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Raise your hand if you drove at least one old Buick this weekend


JohnD1956

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I started my '71 LeSabre last weekend after 7 months hibernation. Only took 15-20 seconds of cranking for it to turn over. Drove it out of the garage and let it run long enough to warm up. After a couple of minutes, I noticed what looked like smoke coming from under the hood by the wipers so shut it down. Didn't see anything, so started it back up. Noticed the  AC clutch turning slowly even though the AC wasn't on. Turned the AC on and it started blowing with the clutch spinning. However, it looked like it was spinning unevenly if that makes sense. Anyway, I shut the AC off and the clutch stopped, but still moved slightly. Then I noticed black particles all over the engine compartment and right front fender, like ground rubber. It appears that the metal part behind the black part is broken which is chewing up the black part - sorry I don't know the names. The AC needs to be charged/repaired so I guess I can take off the belt and be all right. Until then, I don't dare to drive it. 

John, you should start a new thread. Your post will get lost in this long thread

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Made a 23 mile run for frozen yogurt at the local TCBY store.  Talked old cars with a guy that knew his way around many of the 50's models. He could not remember seeing a Roadmaster convertible though.

Then off to the local gas station for 91 octane, ethanol free fuel .

 

Dan

Edited by Caballero2 (see edit history)
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293 miles yesterday in my 1923 Model 45. Heath, OH to Fenton, MI. This, after 4 days of touring in the rain in SE Ohio on a VMCCA Nickel Tour. Did I mention it has been raining in Ohio? Took me three tries to find a non washed out route over the Scioto River to get past Columbus. I went thru some water even with the running boards on several occasions and those were the 'open' roads. The Buick never faultered even in biblical rain for hours.

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Even though this is documented elsewhere, put 2,780 miles on the Queen traveling to the 2015 Nationals. Two headlight bulbs,  approximately 200 gallons of fuel, 3 quarts of oil,  and 12 hours where the windows did not work, but no parts were needed to correct the problem.  Otherwise,  no problems except the clock (still doesn't work) and I had trouble setting the A/C to non nipple raising temps. 

 

Now That's the Buick I always wanted...

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I drove my 13 Model 31 Touring on the annual tour in Redmond Or with the Portland HCCA club last week.  All went well on the warm-up tour on Sunday and on the 100 mile tour day on Monday.  But at the Tuesday morning coffee stop, it skipped time, backfired, & blew the end out of the muffler and wouldn't start.  Evidently, the points were not adjusted correctly which caused the windings to overheat and melt some of the varnish onto the rotor.  When we stopped, it cooled and locked the rotor.  So when I tried to re-start the car, it skipped time and backfired.So it went on the trouble trailer (my own new open tilt trailer that I loaned out for the tour) & got towed to the lunch stop.  One of our members is an excellent mechanic and he helped me field strip the magneto.  We cleaned everything in gasoline, lubed & re-assembled the mag and installed it in the car with corrected timing.  It started on the second try and I drove it back to the hotel in time for dinner. 

  

I also drove it on the next tour day and had no issues other than running with no muffler.  Others said it was not much louder than running with the cut-out open.  We had a great time touring through some great high desert country and I learned a lot about magnetos.  I was also awarded the trouble trophy at the banquet.  The "Door Prize" is the trouble trophy that must be improved by the recipient prior to next year's annual tour where it will be giving to the next unlucky recipient. 

 

 

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Didn't drive a Buick this weekend but I pushed the one I've been waiting 10 years for. I first saw this car 20 years ago when I was 10. I told our neighbor I wanted his Buick. It took ten years but he finally relented and said it was mine when he kicked the bucket. It took another 10 years till he said to come and get it. I pulled it out of his garage today and pushed her to my parent's house.

It's a 46S model with a never started 30 year old rebuilt '53 263 with the original dual carbs. The car was a dealer demonstrater that his grandfather bought in 1942. I plan on doing the typical mechanical repairs/replacements that are needed from sitting for 40 years then driving her.

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Neat story about your car. It looks like it will be a good car.

Why don't you start a thread about the car, and post your progress. I for one would be very interested to follow your progress.

Also, I understand how long it can take it times, as I bought my '41 in very late 1991, and did not get it on the road till 2012!

Keith

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I went out to the country place, and aside from cutting hay (aka mowing lawn that had been growing since some time before leaving for Springfield), got the '76 pace car going and brought it back to the city.  Put it through a car wash (probably why it rained this morning) and took it to the Sunday night cruise where the Manitoba Classic & Antique Auto Club was one of the feature clubs for the evening.  A/C is cool, not cold, the fan seems to only have one speed, but it was fun.  Suzanne drove the Electra and we managed to park side by side.

 

I have a photo to share...now need to go through things with the new software to figure out how to post it...sigh.

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Me, Reet and Father Buick (visiting from California) took the Century out for a "spin" on "Father's" Day. Father B drove and was impressed with 2nd gear. I think his comment was somethin like "A Dynaflow it's not.....".

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El Pidio, another 54 Buick Highway friend, came up from Miami and we all had a good day Saturday drinkin parts and pullin beers.

 

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 Those pesky AC lines can be tough to get too but here at Buick Gardens... a tool for every job.

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Last weekend my wife and I attended the All Buick Open in Puyallup hosted by the Puget Sound Chapter of the BCA.  A beautiful day!  Roughly 350 mile round trip and the Electra performed flawlessly (only flaw was me locking the keys in the car!). 

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Third time is the charm. I finally got the 1925 to our Freysinger Buick GMC show at Mechanicsburg PA. 2013 Overheated.

2014 The clutch died. So we had a 100 mile round trip and no issues except when the water pump packing nuts loosened on the way up. Note to self. Check them every 25 miles or so. She got first place in class and oldest car.(It helps when you only have 2 entries!) Now if I can only get the 1937 happy again after our aborted trip to Springfield.

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Larry, you are my hero!  100 miles in the 25 sure beats the 24 miles I dropped on the 56 tonight and the 20 I put on the 72 this weekend. Although I still had a ton of fun driving them both.  

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Well, even though Larry is hero material in this thread, I am glad to report that I got the GS out this AM for breakfast with Ed ( Summer67) and Gary ( Grannys70skylark).  80 Mile round trip over a road I knew about but never was on before.  Ed commented later that he felt like we were back in Wyoming on the twisting narrow S turn filled mountain pass.  After a great breakfast at the Ambrosia Diner in Glenns Falls, NY we went to this home garden and snapped the picture below.  Almost an acre and a half filled with flowering garden.  What a place:

 

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Well, even though Larry is hero material in this thread, I am glad to report that I got the GS out this AM for breakfast with Ed ( Summer67) and Gary ( Grannys70skylark).  80 Mile round trip over a road I knew about but never was on before.  Ed commented later that he felt like we were back in Wyoming on the twisting narrow S turn filled mountain pass.  After a great breakfast at the Ambrosia Diner in Glenns Falls, NY we went to this home garden and snapped the picture below.  Almost an acre and a half filled with flowering garden.  What a place:
 
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Very nice looking Buicks. Way to go.

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About 120 "old" Rivieras showed up at the annual ROA event held this year in St. Charles, IL.  Long distance awards went to a '71 driven 1700 miles from Wyoming, and a '63 that was driven about 2100 miles from Ely, NV via 'the ranch' in Oklahoma before heading out to St. Charles. Then they had to turn around and head back.

 

This is a link to the ROA forum that shows pictures of most of the cars.

 

http://forums.aaca.org/topic/259312-roa-annual-meet-2015-st-charles-il/

 

Enjoy.

 

Ed

Edited by RivNut (see edit history)
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Took the Skylark out with my wife on Saturday night for an ice cream run to a nearby creamery in Bellvale, NY. The place has decent ice cream and killer views. I was more interested in driving the car than eating, but the ice cream provided a good excuse for an hour long round trip. It was also my first time out at night with the car and I learned that a couple of instrument panel lights need replaced.

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