I remember our c9 lights getting warm enough to melt the snow around them on the edge of the roof. I loved the large glowing bulbs over the little twinkle lights.
Interesting C9 find Howard. Love the old stuff. Those Buick’s were huge! I drove a bunch of them back in my wheel alignment days. They handled nice, but they never were as quiet as their Mercury counterparts. However as they aged the bodies really became sloppy to the point that driving experience felt rather Uncle Buckish.
Yes as the control arm bushings and sway bushing wore from all the weight and mass of those tanks, they did seem too wallow around on the roads after time. 76 was when GM made the biggest cars ever!
Always enjoy seeing your purchases from the estate sales. I forgot to mention when I visited with you last week how nice your lawn is. How long did GM take to down size their cars in the late '70's? I know they started with Chevrolet in 1977. I was a little surprised to see how large that '78 Buick was. I wonder how many of your viewers remember the oil embargo of '73? That seems like so long ago.
I miss typed, the Buick is a 76. GM started the model year, three years in advance to production. The 76's were on the drawing board in 73. As people started buying small fuel efficient Japanese cars in masses, the big four.... AMC was a major manufacture than to.... the cars hitting the drawing board in 74, for the 77 model year production were all downsized. Then they rushed out a bunch of econo boxes, that were poor in quality, due to the lack of experience in building small cars.
@@OldCarAlley same thing happened when GM saw the '57 Mopars and realized they had been caught behind the eight ball. The '58's couldn't be stopped but the '59 designs were scrapped and thats how we got our Belairs! I've seen some of the original designs for the '59 Chevrolets and they were awful. Thank goodness they changed them!
I bought some Tru-Tone bulbs last year, and they do look real close to incandescent, but they have the slight tale tell LED flicker. I put them in some areas up high, but the focal point of my display, the front porch will remain incandescent. There isn't a substitute for the late 40's-early 50"s GE interior coated C7 bulbs. Those are the most vivid colors I've ever seen! My Christmas trees will stay incandescent as well. Yeah, that Buick is one that doesn't really look like much of a head turner. They were still fairly common during my childhood. Who knows, in a few years they may come on strong! I never thought square body trucks would be anything special, but they are really increasing in value these days. I don't think I'd be able to afford to redo one now. NOS parts are insanely more expensive than just 15 years ago.
Yes, the 76 GM tanks, unless there the clam shell wagon don't bring in much money. Years back, I sold my dads 78 GMC Suburban. It sold in less than an hour.... I parked it by the road where I worked at the time. I got eight grand for it. This was back in maybe 1998. It was a 4X4 with the creeper gear four speed manual. It never saw salt, as the neighbor who dad bought it from a decade earlier used it only to pull his 34 foot travel trailer. Dad used it only to tow his 24 foot Four Winns 245 Vista boat with twin engines, so the Suburban was well broke in, as all it did was tow big heavy loads since new. Finding the old square body trucks without rust issues almost impossible, even in the south, as they were true rust buckets. Dads Suburban had zero rust. Thats why it sold quick for my high asking price.
On the True Tone bulbs.... I have heard they have a slight LED flicker.... Thats what I hate about LED Christmas lights. I use the C7's on my tree in the house. I have tons of them too. So many I don't buy them any more. I have hundreds of sets of bubble lights from estate sales. I bet I have as many C7 lights as C9 lights, but I put up tons more C9 lights than C7 lights, so I go threw many more C9 bulbs.
@@OldCarAlley Wow, that '78 Suburban brought some real good money for 1998! No telling what it would bring now, in that condition! My 81 C10 is virtually rust free. I found a bit of rust forming on the passenger door, and turns out the drain hole was plugged. Once I got it cleared, about a cup of water came out from the bottom of the door. I've been regularly keeping it sprayed with oil, until it can be repaired. Other than that, even the frame is still black. I keep it clean and dry, so hopefully it will continue to hold up well.
@@OldCarAlley They've come leaps and bounds since the first LED sets came out, those were awful. At least color temperature is getting more accurate. That was my major complaint about LED Christmas lights. If manufacturers would 100% eliminate the flicker, that would be a game changer. I simply had to find a balance between the amount of strands I use vs energy use. I was getting the house wiring quite warm when it was still 100% incandescent.
@@dynatrak My electric bill for December is my highest of the year, even higher than the hottest months of summer running the A/C. My December bill is often $200+. To me its worth it for the enjoyment I get from the vintage lights.
Yeah I do the same. I just have so much wiring thats in like new condition, so I don't always repair set, just using better sets to replace the not so good wiring.
@@OldCarAlley ...Sorry to hear ! Consider a 2nd opinion with New group of docs? ... but with today's radiation techniques should give the benefit With few side effects ... Still praying for you, Howard !!!
@@kkkkkkatherine Yes I have seen other doctors, and have got the exact response from all of them. Once my PSA hits 0.1 they're going to start radiation treatments. My PSA has gone up 0.01 points per month since surgery, so I suspect by November it will be 0.1. It started at 0.04 after surgery.
I remember our c9 lights getting warm enough to melt the snow around them on the edge of the roof. I loved the large glowing bulbs over the little twinkle lights.
That was a good video I enjoyed those Christmas lights
Pleasantly surprised to see another video pop up. Thanks Howard !!
Man I love them old energy eating lights to Howard good to see you're up and well take care bud
I always enjoy your Christmas light shows. Thanks, my friend.
I always look forward to your lights videos! Thank you
Thank you for the video
Interesting C9 find Howard. Love the old stuff. Those Buick’s were huge! I drove a bunch of them back in my wheel alignment days. They handled nice, but they never were as quiet as their Mercury counterparts. However as they aged the bodies really became sloppy to the point that driving experience felt rather Uncle Buckish.
Yes as the control arm bushings and sway bushing wore from all the weight and mass of those tanks, they did seem too wallow around on the roads after time. 76 was when GM made the biggest cars ever!
Always enjoy seeing your purchases from the estate sales. I forgot to mention when I visited with you last week how nice your lawn is. How long did GM take to down size their cars in the late '70's? I know they started with Chevrolet in 1977. I was a little surprised to see how large that '78 Buick was. I wonder how many of your viewers remember the oil embargo of '73? That seems like so long ago.
I miss typed, the Buick is a 76. GM started the model year, three years in advance to production. The 76's were on the drawing board in 73. As people started buying small fuel efficient Japanese cars in masses, the big four.... AMC was a major manufacture than to.... the cars hitting the drawing board in 74, for the 77 model year production were all downsized. Then they rushed out a bunch of econo boxes, that were poor in quality, due to the lack of experience in building small cars.
@@OldCarAlley same thing happened when GM saw the '57 Mopars and realized they had been caught behind the eight ball. The '58's couldn't be stopped but the '59 designs were scrapped and thats how we got our Belairs! I've seen some of the original designs for the '59 Chevrolets and they were awful. Thank goodness they changed them!
@@Martin48964 Totally.
I bought some Tru-Tone bulbs last year, and they do look real close to incandescent, but they have the slight tale tell LED flicker. I put them in some areas up high, but the focal point of my display, the front porch will remain incandescent. There isn't a substitute for the late 40's-early 50"s GE interior coated C7 bulbs. Those are the most vivid colors I've ever seen! My Christmas trees will stay incandescent as well.
Yeah, that Buick is one that doesn't really look like much of a head turner. They were still fairly common during my childhood. Who knows, in a few years they may come on strong! I never thought square body trucks would be anything special, but they are really increasing in value these days. I don't think I'd be able to afford to redo one now. NOS parts are insanely more expensive than just 15 years ago.
Yes, the 76 GM tanks, unless there the clam shell wagon don't bring in much money. Years back, I sold my dads 78 GMC Suburban. It sold in less than an hour.... I parked it by the road where I worked at the time. I got eight grand for it. This was back in maybe 1998. It was a 4X4 with the creeper gear four speed manual. It never saw salt, as the neighbor who dad bought it from a decade earlier used it only to pull his 34 foot travel trailer. Dad used it only to tow his 24 foot Four Winns 245 Vista boat with twin engines, so the Suburban was well broke in, as all it did was tow big heavy loads since new. Finding the old square body trucks without rust issues almost impossible, even in the south, as they were true rust buckets. Dads Suburban had zero rust. Thats why it sold quick for my high asking price.
On the True Tone bulbs.... I have heard they have a slight LED flicker.... Thats what I hate about LED Christmas lights. I use the C7's on my tree in the house. I have tons of them too. So many I don't buy them any more. I have hundreds of sets of bubble lights from estate sales. I bet I have as many C7 lights as C9 lights, but I put up tons more C9 lights than C7 lights, so I go threw many more C9 bulbs.
@@OldCarAlley Wow, that '78 Suburban brought some real good money for 1998! No telling what it would bring now, in that condition!
My 81 C10 is virtually rust free. I found a bit of rust forming on the passenger door, and turns out the drain hole was plugged. Once I got it cleared, about a cup of water came out from the bottom of the door. I've been regularly keeping it sprayed with oil, until it can be repaired. Other than that, even the frame is still black. I keep it clean and dry, so hopefully it will continue to hold up well.
@@OldCarAlley They've come leaps and bounds since the first LED sets came out, those were awful. At least color temperature is getting more accurate. That was my major complaint about LED Christmas lights. If manufacturers would 100% eliminate the flicker, that would be a game changer. I simply had to find a balance between the amount of strands I use vs energy use. I was getting the house wiring quite warm when it was still 100% incandescent.
@@dynatrak My electric bill for December is my highest of the year, even higher than the hottest months of summer running the A/C. My December bill is often $200+. To me its worth it for the enjoyment I get from the vintage lights.
I've taken some of those sockets apart and put new contacts or sockets on red and green wire strings.
Yeah I do the same. I just have so much wiring thats in like new condition, so I don't always repair set, just using better sets to replace the not so good wiring.
Love....love those C9s !!!! Thanks very much Howard !!! Q. How Are YOU Feeling these days, Howard ...you look way Healthy !
I'm feeling really good, but it looks like I may need to start radiation treatments soon.
@@OldCarAlley ...Sorry to hear ! Consider a 2nd opinion with New group of docs? ... but with today's radiation techniques should give the benefit With few side effects ... Still praying for you, Howard !!!
@@kkkkkkatherine Yes I have seen other doctors, and have got the exact response from all of them. Once my PSA hits 0.1 they're going to start radiation treatments. My PSA has gone up 0.01 points per month since surgery, so I suspect by November it will be 0.1. It started at 0.04 after surgery.
Thanks for the video Howard. 20 minutes about the old Christmas lights was a bit much for me to take. BTW, that's a 1976 Electra, not a 1978.
Yes.... Don't know what I was thinking when typing out the title and description..... I did correct it. Thank you.
A lot of us vintage christmas junkies love the christmas lights and deco videos, sorry if it's not your thing 😅