Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members - 11-18-2009
EXCITING NEWS CONCERNING GS NATIONALS -
The 30th Annual GS Nationals will be held on May 11-15, 2010 at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the first one. I have personally gone every year since 1988, which works out to 22 years.
We are pleased to announce, along with ZDDPlus™ as the sponsor, confirmation that Don Garlits will be a special ZDDPlus™ guest for that weekend at the 2010 GS Nationals!
Here is a rare opportunity to meet the king of top fuel drag racing for the last 50 years. He set his best mark at the age of 71 in 2003, turning a 323.04 in a mere 4.761 seconds. This was his career best during his final run in 2003 in a top fuel dragster. It's hard to imagine how many times Don has blasted down the 1/4 mile at 200-plus miles per hour while shoe horned into a small opening powered by a Hemi.
Over the last several months, I have become good friends with Don. He is the well-respected spokesperson for ZDDPlus™, a product that he not only firmly endorses but also uses in his personal cars.
As of this writing, he has not confirmed if he will be bringing his Challenger Drag Pack car, which is the first one built of the 50 Chrysler plans to build. He has already run in the ten-second range with that Challenger.
We should all be this agile in our late 70s! Don has always been a hands-on racer and did it all on a shoe string budget when top fuel was in its infancy.
Here is a chance to meet the number one guy in top fuel drag racing in person. Be sure to tell any of your Mopar friends, as they will want to give you something for Don to autograph. He will be at our swap meet for this event.
BACKTRACKING SLIGHTLY ON THE HISTORY OF RADIOS -
I just read that the transistor radio first came out in 1954. That explains why the portable transistor radio became on option in some of the GM cars by 1958.
I recently read an in-depth article in Smoke Signals (the monthly Pontiac Oakland Club International publication) on these "Sportable" radios as they were called. This neat option was a GM exclusive, and only offered for three years - 1958-1959-1960. I am sure the actual faceplate was different from year to year, since the one I have does not look the same as the one in the Smoke Signals article.
According to the article, in 1958 it was a $129 option, in 1959 it was a $104 option, and in 1960 it went back to being a $129 option. Because of the dash design from the factory, this would be a difficult option to add in one of these cars. It was a Delco item. The article did not state what other GM cars this was offered in besides the Pontiac.
What I did not realize is the radio had a leather carrying case to use when you pulled it out of the dash. Also, when it was removed from the dash, a spring-loaded chrome-plated cover came down and covered the hole where the radio used to be. It was a clever option in its day, but short lived.
RADIO OPTIONS IN THE TURBO REGALS - Part 5
Photo 1 - Shows two GM AC Delco am/fm radios with the cassette with EQ option. The bottom radio would be found in a 1985-1986-1987 Turbo Regal as code UX1. In 1985 it was a $494 option, and in 1986 and 1987 it became a $504 option. In 1984 it carried a code of UU6 and listed for $606. Since the code for 1984 was different, I assume the radio was slightly different in appearance compared to the 1985-1986-1987 style. Otherwise, it would have the same trunk label ID code as the later ones. When I get one in, we will show that radio.
The radio on top looks almost the same, but it is out of a similar year Cadillac. The outer two knobs to the left are slightly different. Instead of a cheap disc insert, these appear to be metal. The actual faceplate is satin black in appearance. All the push buttons are ribbed and appear to be metal. The other difference is under the word "Tape" on the Cadillac radio, it reads "Symphony Sound."
You can clearly see that the Cadillac radio looks a little more up scale over the Buick Regal one.
Photo 2 - Shows the back of the radios shown in Photo 1. Although I did get the Cadillac radio to play in a Regal, the short wire harness with the plug is different. The Regal radio is a two-wire plug with a white connector. The Cadillac has a three-wire connector with a black plug. Although the Cadillac radio would play, I could not get the lights to work on the face other than the time and radio stations. This is probably due in part because that one plug is different and would not work in a Regal. The three-hole opening for the main three plugs is identical to the 1984-1987 Regals. This opening would be in the bottom right part of the housing.
The actual housings are 100% the same, so all the factory Buick Regal brackets would allow this radio to bolt into a 1984-1987 Regal dash.
So, you can see how many of the AC Delco radios were similar to each other for GM cars during the 1980s.
Watch for Part 6 on the various radios available in the Turbo Regals next week.
OTHER PHOTOS -
Photo 3 - Since I am in the midst of dismantling a 1984 Grand National, I wanted to show what would be between the inside door panel and the door frame. A door panel that has never been removed will have a perfect insulation pad (which is a noise deadener), attached to an inner panel water deflector. The deflector looks like brown craft paper, basically that is part of the panel you would find between the door panel and the door frame. This photo shows both sides of the door pad, one side would be black and the other plain.
Photo 4 - This is something you do not see every day. A Grand National with no tilt column! This Grand National did not cruise control either.
COMING NEXT WEEK - OUR CHRISTMAS CONTEST -
Our annual M & M Contest with some great prizes will appear in next week's Inner Circle (11-25-2009). The top prize this year will be an actual piece of drag racing history from one of Don Garlits Swamp Rat top fuel dragsters, complete with photo and Certificate of Authenticity. A custom-made stand is being made by our son Darrell to hold it. I will be running a similar contest in - Turbobuick.com - under the turbo lounge during the weekend of Thanksgiving, November 28th and 29th.
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION -
Got any Turbo parts you are not using?
Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit or cash for the upcoming holidays? 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.
GM PARTS UPDATE
It appears that the GM supply of the factory 1986-1987 molded boost line kits are dwindling and may already have disappeared from GM's warehouses inventory. We currently have a decent supply of them.
This is a very critical part, for any 1986-1987 Turbo Regal since it is needed to control boost. They have 3 specifically formed hoses with a special size diameter T in between two of the molded hoses. These also have the GM wording on them. Over a period of time, heat can cause the hoses to swell and crack. While they last, we have them available for $44.95, Part # 6644. Supplies are limited.
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE CLOSE-OUT PARTS
We have the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal - GM Air Flow Duct (from turbo to MAF sensor), Part #6536 in stock for $61.95. Just a few left now.
If you are interested in this part, you must call our office to purchase it.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR CHRISTMAS SPECIALS
We have a total of 22 different Christmas Specials available until December 18, 2009. They can be found on our website home page.
Click Here to see our Christmas Specials on our web site.
GREAT NEWS ON THE GNX EXHAUST SYSTEM
We are happy to announce the GNX exhaust system is in the final stages of production. Richard has made a jig to check each system prior to shipping. He has recently bought some equipment so he can expand the pipes, so each system is a slip fit when the end consumer gets it.
The system is all mandrel bent using 304 stainless, and will include the center-to-center mufflers and clamps. This system is all 2-1/2 inch and will outflow the factory GM system.
Each system will come with easy-to-follow directions and will be drop shipped directly from North Carolina.
Final costs and pricing is almost ready, and we will be offering a special introductory price if purchased prior to Christmas. We will be making it available to other wholesale suppliers as well.
PRICE INCREASE -
PART #7094 - 1984-1987 Regal (All Models) - Weatherpack Connector Kit - $84.95
Click Here to see this Weatherpack Connector Kit product page on our web site.
CALENDER OF EVENTS
2010 UPCOMING BUICK RELATED EVENTS
NOTE - If you know of a GM or Buick Turbo event for next year, let us know and we can post it in our weekly Turbo Regal Inner Circle so our members are aware of the event.
The best way to stay informed with the show season is to check out the various Turbo Buick forums.
2010 UPCOMING BUICK RELATED EVENTS
Looking ahead into next Spring 2010, the first Turbo Buick event of the season will be the first ever "turbobuick.com Nationals." The dates are March 15-20, 2010 in Burlington, NC area.
For more information on this March event, click on the thread - http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/national-racing-events-info/292319-2010-turbobuick-com-nationals.html - Or, you can email Clint Adkins at - [email protected]
30th ANNUAL GS NATIONALS - May 11th thru 15th, 2010. Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Confirmed as a special guest is noted drag racer "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, voted NHRA Top Driver from 1951-2000 Don Garlits, courtesy of ZDDPlus™. He will be at our Kirban Performance space.
For up-to-date information and motels for the 2010 GS Nationals, go to their web site - http://www.gsnationals.com
"Light Your Fire" - 2010 Buick Performance Group Nationals - July 30th - August 1st, 2010 at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron OH (near Columbus). They want to gather together the largest number of 1969-1974 factory Stage1 cars anyone has ever seen since the Buick muscle car days of Flint.
This is a special event that may never come to pass again, so don't miss the factory "Stage1 Convention" at the 2010 Buick Performance Group National Event. For more info, go to - http://www.buickperformancegroup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8754
NOTE - If you know of a GM or Buick Turbo event, let us know and we can post it in our weekly Turbo Regal Inner Circle so our members are aware of the event.
EBAY LISTINGS
If you would like to see any 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 km
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 not remember who requested the item.
IN CLOSING
Watch for our annual Christmas Contest in next week's Inner Circle. We have some great prizes.
EXCITING NEWS CONCERNING GS NATIONALS -
The 30th Annual GS Nationals will be held on May 11-15, 2010 at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It's hard to believe that it's been 30 years since the first one. I have personally gone every year since 1988, which works out to 22 years.
We are pleased to announce, along with ZDDPlus™ as the sponsor, confirmation that Don Garlits will be a special ZDDPlus™ guest for that weekend at the 2010 GS Nationals!
Here is a rare opportunity to meet the king of top fuel drag racing for the last 50 years. He set his best mark at the age of 71 in 2003, turning a 323.04 in a mere 4.761 seconds. This was his career best during his final run in 2003 in a top fuel dragster. It's hard to imagine how many times Don has blasted down the 1/4 mile at 200-plus miles per hour while shoe horned into a small opening powered by a Hemi.
Over the last several months, I have become good friends with Don. He is the well-respected spokesperson for ZDDPlus™, a product that he not only firmly endorses but also uses in his personal cars.
As of this writing, he has not confirmed if he will be bringing his Challenger Drag Pack car, which is the first one built of the 50 Chrysler plans to build. He has already run in the ten-second range with that Challenger.
We should all be this agile in our late 70s! Don has always been a hands-on racer and did it all on a shoe string budget when top fuel was in its infancy.
Here is a chance to meet the number one guy in top fuel drag racing in person. Be sure to tell any of your Mopar friends, as they will want to give you something for Don to autograph. He will be at our swap meet for this event.
BACKTRACKING SLIGHTLY ON THE HISTORY OF RADIOS -
I just read that the transistor radio first came out in 1954. That explains why the portable transistor radio became on option in some of the GM cars by 1958.
I recently read an in-depth article in Smoke Signals (the monthly Pontiac Oakland Club International publication) on these "Sportable" radios as they were called. This neat option was a GM exclusive, and only offered for three years - 1958-1959-1960. I am sure the actual faceplate was different from year to year, since the one I have does not look the same as the one in the Smoke Signals article.
According to the article, in 1958 it was a $129 option, in 1959 it was a $104 option, and in 1960 it went back to being a $129 option. Because of the dash design from the factory, this would be a difficult option to add in one of these cars. It was a Delco item. The article did not state what other GM cars this was offered in besides the Pontiac.
What I did not realize is the radio had a leather carrying case to use when you pulled it out of the dash. Also, when it was removed from the dash, a spring-loaded chrome-plated cover came down and covered the hole where the radio used to be. It was a clever option in its day, but short lived.
RADIO OPTIONS IN THE TURBO REGALS - Part 5
Photo 1 - Shows two GM AC Delco am/fm radios with the cassette with EQ option. The bottom radio would be found in a 1985-1986-1987 Turbo Regal as code UX1. In 1985 it was a $494 option, and in 1986 and 1987 it became a $504 option. In 1984 it carried a code of UU6 and listed for $606. Since the code for 1984 was different, I assume the radio was slightly different in appearance compared to the 1985-1986-1987 style. Otherwise, it would have the same trunk label ID code as the later ones. When I get one in, we will show that radio.
The radio on top looks almost the same, but it is out of a similar year Cadillac. The outer two knobs to the left are slightly different. Instead of a cheap disc insert, these appear to be metal. The actual faceplate is satin black in appearance. All the push buttons are ribbed and appear to be metal. The other difference is under the word "Tape" on the Cadillac radio, it reads "Symphony Sound."
You can clearly see that the Cadillac radio looks a little more up scale over the Buick Regal one.
Photo 2 - Shows the back of the radios shown in Photo 1. Although I did get the Cadillac radio to play in a Regal, the short wire harness with the plug is different. The Regal radio is a two-wire plug with a white connector. The Cadillac has a three-wire connector with a black plug. Although the Cadillac radio would play, I could not get the lights to work on the face other than the time and radio stations. This is probably due in part because that one plug is different and would not work in a Regal. The three-hole opening for the main three plugs is identical to the 1984-1987 Regals. This opening would be in the bottom right part of the housing.
The actual housings are 100% the same, so all the factory Buick Regal brackets would allow this radio to bolt into a 1984-1987 Regal dash.
So, you can see how many of the AC Delco radios were similar to each other for GM cars during the 1980s.
Watch for Part 6 on the various radios available in the Turbo Regals next week.
OTHER PHOTOS -
Photo 3 - Since I am in the midst of dismantling a 1984 Grand National, I wanted to show what would be between the inside door panel and the door frame. A door panel that has never been removed will have a perfect insulation pad (which is a noise deadener), attached to an inner panel water deflector. The deflector looks like brown craft paper, basically that is part of the panel you would find between the door panel and the door frame. This photo shows both sides of the door pad, one side would be black and the other plain.
Photo 4 - This is something you do not see every day. A Grand National with no tilt column! This Grand National did not cruise control either.
COMING NEXT WEEK - OUR CHRISTMAS CONTEST -
Our annual M & M Contest with some great prizes will appear in next week's Inner Circle (11-25-2009). The top prize this year will be an actual piece of drag racing history from one of Don Garlits Swamp Rat top fuel dragsters, complete with photo and Certificate of Authenticity. A custom-made stand is being made by our son Darrell to hold it. I will be running a similar contest in - Turbobuick.com - under the turbo lounge during the weekend of Thanksgiving, November 28th and 29th.
ALWAYS IN A BUYING POSITION -
Got any Turbo parts you are not using?
Why not cash them in for parts you need with a Letter of Credit or cash for the upcoming holidays? 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.
GM PARTS UPDATE
It appears that the GM supply of the factory 1986-1987 molded boost line kits are dwindling and may already have disappeared from GM's warehouses inventory. We currently have a decent supply of them.
This is a very critical part, for any 1986-1987 Turbo Regal since it is needed to control boost. They have 3 specifically formed hoses with a special size diameter T in between two of the molded hoses. These also have the GM wording on them. Over a period of time, heat can cause the hoses to swell and crack. While they last, we have them available for $44.95, Part # 6644. Supplies are limited.
KIRBAN PERFORMANCE CLOSE-OUT PARTS
We have the 1986-1987 Turbo Regal - GM Air Flow Duct (from turbo to MAF sensor), Part #6536 in stock for $61.95. Just a few left now.
If you are interested in this part, you must call our office to purchase it.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR CHRISTMAS SPECIALS
We have a total of 22 different Christmas Specials available until December 18, 2009. They can be found on our website home page.
Click Here to see our Christmas Specials on our web site.
GREAT NEWS ON THE GNX EXHAUST SYSTEM
We are happy to announce the GNX exhaust system is in the final stages of production. Richard has made a jig to check each system prior to shipping. He has recently bought some equipment so he can expand the pipes, so each system is a slip fit when the end consumer gets it.
The system is all mandrel bent using 304 stainless, and will include the center-to-center mufflers and clamps. This system is all 2-1/2 inch and will outflow the factory GM system.
Each system will come with easy-to-follow directions and will be drop shipped directly from North Carolina.
Final costs and pricing is almost ready, and we will be offering a special introductory price if purchased prior to Christmas. We will be making it available to other wholesale suppliers as well.
PRICE INCREASE -
PART #7094 - 1984-1987 Regal (All Models) - Weatherpack Connector Kit - $84.95
Click Here to see this Weatherpack Connector Kit product page on our web site.
CALENDER OF EVENTS
2010 UPCOMING BUICK RELATED EVENTS
NOTE - If you know of a GM or Buick Turbo event for next year, let us know and we can post it in our weekly Turbo Regal Inner Circle so our members are aware of the event.
The best way to stay informed with the show season is to check out the various Turbo Buick forums.
2010 UPCOMING BUICK RELATED EVENTS
Looking ahead into next Spring 2010, the first Turbo Buick event of the season will be the first ever "turbobuick.com Nationals." The dates are March 15-20, 2010 in Burlington, NC area.
For more information on this March event, click on the thread - http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/national-racing-events-info/292319-2010-turbobuick-com-nationals.html - Or, you can email Clint Adkins at - [email protected]
30th ANNUAL GS NATIONALS - May 11th thru 15th, 2010. Beech Bend Raceway, Bowling Green, Kentucky
Confirmed as a special guest is noted drag racer "Big Daddy" Don Garlits, voted NHRA Top Driver from 1951-2000 Don Garlits, courtesy of ZDDPlus™. He will be at our Kirban Performance space.
For up-to-date information and motels for the 2010 GS Nationals, go to their web site - http://www.gsnationals.com
"Light Your Fire" - 2010 Buick Performance Group Nationals - July 30th - August 1st, 2010 at the National Trail Raceway in Hebron OH (near Columbus). They want to gather together the largest number of 1969-1974 factory Stage1 cars anyone has ever seen since the Buick muscle car days of Flint.
This is a special event that may never come to pass again, so don't miss the factory "Stage1 Convention" at the 2010 Buick Performance Group National Event. For more info, go to - http://www.buickperformancegroup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8754
NOTE - If you know of a GM or Buick Turbo event, let us know and we can post it in our weekly Turbo Regal Inner Circle so our members are aware of the event.
EBAY LISTINGS
If you would like to see any 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 km
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 not remember who requested the item.
IN CLOSING
Watch for our annual Christmas Contest in next week's Inner Circle. We have some great prizes.