56 Super

[JohnD1956]

Finally buckled down and polished my 56 today. I haven't done this completely for about two years now. Anyway, just wanted to add it to our library.



The car has been running very well lately. I still have a slight hesitation off the line, but it is intermittent. I know I need new plug wires and that will be the next step.



Anyway, the more I drive it, the more I like it. Sorry to see summer end so soon.

[shadetree77]

She's looking great John! Drive her while you still can. It gets cooler here every night. Winter is coming!

[Buicknutty]

Looking good, John. That's such a nice car, and as mine is almost the same, what else could I say!
Keith

[buick5563]

Sweet!

[Rob McDonald]

Oddly, I'm a sucker for pale yellow cars. Very fine.

Don't be giving up on summer just yet - we haven't even had our first frost up here.

[JohnD1956]

Don't be giving up on summer just yet - we haven't even had our first frost up here.

You're absolutely right Rob. Took it to another cruise last night and parked next to Ed's 54 Roadmaster. We were remaring how odd that Buick kept this same body for three years, because the changes were so significant that it appears they needed mostly new body dies, thus, how much of a savings could therte have possibly been?

[jackofalltrades70]

John, glad you are getting out and enjoying the 56. I envy all of you guys and gals that have cars that you can hop in and drive.....Winter will hopefully be catchup time for the 47 and I. Matt

[Buicknutty]

Nice pictures, John, keep driving it as long as you can into the fall.
Keith

[JohnD1956]

Thats pretty much my plan Keith. I am still amazed that you drove your 56 to California. I would love to get this car around to some more distant meets.

[buick5563]

Just do it Johnnie!!!

[First Born]

Just do it Johnnie!!!

Couldn't agree more! My '50 made it to Concord and back, 2000 miles. Yours should do it as well. Jump in and get your feet wet.

Ben

[JohnD1956]

Couldn't agree more! My '50 made it to Concord and back, 2000 miles. Yours should do it as well. Jump in and get your feet wet.

Ben

Thanks guys but I have had this car to Flint in 75, Sandusky in 81, and back to Flint in 03. The last Flint trip resulted in a layover at Guy Bennett Buick in Wayland NY for a week. Since then I have been chasing several issues. I guess I'm just a bit older now and it's easier to remember the inconveniences of the last trip. rather than the first two. I would only take this car on another long trip when I get a few more issues addressed. But till then I can certainly drive it around town and am doing it as much as possible.

[smithbrother]

What are those issues?

Dale in Indy

[JohnD1956]

What are those issues?

Dale in Indy

The two main issues are: it needs the core plugs replaced and I am not interested in pulling the motor to get at them easily, plus, I have economy tires on it that are 7 years old. They seem to be in good shape but when I pulled the wire wheels off in 2006, I had the tubes installed on my steel wheels in anticipation of returning to the wire wheels. I am not confident that the tubes will hold up on a long trip where the tires are liable to get much hotter than just some around town driving.

It also has little to no padding left in the drivers seat, and it has an intermittent click when warm and rolling to a slow stop. I was also having a problem keeping outer front wheel bearings in the passengers side. I think I have that resolved but I'm not going to know till I'm ready to put it up for this winter. That way if I pull the drum and I have another broken bearing l won't have this girl blocking up my garage or driveway. I am hoping that this is not the click because the only thing left to do up there is to replace the spindle. I really do not have the tools for that task.

I also want to replace my plug wires, and the wires to and inside the distributor. They have gotten stiff and I question their integrity. I want to see if this addresses the intermittent hesitation issue.

I know, it's a lot of little things. It would be one thing if that were my only car with issues, but trying to use and maintain 3 of em at once causes it's own set of issues.

[1957buickjim]

John..looking good!!!!!..Come on man, if I can drive Old Bessie to Concord, you can surely drive that Buick Beauty to South Bend this next year! Shoot, my house is on the way to there (if you go through Canadia That's for you Rob!) through Detroit. You can stop here and let her rest if you want to! She really looks good. I understand completely on those silly intermittent, hard to solve problems. Old Bessie has had her fair share of them, that is for sure! But at least you are driving the old girl, and they like the cool weather! Enjoy it now while you can, before the snow hits the ground and she is up for the winter.