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Replaced the front muffler clamp on my catalytic converter with a stainless steel band clamp. I noticed a bit of movement in the joint when I was replacing the rubber o-ring hangers at the rear. I would replace the rear clamp too but the joint is too short.🤨 Went junking’ with Dave’s 89 today to find a replacement driver’s seat belt latch. In looking through compatible vehicles, Riv’s and Reattas, I found many that had a failed latch on the drivers side. It looks like a pattern to indicate they have a finite life span. All passengers side worked fine. Telling tales but Dave was after a very nice seat when we discovered a low mile 89 Riviera. After looking it over, I think he decided other stuff too good to pass up👍

So far, everything is running as it should. I am hoping to get through one complete tank of fuel so I can get an actual mileage estimate. The weather has turned sour for the present with some low temperatures flirting with the thirties, high wind and rain. Power delivery has a different feel for sure. It is more immediate, which is pretty satisfying, although it lacks the feeling of power building as the boost reinforces itself. There is no doubt the turbocharger has the greater power potential, which is easy to see by observing the boost level. It isn't really a fair comparison there though as the two systems have different parasitic losses. The positives outweigh the negatives in my mind. The s/c is slaved directly to the engine so tuning is more straightforward, plus there are factory tunes available and everything is essentially bolt on. A little custom adaptation, but nothing very high tech. Given the constraints of the engine bay, which looks roomy but isn't where it counts, there is no doubt in my mind that the s/c is the best for making a nice cruiser. Given a more modern engine with variable valve timing, a more powerful computer and other modern aids, the turbocharger works extremely well as part of the whole engine package. Durability is probably a coin flip. A turbocharger is a very simple device and is easily capable of 100k miles or more as long as cared for properly. Over the road trucks are turbocharged, not supercharged, and the technology is the same. More moving parts inside and outside a supercharger.