Code Z hardtop, slow & steady.

[option B9]

  Thanks gssizzler, yes I'm going to see what's out there and pick a wheel. But that's not going to happen until I return from the national meet because I'm sure the GS will be out of service for at least a week. By the time I take it apart and order the parts and get it all back together. I will post photos when I work on it.
   I will be seeing Loren in Ohio and I will ask him about the ground wires for the rear harness, I always thought that was one of the weak points in the early Special/Skylark series cars. A twist lock third wire socket design would have been a better choice. But that design came years later.
   I'm very pleased with the performance of this GS and the Red GS coupe, the Convertible has very low gears and driving on the highway is a chore, but it is what it is and I made it to the BCA Buffalo meet in 2001 and Flint and back in 2003 so I should not complain.

       Tony 
   

[option B9]

  Hi everyone, Due to a high pressure system, the north east is having some really great dry warm weather. So that means that I get to do some needed work on the Code Z hardtop. Today I pulled the severely cracked original   steering wheel off, then proceeded to remove the cancel cam/wire harness. I was having trouble with the right rear brake light. It would work intermittently, I traced the problem back to the column. So tomorrow I will test the harness and see if I find the problem. If not I will order a new GUIDE wire harness.
  I took some photos of the steering wheel, I highlighted the cracks. With lessons learned from the Red Coupe's wheel restoration. This wheel is going to be restored a different way. I've been looking into an adhesive to prevent the wheels plastic from shifting causing cracking due to temperature changes and stresses. This is going to be a slow Fall/Winter project. I'm going to install the already restored formally Red now Black wheel on the Code Z. Several days ago I polished the Black paint with some 3M Ebony and it looks great and you can hardly see the spider cracks that appeared after restoration.
   Until next post....

       Tony 

[option B9]

More Photos

[elagache]

Hi Tony and mid-60s Buick caregivers,

Hi everyone, Due to a high pressure system, the north east is having some really great dry warm weather. So that means that I get to do some needed work on the Code Z hardtop.

Lucky you!

Today I pulled the severely cracked original steering wheel off,
. . .   
I took some photos of the steering wheel, I highlighted the cracks. With lessons learned from the Red Coupe's wheel restoration.

Those are the same locations where Biquette's steering wheel developed cracks.  Whatever the cause, it seems to be endemic to our beloved Buick A-Bodies.

This wheel is going to be restored a different way. I've been looking into an adhesive to prevent the wheels plastic from shifting causing cracking due to temperature changes and stresses. This is going to be a slow Fall/Winter project.

That is a neat project for when the weather really turns nasty.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this new technique works out.

then proceeded to remove the cancel cam/wire harness. I was having trouble with the right rear brake light. It would work intermittently, I traced the problem back to the column. So tomorrow I will test the harness and see if I find the problem. If not I will order a new GUIDE wire harness.

I hope this goes well.  Electrical problems have at least one advantage: they never leak nasty, smelly, and messy substances when the connection fails!

Keep us posted!

Edouard

[option B9]

   Hi Everyone, here is an update... Had to order a new turn signal switch and the hardware that goes with it. I worked on it one day last week, had it all installed  and noticed that there was a problem ! The brass contact on the switch was not contacting the cancel cam ? The brass contact was not coming out all the way. It was getting late and forecast was for cold weather the next few days, so it gave me time to think. Should I return it OR try to repair it ? I looked at the long range forecast and this weekend was going to be the last weekend before the Winter sets in. So repairing it was the best option. Yesterday I removed the switch (Photo 850) and placed on my workbench and got a good look at it and noticed that there was hardly any spring tension, so surgery on the switch was the answer. (Photo 854) I removed the clip holding the spring, wire and ferrule. Cut the wire and found the problem ! The spring was too weak to push the brass contact all the way out. I looked in my box of springs and found a spring that would push the brass contact out with enough pressure to contact the cancel cam allowing the horns to activate (Photo 851 & 855). Soldered the ferrule back on and pushed the retainer clip back in and re-installed the switch, cancel cam AND the restored (was Red now Black) steering wheel (Photo 856) Looks great !  Today we had the Code Z out at a car club event to support our local Children's Hospital. A great way to close the 2024 season.. Code Z will be hibernating until Spring 2025 

     Tony   

[Aussie Skylark]

Hi Tony,

Thanks for the update and how you repaired the fault.

For whatever reason I seem to be avoiding working on my steering column, perhaps you have provided the inspiration I need to get it done.

Regards

Marcus

[cwmcobra]

Good work Tony! It seems some of the reproduction parts just don't always get the job done. Disappointing, but glad you got it fixed and enjoyed the last show of the season.

 

Chuck