JohnD1956
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Posts posted by JohnD1956
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Rob - that's a cool collection. I'm guessing a hail storm went through the Joe Browning lot.
I'm guessing that was a hail storm of BB's. Note the side windows are also broken.
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I also bought a skyhawk once. a 1.8 cc 4 banger with an automatic for $150.00. I think it was a brazillian motor, if I recall correctly. I didn't mind the car and it got great milage, but I didn't have it too long either. One day after driving home in a bad snowstorm, I started it and a cloud of steam came out from underneath. I had heard the 1.8's were prone to blowing head gaskets and cracked heads. So I parked it and pulled the head. I took it to be checked at the local parts/ machine shop. Recieving a good report I sent it on to be checked for warpage and they found a crack in the head. I often wonder if they swapped heads on me in order to resell a good head for more than they were charging me for my work. But, upon hearing the cost for a replacement I left the car alone. Eventually I came across another one which ran good but was rusted to death. I got that car and sold both to the mechanic friend who told me the subframe had to be dropped to swap the motors. I was happy to be rid of that thing.
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Happy Birthday Willie.
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Two awesome cars, and two 57's too. Good choices Gary. Someone may have a Buick Garden, but I think you are in Buick Heaven.
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This whole winter is unbelievable. Was supposed to snow today but it's been raining and sleeting and there's at least an inch of ice on the driveway and walkway. Won't be any running of the cars here for at least another week.
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That poster couldn't have come from a better guy, through a better world class friend, and gone to anyone more deserving.
Happy Birthday Dan
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An interesting theme in this thread is the age at which people got their first Buick. High school or right out of there-of. I always believed that given the chance most car guys would want to replicate what they had in that time frame.
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I certainly enjoyed this issue of the Bugle too. Nice job Pete.
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Introducing Phil Smith, AKA Dr. Phil with his 68 Electra. This was taken on Constitution Island during the formative meeting for a new Chapter in the lower Hudson Valley of NY. Constitution Island is directly across from West Point NY, and was instrumental in the Colonies fight for independance during the Revolutionary War. Great place being held by the US govt for posterity.
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Here is Dave McAllister and his wife Linda from New Brunswick, Canada, with their 61. This was taken at the 2007 Great Lakes Regional hosted by the Niagara falls Chapter.
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Dougs almost right on the 87 Electra T. That car was knocking hard and the owner told us he had drivin it for a few months with the knock. It wasn't a lifter. It was deeper than that.
When we bought it we went to the local junkyard and found the clean 100K Lesabre that engine two came from. It was hit hard in the front but the radiator was still holding fluid. No water in the oil pan, but they couldn't start it for us due to the damage. They guaranteed the engine so we bought it. Later when they delivered it there was gravel and mud on the intake. We cleaned the engine and I convinced JR we should put in new bearings while the engine was already out. The crank looked good to me, but apparently I was wrong. 30 days later engine 2 started knocking, and this IMHO is what seems to be the problem in general with the 3.8 vs the 3800.
Anyway JR went back to the yard and found another car with 175K. They started this one for him and he said it really sounded good. They gave him that engine under warranty and this time I said with that milage, lets just drop it in and see what happens. I didn't want to open it up. Well, that engine lasted over a year I believe and was still going when JR got his 93 Regal GS. Then it sat for a winter and would not start. So considering the overall poor condition he junked the car.
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Too bad they ( GM) didn't buy into that "Luminino" It looks pretty good.
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A few from Upstate NY
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Hello everybody!
My ... 1950 Buick Super 4dr. ...is currently under about 4 to 5 feet of snow in my driveway under the bare bones of a portable garage.... Wish me luck, please
Chuck
Hi Chuck. Welcome aboard. Just wanted to take a moment to point out that even snow rated portable garages can collapse under heavy snow, but you probably already knew that.
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Hi 2Fit. This may be an interesting thread. Currently 59, and my daily driver is a 78 Estate Wagon. Here's the rest of my story:
Started at Age 13, driving dad's 55 Special 3 speed 4 dr. around the neighborhood. But my actual first car was at 15 and was a 62 Electra convertible, although never registered. Got my licence at 16 yrs and 3 months, and drove Dad's 65 Electra. Then I had a 63 Ford Econoline van, a 60 MGA, and then a 57 Special convertible, all of which my father forced me to get rid of. BTW, all of them ran and were roadworthy. Dad just refused to let me have my own car at the time.
In consideration for getting rid of the 57 Dad bought a 69 Cutlass Convertible which I drove for three years till the neighbor gave me his 56 Roadmaster 4 dr Sedan. I drove that for 2 years and acquired a 64 Corvair convertible 4 speed at the same time. Then I got married and sold the Corvair to my younger brother but within a few months I broke the Roadmasters reverse gear. At that point we used my wifes 73 Maverick which was her first new car, and I got my current 56 Super. I then bought a 63 Corvair Turbocharged 4 speed coupe, but the motor was blown and I found an un turbocharged engine for it. The problem was I couldn't get a title, so my brother took what he wanted and I junked it.
Bought my first house at 26 yrs old and then things got crazy. In no particular order, over the next 5 years I owned and drove a 77 Dodge Colt, 69 Olds 98, 67 Impala wagon w/ factory guage package, 70 Impala wagon, 66 Dodge Coronet convertible w/ 3 speed stick, 67 Sportwagon, and in there somewhere my wifes cousin gave us her 66 Gran sport 4 speed coupe w/ factory air. Loved that car to death. What a blast that thing was. We also had ownership of a 64 Lesabre Convertible but never actually took posession of it. Another title problem. But when we sold the house we only had the Colt, the Gran Sport, and the 56 Super.
With our second house we acquired my Father in Laws 77 Ford Granada 4 speed, but moved soon to our third house where thengs got crazy again. A 72 Lesabre, 78 Electra 4 dr, a 79 Estate Wagon, my sisters 69 Electra, an 84 and 85 Estate wagon, a 77 Somerset t type w/ 5 speed, and my favorite 69 Electra 2 dr limited. Those plus a few 69 Electras which we parted out. Oh yeah, we also bought a new 93 Regal Custom, and had a 77 and 80 Caddy coupe devilles.
But when we moved to our current home we only had the 84 Wagon, the 93 Regal and the 56 Super. Here we added a 95 Riviera, and the 69 GS Convertible and then the 06 LaCrosse, and finally the 78 Estate wagon.
There were also a few other cars I didn't mention because either they were parts cars and never intended for the road, or I simply acquired them and sold them.
Gosh, I sure wish I had kept a few more of them.
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... Shut the door up there or we'll send you some 100's this summer.
Willie
Willie, that's hardly a threat while it's in the mid twenties today. What we need is some 100's today!
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Thanks JR. I appreciate the post.
BTW folks, that green 69 was our first foray into body work. Justin got a job at a friends body shop and while he worked there we had the opportunity to sand, straighten, patch and replace parts on this car, which was my sisters first car. When we finally got tired of the background work the body shop owner painted it for him. We did have one of his workers rub out the paint and we spent a few hours replacing all the brake lines and some other mechanical things as well. Lastly we threw on those Buick Rallyes and new tires. That really was a nice car till two weeks later when his friend rear ended it in Rochester.
Oh well.
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2fit66, great story. Sad to see the pics of the first Lesabre all destroyed, but sounds like it went out in a blaze of glory. Meanwhile, why not post some pics of your Lesabre T on a new thread in this forum? That looks like a great car, and I'd like to see and hear more about it.
BTW, what do your friends think of Buicks based on your experiences?
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Pete, you are Da-Man! Few things are more exciting than looking at your car in primer knowing it will be topcoated in a few short hours. And that 50 looks superb! Are you sure you even want to buff that hood?
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Interesting points Willie. I could not remember ever seeing any other color on wheels with full caps other than the red or black. But, last weekend I purchased a full sized 56 sales catalogue and was surprised to see red wheels on just about everything except the black cars and green cars. The black cars had black rims, the green had green rims and if a two tone, always in the darker of the two tones. Every thing else had red rims. Of course, every picture was an artists rendering, so who knows how much authority can be attributed to this document during judging.
Jerry, can the steel wheels and get a set of wire rims for it.
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Hi John, I can't answer your question BUT I will say that is a mighty Super car!!! I could look at that car all day and never get tired.
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Dave, most likely you have a bad power window switch in the drivers door. I don't know how these things are wired but I recall my 80 Caddy having a system where both front window switches had to be operable for either window to work. I believe the switches are sold by NAPA and AutoZone, so that sort of tells you they are needed with some frequency. Then again in all GM forms there's probably a few million of those cars out there.
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I would second all of Derek's nominations, especially the David Corbin one. I might add Pete Phillips, for his tireless dedication to reaching all BCA members each month with excellent Bugle editions.
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Since the car ran good before, I imagine the process of rocking it may be of little effect. One other thing I wonder about is pulling the axle out from both ends like in the one picture you have. Since you have tried everything else, I might recommend reconnecting the panhard bar only and raising the axle slightly. The remove the panhard bar completely from the frame side only, wrap a tow chain from under the axles up over and around the front of the pumpkin and hook it to one comealong straight back to the frame. I'd put a board or piece of plywood between the tank and the comealong cable to protect the tank just in case. Then try to pull it out straight.
57 Buick Beauty
in Me and My Buick
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Well, I'd be happy to find either, or both, in my garage.