1971 Buick Electra 225 Limited -freshening up

This thread should keep those of you interested in my new purchase updated on any progress.

Today I had a Buick buddy come over and show me how he bleeds the brakes alone. He says the pedal is great, I think it is way to soft. But the way I look at it is that I can bleed the normal way with another buddy and the brakes will be golden.

I cleaned up the garage a bit and just got done giving the wheels and tires a quick wash. I'm going to try to tune the engine to base settings and figure out the vacuum mess. I have a '70-455 carbuerator on right now so it shouldn't be any different. I'll be back with pictures.

 

Great find I'll be posting mine also, it's a 72 limited, but in worst shape than yours, but still salvageable I hope ray: Good luck.

 

Just wrapped up work. Installed new radiator hoses, heater hoses, bypass hose, over flow hose, plugs, wires and sinched down a couple little things. I also installed my new gauges, oil pressure and coolant temp. The car idles with 40 psi and creeps past 160* while idling. I changed the timing from 15 to 8 and adjusted the idle screws to 4 turns out. It seems to idle and start smoothest with that combo for now. The only thing I did not do was replace one of the header gaskets. The heater core appears to be leaking but only did it once. Brakes are good but I do remember being able to lock em up before. I'm heading to the last local car show in town. Gotta go give it a quick wash and vac before the show. Just driving around the block I can feel the car itching to launch up. :Brow:

 

good luck with it
nice looking Electra!

might post a pic of My '76 soon

 

more pics....

 

I actually just bought a set of those aftermarket gauges (voltage,temp, and oil pressure), but when I looked at the instructions it looked greek to meo No: . If you could give me some insight on the best way to hook up the oil pressure and temp gauges, the voltage was actually the simplest. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and post some pictures, I gotta know what to aim for. thanks much fatboybuick:TU:

 

I put the car away for the winter in my aunt's garage in early September. Still need to make my way over there to disconnect the battery, connect the tender, throw the cover on and put the car on jack stands. I also need to pull the carburetor and give it back to its rightful owner and then locate a correct carburetor. I can't wait to rebuild it. I remember driving back from the car show with no secondaries, nothing! It still got up and went if you gave it gas slowly. The loud exhaust grows on you. I've still got a long way to go and college is taking up a lot of my time. After all, the work I did on the car previously was just to be able to drive it to storage. I'll probably go through the entire fuel system in the spring, for now it got fresh premium fuel and Stabil. At least I can hunt for parts until the spring or maybe even December term, all depends if I take another class. I just realized I really didn't take any pictures of the car. I'll grab some when I go put it on stands.

 

I think it sat long enough over winter. I've got another carburetor soaking in carb cleaner, rebuild kit and bushing kit waiting to go in. I have to go over and swap carburetors, charge battery, add trans fluid, prime the oil pump and she can come home then. I found a '75 Skyhawk locally that I want to buy and use to feed my need for speed, the Electra won't do that.

 

Man I can't wait till the weather breaks, I want to start on my 72 limited so bad.....

 

Decided to swing by after work and see what needed to be done before I could bring her home. The battery was dead, so I took the battery out of my Roadmaster, turned the key, set the choke and she started RIGHT UP! :grin: I left the Roadmaster where the Electra was and drove the Electra home. No hickups, no problems, no issues what so ever! Now I know why I absolutely love these cars. It drove absolutely freakin' flawlessly! I've got alot of work ahead of me. :Brow: :TU: :beers2:

 

Here are some teaser pictures. Please excuse the mess, cleaning has been the last thing on my list.

Dropped the transmission pan today. It had been leaking, the gasket was completely dried out and the pan bolts were not tight. I also replaced the original transmission filter. Cleaned up the pan, new gasket and torqued to specs. Removed the transmission lines and ran the new lines thru the frame. I need different adapters for the transmission and transmission cooler than what was included in the kit.

 

How difficult was those aftermarket gauges that you have to install, I have a set but it looks japanese to me.

 

The gauges are mechanical. Remove the coolant temp sensor and put your new one in. You can run it through an existing hole in the firewall on the drivers side. The oil pressure gauge I just ran the line from the inside to the motor through the same hole. You'll need to buy some brass adapters and tees to keep the idiot light, IF you want to.

Removed the timing cover in record time. The motor does not appear to ever have been rebuilt. Liars! :spank: Still has the original timing chain with nylon gear. You have to keep in mind this car is an early '71 production, so the motor was produced and assembled some time in 1970 when Buick used nylon cam gears.

I guess it won't be running for a little bit. Now I'm at that point where I can button it up with gaskets or go crazy with the stripping and painting. I also need to drop the pan and install the replacement. The rear main seeps. But I also have a set of Stage 1 heads lying nearby.......when do you draw the line! :laugh: Guess I'll pull the motor out and build the snot out of it. I know of a certain Centurion and some wittle Skylarks that need to see how a Limited rolls. :grin: :bglasses:

 

Nylon

 

Update: Removed the oil pump from the timing cover, four bolts broke but managed to remove them. It was milky in there. I'm going to be pulling the motor and within the week I will decide how far I'll go to make this thump! Not sure if I will be able to use my '73 Stage 1 heads because they have the double scallop whereas my block has one "scallop." I'm going to see about plugging them, otherwise I'll be searching for those too! I'm excited, and happy. :Brow: :laugh:

 

watch smartin' us electra/limited guys got some tricks too!!!! :TU:

 

Hey I also have a 71 front chrome header panel for a 71', let me know if your interested before I ebay them.