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The connivers at the federal level have their plate full trying to keep ethanol alive. The product is proving itself unworthy of funding. And the "dependence on foreign oil" is a questionable argument when one looks at the problems US cities are having with rail traffic of EXPORT oil. Then look at the poor condition of the US major sea ports. How are all those import tankers getting in to unload? My heavy ferrous metal, low RPM engines are doing just fine and I don't keep fuel in the tank long enough for biological colonization. Interesting, those guys on the website look about the age I was when we were encouraged to go shoot up Southeast Asia. I wonder how cynical the five of them will be 50 years from now. I think you need a younger audience. Bernie

I have worked with SS line in the 1/4" size range on industrial process equipment. It is hard to work with and sometimes difficult to seal a joint. I have also found the ready made auto parts store lines are made from an alloy that makes them easy to bend, but more susceptible t o corrosion, especially at clamping points or where it touches frame rails. My preference is to buy a roll of steel line and make my own. You can also be faithful in replace the wound stone guard. I have a couple of good double flaring sets and a pretty good selection of benders. On long hidden runs, like X-frames for Buicks and Caddies, I like the fish the length through the rails, establish the clamping points, then leave it loose and form my final bends and flares in place. Do a '59 or '60 Cadillac front to rear line and you will see.. I bought a set of ready made lines for a '55 T-Bird project a little over 20 years ago. The lines were truly inspirational; they inspired me to keep making my own. I'm such a fussy PIA about detail I have to do my own. Just patience and stuborness Bernie

Here is a thought to keep in mind: I saw those A/C hoses for sale on the Craigslist ad. If you are swapping to 134A and need a hose and new is the only option you have to go with triple wall. Finding a New Old Stock hose won't hold the gas in. However, a used hose is impregnated with refrigeration oil and the oil will seal the hose. Bernie

I'm feeling really lucky. I have a lot of tools, but just walking around with the detailer bottle and a microfiber cloth is what comes to mind first. I just checked and this IS the Buick Forum. I do have one special tool I might get a picture of later. Bernie

Another brain fart, it's $3,000 CR all costs. I was thinking about the personal $40,000 blooper I considered as a post grad course. Getting the point across is good. Contemplating a 50K car for a toy isn't outrageous. I guess the biggest red flag in the ad was the $35 per hour shop rate; almost 100 weeks to assemble a cookie cutter collage coupe? Bernie

What do you have now, and had in the past? Do you do your own work? What ,personally, rings the bell on that car for you? If I invited you out to lunch with a guy who worked in a shop with a $35 per hour rate and he made $16 per hour working there would you get excited about meeting him? This is a forum that focuses on originality. There are some original cars that perform and drive phenomenally. Have you tried any? A desirable original car can be evaluated objectively, about 400 points worth of objectivity. That means a lot more than a subjective value like "6 out of 10 street rodders like two fours on a red coupe." Then you have the thought of $60,000 in discretionary money; back to my question 3. Buy it. If you don't like it sell it. You won't lose the whole bundle. MBA post grad courses go for $10,000 per CR. How much learning can you handle? Bernie

Old wives tails are more fun. Back in 1968 I spent some of my Navy off-duty time studying an ICS (International Correspondence Schools) course on Automotive Tune-Up and Carburetion. I was planning my career as an automotive mechanic after the Navy. I still have a few of the books in the garage. While rolling along through the South China Sea I became increasingly annoyed at detailed instructions on the drill size to modify air bleed tubes on 1949 Plymouth carburetors, the intricacies of 1951 Oldsmobile two barrel drilling and the like. Details of obsolete stuff, and I already had experience without these fabled clinical activities, ended up it me dropping the course. I never did pursue a career as an auto mechanic, but as a hobby I sure did a lot with carbs. And the closest I got to any solder was digging out the plugs in the bottom of a Q-Jet to put a fresh seal in. If one can pick up each part of the carb and know its name and what it does the rebuild will probably bring it back to the performance level it left the showroom with. Sometimes long periods of setting (not going to write idle) take their toll. Metering rod pistons come to mind right away. The point is having to understand carburetors are not a scientific process. They are art. The differences in density of air and fuel, and the streams, flows, and eddy currents formed can be random, not as predictable as one would like. Then put it on an engine (pump) with not so predictable flow characteristics, it's lucky most run as well as they do. Then the manufacturer designs it to bristle with easy to access adjusting screws to tempt the owner. That's just a ploy to get you to mess it up and bring it back for service. Check everything twice, then check everything that isn't a carburetor. When you are absolutely sure it's all correct, check it all again. Bernie

As I get older I'm glad I bought Buicks. A bottle of detail spray and a polishing cloth is what I find in my hands most often. The more I drive the less I have to fix. Bernie

Jokes about tying people up, well, we'll say it's a joke, aside. You can get some money out of that car if you spend a little time making it as presentable as possible. Take the air cleaner off the seat. Either set extra parts aside or arrange them in the trunk. The paint is obviously bad but Harley Earl knew shine sells. I have sold worse cars by wiping them down with a rag dampened with kerosene. The black paint will shine, gently wipe the dash, steering wheel, and chrome knobs. If the tires won't hold air put some wooden blocks under the a frames to make it sit right. I would take an hour and the "expert" guys would scoff at what you were doing. When I mention I do stuff like that they make faces. Then we leave a restaurant and the credit card machine is broke.... I'm the only one with cash and I get stuck with the bill. If they offer less than your asking price always take something in exchange, like the visor or hubcaps, anything to keep it from looking like you made a charitable donation. That can actually be fun on a better car. There are certain socio-ethnic groups that have a genetic NEED to have a price reduced. Learn to profile them for sport. Some are not allowed at the annual picnic if they paid asking price for anything during the year! Don't over estimate or under estimate your buyer. And don't make his decision for him. "Oh, he won't care about this." or "He won't want this." usurps his right to spend his money. Just make every effort to let him spend. Then if he's a little short of cash tie him in the chair until someone comes. Your Dad will love the story. Bernie

I put sormewax on mine and then drove it up to the shady corner of the yard where I used a tiny brush to daub a little white paint on about 8 chips. Then back again. Big deal. Tomorrow I plan to drive along Lake Ontario up to a restaurant in Lewiston where you can see Canada across the river. And Toronto from the hill. Bernie

Fascinating. Tomorrow I'm going to check our modern cars and see where the switches are. It's incredibly hard not to write something about putting on the hazard lights and stopping by the airport to pick up a Penny. Good thing I have restraint. Bernie

Nice job. I have a matching heli-arced arm on my driver's side; same thing, a local welder fixed it in 1980. He also welded the ring back on my R bombsight after a snow brush collision. I had the upper door stainless polished while the door was apart as well. There is a box out in the garage with a full set of manual widow tracks and lifts that match the ones in my car. They are designated for new fuzzies when I redo my doors, too. Your pictures are inspirational....... maybe, well, started my 38th year of owneship last month. Wouldn't want to rush into anything. Bernie

Mandated about 40 years ago. That could very well be the last time I turned any on except for a mandated inspection. Can anyone remember the last time they NEEDED to use them? Bernie

In New York State the way to legally take ownership of a car is to license and insure it with the DMV. That's a big consideration before spending any money beyond the purchase price. Think about those 10+ year restorations and your legal ownership position upon completion. The last few project cars I bought have been licensed in my name even though they were a real long way from finished. JCT is real good about that Bernie

How about "Saturn, Spectre, I have a bit of a lisp."

"Yes, drive it 30 miles and re-torque the aluminum wheels. Just leave the wrench here next time." Bernie

When I said they were scooters to the leader of the pack it made him stutter. And he almost lost his pocket protector. B

Well, sometimes. Bernie

All these motorcycles are reminding me of the time Heck's Angels swarmed into town. The mess from the illegal tattoo shop was bad, took us days to find all the wrappers. Bernie

I think the idea of Hagerty's liberal driving policy is a myth. I called and the person I talked to was quite specific on the limitations. I don't think they'd like that work parking lot picture any more than they'd like the car outside covered with leaves. Bernie Oh, and I checked with my insurance about my 1939 Allis-Chalmers; no tractors with a front end attachment covered. I guess someone must have been pushing antique snow. Even got a pic of the previous owner.

20 bucks each time one drives takes 50 outings to make $1,000 a year. The math always works. And I still have the car I bought when I was 30. And the one I bought when I was 50 And the one I bought when I was 60. Bernie

Those '41's are such nice driving cars, all models. I like the 60S best. I used to service a Model 62 that a friend bought in 1964 for $600 (actually quite high at the time). I was driving it on the New York State Thruway with him riding when the car turned 40,000 miles in the late 1990's. Love those flathead 8's. Bernie

It's all stuff that is available in third world nations. I had a good talk with my doctor and came home optimistic that I "could live up to" another 40 years. The first thing I did was investigate life and business in third world counties to prepare. That's where this collection of "misfits, tin horns, and ner' do wells" is taking us. No kidding, want to get online in South America, bring a handful of quarters. Need a nationalized electric grid; check Mumbai and Rio. Lots of new to us wonders on the way. Bernie

I'd go with the gate opener. Pull the knob and hold a piece of ferrous metal next to it. It is probably a potted magnet. I used to visit a facility with secure parking. A scanner read your pass to get in. Getting out used a buried magnetic switch that sensed a car driving up to the gate. I would call when I approached and one of the staff would toss a small manhole cover over the magnet to let me in. The device on the Caddy would be pretty secure for the time. How many cars would have a magnet to get in? Just the reverse of the system I used. Bernie

Buy a length of clothesline before advertising the car. If you get an offer tie the buyer in a chair with the clothesline until they pay or someone comes with the money. Use the cotton woven clothesline the plastic stuff can irritate them and they won't leave as a friend. I talked my Dad into buying a 1960 Thunderbird project car shortly before he died in 1977. I sold the car foe enough money to buy a good Sears floor jack that I used for years. It was a fitting memorial because he regularly warned about jacking a car up properly. And much more practical than a headstone or something like that. Bernie