Lincoln and Buick update - off topic

[58limited]

New threads to get our minds off of negative topics.

1978 Lincoln Town Coupe: Finally got the A/C working. I had to order a part to replace the POA valve, which is now unavailable. Now driving is a pleasure. I replaced the defective after market radio with an original factory 8 track AM/FM stereo. This car had a factory CB radio that was missing, but I bought one and have another on the way - should get a working one out of the two. A steering column is also on the way to fix the problems created by the previous owner's attempt to fix things. Next projects: fixing the power windows and rebuilding the carburator - it runs great but the carb is leaking and there is hesitation when the gas pedal is depressed.

1958 Buick Limited: Finally drug it out of the garage and got it running. Charged the A/C and took a couple of kids to their High School Prom - they loved the car and were amazed that it has working A/C. I need to get on with painting it - lots of surface rust is becoming visible since it sat in the garage since last November.

 

[gyrafoam]

Doesn't the '78 still have the 460V-8 in it? Seems like my '79 had a smaller displacement and a horrid two-barrel carb. O.k. acceleration----but LAME compared to the old 460 with a good old four-barrel carb! (I do not recall the trade-off with fuel economy to be significantly better in the '79 compared to the old 460's but by the time I got my '86 things had certainly changed!)

Please show some interior shots of the Limited when you have a chance. Would love to refresh my memory. Those were wonderful old cruisers.

Best wishes with these restorations!

 

[bongobro]

Keep us posted, bro'...you got two awesome rides there...

Charlie
bongobro

 

[58limited]

My '78 has the 460. The 351 was available in 1978, but was standard in 1979 (460 was discontinued). The 460 gets a little better gas milage - more power to move the car. The 351 can be made to perform, just have to get rid of the power draining 1970's emissions and fuel economy stuff (fuel economy was 12mpg - the stuff didn't work). My truck has a 351 with an RV cam, milled heads, and a Wieand (sp?) 4bbl intake. It is pretty powerful.

Here's an interior shot of the Buick. It was reupholstered by the previous owner - this is not an original color scheme but looks good.

 

[skip]

MY dream car

I would love to find a charcol and Grey 1951 Cadillac Coupe Deville. When I was a younster Our Neighbor had one and I would spend every chance I got just going over there and staring at that Cadillac.

Skip...

 

[gyrafoam]

Wonderful and a bit tricked-out----with a Guide-Matic. Would love to jump in right now and go for a ride!

 

[northwesty]

I believe the 58 buick had the biggest and heaviest grill of any car ever made.

 

[hydralique]

Lincoln and Ford engines . . .

I don't know about 351, but the 400 cu. in. engine was available at least in 1977 in the Town Car, with the two-barrel carburettor. The father of a good friend of mine bought a new Town Car coupe in '77, and it came with the 400. According to my friend, the 400 was considered fairly rare at the time, with most Town Cars having the 460. That car is still owned by my friend's mother, who has kept it garaged all these years for sentimental reasons even though her husband died over twenty years ago. So far it has outlasted two more modern Town Cars, and is known around the house as "the big car", even though her current generation Town Car is hardly small. The 460 may be more desirable but after 30 years of service their 400 still runs well and reliably so they have no complaints.

I believe the 400 is a development of the 351 Cleveland, which has very nice breathing for an old American V-8. The Cleveland heads have larger valves than the 351 Windsor, and they are canted for better gasflow. Unfortunately, the Cleveland was discontinued here in about '75 and all the production equipment moved to Australia, where they made it for many more years. The Windsor continued here for many years as well, but it doesn't have such nice heads. I've meddled around with a few DeTomaso Panteras, which all have the Cleveland or Aussie engines (aside from the very last few Pantera IIs in the early '90s), and I've seen properly built Clevelands pull over 7000 rpm. One buddy of mine had four Weber 48 IDAs on his with nitrous, solid lifters, and 13:1 pistons, and belive me that was one strong engine!

 

[58limited]

You are right - the Lincolns had the 400, not the 351M. The only difference between the two motors is the crank shaft and piston rod length, to get a longer stroke in a 400. It produces more torque to move the big car. My 1977 F-250 has a 351M, don't know why they didn't put a 400 in it.

 

[gyrafoam]

Yeah, a 400 sounds right. It moved the old girl around o.k. but was NOT a 460! That car was very trouble-free as were all of my old Lincolns.(My '68 took some fine-tuning but was very "over-built" and one had to expect it.)

Funny you mention all the chrome on your Buick----as I recall there was no shortage on the same vintage Olds 98, or Cadillac "Fleetwood" either!

 

[58limited]

I don't think the '58 Buick grill was the biggest, but the rear bumper was the largest in the industry in 1958. The entire '58 GM line was chrome laden, but it is believed that the '58 Buick had more chrome by weight than any other car made.

 

[48bencix]

Triple Turbine

So, does your Buick have Triple Turbine Flight Pitch Dynaflo Drive? You will be able to tell, because the shift quadrant has no lo range, it will say Gr, I believe, to signify Grade Retarder. If so, don't drive in this range, it is only to slow the car on a steep grade. The torque converter in a modern car has 3 elements, the Flight pitch had 5 elements, with the 3 turbines connected by a complicated gearset.

I once drove a 1959 Chevrolet Impala with Turboglide, quite similar to the Flight Pitch Dynaflo. The smoothest drive ever. You could still floor it for added power, the stator would switch pitch for added accelleration.

The standard Variable Pitch Dynaflo was also a wonderful transmission, with many of the same features of the Flight Pitch. One of our friends had the 1959 Buick with that drive, and it was fun to drive, very powerful.

Martin

 

[exploder3211]

Ok I have to ask
Those are all awesome cars.. Whats been finished with them and do you still have them (with the exception of the lincoln and the buick).. I love the Galaxie

 

[gyrafoam]

The Dynaflo trannies were the smoothest ever! (Although its a good thing fuel was cheap back then though because I don't think they (fluid-drives) were very efficient!}
Oh, that sound they made--------literally purrrrrrred! Fabulous!

 

[58limited]

My Limited was converted to the twin turbine (Variable Pitch) dynaflow before I got it. The triple turbine (Flight Pitch Dynaflow) was only used two or three years and is extremely hard to find parts for, much less finding a rebuilder that can do it. I have a complete Flight Pitch set up in storage if I ever want to go back and make the car correct. I have most of the hard to find parts except the forward clutches. I even have a complete bearing set - extremely rare. I want to use them as a template to manufacture reproductions. Most people have to custom machine their own - the measurements are in the shop manual or parts manual I've been told, but nothing compares with having an original.

I still have all of the cars that are pictured on my web page, mostly in the condition pictured. I have been amassing lots of parts, but I'm building a storage shed to get the parts out of the garage so that I can work on the cars - no room right now. The Galaxie now has an Isky performance cam (original 1970s cam kit) and can really smoke the tires. My goal is to have it painted this year, its in primer right now.

 

[air-waycharlie]

The 1965 Olds 98 Town Sedan

Can I interest any of you men for a ride? Her 425 ultra high compression engine hums along just fine. Her rebuilt, (original), Frigidaire compressor will keep you cool too.

Any takers?

 

[exploder3211]

EWWW.. Nifty

 

[48bencix]

Very nice site

Thanks for the Dynaflo info. I know it is hard to keep those triple turbines running.

It's nice to know you could re-install it someday. But the twin turbines are fun too. They were produced through 1963, and were in the first year of the Riviera. After that GM mostly went to the Turbo-Hydramatic drive, the Turbo 400 in some cars had a variable pitch stator, too. Some Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles and Buicks had it. Charlie's Town Sedan may have one. Chevy was the last to have the Turbo Hydramatics in it's line, I think Powerglide was used up until 1969.

Your web site is fantastic, as is you home.

Martin

 

[air-waycharlie]

Yes, Charlie's 65 Olds does have the Turbo-Hydromatic drive which was standard on the "98" series in 1965.