Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members 02-10-2016 -
GM LICENSED REPRODUCTION DOOR JAMB VIN DATA DECALS - continued -
We just received our initial samples of the 1984-1987 GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals this past week.
Until I saw all the different versions, I did not realize that GM went with a smaller decal for the 1987 models when compared to the 1986 and older decals.
ECS Automotive Concepts has set up a special program just for our customers so all the info is lined up properly. They have over 15,000 different templates for VIN numbers in their system. We want all our decals to be uniform and represent the best decals that GM made for the particular models we cater to for our customers.
PHOTO 1 - Shows the 1984, the 1985-1986 (both the same) and the 1987 GM reproduction door jamb VIN data decals. You can see how the 1984 tire specs decal is different from the 1985-1986 tire version. According to Dave, whatever ink GM used on the 1984, 1985-1986 style seems to virtually disappear after a period of time, even on the low-mileage original cars.
It reminds me of the chalking that occurs on original GM fillers when the cars sit for any length of time. I don’t have a real explanation why that is, except whatever the ink and format they used to imprint them just was not designed to last.
Now that I see brand new 1984-1986 versions, you can see GM used a two-layer design of paper. One layer has all the standard information printed on it and the other layer has the information related to a particular car imprinted on it. If you were to try and remove it after it was applied to the door jamb, you can see how it would separate and rip. The process was definitely changed for the 1987 and later GM cars, since those decals hold up far better over time.
HERE IS PRICING FOR THE DOOR JAMB DATA VIN DECALS -
The price is $120 for the pair plus $7 for Priority Mail shipping. We would forward your information directly to ECS Automotive Concepts. They, in turn, would process your order and would send the new decals by Priority Mail directly to you. Orders will take between 5 and 7 days.
At the moment, we are the only GM vendor offering them. I anticipate being able to get other companies to offer these decals as well. Since these are custom made and one-of-a-kind for your specific car, it’s important to double-check the information you give us to avoid errors. These door jamb data VIN decals are correct for all GM cars, only for the years noted. GM trucks door jamb VIN data decals are different.
Below are our part numbers for ordering the reproduction 1984-1987 door jamb VIN data decals for your Turbo Regals. They are actually correct for all GM cars 1984-1987, not just Turbo Regals. We are sending you a special email either this Thursday or Friday around 3 pm with exact details of what we need in order to process your order. Do not order until we provide you with this information in this separate email.
One of the requirements is photographic proof of your car’s 17-digit VIN number. This can be a picture of your trunk ID label or a picture of your actual title.
In last week’s Inner Circle (01-03-2016) we explained how to decode the Body Number Plate to determine the month and year of manufacture. If your door jamb data decals are missing or not readable, you need to determine the month and year of manufacture. The gross vehicle weight we can determine approximately as long as you provide us with any of the options your car has that would add a lot of weight, such as T-Tops and power seat. These are the main things you will need to provide us with in order to have us get you new door jamb VIN data decals.
You will be able to either email this info to us. If you don’t do email, you can send it by fax or mail. As the values of these cars continue to rise, these door jamb decals are very important to have on your car, since the one shows your actual VIN number.
Our source is the only one that can provide it in the completed correct format.
NOTE - The GM part number appears in the lower right corner of each of the original decals.
#7900 - 1984 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #14065978A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7901 - 1985-1986 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #14085204 A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7902 - 1987 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #10080812 A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7903 - SPECIFY YEAR - If you car does not match up to any of the above listed GM part numbers. $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
MORE BODY NUMBER PLATES -
I got an old time GTO customer that owns a salvage yard near me that is only open during the week. I had him remove some body number plates off some of his older GM cars for me so I can verify and see what differences GM did over the years. I am far from an expert in this area, so I am learning as I go, since I do not want to give out incorrect information.
He had two of the 1987 Olds Cutlass models - a 1984 Monte Carlo and a 1982 Malibu.
PHOTO 2 - The two Body Number Plates on the left are from the 1987 Olds Cutlass. They look exactly like our Turbo Regal decals. One has the code H05C, which would be 1987, May, 3rd week date of manufacture. The other one reads H06A, which would stand for 1987, June, 1st week of manufacture. The first digit in the second group of number/letters is a 3, which stands for Oldsmobile. The P code shows it was built at the Pontiac plant.
Chris Tobie, a good customer of ours in California, worked at Buick as a Technician during the Turbo Regal production and later in GM Service Engineering. He emailed me and explained the last series of six numbers on the top line of the body number plate. This number was used by Fisher Body to track the bodies through weld and paint until the actual VIN number was attached. It really is irrelevant today since the VIN number replaced it. It was strictly used until the VIN plate was attached to the car. The last code on the Body Number Plate reads AM6, which is the seat option. The code is for the 55/45 split bench seat.
The two body Number Plates on the right are for the 1982 Chevrolet Malibu and the 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The first code reads C07E. This would be for 1982, July, the 5th week. The second Body Number Plate reads E09D this would be for 1984, September, the 4th week. Since these are Chevrolet Body Plates I don’t have the information to crack the other codes on these two Body Number Plates. However, the seat code is A65 on both, which is for a standard notchback seat. The reason I can’t decode the rest of the Chevrolet plates is because the Body by Fisher books I have only cover Buick Olds and Cadillac.
So in quick review, as long as you can remember the basic alphabet and can figure out what number corresponds with what month of the year, you can pinpoint exactly what month and week your car was manufactured.
In all these cases these Body Number Plate were simply attached with two screws. Other Body Number Plates may be riveted on the car and could be somewhere else under the hood, such as on the core support. Remember, if your door jamb VIN data decals are not readable, you need to determine the month and year of your date of manufacture from your Body Number Plate so we can make the decals correct for your specific car!
MORE BODY PLATE NUMBERS NEXT WEEK -
1950 FORD BODY VIN DATA PLATE -
While researching this article, I remembered that somewhere in my collection I had kept the body VIN plate from our 1950 Ford sedan.
When I was in high school I always had two cars. This way if one was broken down, I had a backup car to drive. The 1950 Ford I had was my back up car, and my other car was a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria. When I graduated in 1965 and entered the Army I gave this 1950 Ford to my girlfriend, now my wife to drive to school each day. To eliminate the headaches with the Pennsylvania state inspections every six months, I registered the car in the state of Delaware. If I recall, when you’re in the service, you can virtually claim any state as your residence. Delaware had no state inspections, you just had to drive there once a year and they check the lights and issue you a new tag.
We kept that car a number of years after we got married. Eventually it basically sat on our driveway and was neglected. At the time we had a towing business. I had read in the paper of this huge junkyard in Philadelphia that would take a car and compress it into a three-foot-solid block. I thought that would be neat to do. I towed the old Ford to Philadelphia one day, removed the seats and watched them compress it into a cube, then loaded it back on my tow truck to bring home. When they compressed it, I remembered seeing the Body VIN metal tag, so I removed it as a keepsake.
At the time we lived in a rented a house in Willow Grove, and I also rented an additional two-bay garage next door. We had a total of 7 garage bays! I put the Ford cube in the neighbor’s garage so it was out of my way. Remember, this cube weighed probably 2,500 pounds. About a year later we bought our first house and in the course of moving, I decided not to take the Ford cube with us.
PHOTO 3 - Shows the hammered 1950 Ford VIN number plate that I kept. It has engraved on it the VIN number, the Ford logo, and wording about the car being constructed under the United States Letters Patent. It also says Made in the USA. The only photo I could find of the 1950 Ford shows my wife Eileen alongside the car. I did keep the Delaware license plate, which hangs in our basement today alongside many of our other license plates.
MORE FROM MY ARCHIVES -
Last week we discussed the 1986 Buick Press Kit. Even though it said the Lear Siegler seats would be available in some of the 1986 models, the program was cancelled prior to production. According to the Product Information Bulletin dated 5/12/86, the optional Lear Siegler seats trim code 793 will not be available for the 1986 model year.
PHOTO 4 - Shows the actual Product Information Bulletin pertaining to the Lear Sieglar seats. It’s a shame as those seats were very supportive and are highly sought after today.
Watch for more information from my archives next week.
TRACING YOUR CAR’S HISTORY -
Some new owners are tracing the history of their cars. I know because once in awhile we get a call from an owner that wants to verify if the car passed through my hands or not. Had I been smarter, I would have stuck a business card to the inside of the glove box or copied VIN numbers in numerical order!
Unfortunately, I did neither as I never thought I would buy and sell over 300 of these cars! There is however, one unique thing I did to most of the ones I did buy. If you open the trunk, you will notice the trunk light wire harness that runs down the driver’s side trunk lid hinge. I usually took a black plastic tie strap and secured it in place. The harness seldom stayed clipped to the factory plastic holder. If your car has that black plastic tie strap there, it probably was owned by us at some point.
Mike Jones, who is in the military, bought one of the last Grand Nationals I sold by commission. It was one I owned several years ago and sold locally. It had 28,600 miles on it and was one of the few that were signed by Molly.
Mike relates the following story, since he was able to trace the car back to the original owners.
Here is Mike’s story:
Subject: jones story inner circle
Wednesday, February 3, 2016, 1:15 PM
Dennis,
I just wanted to pass along a bit of info that I obtained pertaining to the GN I purchased from you/John. You may remember that the car had 28,600 miles on it when I received it. It also came with all of the original sales documentation (minus the Window Sticker) including the Warranty booklet with the original purchasers name and address.
Although the cover of the booklet had the purchasers name blacked out, I was able to make it out if held just right in the light. I did a Google search of this person and a phone number came up along with her name in my search.
I called the number and sure enough, she still has the same home phone number that she's had since the 80's. I introduced myself and told her who I was and that I had purchased her old GN. She was shocked to say the least. This is the story I got from her.
She purchased the car brand new from Abrahams Buick in Elyria, Ohio in the summer of '87. She said she purchased the car for her high school teenage son to drive to school. Apparently, he thought she was coolest mom on earth and told her that the car was a "chick magnet".
She said that it was only a few months after the purchase when she realized that the payment was a bit more than she could manage, $400 plus, a month, in 1987.
She cleaned houses locally and said that she had driven the car a time or two to one of her clients homes, so he was aware that she owned this GN. One day, when she went to clean this particular home, she mentioned to the home owner that she had to trade the car in because she could no longer afford the monthly payment. She had
taken the GN back to Abrahams Buick for the trade. The next day, this gentleman went and bought the car. He said he was driving it home on Halloween 1987.
This second owner, we'll call him "Mike", was extremely difficult to locate. I have receipts in the paperwork you provided, with his name and address on them, but no phone number. I called different shops and dealerships in Ohio where he had taken the car for service but no one was able to help me. The first receipt I have for the car
was one with his name on it in 1991 and the car only had 16,000 miles on it.
I finally began to search Facebook in hopes of finding him, knowing that you sourced the car out of Delaware, and not Ohio.
Just a side note for any others that might read this.This was a car that was acquired by Dennis out of Delaware in 2003 for a gentleman's wife and again taken to Dennis to sell in 2015 which is how I acquired the GN.
After believing that I had found "Mike" on Facebook, I sent a friend request and waited. And waited....and waited. After a period of weeks, he accepted my friend request and contacted me. We spoke regularly over a period of a week or two, me with tons of questions, and he with suppressed memories that were beginning to resurface.
Mike purchased the car in 1987 and babied the car year after year. He had the car repainted once, year unknown, with a single stage lacquer job by a place called "Roman Chariots" in Ohio. He added the Kodiak West kit in the early 90's along with a Kenne Bell exhaust. He put a trunk kit in it as well having added the rare Buick 6 valve covers. He said the car was never raced or abused and always garaged. He regularly took it to local car show in his area where he garnered numerous awards.
When he moved to Delaware for work, the car followed, and as and you know, you found it there for sale in 2003. He spoke on and on about his love for his GN and was upset about having sold it at the behest of his wife at the time. I have numerous receipts for work done on the GN during Mike’s ownership, some as meticulous as explaining how to close the hood properly so as to avoid denting the crown, for the service personnel to follow.
When the car was delivered to me, it had only been driven 5000 miles during the previous 12 years, from 2003 until 2015. As you recall, the GN was flat bedded to me in Norfolk as I was on active duty orders at the time. While in Norfolk, I hired the crew at FantomWorks to wet sand and buff the paint as it was pretty bad. When I went to pick up the car shortly after Thanksgiving, I had the fortunate opportunity of being filmed for the production of their upcoming season.
So if you see an '87 GN on FantomWorks this summer, that's the GN that you've brokered twice now.
As a side bar, I couldn't be happier with the car. It runs, handles and drives perfectly and I get tons of compliments at all of the car shows I attend. The car has 30, 230 miles on it now, not a hint of rust and not a rattle can be heard. It's one of the 220 or so Turbo Regals that have been signed by Rollin "Molly" Sanders (in 2007), the AC freezes my daughter out and I plan on driving the hell out of it while I own it... you can do that in South Florida, year round.
Mike Jones, owner, 1987 Buick Grand National
Power door locks, manual crank windows, manual adjust seats, analog speedometer, cruise, rear defogger, GNX rear seat brace, Kirban upgraded headlights, missing body bushings replaced, front frame braces, aluminum finned Grand National differential cover, aluminum finned tranny cover, Kodiak West Kit, Bowling Green Customs trunk kit, factory steel rims and original AM/FM cassette radio with power antenna. G-80 car with ice-cold AC and bone stock 3.8L.
FOR SALE - 1987 GRAND NATIONAL WITH ONLY 49 MILES -
This 1987 Grand National with just 49 actual miles on it never been dealer prepped. Al the stickers are still on the car, including the Window Sticker. The protective plastic is still on the seats. Built date is 10/87. We have been hired as the agent for the owners. Car is being sold to settle an estate. The car is located in Texas. It has not been started in several years. Car is stored inside. The price is $62,900. No trades. If you are interested and would like to see photos, email me - [email protected]
Here is a link to this car on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44275/1987+GRAND+NATIONAL+WITH+ONLY+49+MILES+-+FOR+SALE+-+CFS033.html
CAR FOR SALE - 1986 BUICK T-TYPE - CFS034
For Sale
1986 Buick T-Type with T-Tops - Butternut Yellow
Power Steering - Power Brakes - Power Windows, A/C Power Seat
Broken antenna (have parts), fresh paint with Kirban fillers and new NOS emblems
Freshly redone wheels with new BFGs, 3-inch s/s downpipe
Precision stock location intercooler, 6262 Precision turbo
Alky control, Scanmaster 2.0, Powerlogger
and best feature is a Viper alarm
23,000 miles - Only driven 850 miles in last 5 years
$25,000 or best offer
Wayne Dunfee, Wilmington, Delaware
302-293-6031 (leave message)
Here is a link to this T-Type for sale on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44279/CAR+FOR+SALE+-+1986+BUICK+T-TYPE+-+CFS034.html
ADDITIONS TO OUR KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS - SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 - 9 am - 2 pm.
Richard Clark plans to attend. Terry Shaw will be conducting a seminar on insurance for our cars. Over the years he has handled many insurance cases involving the Buick Turbo Regals.
Russ and Nancy are donating some trophies. We will announce at the event what categories they will be for.
This is the only Open House we do this year, so you don’t want to miss it.
REPRODUCTION GNX-STYLE DASH FOR SALE -
Complete pre-mounted GNX dash for sale. All of the cutting, fitting and alignment work is complete, just wire the dash and install the entire unit.
Kit Includes:
Applique with correct color indicators
Metal mounting plate
Plastic gauge bezel
Stock pre-cut cluster harness
Stock dash bezel (pre-cut with plastic gauge bezel attached)
New Stewart Warner speedometer with upper speedometer cable
New Stewart Warner tachometer
New Stewart Warner oil pressure gauge with sending unit
New Stewart Warner water temperature gauge with sending unit
New Stewart Warner fuel gauge
New Stewart Warner vacuum/ boost gauge
Plug-and-play harness
$2,250 plus shipping
This one was hand built by a good friend of ours who owns 3 Grand Nationals and has built several of these.
It comes with stock bezel already pre-cut so you do not have to cut your dash bezel. This kit eliminates any possible issues of trial and error since they have built several of these.
Buyer would have to inform us which dash is currently in the car - either digital or analog.
If interested, email me direct - [email protected] - I can provide photos.
CORES NEEDED -
Here is the information on our credits for cores.
We currently need original good 1986-1987 AC Delco mass air flow sensors. We allow $25 Letter of Credit for each core that can be rebuilt.
TURBO CORES must be the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal stock ones. They must be complete. We will issue you a $100 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
MAIL - Ship to Address -
ATTN - DENNIS
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
PO BOX 1199
PLUMSTEADSVILLE, 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.
VEHICLES FOR SALE -
From time to time, whenever we spot an unusual or an exceptional car or truck for sale, or one we have for sale, we will put a blurb in our weekly Inner Circle. Also, any cars that our customers have for sale will be featured here and you can see their car with photos on our website. In this category, we will run the descriptions for two-to-three weeks and, if there is no interest in that particular vehicle, it will be deleted the following week. Any new vehicles that we add will appear first, so the oldest listing would be at the end of this section.
If any of these vehicles perk your interest, email me personally - [email protected] - for more information and photos.
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
If you have a tip or a discovery that you found that works on your Turbo Regal, drop us an email giving us the details so we can pass the info on to our readers. Remember, even with my knowledge, I don’t know it all. Simply email me at - [email protected]
NEW PRODUCTS FROM US -
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
TURBO REGAL CAR SHOW DISPLAY BOARD
FEATURING AN ACTUAL SIZE FIBERGLASS HOOD SCOOP
Here is a clever idea, if you show your pride and joy or want a unique display in your office or garage.
I can't take full credit for this idea. I was at a show and saw our customers, Dave and Brenda Romasko’s unique display sign (shown in our photo.) They actually cut a steel Turbo Regal hood that was damaged to create his display sign with his car.
Basing the piece on an exact replica of the hood scoop from a Turbo Regal is a novel approach to make your own unique sign. It’s ideal to hang in your garage as a display.
The piece measures 25-3/4" wide and 30-3/4" tall, weighs less than 4 pounds, and the quality is excellent.
If it ever gets scratched, you can compound it out. The piece can be painted to match the color of your car.
This is made exclusively for us by Spoolfool, the company that makes the high-quality one-piece rear filler panel and the front filler panels we sell.
It is made in glossy-black gelcoat fiberglass, so it’s lightweight. Although it looks great as it is, you can have a sign company lay out any information and pictures of your car and position it on this display.
We suggest you also purchase the sfi emblems, part #6556, to highlight the original scoop area. The emblems make the hood scoop look complete.
You could fabricate a frame to hold it, like the Romasko’s sign. You can purchase a folding display easel (Staples or Amazon) to stand it up next to your car or to display it on a shelf. You could fabricate something on the back to hang it on the wall.
NOTE - You may also be interested in this related part - #6556 Reproduction “3.8 SFI TURBO” Hood Emblems (2).
NOTE - Because the finish is so shiny, it is very difficult to photograph, but the quality is excellent. The piece is actually a rectangle. We had to photograph it at an angle to be able to see the shape of the scoop. Our photos show the display board with and without the sfi emblems, part #6556 (which must be purchased separately,) and the Romasko’s car show display.
An excellent custom touch to enhance your car show display, office or garage.
7714 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Turbo Regal Car Show Display Board, featuring an actual size fiberglass hood scoop - $89.95
Here is a link to this Display Board on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44293/TURBO+REGAL+CAR+SHOW+DISPLAY+BOARD++FEATURING+AN+ACTUAL+SIZE+FIBERGLASS+HOOD+SCOOP+%237714.html
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
STOCK REPLACEMENT REAR END COVERS -
POWDER-COATED GLOSSY BLACK OR CHROME-PLATED - AND HARDWARE (10) SET
These stock replacement metal rear end covers come complete with a drain plug, new bolts and gasket. Rear end covers closely resemble the stock rear end cover. We offer two finishes - powder-coated glossy black and chrome-plated. The hardware is coated to help prevent rust.
Either cover will fit the stock 8.5 rear end (10-bolt) found on all original 1984-1987 Turbo Regals. The powder-coated glossy black cover is an excellent choice to retain a stock appearance.
It measures about 1-1/2″ deep. This will clear the factory crossflow muffler.
NOTE - Because of the shiny finishes, the covers are difficult to photograph.
NOTE - You may also be interested in these related parts - #7252 Stock Replacement Rear End Cover, Gasket & Hardware, #7605 METCO High-Performance Lower Rear Control Arms (2) and Hardware, #7169 Reproduction GNX Rear Seat Brace Kit, #6820 KYB Front and Rear Gas Shocks (4) Set, #6678 Bilstein Gas Shocks (4) Set, #1520 Variable Rate Rear Springs (2), and #1586 Powder-coated Black Rear Seat Frame Brace Kit®.
If you want to replace the original hardware on your car, we also offer the hardware set separately, #7711.
NOTE - Each cover comes with the gasket and hardware.
An excellent upgrade for the 1984-1987 Turbo Regal stock rear end.
7709 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal - Stock Replacement Rear End Cover -
Powder-coated GLOSSY BLACK and Hardware (10) Set - $36.95
7710 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal - Stock Replacement Rear End Cover -
CHROME-PLATED and Hardware (10) Set - $32.95
7711 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Stock Replacement Rear End Cover HARDWARE (10) Set - $9.95
Here is a link to these Rear End Covers on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/products.php?search_text=7709&submit_button=
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. 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 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]
2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 - 9 am - 2 pm.
Once again free Yum Yum donuts and coffee will be available in the morning.
Russ and Nancy have agreed to do the cooking. The luncheon is strictly by donation with all proceeds going to PBS, which Russ and Nancy donate to.
This is the only Open House we do this year, so you don’t want to miss it.
Most of our website products will be specially priced. We will have an array of used parts for sale, our M&M contest, and our no reserve auction. This event has no rain date.
TURBO BUICK/RICHARD CLARK EVENT - May 4th - May 7th 2016 - Burlington, NC
This event is held at Richard’s shop, located at 2557 Faucette Lane, Burlington, NC. If you have never been to his shop before, it would be a great event to attend. Once again, I am the MC for the luncheon on Thursday. We will be at this event as a vendor. Bring any cores you want to cash in for a letter of credit. The event moves to the nearby racetrack for Friday and Saturday.
For more information, go to turbobuick.com and look for this under Events for 2016. I know that Mike Barnard (owner of Spoolfool), Nick Micale from Arizona, G-Body, Pete Hoffman, and our company will be in attendance.
RIDE ON MOLLY 6 - Saturday, May 21st, 2016 - Califorina
For more information, contact Alan DeCarr - [email protected]
This event is now in its 6th year since Molly’s passing.
PYPES EXHAUST & MAX PERFORMANCE OPEN HOUSE CAR SHOW - June 18th, 2016-
This event has no rain date. Open to all American Muscle cars and trucks. Held at their Headquarters, 2705 Clemens Road, Hatfield, PA 19440.
For more details, contact - [email protected]
This is a huge event that I usually attend, however, this year I can’t since it’s the same weekend as GM at Carlisle and I’m speaking both days at GM Carlisle.
GM CARLISLE - June 17th-19th, 2016
I am a guest speaker at this event both Friday and Saturday. I’ll be talking on Hurst, Hurst/Olds, and also about the door jamb VIN data decals. Seminars are always free at Carlisle.
Now that our granddaughter has a 2012 Camaro SS, she is planning on attending and showing her car. Carlisle is one of the largest swap meet facilities in the country. If you are planning on attending, bring any cores you want to cash in for a Letter of Credit. I will be able to take them. This will be the second year I been a guest speaker at Carlisle and it’s quite an honor. Over the years I have spoken at several National Pontiac and GTO conventions.
Check their website to see dates of all their upcoming 2016 events - carlisleevents.com
GS NATIONALS - September 14th-17th 2016 - at Beach Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky
See the GSXtra for more details, or their website - gsnationals.com
EAST COAST BUICK REGIONALS - September 16th-17th at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland
Event includes a judged car show on Saturday open to all Buick makes and anything Buick powered. Free Vending. Saturday race classes must be Buick powered.
For more information, contact - [email protected] or [email protected]
This is not a misprint both the GS Nationals and East Coast Buick Regionals fall on the same weekend.
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 -
Remember, another email will be sent to you tomorrow or Friday afternoon specifically detailing on what we require to order a set of the reproduction door jamb data VIN decals. This is a critical part for any restoration, since it involves your VIN number and specific data related to your Turbo Regal.
GM LICENSED REPRODUCTION DOOR JAMB VIN DATA DECALS - continued -
We just received our initial samples of the 1984-1987 GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals this past week.
Until I saw all the different versions, I did not realize that GM went with a smaller decal for the 1987 models when compared to the 1986 and older decals.
ECS Automotive Concepts has set up a special program just for our customers so all the info is lined up properly. They have over 15,000 different templates for VIN numbers in their system. We want all our decals to be uniform and represent the best decals that GM made for the particular models we cater to for our customers.
PHOTO 1 - Shows the 1984, the 1985-1986 (both the same) and the 1987 GM reproduction door jamb VIN data decals. You can see how the 1984 tire specs decal is different from the 1985-1986 tire version. According to Dave, whatever ink GM used on the 1984, 1985-1986 style seems to virtually disappear after a period of time, even on the low-mileage original cars.
It reminds me of the chalking that occurs on original GM fillers when the cars sit for any length of time. I don’t have a real explanation why that is, except whatever the ink and format they used to imprint them just was not designed to last.
Now that I see brand new 1984-1986 versions, you can see GM used a two-layer design of paper. One layer has all the standard information printed on it and the other layer has the information related to a particular car imprinted on it. If you were to try and remove it after it was applied to the door jamb, you can see how it would separate and rip. The process was definitely changed for the 1987 and later GM cars, since those decals hold up far better over time.
HERE IS PRICING FOR THE DOOR JAMB DATA VIN DECALS -
The price is $120 for the pair plus $7 for Priority Mail shipping. We would forward your information directly to ECS Automotive Concepts. They, in turn, would process your order and would send the new decals by Priority Mail directly to you. Orders will take between 5 and 7 days.
At the moment, we are the only GM vendor offering them. I anticipate being able to get other companies to offer these decals as well. Since these are custom made and one-of-a-kind for your specific car, it’s important to double-check the information you give us to avoid errors. These door jamb data VIN decals are correct for all GM cars, only for the years noted. GM trucks door jamb VIN data decals are different.
Below are our part numbers for ordering the reproduction 1984-1987 door jamb VIN data decals for your Turbo Regals. They are actually correct for all GM cars 1984-1987, not just Turbo Regals. We are sending you a special email either this Thursday or Friday around 3 pm with exact details of what we need in order to process your order. Do not order until we provide you with this information in this separate email.
One of the requirements is photographic proof of your car’s 17-digit VIN number. This can be a picture of your trunk ID label or a picture of your actual title.
In last week’s Inner Circle (01-03-2016) we explained how to decode the Body Number Plate to determine the month and year of manufacture. If your door jamb data decals are missing or not readable, you need to determine the month and year of manufacture. The gross vehicle weight we can determine approximately as long as you provide us with any of the options your car has that would add a lot of weight, such as T-Tops and power seat. These are the main things you will need to provide us with in order to have us get you new door jamb VIN data decals.
You will be able to either email this info to us. If you don’t do email, you can send it by fax or mail. As the values of these cars continue to rise, these door jamb decals are very important to have on your car, since the one shows your actual VIN number.
Our source is the only one that can provide it in the completed correct format.
NOTE - The GM part number appears in the lower right corner of each of the original decals.
#7900 - 1984 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #14065978A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7901 - 1985-1986 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #14085204 A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7902 - 1987 All GM Car Models, Including Buick Turbo Regals - GM Licensed Door Jamb VIN Data Decals (2) GM Part #10080812 A and B - $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
#7903 - SPECIFY YEAR - If you car does not match up to any of the above listed GM part numbers. $120 pair plus $7 Priority Mail shipping.
MORE BODY NUMBER PLATES -
I got an old time GTO customer that owns a salvage yard near me that is only open during the week. I had him remove some body number plates off some of his older GM cars for me so I can verify and see what differences GM did over the years. I am far from an expert in this area, so I am learning as I go, since I do not want to give out incorrect information.
He had two of the 1987 Olds Cutlass models - a 1984 Monte Carlo and a 1982 Malibu.
PHOTO 2 - The two Body Number Plates on the left are from the 1987 Olds Cutlass. They look exactly like our Turbo Regal decals. One has the code H05C, which would be 1987, May, 3rd week date of manufacture. The other one reads H06A, which would stand for 1987, June, 1st week of manufacture. The first digit in the second group of number/letters is a 3, which stands for Oldsmobile. The P code shows it was built at the Pontiac plant.
Chris Tobie, a good customer of ours in California, worked at Buick as a Technician during the Turbo Regal production and later in GM Service Engineering. He emailed me and explained the last series of six numbers on the top line of the body number plate. This number was used by Fisher Body to track the bodies through weld and paint until the actual VIN number was attached. It really is irrelevant today since the VIN number replaced it. It was strictly used until the VIN plate was attached to the car. The last code on the Body Number Plate reads AM6, which is the seat option. The code is for the 55/45 split bench seat.
The two body Number Plates on the right are for the 1982 Chevrolet Malibu and the 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The first code reads C07E. This would be for 1982, July, the 5th week. The second Body Number Plate reads E09D this would be for 1984, September, the 4th week. Since these are Chevrolet Body Plates I don’t have the information to crack the other codes on these two Body Number Plates. However, the seat code is A65 on both, which is for a standard notchback seat. The reason I can’t decode the rest of the Chevrolet plates is because the Body by Fisher books I have only cover Buick Olds and Cadillac.
So in quick review, as long as you can remember the basic alphabet and can figure out what number corresponds with what month of the year, you can pinpoint exactly what month and week your car was manufactured.
In all these cases these Body Number Plate were simply attached with two screws. Other Body Number Plates may be riveted on the car and could be somewhere else under the hood, such as on the core support. Remember, if your door jamb VIN data decals are not readable, you need to determine the month and year of your date of manufacture from your Body Number Plate so we can make the decals correct for your specific car!
MORE BODY PLATE NUMBERS NEXT WEEK -
1950 FORD BODY VIN DATA PLATE -
While researching this article, I remembered that somewhere in my collection I had kept the body VIN plate from our 1950 Ford sedan.
When I was in high school I always had two cars. This way if one was broken down, I had a backup car to drive. The 1950 Ford I had was my back up car, and my other car was a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria. When I graduated in 1965 and entered the Army I gave this 1950 Ford to my girlfriend, now my wife to drive to school each day. To eliminate the headaches with the Pennsylvania state inspections every six months, I registered the car in the state of Delaware. If I recall, when you’re in the service, you can virtually claim any state as your residence. Delaware had no state inspections, you just had to drive there once a year and they check the lights and issue you a new tag.
We kept that car a number of years after we got married. Eventually it basically sat on our driveway and was neglected. At the time we had a towing business. I had read in the paper of this huge junkyard in Philadelphia that would take a car and compress it into a three-foot-solid block. I thought that would be neat to do. I towed the old Ford to Philadelphia one day, removed the seats and watched them compress it into a cube, then loaded it back on my tow truck to bring home. When they compressed it, I remembered seeing the Body VIN metal tag, so I removed it as a keepsake.
At the time we lived in a rented a house in Willow Grove, and I also rented an additional two-bay garage next door. We had a total of 7 garage bays! I put the Ford cube in the neighbor’s garage so it was out of my way. Remember, this cube weighed probably 2,500 pounds. About a year later we bought our first house and in the course of moving, I decided not to take the Ford cube with us.
PHOTO 3 - Shows the hammered 1950 Ford VIN number plate that I kept. It has engraved on it the VIN number, the Ford logo, and wording about the car being constructed under the United States Letters Patent. It also says Made in the USA. The only photo I could find of the 1950 Ford shows my wife Eileen alongside the car. I did keep the Delaware license plate, which hangs in our basement today alongside many of our other license plates.
MORE FROM MY ARCHIVES -
Last week we discussed the 1986 Buick Press Kit. Even though it said the Lear Siegler seats would be available in some of the 1986 models, the program was cancelled prior to production. According to the Product Information Bulletin dated 5/12/86, the optional Lear Siegler seats trim code 793 will not be available for the 1986 model year.
PHOTO 4 - Shows the actual Product Information Bulletin pertaining to the Lear Sieglar seats. It’s a shame as those seats were very supportive and are highly sought after today.
Watch for more information from my archives next week.
TRACING YOUR CAR’S HISTORY -
Some new owners are tracing the history of their cars. I know because once in awhile we get a call from an owner that wants to verify if the car passed through my hands or not. Had I been smarter, I would have stuck a business card to the inside of the glove box or copied VIN numbers in numerical order!
Unfortunately, I did neither as I never thought I would buy and sell over 300 of these cars! There is however, one unique thing I did to most of the ones I did buy. If you open the trunk, you will notice the trunk light wire harness that runs down the driver’s side trunk lid hinge. I usually took a black plastic tie strap and secured it in place. The harness seldom stayed clipped to the factory plastic holder. If your car has that black plastic tie strap there, it probably was owned by us at some point.
Mike Jones, who is in the military, bought one of the last Grand Nationals I sold by commission. It was one I owned several years ago and sold locally. It had 28,600 miles on it and was one of the few that were signed by Molly.
Mike relates the following story, since he was able to trace the car back to the original owners.
Here is Mike’s story:
Subject: jones story inner circle
Wednesday, February 3, 2016, 1:15 PM
Dennis,
I just wanted to pass along a bit of info that I obtained pertaining to the GN I purchased from you/John. You may remember that the car had 28,600 miles on it when I received it. It also came with all of the original sales documentation (minus the Window Sticker) including the Warranty booklet with the original purchasers name and address.
Although the cover of the booklet had the purchasers name blacked out, I was able to make it out if held just right in the light. I did a Google search of this person and a phone number came up along with her name in my search.
I called the number and sure enough, she still has the same home phone number that she's had since the 80's. I introduced myself and told her who I was and that I had purchased her old GN. She was shocked to say the least. This is the story I got from her.
She purchased the car brand new from Abrahams Buick in Elyria, Ohio in the summer of '87. She said she purchased the car for her high school teenage son to drive to school. Apparently, he thought she was coolest mom on earth and told her that the car was a "chick magnet".
She said that it was only a few months after the purchase when she realized that the payment was a bit more than she could manage, $400 plus, a month, in 1987.
She cleaned houses locally and said that she had driven the car a time or two to one of her clients homes, so he was aware that she owned this GN. One day, when she went to clean this particular home, she mentioned to the home owner that she had to trade the car in because she could no longer afford the monthly payment. She had
taken the GN back to Abrahams Buick for the trade. The next day, this gentleman went and bought the car. He said he was driving it home on Halloween 1987.
This second owner, we'll call him "Mike", was extremely difficult to locate. I have receipts in the paperwork you provided, with his name and address on them, but no phone number. I called different shops and dealerships in Ohio where he had taken the car for service but no one was able to help me. The first receipt I have for the car
was one with his name on it in 1991 and the car only had 16,000 miles on it.
I finally began to search Facebook in hopes of finding him, knowing that you sourced the car out of Delaware, and not Ohio.
Just a side note for any others that might read this.This was a car that was acquired by Dennis out of Delaware in 2003 for a gentleman's wife and again taken to Dennis to sell in 2015 which is how I acquired the GN.
After believing that I had found "Mike" on Facebook, I sent a friend request and waited. And waited....and waited. After a period of weeks, he accepted my friend request and contacted me. We spoke regularly over a period of a week or two, me with tons of questions, and he with suppressed memories that were beginning to resurface.
Mike purchased the car in 1987 and babied the car year after year. He had the car repainted once, year unknown, with a single stage lacquer job by a place called "Roman Chariots" in Ohio. He added the Kodiak West kit in the early 90's along with a Kenne Bell exhaust. He put a trunk kit in it as well having added the rare Buick 6 valve covers. He said the car was never raced or abused and always garaged. He regularly took it to local car show in his area where he garnered numerous awards.
When he moved to Delaware for work, the car followed, and as and you know, you found it there for sale in 2003. He spoke on and on about his love for his GN and was upset about having sold it at the behest of his wife at the time. I have numerous receipts for work done on the GN during Mike’s ownership, some as meticulous as explaining how to close the hood properly so as to avoid denting the crown, for the service personnel to follow.
When the car was delivered to me, it had only been driven 5000 miles during the previous 12 years, from 2003 until 2015. As you recall, the GN was flat bedded to me in Norfolk as I was on active duty orders at the time. While in Norfolk, I hired the crew at FantomWorks to wet sand and buff the paint as it was pretty bad. When I went to pick up the car shortly after Thanksgiving, I had the fortunate opportunity of being filmed for the production of their upcoming season.
So if you see an '87 GN on FantomWorks this summer, that's the GN that you've brokered twice now.
As a side bar, I couldn't be happier with the car. It runs, handles and drives perfectly and I get tons of compliments at all of the car shows I attend. The car has 30, 230 miles on it now, not a hint of rust and not a rattle can be heard. It's one of the 220 or so Turbo Regals that have been signed by Rollin "Molly" Sanders (in 2007), the AC freezes my daughter out and I plan on driving the hell out of it while I own it... you can do that in South Florida, year round.
Mike Jones, owner, 1987 Buick Grand National
Power door locks, manual crank windows, manual adjust seats, analog speedometer, cruise, rear defogger, GNX rear seat brace, Kirban upgraded headlights, missing body bushings replaced, front frame braces, aluminum finned Grand National differential cover, aluminum finned tranny cover, Kodiak West Kit, Bowling Green Customs trunk kit, factory steel rims and original AM/FM cassette radio with power antenna. G-80 car with ice-cold AC and bone stock 3.8L.
FOR SALE - 1987 GRAND NATIONAL WITH ONLY 49 MILES -
This 1987 Grand National with just 49 actual miles on it never been dealer prepped. Al the stickers are still on the car, including the Window Sticker. The protective plastic is still on the seats. Built date is 10/87. We have been hired as the agent for the owners. Car is being sold to settle an estate. The car is located in Texas. It has not been started in several years. Car is stored inside. The price is $62,900. No trades. If you are interested and would like to see photos, email me - [email protected]
Here is a link to this car on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44275/1987+GRAND+NATIONAL+WITH+ONLY+49+MILES+-+FOR+SALE+-+CFS033.html
CAR FOR SALE - 1986 BUICK T-TYPE - CFS034
For Sale
1986 Buick T-Type with T-Tops - Butternut Yellow
Power Steering - Power Brakes - Power Windows, A/C Power Seat
Broken antenna (have parts), fresh paint with Kirban fillers and new NOS emblems
Freshly redone wheels with new BFGs, 3-inch s/s downpipe
Precision stock location intercooler, 6262 Precision turbo
Alky control, Scanmaster 2.0, Powerlogger
and best feature is a Viper alarm
23,000 miles - Only driven 850 miles in last 5 years
$25,000 or best offer
Wayne Dunfee, Wilmington, Delaware
302-293-6031 (leave message)
Here is a link to this T-Type for sale on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44279/CAR+FOR+SALE+-+1986+BUICK+T-TYPE+-+CFS034.html
ADDITIONS TO OUR KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS - SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 - 9 am - 2 pm.
Richard Clark plans to attend. Terry Shaw will be conducting a seminar on insurance for our cars. Over the years he has handled many insurance cases involving the Buick Turbo Regals.
Russ and Nancy are donating some trophies. We will announce at the event what categories they will be for.
This is the only Open House we do this year, so you don’t want to miss it.
REPRODUCTION GNX-STYLE DASH FOR SALE -
Complete pre-mounted GNX dash for sale. All of the cutting, fitting and alignment work is complete, just wire the dash and install the entire unit.
Kit Includes:
Applique with correct color indicators
Metal mounting plate
Plastic gauge bezel
Stock pre-cut cluster harness
Stock dash bezel (pre-cut with plastic gauge bezel attached)
New Stewart Warner speedometer with upper speedometer cable
New Stewart Warner tachometer
New Stewart Warner oil pressure gauge with sending unit
New Stewart Warner water temperature gauge with sending unit
New Stewart Warner fuel gauge
New Stewart Warner vacuum/ boost gauge
Plug-and-play harness
$2,250 plus shipping
This one was hand built by a good friend of ours who owns 3 Grand Nationals and has built several of these.
It comes with stock bezel already pre-cut so you do not have to cut your dash bezel. This kit eliminates any possible issues of trial and error since they have built several of these.
Buyer would have to inform us which dash is currently in the car - either digital or analog.
If interested, email me direct - [email protected] - I can provide photos.
CORES NEEDED -
Here is the information on our credits for cores.
We currently need original good 1986-1987 AC Delco mass air flow sensors. We allow $25 Letter of Credit for each core that can be rebuilt.
TURBO CORES must be the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal stock ones. They must be complete. We will issue you a $100 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
MAIL - Ship to Address -
ATTN - DENNIS
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
PO BOX 1199
PLUMSTEADSVILLE, 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.
VEHICLES FOR SALE -
From time to time, whenever we spot an unusual or an exceptional car or truck for sale, or one we have for sale, we will put a blurb in our weekly Inner Circle. Also, any cars that our customers have for sale will be featured here and you can see their car with photos on our website. In this category, we will run the descriptions for two-to-three weeks and, if there is no interest in that particular vehicle, it will be deleted the following week. Any new vehicles that we add will appear first, so the oldest listing would be at the end of this section.
If any of these vehicles perk your interest, email me personally - [email protected] - for more information and photos.
TIPS AND IDEAS YOU HAVE TRIED -
If you have a tip or a discovery that you found that works on your Turbo Regal, drop us an email giving us the details so we can pass the info on to our readers. Remember, even with my knowledge, I don’t know it all. Simply email me at - [email protected]
NEW PRODUCTS FROM US -
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
TURBO REGAL CAR SHOW DISPLAY BOARD
FEATURING AN ACTUAL SIZE FIBERGLASS HOOD SCOOP
Here is a clever idea, if you show your pride and joy or want a unique display in your office or garage.
I can't take full credit for this idea. I was at a show and saw our customers, Dave and Brenda Romasko’s unique display sign (shown in our photo.) They actually cut a steel Turbo Regal hood that was damaged to create his display sign with his car.
Basing the piece on an exact replica of the hood scoop from a Turbo Regal is a novel approach to make your own unique sign. It’s ideal to hang in your garage as a display.
The piece measures 25-3/4" wide and 30-3/4" tall, weighs less than 4 pounds, and the quality is excellent.
If it ever gets scratched, you can compound it out. The piece can be painted to match the color of your car.
This is made exclusively for us by Spoolfool, the company that makes the high-quality one-piece rear filler panel and the front filler panels we sell.
It is made in glossy-black gelcoat fiberglass, so it’s lightweight. Although it looks great as it is, you can have a sign company lay out any information and pictures of your car and position it on this display.
We suggest you also purchase the sfi emblems, part #6556, to highlight the original scoop area. The emblems make the hood scoop look complete.
You could fabricate a frame to hold it, like the Romasko’s sign. You can purchase a folding display easel (Staples or Amazon) to stand it up next to your car or to display it on a shelf. You could fabricate something on the back to hang it on the wall.
NOTE - You may also be interested in this related part - #6556 Reproduction “3.8 SFI TURBO” Hood Emblems (2).
NOTE - Because the finish is so shiny, it is very difficult to photograph, but the quality is excellent. The piece is actually a rectangle. We had to photograph it at an angle to be able to see the shape of the scoop. Our photos show the display board with and without the sfi emblems, part #6556 (which must be purchased separately,) and the Romasko’s car show display.
An excellent custom touch to enhance your car show display, office or garage.
7714 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Turbo Regal Car Show Display Board, featuring an actual size fiberglass hood scoop - $89.95
Here is a link to this Display Board on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/44293/TURBO+REGAL+CAR+SHOW+DISPLAY+BOARD++FEATURING+AN+ACTUAL+SIZE+FIBERGLASS+HOOD+SCOOP+%237714.html
1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
STOCK REPLACEMENT REAR END COVERS -
POWDER-COATED GLOSSY BLACK OR CHROME-PLATED - AND HARDWARE (10) SET
These stock replacement metal rear end covers come complete with a drain plug, new bolts and gasket. Rear end covers closely resemble the stock rear end cover. We offer two finishes - powder-coated glossy black and chrome-plated. The hardware is coated to help prevent rust.
Either cover will fit the stock 8.5 rear end (10-bolt) found on all original 1984-1987 Turbo Regals. The powder-coated glossy black cover is an excellent choice to retain a stock appearance.
It measures about 1-1/2″ deep. This will clear the factory crossflow muffler.
NOTE - Because of the shiny finishes, the covers are difficult to photograph.
NOTE - You may also be interested in these related parts - #7252 Stock Replacement Rear End Cover, Gasket & Hardware, #7605 METCO High-Performance Lower Rear Control Arms (2) and Hardware, #7169 Reproduction GNX Rear Seat Brace Kit, #6820 KYB Front and Rear Gas Shocks (4) Set, #6678 Bilstein Gas Shocks (4) Set, #1520 Variable Rate Rear Springs (2), and #1586 Powder-coated Black Rear Seat Frame Brace Kit®.
If you want to replace the original hardware on your car, we also offer the hardware set separately, #7711.
NOTE - Each cover comes with the gasket and hardware.
An excellent upgrade for the 1984-1987 Turbo Regal stock rear end.
7709 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal - Stock Replacement Rear End Cover -
Powder-coated GLOSSY BLACK and Hardware (10) Set - $36.95
7710 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal - Stock Replacement Rear End Cover -
CHROME-PLATED and Hardware (10) Set - $32.95
7711 - 1984-1987 Buick Turbo Regal -
Stock Replacement Rear End Cover HARDWARE (10) Set - $9.95
Here is a link to these Rear End Covers on our website:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/products.php?search_text=7709&submit_button=
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. 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 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]
2016 CALENDAR OF EVENTS -
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS SPRING OPEN HOUSE -
Saturday, April 23rd, 2016 - 9 am - 2 pm.
Once again free Yum Yum donuts and coffee will be available in the morning.
Russ and Nancy have agreed to do the cooking. The luncheon is strictly by donation with all proceeds going to PBS, which Russ and Nancy donate to.
This is the only Open House we do this year, so you don’t want to miss it.
Most of our website products will be specially priced. We will have an array of used parts for sale, our M&M contest, and our no reserve auction. This event has no rain date.
TURBO BUICK/RICHARD CLARK EVENT - May 4th - May 7th 2016 - Burlington, NC
This event is held at Richard’s shop, located at 2557 Faucette Lane, Burlington, NC. If you have never been to his shop before, it would be a great event to attend. Once again, I am the MC for the luncheon on Thursday. We will be at this event as a vendor. Bring any cores you want to cash in for a letter of credit. The event moves to the nearby racetrack for Friday and Saturday.
For more information, go to turbobuick.com and look for this under Events for 2016. I know that Mike Barnard (owner of Spoolfool), Nick Micale from Arizona, G-Body, Pete Hoffman, and our company will be in attendance.
RIDE ON MOLLY 6 - Saturday, May 21st, 2016 - Califorina
For more information, contact Alan DeCarr - [email protected]
This event is now in its 6th year since Molly’s passing.
PYPES EXHAUST & MAX PERFORMANCE OPEN HOUSE CAR SHOW - June 18th, 2016-
This event has no rain date. Open to all American Muscle cars and trucks. Held at their Headquarters, 2705 Clemens Road, Hatfield, PA 19440.
For more details, contact - [email protected]
This is a huge event that I usually attend, however, this year I can’t since it’s the same weekend as GM at Carlisle and I’m speaking both days at GM Carlisle.
GM CARLISLE - June 17th-19th, 2016
I am a guest speaker at this event both Friday and Saturday. I’ll be talking on Hurst, Hurst/Olds, and also about the door jamb VIN data decals. Seminars are always free at Carlisle.
Now that our granddaughter has a 2012 Camaro SS, she is planning on attending and showing her car. Carlisle is one of the largest swap meet facilities in the country. If you are planning on attending, bring any cores you want to cash in for a Letter of Credit. I will be able to take them. This will be the second year I been a guest speaker at Carlisle and it’s quite an honor. Over the years I have spoken at several National Pontiac and GTO conventions.
Check their website to see dates of all their upcoming 2016 events - carlisleevents.com
GS NATIONALS - September 14th-17th 2016 - at Beach Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky
See the GSXtra for more details, or their website - gsnationals.com
EAST COAST BUICK REGIONALS - September 16th-17th at Cecil County Dragway in Rising Sun, Maryland
Event includes a judged car show on Saturday open to all Buick makes and anything Buick powered. Free Vending. Saturday race classes must be Buick powered.
For more information, contact - [email protected] or [email protected]
This is not a misprint both the GS Nationals and East Coast Buick Regionals fall on the same weekend.
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 -
Remember, another email will be sent to you tomorrow or Friday afternoon specifically detailing on what we require to order a set of the reproduction door jamb data VIN decals. This is a critical part for any restoration, since it involves your VIN number and specific data related to your Turbo Regal.