Smartin Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 Facebook marketplace comes through again with another low mileage LeSabre! 41k miles and it’s a Custom 455! It appears to be a desert car, since it has absolutely zero rot and the chrome is in perfect condition. It also has a Wyoming tag in the window from 1978. The interior is nearly perfect with only one small crack in the plastic piece that surrounds the steering column. Never been smoked in…ashtray is super clean. The only thing that kind of bummed me out was that it has been repainted. The owner I bought it from had it painted because the hood had a lot of sun burn and surface rust on it. The paint job looks very nice, so I’m tolerating it. Normal issues I always find with these cars…. It needs a complete exhaust system. I’ll also be giving it a full tune up. The carburetor is incorrect for the application. It’s for a 71 350…so I’ll be addressing that as soon as I can procure parts. Of course it was misting and raining on us the entire trip today…and never stopped as I unloaded it. I took it around the block and it’s super sweet…quiet and smooooooooth. Better photos to come. 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodneybeauchamp Posted October 15, 2023 Share Posted October 15, 2023 Super neat, way to go! Low mileage originals are better in my opinion that one that has been restored. Every scratch and dent tells a story. Nice colour. Look forward to your posts! Rodney 😀😀🙁😀😀😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted October 16, 2023 Share Posted October 16, 2023 A beautiful car that will become even better during the course of your ownership! Congratulations on this wonderful find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lancemb Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 Dang that's clean! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 The 455 certainly makes it interesting. I wonder how many 455 4-door sedans were built... Any evidence of a trailer hitch? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 17, 2023 Share Posted October 17, 2023 Nice find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 I took it for its first real drive today to get and ID/OD for the DMV. Filled up the tank…took 14 gallons of 93. I put 25 miles on it…there is a ticking coming from the front left wheel, and it’s getting worse. I think it’s bearing noise. No more driving until I investigate. But I pulled a ligament in my back/rib area yesterday, so no heavy work for the next coupe days. The boss isn’t going to like that 😅 Besides the issues, it is a total dream boat. What a smooooooth quiet ride. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine Gun Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 (edited) Not knowing just what your ticking noise sounds like, I'll relate a similar experience I had shortly after buying my Skylark. I would hear a slight tick coming from the right front wheel. It drove me nuts for a couple of days until I figured it out by chance. It was my wheel cover. It ticked only when there was full weight on the wheel, like when driving down the road. No hint of anything when the car was up in the air. If you can't replicate the noise with the car in the air and there's no other obvious cause for the noise, pop the wheel covers off just for yuks and see if that's your issue. A long shot, admittedly. Edited October 18, 2023 by Machine Gun (see edit history) 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 I’ll be sure to peel back the onion and check everything. Might tackle today if my back is up to it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 93! wowza. I run 87 in the Centurion's 455. I hope your back gets to feeling better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastienbuick Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 wow beautiful Buick ! I really like ! I've never seen one in real life before . And it looks in very good condition ! A friend had saved and restored a very nice 1971 Buick Riviera GS, and the 455 V8 is powerful ! here is a photo of the riviera next to my Electra before its restoration 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 18, 2023 Author Share Posted October 18, 2023 3 hours ago, NC-car-guy said: 93! wowza. I run 87 in the Centurion's 455. I hope your back gets to feeling better. If you can get away with it, no problem! I've done it since my first 71 LeSabre....it would ping if I didn't use premium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 2 hours ago, Smartin said: If you can get away with it, no problem! I've done it since my first 71 LeSabre....it would ping if I didn't use premium. Yea. Mine will ping under hard acceleration. But I drive it like a grandpa so... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model56s Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Great looking car Adam, 71 was a major change year that I remember well. I could be talked into a 71 Centurion 2 Dr hardtop…if I had a place to put it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 19, 2023 Author Share Posted October 19, 2023 Us lefties need to be careful on how we orient our phones when we take photos. If you kick it over to the right to take a landscape shot, the image will load upside down here in the forums. It's infuriating. So I had to save a copy of each photo in photoshop in order for it to load correctly here on the forum. Here are a bunch I took yesterday while working on various little projects. Carb is currently off to build the one I have on the shelf that is the correct numbers. Car has new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. Didn't worry about points now, since it seems to run happy, except for the idle is funky with the old carb. Hoping it corrects itself with the right carb on it. New exhaust going on this afternoon. Probably won't pick it back up until tomorrow, though. Right fender has a bit of a whack just behind the wheel...possible tire blowout? Or someone found a curb. Planning on making it to the all Buick display at Laura Buick this Saturday in Collinsville, IL. About an hour drive for us. Might take both cars...maybe just one. Not sure yet. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastienbuick Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 It is really very beautiful , is the interior original or was it restored ? because it is in superb condition ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 19, 2023 Author Share Posted October 19, 2023 It is completely original. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95Cardinal Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Great find, Adam! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC-car-guy Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 Beautiful car. Are the trim screw in the door panel standard? I noticed them on my Centurion and thought someone was just doing a quick fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 Are the trim screw in the door panel standard? the Electra has one on each outboard position. The one in the middle does not look right. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model56s Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 Looks great - hope to see it with Miss Piggy tomorrow at Laura Buick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 20, 2023 Author Share Posted October 20, 2023 The outer screws are stock, but the one in the middle is not. There are "nails" in the upper panel that are driven into plastic buttons snapped into the door frame...when those upper panels are removed, sometimes the nails separate from the door panel....and that can make it difficult to reattach. Geoff, I am not sure what car will be attending tomorrow. 71 is at the exhaust shop. So if it's still there, I'll likely just bring Piggy...or maybe the brown 70 Stage1 that I finished this year. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebastienbuick Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 I would have liked to go to this Buick car show, but I'm too far away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 20, 2023 Author Share Posted October 20, 2023 The "tick" in the front left wheel ended up being more of a chirp. I even pulled the bearings, cleaned, and replaced. Still chirped. At that point, I wasn't sure it was the bearings, but the noise either got worse or subsided when I was turning. So I went to Auto Zone and bought some chinese Duralast bearings and a seal. Replaced them today and no more tick. I also have a new exhaust from the Y pipe all the way back. It sounds sooooo much better. I hate blown out mufflers. Tomorrow, this car will go to the show for sure. Not so sure about a second car. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 21, 2023 Author Share Posted October 21, 2023 Check out the cool original items I found while the car was on the lift for exhaust… Original tags for rear springs and distribution block…original rear shocks with original lower mount studs…and that gas tank…damn near shines🤣 8 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnD1956 Posted October 21, 2023 Share Posted October 21, 2023 And you stuck with single exhaust! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 21, 2023 Author Share Posted October 21, 2023 Yes sir! The factory Y pipe is still solid and intact. This car is so nice and quiet. The temptation to put duals on it was big, but I stayed the course. If the Y pipe was toast, I would have put duals on it, likely. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 On 10/21/2023 at 8:26 AM, JohnD1956 said: And you stuck with single exhaust! Yes, I had the same reaction, but on a car like this I would also probably stick with the original configuration. One thing I would do, however, is trim that tailpipe tip to better approximate the original opening. I hate seeing cars with replacement tailpipes having the 'chop-saw' 90° cut... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 51 minutes ago, EmTee said: Yes, I had the same reaction, but on a car like this I would also probably stick with the original configuration. One thing I would do, however, is trim that tailpipe tip to better approximate the original opening. I hate seeing cars with replacement tailpipes having the 'chop-saw' 90° cut... The original being? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmTee Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 Just now, Ben Bruce aka First Born said: The original being? Tried to show in the picture that I poster above (which has dual exhaust, by the way). The stock opening is usually cut more-or-less parallel to the ground, resulting in an oval opening when looking at the pipe from below. More like this: 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBRMD Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 I agree, also went for the turndown look with mine. They got it about half-right..... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smartin Posted October 23, 2023 Author Share Posted October 23, 2023 I tend to look the other way on exhaust turn downs if it’s not exactly how I want it. Unless I’m doing a concours restoration. The one on the LeSabre works fine. And it’s not gaudy. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 23, 2023 Share Posted October 23, 2023 57 minutes ago, EmTee said: Tried to show in the picture that I poster above (which has dual exhaust, by the way). The stock opening is usually cut more-or-less parallel to the ground, resulting in an oval opening when looking at the pipe from below. More like this: Gotcha. Enjoy the trip "down South". Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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