Photo's of pre war buicks

Are there any good repositories of photo's for buick's from the 20's? I find them useful in figuring out how things are supposed to go together or where the previous owner has modified something.

For instance, gut feel the hand control lever for my distributor is missing something and not actually doing anything on the distributor but I haven't been able to find any detailed photo's of what it should look like for a 26.

If there isn't a good (consistent) source, would anyone be interested in starting one with me?

hidden_hunter,

The short answer is no.

I suggest the best option is for you to post a photo of your car's current set up and ask forum members for help.

They can then post photos of exactly what you need.

do you think it's something people might be interested in?

Sounds like a sizable project. Personally, I am getting too old for such an endeavor, but you might go for it. BCA members have access to Technical Advisors. Individually, they may have some collections, then too, so does the Bugle. But, I think any photo collection would need to be built on an "as needed" basis. The Buick Heritage Alliance also may have information on some years and models.

John

hidden hunter:

I know there is a 1925-25X RHD in Brisbane "Buick Downunder" also a 1927-25 RHD near your end of the earth. He has posted several times in the last several months. I will go thru old posts. I will try to contact Buick Downunder to see if he has any pictures of his linkage set up which should be similar.

Also thank you for the video. The condition of your car looks to much better than mine.

Best regards:

Larry

hidden hunter:

I know there is a 1925-25X RHD in Brisbane "Buick Downunder" also a 1927-25 RHD near your end of the earth. He has posted several times in the last several months. I will go thru old posts. I will try to contact Buick Downunder to see if he has any pictures of his linkage set up which should be similar.

Also thank you for the video. The condition of your car looks to much better than mine.

Best regards:

Larry

Thanks Larry our stinking hot weather is great for preserving old cars! It's actually amazing how much of it is original compared to a lot of the other cars that are around

I might have a look at some options to see if we can get a central repository going easily, it's even interesting to see some of the regional differences between cars and years and going through forum posts can be difficult

hidden hunter

Join the Buick car club in Victoria. In 2011 there were six standard and master Buicks in the club and there were twenty one 1927,s. The set up for the controls are pretty much the some for both the standard and master and the 1926, 1927, and I think 1928 are the same. All told there are about seventy 26 and 27 Buicks around Australia. Look in Buick Club Victoria and there are contact details of the committee members. There is sure to be a car near you. Go and take lots of photo,s. I have a 25-55, but the 24 and 25 are different to the later cars.

Rod

hidden hunter

Join the Buick car club in Victoria. In 2011 there were six standard and master Buicks in the club and there were twenty one 1927,s. The set up for the controls are pretty much the some for both the standard and master and the 1926, 1927, and I think 1928 are the same. All told there are about seventy 26 and 27 Buicks around Australia. Look in Buick Club Victoria and there are contact details of the committee members. There is sure to be a car near you. Go and take lots of photo,s.

Rod

In the process of joining, waiting for a response back Just thought it might be a useful resource for people

Hidden hunter:

Send a PM to morerevsm3 to check on his 1927. I typed in the advanced search in the top right corner "1927 Buick Tourer" and found his original posts. Good story.

Larry

hidden hunter

Get a Shop Manual for the adjustment, repair and lubrication of Buick. It covers all models 114" 120" and 128" chassis. Its 108 pages and covers everything you need to know. You can get reproduction ones at swap meets and original ones on Ebay USA. Another one is the Motor Car Operation and Care, covering both Master and Standard six models. The book Seventy Years of Buick by George H Dammann covers all Buicks from 1903 to 1973. They also come up for sale in the US on Ebay. I am always refering to mine. Bendigo swap meet is the biggest swap meet in Aust. And I think Ballarat also has a big one.

hidden hunter

Get a Shop Manual for the adjustment, repair and lubrication of Buick. It covers all models 114" 120" and 128" chassis. Its 108 pages and covers everything you need to know. You can get reproduction ones at swap meets and original ones on Ebay USA. Another one is the Motor Car Operation and Care, covering both Master and Standard six models. The book Seventy Years of Buick by George H Dammann covers all Buicks from 1903 to 1973. They also come up for sale in the US on Ebay. I am always refering to mine. Bendigo swap meet is the biggest swap meet in Aust. And I think Ballarat also has a big one.

The shop manual was the first book I bought. I have the original motor car operation book but I really want to get a second so I don't damage the one that came with the car but I haven't seen any repro's of the GM Export manual

Hi Hidden Hunter

Larry tracked me down via email as I don't get on the forum as much as I should. My car has a very similar setup in RHD (Brisbane based) - It had been laid up since 1969 when I put it back on the road in 2011 and it needed a couple of things checking on the distributor among the thousand others.

Agree that the manuals and master parts books will help you a lot. I got an original set at Bendigo a few years back for not a lot of money.

You should make sure that the distributor retaining screw is not tightened up too firm and there should be a bush and spring (from memory) on the retaining screw that allows the distributor to roll when the level turns it. I can send pics if you need. Nothing is too tricky though. Regards Ben

Hi Hidden Hunter

Larry tracked me down via email as I don't get on the forum as much as I should. My car has a very similar setup in RHD (Brisbane based) - It had been laid up since 1969 when I put it back on the road in 2011 and it needed a couple of things checking on the distributor among the thousand others.

Agree that the manuals and master parts books will help you a lot. I got an original set at Bendigo a few years back for not a lot of money.

You should make sure that the distributor retaining screw is not tightened up too firm and there should be a bush and spring (from memory) on the retaining screw that allows the distributor to roll when the level turns it. I can send pics if you need. Nothing is too tricky though. Regards Ben

Thanks guys, great community here! If you had some photo's of the correct distributor setup that would be really handy so I can see how it compares to mine that would be great, I've also got some issues with my accelerator sticking down (as in there isn't much travel, not that the throttle is jammed open) which I suspect it unique to RHD cars.

We've only just got it running recently after it had (according to the previous owner) been sitting since 2010 but here's a video I made the other day of it

Hi,

have you tried googling "1920 buick," 1921 buick,' etc. Go to google.com and use those search terms. Click on "images" and you'll get a lot of pix, some of which may help you.

--Tom

hidden hunter.

You were saying your distributor/spark control lever on your stearing column isn,t working. Possibly the gears at the bottom of the gearbox are broken. They are made of pot metal and break very easily. I have broken a few trying to get ones off rusted shafts. Not soaking for long enough.

Here are some photo,s of the spark throttle control at the bottom of the steering box. Top one goes to distributor and bottom arm to accelerator This is off a 24 or 25 master. the 26 standard may look a little bit different. But it is basically the same.

Thanks for the photo's, they look in ok shape and aren't too chewed out (the smaller gear is cracked) but they all move the arms properly. It's just the arms don't appear to move anything on the distributor, I would have assumed that the distributor should have turned on the screw within the slot but basically the arm does nothing as far as I can tell.

That arm is also a massive pain to get on and off as well :/

It sounds like your distributor isn,t rotating, Thats probably why the gear is cracked from trying to force it. Remove the arm/rod going to the distributor. You should be able to turn/rotate the distributor by hand about 1/2" to 3/4". thats about 7-10 minutes if your thinking of a clock. This rotation is for your advance and retard. If your distributor won,t turn, there is an oil nipple to oil the shaft, or you may have to loosen the big nut at the bottom of the distributor to get it to turn. Don,t lift the distributor up as this could affect the timing if you don,t put it back in the same position. Keep moving the distributor till it turns freely. This is the way I time my 1925, which has combined starter generator at the back of the motor. The 1926 has the generator at the front of the motor, but I am shore the process of adjusting the distributor would be similar. Someone else chime in if I am wrong.

It sounds like your distributor isn,t rotating, Thats probably why the gear is cracked from trying to force it. Remove the arm/rod going to the distributor. You should be able to turn/rotate the distributor by hand about 1/2" to 3/4". thats about 7-10 minutes if your thinking of a clock. This rotation is for your advance and retard. If your distributor won,t turn, there is an oil nipple to oil the shaft, or you may have to loosen the big nut at the bottom of the distributor to get it to turn. Don,t lift the distributor up as this could affect the timing if you don,t put it back in the same position. Keep moving the distributor till it turns freely. This is the way I time my 1925, which has combined starter generator at the back of the motor. The 1926 has the generator at the front of the motor, but I am shore the process of adjusting the distributor would be similar. Someone else chime in if I am wrong.

The looks like it could be the problem, I've backed the screw right off and it's not budging at all. Is the oil nipple a standard zerk connector or something else?