1949 Buick Super 4dr restoration project

[Amanda p]

Thank you Dan for the quick response, yes it is a 1949 Buick super 8, will post pictures after we get it cleaned up.(has been sitting in junk yard for years and has many parts missing). We live in Ontario, Canada so getting pieces won't be that easy, but will find a way. Right now if you had pictures inside engine compartment that would be a help so I would know what all is gone.
Thank you
Amanda p
Here is e-mail address
mctessfamily@aol.com

[49_buick_super]

Thank you Dan for the quick response, yes it is a 1949 Buick super 8, will post pictures after we get it cleaned up.(has been sitting in junk yard for years and has many parts missing). We live in Ontario, Canada so getting pieces won't be that easy, but will find a way. Right now if you had pictures inside engine compartment that would be a help so I would know what all is gone.

Amanda -

Congratulations on your "new" Buick. Start a new thread for your car and post some pictures. Please also consider joining the BCA. Lots of good folks with Buicks and good advice. I sent a couple of photos to your email address. Let me know what else you need.

Dan

[49_buick_super]

CHROME, GLASS AND WEATHER SEALS

Kind of a Buick day today. I drove to Tucson and picked up my tail light bezels, parking light/turn signal housings, and the upper grill bar from Royal Plating. I couldn't be more pleased with the quality of their work. I dropped off the rear license plate frame for plating.

When I got home I was inundated with deliveries. I received the placement front windshield glass from Sanders Reproduction Auto Glass. I compared the new pieces with the originals and the reproduction pieces are spot-on. All the door glass and vent window glass pieces are coming from Sanders, too. They are a little behind because they are etching the glass bugs.

I replaced the front windshield because the original glass had been scratched pretty good over the years by bad wipers. The rear glass is in good shape, though, but the seal is very hard after all these years so it gets replaced.

I also had ordered the complete whole-car weatherstripping and seal kit from Kanter and it arrived today. Every piece in the kit is manufactured by Steele and it was sent directly to me from Steele with Kanter as the ordering agent. I've been comparing the packing list to the shipped pieces and it has occurred to me that I have not seen seals for the rear wheel skirts. I don't see them on the packing list. If anyone out there has any ideas of what can be used to replace the OEM skirt seals, please let me know. The OEM skirt seals had a wire backing with hooks that attached it to the car.

Dan

PS: If you do order a whole-car kit, be sure to check the parts against the packing list. I'm short one unit. There are quite a few pieces in these kits.

[JohnD1956]

That exhaust manifold is very nice! I also like the other parts you are restoring. This is gonna be a SUPER Super when you are done. Love it!

[49_buick_super]

Thanks, John! I'm having lots of fun doing this not to mention the satisfaction of looting my kid's inheritance.

I am set to visit the restoration shop on the 27th to get a look at the progress.

Dan

That exhaust manifold is very nice! I also like the other parts you are restoring. This is gonna be a SUPER Super when you are done. Love it!

[49_buick_super]

I went to the restoration shop today to have a look at the car and see the progress. The front fenders are off; dashboard and firewall have been completely stripped; engine and transmission are out; driveline and rear axle are separated from the car; the body is unbolted from the frame and is waiting to be sent to the media blasting shop. The engine has been disassembled. Parts are being ordered for the rebuild and other than one slightly bent push rod, nothing wrong was found with the engine that would prevent a good rebuild. The transmission is out to a good Dynaflow shop for rebuild.

Time and patience now. In the mean time, I'm occupying myself with the stainless trim and restoring other parts of the car, making them ready for installation as soon as we get the car back from the shop. One of those projects is restoration of the original radio. I feel fairly comfortable in that area as I've been an amateur radio operator since I was a kid in high school.

Dan

[JohnD1956]

Has to be heartbreaking to see it like this. I guess you gotta start somewhere, but when it's nothing but a shell, it still gotta hurt!

[49_buick_super]

Has to be heartbreaking to see it like this. I guess you gotta start somewhere, but when it's nothing but a shell, it still gotta hurt!

John,

Standing there looking at it, I had a big smile on my face because the work is getting done but I also felt a bit misty-eyed. We drove this car and had lots of fun in it. You couldn't be more right.

Dan

[49_buick_super]

It's been a while since I've posted but there hasn't been a lot of work done on the car. The shop has been busy with a couple of projects that were in ahead of me. But work is happening. The body is at the media blasters and the frame has been disassembled and ready to start work. I was originally just going to have it pressure washed, scraped and painted but decided today to go ahead and have it media blasted and painted. Scheduled to go back and look at work progress in two weeks. I'm fairly certain that I have climbed to near the top of the work list now. A few pictures are attached from today.

Dan

[49_buick_super]

Progress. The media blasting of the frame and body with primer coats is complete. The 48 Cadillac setting next to my frame leaves you speechless.

Dan

[smithbrother]

Is the shop going to assemble completely, or are they just doing the body/frame work?

Looking SO NICE....

Dale in Indy

[49_buick_super]

Is the shop going to assemble completely, or are they just doing the body/frame work?

Looking SO NICE....

Dale in Indy

Dale,

I'm having the shop put it all back together except for the upholstery. My wife and I did the upholstery and it is ready to go into the car as soon as we get it back. Engine and transmission have been completely rebuilt and awaiting installation. All the suspension parts are here, except that the knee action shocks have yet to be rebuilt. Chrome and stainless - check, ready to install. All the wiring and weather seals are also here, ready to go. We are very much looking forward to the day when we get her back.

Dan

[JohnD1956]

That looks so good!

[Rob McDonald]

The 48 Cadillac setting next to my frame leaves you speechless

I don't know about that; I could make a speech about those hokey wheels.

Your Buick's "body in white" looks terrific. Funny, in such a stripped-down state, it looks like a Jaguar Mark 2, although probably scaled up about 30%.

[49_buick_super]

Paint - this is what I saw today. Not much more to be said. I am very pleased with the color match. Next two weeks should see the suspension back on the frame, on wheels. Restored gauges are back and ready. Tires should be here first of next week. This old gal is coming back together.

[Rob McDonald]

Paint - it's gorgeous. Love the colour.

[Iury Melo]

Hi

congratulations for your work.
i've bought recently a 1949 super buick, and starting now the long and hard way to try to restore it.
As i live in Brazil, parts and services are much harder to find, including reproduçtions like the perfects ones you've showed or even manuals to guide through repais

would be great if possoble to share some of your photos and experience to make my work less harder

thanks for the attention.

[49_buick_super]

"...would be great if possoble to share some of your photos and experience to make my work less harder..."

My email address is 49buick at gmail dot com. Let me know what I can help you with.

Dan

[49_buick_super]

Paint preparation work on the hood, front and rear fenders, and rear wheel skirts. The shelves in the background hold other parts ready for paint such as the reveal and window mouldings, dash, glove box door, and ash tray. The wheels are being media blasted and will be painted the same color as the car. I am fairly certain that was correct for this car when it came from the factory.

Dan

[JohnD1956]

That color is very nice! What a great car!

[Rob McDonald]

DAN, you appear to be working in a spacious fabric shelter that's semi-open to the Arizona breezes. I am soooo jealous.

[49_buick_super]

DAN, you appear to be working in a spacious fabric shelter that's semi-open to the Arizona breezes. I am soooo jealous.

Rob, those Arizona breezes have just moved up over 100F (38C) during the afternoon but March and April were wonderful. The fabric shelter is on the north side of the facility where I'm having this work done. I wish I had that paint booth at my house!

Dan

[Rob McDonald]

over 100F (38C)

One hundred degrees. Ouch. I totally take that back.

[buick5563]

Yep,
They beat us this year.

[smithbrother]

Easy to make spray booth, and with new guns, little over spray, so consider such.

I wish you well,

Dale in Indy