Lord Vader - An Unknown Buick Returns

Discussion in 'Members Rides' started by Brett Slater, Sep 16, 2017.

  1. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    I finally had a chance to display Mr. Cook's repro dealer service mats.

    I went to a beach show with my mother. Perfect day by the water.

    20210912_073536.jpg 20210912_073042.jpg
     
    Q8 GS, Stage 2 iron, TAG and 5 others like this.
  2. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Lol....they look great!
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  3. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Mom and I went to a local show and actually took home some hardware.

    20210926_143859.jpg
     
    D-Con, tubecatgs, jannhall and 8 others like this.
  4. BYoung

    BYoung Stage me

    Great to see Vader get the recognition! Hope you and your Mom are doing well.
     
    Dano, mrolds69 and Brett Slater like this.
  5. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Thank you, Sir!
     
  6. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    I finally had a chance to install the masterpiece CF/IA, "K" date coded Harrison my radiator guy did a few months back. SJ tag courtesy of Todd Miller.

    I found this on eBay back in February and met the seller (from Long Island) in Connecticut because he was leary about shipping.

    Subsequent shake down had no leaks and this car also doubles as a grocery getter.

    20211002_161518.jpg Resized_20210621_095701.jpeg 20211002_174835.jpg
     
  7. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    One of the coolest upgrades this year.

     
    Weisguy184, Q8 GS and BYoung like this.
  8. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    I saved another Harrison CF/IA August date ("H") radiator from the scrap heap and also bumped the timing up to the Buick 455 "sweet spot" of 32 ish degrees total.

    I erroneously had it lower for who knows what reason.

    Nice brisk day in the Commonwealth, too.

    20211114_123256.jpg 20211114_123239.jpg 20211114_121833.jpg 20211114_124016.jpg


     
  9. BYoung

    BYoung Stage me

    Sounds great! How’d you come across the radiator?
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  10. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Saw it on eBay. Guy was asking $165 plus shipping.

    I reached out inquiring about the codes and he told he couldn't find any, was "a Mopar guy" and to come pick it up.

    Umm, okay!

    I can't bring myself to let this stuff get scrapped. Especially when there's one currently on eBay for a Chevelle needing to be redone for $1200.

    I'll most likely have this done and offer it for sale here.
     
    BYoung likes this.
  11. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    An amateur engine bay tutorial for those as OCD as I am.

     
  12. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    The fun continues.

    Tach and gauges are boxed up and ready to ship to Scott Moody and the cluster will get refurbished, complete with the new woodgrain BYoung hooked me up with at the Nats.

    20211231_131439.jpg 20211231_131157.jpg
     
  13. CJay

    CJay Supercar owner Staff Member

    Now you can take the glass out, refinish the top of the dash.....might as well pull the column out while your there...
     
  14. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Let's not get crazy....:D
     
    FLGS400, Dano and BYoung like this.
  15. FirstBuickNut

    FirstBuickNut Well-Known Member

    Did you have to pull the dash pad in order to get the instrument cluster out?
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  16. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Yes, sir.
     
  17. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    First update/upgrades of 2022:

    Dave Johnson was nice enough to come down a couple weekends ago and impart his wisdom on dash cluster installation. It wasn't easy and we took a handful of backwards steps before tidying up the dash.

    The blue tabbed heater control cable was missing both tabs - not surprising - but we managed to get that squared away using his cable clip method.

    20220326_211622.jpg 20220327_114914.jpg

    Mark Wajda's new reproduction woodgrain is spot on. In a hobby that affords us mostly less than adequate reproduction parts, his are second to none. All new bulbs and polished lenses make a huge difference as well and Scott Moody's recalibrated tach and gauges work as designed. 20220407_163817.jpg 20220407_163752.jpg 20220407_163743.jpg

    The passenger side seat was fine when I had the driver's side done a couple years ago but last year, it cracked in a few spots, so that's been redone with new lower springs, new foam and the leftover black vinyl cover I had when I bought the pair from Todd Miller. Admittedly, the bottom is now stiff but it will settle over time.

    20220407_161318.jpg 20220407_163324.jpg 20220407_163127.jpg

    Next up are the replated hood hinges I had done by Cook's guy out in California. Tood hooked me up with some new bolts as well.

    20220407_165944.jpg
     
    ToddsGS, Utah455, Dano and 5 others like this.
  18. Fred Hickey

    Fred Hickey Founders Club Member

    Well its about time to see some progress:D, looks great!
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  19. Super Bald Menace

    Super Bald Menace Frame off oil changes

    Looking goooood
     
    Brett Slater likes this.
  20. Brett Slater

    Brett Slater Super Moderator Staff Member

    Haha! Thanks!

    Wait times for stuff are beyond annoying. The lower springs were a 3 month wait.

    I guess I should consider myself lucky...
     

Share This Page