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1951 76R Roadmaster project


Eric W

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The car did arrive. Nice to have finally found one more or less local. I think this one was about 60 miles up the road, maybe 70. The owner had to come to Tucson for the title, so he just brought the car as well! It was an original Tucson car - spent first 30 years or so around here. The guy I got it from bought it about 30 years ago and had it in Nogales, AZ (Mexican border). He's to the point where he couldn't see getting around to fixing this one up, and his preference is Lincolns, so this Buick needed to go.

Given my situation with the other cars, the plan is this will probably be on hold for a while...

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Congrat's Eric on your addition to the stable!

Man do I love those western desert cars! Yes they have dried out rubber and same issues with upholstery but seeing the solid straight metal brings tears to my rust belt eyes.

I was in a Pheonix wrecking yard way back and found a really nice complete rear bumper off a 58 Roadmaster 2 door that I should have just bought the whole car but.... being just over 2000 miles away was more than I could afford then.

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That same trip we went down to Nogales into the duty free part which was a real eye opener to this Canadian easterner!

Good luck with the Roady!

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Thanks for the encouragement, guys. After getting some dollies to get it moved over so all would fit, I was too tired to even start taking inventory. It's going to need a LOT. A big part of that will be "finishing off" the '55 so it can make its contribution to the '51's. The '55 was "on the road" when I got it. The '51's not so much. So that will eventually be 2 more back on the road...

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Guest BigDogDaddy

In the pic of the three cars in the garage, does the 51 on the left have a different grille ? It looks like a Merc grille. Or is it just the picture makes it look like that ?

I really like the 51 Roady, maybe because I have a 53 Roady, same model.

Phil

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The '51 on the left is the 41D. From looking at the specs in the shop manual, it's about 6" narrower overall. Both have the original parts, but I haven't looked at them close enough to figure how the width difference was accounted for between the two different body styles. First impression is a lot of the extra width on the 76R is in the outer fenders - so you don't really get much more between the doors or in the seat width.

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One negative of my car is that as it sits, it's a "restoration started" kind of project. As in, someone removed a bunch of parts, and they're no longer with the car. As such, I've found a couple of photos of the headliner in some cars-for-sale ads. The inside of the roof on this car reminds me almost of a convertible - maybe that's the look or style they were going for. Exposed headliner support strips, and the "dome" lights are one on either side with no wiring or anything in the middle of the roof. Even the package tray (behind the back seat, below the back window) is body-color solid painted metal.

Anyone have any photos of what the inside of the roof looks like? Photos of the lights on either side?

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  • 5 weeks later...

I said this was going to be a story about storage for a while. But I found some headlight buckets including bulbs & trim rings. When I got all that, I realized I needed the adjuster screws. I contacted the seller, and he sent them over too. So I got those put on. Also found lenses for the parking and reverse lights, but those are on eBay every day it seems. Made up some fake-e-holes for the fenders from some polished aluminum I had sitting around so the fenders wouldn't look so sad. Attached below is the design I plan to paint onto these so they look a little more like the real thing...

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Before headlights and parking lenses...

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After headlights and parking lenses... (yes, I got the hood kinda up, but the hinges are messed up on the right side)

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When buying headlight buckets and trim rings, check that your car (or the seller's) includes these adjuster screws...

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Fake-e-hole covers on the fender...

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Design to be painted on...

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I'm not sure I'm ready to put this on the "wanted/forsale" page, but, looking at Pete's photo, my car is going to need essentially everything in Pete's photo. I found what was being sold as a '51 courtesy light on ebay, but now I'm not sure what side, because it was sold as a "Left", but the switch is on the opposite end from the Left on Pete's car. True, it's 1 year different & slightly different shape, and maybe they decided the switch would do better on the other end. (Or maybe what I got is a right - it would make sense for the back-seaters to have easy access to the switch.) I'll get the part number.

But if someone has a 76R that's been wrecked (even roof smashed), I'd be interested in the inside stainless trim up both sides of the window openings, what looks like a second stainless trim that covers the lower edge of the headliner, the stainless channel sections that cover the headliner supports, the rods inside the headliner, and 1 of the 2 courtesy lights (or maybe both, if the one I have isn't really a '51).

Though the channel sections that cover the headliner supports appear as though they could be relatively straightforward to duplicate (there's a custom stainless trim maker that advertises in various magazines) - if I could borrow a set for this purpose. Likewise the headliner support rods may simply be rod stock with bends. Maybe 2 of these remain in my car - I'll pull them out and see what's what.

It also appears as though the Cadillac Series 62 and Oldsmobile 98 used this same roof structure (and maybe trim) 1950-1953, with the big change for '53 being a single-piece rear glass.

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If you look close at the under-the-hood photo in the first post, you'll see the air cleaner sitting way too low down the left side of the engine. That's because there is no intake / exhaust manifold or carburetor. I did get these in last week from a '50 that's being parted out. It is the correct carb for the "early" 51 (not sure when they changed, but I'm calling it correct for my car). After clearing the giant mud dauber nest out from under the choke housing, the carb is cleaner than what I found on the "rescue me" 41D. Still gummed up, but the gummed up area appears to be limited to the float valve. I have a new float valve that I didn't use from the 41D's carb rebuild kit.

One big finding that I have to look at as a blessing in disguise is essentially all firewall forward wiring has been removed from the car. Battery cables, plug wires, ignition coil, brake lights, neutral switch, starter solenoid, etc. My guess is, it was stored outside in an area where copper "recyclers" could get to it. Not sure what collateral damage might have been done there, but they seem to have limited the cutting/hacking to the wires. The connectors are all there. I checked the manual - it's only 11 lines to make it run/charge. It's quite a few more to get the horns (also missing) and parking/headlights back. So I might make up some non-final wires to make it run before getting a full replacement harness.

Another item I might eventually post on the "wanted" section - anyone have the bottom bowl & through bolt for the air cleaner? I have the top resonator part and the filter element part, but the "oil bowl" and long nut&bolt are gone. Not sure if there's an additional part that interfaces with the air cleaner support bracket on the manifold, but the bracket is on the manifold.

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While waiting for a new vac advance for the 41D (I believe that will get that engine running a lot better), I started on some smaller items on this car. Using the hood emblem "cross bar" that was on the car, the outer frame from a Craigslist find, and the plastic insert from a Craigslist find:

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Polishing up the "cross bar". Left side done, right side, the starting point.

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From below.

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Done with polishing. Also repainted between the side bars with flat black.

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Not quite the starting point on the plastic. There was a lot of rust residue along the bottom that cleaned off with Meguiar's Plastix. That Plastix product also shines up the surface pretty well.

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Missed an intermediate photo - I painted in the red, then decided the original blue didn't look so good - the blue was all peeled up around the edge of each diamond. So using a small x-acto chisel blade, I removed the blue. Also cleaned off the remaining blue residue with alcohol on q-tip (that orignal paint is soluble in alcohol).

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Almost done - will add another coat of red to solid/darken it in more.

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That is a NICE detail. Between your car and Shadetree77's it's sweet the way the chrome details look new while the paint itself is a work of nature. Great job...It's really fun watching this thread.

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post-92541-143142690862_thumb.jpg - For the trunk. Not done with this yet... Little spring inside that allows the emblem to flip up to access the key hole was in multiple pieces (of rust). Is this spring available? I've got a bucket-o-springs from Harbor Freight that I was going to play with...

Those repop lenses look really good. I wasn't really planning on those, but I found them at way, way below catalog price...

Edited by Eric W
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  • 2 weeks later...

Ok, over a multitude of individual auctions from 3 different sellers, I have obtained nearly everything in Pete's photo in post #14. I shouldn't count my chickens... before the ebay packages arrive cuz the stuff might be junk or not fit, but I'm amazed at what focused searches has yielded. To find these parts, I was envisioning years of cross-country trips to major swap meets, ventures to specialist yards, and maybe even shipping in a parts car or two, or if that didn't work, just build it with the higher-production Super hardtop headliner & trim. But it seems the internet has helped me avoid all that. These were the most unique parts that I thought I wouldn't be able to find: headliner rods, headliner rod chrome trims, chrome trim all the way around the top of the windshield, side windows, back window + sheetmetal parts that go between the chrome trims and the headliner itself.

The 2 main items (that I know of) remaining are the coat hooks (not too hard to find, maybe even in repro, but I haven't been looking for those), and the right-hand dome light, part no 4173505. I was going to compromise and go with either the Cadillac or Oldsmobile dome lights because I've seen a pair of each on ebay just this week, but I'll continue the search for the Buick part. This one is pretty unusual because it's only for the Roadmaster hardtops - not the Super or convertible or the coupe/sedan, though it was installed on 4 model years.

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The red is Testor's gloss dark red #1104, brushed on, 2 coats. The photo in post #18 of the plastic outside of the frame was with 1 coat.

What colors for the silver and blue,

I love how this looks , I need to do my hood and trunk. Outstanding job

Felix I have some ok ports from a 51 parts car, can send photos

Felix

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Keith - when I saw those parts that were unique to the 76R (and a certain model of Cadillac), I had to get those done. From the glass up, the Cadillac 62 for '51 is the same except for the dome lights, rearview mirror, and radio antenna. With those headliner/inside roof parts covered, most of the rest of what I need to replace is common with the 4-door or available in reproduction, and most of that is used on at least the '51 and '52 model years.

Felix - in this thread, the silver was what was on the plastic part already. But for other parts, I have used Testor's silver metallic (1146). It doesn't reflect as bright as the factory coating, but it's better than leaving the plastic clear/uncoated. The blue wil be Testor's dark blue (1111). For parts, I'll give you a call.

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..... The 2 main items (that I know of) remaining are the coat hooks (not too hard to find, maybe even in repro, but I haven't been looking for those), and the right-hand dome light, part no 4173505.....I'll continue the search for the Buick part. This one is pretty unusual because it's only for the Roadmaster hardtops - not the Super or convertible or the coupe/sedan, though it was installed on 4 model years.

I have a correct pair, taken off a 1953 Buick Roadmaster 76R years ago, complete with wiring and two good lenses. Like you mentioned, 1950-1953 Roadmaster hardtops had the same side courtesy lights. $85 + shipping.....excludes the 57"-long black side mouldings that they are attached to, but they are available along with approximately 25 other pieces of interior window moulding parts that I have, if you are interested in them.

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Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

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What the inside roof looks like:

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What I found for it:

post-92541-143142722984_thumb.jpg - sheet metal along sides and above windshield and back window.

post-92541-143142722986_thumb.jpg - back window chrome pieces.

post-92541-143142722989_thumb.jpg - side and front window chrome pieces.

post-92541-14314272299_thumb.jpg - headliner bows (the front 3 are chrome and are intended to be visible).

post-92541-143142722992_thumb.jpg - courtesy light. The other one's still on the way. These may be a later year?

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.....

[ATTACH=CONFIG]269806[/ATTACH] .....courtesy light. The other one's still on the way. These may be a later year?

You might have to modify the ends to fit the radiused moulding that they get attached to if it's possible and depending how fussy you are.....or mount them on a flat spot.....unless they fit the marked Cadillac mouldings in the picture. The one in your pic is not a 1950-1953 Buick Roadmaster 2-Door 76R courtesy light as shown below.

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Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

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Freeze plugs: Got the front freeze plug out fairly easily. It was already rusted through, so hit it with a punch until just the outer ring was left. Then, since it protruded from the block a little, I was able to get the punch to engage at the top of the plug to just collapse the perimeter inwards. This released the rest of the ring, and it was out. Lots of crud inside the engine block.

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Second freeze plug was more difficult. Hit the center with a punch again, but since it was less corroded, the entire center didn’t break away. This left more structure preventing it from collapsing inwards. Sprayed it with PB Blaster, for whatever good that might do. Tried to catch the edge again, but this one just barely protruded from the block, so various punches and chisels wouldn’t engage much. Could get the tip of a tire iron in behind it. In one area, I was able to break away the center all the way out to the edge, leaving just the outer ring of the plug. I was able to saw on this outer ring a little with a hacksaw blade – not all the way through, so there’s no marks on the block, but enough to allow the plug to not hold so tight. I did 2 cuts, about ¼” apart, then banged on this small section with the chisel to release it. When the segment between the saw cuts peeled up just slightly, the whole plug came loose. So there’s another way to release a freeze plug.

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Having read many other posts on this forum after searching “freeze plug”, I will have to try the back-flush operations described. Pull off the water pump / water pump elbow at the front of the block, insert water hose there, and blast crud out of the freeze plug holes. One post described fabbing up a ¼” tube to connect to the hose – I guess to blast in from the freeze plug holes to try and move crud out the holes. Was informed of a 4th</SPAN> freeze plug on the back of the head. Not sure I’m up for trying to get that one at the moment. Save that for when the engine is out or head is off. Didn’t really want to do the 3rd</SPAN> freeze plug because that one feels solid, but given the crud in the block, I’ll go after that one as well.</SPAN>

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When I did this on my '41 I simply could not believe the crud that was in the block, especially at the back. This was after the system had cleaner put through it, and then flushed, but only from the front, of course. I'm very glad that I knocked the freeze plugs out (as someone had replaced them at some point before me.) and could flush it better. I also used a small pipe to direct water through the back part of the block. My reward has been no issues at all with overheating, even in hot weather, though that has been rather rare here in Ontario this year.

An old gent that I know told me a story about how a hole had to be drilled though the firewall to replace that last plug at the back of the head, on a '52 he had many years ago. It blew on him one day out on the highway, and that was the only way the mechanic could fix it, other than removing the head.

Keith

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In the 3rd picture in post #33, you can see the center back glass is broken out. Also can see the curved side glass is that slightly blue-tinted EZ-eye color. Car came with a loose-part replacement center glass - clear. I think that would look a little odd, especially being right next to the curved blue back window side pieces. So I found a guy parting out a '50 Super hardtop (I don't know, maybe 1000 miles away?). I confirmed in the parts book that the glass is the exact same part number. His car had the EZ-eye blue tint. So we worked out a deal, and he threw it to UPS. Package with the glass shows up yesterday. The box is 3 sections taped together - so no stability along the glass' long dimension. And the box feels wobbly as I pick it up. I'm figuring, time to find out if the shipper really put the insurance that he said he would. Open the box up, and the glass is wrapped in an old seat cover - no foam, just cotton batting. Not much of a shock/bump resisting material, I think. Open that up - and the glass is in one piece! That's one tough piece of glass! Carefully set it in the trunk over the top of the clear piece, which is now surplus (but I don't think I'm going to dare trying to ship it anywhere)... Anyway, another small victory in trying to collect the right parts...

Oh - why was he selling a good back glass from a '50 56R? Sounded like a monster project (in more ways than one). He's putting the body over top of a late-model Ford Crown Vic frame. To do that, he had to slice it all down the center and "widen" it about 8". Something about the rear didn't work out, so he's "converting" to a "sedan delivery". Mmmm.... Good luck with all that. Guy may be a custom car genius for all I know...

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