Inland Northwest Buick chapter Kaleidoscope 2019_05 May

May 5, 2019

Volume 03 Number 05

Kaleidoscope

Inland Northwest Buick chapter Buick Club of America

images submitted by James A. Wolff BCA # 35124

(the 1954 Buick Century model 66C )

Rendezvous

Special news

Third Thursday of each month at 6pm, (note: we usually eat dinner-self pay) Location: Conley’s Place Restaurant (12622 E. Sprague Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99216)

May 11 - Gludt family picnic / Troy, Idaho May 17-19 - Lost in the 50s / Sandpoint, ID May 18 - Lilac Festival 19th Annual Cruizin the Falls Spokane, WA May 17-19 Monroe Swap meet / Monroe, WA June 1st - Regional Rendezvous Ft Borst/ Centralia WA June 14-15 - Car d' Lane / Coeur d’ Alene ID June 15th - 26th Buick Open / Puyallup WA June 12-15 - NATIONAL MEET / Midwest City OK July 18 - INCCC Downtown Scholarship Car Show Spokane, WA July 27 - Honor Flight Car Show & Shine / Spokane, WA August 17 - Touchmark Car Show / Spokane, WA September 15 - INCCC "All Clubs" Picnic / Spokane, WA

Date/Time:

Upcoming meeting dates: May 16th June 20th July 18th Aug 15th

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May 5, 2019

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Directors Message I am sorry to report that we recently lost a valued Inland Northwest Chapter BCA member. Doug Langley passed away on Easter Sunday, April 21st, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 64 and retired 4 years ago. Doug was a long-time friend of Doug and Lisa Gludt and the entire Gludt family. He lived in Clarkston and joined the Gludt family on many road trips to the All Buick Open held in Puyallup along with Meeker Days and other events. Doug was very proud of his 1966 Riviera and was looking forward to attending our upcoming Gludt Family Picnic. There will be a Memorial Car Show and potluck in Doug’s honor on Sunday May 26th at Sunset Park, 2725 Willow Dr, Lewiston, ID. Details will be available later. We send our best wishes and condolences to Doug’s entire family.

During our last meeting, we noted several items that I would like to reemphasize. Todd Smith, Assistant Director, reported that we had a very successful 1st Tuesday Lunch at the Skyway Café, Felts Field on April 2nd.

Joining us was Jim Hartford from College Place. Others attending were Todd, Gregg Thurman, Mike Roberts, Rick True and myself. It was a great opportunity to discuss our cars in greater detail than during the social time prior to our Chapter meetings.

The importance of getting all ballots in by June 1st for the BCA Board of Directors election can’t be overstressed. My personal opinion is that it is very important that we elect BCA Board members who support judging during the BCA National Meet. Judging has greatly improved the quality of Buicks, especially since the 400-Point System was initiated.

We are looking forward to our Chapter’s Gludt Family Picnic at Dick and Doris’ place in Troy, ID. Todd has provided a terrific itinerary starting with breakfast at Conley’s Place at 07:30 and rally and inspection at 08:30, and departing at 09:30. The trip will take a little more that 2 hours and will wind through Tekoa, Oakesdale, Garfield, and Palouse, WA to Moscow and Troy, ID on State Route 27, US 95, then SR 8. The potluck will run from 12 noon to 3 PM when we will depart back to the Spokane area. We expect 4 cars and 8 folks from the Puget Sound Chapter as well as our BCA Regional PNW Director, Jack Gerstkemper and his wife Barbara.

As was noted during the April meeting, it is important that we start soliciting potential sponsors not only for our Chapter, but for the 2023 National Meet, if we are fortunate enough to be the host for that Meet. Already Becker Buick and Ziebart of Spokane have shown interest.

Gene and Carol Haynes mentioned that they will be driving Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich in the Spokane Lilac Parade, May 18th. They have had their 1964 Wildcat Convertible Coupe in the Lilac parade before. Congratulation to Gene and Carol.

Greg Lewis BCA #5071 Director, Inland Northwest Chapter BCA

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May 5, 2019

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BUICK BONES

by James A. Wolff BCA # 35124

MY FAMILY Buicks are in my bones. My grandfather and father over the years owned years 38, 47.50,51,56,62 and 63 model year Buicks. I have early memories riding around town with dad on errands on Saturdays. Me 4 or 5 yrs. standing in the front seat of our 1951 Buick Special convertible. At a stop sign Dad’s right arm extended automatically across my belly to make sure I did not get thrown forward. Burned into my brain is the image of the heater control knobs, the ashtray, radio, and the chrome radio grill. In our 51 Special Convertible Buick we drove to Yellowstone and back, a family of 6. I was about 8 years old.

With Buicks in my bones it’s no surprise that in 2010-2011 I began searching for a 54 Buick. I could not wait for each new Hemmings Motor News. I looked on the Internet. I watched auctions and scoured car shows. I finally found my 54 Convertible near Chicago in June of 2011. I arranged for an inspection and then a test drive and bought the car.

TRIP PREPARATION My youngest son Bailey and I planned to fly to Chicago pick up the car and drive back to liberty Lake through national parks at a leisurely 200 -400 miles per day. Experienced Buick experts, advised me to carry a replacement fuel pump, water pump, generator, and distributor for the car.

I did nothing- took my chances.

Together, Bailey and I cooked up the idea of talking with Buick Club of America Members along our route as we meandered. So, I got out my 2008 edition of the Buick Club of America roster and with map marked with our planned travel route we began picking out members to call, share a cup of coffee or a meal.

Bailey and I were excited at the thought of Plan the Route and BCA Members camping in the national parks. We filled a 2 ft. square by 3-ft. cardboard box full of camping equipment and shipped it with our luggage to Chicago. I had no idea how that box would fit perfectly on the trunk floor next to the spare tire.

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PICKING UP THE CAR In Chicago, the Broker who sold the car was incredulous that we intended to drive his perfect car 2000 miles back to Spokane. The car was recently restored and in great shape. “You will get hit by flying rocks, bugs, bird poop, rain and hail,” he admonished me. “Yeah, but I bought this car to drive.” Said I. I had asked the Broker to check all the fluids and especially the wheel bearings. I had heard stories….

He reassured me, that his assistant had checked and repacked the wheel bearings. I handed him my check, he handed me the keys, he pointed us to the freeway entrance, and we were off.

For fun I kept a log of mileage and the gas used. Mileage ranged between 14.1 and 14.6 miles per gallon for the entire 2000-mile trip home.

LEAVING CHICAGO We left the Chicago area headed east. We called our first BCA member, “Larry” with a high 100’s membership number and nearby so we scheduled to meet him for lunch. We had a great time talking about all of his travels with his Buicks. Larry, when I asked him about other Buick owners nearby, recommended that we call on “Bill,” a retired truck driver when we got to Iowa. We followed Larry’s advice and tracked Bill down and agreed to meet him when we passed through his town in Iowa.

We traveled on to meet other Buick owners, who owned and ran a manufacturing business and had traveled all over the world on motorcycles. At that time they were building a replica of the Buick concept car the 1953 XP 100. They had digitized pictures and measurements and blueprints of the only XP 100 in existence in the Sloan Kettering Museum. The car was under construction in a shop near his home in a sunshine state something to do over the long Illinois winters.

ON TO IOWA

Bailey at the wheel in Iowa

On the nightly news we learned that severe thunderstorms with large hail were moving in our direction and predicted on our route to arrive overnight. Concerned about damage to my new Buick we selected a gorgeous hotel on the campus of the University of Iowa which boasted a parking garage where my Buick would be safe.

As I drove the Buick up the spiral ramp into the garage, I heard an evenly spaced dull “clunk,” and another “clunk,” and another “clunk.,” The sound reverberated off the spiral ramp retaining wall.

Something is loose in the wheel, I thought. In the morning, I considered stopping at nearby Firestone tire shop and asking for an examination but shrugged it off as the car rolled down the highway smoothly with no more noise or vibration. We were excited and in-a-hurry to get going.

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DELIVERANCE About three hours across the state of Iowa, in the middle of nowhere, with farm fields as far as the eye could see, we stopped to top off the gas and have a snack. I came out of the convenience store to a dead battery. Recognizing that something was seriously wrong I went in and asked the C store lady “is there was an automotive garage anywhere near?” She responded, “oh yeah my brother-in-law has a garage just down the road right that way.”

With visions of scenes from the the movie Deliverance as we turned down the road to the shop about a quarter of mile away. The owner/mechanic met us as we approached his well-cared for shop and warned us not to proceed because the car was dripping oil-he wanted to spread cat litter and avoid trouble with the environmental police. A good sign, this guy cares about quality- even out here in the stix!

He put his heavy-duty battery charger on the battery and found that the ground connection on the generator had vibrated the wire till it broke-electrical problem fixed.

The oil dripping from the car was transmission oil leaking from a rubber connection ruptured when I jammed the dipstick down too hard and tore the rubber loose- easy fix.

Just to be safe I asked the mechanic to check the front wheel bearings. He found that both front wheel bearings had been inserted backwards. My attention to the “clunk” “clunk” sound heard in the parking garage was rewarded when he found the undamaged wheel bearings had been inserted backwards by the car broker. It was a quick and easy to clean, check for damage, repack and reinsert the bearing correctly. We were very happy about our “dead battery” in Iowa.

With great relief we were on our way in about one hour with an $80 bill, a $20 tip and great confidence that all was well with our 1954 Buick.

BILL, AMAZING BILL We caught up with Bill who was referred to us by our first BCA coffee mate, Larry. Bill had been a preacher, a teacher, a musician, and a long-haul trucker having visited every state in the union. Did he have a story! Just as we arrived to find Bill, a thunderstorm struck. We waited out the thunderstorm inside my Buick. As the storm subsided Bill took us to his barn filled with Buicks.

There were numerous Buicks all covered with layers of dust, each in varying stages of disassembly. Everything was in disarray as he had left it years before.

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Bill at the piano

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As we toured his barn in the dark, (no lights inside except sunlight coming through a few dusty windows and cracks in the barn wood) Bill commented, “that one just needs a battery, if I put the head back on that one it will run great, etc.” Bill was not realistic about the Buicks he showed us. Dust ¼ inch deep on everything was my clue.

Oh, what a storyteller! We took Bill for a Chinese dinner in town and he took us to an abandoned storefront building in the middle of town where he regaled us with classic tunes he played on a piano!

He explained that he earned his way through school entertaining people with his music. Bill was amazed that I recognized his tunes from my childhood when my mother sang the same tunes as she played piano.

ON TO MT RUSHMORE TO GREET THE PRESIDENTS In our travels, we followed parts of the “Lincoln Highway” the precursor to our modern interstate highway system. We followed GPS Instructions through South Dakota to Mount Rushmore. Our GPS directed us to the opposite side of the mountain from the presidents. After about 10 miles we recognized being out of place, at about the time we ended up at a Presbyterian Church summer camp for kids.

Everyone had a great laugh as we staggered from our Buick, kids surrounded us and we talked to the camp counselors who invited us to stay for dinner. We refused politely.

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They then instructed us how to find our way back around the mountain to the side where we could see our presidents.

As Bailey and I approached Mount Rushmore late in the afternoon there were six or eight lanes of traffic entering the park 20 cars deep in each lane. We were tired and impatient. We could see the presidents very well as we approach the tollbooth. The traffic moved quickly as we approached. Having had enough tourism for a day especially with the summer camp experience, A quick check with Bailey and he agreed we had seen enough.

We asked the attendant how to leave. We were instructed to do a U-turn after we passed through the toll booth for free. Spared the $20 entrance fee we headed for the next $89 motel.

SOUTH TO YELLOWSTONE At Yellowstone I was reminded of my first visit to “Old Faithful” and our family trip in our 51 Buick special convertible, when I was about 8. Somewhere I still have the faux leather photo book with a brown bear and Old Faithful on the front cover full of blackand-white brownie snapshots pasted in carefully.

Amazing that 60 years later Old Faithful still lives!

Every 45 minutes there’s a squirt and the assembled crowd still snaps a million pictures!

Old Faithful

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JACKSON HOLE and GRAND TETONS Our late summer evening in Jackson Hole Wyoming with the low warm summer sun setting, was magical. A well-loved and partially restored Chevy Nomad was parked on the street and drew a crowd. We pulled in nearby with the Buick to park near the famous “Cowboy Steakhouse”. The crowd drifted away from the Nomad to check out our Buick nearby. Inside the packed Cowboy Steakhouse, folks were waiting their turn for a steak when we invited a couple of fellow travelers to join us, rather than to Hog our 4-seat table to ourselves. They were grateful to sit down with us rather than wait and we enjoyed sharing stories. They had driven to Jackson Hole from California. They remarked on the Nomad and we bragged about our Buick.

SUN VALLEY IDAHO We tracked down and phoned another Buick Club member “Paul” in Haley Idaho near Sun Valley Idaho. He agreed to meet us for breakfast if we hurried up. He was due to golf with his regulars. After driving for about an hour I realized I was mixed up, misdirected and much farther away than I thought when I placed the call. We were too late. I called Paul back and we canceled our breakfast date. Before I hung-up we talked a bit. Another interesting coincidence.

Surprisingly, Paul was good friends with my childhood friend and sort of hero, my neighbor, Ron Brady at Liberty Lake, where I spent summers. My friend Ron had j passed away a couple years earlier.

What sweet irony to call on a random unknown BCA member to find that he knew well, my friend Ron. They golfed, snow skied, and flew airplanes together all at Sun Valley, Idaho. Who would have guessed?

SOMEWHERE IN IDAHO Somewhere in Idaho, we were forced to travel about 10 miles on a gravel road under construction ugh! A huge line of cars passed through the mess single file, in one lane headed north. All I could think of was gravel chips pitting the paint, and the car brokers admonishment. Fortunately! Because of the caravan of 10 or 20 cars our speed was not much more than 25 mph we suffered no chips! Anyway, that gravel road wore us down.

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LET’S GET HOME As we left southern Idaho, we impatiently yearned for home. We picked up Highway 93 and headed north to catch Interstate 90 near Missoula Montana where we turned left for the last 200 -mile stretch.

The last day was our longest distance day at something near 450 miles.

Even with the “minor adjustments” to the generator, dipstick, wheel bearing, and a new gravel road, our Buick never let us down!

AND…we never opened the box of camping supplies.

WILDCAT WANDERING

Jeff Schindler BCA #47629

Its been a really busy month and I feel as though there should be so much to share. However very little of it is Buick related. I did not field any questions as the BCA tech advisor 1950-1954 which I am grateful of because not so sure I would have been able to follow up with the questions. Looking forward to the May 11th Inland Northwest Buick chapter road trip to visit with fellow Buick enthusiast and the current weather outlook shows all sunshine with temps in the upper 70’s.

So what have I been busy with; I decided this past winter that I wanted to follow up with a desire which I have had for a very long time and that is to become a member of the all Volunteer Mount Spokane Ski Patrol. Now the ski test which was held on March 2nd up on Mt. Spokane was the simple part of all of this. We were to go out in a group of six with two current MSSP members and demonstrate our ability to maneuver and in control.

In the weeks since then our class of 14 students have been meeting twice a week Mondays and Thursdays, two hours per class in the evenings 6-8pm learning Outdoor Emergency Care Training. This requires a lot of commitment as our required reading and studying is two to four chapters for the next class session. We are approaching our mid term test and that will determine who is allowed to continue on with more intensive studying for an additional six weeks. All of this so we can aid someone incase of a life threatening situation when all they were trying to do is have a bit of enjoyment sliding around on snow and ice on Mt. Spokane.

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Classifieds 1962 Buick special wagon FREE parts, doors, brightwork and other stuff FREE .

Russell Oyer, 206-427-1858 3/23/19 1953 Oldsmobile 88 4 door $1000.00 Jeff, 509-389-9400 (04/19) 1950 Buick Super 4 dr parts car $800 Jeff, 509-389-9400 (04/19) 1952 Buick Super 2dr ht straight 8 motor, dyna-flo trans, with current title $2,500 OBO. Harlan at 509-280-6911 (04/19) from Spokane craigslist 3/31/19 Buick Literature. Doug Wolford 253-722-3711 (1/19) 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible. Doug Wolford, 253-722-3711 (1/19) Paint and Body Work, 3419 C St, Auburn, Units 10 & 11.

John Booth, 253-320-5040 or Bill, 253-332-2841 (11/18) 1947 1948 Buick. 2 Fender Skirts. Jim Kerns, 253-847-8945 (11/18) 1934 Buick Club Sedan 60 Series. Mechanicals done. Jack, 360-893-6663 (11/18) 1938 Pontiac 2-Door Slope Back. Quite rare. Jack, 360-893-6663 (11/18) 1950 Buick Sedanette. 19K original miles. Jack, 360-893-6663 (11/18) 1950 Buick Parts Car. $500.00. Jack, 360-893-6663 (11/18) 1964/1965 Skylark Parts. Keith, 253-85BUICK (11/18) FREE 1968 Buick 350V8 Heads. Look to have been rebuilt, one has sat in a bit of water on the gasket surface, the other looks great. FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE. Keith Ladderud, 253-85BUICK (11/18) All below is for sale by Rich Elliff 1972 Buick rebuildable 350V8, w/starter, alternator, power steering, Quadra jet intake manifold, $150 1967 Buick rebuildable 300V8, 2bbl w/converter, $50 1964 Buick 300 V8, Aluminum 2bbl intake manifold w/carb, $35 1964 Buick 300 V8, Aluminum rebuildable heads, $100 1957 Buick 364 V8, 2bbl intake manifold, carburetor & air cleaner, $40 1957 Buick Wheels w/tires 15 inch 5X5, $80 1956 Buick Century Station Wagon stainless steel trim, not a complete set, $200 2-1950s Buick vacuum wiper motors, $5 each Buick 322 V8 exhaust manifold, pass side, needs welding, $15 1957 Buick Wagon rear hatch glass, EZ Eye (green), small scratches, $250 Turbo 350 transmission, rebuilt $500 4-1964-1967 Buick front brake drums w/bearings, $60 Transmission adapter, 1964 – 1967 Chev Jeep Olds Buick Cad small block V8 to Turbo 350/400, Inquire 2-1957 Buick brake light lenses, $20

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Classifieds 1964-1970 Buick 300-340-350 water pump, $15 1965 Buick Special Convertible, V6, all mechanical has been done, Michelin tires, new dual exhaust, aluminum front drums, new windshield, chrome and stainless is great. Needs top, $6500.

Rich Elliff, 253-686-6620 (1/19) 1956 Buick Special 4-Door HT. Work in progress. Leon Gifford 360-301-0906 (3/19) 1962 Oldsmobile 4-Door F85. Aluminum V8, no title. Free come get it. Liam Riley 206-769-6376 (3/19) 1937 Buick Sedan. Body perfect from firewall to rear, all new glass and rubber, all new brake system, all woodgrain redone. One set of standard fenders, one set of sidemount fenders. New lacquer paint from firewall to rear, extra black lacquer paint. Engine redone. Reasonable Offer. John Thomas, 253-759-4863 (3/19) 1967 Cadillac Eldorado. "Barn find" rust free $ 2000.Buick Riviera parts. 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971 & 1972 call for complete list.

1963 1964 1965 & some 1966 Buick Riviera. Parts. Some trim, gas tanks, small items, side glass, window motors. Keith Bingham, 253-630-3465 (1/19) Buick Dealership Neon Sign, 9 foot long with individual letters that have new neon tubing. Looks good and lights up nice. Have some history and pictures. Came from a dealership in Oregon. $4500.00 Keith Bingham, 253-630-3465 (1/19) 1956 Buick Special, 4bbl manifold & carburetor. William kettle, 360-434-0695 (3/19) 1934 Buick Model 66S 3-Window rumble seat coupe. Dave Maxwell, 208-741-1594 (3/19) 1947 1948 Buick sedanette & convertible, 1956 Buick Roadmaster Super Century Special convertible 4-door 2&4-door hardtop station wagon.

1963 Buick Skylark convertible, 1968 1969 Buick Convertible.

Chuck, 425-508-3545 (3/19)

Needs / Wanted to buy 1953 Buick 50/70 series grille and mustache bar with corner trim. Jeff 509-389-9400 (04/19) 1966 Buick Nailhead spread bore intake, or any 425 engine . Todd 509-999-9282 (04/19) 1964/1965 Skylarks. Keith Ladderud, 253-85BUICK (11/18) 1965/1966 Skylark Automatic Blue Console & 1965 Blue dash pad. Keith Ladderud, 253-85BUICK (11/18) Nice 1955 Buick Hubcaps. Need one two or more, what do you have? Keith Bingham 253-630-3465 (1/19) 1961 Buick LeSabre. Motor mounts. Marty Pendriss 253-854-0726 (1/19) 1956 Buick Special 2-Door HT. Grill & rear quarter glass assemblies. Mike Wrench 503-680-1229 (3/19) Buick ??? Need rear body/trunk bumper seal. Craig Hays 253-820-3113 (3/19) 1934 Buick Model 66S, Rumble Seat Coupe. All window garnish, front, side doors and roll up rear window.

Dave Maxwell 208-741-1594 (3/19) 1938 Buick. Right side headlight ring.

1941 Buick. Small series dual carburetor manifold, carburetors, etc... Complete.

Bill Zesbaugh 253-304-6285 (3/19) Buick 215, V8 parts, Duane Yarno 206-817-5760 (3/19) www.inlandnorthwestbuick.org

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