just because they might come from a big name hobby supplier does not mean they are any better than what you can get from NAPA or from someone that carried Moog or Perfect Circle suspension parts. All the hobby supplier might do is sell them to you in a "kit" instead of individually (as the auto parts suppliers sell them to the hobby suppliers or independent garages or individuals themselves). Many times, "one stop shopping" and "convenience" can come at a price so don't forget to check with NAPA or a local large auto parts jobber that might carry the name brands I mentioned (or similar). Then, if something goes wrong, your gas will be cheaper and quicker than freight charges--plus it gives you someone local to do business with that can probably get the same things the "out of the area" vendor can at comparable prices (or less). As for the polyurethane bushings and such, there are reasons to use them and places they need to be used, but also consider that anytime you take compliance out of the suspension pivots, it will do two things--make whatever steering inputs you make to the suspension somewhat more positive and it will also transfer more of the road shocks and impact shocks to the chassis for absorption/dissipation. On a body/frame construction vehicle it might not make that much difference in ride quality and road noise concerns, but the possibility exists they could deteriorate some. Polyurethane link bolt grommets for the sway bars are good things (as it makes the bar act 20% larger) to resist lean and such. I think that if I was going to use polyurethane bushings to replace rubber bushings in the front suspension pivot areas, it would be for the upper control arm shafts. That would leave the lower control arm bushings to carry the weight and still have some compliance for noise isolation issues and make the upper control arm bushings stiffer to better handle the braking and cornering forces. Hopefully that way, a good compromise for improved handling without much compromise in ride comfort. Also, you can do the prior times method of putting small finishing nails in the rubber to stiffen it up some too. That was in the days before the polyurethane items were even thought of. Some good sway bars, front and rear, some performance oriented shocks (KYBs, KONIS, etc.), a 70 or 60 series tire (to your liking) on a 7" wide rim, and good suspension condition would provide a pretty dang nice driving and handling vehicle. Stock ride height would be a plus too (at least to me). Don't forget the steering gearbox as it might need some tweaking too. You could also get it rebuilt with the fast ratio (constant ratio) guts or the variable ratio guts from the larger cars of the later '60s. Lots of possibilities there too. As for the "Ferrarri like handling", that car will probably be about 2-3" lower than stock, have stiffer springs, massive sway bars front and rear, plus a handling oriented shock absorber. As such, the ride will be substantially stiffer than a firmed up factory calibration. Tires will also be wider and shorter too. For all of that enhanced handling, the car will probably have a much more specialized use than a cruise in the country (where you'd find out just how rought that road really is). Everyone has their own priorities and I respect that. Enjoy! NTX5467

Electronic Control Ride & Handling was option code FX3. The system has a control module (that looks like it might be mounted between two of the lateral beams on the front cradle) and an accelerometer that is mounted adjacent to it. The accelerometer would measure accelleration/decelleration plus lateral "g" forces also. The same option code goes back in to the earlier '90s and later '80s also. Some of the same modules and such on the Buick Park Avenues also fit early '90s Cadillacs. They might use the accelerometer to measure speed (as the G Analyst does instead of using input from the ECM or BCM sensors) but the fact it also measures lateral forces leads me to believe that in the event of a sudden turning or stopping maneuver (as in active accident avoidance situations) it will also firm up the struts on one side/end of the car to make the car handle better in that situation--similar to what the current stability controls do but the earlier FX3 system would not have brake intervention as the current systems do (other than what the existing ABS would already be doing on the earlier system). The electronic front struts (option code FX3) for a '96 Park Avenue retail for over $500.00 each. As with the Gran Touring Suspension option package, the FX3 suspension package could have been part of another option group instead of being a free-standing option, therefore, it might not be listed individually on the window sticker but the FX3 code would be on the Service Parts Information Label in the trunk. Whatever suspension the vehicle has will have its respective option code on the label in the trunk so it is pretty easy to find out what is on the car that way. Hope this helps . . . NTX5467

I have seen a lot of Ultras, even supercharged ones (as the first few years did not have the supercharger option), with regular tires (even whitewalls) and wire wheel covers. I suspect to a particular group of buyers, having the top of the line Buick means having whitewalls and wire wheel covers (nothing wrong with that at all!!) and the whitewalls typically were the self-sealing Uniroyals (another option). But, when the Gran Touring suspension was ordered it deleted the whitewalls, wire wheel covers, and self-sealing tires in one feld swoop in favor of higher performance (Eagle GT+4 all season performance radials in many cases) tires and alloy wheels. A lot of what was ordered for dealer stock probably could have been influenced by the particular district sales rep from Buick or a dealer's market area demographics. I have seen some references to electronic struts in the Buick parts database, but have not encountered any vehicles with them in our shop--other than Cadillacs. In earlier times, Buick did offer some electronic struts on the Skylark back in the middle '80s. At that time, they were very pricey to replace so I somewhat doubt many were replaced with similar items but the more common and less expensive items. If there's not some sort of suspension "ride selector switch" or a means to program such (probably covered in the service manual or owner's manual), it could be that whatever changes in the internal resistance are programmed into the body control module. In some situations, as in the Corvettes, there were several tiers of resistance that were speed related and happened automatically with no driver input. I might need to chase down a factory service manual to find out about these things. Enjoy! NTX5467

KYB is a brand of aftermarket replacement gas shock/struts. Probably more performance oriented than other mainstream brands, but still moderately priced. Seems like they are "mid-pressure" gas shocks/struts whereas most of the mainstream products will be low pressure and Bilsteins being the high pressure variations. Anything Monroe sells will be considered mainstream replacements as their high performance items are very specialized in applications. If the car had the upgrade suspension on it, it probably had some type of Goodyear Eagle tire from the factory. Might not have been speed rated, but still a more aggressive construction, tread design, and performance characteristics. The Sears Roadhandler you describe would be more "normal" performance tire and probably has a little more performance than the base tire of the base suspension from when the car was new, but not to the level of a Goodyear Eagle GT or RS-A, for example. When I checked the GM Parts database on those struts today, they were the same for the regular and upgrade suspensions in '96. I was thinking the original DynaRide designation came out more toward the later '80s or early '90s. Several years after it appeared, it might still have been on the window sticker but I don't recall it being mentioned anywhere else except possibly in the sales literature. On the parts side of things, we deal with option codes instead of sales nomenclatures so you most probably will not find any DynaRide references in the parts books (GM or otherwise). In essence, it was the standard suspension designation with a special name that could be used for marketing purposes (i.e., "Only Buick has DynaRide suspension"). As I mentioned, when the suspension was upgraded, it lost the DynaRide designation. On most late model GM passenger cars, the option code designation for the base suspension calibration is "FE1" as found on the option label in the luggage compartment (on the bottom side of the deck lid or on the spare tire cover under the mat). FE2, FE3, and F41 are designations for the upgrade suspension calibrations. Not sure why the email bounced as I got one from the gentleman on the frame swap post today. NTX5467

From what I found out this past Saturday, much of the glare problem might well be in the shade of white paper stock used in The Bugle instead of just the coated vs. uncoated paper issue. The Bugle seems to be on a paper stock that is toward the "blue white" part of the white color spectrum whereas magazines (Collectible Automobile, for example) use a paper stock which is more "eggshell" in color but still perceived as "white". Yet, when I read CA, it does not have the same glare issues as our BCA magazine tends to. Just as in automotive paints, there are a whole bunch of "shades of white" that look "white" until you put them up against a "white" that is a different shade of white. I also emailed Pete with a more detailed description of what I found. Enjoy! NTX5467

One of our chapter members "re-framed" a '49 Roadmaster Riviera a while back. It looks stock as it sits at the curb (except when you looked through the factory Cadillac wire wheels to see the 4 wheel disc brakes or looked under it to see the rear sway bar or when you saw it go around a corner pretty quick). I think he used a '79 Cadillac donor for that deal (which also had the same wheelbase length as the Buick did). I recall him saying most of the frame mounts were in the same place for both cars--or close enough they were usable. Another chapter member wanted to wring his neck for desecreating a low production and collectible car, but then he saved it from a field and the crusher. Other than the loose pillow look interior, tilt column, and the few external cues, it still has the factory chrome and everything. He also drives it anywhere he wants to go. If you have any questions, email me and I'll get you the address of our member who did that deal. Enjoy! NTX5467

You might try tapping on the blower motor relay on the a/c case under the hood. Sometimes the contacts might stick of something. The blower motor resistor should be adjacent to the relay in the a/c case. All the fan speed switch does is change the circuit the power goes through on the way to the blower motor. Each circuit has a respective resistor coil that is mounted on the bakelite backing plate where the electric terminals plug onto it. Once you find the "power out" wire on the resistor, you can check continuity of it with a meter but by that time you could have removed the two or so screws holding in to the a/c case and done a visual inspection. If you have automatic a/c, things could be different, but these things should work for the more normal "manual" a/c system. In some systems, the blower motor relay also serves as a "high blower relay", but if it's wired that way, it might work on lower speeds and not on high speed. Those systems keep the higher current from going through the blower motor switch as such and thereby keep it from "cooking" during long periods it might be on high speed. If the switch has an internal problem, it probably will have a more loose feel without the specific internal detents feeling as "tight" as they might have in the past. It's a pretty straight forward circuit that should be reasonably easy to trace and trouble shoot. NTX5467

Dynaride was a terminology for a suspension "system" of sorts similar in concept to what later became the North Star System for Cadillac--but without the electronics. A key player in the Dynaride setup was what they called "Deflected Disc Valving" in the struts (i.e., shock absorber parts of the suspension). Such technology had been used in motorcycle forks for many years prior to that and would allow the engineers to fine tune the ride to be soft when it needed to be yet firmer when it needed to be in a fashion better than the traditionally spring loaded valving. Also included in the Dynaride mix was GM's new way to test/design the seat cushions in the vehicle to further filter out road vibrations and such. Therefore, a system that wasn't just fancy struts but a more comprehensive package that included many components from the road to the occupant (at least that's what the sales literature mentioned). When the Gran Touring Suspension was ordered, it included different struts that were not Dynaride. Stiffer springs were also typically added along with larger sway bars (front and rear) PLUS more aggressive higher performance tires. At the present time, if you buy any aftermarket struts or strut cartridges, they will probably be normal replacement items and be somewhere between the standard suspension and optional suspension in "control". You can also add the larger sway bars to your vehicle without much trouble. Some people have had good things to say for the KYB items for those cars. Depending on what your orientations are, adding a stiffer (and more performance oriented) tire will probably firm up the ride by themselves. The decreased compliance in the tire itself (compared to the standard Generals or UniRoyals) can also result in the struts acting stiffer too. Adding the sway bars or increasing their size or using polyurethane mounting hardware (on the bars and the link bolts that attach them to the control arms/struts) might also aid in making the struts thinking they need to be stiffer. On the current cars, the upgrade suspensions typically do not include stiffer struts, but just stiffer springs, larger sway bars, and performance oriented tires. It's all a calibrated mix, but then more recent base suspension calilbrations have been more firm than in the past also. There is also more sharing of strut part numbers between the various car lines also. Hope that helps explain what the differences might be. NTX5467

I vote for the glossy-type paper for the whole publication. I makes everything appear much more lively and accurate in all respects and has allowed the expansion of all pages to be picture pages if need be. It will also allow easier setups and formats as those producing the publication will not have to worry about what type of paper will be on what page of the publication. What might be saved in decreased paper cost would possibly be taken away in added time spent in getting things laid out for production. I concur that glossy paper (of the type which has recently been used) can have more reflectivity than some might like, so I might suggest more of a semi-gloss paper but not the totally uncoated paper of the previous times. The other issue, which I feel is a very important issue, is the fact that our club publication is how many in the outside world perceive our group and the marketing aspects of the publication cannot be discounted. The last thing we want the outside world to perceive is that the BCA is "chintzy" in how it does things. I feel that digressing to the uncoated papers of prior times might well be viewed as "being chintzy" when we should be using the expenses of the more expensive paper to invest in the future of the BCA from the marketing aspects of having a better looking publication. If a more semi-gloss coated paper might be found that will serve the readability and picture quality issues, that would be the best alternative. It's one thing to spend the club funds effectively and responsibly for the best bang for the buck, but another to hold back all of the way and possibly sacrifice long term financial viability of the organization. Therefore, some expenses should be treated as investments in the future as opposed to day to day expenses. The club publication is a definite marketing tool for the club. Excellent content is very good to have, but you have to have the cosmetics to get people to look at it to start with. A nice cover with lack luster interior pages could be viewed as "looks good on the outside, but . . ." and that's how many might view the whole organization. Thanks for this opportunity, Pete. NTX5467

You might consider taking the car to a Delco Radio Service Center and letting them troubleshoot the system. You could also take it to a trusted GM or Buick dealership for the same thing, but if it turns out to be a radio issue, the service center will need to repair your existing radio so that might be a better place to start. As the reception has deteriorated, it could also be a lead-in issue just as it could be a radio issue. It could also be that perhaps the station's transmitter power has been decreased for some reason. Several variables involved that have to be troubleshooted to ascertain where the problem could be. I'm not familiar with a 100,000 mile Buick warranty unless it's an extended warranty you're talking about. In which case it could be a GM Extended Warranty or another extended warranty company's product that might be sold by a GM dealer. Extended warranty coverage can vary, but one extended warranty company just paid to replace a broken Delco radio and others have paid to repair the radio, if it was repairable. If they will cover the radio, it would seem they would cover the antenna, whether it's mounted on the fender or in the windshield. Check your policy for those issues. Enjoy! NTX5467

On later model GM cars, they started moving many of the fuses and such out under the hood in junction blocks with covers on them. It could also be an electronic flasher that does not use the previous bi-metal spring contact inside, as the later model light trucks use, so it might be square instead of round and metallic. I don't recall the specific location on the Riverias, but highly suspect it's under the hood somewhere. NTX5467

The weather will be nice for this weekend too! We have 12 trophy classes for all Buicks, plus Long Distance (hint, hint), Hard Luck, and Best of Show. Mr. Thornhill has been very supportive of this event as he has been of past GS Club events he's hosted at his dealership. It's also the same weekend as the big NHRA race at nearby Texas Motorplex near Ennis. There's also an antique glass show/sale at the Waxahachie Civic Center too. Y'all come and bring your BUICKS! Thanks, Bill! NTX5467

Valid points, John. The main power consumption issues are related to internal rotating mass and not specifically to Chevy or Buick transmissions. Therefore, I suspect the ST300 would take similar or less power to run than the THM350. I also suspect one reason the Buick Turbo cars used the T200R-4 instead of the stronger T700R-4 had to do with the power consumption issue as we all know the T200 architecture is not specifically about torque capacity but lighter weight (considering that it was originally used in the lower horsepower engines when it was introduced). The Turbo cars also used the somewhat troublesome PowerMaster brake booster that uses an electric pump to charge the power assist accumulator--again probably in the interest of getting the most power to the pavement. There is now an OD version of the electronic T400, the 4L80E. At one time, GM Performance Parts had a controller listed for it as a stand alone situation as the diesel versions (non-electronic pump models) had a separate controller for that trans. It is strong but is also big and heavy. I suspect a strengthened T700 would make a better choice for a higher powered street rod or modified vehicle. As with the PowerGlide, the drag race guys have proven that with the correct torque converter, you can work wonders. Everyone likes that push in the seat upon initial takeoff, but if the tires have more than about 10% slippage on takeoff, anything else just goes up in smoke. Therfore, I suspect a properly set up ST300 w/SwitchPitch would get real close to what some of the other 3 speed automatics might offer in performance. In daily driving, it might be close enough to not be worth the time and expense to swap transmissions, but that just depends on what your ultimate uses might be too. As for the engine, leaving it biased more toward low and mid-range torque in cam and carb (basically stock) would be best, but to also let it breathe with a good high flow and quiet exhaust system to compliment the higher rpm capabilities which might be there. Basicaly a torque motor that will wind out and not get winded . Enjoy! NTX5467

You might want to consider a scatter shield of some kind anyway. If I recall correctly, they are required safety equipment for manual transmissions without regard to flywheel material. Keep up that great nostalgia work! It sounds great! Enjoy! NTX5467

Thanks for your comments, Bruce. I know whatever changes that happen will need to be evolutionary, but sometimes making evolutionary changes results in the ultimate goal being missed or sidetracked for whatever reasons (as when the champion of those goals in not on the Board any longer, for example). I feel the BCA has made some definite committments to get younger people involved, but it does not need to end with a particular Board member's term either. As for the Meet Manager orientation, it would appear that a local chapter would still need to put in a bid for the national meet. I highly suspect that just taking much of the basic organizational duties and responsibilities from the local host chapter would not significantly impact the current situation. I also know that Mike and Nancy are very capable people, but I also suspect having them be responsible for these additional items would make for one very busy quarter of the year for them. Not to mention the ongoing planning for the next and following years' events. If the Meet Manager orientation, as "Anonymous" as laid out, is a valid proposal it would appear that the host chapter would also split the "take" of any profits from the meet, thus decreasing the host chapter's desire to go to the trouble to host a BCA National Meet in the first place. It's great to get together each year in a different locale and all of that, but if the profit motive for doing a meet is lessened or deleted, why would a local chapter even desire to get involved? That leads us to the way the WPC Club does things. Basicaly the club officers deciding when and where the meet will be and making it happen. I understand they make good use of the local Chamber of Commerce and Convention Bureaus in doing that also. This approach would work for most any club group and would keep responsibility for any good or bad happenings within the BCA organization. It would also transfer the profit motive to the BCA, I suspect. For example, the Mopar Nats are run by a corporation that is a man and his wife. They only to that one event and enlist the help of local Mopar clubs to perform their many support functions at the event. They go out and get local and national sponsorships for the event plus get Chrysler's Mopar Performance people involved with factory trailer displays and a major manufacturer's midway. Think Super Chevy Sunday times 10. I do have a personal agenda, though. I do not want this discussion of a Meet Manager to interfere with my desire for the BCA National Meets to have a general westward movement in the future. After 2003 in Flint, we're hosting the 2004 meet in Plano/Dallas again. Hopefully, we'll see our CO associates make a successful bid for 2005 and then that would hopefully lead to a CA meet in 2006 to complete the westward progression. I feel this westward progression is a needed situation and DO NOT desire to see it short circuited by a Meet Manager discussion at this time, plain and simple. Having been involved in the 1996 meet we hosted and other local and regional car shows, I know that many people who don't think they can do something of that magnitude really CAN DO something of that magnitude if they have some guidance and mentoring in the process. Hosting a national meet is not rocket science, but it seems to me that too many people give up before they really make an effort to see what all is involved. It doesn't take a chapter of hundreds of members either, as we found out in 1996, either. What it does take is planning, coordination, research, and advance damage control--plus some members who are dedicated to making it work. Having a good computer program for registration and other functions is a definite plus, but not totally necessary. It does expedite things greatly, though. The computer is not the saviour of our meets, not nearly as much as good planning and coordination are, but it does highly expedite any data processing that happens in various meet areas--especially considering that judging and awards are the same day. Personally and professionally, I do not like the dynamics of what appears to be "Let George do it" and/or "Let's hire George to do it" with respect to the Meet Manager proposal. I feel we need to address why it has seemingly come to this and look for ways to not have to consider that whole deal any further. As we all know and Bruce mentioned too, you get out of something what you put into it. As Roberta and Jeff can attest to, I have been in email communication with them (and their respective Boards) over the past few years, so I have been involved somewhat. The hand print indentation of Judy Leets' fingers has finally gone away from my forearm (from when she "requested" me to attend her Chapter Director's meeting in Kokomo). I have been involved in our North Texas Chapter as an officer since the later 1980s, plus a local Mopar club I am a charter member of (started in the middle 1980s) and have been an officer more years than not. I am also a board member of the Texas Vehicle Club Council. I have been employed at the same GM dealership in the parts department since Sept., 1976 and hold a BBA Management degree from Texas Tech University. None of these things makes me any better than anyone else! This is not a future campaign speech either! Just a few things to illustrate my various automotive enthusiast activities over the years, plus being a "car guy" when it wasn't popular. Also, I need to state that my orientations are my own and might not correspond with the orientations of the various enthusiast groups that I am a member of. The BCA has recently emerged from some controversial times and I don't look forward for anything of that magnitude to happen in the near future. The issue of having a Meet Manager should not divide the membership either! I feel the membership of the BCA has many capable people with the expertise to host and orchestrate a BCA National Meet. We just need to get them motivated to do so! Now, about those Colorado and California meets in 2005 and 2006, respectively? Thanks for your continued time and consideration! Willis Bell 20811

Getting more power from the engine is one thing, but getting it through the 2 speed automatic is another. One advantage of the Chevy PowerGlide (which I suspect is also related to the Buick 2 speed automatic) is that it takes less power to run it than a Turbo 350 and especially a Turbo 400 automatic. Seems like the PG takes 15 or 20 horsepower whereas the T350 takes 30 and the T400 takes 40? Seems like there were some Switch Pitch versions of this trans too, just as there were for the Turbo 400. If there are, adding that would add some needed torque multiplication to the standing start performance, possibly getting closer to the torque multiplication of the Turbo 350 in the process. Adding a fixed pitch converter of a higher stall speed might not be advisable, though, especially for general street driving. As with other GM automatics, firming up the shifts might be helpful too. In that same "heavier duty" orientation, could it be that similar transmissions for LeSabres had stouter clutch packs and bands? Just some thoughts . . . NTX5467

I might recommend that you get the flywheel checked for cracks prior to installation. Aluminum connecting rods have a definite life expectancy before they should be chunked and I suspect aluminum flywheels could be similar. As I recall, aluminum flywheels were popular in the '60s. Their main advantage was light weight and resultantly less reciprocating weight for the engine, compared to the normal cast iron flywheel. The lighter weight flywheel would allow the engine to rap up quicker in neutral but would resultantly store less centrifugal energy as the engine runs before the clutch is engaged. This could result in more rpms being necessary to engage the clutch when starting from a dead stop or prior to at drag strip start. A heavy weight flywheel would let a lower power motor tolerate a sudden clutch engagement without killing the motor due to the higher level of stored energy whereas the lighter flywheel equiped motor might not tolerate that activity so well. Therefore, the cast iron flywheel engine would be easier to launch but slower to rev up under full throttle whereas the lighter flywheel engine would be trickier to get off the line but would rev quicker once underway. Kind of a trade-off of sorts. I recall seeing a comparison of this sort in one of the Hot Rod Magazine annuals from the early '60s. Seems like they were using a high performance VW motor for the test engine/vehicle, but the principles would be the same with a larger engine. Hope this helps you understand some of the issues of light weight flywheels. Enjoy! NTX5467