Thriller

And why would you want them? The Mustangs that is.... In my mind, the Mustang was too popular, to the point that the styling becomes "boring" since there are so many of them. At least with the Reatta, it is unique enough that many people don't know what it is. I prefer unique to ubiquitous.

I'm happy I noticed this thread...I'm having the same issue. The door opens enough to see the cassette, but not enough to pull it out. The teenagers (who aren't as familiar with cassettes) inserted it on the way to South Bend in July. My thought had been that they may have inserted the cassette upside down, but based on what I'm seeing here, it seems to be a more common problem than that.

According to 1964 Buick, Special, LeSabre, Wildcat, Riviera, Electra, there were 17,519 four door hardtop Wildcats built in 1964. The 425 cid engine (called the Wildcat 465 based on the torque rating) of the engine) was optional in the Wildcat, as was the four speed. I understand there are others that may have a better breakdown of numbers, but I believe this would have been quite a rare car in the first place, to say nothing of how many have survived fifty years later. It sounds like a great car and I look forward to seeing it and meeting you next year in Portland.

The level of ignorance / confusion shown doesn't seem to manifest itself in asking prices though...thanks to the big auction houses and Speed channel and similar, everyone thinks they have a gold mine in their bare bones low end car because they saw one "just like it" at auction. It's nice to see I'm not the only grumpy one here this week :cool:

I know one unofficial consideration is that automobile manufacturers are conservative in the towing capacity. Lawyers are probably a pain in their lives too, so if a vehicle is rated for X, there is a safety factor engineered into the vehicle. The long arm of the law won't take that into consideration though should they pull someone over or if an overloaded vehicle is involved in a collision. I'm glad the adventure went well.

I've received both positive and negative feedback on my earlier post here and wanted to clear the air a bit. First of all, I know Roy and like him very much and appreciate what he does for the club (handling National meet registration being most prominent) and the hobby (rescuing Buicks). However, as with anyone you like, you don't have to like everything they do. It was suggested that I should have handled it in a PM, but what would that do, other than to serve as a conversation in private that perhaps generates more animosity? Part of the reason I posted was more as a warning to others that you should not tow beyond the rated capacity of a tow vehicle (and in many cases, shouldn't get anywhere near the rated capacity). Everything worked out fine in this case, but effectively Roy was more or less an uninsured driver on the road (and I've heard many rants against that). It most certainly was not my intent to offend anyone, but tact has never been a strength of mine. Again, Roy, great car. I hope to see it in person some day.

I can't speak specifically to the issue you are encountering, but some cars really seem to like bias ply tires, while others do better with radials. My '41 and '54 are quite happy with bias ply tires, and I have a set of each for the Wildcat (can't really speak to a comparison as it has been on the bias ply tires for a while now). I understand that some of the front end geometry / alignment may need to be modified for the different style of tire. Good luck.

Nice find Roy. Enjoy it. I had a garage like that once too...with a workbench up front, I had to push out on the door when opening or closing to clear the Wildcat. Said garage has been replaced. While you managed to make it without incident, I do have to chastise you for the tow job. Honestly, it is people who are towing beyond the capabilities of their vehicles that has resulted in some of the overly zealous rules we have in place today. If need be, rentals are available that can handle the load. Had you been in a collision, odds are good your insurance would have been void due to being loaded well over capacity of the tow vehicle. Those are some of the reasons I have Max, so that I don't need to worry about any of those sorts of issues. You got away with it this time, but should there be a need to tow your Electra again, please borrow or rent a proper tow vehicle that can properly handle the weight. [/rant mode]

Matt - if you haven't already, get Paul your mailing address to receive some neat stuff.

Yes, he did. Yes, I did deal with some fuel expenses. I'd worked on the signature yesterday, but that must have been when I was logged in as "imported_Thriller". Sigh. Yeah, I was a bit concerned about the winking as I didn't have any paper bowls handy to cover the other headlight (although Rob offered a styrofoam takeout dish)...I decided to risk it and things seem to have turned out OK. I also had to improvise for the rad topper...good thing I had plenty of electrical tape. Time for bed....

Good luck in the search. I hadn't restricted the year, but was interested in a sedanette...the '41 became available locally and I was able to get it for a good price. Having three children (now teenagers and one of them taller than me), four doors are certainly convenient. Here's some information on production numbers for 1950. 1950 Buick Models, Roadmaster, Super, Special In the Special line, they are more plentiful, but for Super and Roadmaster, they weren't particularly common in the first place. Good luck with your search. As others have noted, with the criteria you've given, it may be difficult. You may want to sit down with pen, paper, and your favourite vice and write out what you want in a car and why. List pros and cons of the various factors. That may solidify your desires, in which case, you may need to be patient and diligent in your search, or it may get you to consider a broadening of the search criteria to include other body styles or years. One thing I can say from experience (and I believe others will generally agree) is that repairing / refurbishing costs more than finished cars, so you want to purchase the best car you can get. Now, if that completely drains the account and you need to build up the Buick fund again before doing anything with the car, you may need to accept that you will have to get used to looking at (and enjoying) a car that sits patiently waiting for you. Again, good luck.

What a trip! 52 hours covering about 1350 miles with a trailer. Wyoming was neat...the bison added to the flavour. Aside from the visual difference, Max didn't really notice the '23 on back...it is neat that it is so light and can be pushed by one person. Paul left out the $1000 beer.... The loading and lunch was well-covered, so off to Whitaker's. It was sad for me to leave as well, but I had about 450 miles to cover and a border to cross, stopping on both sides to export it first, then import it...exporting was considerably easier, since the Canadian side is quite concerned about collecting their taxes. Unloading at the country place.... It is a happy thing that the '23 is so light since the strongest child wasn't available...it was also happy that the trailer height was slightly higher than the shop floor parked as it was so it was just a small heave to get it heading down the dovetail. At home among Buick brethren. It put a smile on some faces when it actually started on the trailer. My lack of experience (and a poor memory) led it to not continue to run, so the decision to push it off was made in the interest of expediency. That was a fun whirlwind trip. So, it all started in April in Salinas, CA, then got moved to Vancouver, WA. From there east to South Bend, IN and Nordwest to the land of the Hodag. Finally, west to take in another car show and northwest to come home. I've got a list of things to deal with, including battery (the one I got is too tall for the box), battery cable (to reach battery without a kluge in place), fuel delivery to vacuum tank, coolant leak at water pump, and some other odds and ends. Aside from that, the goal is to clean it up a bit and enjoy. Great trip, great friends, great fun, great Buick.

Well, there were brownies, if that is close enough.... Happy I got the ID / login fixed up.

Not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but with all the butterfingers (from toast? Vegemite? bacon?) around, we may need to consider instituting a "no glass" rule. It almost sounded like one of those celebrations where people are intentionally throwing glasses around.

I think I may have an adventure in mind for you next week...it won't necessarily involve the sounds of the dual carbs, nor will the cost for fuel money be borne by you, so it may be easier, but still enjoyable.... You make it look like there is nowhere to get ice cream in Andover

I thought I knew that driveway...seems like I've been there before...OK, once, on the way home from South Bend. Aren't you back at Whitaker next week Paul...or am I confused as usual? Great story once again...looks like it was a good day.

Congrats Frank. The new Regal has been tempting me as well. A friend bought a Verano and really likes it...if I decide I can get away with a smaller car that may be an option as well.

I understand how the photos are so good...Paul is in a couple, implying his better half was the photographer. It would have been fun to make the trek, but I've already been in the USA twice in the past month and will be back down later this month...passport is getting worn out this summer. If things work out, Paul has a surprise planned for the Whitaker show....

Alan - I've closed down my e-mail program for the night, but need to remember to ask you a question or two about the '76...I may be able to find the info otherwise, but probably quickest to ask you.

How about a 17 year old driving over 2000 miles with deteriorating A/C (work needed) with her 15 year old brother as a navigator? I'm proud of my daughter. On top of that, this was a great bonding experience in terms of spending time together and in terms of planning our Buickful future. Luke wants to drive to Allentown...he'll be 18 then. Springfield may not happen for them due to the June dates. Portland is likely to be a tow job (and no, not for a concours trailer queen).

Microsoft does the same thing with computing...I don't like it, but it is what it is. The people with money are the boomer's parents...from a demographic perspective...they didn't finance their lives with debt like the boomers and subsequent generations have. Some have money, but generally speaking, more of them are in hock than most people think. Keeping up with the Jones' has been costly for that generation. As for the car, I'm torn. I don't like seeing nameplates resurrected only to be a shadow of what they were. GNs and GNXs were specialized Regals. Now, we have a Regal GS that is a pretty decent performer, as I understand it. Yes, 400 hp in the GNX would be impressive. How does this platform size compare? The comments on the article are inundated with Cadillac...how big is it compared to the Regal and Lacrosse? BTW, I have a 31 year old friend who loves his new Verano.

Not to mess with your grieving, but there's a magnolia tree on the Notre Dame campus dedicated to cancer survivors. You can tie a ribbon on as a reminder. Suzanne's ribbon is somewhere in the middle of the shot...Luke tied it on a little branch by its lonesome so he could pick it out (not that we're likely to be getting back there any time soon).

Well, for us, it is a family vacation. Our children are still in school, yet the older ones are looking at continuing to attend beyond their school years. Granted, a fall meet would be easier, but school sports and other activities also ramp up in the summer. Heck, if the BCA is for retired folks only, or for folks who don't see the old car hobby as a family thing, then fine, whatever. There is a challenge if people start looking to October as well...it increases the risk of encountering snow for those around the 49th parallel and those who have to cross the Rocky Mountains. Yes, heat can be an issue, but as John's post notes, this week is much cooler...weather prognosticators have enough difficulty getting it straight a couple days in advance, so I certainly wouldn't expect them to figure it out a year or two in advance. Of course, another item to note is that everyone (myself included) is likely to post from their own self-interest. Now, if heat is an issue for those working parking (not in South Bend) or the pre-qualification, then get more volunteers involved and have shorter shifts. Similarly for judging, don't kill the car, and spend no more than ten minutes per car - that will go further to getting out of the heat than complaining will. Again, if more volunteered to judge, classes could be made smaller and judging would be done by mid-morning. Wouldn't that be neat, for everyone except those involved in judging administration to be able to relax, look at the cars while they are still on the show field, and visit with their Buick friends, instead of stressing about a lack of time to get ready for the banquet? I've said it before, if everyone who is having a car judged would volunteer to judge (and I know that many do judge regardless of whether or not they have a Buick entered in 400 point judging), then the class sizes would be around 5 and every judging team would be done in about an hour. Many hands make light work. Not attending the Plano meet was, in part, due to June dates and the children were in school. Springfield will be a challenge as a family trip due to June dates and high school exams. When you look at 4 days at the meet, and 2-3 days each way getting there, a week to ten days gets taken up easily. If you take in one of the after tours or take your time and see the sights on your travel days, then it gets longer very easily. There are still some working stiffs in the BCA who have limited vacation time. It is what it is. From a timing perspective, July and August probably work for the greatest number of people. The down side is that is typically the hottest time of the year.

Cool John...really living up to your BuickMan reputation. I have been through our photos and burned a couple DVDs, but haven't gotten into edit mode to make them more reasonable for the Internet. I have to agree the basilica is quite spectacular. We went through there on our own Wednesday morning, then attended Mass on Saturday before the banquet.

Welcome to the forum Kim. I'm glad to hear about where the car went (and quite pleased it is in Canada to boot). I also really like your attitude about stewardship in your last paragraph. Enjoy!