1955 - Correct Steering System Color

Thought I would put this question under a new post.

What is the correct finish and color of the Saginaw power steering pump and pulley in a 55? I've seen satin, and gloss black, and the pulleys sometimes are silver or black. Were the raised letters on the pump highlighted in white or not? How about the steering gear - natural cast iron or painted?

thanks

My shop manual shows the top black, with the pully green. It also shows the letters on the top white.----but mine are raised and when I got the car 35 years ago and nothing had ever been done to the engine they were not white. You can buy white decals to put on the top----but they won't work on the raised letters unless you cut out each one individualy and stick in the right place,which is virtually impossible. I have seen a '54 Cad with a FLAT top with the decals on them. I have mine black with the letters black---and it works--because I got a 3rd at the Buick Natonals in 1979 and a 3rd in the Southeasten AACA Nationals in Birmingham in 2004. And I have got chrome valve covers, oil filler and vent caps,and spark plug covers. BUT THAT IS ANOTHER STORY.

Ken

Pump is black, bracket is engine color (green) and the pulley is plated...I used zinc on some of mine, others I painted silver/gray. The top has no white on the letters.

Willie

Thanks guys - is the black supposed to be satin or gloss? The rebuilder is pretty sure its gloss, although I'm leaning toward the satin and save the gloss for the air cleaner. THe gear I think I'm going to leave natural cast - when I cleaned it up all I saw was a splosh of green paint on the backside and no clack paint anywhere else.

AWBE - would you happen to have a picture of the engine with the chrome parts on it you could share - I remeber reading parts of the "story" in a post a while ago. Are the plug covers chrome also? Do you have the early or late model breather set up? Mine is the early with the oil filler in the valley pan, although I have acquired some upgrade parts if I get the urge to go to the late 55 setup some day. Have bigger fish to fry right now!

Mine have a filler cap in each cover and none in the center. The plug covers are plated also. In some of the sales brochures these are shown plated and on the cover of the shop manual you can discern that the cover on that car (which is a 70 Series) is plated. Plating is shown in an illustration in the definitive book on Buick . Mine is entitled "70 Years of Buicks". I bought my car from the original owner who was an elderly widow---I am positive she didn't have them plated. The research I have done says that on 76C and 76R Late 55 Models (mine is that--with TWO filler caps) it was an optional item to have the plating. There was a big broohaha about it several years ago on this forum and I checked with the tech advisor at that time and he said I was correct.(These was also some "Wahooing" beacuse my pull-out switches have white cicles in the indentation around the black switches. I think this is dependent on where the car was completed.) Also---in 1979 at the BCA Nationals in Minn.,Mn. I got a 3rd and at the 2004 AACA Southeastern Nationals in B'ham, Al. I got a 3rd. In meets like that you don't get 3rds if your car is incorrect. If you'll go to the "Collectible Auto Photo Post" (above left) and check some of the first Buick photos there are some pictures of mine. Also, if you have access to a May 1980 "Buick Bugle", my 55-76R is the featured car with pictures of it on the front and rear covers with a 3 page article about it with 4 photos. I have never seen another 55-76R with Plated valve and plug covers-----but also I have never seen another 55-76R PERIOD. (And this includes at the '79 BCA Nationals.) Anyhow---the covers really set the engine compartment off--and no matter how many people say "Incorrect" I know they are correct and it will be a cold day in Key West before I paint over them. I've got a lot of data and spare "goodies" and if I may help you let me know.