Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members 02-13-2019 –
ANOTHER RARE FIND UP DATE –
Last week we did an article featuring the Advance Price Sheet for purchasing a Grand National in Canada. The Advanced Price Sheet reflected a retail price of $24,578. It was brought to my attention by Dave that the prices listed were probably in Canadian dollars. He says in 1987 the exchange rate ranged from $1.33 to $1.37 in Canadian to the U.S. $1.00.
All things being equal Dave says the equivalent to the U.S. price would have been about $1,8072. If that is the case, the numbers for the price of the 1987 Grand National in Canada was not really out of line, at least not in 1987. It’s when you buy parts from the U.S. that costs increase rapidly with shipping and duty fees!
LAST WEEK’S TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWERED –
Last week’s Turbo Regal trivia question was made fairly easy due to some of the clues such as the item is a maintenance item and is the size of your fist. Most readers that responded got it correct. The correct answer is the original oil filter was painted black from the factory. What is unknown to me is did they ever have black ones available from GM as a part you could purchase?
On ebay you can find old AC Delco filters in the original box but they always are blue not black.
What many of our readers may not realize is, like the radiator cap which says, “Made in England,” the box for the early AC Delco oil filters says, “Made in the United Kingdom.” The later boxes say, “Made in the USA” on the bottom of the box.
It appears that for the original oil filter and radiator caps were produced in the United Kingdom. Why United Kingdom instead of the U.S. is a question I have no answer for. I am sure prior to this time frame oil filters and radiator caps for GM vehicles were Made in the USA. Perhaps someone at Buick/GM had a lot of influence and was able to farm out production to a plant or plants in the United Kingdom. This simply is a guess on my part.
PHOTO 1 – From my private collection I show both PF47 AC Delco oil filter boxes. The photo to the left shows the front of both boxes. They appear identical. The photo to the right shows the bottom of the two PF47 AC Delco oil filter boxes. It may be hard to see, but the one on the left in the smaller font style in Caps says, “MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM” and “PRINTED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.” The box on the right in caps says, “MADE IN THE USA” and “PRINTED IN THE USA.”
You can probably file this above information under useless Turbo Regal trivia as it will probably never come up again!
HERE IS THE NEXT BUICK TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION –
Here is the next Buick Turbo Regal trivia question. Name the part in the trunk that has a dual purpose. That is your only clue. Your answer has to match mine. Email me your guess at [email protected]
Google won’t know the answer as I have asked it numerous questions and it has no idea. Here is one example, I asked it the current value of a 1987 Buick Grand National and it did not know. It knows the way to get to Heaven, but has zero information on the current value of a Grand National.
ANOTHER PERSONAL LICENSE PLATE STORY –
Last week we did an article on some of the various license plates we have used over the last 35-plus years.
This next license plate story involves GTOs, Firebirds, and Turbo Regals. All are connected to one vanity plate that I used for several years. I still use this vanity plate today on the back of our little 1996 Ford Ranger.
The license plate reads “A MOVER.” The first car that we had this license plate on was a 1967 Ram Air 400 Firebird. That car had been featured in a book on Firebirds and is on a huge Firebird poster. Like all the cars that have passed thru our hands, I sold it before the values skyrocketed. I had a suit-and-tie-guy fly out from Chicago area to look at our Firebird from an ad in Hemmings. At the time, he owned a six cylinder 1967 Firebird. Compared to our highly-modified ram air 400 four speed with 3.55 gears, the initial ride in our car was worlds apart from his meager six cylinder Firebird.
He was impressed and bought our car. When he registered it in Illinois, he made it a point to get the same vanity tag in Illinois “A MOVER.” I thought that was a nice touch. At the time, I was fairly well known in the Pontiac world. We stayed in touch for many years. My firebird was the only muscle car he ever bought. He owned a company called Electric Windings. His company made the electric windings for the Williamson pinball machines. He passed away a few years back and I have no idea where that Firebird is today. I did stop and visit him on one of my trips to pick up a Turbo Regal. Our old Firebird sat in a huge building at his farm surrounded by over 300 pin ball machines, all in numerical year order! This was an amazing sight to behold.
Next, I put the “A MOVER” tag on the 1964 GTO we restored from just a body shell. Maybe 10 years ago or so I was at a small Pontiac show in New Jersey. One of the vendors was selling various Pontiac/GTO items out of his trunk. He had a framed illustration that showed two 1964 GTOs. I recognized it immediately as art print we commissioned years ago and sold. The seller insisted this was a factory Pontiac print that hung in a Pontiac dealership.
I told him it may have hung in a Pontiac dealership, but we had the artwork done and used to sell those prints. I wanted to buy it, but not at the high price he wanted because he was convinced he was right about being a factory Pontiac print and I was wrong. I noticed in the print I had used the license plate “A MOVER” on the GTO. I was still using that license plate, but it was not on a vehicle I had at this swap meet.
At the end of the event he had not sold the framed GTO print. I told him I would send him a photo proving it was my artwork because I had that license plate on a car at home. If I could not prove it, I would send him a check for the amount he was asking. He agreed.
Jump forward to the early 1990s. We produced several Turbo Regal T-shirts. These were based on several designs that we had various artists do for us. This was before GM cracked down on major suppliers that did not have GM license agreements.
The artist on this T-shirt was Paul Vilser who still owns a WE4. He designed many of our cartoons that appeared in various catalogs years ago. This design was one of our most popular T-shirts. Once in a while we see customers wearing this T-shirt and our other designs at major Buick events.
You guessed it, we used the license plate “A MOVER” on the back of the Turbo Regal. It’s highly unlikely GM would approve of this T-shirt today unless the words, “We Brake for Corvettes” were deleted. That phrase was an in house saying at Buick and even appears in the GNX book. Buick engineers basically built a quicker car and snuck one by GM and notably their Halo car the Corvette.
PHOTO 2 – The photo to the top left shows the actual 1964 artwork that we used to sell. The photo to the top right shows a close up of the one 1964 GTO in the art print that has the license plate “A MOVER.” The bottom left photo shows an actual older A MOVER license plate. The bottom right photo shows the finished artwork that became one of our popular Buick T-shirts. It is dated 1994 and you can clearly see the A MOVER license plate.
So, the lesson here is anytime you have automotive artwork done, have the artist use your actual license plate. That removes all doubt in later years as to where the artwork originated!
UNUSUAL CAR WITH POWERMASTER BRAKE SYSTEM –
The other week I heard from Donny Torres out of Texas. He needed a powermaster brake unit. Due to not seeing any history in our files, I wondered if he had a Turbo Regal. Turns out he has a Mark I chassis Cobra Kit car powered by a 5.0 Mustang engine. He says back in 2002 on a Cobra forum it talked about using a Turbo Regal powermaster brake system. He has had the powermaster brake unit in his kit car since 2002. Until a few months ago it has been trouble-free for him. In his Cobra kit car, he has a shield over the brake unit so you can’t see the actual powermaster unit.
PHOTO 3 – The photo to the left shows Donnie’s Cobra kit car. The photo to the right shows the engine compartment. The powermaster brake unit is under the silver metal cover against the firewall.
ANOTHER ID PLATE ON EVERY GM CAR –
Another ID plate found on every GM car would be the metal one located on the firewall near the wiper motor on the driver’s side.
Of note to any GNX owner - this metal plate would be stamped GNX. Although many of my readers think I know it all when it comes to these cars, I don’t know by memory all the meanings of the various codes on this metal ID plate.
The “AR9” code jumps out at me as it refers to the bucket seats found in most of the Turbo Regals.
We will go into more detail in future Inner Circle postings. For right now in the next photo I have pictured various plates I have removed from cars in the junkyard. I have sanded the raised areas so the codes are more visible.
PHOTO 4 – The top photos show the oldest two ID plates I have, believed to be late 1970s. The lower photos show two metal ID plates similar to what GM used in your Turbo Regal.
ON A SIDENOTE ABOUT THE METAL ID PLATES –
As a kid growing up I used to run an addressograph machine for my Dad in our basement. Child labor laws back then did not exist. Metal trays would be filled with approximately 50-100 metal plates slightly smaller than these GM metal ID plates. They had a person’s name and address on them and I would put an envelope on an area where this arm came down and stamped the impression of the metal plate on an envelope.
I also ran a machine that would stamp in the name and address on the metal plates. An even smaller version can be found on every military person that has a metal dog tag. (I still have my dog tag on my keychain).
PARTS REQUEST –
I have a long-time customer looking to buy a factory original NOS 1986-1987 catalytic converter. He is also interested in an original GNX jacket. Email me direct [email protected] if you have either item to sell.
STILL AVAILABLE FOR SALE - 2013 INFINITI G37X MODEL -
The local country dealership I work with and have a sales license with has this extremely nice car for sale. Car is a rare combination of black exterior with matching black leather. It is a G37X model with all-wheel drive and navigation.
Actual miles 54,800 and it’s been garaged. Zero accidents. a very elegant looking sedan that is quite powerful, non-smoker car. The price is $14,995. Email me [email protected] - for photos. The lot is located about 10 minutes from our warehouse in nearby Ottsville, PA. Contact Laura at 267-679-0610 or Don at 215-801-1859 for more details and availability.
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. See http://www/carsmartsradio.com for updates on future shows.
2018 TURBO BUICK RELATED CAR SHOWS EVENTS -
4th Annual South Florida Turbo Buick meet– February 17, 2019
This year it will be at Geronimo’s Bar and Grill in Davie, Florida on the corner of Stirling Rd and University Dr. Hope you all can make it. It starts at 10:45am and it’s over when the last person leaves. This place has an outdoor patio to sip down some cold ones. Facebook group is - Turbo Buick of South Florida. Please join the group
RELATED NON-BUICK PARTS - FOR SALE –
I have several items for sale this first week. 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.
C-4 – For the Subaru Outback, a full set (4) embroidered with the word Outback factory carpet savers that are absolutely mint. Grey black color weave look. They are probably 1990s vintage. The price is just $38.95 for the full set, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states.
C-5 – For any 2001-2004 Honda Civic with the grey/black interior I have a mint original factory passenger embroidered floor mat and a mint one piece rear carpeted factory floor mat. The price is just $29.95, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states.
NOTE - If requested we can supply photos of any item in this section if you are unsure as to whether it will fit your application.
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.
CLASSIFIED AD –
WANTED - Template that came with factory GNX replacement INNER fender vents. A large folded paper with the cutout template for the INNER vent. NOT the template for the outer vent. $100 for original or exact full-size copy. $50 for non-exact size copy if completely legible. David - 602-550-3583 Week 2 of 2
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 on 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]
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
If there are any tips or ideas you want to share with our readers, email me –[email protected]
TIP FROM KIRBAN –
If you own a 1986-1987 Grand National and it has the stock wheels, remember to tighten the lug nuts properly and then pop on the center cap, which is secured by the sides of your factory lug nuts. Weird format, but it is how Buick did it.
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 – We expect to finally have rebuilt powermaster brake units in stock. It has been months since we had any in stock due to the demand. While vacuum is a popular option, keeping your car original rules the game when it comes to selling your Turbo Regal.
ANOTHER RARE FIND UP DATE –
Last week we did an article featuring the Advance Price Sheet for purchasing a Grand National in Canada. The Advanced Price Sheet reflected a retail price of $24,578. It was brought to my attention by Dave that the prices listed were probably in Canadian dollars. He says in 1987 the exchange rate ranged from $1.33 to $1.37 in Canadian to the U.S. $1.00.
All things being equal Dave says the equivalent to the U.S. price would have been about $1,8072. If that is the case, the numbers for the price of the 1987 Grand National in Canada was not really out of line, at least not in 1987. It’s when you buy parts from the U.S. that costs increase rapidly with shipping and duty fees!
LAST WEEK’S TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWERED –
Last week’s Turbo Regal trivia question was made fairly easy due to some of the clues such as the item is a maintenance item and is the size of your fist. Most readers that responded got it correct. The correct answer is the original oil filter was painted black from the factory. What is unknown to me is did they ever have black ones available from GM as a part you could purchase?
On ebay you can find old AC Delco filters in the original box but they always are blue not black.
What many of our readers may not realize is, like the radiator cap which says, “Made in England,” the box for the early AC Delco oil filters says, “Made in the United Kingdom.” The later boxes say, “Made in the USA” on the bottom of the box.
It appears that for the original oil filter and radiator caps were produced in the United Kingdom. Why United Kingdom instead of the U.S. is a question I have no answer for. I am sure prior to this time frame oil filters and radiator caps for GM vehicles were Made in the USA. Perhaps someone at Buick/GM had a lot of influence and was able to farm out production to a plant or plants in the United Kingdom. This simply is a guess on my part.
PHOTO 1 – From my private collection I show both PF47 AC Delco oil filter boxes. The photo to the left shows the front of both boxes. They appear identical. The photo to the right shows the bottom of the two PF47 AC Delco oil filter boxes. It may be hard to see, but the one on the left in the smaller font style in Caps says, “MADE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM” and “PRINTED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.” The box on the right in caps says, “MADE IN THE USA” and “PRINTED IN THE USA.”
You can probably file this above information under useless Turbo Regal trivia as it will probably never come up again!
HERE IS THE NEXT BUICK TURBO REGAL TRIVIA QUESTION –
Here is the next Buick Turbo Regal trivia question. Name the part in the trunk that has a dual purpose. That is your only clue. Your answer has to match mine. Email me your guess at [email protected]
Google won’t know the answer as I have asked it numerous questions and it has no idea. Here is one example, I asked it the current value of a 1987 Buick Grand National and it did not know. It knows the way to get to Heaven, but has zero information on the current value of a Grand National.
ANOTHER PERSONAL LICENSE PLATE STORY –
Last week we did an article on some of the various license plates we have used over the last 35-plus years.
This next license plate story involves GTOs, Firebirds, and Turbo Regals. All are connected to one vanity plate that I used for several years. I still use this vanity plate today on the back of our little 1996 Ford Ranger.
The license plate reads “A MOVER.” The first car that we had this license plate on was a 1967 Ram Air 400 Firebird. That car had been featured in a book on Firebirds and is on a huge Firebird poster. Like all the cars that have passed thru our hands, I sold it before the values skyrocketed. I had a suit-and-tie-guy fly out from Chicago area to look at our Firebird from an ad in Hemmings. At the time, he owned a six cylinder 1967 Firebird. Compared to our highly-modified ram air 400 four speed with 3.55 gears, the initial ride in our car was worlds apart from his meager six cylinder Firebird.
He was impressed and bought our car. When he registered it in Illinois, he made it a point to get the same vanity tag in Illinois “A MOVER.” I thought that was a nice touch. At the time, I was fairly well known in the Pontiac world. We stayed in touch for many years. My firebird was the only muscle car he ever bought. He owned a company called Electric Windings. His company made the electric windings for the Williamson pinball machines. He passed away a few years back and I have no idea where that Firebird is today. I did stop and visit him on one of my trips to pick up a Turbo Regal. Our old Firebird sat in a huge building at his farm surrounded by over 300 pin ball machines, all in numerical year order! This was an amazing sight to behold.
Next, I put the “A MOVER” tag on the 1964 GTO we restored from just a body shell. Maybe 10 years ago or so I was at a small Pontiac show in New Jersey. One of the vendors was selling various Pontiac/GTO items out of his trunk. He had a framed illustration that showed two 1964 GTOs. I recognized it immediately as art print we commissioned years ago and sold. The seller insisted this was a factory Pontiac print that hung in a Pontiac dealership.
I told him it may have hung in a Pontiac dealership, but we had the artwork done and used to sell those prints. I wanted to buy it, but not at the high price he wanted because he was convinced he was right about being a factory Pontiac print and I was wrong. I noticed in the print I had used the license plate “A MOVER” on the GTO. I was still using that license plate, but it was not on a vehicle I had at this swap meet.
At the end of the event he had not sold the framed GTO print. I told him I would send him a photo proving it was my artwork because I had that license plate on a car at home. If I could not prove it, I would send him a check for the amount he was asking. He agreed.
Jump forward to the early 1990s. We produced several Turbo Regal T-shirts. These were based on several designs that we had various artists do for us. This was before GM cracked down on major suppliers that did not have GM license agreements.
The artist on this T-shirt was Paul Vilser who still owns a WE4. He designed many of our cartoons that appeared in various catalogs years ago. This design was one of our most popular T-shirts. Once in a while we see customers wearing this T-shirt and our other designs at major Buick events.
You guessed it, we used the license plate “A MOVER” on the back of the Turbo Regal. It’s highly unlikely GM would approve of this T-shirt today unless the words, “We Brake for Corvettes” were deleted. That phrase was an in house saying at Buick and even appears in the GNX book. Buick engineers basically built a quicker car and snuck one by GM and notably their Halo car the Corvette.
PHOTO 2 – The photo to the top left shows the actual 1964 artwork that we used to sell. The photo to the top right shows a close up of the one 1964 GTO in the art print that has the license plate “A MOVER.” The bottom left photo shows an actual older A MOVER license plate. The bottom right photo shows the finished artwork that became one of our popular Buick T-shirts. It is dated 1994 and you can clearly see the A MOVER license plate.
So, the lesson here is anytime you have automotive artwork done, have the artist use your actual license plate. That removes all doubt in later years as to where the artwork originated!
UNUSUAL CAR WITH POWERMASTER BRAKE SYSTEM –
The other week I heard from Donny Torres out of Texas. He needed a powermaster brake unit. Due to not seeing any history in our files, I wondered if he had a Turbo Regal. Turns out he has a Mark I chassis Cobra Kit car powered by a 5.0 Mustang engine. He says back in 2002 on a Cobra forum it talked about using a Turbo Regal powermaster brake system. He has had the powermaster brake unit in his kit car since 2002. Until a few months ago it has been trouble-free for him. In his Cobra kit car, he has a shield over the brake unit so you can’t see the actual powermaster unit.
PHOTO 3 – The photo to the left shows Donnie’s Cobra kit car. The photo to the right shows the engine compartment. The powermaster brake unit is under the silver metal cover against the firewall.
ANOTHER ID PLATE ON EVERY GM CAR –
Another ID plate found on every GM car would be the metal one located on the firewall near the wiper motor on the driver’s side.
Of note to any GNX owner - this metal plate would be stamped GNX. Although many of my readers think I know it all when it comes to these cars, I don’t know by memory all the meanings of the various codes on this metal ID plate.
The “AR9” code jumps out at me as it refers to the bucket seats found in most of the Turbo Regals.
We will go into more detail in future Inner Circle postings. For right now in the next photo I have pictured various plates I have removed from cars in the junkyard. I have sanded the raised areas so the codes are more visible.
PHOTO 4 – The top photos show the oldest two ID plates I have, believed to be late 1970s. The lower photos show two metal ID plates similar to what GM used in your Turbo Regal.
ON A SIDENOTE ABOUT THE METAL ID PLATES –
As a kid growing up I used to run an addressograph machine for my Dad in our basement. Child labor laws back then did not exist. Metal trays would be filled with approximately 50-100 metal plates slightly smaller than these GM metal ID plates. They had a person’s name and address on them and I would put an envelope on an area where this arm came down and stamped the impression of the metal plate on an envelope.
I also ran a machine that would stamp in the name and address on the metal plates. An even smaller version can be found on every military person that has a metal dog tag. (I still have my dog tag on my keychain).
PARTS REQUEST –
I have a long-time customer looking to buy a factory original NOS 1986-1987 catalytic converter. He is also interested in an original GNX jacket. Email me direct [email protected] if you have either item to sell.
STILL AVAILABLE FOR SALE - 2013 INFINITI G37X MODEL -
The local country dealership I work with and have a sales license with has this extremely nice car for sale. Car is a rare combination of black exterior with matching black leather. It is a G37X model with all-wheel drive and navigation.
Actual miles 54,800 and it’s been garaged. Zero accidents. a very elegant looking sedan that is quite powerful, non-smoker car. The price is $14,995. Email me [email protected] - for photos. The lot is located about 10 minutes from our warehouse in nearby Ottsville, PA. Contact Laura at 267-679-0610 or Don at 215-801-1859 for more details and availability.
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. See http://www/carsmartsradio.com for updates on future shows.
2018 TURBO BUICK RELATED CAR SHOWS EVENTS -
4th Annual South Florida Turbo Buick meet– February 17, 2019
This year it will be at Geronimo’s Bar and Grill in Davie, Florida on the corner of Stirling Rd and University Dr. Hope you all can make it. It starts at 10:45am and it’s over when the last person leaves. This place has an outdoor patio to sip down some cold ones. Facebook group is - Turbo Buick of South Florida. Please join the group
RELATED NON-BUICK PARTS - FOR SALE –
I have several items for sale this first week. 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.
C-4 – For the Subaru Outback, a full set (4) embroidered with the word Outback factory carpet savers that are absolutely mint. Grey black color weave look. They are probably 1990s vintage. The price is just $38.95 for the full set, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states.
C-5 – For any 2001-2004 Honda Civic with the grey/black interior I have a mint original factory passenger embroidered floor mat and a mint one piece rear carpeted factory floor mat. The price is just $29.95, which includes shipping to the basic 48 states.
NOTE - If requested we can supply photos of any item in this section if you are unsure as to whether it will fit your application.
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.
CLASSIFIED AD –
WANTED - Template that came with factory GNX replacement INNER fender vents. A large folded paper with the cutout template for the INNER vent. NOT the template for the outer vent. $100 for original or exact full-size copy. $50 for non-exact size copy if completely legible. David - 602-550-3583 Week 2 of 2
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 on 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]
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
If there are any tips or ideas you want to share with our readers, email me –[email protected]
TIP FROM KIRBAN –
If you own a 1986-1987 Grand National and it has the stock wheels, remember to tighten the lug nuts properly and then pop on the center cap, which is secured by the sides of your factory lug nuts. Weird format, but it is how Buick did it.
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 – We expect to finally have rebuilt powermaster brake units in stock. It has been months since we had any in stock due to the demand. While vacuum is a popular option, keeping your car original rules the game when it comes to selling your Turbo Regal.