Steeringcontrol and Older Buicks.

[Guest]

Folks,

Does anyone know in what year Buick started applying steeringcontrol

in their cars? I found a Buick Riviera 1970 equiped with

steeringcontrol but I am looking for older ( the oldest) model(s). A

friend of mine claimed to have rented a 60's model Buick with

steeringcontrol, and now the whole pub has a discussion about this

being possible or not. Thanks for any replies )

Bart

[NTX5467]

In the later '60s and earlier '70s, there were several aftermarket (i.e., not factory production) devices which allegedly kept the vehicle they were installed on (usually near the rear end) from being so prone to spin out. I remember seeing a video presentation at a new car show on one of them.

The device that was in the video was a metal tube (with mounting lugs) that had a metal weight inside of the tube, with springs on each end to stabilize it, with the tube otherwise filled with oil. Kind of worked on the same principle as the clamp on balance rings you put on the inside of the wheels to balance them as they rolled down the road. All of the endorsements in the sales lit for the device included police departments, school systems, and "satisfied customers". It could also have had some car rental companies in the list too, but I don't specifically recall that.

The only other steering device I remember from the old J C Whitney catalog would be what is now called a "steering damper" and is used on many 4wd and European vehicles, plus the '73 Monte Carlo and similar cars. Just a shock absorber mounted to the steering linkage and the front frame section to dampen wheel shimmy.

In those earlier times, there were lots of automotive add-on gadgets that had some big promises but usually only transfered money from the purchaser to the seller. "People" said they worked and no one really said they didn't. Buyer beware.

If these two items I've mentioned don't describe what y'all are talking about, please advise.

Enjoy!

NTX5467

[Guest]

Thanks for this reply, it is better than I had so far. I have little knowledge about US-cars cuz I lived in Canada for a while, but this is a little ;o) to specific. I drive a Citroën 2CV6 which produces 2 horsepower and has sort of a cabriotop, as far as I know this car was never allowed in the US ))) but it is great fun drivin'. It has won some old dessert rally's.

Best reg's,

Bart

[NTX5467]

Citroens were very interesting and "non-conformist" vehicles, when compared to other vehicles of the '60s and such. Many advanced features ESPECIALLY for the '60s. Those 2CVs seemed to be capable of many amazing things (as chronicled in several movies) for their modest power. Very durable too, as the many rally involvements tended to indicate. Typical of French cars, huge amounts of suspension travel for dealing with poor road conditions (i.e., undulating and not traffic related) and soft seats. Suspension travel seems to be something that many of our less vintage associates seem to not fully udnerstand the reason for being necessary.

I haven't kept up with what they have in the more recent years after they exited the North American market, but probably need to find one of the Euro car magazines to see what they're up to these days.

Thanks,

NTX5467

[Guest]

Also the 2CV's are about to become extinct (. I have one of the latest and it is in mint condition )

Reg's

Bart