Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members 03-20-2019 –
LAST WEEK’S TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWERED –
Last week’s question was to name 2 features from other GM cars that can be installed in any 1984-1987 Turbo Regal. Features means it was not an option but standard equipment. Nobody got this answer 100% correct.
One answer that several readers emailed me was the low fuel warning option. This is not 100% correct because I don’t think it would work on the Turbo Regals with the digital dash format, only the analog. The low fuel warning option is a direct bolt in. It may have been standard in the similar year Rivieras.
The two correct answers we were looking for.
One is the diagnostic cap that covers the diagnostic plug under the dash. This is actually a Corvette part from the same vintage as our cars. We also had a company make them and we sell them on our website. This cover is called the Diagnostic ALDL Connector Port Cover, part #7636 and priced at $12.95.
That is part of the answer referring to the item that is not very visible and is available on our website.
The second part of the answer is the chrome trim that borders the emergency brake pedal, power brake pedal, and gas pedal. That is the 3-part feature.
Years ago, we used to sell these parts as they came on various Pontiac models. Some companies sell the trim today but finding the correct one for the gas pedal is difficult. I had this nice upgrade on our blue Turbo-T test car #3 years ago.
THIS WEEK’S TRIVIA QUESTION –
Here is this week’s trivia question. There is a code that I believe appears on every 1987 Turbo Regal SPID trunk decal that another GM car line actually had a plastic emblem with that exact code was affixed on the trunk lid. I know this as a fact as I have that actual plastic emblem in my collection.
Here is another clue. The code starts with a letter found in the first half of the alphabet. You must name the code and give me the GM car, not the actual model, just the basic GM car line it was used on. This code would have 2 letters and a number on the SPID decal. The correct answer has two parts. Name the 3-letter code and the GM car make it appeared on.
Remember, your answer must match mine. Email me your educated guess to [email protected]
MORE FACTORY ORIGINAL DECALS ON TURBO REGAL SUSPENSION PARTS –
Last week we showed a few decals that Buick put on several suspension parts when the cars were new. Since the decal is made in paper, unless the car has been garaged its entire life and seldom used, these decals are long gone.
PHOTO 1 – The top left shows one of the original decals on the front sway bar. The top right photo shows the factory decal the coil spring. The bottom left photo shows the factory decal on the idler arm. In the bottom right photo, you can see the decal Buick put on the tie rod end.
You can see these various suspension parts never got painted by Buick. I can’t remember what car I took these photos from but it had to be a very low mileage one that I had for sale, probably over 20-plus years ago.
A MINOR CORRECTION –
I was mistaken. Brian of Gbodyparts.com has been to one of our Spring Open House events. This will be the second Open House he has attended. He will have a huge array of parts for sale. Be sure to place your order with him early so he can make sure he can bring it to our Open House.
IT’S A SMALL WORLD –
The other day the company Black Ice (that shares our warehouse) got in a highly-modified 1987 Grand National to detail. It turns out this 1987 Grand National was recently sold at a DEA auction. Prior to this it had been sitting for about a dozen years. It seems the owner’s choice of employment was not exactly legal. This car has a lot of early performance parts on it. It may have been built to outrun the law! The car has an upgraded plenum, front mount intercooler, aluminum radiator, bigger sway bars, gauges, and alky system, just to name a few upgrades. It has several of the parts on it that we sell such as the rear seat braces, gauge holders, Scanmaster, etc. The mileage shows 11,397 and that may be original judging from how nice the interior is. Car has had a very nice repaint that was done many years ago.
The Grand National has very few options and even has crank windows! I imagine the buyer got a good deal at the DEA auction. I believe the car came out of the New England area. I have no idea why it was tied up for about 12 years before being sold at the DEA auction.
PHOTO 2 – We show several photos of this DEA auction 1987 Grand National. Note the 145 speedometer shows 11,397 miles. We hope to see the current owner and find out more about the car and try and have him bring this car to our Spring Open House in May.
HERE IS ANOTHER DOCUMENTED TURBO-T WE HAVE RECORDS FOR –
Here is another example of copies of records I have for a 1987 Grand National. Keep in mind I always made it a point to give the buyers of our cars the original paperwork and related records. Most of what the records I have on these cars is from the printed Grand News or some original photos I have of the cars and copies I made of the title or Window Sticker.
The year I got this 1987 Grand National was April of 2003. The mileage was just 34,600. According to my flyer, the car was 100% stock. We got it from the original owner. He even had the original paper license plate he kept from when he took delivery of the car. I have a copy of the original Window Sticker, the Maryland title, and of course the PA title when we got it.
What makes this car somewhat unusual is the turbo shield. According to my write up, it had several groups of numbers in yellow crayon written on the turbo shield, which the owner left on it. The car also had brand new Michelin Pilot tires on it. He even gave me a car cover with the car. The missing body bushings, including the GNX bushing, were installed by the owner.
We sold this prime example for what is now a super bargain price of just $13,700. I don’t have a record showing who brought this Grand National in 2003. I do show I sold it in 24 hours and buyer resided in New York, according to my chart. Here are the last 6 digits after the HP 464834. If you own this Grand National or know someone who does, have them email me [email protected]
PHOTO 3 – The photo to the left we show a copy of the original Window Sticker. The photo to the right shows our original flyer marketing this prime example. I also have a mileage statement showing 31 miles when it was purchased from Town and Country Buick-Honda-Isuzu dealership. I even have a brochure from that same dealership from that time frame. The dealership was located in Woodbridge, Virginia. I have no idea if they are still in business today.
MORE MEMORIES FROM PAST YEARS –
From time to time we will post photos of past memories related to our 30-plus years involvement with the Turbo Regals. As one, if not the first, to actually market parts for these cars, we have thousands of photos from various events and, of course, of the cars we have seen or bought.
PHOTO 4 – The photo to the left shows the artwork we have that Molly did when he was designing the original power six logo and incorporating it into the actual Grand National logo. It’s a shame Molly passed away in 2010 and never got to see how valuable the Grand National and GNX projects he was involved with have become. The photo to the right is from our 2007 Anniversary Reunion Event. It shows Pete Serio (the original Window Rattle Guy) on the far left, Molly in the center and a much younger me on the right.
BRING A TRAILER –
Bringatrailer.com is an auction website that I recently been made aware of from several of our customers. Currently up for bid is a 1986 Grand National hardtop with 5,700 miles. The bidding is at $24,567 and has probably ended by the time you read this. The auction fee is quite reasonable, just $99. I assume you could sell a $100,000 car and the auction company still gets just $99.
I am not sure exactly how it works, if you can have a reserve or have choices of how long the auction can run. Check it out. They claim to have sold 185 cars at this point. Auctions have their good points and bad points.
My experiences with the classic collectible auctions, I only recall being at one where I had a winning bid. Fortunately, I had taken someone with me otherwise I would have had to make two trips. It was maybe 35 years ago. I had the winning bid on a 1937 Chevy stake body truck. It still had the lettering on the side for the Columbia, Pa burial vault company. Ironically my brother lives in Columbia, PA now. (Since then the burial vault company is out of business). It’s hard to believe a burial vault company can go out of business since you will always have customers! The truck was my first experience at driving something with mechanical brakes. You think Turbo Regal brakes are bad, drive any vehicle from the mid-1930s and older and experience mechanical brakes!
I paid less than a grand for the burial vault truck. I always liked trucks and had restored a 1947 Studebaker pickup years earlier. This is way before trucks became valuable in the collector market.
WE HAVE MORE JEEP STEERING SHAFTS IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY –
See the Rare Parts section for pricing. This is the upgraded lower steering shaft that eliminates the fiber steering coupler at the steering box. The Jeep shaft has steel universal joints at both ends and is more streamlined over the stock bulky lower steering shaft that the Regals came with. I think we have 2 in stock. See Rare Parts section.
SPEAKING OF JEEPS –
If you are into off-road or deal with a company that handles Jeep parts and accessories, send me an email. [email protected]
A friend of ours has engineered a unique product – the Thermo-Matic Cool Air Louvers™ - and is in the process of making them. We are the marketing agent for this product. The product has been trademarked and is patent pending. We are looking for wholesalers for this Jeep-related product.
Jeeps have a tendency to overheat when off-road or pulling a trailer. While many solutions exist with various louvers or vents, nobody markets one that closes when it rains. This one does and is heat activated so no wiring is required. This is a very clever product that eliminates the worry of water getting in the engine compartment and on the electrical sensors, etc. It is made from 6061 T6 aluminum. The unit is flush mounted on the hood and requires no wiring! Its compact size with 3 opening vents lends itself to other applications not just Jeeps. Email me direct [email protected] for more information.
COMING SOON - GM LICENSED BASEBALL CAP AND COFFEE MUGS –
The company that we buy our Grand National T-shirts from recently submitted these Grand National baseball-style cap and coffee mug to GM for approval. They have now been approved and we expect to have these items available in late April.
WINDOW RACER –
We have seen sales increase on the Window Racer. I recently took one over to my buddy who owns a Corvette Restoration shop. He called me two days later and loves the product. He said the biggest issue they have when doing restorations is that the new weatherstrips really slow down the power windows in the Corvettes.
Gbody’s Window Racer kit fits a lot of various GM cars and years. It turns out it fits Corvettes back in the 1970s and probably all the C4 years as well.
My point is, the market for this clever product is bigger than I originally thought. We already deal with several major Corvette suppliers so we plan to introduce this product to them shortly.
CARSMARTS RADIO IS ON THE AIR AND ON THE WEB! –
Turbo V6 enthusiast Steve Saffier (who produced “The Dennis Kirban Story” on YouTube last year) is producer and host of a new automotive radio program broadcasting live every Saturday from 11am - 12 noon on 610 ESPN radio (the old WIP 610 am for those in the area.) The show talks about different aspects of the car world and Steve’s affinity for Turbo Regals and Syclone/Typhoons often is expressed in nearly every show.
You can tune in live or livestream the show at http://www.610espn.com from anywhere in the world.
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
This tip comes from Steve Perry. He says to prevent the hood rebound spring from scratching the paint on the radiator support simply put a small rubber vacuum plug on the end of the coil. It may also eliminate a possible rattle.
If there are any tips or ideas you want to share with our readers, email me –[email protected]
TIP FROM KIRBAN –
When installing plug wires make sure you route them so they do not rub against the sharp edges of the plenum.
2019 TURBO BUICK RELATED CAR SHOWS EVENTS -
To get your Turbo Regal event for 2019 listed here, you must email me direct [email protected] Also send me a copy of the flyer promoting the event.
KIRBAN SPRING OPEN HOUSE –
Saturday, May 4, 2019 - 9 am until 2 pm
6201 Kellers Church Road, Plumsteadville (Pipersville), PA
This event has no rain date. Gbodyparts.com will be coming to our event as a vendor. Contact him in advance for any parts you want him to bring. Their email is [email protected] This year we are combining this event with Black Ice Details, a detail shop that shares our warehouse. We will have many raffle items from various vendors that have donated to our event. A few No Reserve Auction items and our usual M&Ms contest as well. Free coffee and Yum Yums donuts as usual, Yum Yums donuts seldom last past the first hour.
Local motels would be in nearby Quakertown, which is about a 25-minute drive west of our shop location. They would include Quakertown Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, Quality Inn & Suites. There is also a Hampton Inn Warrington south of us on Route 611 in Warrington.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS -
From Willow Grove... North on RT 611 through Warrington, Doylestown and into Plumsteadville (you can take the RT 611 Bypass that goes around Doylestown - it exits back onto RT 611 north of Doylestown). Watch for a shopping center with a McDonald’s on your right. Go past that light at Stump Road and the Plumsteadville Inn. Make your FIRST left at the Shelly Funeral Home onto Kellers Church Road. Ours is the second office complex just a short distance down on the right. Our unit is at the back far corner. There’s plenty of parking, since most of the other companies are closed on the weekends.
From Quakertown... Take RT 663 east and it will become RT 313 heading east (away from the turnpike.) You will cross through the major intersection at RT 309 in Quakertown. Go through Quakertown (it will take several sharp turns). RT 663 becomes Route 313 Dublin Pike, past Dublin. Make a left onto Stump Road, left onto RT 611, FIRST left at the Shelly Funeral Home onto Kellers Church Road. Ours is the second office complex on the right.
NOTE - If you are using GPS, you may have to use “Pipersville 18947” as the town.
10TH ANNUAL BUICK RACE DAY -
Saturday, MAY 25, 2019 – Gates open at 8 am
Lebanon Valley Dragway, 1746 U.S. Route 20, West Lebanon, NY
Participants in all Buick classes must be Buick-Powered. For more information, call 518-794-7130 or call 914-477-6068 (ask for John)
TURBO BUICK NATIONALS –
MAY 23, 24, and 25, 2019
Richard Clark’s Garage & Piedmont Race Track, Burlington, North Carolina
This event is held at Richard Clark’s Garage in Burlington, NC and the nearby Piedmont Race Track. For more information and a list of their program, go to Turbobuick.com and scroll down to Turbo Buick Nationals 2019 for up-to-date information. Here is the link to this event.
BATES NUT FARM BUICK SHOW -
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 2019 - 9 am until 3 pm -
Bates Nut Farm, Valley Center, CA
According to Mike Bernard (Spoolfool fame), this event is the second largest gathering of Turbo Buicks in the Nation. Eric Brown and Mike Bernard deserve a lot of credit for putting this west coast event on every year. The event runs from 9 am until 3 pm. Vendors will be on hand and they will have many items for their raffles. They will update the info shortly for 2019 on the link shown below.
Here is a link to their website.
1ST ANNUAL BUICK BASH AT THE QUAKE -
FRIDAY& SATURDAY - JUNE 14 & 15, 2019
Quaker City Motorsports Park, 10225 West South Range Road, Salem, OH 44460
For more info, contact John Csordas 914-447-6068 [email protected] or Denny Moore 330-647-3615 [email protected] - www.quakercitymotorsportspark.com
EAST COAST BUICK REGIONALS -
FRIDAY& SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 20TH& 21ST, 2019
Cecil County Dragway, 1916 Theodore Road, Rising Sun, Maryland
This will be the 23rd year. Host hotel Information: Comfort Inn located just off exit 100 on I-95.Call 410-287-7100 and mention Northeast GS/GN Club for special pricing. For more info, contact John Csordas 914-447-6068 [email protected] or Jim Chaudrue 215-266-1052 [email protected]
RELATED NON-BUICK PARTS - FOR SALE –
I have several items for sale. In each case the price includes shipping to the basic 48 states. Perhaps you have a relative or a good friend with one of these cars. All these items are extremely nice and priced to sell. Again, PayPal is the preferred method of payment. You must email me direct - [email protected] to purchase or check if item(s) are still available. All these items are bargain priced and extremely nice otherwise I would not bother hauling them out of the junkyard.
C-2 – See photo 4 in 11-07-2018 issue. I have 4 of these Cadillac accessory trunk mats. I have them in the trunk of all our cars and use them in the pole building to keep any leaks from getting on the concrete floor. These trunk mats were a Cadillac option around the late 1980s. The mat is reversible rubber on the one side with the Caddy crest logo and grey cloth material on the other side. The trunk mat measures 33 inches by 36 inches, almost a perfect square. Mat is the perfect size for most trunks to protect your original trunk carpet. They are charcoal grey in color. Each one is almost like new with no stains. The price is just $34.95, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states. These mats are very high quality.
GOOD NEWS - WE ARE ACCEPTING CLASSIFIED ADS -
Good news - We now accept Classified Ads in our weekly Inner Circle emails. Over the years several customers have asked about placing an ad in our weekly Inner Circle.
Here are the options and the costs.
Ads can be from any individual or company. It needs to be automotive related, meaning it does not need be specifically Turbo Regal related. It can be for something for sale or something wanted.
Maximum number of words is 125 words, which is about 7 to 9 lines of copy. No photos. You can list a website. We recommend you state your name, phone number or email, a price, and your location in your ad.
The cost for 2 consecutive weeks is $25. The cost for 4 consecutive weeks is $40. You save $10 with the 4-week plan. No changes can be made to your existing running ad. You can only run one ad at any given time. We will have a code system at the end of your ad, so we will know what week number your ad is to run - 2 or 4 weeks.
It can be an ad for something for sale or an ad for something you are looking for.
We have never missed a single week since we started the Inner Circle email format in 2009. It’s something I enjoy doing and I just always seem to have enough material to write about.
Our weekly Inner Circle reaches over 3,300 members every Wednesday direct to their inbox. The Inner Circle also appears every Wednesday on our website with the related photos. Your ad would be visible to both groups of readers. So, the exposure to your ad is well over 3,200 potential buyers.
Ads submitted properly by the previous Sunday would appear that next Wednesday in the weekly Inner Circle. Ads must be submitted by email to - [email protected]
Payment by credit card must be done by phone to our office 215-766-1611 x 0.
FOR SALE – 1987 Turbo-T Regal HARDTOP –
NOTE – THIS CAR HAS BEEN SOLD TO A GOOD HOME IN PA.
1987 Turbo-T hardtop with 74,000 miles original California survivor, 100% rust free, original dark blue exterior, and interior, chrome trim never in storage, always lightly used. Factory aluminum wheels, aluminum drums, aluminum bumper inserts, all maintenance upgrades have been done but still looks totally stock and very correct throughout Ice cold A/C still uses R12, PW, tilt, cruise, posi, original window sticker, original exhaust with correct replacement muffler, under carriage as clean as the top side, fully detailed for show, drive anywhere. Received “Award of Excellence” at 2013, and 2018 East Coast Buick Regionals. Needs nothing, runs great $20k. Member NE GS/GN Club & Co-Director local BCA Club. Contact Steve Perry 914-262-9965, Carmel, NY [email protected] 3 of 4.
NOTE - IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE THE BUICK RARE PARTS SECTION -
If you are not able to see the Buick Rare Parts section at the end of this Inner Circle, it is because you are not an Inner Circle member, but instead are reading this on the website. You must subscribe to see the Rare Parts section each week. It would go directly to your inbox every Wednesday afternoon. It is FREE, probably one reason why nobody complains about what I write about. Simply email - [email protected] to get our weekly Inner Circle email.
The Buick Rare Parts section is only viewed by those that subscribe. Subscription is free, so complaints on what I write are nonexistent!
EMAILS TO KIRBAN PERFORMANCE -
NOTE- If you email us and do NOT get a timely reply, be sure to check your “SPAM” folder. Some emails do not go thru.
If you need to email us, use - [email protected]
CORES NEEDED -
Here is the information on our credits for cores.
URGENT NEED –
POWERMASTER BRAKE UNITS. Unit must be complete. We will issue you a Letter of Credit for $150 for each acceptable core. We currently will not buy any powermaster units outright, only Letter of Credit towards parts.
TURBO CORES must be the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal stock turbo. They must be complete. We will issue you a $150 Letter of Credit for each acceptable core.
If you ship to us, the post office is the cheapest method. Pack the item(s) with a note with your name, address and phone number. These are the only 2 items we are currently accepting as cores.
MAIL - Ship to Address -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
PO BOX 1199
PLUMSTEADVILLE, PA 18949
UPS - Ship to Address -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
6201 Kellers Church Road
PLUMSTEADVILLE, PA 18949-1199
TECH CALLS -
If you need technical information, it’s best to email - [email protected] rather than call us. We will do our best to answer any technical questions within 24 hours. Please remember I have very little knowledge of the mechanical workings of the engine.
NEW PRODUCTS FROM US –
REPRODUCTION GM LICENSED - 1987 BUICK OWNER’S MANUAL
A must-have reference booklet for any 1987 Turbo Regal owner. This is a high-quality GM Licensed reproduction of the original Owner’s Manual.
This is a great addition to your reference material.
7843 - Reproduction GM Licensed 1987 Buick Owner’s Manual - $19.95
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
POWER ANTENNA HARDWARE (4 Nuts & 4 Bolts) KIT
NOTE - This kit is included if you purchase the Power Antenna Upgraded Steel Cable Repair Kit, part #7433.
You only need this kit if you do NOT purchase the upgraded steel cable repair kit and plan to replace the cable not using our kit, part #7433.
This kit comes with directions and the proper hardware to reassemble the power antenna housing.
It eliminates the need to hunt down the hardware to reassemble the power antenna motor assembly.
Step-by-step directions are included to make it easy to install.
We also recommend you purchase the "1984-1987 Turbo Regal Power Antenna Removal and Installation Guide" Book by Pete Serio, part #6976. The location of the original power antenna on the passenger fender makes removal a more difficult project than most locations. Or purchase the 1984-1987 Buck Turbo Regal Power Antenna Upgraded Steel Cable Repair Kit, part #7433, which includes this hardware kit.
NOTE - You may also be interested in these related parts - #7702 Rebuild Service for Original Power Antenna.
NOTE - We recommend you also purchase our Part #6976 - “1984-1987 Turbo Regal - Power Antenna Removal and Installation Guide” Book by Pete Serio
7433-Kit - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Power Antenna Hardware (4 Nuts & 4 Bolts) Kit - $4.95 / kit
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS -
If you have any product ideas that would fit our Turbo Buick market that you would like to see available, email me direct - [email protected]
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION FOR TURBO REGAL PARTS -
Got any Turbo Buick parts you are not using? Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit. We also may buy your new or used parts. Simply email me a list [email protected]
Also, we are still buying dead or partially dead 1984-1987 Turbo Regals under $4,000 that are within 250 to 350 miles of our location.
NOTE - ABOUT LINKS IN THE INNER CIRCLE -
We have heard from a couple people that have had problems with the links in our Inner Circle.
When we check the links, they work fine. However, if you are not able to be directed to the exact website page or internet site, you can "copy" and "paste" the link into the URL in your browser (such as Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.) If it doesn't link in one browser, it may work in another.
Most people having problems are using Internet Explorer. If you are having issues with links, try another browser to see if it works.
You may need to "UPDATE" your browser to be use you are using the current version.
NOTE ABOUT PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE -
We have heard from a couple people that have viewed the photos on the website. Because these must be low-resolution photos to work on the Inner Circle segments on the website, any photos of text don't appear clear when enlarged. This is a problem when you are trying to see numbers, such as those on the VIN labels or pages from Options booklet. Also, because of photo reproduction and computer screen variations, the colors may not be true to the actual product or photo.
If you would like to have us email you any photo at the higher resolution for viewing, just email us and we will email them to you. Be sure to be specific on which pictures you want to see - Reference Inner Circle date and photo number 1, 2, 3 or 4 - [email protected]
ABOUT OUR EMAILS -
Any inquiries concerning used parts, you must email me direct - [email protected] I will answer you. However, if I fail to answer you within 24 hours, please email us again. Since expanding into used parts, I get a lot of emails and sometimes I may forget your request or may not remember who requested the item.
IN CLOSING –
I am working on having an assortment of used parts for sale at our Spring Open House. Parts are just getting tougher and tougher to find.
LAST WEEK’S TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWERED –
Last week’s question was to name 2 features from other GM cars that can be installed in any 1984-1987 Turbo Regal. Features means it was not an option but standard equipment. Nobody got this answer 100% correct.
One answer that several readers emailed me was the low fuel warning option. This is not 100% correct because I don’t think it would work on the Turbo Regals with the digital dash format, only the analog. The low fuel warning option is a direct bolt in. It may have been standard in the similar year Rivieras.
The two correct answers we were looking for.
One is the diagnostic cap that covers the diagnostic plug under the dash. This is actually a Corvette part from the same vintage as our cars. We also had a company make them and we sell them on our website. This cover is called the Diagnostic ALDL Connector Port Cover, part #7636 and priced at $12.95.
That is part of the answer referring to the item that is not very visible and is available on our website.
The second part of the answer is the chrome trim that borders the emergency brake pedal, power brake pedal, and gas pedal. That is the 3-part feature.
Years ago, we used to sell these parts as they came on various Pontiac models. Some companies sell the trim today but finding the correct one for the gas pedal is difficult. I had this nice upgrade on our blue Turbo-T test car #3 years ago.
THIS WEEK’S TRIVIA QUESTION –
Here is this week’s trivia question. There is a code that I believe appears on every 1987 Turbo Regal SPID trunk decal that another GM car line actually had a plastic emblem with that exact code was affixed on the trunk lid. I know this as a fact as I have that actual plastic emblem in my collection.
Here is another clue. The code starts with a letter found in the first half of the alphabet. You must name the code and give me the GM car, not the actual model, just the basic GM car line it was used on. This code would have 2 letters and a number on the SPID decal. The correct answer has two parts. Name the 3-letter code and the GM car make it appeared on.
Remember, your answer must match mine. Email me your educated guess to [email protected]
MORE FACTORY ORIGINAL DECALS ON TURBO REGAL SUSPENSION PARTS –
Last week we showed a few decals that Buick put on several suspension parts when the cars were new. Since the decal is made in paper, unless the car has been garaged its entire life and seldom used, these decals are long gone.
PHOTO 1 – The top left shows one of the original decals on the front sway bar. The top right photo shows the factory decal the coil spring. The bottom left photo shows the factory decal on the idler arm. In the bottom right photo, you can see the decal Buick put on the tie rod end.
You can see these various suspension parts never got painted by Buick. I can’t remember what car I took these photos from but it had to be a very low mileage one that I had for sale, probably over 20-plus years ago.
A MINOR CORRECTION –
I was mistaken. Brian of Gbodyparts.com has been to one of our Spring Open House events. This will be the second Open House he has attended. He will have a huge array of parts for sale. Be sure to place your order with him early so he can make sure he can bring it to our Open House.
IT’S A SMALL WORLD –
The other day the company Black Ice (that shares our warehouse) got in a highly-modified 1987 Grand National to detail. It turns out this 1987 Grand National was recently sold at a DEA auction. Prior to this it had been sitting for about a dozen years. It seems the owner’s choice of employment was not exactly legal. This car has a lot of early performance parts on it. It may have been built to outrun the law! The car has an upgraded plenum, front mount intercooler, aluminum radiator, bigger sway bars, gauges, and alky system, just to name a few upgrades. It has several of the parts on it that we sell such as the rear seat braces, gauge holders, Scanmaster, etc. The mileage shows 11,397 and that may be original judging from how nice the interior is. Car has had a very nice repaint that was done many years ago.
The Grand National has very few options and even has crank windows! I imagine the buyer got a good deal at the DEA auction. I believe the car came out of the New England area. I have no idea why it was tied up for about 12 years before being sold at the DEA auction.
PHOTO 2 – We show several photos of this DEA auction 1987 Grand National. Note the 145 speedometer shows 11,397 miles. We hope to see the current owner and find out more about the car and try and have him bring this car to our Spring Open House in May.
HERE IS ANOTHER DOCUMENTED TURBO-T WE HAVE RECORDS FOR –
Here is another example of copies of records I have for a 1987 Grand National. Keep in mind I always made it a point to give the buyers of our cars the original paperwork and related records. Most of what the records I have on these cars is from the printed Grand News or some original photos I have of the cars and copies I made of the title or Window Sticker.
The year I got this 1987 Grand National was April of 2003. The mileage was just 34,600. According to my flyer, the car was 100% stock. We got it from the original owner. He even had the original paper license plate he kept from when he took delivery of the car. I have a copy of the original Window Sticker, the Maryland title, and of course the PA title when we got it.
What makes this car somewhat unusual is the turbo shield. According to my write up, it had several groups of numbers in yellow crayon written on the turbo shield, which the owner left on it. The car also had brand new Michelin Pilot tires on it. He even gave me a car cover with the car. The missing body bushings, including the GNX bushing, were installed by the owner.
We sold this prime example for what is now a super bargain price of just $13,700. I don’t have a record showing who brought this Grand National in 2003. I do show I sold it in 24 hours and buyer resided in New York, according to my chart. Here are the last 6 digits after the HP 464834. If you own this Grand National or know someone who does, have them email me [email protected]
PHOTO 3 – The photo to the left we show a copy of the original Window Sticker. The photo to the right shows our original flyer marketing this prime example. I also have a mileage statement showing 31 miles when it was purchased from Town and Country Buick-Honda-Isuzu dealership. I even have a brochure from that same dealership from that time frame. The dealership was located in Woodbridge, Virginia. I have no idea if they are still in business today.
MORE MEMORIES FROM PAST YEARS –
From time to time we will post photos of past memories related to our 30-plus years involvement with the Turbo Regals. As one, if not the first, to actually market parts for these cars, we have thousands of photos from various events and, of course, of the cars we have seen or bought.
PHOTO 4 – The photo to the left shows the artwork we have that Molly did when he was designing the original power six logo and incorporating it into the actual Grand National logo. It’s a shame Molly passed away in 2010 and never got to see how valuable the Grand National and GNX projects he was involved with have become. The photo to the right is from our 2007 Anniversary Reunion Event. It shows Pete Serio (the original Window Rattle Guy) on the far left, Molly in the center and a much younger me on the right.
BRING A TRAILER –
Bringatrailer.com is an auction website that I recently been made aware of from several of our customers. Currently up for bid is a 1986 Grand National hardtop with 5,700 miles. The bidding is at $24,567 and has probably ended by the time you read this. The auction fee is quite reasonable, just $99. I assume you could sell a $100,000 car and the auction company still gets just $99.
I am not sure exactly how it works, if you can have a reserve or have choices of how long the auction can run. Check it out. They claim to have sold 185 cars at this point. Auctions have their good points and bad points.
My experiences with the classic collectible auctions, I only recall being at one where I had a winning bid. Fortunately, I had taken someone with me otherwise I would have had to make two trips. It was maybe 35 years ago. I had the winning bid on a 1937 Chevy stake body truck. It still had the lettering on the side for the Columbia, Pa burial vault company. Ironically my brother lives in Columbia, PA now. (Since then the burial vault company is out of business). It’s hard to believe a burial vault company can go out of business since you will always have customers! The truck was my first experience at driving something with mechanical brakes. You think Turbo Regal brakes are bad, drive any vehicle from the mid-1930s and older and experience mechanical brakes!
I paid less than a grand for the burial vault truck. I always liked trucks and had restored a 1947 Studebaker pickup years earlier. This is way before trucks became valuable in the collector market.
WE HAVE MORE JEEP STEERING SHAFTS IN STOCK FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY –
See the Rare Parts section for pricing. This is the upgraded lower steering shaft that eliminates the fiber steering coupler at the steering box. The Jeep shaft has steel universal joints at both ends and is more streamlined over the stock bulky lower steering shaft that the Regals came with. I think we have 2 in stock. See Rare Parts section.
SPEAKING OF JEEPS –
If you are into off-road or deal with a company that handles Jeep parts and accessories, send me an email. [email protected]
A friend of ours has engineered a unique product – the Thermo-Matic Cool Air Louvers™ - and is in the process of making them. We are the marketing agent for this product. The product has been trademarked and is patent pending. We are looking for wholesalers for this Jeep-related product.
Jeeps have a tendency to overheat when off-road or pulling a trailer. While many solutions exist with various louvers or vents, nobody markets one that closes when it rains. This one does and is heat activated so no wiring is required. This is a very clever product that eliminates the worry of water getting in the engine compartment and on the electrical sensors, etc. It is made from 6061 T6 aluminum. The unit is flush mounted on the hood and requires no wiring! Its compact size with 3 opening vents lends itself to other applications not just Jeeps. Email me direct [email protected] for more information.
COMING SOON - GM LICENSED BASEBALL CAP AND COFFEE MUGS –
The company that we buy our Grand National T-shirts from recently submitted these Grand National baseball-style cap and coffee mug to GM for approval. They have now been approved and we expect to have these items available in late April.
WINDOW RACER –
We have seen sales increase on the Window Racer. I recently took one over to my buddy who owns a Corvette Restoration shop. He called me two days later and loves the product. He said the biggest issue they have when doing restorations is that the new weatherstrips really slow down the power windows in the Corvettes.
Gbody’s Window Racer kit fits a lot of various GM cars and years. It turns out it fits Corvettes back in the 1970s and probably all the C4 years as well.
My point is, the market for this clever product is bigger than I originally thought. We already deal with several major Corvette suppliers so we plan to introduce this product to them shortly.
CARSMARTS RADIO IS ON THE AIR AND ON THE WEB! –
Turbo V6 enthusiast Steve Saffier (who produced “The Dennis Kirban Story” on YouTube last year) is producer and host of a new automotive radio program broadcasting live every Saturday from 11am - 12 noon on 610 ESPN radio (the old WIP 610 am for those in the area.) The show talks about different aspects of the car world and Steve’s affinity for Turbo Regals and Syclone/Typhoons often is expressed in nearly every show.
You can tune in live or livestream the show at http://www.610espn.com from anywhere in the world.
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
This tip comes from Steve Perry. He says to prevent the hood rebound spring from scratching the paint on the radiator support simply put a small rubber vacuum plug on the end of the coil. It may also eliminate a possible rattle.
If there are any tips or ideas you want to share with our readers, email me –[email protected]
TIP FROM KIRBAN –
When installing plug wires make sure you route them so they do not rub against the sharp edges of the plenum.
2019 TURBO BUICK RELATED CAR SHOWS EVENTS -
To get your Turbo Regal event for 2019 listed here, you must email me direct [email protected] Also send me a copy of the flyer promoting the event.
KIRBAN SPRING OPEN HOUSE –
Saturday, May 4, 2019 - 9 am until 2 pm
6201 Kellers Church Road, Plumsteadville (Pipersville), PA
This event has no rain date. Gbodyparts.com will be coming to our event as a vendor. Contact him in advance for any parts you want him to bring. Their email is [email protected] This year we are combining this event with Black Ice Details, a detail shop that shares our warehouse. We will have many raffle items from various vendors that have donated to our event. A few No Reserve Auction items and our usual M&Ms contest as well. Free coffee and Yum Yums donuts as usual, Yum Yums donuts seldom last past the first hour.
Local motels would be in nearby Quakertown, which is about a 25-minute drive west of our shop location. They would include Quakertown Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, Spring Hill Suites by Marriott, Quality Inn & Suites. There is also a Hampton Inn Warrington south of us on Route 611 in Warrington.
GENERAL DIRECTIONS -
From Willow Grove... North on RT 611 through Warrington, Doylestown and into Plumsteadville (you can take the RT 611 Bypass that goes around Doylestown - it exits back onto RT 611 north of Doylestown). Watch for a shopping center with a McDonald’s on your right. Go past that light at Stump Road and the Plumsteadville Inn. Make your FIRST left at the Shelly Funeral Home onto Kellers Church Road. Ours is the second office complex just a short distance down on the right. Our unit is at the back far corner. There’s plenty of parking, since most of the other companies are closed on the weekends.
From Quakertown... Take RT 663 east and it will become RT 313 heading east (away from the turnpike.) You will cross through the major intersection at RT 309 in Quakertown. Go through Quakertown (it will take several sharp turns). RT 663 becomes Route 313 Dublin Pike, past Dublin. Make a left onto Stump Road, left onto RT 611, FIRST left at the Shelly Funeral Home onto Kellers Church Road. Ours is the second office complex on the right.
NOTE - If you are using GPS, you may have to use “Pipersville 18947” as the town.
10TH ANNUAL BUICK RACE DAY -
Saturday, MAY 25, 2019 – Gates open at 8 am
Lebanon Valley Dragway, 1746 U.S. Route 20, West Lebanon, NY
Participants in all Buick classes must be Buick-Powered. For more information, call 518-794-7130 or call 914-477-6068 (ask for John)
TURBO BUICK NATIONALS –
MAY 23, 24, and 25, 2019
Richard Clark’s Garage & Piedmont Race Track, Burlington, North Carolina
This event is held at Richard Clark’s Garage in Burlington, NC and the nearby Piedmont Race Track. For more information and a list of their program, go to Turbobuick.com and scroll down to Turbo Buick Nationals 2019 for up-to-date information. Here is the link to this event.
BATES NUT FARM BUICK SHOW -
SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 2019 - 9 am until 3 pm -
Bates Nut Farm, Valley Center, CA
According to Mike Bernard (Spoolfool fame), this event is the second largest gathering of Turbo Buicks in the Nation. Eric Brown and Mike Bernard deserve a lot of credit for putting this west coast event on every year. The event runs from 9 am until 3 pm. Vendors will be on hand and they will have many items for their raffles. They will update the info shortly for 2019 on the link shown below.
Here is a link to their website.
1ST ANNUAL BUICK BASH AT THE QUAKE -
FRIDAY& SATURDAY - JUNE 14 & 15, 2019
Quaker City Motorsports Park, 10225 West South Range Road, Salem, OH 44460
For more info, contact John Csordas 914-447-6068 [email protected] or Denny Moore 330-647-3615 [email protected] - www.quakercitymotorsportspark.com
EAST COAST BUICK REGIONALS -
FRIDAY& SATURDAY - SEPTEMBER 20TH& 21ST, 2019
Cecil County Dragway, 1916 Theodore Road, Rising Sun, Maryland
This will be the 23rd year. Host hotel Information: Comfort Inn located just off exit 100 on I-95.Call 410-287-7100 and mention Northeast GS/GN Club for special pricing. For more info, contact John Csordas 914-447-6068 [email protected] or Jim Chaudrue 215-266-1052 [email protected]
RELATED NON-BUICK PARTS - FOR SALE –
I have several items for sale. In each case the price includes shipping to the basic 48 states. Perhaps you have a relative or a good friend with one of these cars. All these items are extremely nice and priced to sell. Again, PayPal is the preferred method of payment. You must email me direct - [email protected] to purchase or check if item(s) are still available. All these items are bargain priced and extremely nice otherwise I would not bother hauling them out of the junkyard.
C-2 – See photo 4 in 11-07-2018 issue. I have 4 of these Cadillac accessory trunk mats. I have them in the trunk of all our cars and use them in the pole building to keep any leaks from getting on the concrete floor. These trunk mats were a Cadillac option around the late 1980s. The mat is reversible rubber on the one side with the Caddy crest logo and grey cloth material on the other side. The trunk mat measures 33 inches by 36 inches, almost a perfect square. Mat is the perfect size for most trunks to protect your original trunk carpet. They are charcoal grey in color. Each one is almost like new with no stains. The price is just $34.95, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states. These mats are very high quality.
GOOD NEWS - WE ARE ACCEPTING CLASSIFIED ADS -
Good news - We now accept Classified Ads in our weekly Inner Circle emails. Over the years several customers have asked about placing an ad in our weekly Inner Circle.
Here are the options and the costs.
Ads can be from any individual or company. It needs to be automotive related, meaning it does not need be specifically Turbo Regal related. It can be for something for sale or something wanted.
Maximum number of words is 125 words, which is about 7 to 9 lines of copy. No photos. You can list a website. We recommend you state your name, phone number or email, a price, and your location in your ad.
The cost for 2 consecutive weeks is $25. The cost for 4 consecutive weeks is $40. You save $10 with the 4-week plan. No changes can be made to your existing running ad. You can only run one ad at any given time. We will have a code system at the end of your ad, so we will know what week number your ad is to run - 2 or 4 weeks.
It can be an ad for something for sale or an ad for something you are looking for.
We have never missed a single week since we started the Inner Circle email format in 2009. It’s something I enjoy doing and I just always seem to have enough material to write about.
Our weekly Inner Circle reaches over 3,300 members every Wednesday direct to their inbox. The Inner Circle also appears every Wednesday on our website with the related photos. Your ad would be visible to both groups of readers. So, the exposure to your ad is well over 3,200 potential buyers.
Ads submitted properly by the previous Sunday would appear that next Wednesday in the weekly Inner Circle. Ads must be submitted by email to - [email protected]
Payment by credit card must be done by phone to our office 215-766-1611 x 0.
FOR SALE – 1987 Turbo-T Regal HARDTOP –
NOTE – THIS CAR HAS BEEN SOLD TO A GOOD HOME IN PA.
1987 Turbo-T hardtop with 74,000 miles original California survivor, 100% rust free, original dark blue exterior, and interior, chrome trim never in storage, always lightly used. Factory aluminum wheels, aluminum drums, aluminum bumper inserts, all maintenance upgrades have been done but still looks totally stock and very correct throughout Ice cold A/C still uses R12, PW, tilt, cruise, posi, original window sticker, original exhaust with correct replacement muffler, under carriage as clean as the top side, fully detailed for show, drive anywhere. Received “Award of Excellence” at 2013, and 2018 East Coast Buick Regionals. Needs nothing, runs great $20k. Member NE GS/GN Club & Co-Director local BCA Club. Contact Steve Perry 914-262-9965, Carmel, NY [email protected] 3 of 4.
NOTE - IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO SEE THE BUICK RARE PARTS SECTION -
If you are not able to see the Buick Rare Parts section at the end of this Inner Circle, it is because you are not an Inner Circle member, but instead are reading this on the website. You must subscribe to see the Rare Parts section each week. It would go directly to your inbox every Wednesday afternoon. It is FREE, probably one reason why nobody complains about what I write about. Simply email - [email protected] to get our weekly Inner Circle email.
The Buick Rare Parts section is only viewed by those that subscribe. Subscription is free, so complaints on what I write are nonexistent!
EMAILS TO KIRBAN PERFORMANCE -
NOTE- If you email us and do NOT get a timely reply, be sure to check your “SPAM” folder. Some emails do not go thru.
If you need to email us, use - [email protected]
CORES NEEDED -
Here is the information on our credits for cores.
URGENT NEED –
POWERMASTER BRAKE UNITS. Unit must be complete. We will issue you a Letter of Credit for $150 for each acceptable core. We currently will not buy any powermaster units outright, only Letter of Credit towards parts.
TURBO CORES must be the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal stock turbo. They must be complete. We will issue you a $150 Letter of Credit for each acceptable core.
If you ship to us, the post office is the cheapest method. Pack the item(s) with a note with your name, address and phone number. These are the only 2 items we are currently accepting as cores.
MAIL - Ship to Address -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
PO BOX 1199
PLUMSTEADVILLE, PA 18949
UPS - Ship to Address -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
6201 Kellers Church Road
PLUMSTEADVILLE, PA 18949-1199
TECH CALLS -
If you need technical information, it’s best to email - [email protected] rather than call us. We will do our best to answer any technical questions within 24 hours. Please remember I have very little knowledge of the mechanical workings of the engine.
NEW PRODUCTS FROM US –
REPRODUCTION GM LICENSED - 1987 BUICK OWNER’S MANUAL
A must-have reference booklet for any 1987 Turbo Regal owner. This is a high-quality GM Licensed reproduction of the original Owner’s Manual.
This is a great addition to your reference material.
7843 - Reproduction GM Licensed 1987 Buick Owner’s Manual - $19.95
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
POWER ANTENNA HARDWARE (4 Nuts & 4 Bolts) KIT
NOTE - This kit is included if you purchase the Power Antenna Upgraded Steel Cable Repair Kit, part #7433.
You only need this kit if you do NOT purchase the upgraded steel cable repair kit and plan to replace the cable not using our kit, part #7433.
This kit comes with directions and the proper hardware to reassemble the power antenna housing.
It eliminates the need to hunt down the hardware to reassemble the power antenna motor assembly.
Step-by-step directions are included to make it easy to install.
We also recommend you purchase the "1984-1987 Turbo Regal Power Antenna Removal and Installation Guide" Book by Pete Serio, part #6976. The location of the original power antenna on the passenger fender makes removal a more difficult project than most locations. Or purchase the 1984-1987 Buck Turbo Regal Power Antenna Upgraded Steel Cable Repair Kit, part #7433, which includes this hardware kit.
NOTE - You may also be interested in these related parts - #7702 Rebuild Service for Original Power Antenna.
NOTE - We recommend you also purchase our Part #6976 - “1984-1987 Turbo Regal - Power Antenna Removal and Installation Guide” Book by Pete Serio
7433-Kit - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Power Antenna Hardware (4 Nuts & 4 Bolts) Kit - $4.95 / kit
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS -
If you have any product ideas that would fit our Turbo Buick market that you would like to see available, email me direct - [email protected]
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION FOR TURBO REGAL PARTS -
Got any Turbo Buick parts you are not using? Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit. We also may buy your new or used parts. Simply email me a list [email protected]
Also, we are still buying dead or partially dead 1984-1987 Turbo Regals under $4,000 that are within 250 to 350 miles of our location.
NOTE - ABOUT LINKS IN THE INNER CIRCLE -
We have heard from a couple people that have had problems with the links in our Inner Circle.
When we check the links, they work fine. However, if you are not able to be directed to the exact website page or internet site, you can "copy" and "paste" the link into the URL in your browser (such as Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.) If it doesn't link in one browser, it may work in another.
Most people having problems are using Internet Explorer. If you are having issues with links, try another browser to see if it works.
You may need to "UPDATE" your browser to be use you are using the current version.
NOTE ABOUT PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE -
We have heard from a couple people that have viewed the photos on the website. Because these must be low-resolution photos to work on the Inner Circle segments on the website, any photos of text don't appear clear when enlarged. This is a problem when you are trying to see numbers, such as those on the VIN labels or pages from Options booklet. Also, because of photo reproduction and computer screen variations, the colors may not be true to the actual product or photo.
If you would like to have us email you any photo at the higher resolution for viewing, just email us and we will email them to you. Be sure to be specific on which pictures you want to see - Reference Inner Circle date and photo number 1, 2, 3 or 4 - [email protected]
ABOUT OUR EMAILS -
Any inquiries concerning used parts, you must email me direct - [email protected] I will answer you. However, if I fail to answer you within 24 hours, please email us again. Since expanding into used parts, I get a lot of emails and sometimes I may forget your request or may not remember who requested the item.
IN CLOSING –
I am working on having an assortment of used parts for sale at our Spring Open House. Parts are just getting tougher and tougher to find.