Fly's Le Sabre Bon Voyage on Saturday

[Sixty8panther]

Damn Fly, you should have traded O.B. straight up for that sick GMC.

[Camino LS6]

The Sky is a dramatically better car than I expected - so solid and stable and quiet (even with the top down).

I'm a bigger fan than ever now.

[Oracle of Delphi]

The Sky is a dramatically better car than I expected - so solid and stable and quiet (even with the top down).

I'm a bigger fan than ever now.

Every one of them comes with a little kiss from me! :AH-HA_wink:

[GMTruckGuy74]

Damn Fly, you should have traded O.B. straight up for that sick GMC.

Oh I had this really strange feeling as Fly and his friend pulled out of the parking lot in my SKY and he yelled out that I could take the LeSabre home instead

Ocn, see I told you that you should have stayed. Geez, you could always go to next year's reunion . You choose family over the SKY - what's wrong with you man?!?!?! Hahahahaha! I lowered the top, put down the windows, handed over the keys and waited patiently for the four of them to have their turn behind the wheel. I would have let Camino's mom take it out too, but I had a hard enough time just getting her to sit in the darn car! (thanks Oldsmboi!) Thinking back now, I should have let Camino take his mom out in it

Yes, your Sierra is one fine truck . I think if you stuck around, you would have stolen the thunder from my SKY Which is a shame really, because the "thunder" was suppose to be all about Fly and the LeSabre anyway. I'm not one for major mods to my vehicles, but if I happen to get a 2008 or 2009 Sierra next summer, I definitely want the name of the Menonite shop that did your exhaust. That was one sweet sound! I have one of those frontend shots of your truck as my desktop picture.

Oh, attached are the pictures of the 2006 SEMA GMC Sierra All-Terrain show truck we were talking about, just in case you haven't seen it yet.

[Camino LS6]

Every one of them comes with a little kiss from me! :AH-HA_wink:

Well, no car is perfect.

[Camino LS6]

I should have let you guys each take a spin in the GTO too.

Not enough time - too much to do.

[knightfan26917]

Holy cow!

Glad you made it home safely Fly ... lookin' good and right at home in Florida .

And, what cool pics of the _GM_ cars all there together ... quite a site, indeed. Love that SKY and Camino's GTO....hmmm .

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"I wanna drive" ... Trace Adkins ... '(Her Favorite Color Is) Chrome'

[Cory Wolfe]

Wish I could have made the trip down. Would have been nice to see your guys and you're rides.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I wonder what Holdens come with when you take your trips down under?

My official policy is - Don't ask, don't tell! :AH-HA_wink:

[speedingpenguin]

Haha! oh man, thats cool!

To add a little fun to the whole story, here are some of the text messages I received from Silvester on our drive down to PA. You can use your imagination to figure out what I sent Sly, based on his replies:

Nobodys holding a gun 2 your head pussy. Do 55, you'll catch up 2 me when the cop is cuffing me (July 31, 2:56 am)

I recomend we stop on the g.w. Bridge 2 take a pic... In the fast lane! (July 31, 2:59 am)

Jesus ****. Old man hubbard must be out 4 a drive! (July 31, 3:08 am)

Thats how u get bagged n tagged by the po-po! (July 31, 3:56 am)

Five-oh always be watchin the passin lane! no one expects a speedin hoopty in the granny lane! (July 31, 4:00am)

Das only in de mo-nin u be cookin your breakfast n bacon n $h!... Woot! (July 31, 4:03am)

Wow. Now I can erase these txt's from my inbox and not feel bad about it, LOL

[Sixty8panther]

Uhhh... um, well... errr most of those very very sarcastic.

(except for the retard doing 45mph in a 65 zone in his Avalon)

SP: Remember our impromptu drag race out of the toll booth in Jersey?

That little turbo Dodge has got sack but 7.4 liters of pushrod iron block

power is nothing to take lightly. That carb sounded like a giant turbine

when all the 4bbls kicked in.

[Oracle of Delphi]

(Camino on the left, me on the right)

"Wonder Twin powers, activate!" ...

[Sixty8panther]

Yeah, it's a cheesy photo (my idea BTW) but I thought it would be

funny to have a photo of the hand-off of the keys. Kind of like

when they take a pic. of the old Duffer at a Cadillac dealer in front

of his brandy new white on red 1976 Eldorado and he's wearing

white pants/belt/shoes/shirt and he's being handed the 24K gold

plated keys by some dude with a gold chain & an Italian Sweater.

[Z-06]

I wonder what Holdens come with when you take your trips down under?

Punch in the nuts.

[Flybrian]

Well, first, let me extend my heartfelt gratitude to Sixty8, SpeedingPenguin, Dodgefan, jessi_chan, Bob (Camino), Bill (Ocnblu), Roger (GMTruckGuy74), Drew (Oldsmoboi), and B&B for helping with the care and transport of the LeSabre, their extrodinarily hospitality during my visit, and of course their friendship. Rest assured this won't be the last C&G meet if I have anything to do with it!

Second, if the price of gas goes up in the next few days because of supply shortages, its because of me, and I'm sorry.

The flight to Philladelphia on Southwest's 737-700 was pretty uneventful and actually arrived on time even after a slightly late departure. Camino picked us up at the terminal a little bit after we landed in that beautiful GTO of his and thanks to Philly traffic, we were treated to the 'long way' tour of the area and plenty of great twisting backroads and some very spirited driving.

We got a great tour of Camino's barn/garage and wow...what an awesome collection. The '98 Firehawk was there as well as the beautiful Maserati. Below, there was the ex-rental () El Camino Classic donor car, the '88 Silverado beast, something resembling a Jaguar, the Malibu, and the other El Camino. I will say that the Malibu wagon's interior is in absolutely incredible shape and its going to make one sweet hotrod wagon. After most everyone arrived, we took the LeSabre down to the lower garage to tinker with it.

Here are some more pictures...

*Drew, Bill, and B&B in Bob's lower barn. Note the '88 Silverado and Malibu wagon in the background.

*B&B and Bob performing some much needed (and appreciated!) temporary repairs to the vacuum hoses and carb.

*Drew and Roger chatting; Bill behind the helm of the beast.

We had to appreciate some of the newer rides.

*Bill's Sierra, Roger's SKY

Of course, being one of the first major C&G meets, we had to get a car collage going.

*Drew's Avalanche, Bill's Sierra, Bob's GTO, Roger's SKY

[Flybrian]

Bill left for his family reunion (and I hope you had fun, 'cause you missed a great dinner!) and B&B departed, too. But before eating, we convoyed over to Bob's mother's to check out the '38 Dodge.

After the Dodge experience, we headed down to a local joint and enjoyed a great dinner - loved the prime rib melt - and began our C&G Live discussion - cars, B.S., and who to ban. Just kidding. Roger did a very gracious thing and let us all take a spin in the SKY and has he said, I didn't want to come back! Gosh, what a great car!

Later that evening, Bob helped tinker with the car a bit more as it ran out of gas earlier when we were messing with the engine...and his puppies! Very active dogs, Arkus and Zora! My friend and I left Camino's at 1:30, so you can tell how much fun we had just chatting among his soon-to-be awesome pair of Chevies. Thus began the shakedown cruise...

[Flybrian]

A road trip by itself is an experience, but taking one during the wee morning hours is an event all its own. You certainly meet some interesting characters at reststops, especially our first one in Maryland where some guy kept asking my friend Richie for money about six times. Needless to say, it was a pitstop and away we went...

*LeSabre - the original RL (Roadborne Luxury)

*We scared the Honda away.

We stayed at Richie's aunt's little shack in Alexandria. Please excuse the Versa. We got in around 4:30AM Sunday and left around 3:30PM.

Us at the first North Carolina rest stop. Note the sweet DOT Silverado in the background.

South of the Border was a necessary stop given the kitsch value and the fact that if this car belongs anywhere, its there. Roadtripper advice - don't stop here at 11:30 at night like we did because it gets a little questionable.

Unfortunately, we ran into our first mechanical problems with the LeSabre here. A plug fouled out real bad. Luckily, I found one that would fit the 455. Good thing, too, because Richie found another way home...

And I end the trip with some beauty shots taken today after a good two washings.

So, over 1100 miles later, zero problems were encountered. The car seals up remarkably well, about as good as my Aurora, and this was verified with a short downpour in Virginia. What amazed me most was the ride quality - in a word, excellent. No typical old barge floating, dramamine-necessitating wallowing, or bumps felt four miles later. Very composed, very smooth, and surprising handler. I honestly expected to get sick of the floating, but again...none to be experienced. I've been in more modern Town Cars that handle so much worse with total disconnect and zero suspension response. Not here. Also, the nose- and taildive on braking and acceleration is not much more significant than it was in Impalas I've driven as rentals. Steering is very light, however, and typically disconnected. Not unexpected. The doors do shake and rattle over harsh bumps when the windows are rolled down, but most cars this age have doors falling off at that point.

What surprised me the most was what worked - everything. Expect for the air conditioning and the analog clock, everything works...even the clock light, cigarette lighter, and ashtray lamp. Very amazed at the condition this Buick is in. Also, the radio does work, but the speaker is junk. I know this because upon arriving home, I was able to pick up reception from a large AM transmitting station, but it wasn't clear or crackle-free because of the monospeaker.

As I mentioned while up in PA, over the next month, I plan total fluid changes and flushes along with replacing a few hoses and some rust abatement (very few small spots) followed by an engine tuneup/carb rebuild (I think I'll take Balthy up on his offer!) and getting a new compressor for the a/c.

So...that's the story. Thanks again to my gracious hosts!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Did I miss something? I thought you were taking the Auto-Train down to FL from VA? I would have liked to have heard some Auto-Train stories, good, bad, or indifferent.

[ocnblu]

A very nice photo essay, Brian. Enjoy that Buick. You know I think those substantial tires (which I think look good on there) really enhance the car's roadability. There's something to be said about a strong foundation. Edited August 7, 2007 by ocnblu

[Cory Wolfe]

Next time there's a meet in the area, I'm going even if I have to steal my neighbors IROC-Z.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Fly, very good summary of your trip and the 18 pic collage ( :AH-HA_wink: ) was a nice touch!!!! However, you should have told that fat-ass that was blocking the SKY as you took the picture to move (I understand he was good at getting in the way of Oldsmoboi's pics too).

Definitely can't wait for your return trip to this area again. Camino reminded me before I headed home that we agreed to arrange a C&G gathering at next year's All-GM Nationals show in Carlisle (June 2008). Maybe the LeSabre will be ready by then for another 1,000+ mile roadtrip???

And I would like to thank Camino for having us all over to his place and giving us a great tour of the area (the deer on your mom's road was a nice touch). I should have taken more pictures of my own, but I was too busy talking (aka running my mouth), drooling over Ocn's Sierra, and getting in the way of everybody else's picture taking. Camino's barn is simply amazing and I cannot get it out of my head. It is one of the best things to see in the area.

[ocnblu]

Let's leave one word out of GMTG74's last 2 sentences above and see what happens:

"Camino's ______ is simply amazing and I cannot get it out of my head. It is one of the best things to see in the area."

[Camino LS6]

[GMTruckGuy74]

Umm, let's not! The word barn is a perfect fit.

Let's leave one word out of GMTG74's last 2 sentences above and see what happens:

"Camino's ______ is simply amazing and I cannot get it out of my head. It is one of the best things to see in the area."

[Drew Dowdell]

Bill trying to steal the LeSabre..... hahah... it's out of gas.

Bob's mom admiring Rodger's car....... it looks good in her driveway.

Panorama shot of the C&G lineup.

How to tell if Fly is in town. Caught this on the PA Turnpike on the way to Camino's

Caught this for sale a few miles from my great grandfather's place on my way to Camino's

Short video I made of Camino's mom's 38 Dodge.

[Camino LS6]

Thanks for posting your pics,Drew. I just sent the one of my mom in the Sky to her - she'll get a kick out of that!

[Flybrian]

She'd like it even more to have one always in her driveway.

[Camino LS6]

True, but she should have fun with the pic as her best friend is planning to buy a Sky or a Solstice.

[Sixty8panther]

Wow.... what a cool collection of photos.

Now I REALLY wish that I could have

been there to hang out with you guys in

Penn. I think SP & I were in & out of

there in abotu one hour, and I was still

very late to work. Can't wait for the

next C&G meet & greet in the Northeast!

Fly: that ratteling driver's door should

be a quick/cheap fix.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Bill trying to steal the LeSabre..... hahah... it's out of gas.

How can he steal it? He can't see over the steering wheel!

[Flybrian]

The rear driver's door also collects water. I think a drain hole is clogged, which is the number one priority I have right now. Again, it drains, but I have to stand there and shake the door like a retard.

I merely spritzed the interior with some old leftover first-stage leather clear and it looks a thousand times improved. I also didn't realize the paint was a metallic, which makes me want to leave it the same color after all. In fact, I already got my first compliment on it last night from some random guy.

[Drew Dowdell]

you really need to put white walls on it tho....

[Camino LS6]

Fly:

I'd start looking for door weatherstrip/window fuzzy sources if I were you. Ebay or aftermarket.

[ocnblu]

Please don't listen to Drew, Mr. Fly, re: whitewalls. The tires on it are near new, they lend it an air of authority and I'm willing to bet they are contributing to its nice driving feel, as you reported.

Custom-S, I can so see over the steering wheel. :AH-HA_wink: That was me coaxing a cold 455 to stay running. Mr. Fly gave me the honor of putting her from the top floor down to the lower level. It was like Old Home Week, with memories of my '73 Catalina.

[GMTruckGuy74]

Since you're leaning forward, I can't tell who was helping you "wiggle the shifter" to get it started!!! (oh God, that was a good joke I made there - probably the only one, since Drew & Brian were pretty much on the ball with all the rest of the jokes)

As of right now, the next C&G gathering will be June, 2008 in Carlisle, PA for the All-GM Nationals show. Start planning your trip out there now! No excuses will be accepted from anyone claiming they wished they were there last Saturday

[Oracle of Delphi]

Are you sure it was the shifter they were wiggling?

[knightfan26917]

Wow.... what a cool collection of photos.

Now I REALLY wish that I could have

been there to hang out with you guys in

Penn.

Ditto! Couldn't have written it better myself ... Sixty8 echoed my sentiments exactly.

And, wildman ... I've posted before about how we should get together in the area.... Course, I also post my road trips and try to meet up with as many people as possible. Looks like I may be going to KY, NC/SC, GA, FL, AL and TN this coming November ... we'll see . Sadly, I'm going to miss our family reunion in PA this coming weekend ... which means I won't be heading to Detroit, as well as Ohio, NJ, MD and VA as I had planned .

Cort:33swm."Mr Monte Carlo.Mr Road Trip".pig valve.pacemaker

WRMNshowcase.lego.HO.model.MCs.RT.CHD = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort

"Wouldn't you like to get away?" ... Gary Portnoy ... 'Where Everybody Knows Your Name'

[ocnblu]

Ha, I guess that's right. I was looking for the "sweet spot" while wiggling that shifter. Hence the happy grin, I guess.

[Sixty8panther]

Fly:

Of course it's metallic dude, this aint no cheap Chevy/Ford/Dodge!

Flat brown is for the value-brands... not a high-end LeSabre.

You gotta rememeber that car was the Lucerne of it's day.

[Sixty8panther]

To add a little fun to the whole story, here are some of the text messages I received from Silvester on our drive down to PA. You can use your imagination to figure out what I sent Sly, based on his replies:

SP:

I can't beleive you forgot about this one... my personal favorite.

Written using my right hand while steering with my right at about

75mph somewhere between Connecticut & New Jersey.

"This is a Fly-by-night operation"

[Flybrian]

Yeah. That didn't need to be posted.

[ocnblu]

The trip has another name, too: it was a Fly-by by Fly.