NTX5467

I feel that there is one key item that seems to be overlooked in these conversations--the condition of the rubber bushings in the front end. The car can be low mileage and such but the rubber ages like everything else--usually more time sensitive than mileage sensitive in this case. Remember that they have been supporting the car's weight for how many years??? They will take a "set" and such.<P>By nature, they are there for isolation purposes so there will always be some flex in them--period--unlike solid heim joints in race cars. When they flex, the direction of the wheel will be changed slightly. The toe-in adjustment is designed to accomodate that flex so that the tires run straight when the car is rolling down the road.<P>When those earlier cars were new, we didn't know any better but also were more keyed into the situations with grooved pavement and such. Plus, the tires were more substantial back then too.<P>Without getting into the "originality" issue, let's focus on the "performance" issue or the tires and the vehicle mix. My suggestion would be to make sure the bushings in the front end AND rear end suspensions are reasonably fresh before I condemned the tires for the handling issues. In many cases, Buicks had limp shock absorbers from the factory so a good set of quality HD shocks would make a significant difference in how the car behaved back then and now also--a bouncing tire can't control the vehicle like it would if it was in better contact with the ground all of the time. <P>Plus make sure the tire pressure is toward the higher end of the scale--personally, I used to use 30frt/28rr on my cars to balance the weight bias toward the front of the vehicle. This should accomodate the "high speeed +4lbs" orientation plus sharpen the steering response with more air in the front. That one little deal can make any car handle better. With the newer P-metric 35lbs inflation tires, it might need to be 32frt/30rr. Not to mention making the tires last longer and use more of the tread width to control the car.<P>Don't forget to check the adjustments of the steering gear box--on the input side and also the more common lash adjustment. Then there are the various couplings (rag joints) in the steering column/gearbox interfaces. I highly suspect that if you keep the gear gox and steering column issues under control, plus the steering linkage in the suspension, it can maximize your driving pleasure and comfort.<P>Regardless of which type of tires are on the vehicle, these issues need to be investigated and repaired as necessary. It could well be that radials will mask some of these issues due to their lower rolling resistance and such. That a radial has a stiffer tread than a bias ply means that it rolls "over" an object instead of the tread "wrapping around" an object, but that can be compensated for somewhat by the higher inflation pressures I mentioned, especially on the bias ply tires.<P>Just some thoughts on the "performance" issues of the tire/vehicle interface. <P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

My gut suspicion is that if the threads will match up with what you have and you can make the other pressure bias/sensing hookups work, then it should work on your application. The internals of these valves probably should all be the same, just have different calibrations for the various vehicles and their a/c system requirements. Newer versions of these valves have a triangular knob to make the adjustments with (on the outside) whereas the original ones had a different calibration method (as specified in the service manual for the vehicle) to keep the working pressures in line with the great cooling performance these systems typically gave.<P>Therefore, each part number would probably relate to a particular calibration instead of any significant difference in the actual valve "guts" itself. That way, the technician could install it "as is" and not tinker with it unless it needed it (froze up the evaporator or formed ice on the valve itself or didn't cool well enough).<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

Other than the electrical items to change the stator angle in the converter, the Switch Pitch requires a particular converter and front pump set. It all bolts into a regular Turbo 400. <P>When the carb is at idle, the converter stator moves to what might be considered a "higher stall speed" angle to reduce creep in gear. As the carb moves from idle to cruise, the converter stator moves to a "lower stall speed" angle to be "tighter" for cruise conditions. I beleive the torque multiplication factors were 2.6 in high stall and 2.2 or 2.0 in the normal position (as a non-switch pitch converter would be all of the time). There was also a switch for kickdown/WOT that put the converter in the more performance oriented "high stall" mode.<P>Initially, the Buick advertising mentioned the extra performance from the switch pitch feature. When they got away from it in later years, the advertising mentioned "reduced operating temperature" among other things. Could have also been a production cost issue too.<P>Other than toggle switches and such, you could probably use some of the later lockup converter brake and vacuum switches to do the same things as the earlier switches did on the carb linkage. For example, use the appropriate brake switch to put the converter in "high stall" at the lights and also used one of the low vacuum switches (used to unlock the lockup converter under loaded, lower vacuum levels) to also put it into "high stall" when you throttle into it. The part numbers for the respective vacuum switches are in the back of the TurboHydramatic 350 book by Ron Sessions and HP Books.<P>The Switch Pitch is a neat idea that many non-Buick people used in the middle 1960s for an additional, incognito, performance edge on the street and at the strip too. They also came on most Oldsmobiles back then too.<P>Just some thoughts on this issue.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

Y'all have found some good information, but here's a "qualifier" on any rear axle gear change -- you have to have a matching "case" (what the ring gear bolts to) for a given gear ratio range (i.e., 2.73 - 3.42).<P>The difference in the cases is that there must be a particular build thickness of the mounting flange for the ring gear on the case and the gear itself. Hence, different thickness mounting areas for the ring gear itself (which further relate to the physical diameter of the pinion gear). The aftermarket vendors get around that by supplying a spacer to maintain the same build thickness with their lower gear ratios.<P>By the early 1970s, exhaust emissions were measured in "grams/mile" instead of the previous "parts/million" orientation (which is independent of how far the vehicle travels per engine revolution). This is the main reason that deeper gear ratios vanished in that time frame--plus the reality that not that many people bothered to order the deeper gear ratios.<P>So, to determine whether or not the deeper gears will actually fit the axle, check for corresponding case part numbers for the more normal gears (i.e., 3.42, 3.08) between the early and later models. If they are the same and use the same bearings and axle shafts, then a corresponding case for the earlier model deeper gear ratio will probably cross breed. Sometimes, you have to approach these deals "from the back door" to see if they'll work.<P>Just some additional items I suspected I'd better mention.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

All of the GM published books are in multiple year models--i.e., 1964-1975, 1976-1986. I have not seen any "one year only" parts books from GM unless it was the first year of a particular model (i.e., Vega, Corvair, 3rd gen Camaro) where only that model was in the book. <P>I'm not sure where the term "Master" got into the mix, but I've never seen anything other than the main parts books from GM (at least in the past 25.5 yrs in GM parts at the dealership level). It might have originated in earlier times to indicate that it was "all inclusive" as there have been some specific "QuikSpec" leaflet parts/illustration publications (for things like automatic transmissions) over the years instead of being concerned with just one aspect of the vehicle.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

The issue regarding looking at the print date of the GM parts books (for any vehicle) is certainly valid. Items which are suspected of being discontinued when the then-current stock is depleted are not in the later versions--yet there can still be stock on these items in the GM parts system. I found that out many years ago with 55-57 Chevy parts.<P>There are a couple of vendors out there with CD based information on parts, specs, and such. Seems like I've seen an ad or two in The Bugle. There is one vendor called "Detroit Iron" that had this stuff but I don't know how good his products are--supposed to be customized for particular years and also include sales literature information.<P>One thing to consider is that any GM part number for a particular part is subject to change several times throughout the life of that part (and it's design changes and revisions, plus what is suspected to be caused by different batches and/or vendor changes). But if you have one number, it's at least a starting point.<P>Another possibly less pricey source is the Motor and Chilton "crash book" body shop estimating manuals. For many of the items which are sought in later years, these books might be better than a GM parts book set--detailed illustrations of exterior trim and such. Plus, they are for a range of years instead of just a specific year so interchanges can possibly be determined too (i.e., if a LeSabre part has the same part number as for an Electra).<P>A more general source could be the Hollander Interchange manuals used by the salvage yard people. I believe they'll have GM part numbers, maybe even some casting number ID, but will not specify which year a particular part number is for. As this is an "interchange" book, it might be considered to be more of a "will fit" oriented publication rather than the "specific fit" orientation of the factory publications.<P>Being armed with GM part numbers will certainly expedite the search for NOS parts or even some used parts, but some of these things are not quite as absolute as they might be perceived to be. The buyer still needs to know what they are looking for plus be willing to make some compromises in some cases.<P>But, just because you have a GM part number does not mean you'll suddenly find what you need or desire to find. Yet it might also weed out the parts which others claim will fit your car when you can prove they might not.<P>You might find the ads for the CD information vendors in Hemmings or similar.<P>Enjoy!

Contact the Regional Coordinator for the BCA Region that you're in, if there is one. Otherwise, the Chapter Coordinator would be the next choice. These people should be listed in the monthly magazine "The Bugle" and elsewhere on this website.<P>The Regional Coordinator can help you get things initially set up and rolling, then it will be up to you. If there is sufficient and consistent interest in a chapter in that area, then the chapter can formally apply for a charter from the BCA. <P>One key item will be the number of potentially interested BCA members residing in your area AND how much they desire a chapter to be in existence. Many new chapters form and then are de-chartered a year or so later. It might sound easy enough to find twelve charter members, but when all of the work of the chapter falls on the shoulders of a few with little support and participation from the other members, things typically don't last long after the new wears off.<P>Having and running a BCA chapter is a little different than everyone getting together for a weekly cruise event at the local drive-in. There will need to be a slate of officers (including a Treasurer) plus a good newsletter person and an activities person to find meeting places and things of interest for the members to do. <P>For starters, you might find the closest chapter to you and attend their meetings and also become a member there. This will "get your feet wet" plus give you a feel for what's going on. Plus you can attend the national meet this year too-where you can probably discuss the possibilities of what you propose to do with the necessary people. Networking can be very important!<P>I wish you the best of luck, but be advised that you can't do it all yourself at any age.<P>NTX5467

If it is a "GS" it should have appropriate suspension upgrades along with possibly wider aluminum wheels, larger sway bars front and rear, and more performance-oriented tires (at least from the factory). The basic suspension is coded "FE1" on the Service Parts Identification (SPID) label in the trunk (usually on the inside of the deck lid or on the spare tire cover under the mat). Upgrade suspensions would probably be listed as "FE3". <P>In a lot of cases, the struts will be the same for all of the suspensions, but the springs will be a little stiffer with the addition of a rear sway bar or bigger sway bars and the performance tires. <P>These suspension issues are not tied to any specific trim options as such, but a GS would be a higher trim level (typically) than a Custom. It's also possible that if a more powerful engine was available, it would also be in the GS models as standard equipment too, as would "blackout trim".<P>Enjoy!

One thing that has not been mentioned is "where" the vehicle has been sitting. One that's been in a controlled atmosphere of sorts (i.e., indoors with a narrow band of temperature and humidity ranges) could well be different than if it had been sitting in a humid coastal environment or a drier desert environment.<P>The quality of the fuel and lubricants might be a side issue also. I believe that Chevron claims (on their website) their fuel has a shelf life of about 18 months and some others might be about 12 months before they start deteriorating. Other than the deposits left from the evaporating fuel, there's also octane and volatility issues too (the lighter parts of the fuel will evaporate first). I suspect that an engine with a quality synthetic in it would be better than an inexpensive "rerun" oil due to the better additive package in the better oil. <P>The mention of camshaft lubrication is a good point. Once the engine starts and runs reliably-and the oil pressure has been up for a little bit--it might be beneficial to raise the rpm to the 1500-2000rpm range for a while to make sure the cam gets enough oil "slung" up onto it from the crankcase (just as if you were putting in a new cam and lifter set). Varying the rpm in the process too. Also keep an eye on the temp gauge!<P>After you've got about 30 minutes or so of run time, then you can continue to monitor the coolant level and such. Then, shut it off and let everything cool down naturally overnight.<P>The next morning, check the oil and pay attention to any condensation that might be on the dipstick (white sludge of sorts). If you suspect there are some stuck rings (oil smoke that doesn't clear up due to stuck rings or such), then a quality detergent additive might be appropriate. Personally, I've had good luck with the Stewart-Warner CD2 detergent additive. Of course, when you restart it that next day, pay attention to any new noises that might have been missed previously in the "excitement of the situation."<P>If the cooling system has been reasonably full all of the time, unless there are rust issues things should be fine, but I understand that if the system had been drained there could be leaks pretty soon after it's refilled.<P>The architecture of the Corvair engine would prevent pouring oil through the valve train into the engine. It might be easier to pull the motor in that case . . . in which case you might as well pull it apart before doing anything. Which raises the next issue--it might be better to just pull the engine and freshen up the internals anyway if it's been sitting dormant for a good while. Then you will have time to get the fuel system and tank cleaned and refurbished along with the other vehicle systems (i.e., brakes, suspension and steering, safety related items). More money and effort initially, but might be a better long term investment.<P>In a lot of cases, what's done or needs to be done can be highly variable. I feel that the initial prelube procedures would help in most cases. A little work done up front can save a lot of work later in many cases. Naturally, finances will play into this situation too.<P>Have fun!<BR>NTX5467

Casting numbers sometimes coincide with GM part numbers, sometimes they are a digit off from the part number, or they are strictly identification of the item at the vendor or production level. <P>Typically, on the earlier items, if it was a GM supplied part, it should probably have "GM" cast on it plus a 6 or 7 digit casting number nearby (with no spaces between the numbers). <P>Being an aftermarket item, unless someone has a vintage Moog book, it's open for debate. From what those numbers and letters look like, I suspect they are numbers which would identify the production date or production run, source, and other internal identification which only the vendor could decode.<P>The best thing would be to visually compare it to what you need--length, configuration, size of the attaching holes/studs to the vehicle and to the steering linkage.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

Dave has a point there as some of the motors might have an oil pump that slips over the front end of the crankshaft inside the front cover.<P>If that's the case, it might be advisable to go ahead and pull the valve covers and pour some lube over the valve train to run down into the pan. You can do this after the initial oil change so that it'll hopefully flush out any accumulated moisture that might be on the inside as it runs down into the oil pan. This'll make sure the valve train has some oil on it too.<P>If you remove the spark plugs to put the light oil into the cylinders, be sure to put them back in prior to rolling the motor over. Could cause a mess when the oil that didn't run down past the rings is pushed back out the spark plug holes. Afterall, you're going to put fresh plugs in anyway.<P>Other than the drill motor pre-lube procedure, you could rig up a pressurized lube can to inject pressurized oil through the oil pressure sending unit hole. No real guarantee which way the oil will go, but any new oil up there might be better than nothing. This could be the next step after the first oil change, then the upper engine "flush" with the oil poured over the valve train and would generate the final oil change (with the filter this time) before firing the engine.<P>You can also consider using a small funnel and some fuel line to fill the float bowl through the internal bowl vent on the carburetor. This is usually a pencil-sized tube that sticks up inside the air cleaner ring of the carburetor or you could make an adapter to screw into the carburetor where the fuel line normally would go--be sure to hold the funnel about a foot above the carb if you can so it'll gravity feed the fuel. That way, the engine should fire pretty quickly and easily on the fresh gas that's in the float bowl instead of waiting for the fuel pump to start pumping.<P>Naturally, this all doesn't have to happen at the same time. If you have several vehicles in the resurrected fleet, you can do one operation at a time for all of them (like an assembly line situation).<P>If the engines have point ignition distributors, you might want to get some genuine point grease (there is still a GM part number for it (!) in the "Standard Parts Catalog") and also put in some new points.<P>Other than this and what the others have mentioned, a general fluid change (including the rear axle and transmission) and chassis lubrication (including wheel bearings and u-joints) would be in order. Plus a general check of all rubber items (belts, hoses, tires).<P>Be sure to dispose of the vehicular fluids in an environmentally approved manner.<P>Enjoy!<BR>NTX5467

Checking for a current draw with everything shut down is a good idea. On those particular vehicles, there should be nothing operating after everything is turned off--except, the time delay on the dome lamp, the memory and clock in the factory radio, and/or an alarm system that migh have been added. Also, in a car that age there could be some of the wiring (front light harness, for example) that could have come out of the factory convoluted protective tubing that could have chaffed and worn through against the core support (or other metallic body part), causing the high load or direct short situation which could dim the lights too (which should be blowing fuses too).<P>I have a '80s car that had a battery that ran down if it wasn't used for 2 weeks at a time, but if I drove it, it was fine. I got the existing battery warrantied, but that turned out not to be the problem, so I just unhooked it when I parked it in the building. One night, when there were no other sounds, I hooked up the battery, saw a weak spark between the battery terminal and cable, and heard a faint "chinggggg" from the chime module. I removed the cable and waited a while, then tried it again with the same results. I unplugged the warning/alarm chime module and ended the battery drain problem.<P>If the lights are noticeably dim while driving on the highway, it's either a very weak alternator or a pretty strong "short to ground" situation. Also be advised that a bad battery can kill a good alternator.<P>Also, the auto supply people might have these liberal replacement warranties on their parts, but their test equipment to verify "defective" parts they sell can similarly have liberal specifications of what is good or bad. There have been several times where the auto supply (chain store in this case) tested an alternator as "good" but it would not pass an on-the-vehicle load test by any stretch of the imagination (i.e., only putting out 10amps with enough load to drop the volts to 9 volts from the normal 14 volts, when it should be putting out more like 95% of rated output at that same load for a good one). Same with their battery checks too. These are things we've observed at the dealership level.<P>The other key thing is to make sure that whatever batteries you are getting are at least OEM specification in size and capacity. A too small battery will make the alternator work too hard to keep up and also generate too much heat in the process.<P>This brings up the last issue. Make sure the cooling area on the alternator is not obstructed by ANYTHING and has the factory specified cooling duct on the back (if needed). On the earlier alternators, the regulator and such are right behind the cooling holes so if there is not sufficient cooling air, these parts will overheat and cease to function--even on a quality AC-Delco item. Also, consider that on those earlier alternators, they cool from back to front (which makes having an unobstructed air source back there necessary).<P>I learned that last point the hard way. In the process of changing a water pump and such, the heater hoses came to reside right behind the alternator. The alternator went away after that. The AC-Delco alternator I put on (from our dealership stock) failed in a few weeks. I also added a new battery when the alternator went away (and I put on another one from our stock) and had the same thing a few weeks later.<P>When I put the hoses back where they should have been, the problem went away. Some engines in some applications also need the plastic cooling duct for the back of the alternator. It directs cooler air to the alternator in cramped situations--and is necessary. A customer had a Z34 Lumina (with the 3.4L DOHC V-6) that would need a new alternator every year (or about 15000 miles). Somewhere, the cooling duct had come off or not have been put back on during a repair or something. It wasn't too big of a deal as along as it was in extended warranty (other than the hassle and deductable) but that deal was ready to end when I took her call on day--and determined her vehicle needed a cooling duct that was not there. <P>Although the batteries and alternators could have been quality items, the other items on the vehicle which interact with them could also be causing their failure. Sometimes it's the little things that can cause larger problems.<P>Hope this helps,<BR>NTX5467

One of our chapter members did a chassis/body swap many years ago. He found a '49 Roadmaster Riviera and with some checking and such, put it on a Cadillac Fleetwood chassis (seems like a '79 or thereabouts). The wheelbase in that case was the same so everything looks "right"--until you look past the factory Boranni wire wheels to see the rear disc brake rotors or see the rear sway bar from the rear, much less see it go around a corner (flat) or stop quickly.<P>It was a fairly easy swap with very little body mount modifications to use the existing body mounts. If you came to our 1996 National Meet in Plano, TX you might have seen it and not have known what it was from a distance.<P>It was interesting as one of our chapter members wanted to wring the guy's neck for "butchering" such a rare vehicle. Others applauded him for saving it and making it a much more fun car to drive without altering the cosmetics of it too much.<P>I feel that's the key to the whole deal--keeping it looking like it originally did until you raise the hood or look underneath. Plus doing your research and home work to see what other modern vehicles have the same wheelbase as the vintage vehicle and then going from there. The correct amount of finesse and good luck can make some neat things happen.<P>As for the later transmission in the earlier chassis issue, Phoenix Transmission in Weatherford, TX is working on such a situation. Greg Ducato (the owner) told me earlier this week that he would have a kit in about 6 months. His speciality is overdrive transmissions for all kinds of applications. He builds many such transmissions for street rod applications.<P>Several years ago, he did a Turbo400 swap into a member's '62 LeSabre. He rattled off what he'd need from the local salvage yard and had it all done inside of about a week. It transformed that car into a real hot rod, compared to what it had been with the previous DynaFlow variation. <A HREF="http://www.phoenixtrans.com" TARGET=_blank>www.phoenixtrans.com</A> is the website.<P>Greg also does a couple of DynaFlows a year at the present time. He refers the HydraMatics to another shop in Fort Worth.<P>As for the Straight 8 stuff - - - -<BR>There is a book I found a few years ago that is neat, although the title doesn't reflect it's Buick content as much as it does the inline Chevrolet and GMC content. It's a reprint of a 1950s "speed manual" -- "California Bill's Chevrolet, GMC, & Buick Speed Manual" 1954 Edition. Lots of neat stuff regarding manifolds, mixing nitro into fuel, camshafts, etc. You can probably find it at the Barnes&Noble website.<P>Chrysler's Mopar Performance used to market a retrofit fuel injection kit for the Jeep 4.0L inline 6cyl. It was about $2000.00 as I recall. Naturally, it would be relatively easy to use some 2bbl throttle body injection units (ala Holley's replacement units and kits) to replace the compound carbs on the Straight 8, then add a pair of oxygen sensors to let the thing run in feedback mode (except at WOT). The Holley kits are complete "free standing" kits to put fuel injection where it did not come previously. They have provisions to "gang" two 4bbl units together so you could probably do the same for a pair of 2bbl units and use only one computer to run the whole thing. Don't forget that such mods would require a 12volt electrical system and probably a 100amp alternator to keep things running well.<P>Rance Fuel Injection could probably put together a custom kit for a port injected Straight 8. For some real interesting things, you could build a custom manifold similar to the Chrysler Slant 6 and use some "resonance tuning" for an extra hump in the mid-range torque curve. I suspect it was the log manifolding that held the engine back more than anything else, but the intake ports would need some work -- AND then maybe some work with the exhaust manifold PLUS a good undercar system with some Walker DynoMax mufflers or similar. Just getting the intake side working is half the battle.<P>I wanted to offer this information into the mix here as it seems there could be more interest in this area than many would suspect. Naturally, an "altered" vehicle's value would be affected by any mods--but the degree of such would depend on the ultimate purchaser and their orientations.<P>Car season is now upon us . . . y'all enjoy to the limit of your tolerance and enjoy whenever possible!<P>NTX5467

Thanks for this tip, Bill!<P>When I received the email attachment, I downloaded it but I got a message that Notepad would not open it as it was too large, but offered to let Word Pad open it--which it would not. I put it in "My Documents" when it downloaded.<P>I changed the file extention from ".txt" to ".doc" and Word97 opened it immediately. I also modified the file name to include the year of the car. No need to do a pdf file or similar, from what I see, by changing the file extention to ".doc".<P>Thanks again,<BR>NTX5467

If you're going to search for something, it's better to search for something that's somewhat obtainable . . .<P>Operating on the premise that finding a deeper rear axle ratio is worse than finding the golden needle in the haystack, the next best thing would be the transmission. In this case, a BOP case Turbo700 from a middle '80s LeSabre. As the normal venue for that transmission in those cars was mated with a 307 Olds motor, it would need to be internally beefed up to handle the torque of the larger motor you have. Plus possibly some driveshaft alterations.<P>End result is a 3.07 low gear with a .69 OD ratio. With the newer fuel injection 350s, they handle that combination pretty well. The key to your Riv handling that lower cruise rpm will be the cam in it and how much torque it has in the 1500-2000rpm range.<P>It's possible that you might find a 2.74 low gear for the existing Turbo400 from the drag race transmission people. That might be the least invasive thing to do to get the added low end torque multiplication.<P>The other thing would be to retrofit a switch pitch torque converter and front pump into your existing trans. Instead of a torque multiplication factor of 2.1, the SP converter goes from a 2.6 to a 2.1 and can be toggle switched. This plus the deeper low gear could give you the extra jump you need without hurting the originality of the vehicle too much and might get real close to the low gear torque multiplication from the Turbo700 without all of the other changes to the car.<P>With the 3.42, or even a 3.91 ratio but to a lesser extent, the lower engine rpms at cruise might not be that good with a carburetor. In that case, an aftermarket Holley TBI system would do a better job of metering the fuel at the lower rpm, plus provide better throttle response during cruise. With the correct finesse, the Holley TBI can be hidden pretty well to not alter the cosmetic values of the original underhood area.<P>Just some additional thoughts.<P>NTX5467

Is there a complete itenerary posted somewhere? I would suspect that many Buick enthusiasts and BCA chapters would like to participate and/view the display if they could plan for these things.<P>Thanks,<BR>NYX5467

The water valve on my '68 LeSabre screws into the intake manifold behind the carburetor. On the 350, the casting in that area seems extremely fragile.<P>There are two water valves, one for the 350 and one for the larger V-8s. The difference is the height of the valve with the one for the 350 being shorter. <P>If you can find a genuine Buick service manual, it has several illustrations of those hose routings in great detail. Basically, the water valve (at the back of the intake manifold) feeds the heater core through the hose connection on the blower motor side of the situation. The hose that attaches on the innermost (toward the center of the car) heater hose connection from the core is the return line and heads straight from the core to the front of the engine. Pretty straightforward.<P>NTX5467

You can do the "old standby" of putting the thermostat in a pan of heated water with a thermometer to see when it starts to open (what the stated spec is, i.e., 160).<P>My theory on the radiator is that, with time, the silicates in the coolant will settle out somewhat--in the bottom of the core--kind of like silt in a lake. It's at the bottom so you can't see it and water will "gush" through the top so it seems things are ok--on crossflow radiators, that is. <P>The other way would be to get an infrared temperature "gun" to read the temps on the radiator tanks and such. Plus the thermostat housing and other engine parts. I think the less expensive ones are about $100.00 from the tool people and could work to check temps on most anything. The more expensive models will read to higher temps than the cheaper versions.<P>Do you have a complimentary temp switch for the fans? I would think they'd come on some when the engine warms up, but if they still come on at something like 210 degrees, I'd think they would hardly run with the 160 thermostat.<P>NTX5467

I concur that there has to be excessive resistance in something that the cable is turning.<P>For many of the earlier vehicles, the cables were serviced in a somewhat universal range of lengths. Then, the plastic tip was stuck on the end when it had been cut to the correct length. Inside the plastic tip was a blob of epoxy adhesive that stuck things together. In later vehicles, the "cable and casing" is one part number that comes ready to install. The plastic tip was also available separately in a package of 5, if I remember correctly--under an AC-Delco and GM part number.<P>The cruise transducers were famous for locking up and twisting the cables. There shouldn't be that much resistance in a speedometer head without something significantly rubbing and trying to lock up. Check the speed cup bushing for wear. Some of the production ones were plastic or they could be an oilite bronze. When that bushing goes away, it can let the spinning magnet touch the speed cup and result in noise and a suddenly jumping speedo needle.<P>NTX5467

Check for chaffed wiring that could be intermittently shorting out. I suspect that if it was the motor pulling too much of a load on the system, it'd be constant instead of must every so often. Is it setting a code in the BCM and/or turning on the "check brake system" light when this happens? <P>The antilock system will only activate when the individual wheels start to lock up. Therefore, during normal driving, the system is "ready" but not working until you need it. Or, in some cases, when wheelspin is taking place--in the "traction control" mode (when the "Low Trac" light comes on). The basic "Enhanced Traction Control" kills engine power whereas the higher level controls use brake intervention to stop wheel spin.<P>I really suspect it's just a wiring issue.<P>NTX5467

By 1987, most of the mechanical problems of those A-body fwd cars were well sorted out and gone. There were no suprises in the engine, transaxle, or anywhere else by then. The only recalls and such I remember (at the dealership level) were due to post-production changes in the headlight switches and things, but nothing serious.<P>Just because the car is low mileage, it's still that old. That means rubber items (i.e., seals and such) will deteriorate with the lower mileage due to age issues. Including in the rack and pinion steering gear.<P>If the car looks good and checks out ok, there should be no problems--I suspect. It's your money, spend it as you desire. Be an informed consumer.<P>The only thing about those particular cars is the wall-to-wall taillight assembly. Over $500.00 (for the part from the dealer) to replace and basically none in the salvage yards either.<P>The Lumina (and similar GM cars) use the same engine as the Century you mention. But you have a "utility" Chevrolet instead of a nice Buick. The later version GM midsize vehicle will ride and handle better than the '87 car plus having other upgrades and improvements in design and operation.<P>As for Hondas, they're like other imports in that they can be very reliable, but maintenance intensive (compared to American products) and more expensive to fix when they do break. The resale might be better on them, but that would work against them in what you're trying to do. But finding a pristine Honda at that price is pretty impossible--especially the pristine part (by my observation).<P>Look how much fun you could miss by just keeping your existing vehicle for a little while longer.<P>NTX5467

I consulted my '68 Buick factory service manual and found the 3.07 and 3.42 ratios listed for the Riviera with other full size Buicks having 2.93 and 3.23 ratios listed. I seriously doubt you'll find anything "deeper" than the 3.42 for those cars in any year. The Skylarks/GS models would have had ratios up to about 4.30, but that was a different axle.<P>For what you mention, have you figured out just how much money you'll spend on the conversion and the how much allegedly better fuel economy you'll get from that investment (i.e., how long it'll take to justify the expense)?<P>Unless you happen to find the rare or GS vehicle that was ordered with the Performance Axle ratio, instead of the standard ratio, you'll end up in the aftermarket looking for gear sets (new ones). That situation alone could run over $500.00 installed. If you do find a used rear axle with the ratio you desire, it could well be junk. <P>Then, the transmission conversion costs of the transmission and brackets and such. Figure at least $1000.00 for that (using used/reman parts/transmission assembly). Considering incidentals, you're looking at about $2000.00+ to save how much money in fuel costs????<P>Then, there will be costs to get the speedometer gears recalibrated for the axle ratio and tire size.<P>Plus, having an "altered vehicle" that could very well have a decreased value due to these non-factory modifications. If you were dealing with something more common than a Riviera, it might be different.<P>It's one thing to have a "neat" vehicle, but another one to chunk money into a project that will have questionable results on many issues. You could do a whole lot worse than to just make sure what you've got is in optimum operating condition.<P>NTX5467

The GN vendors are getting them from somewhere. But whether or not they will be in stock at the auto supply stores is the question--especially a 160 degree instead of the 180 degree or OEM Spec 195 degree.<P>Might check with HyperTech or some of the high performance chip people as they usually have some of those things.<P>Are you sure it's not a radiator flow situation? The cross flow radiators might look reasonably good through the filler neck but can be clogged in the lower sections.<P>Enjoy!

In the earlier times, you could generally tell what the radio was from the face plate, but the numbers on the tag did not typically exist anywhere else than in a Delco Radio manual. Other than the engineering number, the application number was in "code".<P>I remember seeing them at an older Delco radio service shop. It was like a "buyer's guide" of sorts that listed the radio and application for each number, just as it had the parts list for each radio also. It was in that book that I first discovered that Delco built the search tuners for Chryslers too.<P>The "two piece" radios were usually called "multiplex" instead of "stereo" back then. There's supposed to be a circuitry difference and the sound seemed better to me, but it's still two different channels instead of one. Rear speakers were sometimes run from an add-on fader that plugged into the front of the radio on the tuner shaft. The later one piece stereos in the '70s had all of the 4 speaker outputs in the regular place on the back or side of the radio and could easily use "one wire" speakers (the speaker itself was the 2nd wire that grounded the circuit) for the rear speakers. That's why the main radio chassis must be effectively grounded to the car body too.<P>In some cases, there were radio sections in the older ('60s and prior) car line parts books. From the days when the dealers could order electrical parts themselves to repair customer radios without having to send them out. Having some of these little known reference manuals can be priceless in some cases.<P>NTX5467

The common "fix" for worn guides is "knurling" the existing integral (i.e., cast as part of the head) guide. This is a common machine shop operation that has been around for ages.<P>An upgrade from that is bronze "heilcoil" inserts where you tap the inside of the guide to install the bronze heilcoil material. Then, once it is seated and such, it is sized to for the original valve stem size. It provides an excellent wear interface with chrome stem valves. Once that is done, then the valve job can be done as a correct reference point has been established. Any valves with excessive wear or bad wear patterns should be replaced.<P>Another item would be the "knock in" guide inserts. The valve guide is drilled out and a "knock in" insert is installed, just as in the earlier times before the whole guides were cast as part of the cylinder head. This is more labor intensive than the other options and probably more costly too. The bronze wall versions are preferable to the plain cast iron versions.<P>Key thing in all of this is to have a competent machine shop perform the work. You might look under the heading of "racing engines" as they should have the newest equipment with credible work output.<P>I concur that NAPA might be a good source for engine parts. Just get the ones that are listed to be at least as good as the OEM GM production items.<P>NTX5467