Introduction

[DissT]

Well first off my name is Ron and I have been out of buicks for about 10 years. I owned a 85 GN for about 4 years before certain circumstances made me sell it.

Anyway my car was owned by a gentlemen named Brett in Bradenton which I am sure some of you know. He does post on the tp6 board and his father owns a stage II car. It is need of some TLC body/interior work but drivetrain/engine seem strong minus the knock from the lower end. While I may be mistaking the noise over the exhaust leak for something else I still have this sinking feeling. The block/crank/rods/pistons are stock and the engine has roughly 15k on it. Car runs strong but I have a fear the person who had it a short time before me might have done something to it.

The car was bought as a project with the hopes of having it finished in about 5 years with most of the work being done by myself and my son. Will be moving soon to Dade City where our house is being redone with a nice garage with lots of room added on. :smile: Currently in Wesley Chapel.

After I get the exhaust leak welded hopefully I can make a outing or 2 and start putting some names to faces. Plans right now are SM which was taken out, knock gauge(same) and alchy. After that pretty much just going to start stripping the interior and patching/replacing body parts, picking up a door next weekend. Other odds and ends include wiring issues (lights to tach radio and missing power antenna) but for the most part the car is solid with 1 bad rattle.

Well that is pretty much it for now so hope to see some of you soon and look forward to the wealth of information the people from this board have. I'll be the guy with the pad and pen writing everything down at the meets.

 

[tomcatturbo]

Knock?

Ron

I read your introduction, and liked what I read but was a little bothered by your comment in the 2nd paragraph, last sentence. "Car runs strong, but I have a fear that the person who owned it a short time before me may have done something to it."

Well, I drove the car roughly 3 times after taking it home from Brett's home, and that's about it! In fact, you got on it harder during our test drive than I'd ever really got on it. Honest!

Bretts Father, another very experienced Turbo-Buick guy, and Brett put that car together and seemed very honest (in my opinion) about that car you have. That car has a lot of really nice performance parts, and was put together by experienced guys.
If you have any questions or concerns, then perhaps you need to contact them directly and find out for sure, before you start taking apart the bottom end on that nice motor. Also, It has the RJC racing girdle, and if you take it apart- you may want to be very careful to etch and scribe where the shims go back, etc before you really have a real headache on your hands.

Getting back to what I may have possibly done to that car - Park it in my garage- and take it out 3 times without beating on it. I was hoping that you appreciated the fact that you had 1st dibs on a really good GN with a hellava lot of good performance parts, etc. I had people from all over, interested in that car, and Brett himself was upset I didn't tell him 1st when I was selling it- maybe you should call him and:
a.)ask him if there's a knock he's aware of
b.)ask him if he want's to buy his car back (he expressed that he would of bought that car back from me if I'd asked him)

Good Luck!

 

[tommynos]

sometimes people get worried after getting a car for such a great price that something must be wrong,i did the same thing with my car,and i was wrong...but i paid 15k...i was going to try to purchase the car you bought,just to turn over a profit...i know interior guys and paint guys and im in sarasota,so if you need any help email me...at the price you paid,your safe even if the motor was knocking and smoking...i hear tapping in my motor too sometimes,but have not tracked it yet...your car had a clean carfax too right?i wouldnt worry right now untill you learn more about the noise and remember when you mention things on here your not sure of,some people take offense to it...i was worried about how all the previous owners treated my car,but had to focus on whats in front of me..anyway im glad to see another tr owner in the sunshine state,many guys around here to help you for sure,so just enjoy working on your investment/hobbie/toy...

 

[tomcatturbo]

Thanks for the followup comment TommyNos..."

Also, I noticed Frank Woodall got a GTO- wonder if he's got plans for that one. Seems all of his cars turn into something really nice.

Yes, I have his old GNX Clone perhaps I need to talk to you about something I need done to it? maybe you can help give me some advice-

Mike in Tampa

 

[Razor]

Well first off my name is Ron and I have been out of buicks for about 10 years. I owned a 85 GN for about 4 years before certain circumstances made me sell it.

Anyway my car was owned by a gentlemen named Brett in Bradenton which I am sure some of you know. He does post on the tp6 board and his father owns a stage II car. It is need of some TLC body/interior work but drivetrain/engine seem strong minus the knock from the lower end. While I may be mistaking the noise over the exhaust leak for something else I still have this sinking feeling. The block/crank/rods/pistons are stock and the engine has roughly 15k on it. Car runs strong but I have a fear the person who had it a short time before me might have done something to it.

The car was bought as a project with the hopes of having it finished in about 5 years with most of the work being done by myself and my son. Will be moving soon to Dade City where our house is being redone with a nice garage with lots of room added on. :smile: Currently in Wesley Chapel.

After I get the exhaust leak welded hopefully I can make a outing or 2 and start putting some names to faces. Plans right now are SM which was taken out, knock gauge(same) and alchy. After that pretty much just going to start stripping the interior and patching/replacing body parts, picking up a door next weekend. Other odds and ends include wiring issues (lights to tach radio and missing power antenna) but for the most part the car is solid with 1 bad rattle.

Well that is pretty much it for now so hope to see some of you soon and look forward to the wealth of information the people from this board have. I'll be the guy with the pad and pen writing everything down at the meets.

If the car came from Bradenton.. I dont anything about it.

Oil pressure guage, oil filter analysis.. that will give you the truth.

 

[tommynos]

Thanks for the followup comment TommyNos..."

Also, I noticed Frank Woodall got a GTO- wonder if he's got plans for that one. Seems all of his cars turn into something really nice.

Yes, I have his old GNX Clone perhaps I need to talk to you about something I need done to it? maybe you can help give me some advice-

Mike in Tampa

me tarzan,me know nothing ...im still learning,i can make a car look pretty,but with those cars i leave it to the best,in my opinion(razor/Julio,from alky controll)..he has done all the tuning to my car with great results..as far as franks old car,he won a few trophys with it..and im sure his goat will look real fine when done,he has the eye,cant wait to see it..what were you wanting to do to his old car?remove some chrome?lol..i know the wheels would look alot better if they were wet sanded then polished..and the paint could also use a wet sanding and polishing...im not a detailer,im a flooring salesman/owner/sometimes installing..but i have the eye too for detail...if i can help you at all,just let me know...

 

[tomcatturbo]

Hey Tommy- yeah, basically I need to know who does GN door interior panels well. I think Frank mentioned Manatee Auto Trim down there in Bradenton. I need to have them redone, cause they're in sad shape. If you can recommend anyone good, I'm open to hear

As far as the wheels, you're absolutely right tarzan! You got a good memory. The wheels would look great redone as well, and I'm looking into that too. If you know anyone good, let me know. They're not bad- but can be restored to mint...

 

[tommynos]

i got my material from my interior buddy,Mike(email me and ill give you his cell #)he is the owner and good too..it was pretty inexspensive...i took the door panels apart,not too hard to do..then the material is just spray glued to those ridges and comes off easy,then i just re-spray glued the panels and the material and let it set up then just worked it from the center out..mine were saggy and discolored too,i told frank how i did them and he was going to do it himself,but you got the car right after we had talked about the panels..as far as wheels,mine were mint,but my old vette i had to hand sand all the clear off,with like 320 grit,and heavier(like 80 grit) wherever i wanted chips removed,then work it back up,500-1000-1500-2000,then polish them up..or g-body parts.com re-does them and reclears them,or a local guy does them too(the wheel doctor)he comes to you and does them,great guy..i too have his his cell# if you need it,but i dont want to hog this guys thread,email me at...tommynos@verizon.net or call me..@941-915-2680..have a great one..Tom Burnette

 

[DissT]

Mike,

I didn't mean to offend you and that was not the intent of my post. The car had no oil on the dipstick when I got it home from dropping you off. I am sure you didn't beat or rag on the car while you had it, but I was concerned with it getting proper lubrication.

I am happy with the car and have greater plans for it as you know. I wasn't anticipating having to go into the engine already but things like this happen so I will be putting money towards getting it road worthy again and actually look forward to doing the work. Been along time since I have wrenched on a car, mostly small engines etc.

I spoke to Brett a day after I bought the car and he was very helpful in providing information. I am going this weekend to pick up the door so don't worry about contacting him, and thanks again for telling me he had it.

Anyway I am not disenchanted by the circumstances at all. I have waited along time to finally get another GN and to be honest it could of exploded on the way home and I would still be happy. It was bad form to point fingers like I did in my post and again I am sorry if it offended you. Also call me I still have your plate.


I have a post going about the work I want to do here : http://turbobuick.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177674 so any local information would be great. Razor has provided alot already and thanks for that. Ripped out the exhaust and should be getting a new one in the next week or 2, going with SS dual 3" I think. Most of the work up to this point has been interior repainting and redoing some of the wiring. So far so good.

 

[tomcatturbo]

No Problem Ron, and I hope all works out with the GN you have. I did remember mentioning an oil leak to Brett coming right where the elgin cover is on the front, where the oil filter is, so perhaps that's where she leaked out her oil, and was left a little low. I had no clue it was that low!

Brett did mention that he was going to have a look at it for me, and I did forget about it. Like I said, I didn't drive the car but 3x, and didn't really notice any pool of oil or anything except for that slight leak coming from the front near the oil filter (Brett said it's possibly a seal, and was going to have his father check it out). That's about it - please don't forget to mention this to them when you go down there. He said he'll look at it....

As far as everything else-naaah, wer're good. I like you, and you seem you're a busy Dad just like myself. I wish I had much more time to spend toying around with these cars and all, and since the addition of my Cobra, once again, I'm that hybrid vampire-wolf type again. I can't seem to get away from Mustangs (love them) but I also absolutely lOVE Turbo Buicks. (thanks to a great crowd of people in the forums, car shows, etc) and that they're just absolutely sharp cars.
I hope we can continue to be friends, and oh, another thing. I need to stop by and pick up my license plate! lol! :biggrin: ...we'll talk soon.
Regards- Mike in Tampa

 

[tomcatturbo]

one more thing...

On one last note regarding low oil, with that girdle on it, it's going to look a little lower than normal... ask Allen Haynes about that one. You need to put 6.5 quarts of oil in, and it can be towards the lower part of the the normal line on the stick.

Girdles can throw you off a little, so keep that in mind as well

Regards

 

[tomcatturbo]

My License Plate

Hey Ron

Please keep my license plate in a safe place- I need to stop by and pick it up real soon. Maybe tomorrow, if you're around. It's to my other GN Clone actually, and need it back soon...

Mike

 

[DissT]

Hey Ron

Please keep my license plate in a safe place- I need to stop by and pick it up real soon. Maybe tomorrow, if you're around. It's to my other GN Clone actually, and need it back soon...

Mike

It is just sitting on the car in the garage, which isn't moving until it goes to Orlando. If I do take it out I will be sure to run from the police so they get your tag #. :wink:

Be in and out so let me know if you are coming by I will just stick it in the mailbox incase we are not home.