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1948 Buick adventure


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.....Does anyone have a pair of moldings for the center of the fender skirts? Both of these are side-swiped and put back on with screws.....

Ever wonder where the saying of "parking by ear" originated?

Anxiously waiting for a You Tube video showing us how you parallel parked this boat (first attempt) in downtown Leonard, Texas. The previous owner probably never used Reverse, judging by the condition of the rear bumper.

Kool ride to say the least. :cool:

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

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...The original upholstery is underneath the seat covers...

The upholstery in my 49 Super was covered with period seat covers (much like yours) which still had manufacturing tags dated 1954. The original broadcloth fabric on on my 49 upholstery matches what is exposed on your rear seat arm rest. LeBaron Bonney has the exact matching fabric, if you get around to wanting to do some re-upholstery work. Great looking car, Pete.

Dan

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I cleaned up the trunk and look at the decal that is still in place on the base of the bumper jack...

That chain-link fabric pattern is identical to the original fabric that was in my 49 Super. Again, LeBaron Bonney has this exact fabric pattern if you ever want to do the trunk. It looks pretty darn good as it is now.

Dan

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Guest Rob McDonald

So, have you peeked under the seat covers yet? Were they put on to cover the worn-out original upholstery or to protect it when it was new? I've always wondered why folks used to install seat covers in a brand new car. Who were they saving it for? Maybe now I know. They were saving it for you, Pete.

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Fabulous find, Pete. The colour looks very similar to the Royal Maroon on my '41 Roadmaster.

About seat covers. My grandfather bought a '56 Roadmaster new and had clear plastic seat covers installed right after he bought it. By the late sixties the front seat cover had broken in the drivers seat position, but the rest was absolutely perfect, especially the back seat. Not the most comfortable covers though, hot in the summer, cold in the winter.

So maybe your '48 will be perfect under those covers!

Keith

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Guest wildcat465

I just received my "Porthole" (Gopher State Chapter newsletter). There is this car on the cover.

Thank you Pete for sending this to Marge and sharing with our members.

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I put four new 7.60 by 15 wide whitewalls on it this week; put the original US Royal spare back in the trunk, rebuilt the wheel cylinders and master cylinder, removed the gas tank, which has about 10 gallons of nice, red, shellac (instant migraine headache from the fumes). What does one do with 10 gallons of awful gas?? Suggestions? The county government provides a hazardous waste drop-off service for about one afternoon once a year, and last month was it. I'll have to get a photo of the car with its new "feet"--starting to look nice now.

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With four new "feet" and the original spare in the trunk.

Many thanks to Mike "48 Super" Lawson for the excellent fender skirt molding in the second photo. Still need one for the other side, if anyone has a spare.

"Buick5563" will recognize what's sitting in front of the '48.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

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Edited by Pete Phillips (see edit history)
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I'm a relatively new member. Joined to keep up with Jackofalltrade's convertible. Now I find this thread! Wow between the two I'm thinking I'd better start finishing my TR6 and get busy with my '47 "56C" and "56S' projects. The sedanette is good but not as nice as this one. I've been getting a few odds and ends over the year. The power window switches were a 8 year wait. Those pics of the sedanette are really appreciated as inspiration, thanks

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  • 4 weeks later...

Finally, FINALLY got the engine started this week. And no, it didn't start on the first try, nor on the third nor on the 10th! It would fire once, and then not at all, no matter what I did. Replaced the points, condenser, spark plugs, and still no start. Checked the firing order, cleaned the distributor cap, re-gapped the points, tried starting fluid, tried choking the carb with the top of my hand, tried it with no choke, nothing would get it to run. Problem seemed to be a weak spark at the points. I got a good strong spark the first time the points opened, and then little or no spark after that. Finally decided to swap out the coil with one from a running car (a bed-fast, 87-year-old friend in Bonham suggested that), and that did it. Car started up and ran, idled properly, shows 30 lbs. of oil pressure at idle, and engine sounds good--no lifter noise to speak of and virtually no smoke out the exhaust. Have been running it off of a gas can. Gas tank is almost ready to go back on the car. I may be nuts, but I'm going to try to drive the car to our next North Texas Chapter meeting/car show at a Buick dealership in Garland--about 65 miles from here. Wish me luck! Pete

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I wish you LUCK.....

I'm sure you will be fine.

Dale in Indy

P.S. When I was ready to fire up my 41 Limited, with computer motor, well, it wouldn't fire. I played with it, and thought and thought, then our son a microsoft manager said while you play with it, I will change the chip to the performance one you purchased. Well 15 minutes or so later he said, DAD, there isn't a chip in the computer.......When I order the wire harness with the computer they sold me the new chip, well they kept the original. it fired right up.

Edited by smithbrother (see edit history)
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  • 2 weeks later...

Ben, The chapter meeting is Saturday, starts early at 10 a.m. at Buick dealership in Garland and goes through lunch; meeting afterwards. A real milestone today: Took the '48 Buick out on the road for the first time since 1971! Ran and drove beautifully, radiator didn't get hot even though it was 95 degrees in the shade, but the clutch is weak and will need replacement soon. I drove it to the local gas station, filled it up, drove it across some railroad tracks, and was astounded at how tight and solid it is--not a rattle nor a squeak ANYWHERE in this 67-year-old Buick! After about 10-15 minutes of driving, it suddenly started to miss at idle and continued to have a miss until I got it back to the garage. What could that be? Points, plugs, condenser are all new; fuel filter is new, gas tank has been cleaned out, fuel line cleaned out. Carburetor, perhaps? Car starts right up and has good power. Climbed a hill in third gear between 20 and 30 mph, just like a champ! Love those old long-stroke straight eights. This car will be at the chapter meeting this Saturday, by hook or by crook! Pete Phillips

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Guest shadetree77

Mild vapor lock? Did you put corn gas in there? If the carb. hasn't been rebuilt there's a good chance it would be problematic.

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Robert, "Mild vapor lock" makes some sense--that could very well be, given the 100-degree temperatures here lately. Now, today comes the next problem. No charge on the amps gauge, in fact it is a big discharge when I turn on the lights, and zero otherwise. Was charging just fine last week. My helper hooked up the battery backwards a couple of days ago, so I suspected a ruined voltage regulator. Took a good regulator off of my '49 Super, polarized it, and no change. If I jump past the regulator, I still get no charge. Took the generator to a repair shop for a check, and it is putting out just fine. Looks like the '48 is not going to make its long-awaited debut tomorrow morning at the N. Texas Chapter meeting. Color me disappointed.

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