My ol' Buick Super Sedanette

Hi,

This is my Buick Super Sedanette built in 1949. I bought it last year in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and had it shipped to the Netherlands. Every Sunday I am in my workshop, taking the car apart, peace by peace and removing the tectyl and bitumen. The chassis is ready but there is still a lot of work to do. Next year me and my boyfriend go the the US again. We will travel from Albuquerque to LA, searching for parts (for my Buick and my friend's 1952 Ford F1 pickup).

Ina

Ina,

Congratulations. That will be a great car when you get it done. You certainly found the place to get answers to any questions you have as well - there is a lot of collective knowledge and even some wisdom to be found here.

Ina,

Welcome. As Derek says, you have come to the right place. It looks like you have a lot of work ahead of you but from the tone of your message, you are not afraid to tackle the task at hand.

Keep taking pictures so you can look back at all of your work and that way you can keep us informed of your progress.

Good luck and again, WELCOME.

Stevo

Ina, this is really something. Is anyone else noticing the number of women in Europe who are buying old American iron and doing the work to fix it up? Lets see, Laurynas, Dyna and now Ina too.

Welcome to the forum... Best of luck with the 49. It is an awesome car and will be great when finished.

JD

Thanks a lot for your warm welcome. I am keeping a restoration log on: http://meulmani.hyves.nl/album/16153822/Buick_Super_Sedanette_1949/o4zp

Yes, and tomorrow it's Buick Day again! The interior is clean. My boyfriend will make a frame with a "hoop" at each side. "Sedanetty" will be attached to the frame so I can easily turn her around to clean the bottom without aching my back and getting dirt in my face.

Ina

Another welcome Ina.

IMO you have chosen a classic Buick on which to spend your time and money. The 49's and especially the Sedanette were sorta the end of the art deco styling and the long low bodies. One of my fav features are the rear tailights and the trim on the front fender. The dash also has the art deco stying and will be beautiful fully restored.

I see from your blog pictures you have lost no time in getting her off the chassis and have a good start at a frame off.

So what are your plans for the restore. Original-custom-hot rod-other.

Look forward to seeing it and its progress, whatever it is.

I will try to make the car look as if it just left the factory, in other words: original. I saw a picture of a '49 Sedanette in perfect shape and I NEEDED to have one. I know it will cost a lot of sweat and money to make mine look like the one in the picture but I look at pictures of fully restored cars to keep me motivated.

I bought a sandblaster. I am looking forward to using it. Then I will know which spots need new metal.

I am considering converting the brakes and steering for safety reasons but I am not sure. It is weighing safety and comfort against originality.

What is your opinion ?

I am really glad to hear that. I love original or restored to original Buicks. Have no problem with other peoples drivers, customs and hot rods but for me it's original. Sounds like you have fallen in love with the 49 Sedanette model just as I have fallen for the 54 Roadmaster.

Re going back original with the brakes and steering. Only if I were going to drive it a lot like almost daily would I consider altering the originals. Especially if the rest of the car is restored to original specs.

Cool Ina,

We (I'm) are in London so not to far away. Looks like you have a lot to do. But it will be a beauty, as MrEarl says it's a very nice model. Did you hotdip or hot spray the Zinc, when you did the frame (Hubby is asking) ?

Cheers Dyna

Steering can be a bit of a bear, but that is why they have such large steering wheels...to give you a bit more rotational torque.

As for brakes, I find my '41 stops well enough for me on the original drums. Then again, I haven't yet taken it on the highway. The brakes really depend on the way you drive, where you drive, and the nature of the roads you drive. To put it one way, after you spend time, money, sweat, and probably some blood on getting this car back to original condition, do you really want to over-drive the brakes that you have? I'm sure we all drive our vintage cars somewhat more cautiously than our daily drivers (provided the vintage car isn't your daily driver). It is a personal decision. Collisions can occur, regardless of how good your brakes are (e.g. someone running a red light or stop sign).

If it was up to me, if your intent is to go original, I would keep everything original. If you want to go racing, there are Buicks for that, but they generally don't have Dynaflows

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thriller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If it was up to me, if your intent is to go original, I would keep everything original. If you want to go racing, there are Buicks for that, but they generally don't have Dynaflows

</div></div>

now those are words worth quoting.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MrEarl</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thriller</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If it was up to me, if your intent is to go original, I would keep everything original. If you want to go racing, there are Buicks for that, but they generally don't have Dynaflows

</div></div>

now those are words worth quoting..... </div></div>

Aw shucks...'tweren't nuthin'

Thanks for the late night chuckle Lamar.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dyna</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cool Ina,

We (I'm) are in London so not to far away. Looks like you have a lot to do. But it will be a beauty, as MrEarl says it's a very nice model. Did you hotdip or hot spray the Zinc, when you did the frame (Hubby is asking) ?

Cheers Dyna

</div></div>

After removing paint, tectyl, pieces of asphalt and other dirt I brought the frame to a nearby company which gave the frame a hotdip zinc coating. I did not need to remove rust because the coating company put the frame in a phosphorus bath. I recommend the zinc hotdip to anyone having a classic car in Western Europe and other moist regions. The best compliment I got was a question from a colleague of mine: "Do they still make these frames?"

All the best,

Ina

Great Project.

I have the exact car. I drive it often, and as far as the brakes and steering are concerned I would leave them original. The Super Sedanette is the lightest of all the Supers made for 1949, and the brakes are the same as those on the larger wagon, 4-door, and convertible. Our car keeps up with traffic, and has great highway performance for an old dynaflow and just 120 hp. I've had up to 90 mph with no shimmy or shake, and ir was still accelerating before I backed down. I would have liked to take it above 100, but not on bias ply white walls. The drums brakes work well, and this is coming from someone who has vintage raced a Porsche 911 Carrera RS. If you have any technical questions, or need to verify something from an original car please contact me. My '49 is a 32,000 mile survivor with new paint, tires, battery, exhaust. Good luck with the project...

ajdieli@hotmail.com

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tonys Buick</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

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Your car looks awesome! I hope my car will be as beautiful as yours.

Ina:

You have my favorite Buick. I never understood why Buick only made that Dashboard for one year only. I think it's beautiful!

Just a note on brakes: My '50 brakes (when they are properly set up) work great. I have always been amazed at how well they stop my car. Like Tony, having raced, I have an appreciation for being able to stop!

As far as steering, well your going to be best off keeping it stock. After the car gets rolling, it's fairly easy to steer. Parking is a pain though. I've been looking into this for some time and there would be a great deal of work to try to change over to some kind of power steering set up.

Just my opinion, but there are some cars that need to be stock. Now, I have plans to modify some cars, but the '49 Buick is one I would leave stock.

Happy New Year!

Gary

Hmm not seen anybody making old Buick frames, but on the other hand I'm not a big expert ...

Cheers Dyna

That looks like a good, solid car to start with. I, too, vote for leaving the brakes and steering as original equipment. Steering will be easier if you stick with original type bias-ply tires and do not change to steel-belted radial tires.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

1949 Super Estate Wagon

1950 Roadmaster 76-R

1963 Wildcat conv. 4-speed

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gary_N</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Ina:

You have my favorite Buick. I never understood why Buick only made that Dashboard for one year only. I think it's beautiful!

Just a note on brakes: My '50 brakes (when they are properly set up) work great. I have always been amazed at how well they stop my car. Like Tony, having raced, I have an appreciation for being able to stop!

As far as steering, well your going to be best off keeping it stock. After the car gets rolling, it's fairly easy to steer. Parking is a pain though. I've been looking into this for some time and there would be a great deal of work to try to change over to some kind of power steering set up.

Just my opinion, but there are some cars that need to be stock. Now, I have plans to modify some cars, but the '49 Buick is one I would leave stock.

Happy New Year!

Gary

</div></div>I have to agree with Gary, I was going to turn my Nifty Fifty in a Mod Rod, after driving it in stock form, I decided to leave it along and just enjoy it.

From one Dutchy to another, hallo Ina. It's nice to see a 1949 project under way in The Netherlands. How is the project coming along?

Cheers,

Reijer