MINI CONTEST NEW PART

[Dennis Kirban]

Please read all the rules. You get one guess and one guess only. That single guess must be emailed to me personally denniskirban@yahoo.com One of the clues is not correct! Earliest correct response wins. Anyone working or owning a turbo regal related company can't be a player. Top prize is the winner will get this new item free. Second prize is the chance to buy the item at a special discounted price.

This part fits all 1984-1987 Turbo Regals Only.

To the best of my knowledge no other company has reproduced this part before.

This part is not an option but is desireable to have.

This part has holes in it.

I can only take credit for a portion of this part.

That is the list of clues. Contest starts now.

I will announce the winner in this thread. You can post your answer here as well if you want but someone may beat you posting it correctly to me direct denniskirban@yahoo.com

Good luck players.....

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Kirban Update:

Within in minutes we already have a winner. Either means this forum has a smart group of readers or my clues were too good. I will post the answer and the winners info once he emails me. This item will be made available to all the companies I deal with. I was instrumental in convincing this major company to take on the project (they also had the $$$, and I supplied the original part. This was not a part they would normally go about and get made\
as it took some real convincing to do it.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

Actually I had approached another big player and they had no luck in making it happen they will remain nameless as it is not something that can easily be made because if it was stands to reason someone would have done it by now.....rite?

 

[Dennis Kirban]

The winner hails from the state of Delaware, Andrew Cooper. The clue about not being an option and being desireable was a major clue for him and he figured the first clue was the one that did not fit. Before other vendors get upset for not knowing about this til now is I was not allowed to say anything about this project until late today. I have known all week about it.

I get a sample set next week. I do not have prices as of yet. They did make two versions apparently making the center hole two different sizes so it will work on virtually many GM cars and probably some of the small S10 style trucks. A body cars F body cars G body cars and perhaps others.

The company has tested them to make sure they are up to specs etc. The company that made this happen is Cardone. It took a lot of convincing as I talked to I guess one of their engineers probably a year ago as they could not understand why this would be a product worth doing since steel drums are available virtually every where which is true plus they do the same thing press against brake shoes and stop the car!

Had this been a possible option by Buick along with the aluminum bumper supports I am sure they would have sold more of them. They were stock on every GNX....Buying used 25-30 year old aluminum brake drums is now not a must have item. Usually used ones fetch $125 to $175 a set. I know I have gotten that much for the few sets I have had over the years. Problem is some of them are cracked making them junk.

Once I get my sample set I will have someone post it here. We all know the benefits of aluminum brake drums less rotating weight, disappaites heat better also weigh less than steel ones, and for the non mechanical owners like myself they look better behind a set of GNX wheels instead of seeing rusty steel drums..

I think what helped Cardone made the decision in my favor was the fact they have done so well with the brake bowl project that I was involved with as well. Richard Clark and I pushed hard on that project. Somewhere I can't remember where is a WE4 I had that has one of the very first Cardone brake bowls on it. Has to be over 5-6 years ago now or longer. The rebuilt power master program would be dead today if they did not make that brake bowl. They have done an excellent job rebuilding them based on the numbers we have bought over the last 10 years.

I am hoping they have a good price structure that is comparable to the steel ones.

I can't ever recall seeing a brand new set of aluminum drums.for sale anywhere. . Anyone know the SPID code for the aluminum drums.? post it in this thread. ...

On another topic I get my first sample 1986 Grand National window sticker in about a week....ECS Automotive Concepts has the correct paper which is critical for that project. I have no idea on pricing yet. I am confident we will be able to take orders for these drums soon and have them on display at our April 30th open house
.
Again I was amazed contest ended so quickly. I know Andrew is happy!

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[achalmersman]

My first contest win EVER. I never win drawings, raffles, anything LOL. That was fun thanks for bringing us new items Dennis!

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[SPOOLFOOL2]

Sounds like we all win in this contest.

Outstanding!

Mike B.

 

[Venus]

J42 is the RPO code for Aluminum rear drums.

 

[TRICKSIXPA]

Nice!! Definitely a product they will sell a lot of! Thanks Dennis for getting another part back on the road!!


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[achalmersman]

J42 is the RPO code for Aluminum rear drums.

But correct me if I'm wrong, you couldn't actually order aluminum drums specifically. Could you?

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[TurboDave]

But correct me if I'm wrong, you couldn't actually order aluminum drums specifically. Could you?

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No you couldn't, they were part of a specific option package that also included aluminum bumper supports. The heavilly optioned cars received these.

 

[achalmersman]

No you couldn't, they were part of a specific option package that also included aluminum bumper supports. The heavilly optioned cars received these.

Thats odd. My fathers car has aluminum supports and steel drums. Mine has steel supports, and aluminum drums (one of which is cracked so looking forward to new pair!)

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[TurboDave]

Thats odd. My fathers car has aluminum supports and steel drums. Mine has steel supports, and aluminum drums (one of which is cracked so looking forward to new pair!)

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Are either of you the original owners?


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[achalmersman]

Are either of you the original owners?


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I am not the origional owner of my car, my dad has owned his since it was 6 months old and knows the origional owner, and was the tech at the dealer that worked on the car. I am 99% sure his has steel drums but I will check when I swing by the shop later. Im 100% sure he has the AL bumper reinforements though. Mine is a 87 GN and his is a 87 TB if that matters.

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[TRICKSIXPA]

As a WE4 owner the aluminum drums only came on non posi WE4. Posi needs weight to be effective and these g bodies have a light rear to begin with.


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[achalmersman]

As a WE4 owner the aluminum drums only came on non posi WE4. Posi needs weight to be effective and these g bodies have a light rear to begin with.


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Well that may make sense. My GN trunk label does NOT have a G80 however the car DOES have a G80 center in it. I was never 100% sure about my trunk label because whover put the trunk carpet kit in got trim adhesive on the label and screwed up the last couple VIN digits on the label. However every option except G80 matches whats on the car so I assumed the label is correct, and somebody put a G80 center in when new after they realized they screwed up and ordered it with an open rear lol.

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[TurboDave]

Well that may make sense. My GN trunk label does NOT have a G80 however the car DOES have a G80 center in it. I was never 100% sure about my trunk label because whover put the trunk carpet kit in got trim adhesive on the label and screwed up the last couple VIN digits on the label. However every option except G80 matches whats on the car so I assumed the label is correct, and somebody put a G80 center in when new after they realized they screwed up and ordered it with an open rear lol.

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That's what I had to do to my 86. Put a g80 in it after I took delivery.


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[Dennis Kirban]

Kirban Update:

Here is the latest info I got today from Cardone. Of the few samples they got in house they are shipping me one set. I will have them on display at our Open House end of April. They anticipate having production and in their system ready to ship sometime in April. So all goes well they could be picked up at our Open House April 30th.

From what I understand GM only made them for the 10 bolt rear end meaning A body F body and G body...however Cardone went one step further and by machining out the center hole bigger it will fit the 12 bolt rears as well (axles) so that widens the market.

Will they look exactly like originals I don;t think so as Cardone like GM parts to them is a replacement business they are not in the restoration business. I tried to impress upon them to make it exact. Will that matter? not to most of the market as keep in mind drums are behind the wheels not exactly a very visible item compared to the benefits aluminum drums have over stock...heck just from the no rust standpoint makes them more desirable than steel ones that rust....again my opinion.

I don't have prices yet I know I will get the deepest deal on them based on my involvement. I am already contacting companies especially some of the big ones not just G body ones example ones that build and sell rears is a potential market as nobody has new aluminum brake drums. They become more desirable being they will fit the 12 bolt set up.

Also Cardone has a free shipping policy if you buy 500 lbs at a time so 500 lbs is not a huge amount of pairs of drums. So if you own a business and want to sell these email me. Its nice to have a product that no other examples exist of limits competition. I do have a photo that I will email Brandon to post here since I lack those skills.....

On another note I got in a sample 1986 GN window sticker from ECS Automotive Concepts....it is dead on even has the rough perforated sides and even has the printing on the back about wet with a sponge! So he has nailed down the original paper and of course the correct font style for the copy.
As of yet we have not come up with a price structure. The hard part was for him to find the correct paper. The door jamb VIN data decals are dead on correct.

 

[Venus]

The below is from Dennis Kirban:

Thanks to Brandon for posting these pictures. Here are the first photos of the new Cardone reproduction brake drums. I will post better photos and more specs next week once I get my sample set. The know to remove the Cardone name on production run.
Again as I stated they probably are not dead on exact but the benefits remain the same! I have a set of originals on my Turbo-T so what I might do is remove a wheel and photograph them side by side for comparison.

Either way I think this kills the value of 25 year old ones I know from experience
its tough to find good ones and I have found that some are cracked from age etc.
Plus this is the only game in town for this item

 

[Dennis Kirban]

I just received a sample aluminum drum from Cardone. I wi have Brandon post some photos as I took photos of the front and back also alongside an original which is on my personal Turbo-T. A steel drum new weighs 15.5 lbs. The new aluminum one weighs 10.2 ounces. They are dynamic balanced. Not exactly sure what that means but the sample doe snot have any riveted weights on it which is a good thing I would assume. Cardone did a super cjob as it looks identical to the original One minor thing I noticed and one could only tell if they had an original next to it is the outer edge or lip is slightly thicker than the original. Not that would ever be an issue as thicker translates into stronger I would assume.

I still have no actual specs or prices yet. I bug Cardone almost daily....for more info. I do have actual sample and I will have it on display at the open house hopefully stock by then also have it for Richards/Turbo Buick event week later.

The other project I been working on is not really car related but can be I will have that info in next weeks inner circle with photos. This company local to me has this neat machine that does some amazing work in a matter of minutes.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

As I learn more on the brake drums we will post it info here.

 

[GNRick]

Is the second place answer "aluminum brake drums?"

 

[bison]

I just received a sample aluminum drum from Cardone. I wi have Brandon post some photos as I took photos of the front and back also alongside an original which is on my personal Turbo-T. A steel drum new weighs 15.5 lbs. The new aluminum one weighs 10.2 ounces. They are dynamic balanced. Not exactly sure what that means but the sample doe snot have any riveted weights on it which is a good thing I would assume. Cardone did a super cjob as it looks identical to the original One minor thing I noticed and one could only tell if they had an original next to it is the outer edge or lip is slightly thicker than the original. Not that would ever be an issue as thicker translates into stronger I would assume.

I still have no actual specs or prices yet. I bug Cardone almost daily....for more info. I do have actual sample and I will have it on display at the open house hopefully stock by then also have it for Richards/Turbo Buick event week later.

The other project I been working on is not really car related but can be I will have that info in next weeks inner circle with photos. This company local to me has this neat machine that does some amazing work in a matter of minutes.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

As I learn more on the brake drums we will post it info here.

10.2lbs?


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