Always always always ALWAYS...

[Guest ZondaC12]

...make sure the switch is ON!!! Ugh!!!

In my case, the kill switch! I think my dad put it in, a small switch under the dash that cuts the starter circuit for security no doubt.

Dating back all the way to about more than a month ago, just before the car came off the road for the winter, suddenly I could not start the thing. Had to get a BAR out and move the starter engagement arm myself to activate the motor and crank it over. Found that I could jump the contacts on the solenoid relay to the battery....crank!!!

I've been looking at the wiring diagrams, trying this trying that...reminding myself how SIMPLE these cars are! I sand the contacts on the relays in the regulator, no dice. Check the vacuum switch wires, clean...practically EVERYthing, tighten these things as well.

Today I just happened to take a look under the dash, the harness goes in there, thinking....maybe...theres a bad ground..in there for some reason?

Spot the kill switch. Wonder if it's in the right position. Get ready to bang my head against the wall. Flip it. Turn the ignition on. Hit the pedal. Cranks. Proceed to....bang my head against the wall.

I was SO worried my super-cool pedal start was broken and I'd join the ranks of many buicks with aged and worn out starter circuits. Good thing it still works like a charm. Not a good thing that my brain is shutting down!!!! LOL

Simple stuff...simple stuff...ALWAYS start there. Just another learning experience with this thing. Definitely not the first, and certainly not the last either for sure.

[DAVES89]

Must be an old guy thing. Both of my Buicks, Roadmaster and Reatta where owned by old guys who did the security hidden switch thing. Both cars gave me troubles as I inadvertly tripped them causing a no start situation.

[Mark Shaw]

Paul,

We have all been there, and many have been there more than once....

The cool pedal start really is fun to show off to others. About a month after I got my 38 I tried to demonstrate the start sequence to one of my neighbors. When I pushed on the pedal it made a really wierd noise and POOF!. A little smoke ring rose from the ignition switch. I was a bit embarassed, and quickly ended the demonstration.

I later found that the coil had come loose and slid down and shorted out when the hot wire contact stopped the coil by hitting the top of the coil clamp.

Fixing the coil mount was easy, but crawling under the steering column to fix the burned contacts on the ignition switch was less than comfortable.

The switch mechanism is quite simple though, and was also fixed with a little cleaning. (Try that with a switch from Radio Shack).

In the process, I also corrected another potential shorting problem. The previous owner had the multiple switched wires on the side of the switch right next to the steering column. Some of these switched hot wires we less than 1/8" from shorting out on the column. I simply swapped the multiple wires to the opposite side to make more room for the two "always hot" wires.

Good to know too...

[MarkV]

I put mine on, so, I know where they are!

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Boats have kill switches...try starting your boat at a busy launch without hitting the switch...need to use my boat more so I don't forget things like that.

At least I can still put it up to being more than double Paul's age

[Guest ZondaC12]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 1948Lincoln</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I put mine on, so, I know where they are! </div></div>

Oh NEVER FEAR I knew full well about this thing! I've used it before, just to be safe. Great thing to have!!!! Kinda helps if you dont forget that you shut it OFF though!!! haha

My mom tells me ALL the time "Stop forgetting things! You're WAY to young to do that, stop it now!"

And lest anyone worry....don't use any drugs don't drink...nuttin. I'm just 100% pure Florida fresh-squeezed not-from-concentrate..."boneheaded" sometimes, as good ol' dad used to love to say

[JohnD1956]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ZondaC12</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...Today I just happened to take a look under the dash, ...Spot the kill switch. ... Flip it. Turn the ignition on. Hit the pedal. Cranks. Proceed to....bang my head against the wall. </div></div>

There, in a nutshell, is the recipe for a happy life. Take out that kill switch. There's hardly a person alive today who would consider doing any damage to your Buick. Although I bet many of them envy you when you drive by.

[Matt Harwood]

One thing I noticed when I was a kid, and I wonder if anyone else ever saw this: In Bugs Bunny cartoons, Elmer Fudd always drove Buicks. Seriously. I recall distinctly in one episode where it was clear that he was pushing the accelerator pedal to start the car--someone actually animated it that way. You couldn't see his foot, but the way he moved from the shoulders up, leaning back, hands holding the steering wheel for support, it was very obvious that he was using a foot starter.

My father had a '41 Buick at the time and I was familiar with the system and just assumed (as a 10 year old kid) that all old cars of the 40s must have had foot pedal starters.

Am I the only one who ever noticed this?

[Guest ZondaC12]

Wow! That's neat. I...feel like...maybe. Don't recall seeing many that included him driving. *hops on youtube* haha

I'm glad that I'm pretty much JUST old enough to remember the good old Looney Tunes as well as others like Tom and Jerry, that WERE my Saturday morning. Nope, kids today have nothing but CRAP to watch.

Do you believe it? I find myself and my friends talking about "the good old days", probably 10 years ago or so if that. I'm <span style="font-weight: bold">20</span>!!!!! And we're already talking like that. But seriously. Miss that stuff...and sad to see what passes for T.V. now....

[Guest John Chapman]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Matt Harwood</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> ...Elmer Fudd always drove Buicks...</div></div>

...shhh-h-h-h....

Must be <span style="font-style: italic">vewwwy, vewwwy </span>quiet! We're huntin' <span style="font-style: italic">wabbits</span>!

JMC

[Guest imported_Thriller]

Duck season...rabbit season...duck season...rabbit season...rabbit season...duck season...blam.

Now of course I need to break out the DVDs...5 volumes of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection. I'll have to find one with Elmer driving since I don't recollect seeing him with a car at all.

Paul...are you sure you weren't born a generation or two out of your proper placement in the space-time continuum? You don't seem like you belong in a 20 year old body...at least compared to many of the Gen-Y or later punks we have around here.

[Guest ZondaC12]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thriller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Paul...are you sure you weren't born a generation or two out of your proper placement in the space-time continuum? You don't seem like you belong in a 20 year old body...at least compared to many of the Gen-Y or later punks we have around here.

</div></div>

I'm surprised you haven't heard me make the remark already!!! Believe me I love hearing all the stories from people at shows, and I HATE hearing them at the same time. Oh well...at least THEY got to enjoy it all!!!

Oh and...DUCK SEAASON!!! FIRE!!! hahahahahahaah