Interior color: Gold

[Jimbo]

I have a 65 Skylark that also has the ivy gold door/rear panels. It has a white headliner with white seats. My tag also shows a 133/fawn code. What color carpet do you have? Mine was replaced at some point with a plain gold. It doesn't look right??

[elagache]

Dear Iain, Tom, Jimbo, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Why don't you call the diif. company's??? Give them your interior code & then have them send a sample.  So to say "let your fingers do the walkin'.

Neither Legendary nor PUI claim to have that color.  Will they make other colors if you ask?

. . . .
I have always been worried about safety. Just last week I went for a cruise and a pickup swerved around me when I was stopped waiting for a left turn. Had I been rear-ended, I would probably be in the hospital.

Unfortunately, driving these classic cars on the crowded California roads has definitely taken the fun out of driving.  I try to be very choosy about when I get Biquette on the road and watch drivers around me like a hawk.  That won't eliminate accidents but that's about all I can do to reduce the risk.  It is clear that many people consider vehicles something they can throw away and drive them as such.  It is extremely difficult to share the road with people of that mindset.

Oh well, . . . . Edouard

[Super65lark]

It certainly is, Edouard. I'm the same way. Always looking out. And just sitting there at a left waiting for traffic to clear, this guy comes haulin' up out of nowhere. I'm done taking lefts, but time for safety.

[GS66]

Mine might be close to the M41.

[elagache]

Dear Iain, Jim, and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

It certainly is, Edouard. I'm the same way. Always looking out. And just sitting there at a left waiting for traffic to clear, this guy comes haulin' up out of nowhere. I'm done taking lefts, but time for safety.

I certainly understand your concerns.  Biquette was hit in a parking lot the day before Thanksgiving 2010 and it was an extreme struggle to bring her back.  I was new to all this and didn't have collector car insurance.  I definitely recommend that you get this - it provides some reassurance that at least you won't have a hefty bill should Ruthy get damaged in an accident.

Beyond that, I think we all need to think more defensive about driving our classics.  Make sure that the horn operates easily and don't be afraid to use it!  Biquette's 2010 accident might have been avoided if I had honked early enough.  I drive with Biquette's headlights on even in the daytime.  I have plans to equip her with proper daylight running lights eventually.  Biquette has had a 3rd brake light in the past and I want to equip her with one once more.  I just want to be more clever about concealing it when she isn't in motion.

There are trade-offs to be made, but we all have to adjust to the more aggressive style of driving that we find nowadays.   

Cheers, Edouard

[Super65lark]

That 3rd brake light is a great idea. They've proven it to much more effective in alerting other drivers.

[elagache]

Dear Iain and mid-60s Buick caregivers with an eye for safety,

That 3rd brake light is a great idea. They've proven it to much more effective in alerting other drivers.

Definitely agreed.  It is especially true when our cars have by modern standards "drab" turning and brake lights.  Biquette is especially vulnerable because she has relatively small taillights.  Sedan's and coupes can do something to be more noticeable by adding sequential taillights.  Here is an example using LEDs:

http://65gs.com/board/index.php/topic,1454.msg8156.html#msg8156

Loren has also created some wiring harnesses that do sequential turning lights using the original bulbs, but I could find not the thread easily.

There is a problem trying to wire 3rd brake lights on our cars which is ultimately why Biquette doesn't have one right now.  There is no dedicated wire with the brake signal going to the back of the car.  At least circuits were available from places like J.C. Whitney to "tease out" the brake signal from the two turning signal wires.  However, Biquette will need a dedicate brake wire in order to tow a sizable trailer, so I'll wait until I get the tow wiring harness in place to take on the 3rd brake light.

Cheers, Edouard