Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members - 11-30-2011
OUR BUICK LITERATURE COLLECTION -
As many of our readers probably realize over the years I have accumulated a good amount of material related to 1984-1987 Turbo Regals.
I started collecting literature when we first got involved with the Turbo Regals. I knew from previous experience with the Pontiac GTOs and Hurst, the material would become not only useful but, in some cases, valuable in years to come.
I acquired a lot of my material from when I would buy cars back in the day, since the owners would usually give me everything related to the car. I also would buy as much as I could find at the yearly GS Nationals from the vendors that specialized in literature.
It is from this material we research various articles on in our weekly Inner Circles.
In last week's Inner Circle, we showed one of the last ATR catalogs they published.
Another major player related to the Turbo Buicks years ago was Kenne Bell. As many GS owners know, his background goes back further than the introduction of the Turbo Regals. He started back in the early 1960s. His involvement with the Turbo Regals started with his 1988 catalog.
PHOTO 1 - This photo on the left shows one of Kenne Bell's earliest Turbo Regal catalogs in my collection, dated 1988. The photo on the right shows his 1992 Turbo Regal catalog. In recent years, his focus has been the Whipple Supercharger, which is a popular choice among Mustang owners.
Perhaps one of Kenne Bell's biggest sellers was probably his ram air kit, which had a unique molded driver's side air dam with a 4-1/2 flex hose that connected to a fiberglass canister. Over the years, I have had cars that had this ram air kit still on the car.
The sources of parts for these cars grow thinner every year. If you have ever attended any major swap meet like I have over the years, you quickly realize the parts for the cars we own and love are becoming more scarce at major swap meets.
PHOTO 2 - In addition to doing yearly catalogs, Kenne Bell also published a bi-monthly newsletter entitled, "BUICK NEWS." The photo on the left shows the first issue we have, which is dated November 1987. It shows the ram air kit we mentioned earlier on the front page. This entire issue covered the various styles of ram air kits he offered back then. The photo on the right shows a copy of Kenne Bell's Buick News from July-August 1992. I don't remember just how long Kenne Bell published his bi-monthly newsletters related to the Turbo Buicks. I'm sure some of you reading this probably have a collection of them.
PHOTO 3 - This full color one-sided page is from a 1986 Buick Dealer Album. Notice the 3 holes punched on the left to insert into the Dealer Album. We show the page in both directions, so you can see each half of the promotional sheet right side up. I have no idea why GM printed half of it one way and half of it another way.
It makes me feel old now that I am looking at this literature from cars that are now over 25 years old. Back then, like many of you, we modified our cars and in some cases "hacked" them up.
Two major modifications come to mind.
Probably the #1 modification some owners did to the 1986-1987 Turbo Regals was to cut a huge hole in the inner passenger plastic fender for a dump pipe to exit. At the time, owners may not have realized that the inner passenger fender was unique to the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal and the regular V6 and V8 was different. The #2 most popular modification that I would find disturbing was to cut 3 or 4 holes in the Grand National dash trim panel for gauges. These were probably the 2 most common modifications back in the day that are not easily fixed today.
ON THE NEWS FRONT -
Unless you been under a rock, you know from the news and various magazines Chevrolet recently celebrated its 100 years in business. The entire December issue of HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR issue is about Chevrolet and its 100 years of history.
Another good read on this topic can be found in the November 2011 issue of AUTOMOBILE. I read several things of interest.
One article was about the 1923 Chevrolet, which was air cooled. Of the 500 or so that were built, about 100 ended up in customers' hands. Detonation was so bad, GM bought all of them back (except for two). They dumped many of them in Lake Erie.
This tells us 2 things.
#1 - It appears 2 of them are still in private hands, and #2 if you fish in Lake Erie and snag something heavy, it may be one of the 1923 Chevrolets. Obviously, the EPA and pollution issues back in 1923 were not a big consideration!
Although my father was never into cars, he did produced one project in the 1980s. It featured 3 of the most popular Chevrolet models from the mid-1950s.
PHOTO 4 - Shows the framed artwork by Ron Von Sauers that my Dad had commissioned in the 1980s. The artwork depicts 3 Chevrolets in the popular colors: the classic 1955 hardtop, the 1956 Nomad, and the 1957 convertible. I have this artwork framed and it now hangs in my home office. The artwork measures approximately 18" long x 7-1/2" high. Unfortunately, it is hard to photograph in the frame, so there is some glare and the frame appears distorted. At the time, my Dad used this artwork on a series of glass mugs, which never really sold well. I was fortunate enough to obtain the artwork and keep it as a remembrance. This was my Dad's only attempt to market something for the automotive collector.
MINI CONTEST UPDATE -
We should have a winner to announce next week. We actually have a winner and he is just waiting for the person to verify where this emblem was used originally and even if it was an original Buick part or an aftermarket part.
ON THE AUCTION CIRCUIT -
Buick GNX #260 presented as Lot #F128 will be at the Mecum auction. It is scheduled to cross the auction block on national television at 4.05 pm on Friday, December 2nd, 2011.
SLP FIREBIRD FORMULA UPDATE -
The seller now is set the asking price at $27,900. This is for the 400-mile red 2002 SLP Formula Firebird we pictured in the 11-16-2011 Inner Circle.
CAR FOR SALE -
My friend Greg Glenn, out of New Jersey has a 1986 T-Type for sale. The car is a one owner with 67,000 miles. It has a black exterior with T-Tops and a grey interior. He installed one of our rebuilt Cardone powermaster brake units. Car has a fresh oil change, new battery and air filter. It runs and drives. Car has fairly new tires on it. Needs TLC, headliner, front and rear bumper fillers and the digital dash does not light up. It's a good winter project for just $5900. Call Greg at 732-406-6285 for more details.
BREAKING NEWS -
Now in stock - The reproduction 1984-987 Turbo Regal shifter cable for the console model only. This is one part that we recommend you have on hand.
Here is our complete description:
1984-1987 Turbo Regal (Console Models Only) -
REPRODUCTION TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE
This reproduction transmission shift cable (console models only) is special for the 200 4R overdrive transmission used in all the 1984-1987 Turbo Regals. This transmission shift cable is unique for this application.
GM discontinued the factory transmission shift cable several years ago.
We recommend you keep one as a spare.
7368 - 1984-1987 Turbo Regal (Console Models Only) –
Reproduction Transmission Shift Cable - $36.95
Here is a link to the Shift Cable page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/43908/REPRODUCTION+TRANSMISSION+SHIFT+CABLE+%237368.html
2011 CHRISTMAS SPECIALS -
Be sure to check out our website as we have announced our 2011 Christmas Specials. Discounts range from 10% to as high as 15% on a huge array of parts, including ZDDPlus™ for your oil. The effective dates runs thru 4 pm December 16th, 2011. Be sure to check out our website for complete details.
NOTE - Our website will not be able to calculate the discounts, so you MUST call in your order to take advantage of the Specials.
Here is a link to the 2011 Christmas Specials page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/inner_circle.php?nak=155
HURST ITEMS & COLLECTIBLES - NOW ON THE WEBSITE -
We have all the licensed Hurst items and other Collectibles on the website with full descriptions and photos. Check it out. You might find something there to use as a holiday/birthday gift for any automotive enthusiast or your mechanic.
Here is a link to the Hurst & Collectibles page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/products/31/HURST+AND+COLLECTIBLES.html
GRAY PALLEX SEAT MATERIAL UPDATE -
Currently we have less than half of our roll left, as several customers have bought 2 and 3 sections of it to do several cars. So, if you have a 1985-1987 Grand National, you may want to get a sample of this material to see if it's something you want to have tucked away. Most of the pallex material you find today from companies sells for over $75 to $95 a yard.
We do NOT have the black pallex material. In many cases, the original black material should be good enough to simply re-use and install the new gray pallex material. The black is a lot easier to match whereas the gray is something that can vary. Keep in mind, before we sell you any material, please email me your name and address so I can send you a sample. That way, you know the exact shade of gray material you would receive - [email protected]
NOTE - We only have enough for 4 kits left.
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION WORKS -
Got any turbo parts you are not using? Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit. 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 PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE - We have heard from a couple people that have viewed the photos on the website. Because these have to 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].
NEXT YEAR - 2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS -
TURBOBUICK.COM NATIONALS 2012 - MAY 2 - MAY 5, 2012 - Burlington, NC
For the latest information, go to - www.turbobuick.com/forums or - [email protected]
Event will feature free food, dyno, tech sessions, drag racing, and Auto-X. This is one of the first Turbo Buick events for the year 2012.
2012 GS NATIONALS - OCTOBER 10-13, 2012 - Beach Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
The Gallina/Duttweiler 6-second 200 mph doorslammer is already confirmed for this event.
EBAY LISTINGS -
If you would like to see any of the Kirban Performance Products items listed on eBay, here is a link to our store and auctions - http://stores.ebay.com/Kirban-Performance-Products-Inc_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZ%20km
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 -
Be sure to check out our Christmas Specials information and Hurst & Collectible items on our website.
OUR BUICK LITERATURE COLLECTION -
As many of our readers probably realize over the years I have accumulated a good amount of material related to 1984-1987 Turbo Regals.
I started collecting literature when we first got involved with the Turbo Regals. I knew from previous experience with the Pontiac GTOs and Hurst, the material would become not only useful but, in some cases, valuable in years to come.
I acquired a lot of my material from when I would buy cars back in the day, since the owners would usually give me everything related to the car. I also would buy as much as I could find at the yearly GS Nationals from the vendors that specialized in literature.
It is from this material we research various articles on in our weekly Inner Circles.
In last week's Inner Circle, we showed one of the last ATR catalogs they published.
Another major player related to the Turbo Buicks years ago was Kenne Bell. As many GS owners know, his background goes back further than the introduction of the Turbo Regals. He started back in the early 1960s. His involvement with the Turbo Regals started with his 1988 catalog.
PHOTO 1 - This photo on the left shows one of Kenne Bell's earliest Turbo Regal catalogs in my collection, dated 1988. The photo on the right shows his 1992 Turbo Regal catalog. In recent years, his focus has been the Whipple Supercharger, which is a popular choice among Mustang owners.
Perhaps one of Kenne Bell's biggest sellers was probably his ram air kit, which had a unique molded driver's side air dam with a 4-1/2 flex hose that connected to a fiberglass canister. Over the years, I have had cars that had this ram air kit still on the car.
The sources of parts for these cars grow thinner every year. If you have ever attended any major swap meet like I have over the years, you quickly realize the parts for the cars we own and love are becoming more scarce at major swap meets.
PHOTO 2 - In addition to doing yearly catalogs, Kenne Bell also published a bi-monthly newsletter entitled, "BUICK NEWS." The photo on the left shows the first issue we have, which is dated November 1987. It shows the ram air kit we mentioned earlier on the front page. This entire issue covered the various styles of ram air kits he offered back then. The photo on the right shows a copy of Kenne Bell's Buick News from July-August 1992. I don't remember just how long Kenne Bell published his bi-monthly newsletters related to the Turbo Buicks. I'm sure some of you reading this probably have a collection of them.
PHOTO 3 - This full color one-sided page is from a 1986 Buick Dealer Album. Notice the 3 holes punched on the left to insert into the Dealer Album. We show the page in both directions, so you can see each half of the promotional sheet right side up. I have no idea why GM printed half of it one way and half of it another way.
It makes me feel old now that I am looking at this literature from cars that are now over 25 years old. Back then, like many of you, we modified our cars and in some cases "hacked" them up.
Two major modifications come to mind.
Probably the #1 modification some owners did to the 1986-1987 Turbo Regals was to cut a huge hole in the inner passenger plastic fender for a dump pipe to exit. At the time, owners may not have realized that the inner passenger fender was unique to the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal and the regular V6 and V8 was different. The #2 most popular modification that I would find disturbing was to cut 3 or 4 holes in the Grand National dash trim panel for gauges. These were probably the 2 most common modifications back in the day that are not easily fixed today.
ON THE NEWS FRONT -
Unless you been under a rock, you know from the news and various magazines Chevrolet recently celebrated its 100 years in business. The entire December issue of HEMMINGS CLASSIC CAR issue is about Chevrolet and its 100 years of history.
Another good read on this topic can be found in the November 2011 issue of AUTOMOBILE. I read several things of interest.
One article was about the 1923 Chevrolet, which was air cooled. Of the 500 or so that were built, about 100 ended up in customers' hands. Detonation was so bad, GM bought all of them back (except for two). They dumped many of them in Lake Erie.
This tells us 2 things.
#1 - It appears 2 of them are still in private hands, and #2 if you fish in Lake Erie and snag something heavy, it may be one of the 1923 Chevrolets. Obviously, the EPA and pollution issues back in 1923 were not a big consideration!
Although my father was never into cars, he did produced one project in the 1980s. It featured 3 of the most popular Chevrolet models from the mid-1950s.
PHOTO 4 - Shows the framed artwork by Ron Von Sauers that my Dad had commissioned in the 1980s. The artwork depicts 3 Chevrolets in the popular colors: the classic 1955 hardtop, the 1956 Nomad, and the 1957 convertible. I have this artwork framed and it now hangs in my home office. The artwork measures approximately 18" long x 7-1/2" high. Unfortunately, it is hard to photograph in the frame, so there is some glare and the frame appears distorted. At the time, my Dad used this artwork on a series of glass mugs, which never really sold well. I was fortunate enough to obtain the artwork and keep it as a remembrance. This was my Dad's only attempt to market something for the automotive collector.
MINI CONTEST UPDATE -
We should have a winner to announce next week. We actually have a winner and he is just waiting for the person to verify where this emblem was used originally and even if it was an original Buick part or an aftermarket part.
ON THE AUCTION CIRCUIT -
Buick GNX #260 presented as Lot #F128 will be at the Mecum auction. It is scheduled to cross the auction block on national television at 4.05 pm on Friday, December 2nd, 2011.
SLP FIREBIRD FORMULA UPDATE -
The seller now is set the asking price at $27,900. This is for the 400-mile red 2002 SLP Formula Firebird we pictured in the 11-16-2011 Inner Circle.
CAR FOR SALE -
My friend Greg Glenn, out of New Jersey has a 1986 T-Type for sale. The car is a one owner with 67,000 miles. It has a black exterior with T-Tops and a grey interior. He installed one of our rebuilt Cardone powermaster brake units. Car has a fresh oil change, new battery and air filter. It runs and drives. Car has fairly new tires on it. Needs TLC, headliner, front and rear bumper fillers and the digital dash does not light up. It's a good winter project for just $5900. Call Greg at 732-406-6285 for more details.
BREAKING NEWS -
Now in stock - The reproduction 1984-987 Turbo Regal shifter cable for the console model only. This is one part that we recommend you have on hand.
Here is our complete description:
1984-1987 Turbo Regal (Console Models Only) -
REPRODUCTION TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE
This reproduction transmission shift cable (console models only) is special for the 200 4R overdrive transmission used in all the 1984-1987 Turbo Regals. This transmission shift cable is unique for this application.
GM discontinued the factory transmission shift cable several years ago.
We recommend you keep one as a spare.
7368 - 1984-1987 Turbo Regal (Console Models Only) –
Reproduction Transmission Shift Cable - $36.95
Here is a link to the Shift Cable page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/43908/REPRODUCTION+TRANSMISSION+SHIFT+CABLE+%237368.html
2011 CHRISTMAS SPECIALS -
Be sure to check out our website as we have announced our 2011 Christmas Specials. Discounts range from 10% to as high as 15% on a huge array of parts, including ZDDPlus™ for your oil. The effective dates runs thru 4 pm December 16th, 2011. Be sure to check out our website for complete details.
NOTE - Our website will not be able to calculate the discounts, so you MUST call in your order to take advantage of the Specials.
Here is a link to the 2011 Christmas Specials page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/inner_circle.php?nak=155
HURST ITEMS & COLLECTIBLES - NOW ON THE WEBSITE -
We have all the licensed Hurst items and other Collectibles on the website with full descriptions and photos. Check it out. You might find something there to use as a holiday/birthday gift for any automotive enthusiast or your mechanic.
Here is a link to the Hurst & Collectibles page on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/products/31/HURST+AND+COLLECTIBLES.html
GRAY PALLEX SEAT MATERIAL UPDATE -
Currently we have less than half of our roll left, as several customers have bought 2 and 3 sections of it to do several cars. So, if you have a 1985-1987 Grand National, you may want to get a sample of this material to see if it's something you want to have tucked away. Most of the pallex material you find today from companies sells for over $75 to $95 a yard.
We do NOT have the black pallex material. In many cases, the original black material should be good enough to simply re-use and install the new gray pallex material. The black is a lot easier to match whereas the gray is something that can vary. Keep in mind, before we sell you any material, please email me your name and address so I can send you a sample. That way, you know the exact shade of gray material you would receive - [email protected]
NOTE - We only have enough for 4 kits left.
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION WORKS -
Got any turbo parts you are not using? Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit. 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 PHOTOS ON THE WEBSITE - We have heard from a couple people that have viewed the photos on the website. Because these have to 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].
NEXT YEAR - 2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS -
TURBOBUICK.COM NATIONALS 2012 - MAY 2 - MAY 5, 2012 - Burlington, NC
For the latest information, go to - www.turbobuick.com/forums or - [email protected]
Event will feature free food, dyno, tech sessions, drag racing, and Auto-X. This is one of the first Turbo Buick events for the year 2012.
2012 GS NATIONALS - OCTOBER 10-13, 2012 - Beach Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
The Gallina/Duttweiler 6-second 200 mph doorslammer is already confirmed for this event.
EBAY LISTINGS -
If you would like to see any of the Kirban Performance Products items listed on eBay, here is a link to our store and auctions - http://stores.ebay.com/Kirban-Performance-Products-Inc_W0QQssPageNameZl2QQtZ%20km
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 -
Be sure to check out our Christmas Specials information and Hurst & Collectible items on our website.