53 super resto in Ireland!

Hi folks. First post though been learning a little while watching for a while. Bought this beauty for my dad as a birthday/retirement present. He had a 53 back in the day in Zambia, Africa but wrecked it! He has never stopped speaking about it so seemed a perfect choice. It did take me a long time to find an unmolested example though!! She finally turned up in the UK of all places having been imported from a collection (by way of divorce settlement!!) from Virginia though spent the previous 57 years in its native Nebraska. Condition is good though a poor re-spray will be rectified as well as the usual seals and bushes and gaskets and window rubbers and ...........! She runs sweet as a nut but will get the regular rebuilds-carb, fuel and vacuum pump etc.. Feel free to offer advice and comment as I have usual thick Irish skin! 

Ps we also need to source the proper seat back/surround as someone has put a nice leatherette cover on but dispensed with the original style

Sorry for posting in the wrong place mods! As I say only learned a little so far while watching.... Anto

Welcome Munsterbuick,

Tell us more about yourself and Dad in the....... http://forums.aaca.org/showthread.php?t=290500 for Introducing yourself. Nice car. TexasJohn

Ohooooo! That is a nice Super. Welcome to this Forum, and good luck to you and Dad with this car. However I would like to make a comment: I always wonder why, if the car runs good, folks would want to perform the "usual" rebuilds. I say use it as is and fix it as you go along. If it is already running good obviously the parts are functioning.

Thanks for the welcome guys. My dad isn't in the best of health so I wanted to do some thing kinda special or SUPER... for him hence the Buick. He was a diesel mechanic specialising in heavy goods and especially 4x4, mostly land rover series vehicles. I served my time as a diesel mechanic under him from a young age and then onto the national bus company here. This is a past life though and only get my hands dirty for special vehicles nowadays!!

Ohooooo! That is a nice Super. Welcome to this Forum, and good luck to you and Dad with this car. However I would like to make a comment: I always wonder why, if the car runs good, folks would want to perform the "usual" rebuilds. I say use it as is and fix it as you go along. If it is already running good obviously the parts are functioning.

JohnD1956, I'm guessing you have never seen Irish roads and weather;) the dampness doesn't really suit the reasonably perished diaphragms and gaskets and the "Tarmac or blacktop" is rather badly holed on anything but main routes so worn links and leaking seals don't really like being punished much! Don't worry, she will not be destroyed with newness but rather will be a nicely kept survivor.

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JohnD1956, I'm guessing you have never seen Irish roads and weather;) the dampness doesn't really suit the reasonably perished diaphragms and gaskets and the "Tarmac or blacktop" is rather badly holed on anything but main routes so worn links and leaking seals don't really like being punished much! Don't worry, she will not be destroyed with newness but rather will be a nicely kept survivor.

You are correct, I have never been to Ireland. I was just thinking that sometimes, rebuilding one part leads to refurbishing another, and another, and etc. All of a sudden the car is torn apart and un-useable for several years. While this may be the course to take on a car that does not already run, it seems a shame to take a car that runs reasonably well and then spend time rebuilding that which is already working reasonably well. Maybe the thought process is that it can be made better? But what is the definition of better? Comparing a 50's car to todays refined mechanical marvels may lead one to think the 50's car should be better. But that may not be a fair comparrison. And some may find time spent with the car "down" for rebuilding a part, is time wasted as the old car really was running as designed to begin with.

JohnD you are indeed making a very sensible point. I can assure you that I don't want to get to a point where the car takes up more shelf space than floor space! Having rebuilt many old land rovers over the years we have seen the proverbial snow ball effect as well as the finished product which makes it worth while. That said, the last thing I want is to produce a show quality finish to bodywork etc and for something to fail that could have been rectified while the heavy work was going on. As we tell the kids coming up to Christmas....make a list and stick to it!

Yes, you make very valid points as well. Obviously you are an experienced restorer, so I would defer to your expertise in determining the proper plan of action. Good luck and happy Buick-times for you and your Dad.

Welcome, and congrats on the swell car! Have you ever worked on an American car? The reason I ask is if you're not familiar with them, it can be a bit of a learning curve... I've worked on a handful of European cars, and EVERY-TIME, I find myself flummoxed, "Why the 'bleep' would they do that... it doesn't make sense... okay, I get it now, but geez..." Fiats seemed to be the worst of the bunch... So I see it as a reversal of what I've gone through... You'll find once you figure out the way "WE" think, automotive-wise, you can fix these things with a hammer, screw-driver, bailing wire and chewing gum!

Jaybird

NikeAjax,

hah hah. We used to refer to Fiats as Fix It Again Tomorrow! lol especially with the hammer or persuader as it's called.

my dad has plenty of memories with the American vehicles from his younger years in Zambia as he only came here with my mother in '79. His brain and my brawn should help us muddle through and other than that, I am relying on you guys!

I'd also like to add my "welcome" to the forum. It's a nice looking car. I had a '53 Roadmaster about 35 years ago, and looking through the pictures of yours brings back memories of mine.

Keep us posted!

Keith

Thanks Keith. Hoping the get cracking in next couple of weeks once I sort the workshop out.

Anthony

Great looking Buick !! Looking forward to watching your progress