Took the 86 GN out for a few pics. Something to look at on this rainy day in the NE

[87gninpa]

Haha, wow Jim, great story. I figured it was a right-time right-place kind of thing. I saw the car at the show in the northeast at that credit union on Red Lion Rd about 2 months ago or so. Car looks factory new, awesome job.

I guess Ill have to resign to putting the Eagle GT II's on. Have to be 235 60 15 though as they dont make the stock size anymore. Going to take my GTA's off for now and go back to a stock look. Who re-did your wheels? Cant decide if I should buy a nice low mile set or get my re-done.

 

[phillyturbosix]

Haha, wow Jim, great story. I figured it was a right-time right-place kind of thing. I saw the car at the show in the northeast at that credit union on Red Lion Rd about 2 months ago or so. Car looks factory new, awesome job.

I guess Ill have to resign to putting the Eagle GT II's on. Have to be 235 60 15 though as they dont make the stock size anymore. Going to take my GTA's off for now and go back to a stock look. Who re-did your wheels? Cant decide if I should buy a nice low mile set or get my re-done.

Thanks for the compliments! I figured you would like that story on the tires! I know you chase around the GN rims in the area like I do at times. I saw you and your lady checking the car out at that show! I was on the other side of the lot getting my ears burned off by some old miserable street rod guy I know and was trying to escape him! By the time I did I couldn't find you. You had the typical reaction I've been getting at shows.. most guys just kinda stroll on past but after a quick closer look they all have that "hey this looks a little cleaner then most GN's around here I need to check it out even more" look. The Buick guys that have seen the car in person all seem happy to see a nice clean stock example. I've wanted to do a stocker like this for a long time but it was hard finding a car done enough, in great, condition, and with awesome paint to start something like this. From the time I set my eyes on this GN I knew it was perfect for a nice clean stocker. I just friggin love everything about these cars. Can be a rusted out roller to 100K show cars and I love them all the same! So much that when you left that show the guys who know me there were all yelling.. "hey Jim" and pointing to you on the way out. I said yep I know who that is! :biggrin:

As far as the rims. I have found there is really no good low mile nice ones. I had a set of rims I picked up a few years back from a car with 1500 miles on it. The chrome they used on that ring part was just horrible. I found one company did the chrome work for the "hub" part of the rim and someone else did the rings. Then I guess one of them welded them together. Either that or the black is chipping off or they have tire machine marks on them. The machines back then all put little tiny marks on the rims. The only way to go to get that super fresh like new look is to send them out to re-chrome. I used my buddy Jim Lyon's over at True Design Wheel he is a super nice guy. He will buy those ugly cores and make them new again. He powder coats the black and welds a brand new chrome ring on them. If your worried about numbers sometimes he can reuse your old ring and chrome that. He did that with this set. They were almost perfect when I sent them to him. Most guys would have put them on show cars but I wanted them to last and be perfect. I usually ship him at least 2 dozen GN rims at a shot. So he buys the cores and it's a little cheaper to have a set done that way. He might even have a set ready to go. He will also widen them. I have his widend ones on my 87 GN. I think he goes all the way to 10 inch. Those things look like steam rollers! He does T rims and GTA rims as well. I've sent him a bunch of those also. Turn around is usually a week or 2 so it's not to bad. He will work with you as I know you collect rims. He might even buy your GTA's off you if you just want to give them up and I'm sure you have a few extra GN rims laying around! :wink: Let me know how you make out!

 

[87gninpa]

I contacted TrueDesign about a week ago and he quoted about $195 per wheel, which I didnt think was bad at all. Its just when you get into shipping back and forth, tires, center caps, lugs, itll wind up costing me over $1500. Thought it might be a bit cheaper to get a nice original set. You dont have any for sale do you?

Want to hold on to my GTA wheels just in case I ever want to go back to them. Not too easy to find 4 nice GTA fronts anymore. Not to mention the almost $700 worth of new tires I have on them.

 

[phillyturbosix]

I'm fresh out of rims now. When I had these done I sold him around 25 GN rims. But you have to figure.. $1500 for fresh rims done all around is dirt cheap! I sold my nice low mile rims for 2500!! That was just rims, lugs, and caps. So as you see.. rechome in the long run is dirt cheap way to go for that new look!

 

[charlief1]

If you find a set of GTA fronts cheap and usable send me a PM Jim. I just need 2 of them for the front. Not looking for show quality but drivers. Got what I need for the fronts but need 2 fronts for the rear now. Thanks.

 

[BEATAV8]

WOW!

Really Nice!

 

[87granny]

Thanks for the real cool screen saver pics Jim

 

[87granny]

You should make a poster of the pics they look like a sales brocure from 86 :biggrin:

 

[87gninpa]

Hey Jim, finally got a set of wheels and ordered tires today, should be here Friday. Where do you take yours to get mounted/balanced? Want to take it somewhere that they know what theyre doing, reverse mount & static balance. Thanks

 

[phillyturbosix]

If you find a set of GTA fronts cheap and usable send me a PM Jim. I just need 2 of them for the front. Not looking for show quality but drivers. Got what I need for the fronts but need 2 fronts for the rear now. Thanks.

You got it Charlie!

WOW!

Really Nice!

Thank you!

Thanks for the real cool screen saver pics Jim

Keep working on yours it could look that way if not better! Just look me up on Flickr if you want the larger size and more pics

You should make a poster of the pics they look like a sales brocure from 86 :biggrin:

I was actually thinking the same thing! I want to see how the pics come out first when I take the car around Philly in the fall for another photo shoot

Hey Jim, finally got a set of wheels and ordered tires today, should be here Friday. Where do you take yours to get mounted/balanced? Want to take it somewhere that they know what theyre doing, reverse mount & static balance. Thanks

Sweeeet! They look so damn sweet. Put a few coats of wax on them right out of the box that's what I did. I took mine to one of our MAGNA members who owns a tire shop. Wayne from Dun-Rite Tires and wheels. He's right down in Wilmington, DE. and his number is 302-652-4750 The problem is you have to make sure they are mounted upside down or the tire machine will do damage to the new chrome!! So be careful! I just loaded it all up in my truck and took it down to him. I had him put the weights on the inside. Came out nice. Actually don't ride to bad for 20 plus year old tires!!

 

[87gninpa]

One last question Jim, how do you clean the wheels? My car never sees rain so it never sees soap and a bucket, just detail spray and wax. How should I get the brake dust off though after a long drive without using soap and water?

 

[phillyturbosix]

One last question Jim, how do you clean the wheels? My car never sees rain so it never sees soap and a bucket, just detail spray and wax. How should I get the brake dust off though after a long drive without using soap and water?

I have a micro fiber towel just for rims. So after a drive I'll spray the hell out of the rims with detail spray and then use the micro fiber towel to wipe them off. I wash it yearly so it don't get to bad thru out the year going to shows and events. If you keep a good coat of wax on the rims and use the detail spray to get the dust off you should be fine. I also run those dust shields on the front rims to keep most of the brake dust off them. Yea the brakes get a little hotter stopping but for a show car I'd rather keep as much brake dust off the rims as I can.

 

[GNBRETT]

That thing gets better looken with age.