Greetings Turbo Regal Inner Circle Members - 11-25-2009
NOTE - HAVE A GREAT THANKSGIVING!
Our office will be closed on Thanksgiving and Friday. Any orders from the web site will be processed on Monday, November 30th.
ANNUAL KIRBAN CHRISTMAS CONTEST
Announcing our Annual Kirban Christmas Contest.
The deadline is Saturday, December 5th, 2009, 6 pm eastern time. No answers will be considered after that time.
Here are the rules:
We have filled a container with M & Ms. You simply guess how many are in the container. No purchase is necessary.
You get 3 guesses. Your 3 guesses MUST appear in one single email to - [email protected]
Do not email to any other email address as it will NOT be included in the contest.
To be a winner, you must be the closest UNDER the actual M & M count. In case of any ties, the earliest date on the email will be the first place winner. Second and third place would be the next 2 closest guesses with the earliest date on your email.
PHOTO 1 - Shows the actual metal Christmas House that contains the M & Ms. Mixed in with the M & Ms are those 3 small bite-size candy bars that you also see in the Photo 1. A very unique Top Prize is also visible in this photo.
A Clue - Here is the approximate size of the metal Christmas House. It measures approximately 7-1/2 inches tall, 6 inches wide and 3-1/2 inches deep. The container says it originally held 10-1/2 oz of those small bite-size candy bars.
FIRST PLACE PRIZE - A part of legendary Top Fuel Dragster history is the top prize. The FIRST place winner will receive this custom-mounted used Hemi piston and connecting rod display. This is an actual connecting rod and piston from one of the last Swamp Rat dragster Don Garlits built in 2001-2003. They remove the rods and pistons after just 2 runs! In other words, less than one mile is on them! His top full dragsters produce anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 HP. You will also get with this prize a Certificate of Authenticity complete with photos showing him signing the connecting rod and piston. Our son Darrell made the stand for it. You will also get the Christmas House filled with M & Ms.
We were able to obtain a number of these signed connecting rods and pistons. We will offer them after the contest ends, complete with stand and Certificate of Authenticity. If you want, you can email me personally and reserve one. Delivery prior to Christmas is assured. Supplies are limited. Since Don Garlits retired from Top Fuel in 2003, there will not be any more of these to become available.
PHOTO 2 - The SECOND place prize can be seen in Photo 2. This is a metal poster showing the actual Hot Rod cover from May of 1971. This metal poster is made in the USA. It measures approximately 11-1/2 inches wide by 17-1/2 inches tall. This will also come with a Certificate of Authenticity and photo of Don Garlits as he autographed these posters. We will also have a very, very limited supply of them available after this contest has ended. (There are fewer than 15 available.)
The THIRD place winner will get a $25 Gift Certificate good towards any parts on our website.
So, that is our Annual Christmas Contest open to our Turbo Regal Inner Circle readers.
Please read all the rules carefully as they must be followed exactly. Remember, the earliest guesses UNDER the actual M & M count will be declared the First, Second and Third place winners.
Remember, the deadline is Saturday, December 5th, 2009, 6 pm eastern time.
We will email the winners by email after the contest closes. Winners will be announced in the December 9th Inner Circle.
NOTE - We are running a slightly different contest on the Turbobuicks.com website under "Turbo Lounge." Click on the "Kirban Christmas Contest" heading under Turbo Lounge for those details and prizes.
BACKGROUND ON THE DON GARLITS VINTAGE CONNECTING RODS AND PISTONS
Don Garlits used Brooks B-1 rods during that 2001-2003 time period. Back then, they sold for about $100 each. The rods are made from 7075-T6 forged aluminum and burnished. The piston is made by Venolia and, according to them, they sold for about $65 each.
Don stopped running Top Fuel back in 2003 at the age of 71. He now covers the quarter-mile trip in the ten-second range in his Drag Pack Challenger, courtesy of Dodge. Dodge gave him the first one built. So, you can see that there is a limited number of these actual pistons and connecting rods from Don's actual Swamp Rat dragsters.
It may not be Turbo Buick related, but it is a unique piece of Top Fuel Drag Racing History from the one name that stands above the rest - Don Garlits. His records include 144 national wins in his 50-year career.
RADIO OPTIONS IN THE TURBO REGALS Part 6 -
PHOTO 3 - Shows the top-of-the-line radio used from 1985 through 1987. The trunk ID code is UX1. The Buick name for this radio is "Graphic Equalizer, Cassette ad ETR AM Stereo - FM Stereo Radio with Seek and Scan, Auto Reverse with Search/Repeat and Clock."
In 1985 it was $494 option, in 1986 and 1987 it was listed for $504.
The 1984 top-of-the-line radio had a different code UU6 and the buttons under the cassette cartridge had a different format. So, finding a top-of-the-line correct 1984 Turbo Regal radio with the UU6 code would be fairly difficult to find today.
In researching this I noticed something interesting. The UX1 radio is in the picture in the actual full-color brochure for 1985-1986-1987, but all the photos show the silver border around the radio like this photo. However, my findings dealing with so many of these cars that I have seen and owned, I have seen many without the silver outline around the main portion of the radio. There are various other radios in other Buick brochures, and may indeed show it slightly different than the one we have pictured here with the silver border.
If I had to guess, I would say it's about a 50/50 split for the 1985-1986-1987 Turbo Regals radios having the silver outline and not having the silver.
BACKTRACKING SLIGHTLY
In Part 2 in this series on radios, we mentioned that the Chevrolet Citation had a vertical-style radio.
PHOTO 4 - Shows the unique vertical-style radio found in the 1980s Chevrolet Citation. This one happens to be the am/fm radio. While it may be difficult to see the dial face, the fm numbers are first and then the am numbers are shown second. Normally when a dial is shown, the am numbers would be on top (or first) and fm would be on the bottom (or second.)
Watch for Part 7 on the various radios in Turbo Regals next week.
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 GM factory original 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 specially 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.
Here is a link to the Christmas Specials on our web site:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/product/160/GM+Factory+Original+BOOST+LINE+KIT+%236644.html
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.
Here is a link to the Christmas Specials on our web site:
http://www.kirbanperformance.com/products/29/CHRISTMAS+SPECIALS+2009.html
GREAT NEWS ON THE GNX EXHAUST SYSTEM
We are happy to announce the GNX exhaust system is in the final stages of production. Richard Clark 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 #7137 - The 1984-1987 Turbo Regal - GM Black Plastic Power Antenna Bezel is now $13.95
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
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all our Inner Circle Members.
Remember to try the Annual Christmas Contest as soon as possible - you could be the winner!