Turbo Buick Related - Kirban 2 Cents worth

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

Kirban kwick story

My 3rd test car, (I count test cars are ones I have more than one year registered to me.) Its the fall early 1990s. Customer calls me from Port Charlotte Florida (west coast florida area). Has a original 1987 Turbo-T dark blue metallic matching blue gut. Badly faded paint from the Florida sun. Also owns a GN and a Syclone.

So, I work him a trade for money and parts. I was going to be in Titusville anyhow for Ecklers Fall Open House as they invite all their suppliers to set up and show their products and have a huge car show. (We have Corvette parts made for them).

This was prior to when I had a car trailer. I contacted Pete Serio who came out from Ohio and rode down to Florida with me. At the time I had a black ETC coupe Caddy.

The deal was set up to meet halfway between Titusville and Port Charlotte. The town was Lake Wales, basically a one traffic lite town with a restaurant where we would meet for dinner Saturday nite. Member I had not seen the car yet in person.

I knew the car had high miles think it had like 130,000 on it. So, we meet I do a test drive prior to dinner and car starts and runs great.

We eat a leasurely dinner bid our good byes. I ask Pete what car he wants to drive he says the Caddy. The sellers leave in their Syclone, Pete starts the Caddy I get in the Turbo-T turn the key and get nothing. Its like someone pulled the battery.

Here it is Saturday nite getting dark no tools, and the car don't even click. I'm stumped as my mechanical skills are not my strong suit. I move the floor shifter the collar on the steering column nothing. Pete on the other hand, was a mechanic at a Buick shop.

We determine it is the starter so eventually by crawling under the car and tapping it we get it started. At this point we are like 600-700 miles from my home.
We drive a few hours stop in a motel for the nite. Next morning sunday same deal gotta bang on the starter to get it started.

Each time we stopped for gas or a meal I let the car run and Pete blocked it in the space with the Caddy. The next problem was I knew Monday in Washington DC it was going to be a traffic nitemare because of the million men march.

So we drive all day sunday. It is now like 1-2 in the morning. Pete is following me and he is not good at driving at nite. I see my Caddy starting to weave behind me in traffic so I know he must be falling asleep. We stop again to eat and trying to keep him awake to make it to my home.

Definately a white knuckle trip but we made it. I sold the blue Turbo-T locally. About 3 months later the guy needs money and put it up for sale in the newspaper. The high miles turned people off so I bought it back as I knew the car.

At this point I had 3 or 4 GNs for sale along with this dark blue Turbo-T (had the WO2 sport package also). The GNS all sold no takers on the blue Turbo-T.

After looking at this car sitting on our property and no buyers I decided I would keep the car. The rest as they say is history it was the very first Turbo-T to get the GNX suspension. (That is another story). My son put a top notch show quality repaint on it. The kind that has no tape lines.

I probably put 30,000 miles on the car before I sold it 5-6 years later.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
Many stories yet to come from me and readers of this thread, I enjoy reading them hope you do also.

 

[BAGN]

Actually our very first glass hood went on Conleys famous Turbo car Tweaked. t was also our design that was on his hood that featured the early trans am small vents that we offered s an option to let the heat escape.

Generating some great stories.....

Hey, I remember that hood. :wink: As a matter of fact. Here it is 15+ years later on "BLACL" (with an extended hood bubble to clear the larger intercooler pipe that was on "TWEAKED")

CC

 

[turbobuick]

Good stuff. I love reading all these stories especially from guys that have been at it for awhile. Makes me remember why I liked these cars so much especially as my interest has been waning a little lately.

Scott, have we met that story sounds AWFULLY familiar

 

[nightrain]

Good stuff. I love reading all these stories especially from guys that have been at it for awhile. Makes me remember why I liked these cars so much especially as my interest has been waning a little lately.

Scott, have we met that story sounds AWFULLY familiar

Why, was that your GN that beat my 'stang and then ended up at the speed shop on Lake St.? It was called Street Stuff.

 

[turbobuick]

Why, was that your GN that beat my 'stang and then ended up at the speed shop on Lake St.? It was called Street Stuff.

Not likely I was in Chicago from 1995 till 1999. I had plenty of Mustang kills though especially up in the Schuamburg area

 

[nightrain]

Not likely I was in Chicago from 1995 till 1999. I had plenty of Mustang kills though especially up in the Schuamburg area

Ah yes, I actually grew up in Schaumburg (70's though). Then work to me to Asia for half the 90's. Now I'm a right winger on the Left Coast.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Hey, I remember that hood. :wink: As a matter of fact. Here it is 15+ years later on "BLACL" (with an extended hood bubble to clear the larger intercooler pipe that was on "TWEAKED")

CC

kirban 2 cents worth

Long life on the glass hood does it still have the TA vents in the back corners? Having our hood n is cars did a lot for our sales back then.

On a side note one of our very first set of bumpers went on Buddy Coxes tubbed GNX member that car?

KenneBell and ATR had both put their bumpers out first. I think ATR embossed there name on their bumper and Bell molded the rubber bumper cushion into it as one piece....again going by memory.

Having seen them we took what I feel was a better approach elminated the bumper cushion made it smooth face front & rear bar. It was then possible to actually install a real bumper cushion if the owner desired and it almost looked like a steel one minus the uprite bumperettes...

I think we did that hood back in 1989? I know we did it before the bumpers. I never did a trunk lid until several years ago I bought an existing mold.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com
great stories, our cars hold memories now that they are getting older down side is so are us owners.....

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

Another kirban kwick story

On my third test car the dark blue 87 Turbo-T....I remember driving it down to Richard Clarks (TurboBuick Heaven for those who do not know who he is).

He installed a GNX suspension in my car on a weekend. The man claims to every every tool that GM had and every conceivable tool as well. As luck would have it I figured one tool he did not have he immediately went out and bought.

When slip one exhaust pipe into another they have this slug look thing that you can hit with a hammer to expand it slightly or they have one that you can work with air pressure to expand the pipe end.

Anyhow I get the suspension put in, and my plan was to drive west to Chattanooga as I had a good friend who had suffered several mini strokes and was in a nursing home.

I leave Richards about 7 in the evening travelling west in a light rain storm. You know those deer you see dead along the road? Up until I had only seen them dead or I have hit 2 live ones with two different cars. (One was a Turbo-T Limited)

I never until this nite came across one that was hit by a truck maybe 2 vehicles ahead of me. Talk about a mess. Ran over the deer, the spray of body fluids streaked the windshield and the stench became unbearable even with the windows up.

Underneath was bits and pieces even 50-75 miles later down the road. No damage to the car.

I managed to see my friend in the nursing home on 3 different travel occasions before he died. I was lucky to buy some cars in that same general area so I would stop and take him for a spin outside in his wheel chair.

Although he could not speak I think from the look in his eyes, he remembered me.

end of story

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Keep them coming great reading guys....

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Nice idea- this touch and go... No plans to re-make this item again? I have plenty of kills in my cars but one extra one wouldn't hurt.

kirban 2 cents worth

As to the above question, I have kept a new one all these years. Actually had one in my Syclone.

I have tried numerous times to get it made with no luck however, I ran into a guy the other day who is big into electronics fools with other types of cars and bought zddplus from me and I am going to have him look at it.

The system was so simple even I could install it, sold for I think under $65 and you only had to cut one wire in your car. I can't think of another theft deterrant that has those features. Plus easy to adopt to any car and no stupid siren.

Will keep readers posted......I don't lack for ideas just getting people/companies to make them in the US.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

The fact you still have it after a dozen years is a good testament can't say that about too many key pad aftermarket alarms. I assume yours still works?

 

[scottk]

1st gn

Ibought my Gn in1990 with 27,000 miles for 14,700 dollars.It was t-top car with a power driver seat it was pretty loaded!The real weird thing about the car was the paint job! i believe it was a late build car it had a run in the paint on the quarter panel pass.side also it looked thin .Both the quarters had the factory primer showing under side near the tailpipes.This car was not repainted thats the way it was,still have all the paper work from the dealer.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Ibought my Gn in1990 with 27,000 miles for 14,700 dollars.It was t-top car with a power driver seat it was pretty loaded!The real weird thing about the car was the paint job! i believe it was a late build car it had a run in the paint on the quarter panel pass.side also it looked thin .Both the quarters had the factory primer showing under side near the tailpipes.This car was not repainted thats the way it was,still have all the paper work from the dealer.

kirban 2 cents worth

You are not alone in that assessment. The plant was very old, black is one tough color to lay down since it will show any flaws. Not to mention the wrinkle areas in the metal under the paint. Morale was low. From what I understand Buick had some sort of contest for the employees to win a GN in an effort to keep quality up.

One of the worse ones I had was a low mileage original GN. Paint was acceptable on one side yet the other side was really bad, yet could not find any tape lines original owner said it was all original.

Also, back in those days if a car coming off the transport suffered any damage, it could be repaired and not indicated to the buyer. Today I believe that is not the case.

Had ASC not been pushed for time I think they would repainted the ones that became GNXs.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Keeping you thinking....

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

Another kirban kwick story

Year around 1992, I still had our 1987 GN, one of two test Syclones that GMC had for magazines, and a rare Limited Turbo-T.

Near my house is a nice 4-lane highway. Usually at nite I would tinker with my cars in the garage and then go for a run to this 24 hour diner for a big breakfast. Everyone knows cool nite air cars run the best.

I would usually go out around the same time whenever I would do this. One time I went out with our GN which by the way had one of the early sets of M & A Casting aluminum heads on it. My car was a test bed for different products one reason it was on its 2nd engine when I sold it!

Anyhow I pull up to a lite on the 4 lane highway a Mustang GT fox body style is in the other lane. He looks over and notices a black regal, figures he should not try it, so we both leave like sensible adults.

As luck would have it, few nites later I am in the silver Turbo-T Limited the Mustang guy is at the same red lite (probably worked some nite shift somewhere)....different circumstances as I get the sense he feels he can take his shot against what appears to be a regular bench seat regal....surprise....he lost
Following week again same lite same time, only this time I am in my wife Syclone.

Syclones being rare, I am sure the guy had no idea what it was. Again same results....I often wondered if he ever realized I was the SAME GUY just in 3 different vehicles.......

end of story

keep them coming open up to any related story on these cars....

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Lets hear your story.........

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

another kirban kwick story

Really want to reads other but will post some of mine to keep it going.

There is one turbo buick actually a 1986 GN that tops all the ones I have bought (318). By tops, I mean this one had absolutely the most documents paperwork related stuff original parts ever and the car had about 12,000 original miles.

I bought this back in 2002. Car sold I think in one weeks time. Car was never advertised for sale. I happened to be good friends with another car guy in NJ and this guy was a good friend of his.

Kind of eccentric, and a passion for anything Harley-Davidson related. This GN sat among about a dozen Harley bikes of all vintages covered with bed sheets. Everything was very well organized.

This owner had everything connected to the purchase of the 1986 GN when he bought it new. The NJ inspection sticker still said 1986. He kept the original battery, the original paper temp tag, even the plastic that would have been on the steering wheel before the car was prepped.

Even the stock number tag that hung on the mirror. His original order sheet. You name it this guy had it. Every magazine that had a GN article in it back in 1986 he had with the car. Key blanks, manuals, window sticker, original 1986 full color brochure.

Car was a factory astroroof so he had the envelope with the hand crank. Every single gas receipt since new, every recall notice, even a notebook every time he put gas in the car and how many miles he went on that tank.

When his car was being built he had the computer print out sheets showing the progress as it was being built.

You name it this guy had it. Its not often someone saves a 20 year battery let alone all the other stuff.

Years ago my wife had done a project for a card company that featured Harley-Davidson bikes and I had a uncut print sheet of this. Granted I know little about Harleys, but going into the game I had something he had never seen and seeing his Harley collection this gave me an edge. He knew I was a dealer so I needed something unique just to get my foot in the door. A common ground so to speak.

This guy had huge Harley banners from various events. I even kidded him and asked did his kids wear Harley underwear?

A deal was struck, and the day I came to do the deal it was raining, which greatly upset him. When the car was loaded on my trailer, the look on his face you would have thought I had taken his first born....

True story......

Case in point there are some real passionate owners out there. Speaking of passionate people, it always amazes me when I am at the pet store buying cat food for my 3 cats, usually some little old lady is down the same aisle usually with a shopping cart buying like 6-8 cases of canned cat food....makes me wonder how big a brood of cats she must have!

keep the stories coming

denniskirban@yahoo.com

kirbanperformance.com
keep the stories coming.....

 

[BrownLimited]

Case in point there are some real passionate owners out there. Speaking of passionate people, it always amazes me when I am at the pet store buying cat food for my 3 cats, usually some little old lady is down the same aisle usually with a shopping cart buying like 6-8 cases of canned cat food....makes me wonder how big a brood of cats she must have!

keep the stories coming

denniskirban@yahoo.com

kirbanperformance.com
keep the stories coming.....[/QUOTE]

It's whats for dinner when on Social Security.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

Lets open this thread to now include what has been the screw up/mistake you have made concerning your Turbo regal?

Besides selling it to cheap/blowing a head gasket....which is pretty much the norm for many of us. I have done both by the way.

Example:

When I bought my first one brand new GN in fall of 1987 within the first week I had taken a heat gun and removed every emblem. Peeled off the visor decal.

More recent last winter I am kind of a fanatic on detailing. My test car #4 is a extremely nice white Turbo-T with white floors under neath and a silver gas tank.
In an effort speed up polishing the gas tank I was using one of those "power ball" gizmos you put on the end of a drill.

A good idea for the first 3-5 minutes until it snagged on the fuel pump wires and quicker than you can shut the drill or reverse it, I had yanked all the wires to the fuel pump.

We all know about some of the early "sins" some owners made like drill three gauge holders into the GN trim plate above the glove box or, put that fist size hole in the inner plastic fender without thinking.

So, the thread is no open to your stupid mistakes/regrets related to turbo regals and or interesting stories about getting one.

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

I got another neat one on a GNX.....later

Over the years I have heard from several misdeeds. Here is a quickee one, guy pulls his 85 speedo out puts it on the ground by the wheel of his car lets the car roll and ends up running over his dash cluster. True story. Not me though.

Word of advice never take your jack out of the trunk. You'll never get it back in like GM did it when it was new.

 

[BAGN]

kirban 2 cents worth

Long life on the glass hood does it still have the TA vents in the back corners?

Yes, There still there.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

No one has a story to ad?

Here goes one:

We had just bought a brand new 1987 Grand National September 1987 (I turned 40)....did one smart thing then besides starting a business with the car I leased it.....end of 3 years payoff was $5500 bought it sold it for $14,500 to a customer in Hawaii....seldom do the numbers in a buy out at the end of a lease work out to the owners benefit.

Scored with the next lease it was the Syclone. Payoff $9500 sold it for $14,900.
Trust me other leases with wifes cars and others never worth buying at the end.

Any how, later that fall in 1987 on a Saturday I was out in the GN and it was raining, I happen to spot a real GNX in a resturant parking lot. I had never seen one before in person.

Excited, I went in to the resturant to see if I could figure out who owned it or if the hostess knew. Turned out she did as he was a regular customer of theirs.

I interrupted his lunch and asked him about his GNX. Told him I had just gotten a GN etc....He floored me when he said would you like to take it for a spin? Member this guy does not even know me.

I said sure...he says give me your keys and go ahead take it for a drive. Just be back in about one hour. Man I could not believe my luck....this is not an occurance that happens much in life.

Plus its raining....so I carefully drive his car out of the parking lot, rite away you notice how the trans shifts far different than a GN does, the neat guages, and the way the rear suspension hooks up and down.

I decide to drive it home and show my wife....which I do. She don't believe a stranger lent out his 50 grand car to someone he doesn't even know. I enjoy the ride and return the car and thank him profusely...

He later became a customer and about two years later I got him a buyer for his GNX that he drove as an every day car to a company he owned.

That was my first taste behind the wheel of a real GNX back when they were new and sticker price was an adjusted market price.

true story

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Over the years I have bought and sold 8 real GNXs....

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirban 2 cents worth

Another kirban kwick story

As you might expect having bought so many turbo regals over the years, not every time did things work out. By that I mean deals we made the company check from the dealership was made out in advance, based on photos of the car.

Some where wasted trips...chaulked up as experience or time wasted....

I am sure some of you have similar stories.

I member one trip to Florida which for me is a 4-5 day trip round trip to central florida area from eastern, PA.

Car was a GN been sitting awhile but had very low miles on it. Florida hot sun does nothing for a black car over a period of time. Plus down Florida they have bugs, and other live things that I am not used to seeing...nor want to see.

This owner lived way out in the country, down several dirt dusty roads. I got to his house late in the afternoon. He shows me the car under a carport structure.

Before I even got real close to the car, I could see I was in trouble with what the agreed price was and the fact I had driven 700 plus miles. I took the car for a drive noticed more things wrong with it. It is now close to 5 pm. I am tired. Banks are closed and I knew if I was going to strike a new deal the owner would have to give me several grand in cash. I did not see that happening because it was so late in the day and banks would be closed.

He can tell I am a little upset...and I was prepared to go home empty handed.
On deals like this I never take their check as a refund in case owner stops payment. Just a matter of principle and the fact I don't know some of the sellers.

Less risk that way also. So, I tell the seller the car just does not measure up to what I expected or was lead to believe. I told him I was prepared just to leave empty handed or he would have to give me a cash refund of $1500 or so. The exact amount I can't recall at the moment but it is a good deal of cash.

I figured he would not go for it nor have that kind of cash in the house. He knows he is in a spot that if I did not buy the car it wold be hard to sell because he lived so far out in the woods not near any city of any size.

He agrees and says he will get me th cash, we go into another room in his house and shock of shock he has a huge floor model safe. The safe was almost as tall as I am. Not something you expct to see in a house.

I get my cash "refund" a deal is struck, and I load the car and head back to Pennsylvania.

True story

kirbanperformance.com

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Lets here you story good/bad screws ups?

 

[yullose]

The safe was almost as tall as I am. Not something you expect to see in a house.

Unless you have a nice gun collection.



Hey Dennis, before I forget (sorry to hijack).

I'll be coming down to your shop on Saturday... do you have any need or interest in a set of 84/85 GN rims ? I have the 4 GN rims and a pair of matching 8.5" Vectors. I really don't want to ebay/ship them... and just thought I'd ask.
I can bring 'em along if you can use them.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Unless you have a nice gun collection.



Hey Dennis, before I forget (sorry to hijack).

I'll be coming down to your shop on Saturday... do you have any need or interest in a set of 84/85 GN rims ? I have the 4 GN rims and a pair of matching 8.5" Vectors. I really don't want to ebay/ship them... and just thought I'd ask.
I can bring 'em along if you can use them.

kirban 2 cents worth

weather xpected to be super...richard clark is coming...

be interested in trad ing only for GN rims with caps....pm me price NO TIRES so bare rims only...vector not sure what they are aftermarket I am not a player on them...

thanz