The Police hates my Buick, haha

[Austrian455]

Just a month ago I nearly lost my licence.

Me and a friend of mine were cruisin through town on saturday night.

I stopped in front of a bar, because I saw a friend of mine standing there.
Suddenly two blonde girls ran to me, shouting, "what a cool ride, would you take us for a ride?!?!"

No suprise that I said yes.
I asked them where they want to go, they said that doesn´t matter. So I said ok, let´s cruise around.

In Austria we have a speed limit of 30mph in the city. On small street it is 15mph.

I drove down the mainstreet with about 60mph, I stopped at the gas station for refueling.

This gas station is known as a "ricer" meeting point.
So I left the station with nice smoking tires.

Another time down the main with 60mph.

Back in the city we stopped in front of another bar. about 10 people were standing in front of the bar and shouted, "get away that piece of junk, and burry it in your garden!!

I thought that can´t be true. They are insulting my 455!!! :Blasting:

So I had to show them what she´s got. I shifted into N, reved her about 4000rpm, and shifted into D.

Holy 455, there was just smoke, and after 5 - 6 sec. the car started to move forward.

I took the first turn right and searched for a parking place.

But the police saw that burn out and stopped me. It was no normal police car. I wouldn´t have overlooked that. It was a civilian police car with plain clothed man in.

They stopped me and wanted to see all the documents, first aid pack (must have in Austria) ......

I had to dicuss about one hour. Then I had to pay about 50 dollars.

The girls at the backseat hated me :Dou:

haha

[turbojaeger]

Welcome!
nice to have more guys from europe...

nice story :moonu:

[MichelHaak]

:beers: :D

[MichelHaak]

Do you have a Blue Centurion by the way with BIG rims on it?

[Austrian455]

No, my Centurion is green, with green vinyl top and 15 inch ralley wheels.

[MichelHaak]

Pictures??:Brow:

[Austrian455]

How can I post pics?

I have no homepage where I can load them up.

[The German]

Welcome here, Austrian455 !

That´s really a nice story - - hahaha ! :laugh:
On the other hand I wouldn´t risk my transmission ... .

I´m curious seeing some pics and reading the story of your car.:rooleyes2:

BTW: the year is young enough for our special calendar :
http://www.buickcenturion.com/forums/showthread.php?t=431

______________
Rolf

added: For posting pics only go to QUOTE as if you want to post a normal text and then scroll down to Additional Options and use the button MANAGE ATTACHMENTS; then you can upload pics from your PC.

[Austrian455]

I´d never do anything that can "hurt" my buick. The transmission is a TH400 with all new B&M Parts. She does burn out´s with out any noise, getting hot, or anything else.

I worked many times in harley davidson and US-Car workshops.
I´m no greenhorn with old cars. I also own a 64 Thunderbird and a 87 Pontiac Fiero GT. All work that has to be done on my cars, I do by my self. So I realy wouldn´t risk my tranny.

[MichelHaak]

you could make an account on www.photobucket.com then you can upload your pictures for free.

[The German]

I´d never do anything that can "hurt" my buick. The transmission is a TH400 with all new B&M Parts. She does burn out´s with out any noise, getting hot, or anything else.

I worked many times in harley davidson and US-Car workshops.
I´m no greenhorn with old cars. I also own a 64 Thunderbird and a 87 Pontiac Fiero GT. All work that has to be done on my cars, I do by my self. So I realy wouldn´t risk my tranny.

Okay, okay, excuse me - I´m the greenhorn !! I didn´t expect that our transmissions are of that good quality until now ! And still I (only I myself !) would hesitate doing the same with my car, because I´m really a greenhorn in driving such a car and in working at it´s mechanic. So my level of anxiousness still is relatively high.
______________
Rolf

[EEE]

I'd rather risk my rear brakes than dropping it from N > D at 4000 rpm..

[dewbers]

I for one enjoyed your story! (As most of us did!) Brings back many memories... but that was before 16 yrs of marital bliss, 4 kids and three houses... now, when I am in front of a bar, I just sit there with drool in the corner of my mouth and a tear in my eye. :rooleyes2:
ha, ha, ha......... that's b.s. I still know my way around a good pub or two!
And I took the beast out for a ride yesterday as it was 52 degrees. Took my boys out for a little early batting practice and on the way home, we smoked the tires a time or two! They think their old man is pretty cool! :cool:

Welcome Austrian! Post some pics and tell us your story.

[centurion 455 ragtop]

The girls at the backseat hated me :Dou:

haha

Ahh what do you expect. They don't have a sense of humor:laugh: Great story!

Neutral drive drops ...Oh Lord! The Turbo 400 transmission is a very strong trans, but neutral drops can kill it. Try to stick to power braking it.


Welcome to the Board.:xyxthumbs:

[centurion 455 ragtop]

I for one enjoyed your story! (As most of us did!) Brings back many memories... but that was before 16 yrs of marital bliss, 4 kids and three houses... now, when I am in front of a bar, I just sit there with drool in the corner of my mouth and a tear in my eye. :rooleyes2:
ha, ha, ha......... that's b.s. Welcome Austrian! Post some pics and tell us your story.

Sorry for the short hijack on the thread.

Steve about 10 years back while heading home with my family, my son was 4 and daughter 3. It's late at night around midnight, kids in the car seats sleeping and I'm driving a :tonge2: mini van. I stopped at a light looked over my wife's shoulder, who was sleeping with her head leaning against the window, mouth slightly open, she was out cold. Just beyond her in the next lane was a small sports car with 4 college girls, all dressed up, vibrant, good looking, laughing with the music playing. They were no doubt on their way out. I glanced at them and then at my wife and kids:Dou: Geez, I thought...I'm done! I sort of laughed out loud thinking, is this what life turns into:confused2: . My wife wakes up from hearing me laughing out loud, the light turns green and I proceed. She asks, "Whats wrong?". Nothing Dear, I replied. "Just a passing thought" I said. :laugh:

No regrets here, just miss the old party, cruising days. Adam and you other young guys out there, enjoy it, enjoy the good with the bad, it's all fun in the end.

Oh and as far as the "girls hating you" Hell man you can always find others, but you can't always find a nice Buick:xyxthumbs:

[dewbers]

Sitting here laughing my fool head off! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
I'm only 41, but still feel 30. When I'm in the "hotrod" I feel like I'm 22.
I'm with Rick guys! Enjoy it!!! I wouldn't trade my bride or kids in for anything, but I get a kick out of remembering those "single" days! :Brow:

[EEE]

Geez, I thought...I'm done! I sort of laughed out loud thinking, is this what life turns into:confused2:

I'm 31 and I can feel it coming around the corner... I've seen it happen to many of my friends.. I'm fighting it every inch.. aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Smartin]

I'm holding out as long as I can.

Welcome to the board, Austrian455!!!

[The German]

I´d never do anything that can "hurt" my buick. The transmission is a TH400 with all new B&M Parts. She does burn out´s with out any noise, getting hot, or anything else.

I worked many times in harley davidson and US-Car workshops.
I´m no greenhorn with old cars. I also own a 64 Thunderbird and a 87 Pontiac Fiero GT. All work that has to be done on my cars, I do by my self. So I realy wouldn´t risk my tranny.

Austrian455, I know that I´m a greenhorn regarding the technique of cars because I never was highly interested in those things before; but now – since I have my old Buick – I´m learning. So I was surprised about your handling of your car´s transmission (turn the engine up to 4000 rpm and then put the shifter from N to D) and thought that´s a greater risk for the mechanic of the tranny. In spite of that you said that would not be a problem because your transmission has all new parts in its interior and that the TH 400 is a very stong transmission it seemed wondrous to me but I first accepted it. Yesterday I took out my machine technique books from my students time (long forgotten) and studied what is written about cars transmissions. I again learned how it´s working and to round that knowledge I phoned with an old friend who studied cars construction technique. So now I know that I was right in guessing what you did with your tranny is a risk for it !!!

The tranny normally works in every gear along a line that is shown in blue in the diagram (picture below), that means the pressure of the oil in the tranny is growing steadily with increasing rpm of the engine. If you throw in the shifter from Neutral to Drive during the car doesn´t move the time to built up the pressure is cut very short, which indicates the risk that the pressure is blown up in a critical way – you could get a hydraulic shock wave running through your transmission with much higher pressure of the oil than reached in the normal driving process ! And this shock wave could damage inner valves and seals – at least in the long run. Also the turbine could be damaged if the pressure often gets too high. Everything – the tranny and also the mechanic system following the tranny (the carden with its coupling yokes and the diff. in the rear axle) - gets a beat which is not the best for it - in the long run.

Keep in mind that the torque (M) is made following this formula : M = c x D x D x D x D x D x n x n with c = specific const. of the turbine, D = diameter of the turbine and n = rpm of the engine ! You get immediately a high torque when throwing in the shifter to Drive at a high rpm of the engine during the cars stand still. That´s really a heavy beat into the mechanic.
So all in all I know now that you could have luck when doing such starts with your car because we have a strong transmission in our cars, but you could have bad luck also, at least in the long run. On the other hand I know I´m still a greenhorn of course – but a learning one. That means if you know it better teach me with more exact data about oil pressure in and material behaviour of the transmission during such an emergency start !

And again : your story really is a good one - hahaha ! :laugh: :xyxthumbs:
Like Rick and Steve I was remembered to the things I did in comparable situations when being a young man. So keep on enjoying life as long as you can and do it in a way you like it !! – You are living in a free country and the time will change also for you fast enough anyway - - probably if you will have a family sometime (Steve and Rick told you about) ... !
____________
Rolf

[Austrian455]

OK, fellas.
I´ll never drop her from N to D again. I think I´ll order a stage control.

Now here they are. Pic from her 2 years ago. Don´t get a shock. I took the pic on the day I bought the Buick.

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0095.jpg

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0102.jpg

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0097.jpg

The last owner parked the car for 7 years. But he didn´t care. The car had to stand some vandalism. Some a..holes kicked off the original driver side mirror, the grill, kicked dents in both rear quarter panels, kicked the old T3 headlights, threw glowing cigarrets on the carpet (car wasn´t locked), and ruined the original interior, that was still under the original protectiv covers.

And they also stole the molding that holds the headliner and the sailpanel. I wish I´d know their names!!

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0107.jpg

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0105.jpg

The black hole was burned in from one of the cigarrets!!! Those ****ing .....!!!

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0110.jpg

Thats the missing part.

But thats two years ago. And three weeks ago I drove her to the body shop. I told them to do a high quality paint job in the original color and with the black lines on the side. After the paint she´ll get a new vinyl top and a real leather interior. I ordered all weatherstrippings, rubber parts, molded carpet ..... from classic buicks.

Man, that´s gonna be a pretty cool car for the summer.

I can´t imagine her standing in the sunshine. No stains, scratches or dents.

[The German]

Oh, what a huge project, Austrian455, and an expensive one also ! Guess it would have been cheaper to buy a car in better condition and optimise that one, but your work will save a car from the junkyard and that´s a special honour you´ll earn by doing that job !! I´m sure at the end it will be a real beauty and I´m curious reading about your next steps on that way and seeing some more pictures.

GOOD LUCK, Austrian455 ! :xyxthumbs:
____________________
Rolf

[Austrian455]

Thanks.
Yes, maybe it would be cheaper to buy a better car.
But that´s not any car. That MY Buick.

When I "found" the car (a friend of mine told me) I asked the owner if I can come and see the car, maybe try to start....

He said that I can do what I want, the car isn´t locked, the ignition key is in the car, but he won´t come. He comes only to pick up the money if I´ll buy it.

So I took out the battery of my 64 Thunderbird, 3 galons of fuel, engine and transmissoin oil and some tools.

After 30 min of work the car ran!!!! After 7 years of NOTHING!!!
There was no flat tire!!!

So I shifted to D and tried whats working or if she was gone.

The car was rolling smooth, the engine ran fine, the brakes were working.
So I took her for a ride.

I drove her about 200 miles that day.
Not one little problem.

When I got back I asked the seller for a price.

He said thats not easy because its a Police Interceptor.

I said there was no Police Interceptor.

He said that this one has some things that only the police cars had.
He lost the door and trunk keys but when I open the trunk I´ll find something that will be interesting.

I bought the car that day for about 1000 dollars.

Some days later I opened the trunk.

I found a police licence.

"POLICE DEPARTMENT

City of New York

Official Buisness

Division of Licenses"

(I´ll post a pic)

and I found some TNT with NYC Police stamp on!!!!

And the car has 12 inch rear drums (not std. 11 inch)!!!

So she´s something special.

The day I bought her I knew how the guy in Steven King´s "Christine" felt.

Wow, my Buick. Detroit Iron that last longer than one humas life. haha

[The German]

... ... After 30 min of work the car ran!!!! After 7 years of NOTHING!!! There was no flat tire!!! So I shifted to D and tried whats working or if she was gone. The car was rolling smooth, the engine ran fine, the brakes were working. ... ... I found a police licence. ... ... So she´s something special. ... ...

Howdy, what a story !!! Those old Buicks are really good cars and yours truely is a very special one ! I never thought that such a car would start after that long time of stand still. Thanks for sharing this interesting story with all its details, Austrian455.
You can be proud of owning such a rare car - your personally treasure now !

Wish you all the best with it - and good luck again !
________________
Rolf

[EEE]

Good luck and keep us posted. I guess you need that inner molding that goes by the sail panel?

[Austrian455]

Yes, I´m looking for that molding.

[Austrian455]

Does anyone know? Has there ever been a buick Police Interceptor?
Is it possible that my car was driven by the NYC Police Dept.?

[Robroy]

I still remember Kojak’s brown Buick Century, but he was only a TV cop….:D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc3VpNOWh8E

Hopefully any of the American board members have the answer to your question…

Good luck with your Centurion!

[EEE]

I don't see why not, they still like to drive big b-body cars today.

[Austrian455]

That could be the reason for the posi-rear end, and the power the car has.
Last summer I drove her to a meeting in Vienna. Cruise speed 90 - 100 mph.

A short time I tried what speed the car can reach. I hit the 120 mph but I think the car could run 125 or 130. Maybe. But 120 mph is enough for most situations. haha.

I know it was no mistake to save her from the crusher 2 years ago.

[SBRMD]

There was a police interceptor version of the LeSabre 4 dr sedan available, and it apparently was used, not surprisingly, by the Flint PD for some years.

There is one pictured in "Seventy Years of Buick"; I believe it's a '72.

[Austrian455]

That´s the stuff I found in the trunk.

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0062.jpg

http://s274.photobucket.com/albums/jj263/austrian455/?action=view&current=DSCN0064.jpg

And I found the original Owner´s Manual. :Brow: :beers:

[Smartin]

WIth those huge battering ram bumper guards, I'd definitely believe that car was used in the Police force...probably as an "unmarked" car that one of the detectives or other higher ranking officers drove.

[EEE]

That red stick looks like a flare that the police (or you) toss on the road when there's been an accident.

[Robroy]

That red stick looks like a flare that the police (or you) toss on the road when there's been an accident.
I found a bunch of such in my trunk too….I was tempted to try one at New Years Eve :D

[EEE]

Put one of those in someone's birthday cake!!!

[Robroy]

Put one of those in someone's birthday cake!!!
I doubt if they will work since they’ve been soaked a couple of times due to my not so waterproof trunk :rolleyes:

I thought these things might be standard equipment in the US in case of accidents?
Do you use warning triangles as we do in Europe?

[centurion 455 ragtop]

Pretty interesting history on this car. I have two suggestions, maybe three regarding that Police Permit you found in the trunk.


If Sloan would have a record on where the car was shipped or some history.

Is carfax a way on getting some history http://www.carfax.com/

Lastly and it's a stretch, some of you guys know I retired from New York City Police. I find myself frequently at headquarters on business (job I am working now). Next time I'm there I'll poke around with a copy of that permit and see if I can get it traced. Can't promise anything as it is over 30 years old. Back in the mid 90's the City PD started switching their filing over to computers for keeping records. Anything old may be buried with old files or purged. I am curious on finding out who, what department with in the PD had this car and what it was used for. The permit does have a number so I would figure that would be a good starting point on searching the Police Department's 1971-73 parking permits.

The car may have not been used as a police unmarked vehicle or owned by NYC for other official use. It may be that one of the past owners could have worked for NYC and was issued a parking permit for their personal car, so that they would not get tickets. Permits are issued to medical examiners office, DA's office and even some to the mayors office for political use.

[Austrian455]

Carfax won´t work because they can only seach car from 1981 or newer.

But it would be very kind of you, if you could find out something about the cars history and the police stuff.

Thanks centurion 455 ragtop

[The German]

... ... some of you guys know I retired from New York City Police. ... ...

Now it´s clear to me, Rick; I often thought that you have the blood of a detective :cool: in your body when reading your comments on cars shown in ebay or elsewhere ! :beers:
______________
Rolf

[Iron Legion]

On a similar note, when I bought my Centurion in Renton, WA the Renton Police made it a point to as me how long I was going to be out driving & where I was going... they did not like that thing

[Centurion]

Iron Legion, do you live in the Puget Sound area? I'm in Puyallup. Would be fun to see your Centurion sometime.

[Smartin]

Welcome to the board, Iron Legion!

[Iron Legion]

I live in Moxee, WA I bought the Car in Renton. I had to fill that thing up 3 times to get it home... those 455's are thirsty

[Austrian455]

Hey Rick,

Did you find out something about the police permit?