rocketraider

Sometimes a 455 crank is drilled for a pilot bearing, sometimes not. If yours isn't, you'll need a competent machinist. Emphasis competent.

I don't care whether hotrods are allowed on an AACA showfield. I like them. But you still have that 25 year cutoff in the class wording, and that opens up a can of worms. That says a car constructed in 1977 is now eligible for this class, which defeats your own definition of an historic hotrod. Change the eligibility cutoff to 1965 or even 1970 and I think all the controversy will go away. Until such time as you've taken steps to eliminate any possibility of a modern constructed car being in Class 37, you're going to hear negative feedback.

Hopefully I can make this make sense. First, is the car's Transmission Controlled Spark system still intact? The TCS is tied into the thermo switch, and unless you're going for 100% concours resto or it's required to pass emissions visual inspection, I'd ditch the TCS. <span style="font-weight: bold">PART 1</span> On the ported vacuum switch itself: Bottom port goes to an intake manifold vacuum source, usually a tee in the trans modulator vacuum line on AT cars or an intake vacuum port on SMT cars. Middle port goes to the TCS solenoid on the intake. Top port goes to the distributor vacuum advance. The ported vacuum switch switches distributor vacuum between ported vacuum and manifold vacuum if the coolant temp gets up to about 220 degrees. Switching the vacuum source to manifold vacuum advances timing at idle to help cool the engine. <span style="font-weight: bold">PART 2</span> If you still have the TCS solenoid: The vacuum port on the end with the wiring plug connects to a ported vacuum nipple on the carb (above throttle plates). On the end with the right angle vacuum nipple, the port in line with the TCS solenoid body connects to a vent nipple at the top rear of the carb (there should be two nipples on a 1970 carb- one for TCS vent and one for choke clean air source). The port at right angles to the TCS solenoid body connects to the middle (TCS) port on the ported vacuum switch. The TCS solenoid delays vacuum advance to the distributor until the transmission is in high gear. Look for a round metal thing at RF of intake with wires and vacuum hoses going to it. It's notorious for failure and if it fails, you will never get any distributor vacuum advance. Meaning- rotten performance and gas mileage, and probable overheating. Meaning- your car's gonna idle funny when the PVS switches between ported and manifold vacuum trying to cool the engine. <span style="font-weight: bold">PART 3</span> If you elect to disable the TCS, simply connect the middle port of the ported vac switch to a ported vacuum source. The PVS will then function as described in Part 1.

Hardtop doesn't have metal frames around the door windows and when the side windows are down there is a continuous opening from windshield to the roof sail panels. Post car has frames, and also a B-pillar that goes between the front and rear doors.

Howard, it hasn't been that long, it's just that the record companies don't support vinyl, and now, cassettes. There's little if any market for a turntable and the things are rather expensive now when you find one. Professional club DJs still use them. The Technics SL-QD22 that I paid $180 for new in 1987 now sells for nearly $600. About the only electronic gadget I've found that the price went up instead of down. And modern stereo receivers no longer have phono inputs. You can plug the television into it, but you can't connect a turntable without an adapter. A Pontiac buddy also has this old-sound-equipment-itis and bought a Revox reel-to-reel on ebay about a year ago. We went in Radio Shack to get blank tape for it and the kid looked at us as if we had just arrived from Mars. The store manager finally found some in the back and Tim bought every reel he had. I've gotten to where when I go in and ask for something like that and they duh around and finally say "we don't have that" or "I don't know what that is", I say "Why not?". It's fun to watch 'em try to come back on that one.

1974 parts book says: Gr. 12.944 Panel, wheelhouse outer- 1973-74 all AF, AG, AJ 29-57 9830492 RH, 9830493 LH. This means it fits all 1973-74 Cutlass body styles. I would guess it works on 1975s, the wheel openings changed in 1976-77. Possible that a Chevelle/Lemans/Century will fit, but not guaranteed. Inner wheelhouse are more complicated as there's different p/n for Cutlass coupes and sedans, and Supreme coupes and sedans. I have those numbers if you need them.

Can't find the body width, but the wheelbase was 112", overall length was 207", front tread was 61.4", rear tread was 60.7", and curb weight was 3920 lbs. From the <span style="font-style: italic">Standard Catalog of Oldsmobile 1897-1997</span> .

Front or rear? The front is common to all 1974 88 and 98 if that makes the search easier.

Far as I know, nobody's making seat kits for these cars. Strictly a cut and sew job. SMS Auto Fabrics out in Oregon is good for the material, though it's common enough that most trim shops stock it- black and white anyway. I'd be skittish of seatcovers that attach to the frame with Velcro. I can about guarantee they'll pull loose. The cardboard for door panels is also a trim shop item. It's used for door panels, kick panels and package shelf. Describe these door panels again? Factory stuff was a plastic lower panel where the armrest and window controls attached, and a cardboard upper section with metal top edge, covered in vinyl to match the seat upholstery. Maybe someone made door panels sometime along the way?

DeSoto Frank- you ain't alone. I collect old A/V and stereo equipment- filmstrip projectors and the like. Even have a 1940s vintage 3M Wollensak reel-to-reel tape deck! It don't work, but that's beside the point. I've had kids ask what my Dual 1229 turntable is? They've never seen one... God help me if they ever see my 8-track deck.

Straight from the 1972 Fisher Body manual- all 71-76 B/E car tops were the same. <span style="font-weight: bold">Removal and installation, front roof rail lock</span> 1) Manually unlock and support front roof rail several inches above windshield header. 2) With lock handle in OPEN position as shown in Fig 12-45 (which I can't reproduce here) detach spring, remove lock attaching screws and remove lock. (Appears this is done from the top side and spring must be detached to access front bolt- RR) 3) To install, reverse removal operation and check lock operation. Always lock left side of top before locking right side. Simple enough? Good luck-

As far as I know the decal is the only difference. All the A5 and A6 GM compressors I've seen are pretty much identical in operation and appearance. And believe me, they way they work is a marvel in itself <img src="/ubbthreads/images/icons/ooo.gif" alt="" /> . Maybe someone replaced your decal in a detailing fit? to cover the rebuilder's decal?

Type A Suffix A for HydraMatic. You can use Dexron in a pinch, it won't bother the transmission. In earlier cars, you could often substitute 10 weight motor oil for automatic trans fluid, but I think I'd stick with something designed for it. I can usually find Type A in discount stores. Think Coastal and Warren Oil still make it.

Hey Skyking- not as farfetched as it sounds. My Mama had an Electrolux vacuum cleaner with a sprayer attachment "for insecticides and light painting". Guess that was the genesis of HVLP paint spraying equipment. And an old man up the road's life ambition was to own an "Electrolux Burick". When he died, he still had a 1967 Ford Custom 500 sedan, ex-NC state motor pool car.

I can send you a copy of the wiring diagram and schematic from the 64 shop manual. E-mail me privately with a mailing address.

Besides the Regency getting mistaken for a similar vintage Cadillac, the one I always get on my Hurst/Olds- "That's the first hearse I ever saw looked like that"

Kinda makes ya glad Virginia exempted antique licensed cars from PP tax years before Guvnah Gilmore did his car tax thing, don't it ? The City of Danville tried going after them the same year the exemption legislation passed, what, about 1990 or so? I didn't get hit too bad with the Oldsmobiles, but a friend with a 69 Camaro and a parts car got socked with a PP tax bill for nearly $300 <span style="font-weight: bold">on the parts car alone</span> . The bozos downtown had valued an unlicensed car as a fully restored example, simply because he held title to it. I remember one year Danville got the VADA to set tax value on everything and I got an outrageous tax bill on my 1973 Olds ragtop, which had always been valued at $100 for PP tax. The tax value went up some 3000% on that car from one year to the next. My question was why it had gone up so much, when all other 73 Olds were still $100 cars, and they couldn't answer it. All they could say was "VADA set the values". Told 'em the car sure wasn't worth 30 times what I had paid for it... But you're right, Terry- cash-strapped local governments are going to start going after anything they can to get revenue. We've already seen it here in restaurant meals tax, lodging tax, entertainment tax (yes, they tax movie tickets and video rentals) and the cops writing a whole lot more tickets.

Bonnie Fochi forwarded funeral arrangements today- Visitation 6-9 pm Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, funeral service 11 AM Thursday 12/19/02 at Dering Funeral Home, 156 Foundry St, Morgantown WV.

A little background- the 1971-76 big GM ragtops used an all-electric top. No hydraulics at all. The electric top (or scissor-top, so named because the siderails fold like scissors) was first used on Corvairs as they had little room behind the backseat for all the hydraulic stuff and there was fear of fire if hydraulic fluid sprayed onto a hot air-cooled engine. (Didn't keep 'em from using gasoline fueled heaters!) The top drive has a reversible electric motor, a relay to control it, a dog-gear transmission similar to a power seat, and drive cables that operate rack-and-pinion actuators to raise and lower the top. The "official" reason for using the electric top was that it increased rear seat room as they didn't have to make room for top cylinders, folding rails etc. More likely it was because by using the electric top, the convertibles could use the same rear seat cushions as the closed cars thereby reducing costs. The technology was already proven in Corvairs, but since Corvairs went the way of the dodo in 1969, they needed to be able to amortize the cost of it. Motors, actuators, transmission, cables, all of it was identical to the Corvair parts.

What kind of car? GM used a couple of different wiring schemes for reverb units over the years. I can help you with Olds and Pontiac (which are different from each other ). Not sure which one Buick used. 1st thing I need to know is: does it incorporate a fader control and separate on-off switch (Olds type) or does it have a 3-position switch (front speaker only-reverb OFF; both speakers on- reverb ON; rear speaker only- reverb OFF- Pontiac type)? Neat option to have, except when you hit a bump and hear the sproing noise from the reverb amp!

Supply and demand enter this picture. Most people are doing 2-door hardtops or convertibles, consequently that's what the aftermarket makes. A shame too, because four-door cars can be very interesting and practical collector cars. You rarely see one on a show field. But you also find many outstanding original ones with low miles, often in the hands of their original owners. In addition to the sites linas mentioned, try www.pacwestauto.com or www.dvap.com . They deal in high quality used and some NOS parts. A set of Olds factory parts books can be invaluable too in trying to find parts common to the 2-doors and even other GM carlines. Is this car a post sedan or a Holiday hardtop sedan?

Steve- keep us posted. We've lost a man of principles.

Welcome to the new AACA Cadillac-LaSalle discussion forum! You've joined a great bunch of people with immense knowledge of GM cars. While they may often be a little "opinionated" , they know their stuff. Feel free to cruise the Buick and Oldsmobile GM forums too. Cadillacs are often mentioned there.

Welcome Pontiac and Oakland fans! You're joining a great group of folks here who have immense knowledge of GM cars. You might want to cruise the Buick and Oldsmobile forums too as Pontiacs are often mentioned there.

Dave@moon- how do you get the dagnab things to work? I have 3 or 4 different ones and all they ever seem to do is tear up the spark plug boots. One, shaped like pliers, has also been known to tear up my fingers when it slipped and pinched them in the handle. Or has anyone else seen the Porky Pig outtake where he whacks his thumb with a hammer? Sonofabi-di-bit, sonofabi-di-bit, sonofabi-di-bit, gun! Then he sez "bet you thought I was gonna say SOB didn't ya?!" Killing me... Mel Blanc was truly a genius. Now what did that have to do with tools?