60FlatTop

Sit in a few. You'll be surprised at how quickly you figure out the differences. One of the neatest experiences is to get out of a '56 Special and into a '56 Roadmaster. Back around 1990 I had been using a '56 Olds 88 as my daily driver. A '56 Caddy Eldorado came in for some word. It's like getting out of an S10 and into a Silverado. Bernie

Hi, John, the only difference I noticed is the knobs from '64 and '65. In 1978 I took my '64 Riviera to the local Buick dealer to have the center joint greased. It was mostly to show off the car and I bought my own needle adapter shortly after. While I was in the shop I noticed that they were using a showroom 1965 radio display for music in the shop and recognized the AM-FM radio was the same face as mine. I asked if they would be interested in selling it. They told me all they wanted was tunes. So I ran up to the Neisner's Big N store in the plaza and bought them a pretty good $10 or $15 radio. I bought it back and unplugged the display, plugged in their new radio and off I went. I picked up a set of correct knobs on Ebay in the early 2000's. They are in a box on the back floor. Think I'm about due to swap them out? Bernie

A couple of those comments are downright scary. Bernie

Trains were never really fun for us kids. I still have my 1953 Lionel in the brown cardboard box it came in. If it has been out 10 times in the 60 years that's a lot. Before PIA was a computer term those trains were. We'd connect the tracks together on the living room or bedroom floor and the sections would side apart. We'd have tarnished areas where the engine wouldn't run. Siding switches went nowhere. Getting it to run long enough to get the smoke pill hot enough to puff was a big event. I think our goal was to create a little fantasy world, not a lot of fusing around and work. A few years later, for me, the $20 car in the back yard was about equal. We always needed a battery or were marching up the street with the gas can from the mower. When I did get an old car running I could drive it in an oval around the back yard that moved the odometer 1/20th of a mile per lap. Today the village code officer would be waving tickets all over a kid doing that, if the kid got away from the gas station with a can that wasn't red. Our fantasies ended up sitting in the car with the radio on talking about where we'd go if we had a license. Not much different than a kid with electronics today. They just don't have to wait for the tubes to warm up. Bernie

I use one similar two this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mighty-Cutter-Hose-and-Cable-Cutter-Fuel-Line-Cutter-Vinyl-Air-Hose-Cutting-Tool-/321538801198?hash=item4add34be2e:g:CRsAAOSwVFlUKycN On fuel tank filler hoses or larger diameter stuff I wrap a piece of electrical tape to mark the edge and take a couple of nibbles. I have probably had it for 25 years. The tricky part is removing the old hose. They can bond to copper nipples and the guys who twist them off can break solder joints and the like. I always make a longitudinal slice in the hose along the top of the fitting and then use a screwdriver tip to, gently, peel the hose away. I put all new hoses on my Packard with that technique last year and didn't break anything. Bernie

It sounds like a pretty bad idea to me. I recall seeing them advertised and sold but there are a whole lot of questions that would have the wrong answers. Opening access to the water jackets, cleaning the radiator, and pulling that mouse nest out of the lower radiator hose is a lot better way to go. Bernie

Today it started out at minus 10 here. It's up to +6 now. Maybe I'll see if Hilary Knight needs some help getting her skates on. The pond is frozen. Bernie

Personalities; so close to the skin. B

Imagine what these girls would do if they got a ride in an Electra.

Here's Charlie's '47 Super He can ride with me. His wife probably threw him out because he had his son stand by the dirt road while he drove by at 65 on biased tires. Oh, that other post, I've never owned a car that attracted so many "older women" than my '60 Electra. Bernie

But they are mentioned because the Riviera buyers didn't want blackwalls like the Rambler and the low priced three buyers did.

Good thing that Olds song is posted in the Buick section. Someone might ask where the 394 went. Next thing you know they'll be putting this to music. Shes real fun my 401 Shes real fun my 401 My 401 Well I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes (giddy up giddy up 401) For I knew there would be a time (giddy up giddy up 401) When I would buy a brand new 401 (401, 401) Giddy up giddy up giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 40... Nothing can catch her Nothing can touch my 401 401 ooooo (giddy up giddy up oooo) (giddy up giddy up oooo) (giddy up giddy up oooo) (giddy up giddy up) When I take her to the cruise she really shines (giddy up giddy up 401) She attracts the milfs and they stand in lines (giddy up giddy up 401) My big floatin Dynaflow wide ass 401 (401, 401, 401, 401) Giddy up giddy up giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 401 (giddy up giddy up 401) Giddy up 40... Nothing can catch her Nothing can touch my 401 (401 401 401 401) Giddy up 401 (401 401 401 401) Giddy up 401 (401 401 401 401) Bernie

I am not challenged. I am a challenge. I like those WCFB's a lot. I have a hazy recollection that you can run them without an air horn and float bowl cover. Anyway, If I opened one up and the gasket stayed whole, I'd dip my finger in some grease and pinch both sides of the gasket between my thumb and finger to give it a light sealing coat and be on my way. BTW, if you ever run across a base gasket that says Corn Flakes on one side.... it might be one of mine. Bernie

It warms my little heart to see white wall tires listed on all of them. Bernie

Here's something interesting. I listened to that Hot Rod Heart song again, just 'cause I like cornfields. And I thought "Hey, sumthin sounds familiar here. To paraphrase Dr, McCoy " 'm a mechanic, not a guitar player" but give a listen to this and Hot Rod Heart Bernie

In people over 60, being offended can stimulate circulation in their extremities; maybe the only time that particular day. Personally, I'm really hard to offend and when I am it makes me laugh. On the discrimination on cars you can look at it objectively; how many points does it achieve in 400 point judging or subjectively; 6 out of 10 over-aged air guitar players prefer. I remember, about 30 years ago when a friend had just finished a grueling restoration of a popular MoPar and I had cut the roof off my wife's '62 Electra 6 window 4 Dr hardtop. He stood talking to me frustrated with a red face and said "My stomach is in knots every time I take my car out and I park is as far away from anyone as I can. I am up late worrying about exacting details. I'm a mess. And you are just having a ball in that damned thing you cut the roof off. Something ain't right!" He still has the MoPar and I sold the Buick. Nothing else has changed. Bernie

Dave, read what I wrote out loud. It actually originated from an old man in a bar in the next town over, and a memorable statement. He said "Sonny, I've worked hard more days in my life than you are years old." I was 22 or 23 years old at the time. Kinda stuck with me. Bernie

I like hearing those people who say "my hard earned money" when they talk. I'll bet you I have worked hard more days of my life than most young people are years old! Bernie

I like that Hot Rod Heart one about getting your Buick convertible out in the cornfields. Might be a lil dusty for some, but I seem to have an awful lot of pictures of my cars on dirt roads. Bernie

How about an upside down bathtub with a shiny chicken roosting on the front? The Manta guy probably thought that style would look good modified. Bernie

eclecticThis describes a combination of many different individual elements of styles, themes, mediums or inspirations pooled from many sources. It can refer to musical tastes, Bernie

At this point I'm happy with the points.I can't see the point of switching to the other type of switch. If I did switch I'd go with a crankshaft sensor, a couple of 4 cylinder ignition modules and 8 coils. Like that croc hunter said "Now that's a switch." Bernie

Aw, come on, guys, it's taken out of context. 1959 was when I bought my first Rod & Custom Magazine (the one with the yellow coupes) and my Mother's cousin was still driving his '32 Ford into town. It was 13 years after WWII and even though all the guys who hung around lying that "they were a fighter pilot in the war" were fading out;and that's pretty much who they built cars for, at least showy ones. Updating it a few years and it has all the style of a Jaguar XK8, you know, the Taurus convertible or was it a Contour. Bernie

It's hard when someone removes parts that would help you sort the system out. Is there evidence of a glass jar battery mounted on dash or under the passenger seat? That may be independent of the electrical system and the charge maintained by a charging plug connected to a charger in the owner's garage. That would be the power for starting on the coil ignition. Once started the switch would be positioned to turn off the coils and their plugs, then switch to the magneto. I wouldn't expect it to run on the coil and mag concurrently. Sometimes you just have to mount the pieces in place, start with what you do know and build on that. I am not familiar with the Fiat. Does it use a generator or flywheel mounted dynamo? Is there an oil filled switch with a mushroom foot pedal to start? Two 12V batteries in series? I am being reminded of a 1913 Rambler that I sorted out electrically about 20 years ago. And wondering if you have taken a look at electrics on some of the early Rolls-Royce small horsepower cars. You might get some answers there. Bernie

Well! That reminded me of an old favorite. You just don't know how big I'm smiling. Bernie