53 buick questions

Hi everyone,

I just recently purchased a 53 buick special deluxe 2dr hardtop and I have a few questions. The car was missing the gas tank when I purchased it and now I'm looking at buying a new repop one. But does anyone know the right placement for the filler neck hole on this model? It is either 11.5", 12.5", or 13.5" from the front of the tank. Like I said I don't have an original to measure so it makes buying one kinda tricky. Also I'm looking at maybe buying an exterior sun visor, does anyone know of a cheap one that fits this car? (preferably metal and able to paint.) Also does anyone know of a good replacement for the lever shocks in the rear? Lastly does anyone know where I might be able to find the side trim that goes on the doors? (for a reasonable price) There are a few other parts that I need here and there but those can wait.

The car spent most of its life in Wyoming up until 1980 where it somehow found its way here to Indiana where I just purchased it. The car was originally painted terrace green from the factory. The interior had what I believe was green plaid cloth seat backs and dark gray cloth bottoms. Some might not like my intentions for the car but I plan to keep the paint the way it currently is (touch up the primer spots). I am thinking about doing mexican blanket seats and lake pipes along the sides. I will keep the straight 8 as I know it fires right up and has no issues. I am going to convert the front axle to disc brakes (using the setup from scarebird).

Anyways, I hope someone might be able to help me out and thanks in advance.

-Max

Here are some pictures of the car.

What you have is not a hardtop, but a two-door sedan (with side post between front and rear side windows), model 48-D. The two-door hardtop is model 45-R, without the side post. I have one of the latter in my garage right now, with the gas tank out of it, so here are some photos. Front of filler pipe is 11.5 inches back from the front of the flange on the front of the tank. That's the original upholstery in your photos (dark gray on the sides, and light gray on the seating surfaces. For the lever shocks, first check to see if they are empty or full of hydraulic fluid (there's a small cap on top of the reservoir). You can remove the shocks and send the to Apple Hydraulics to be rebuilt, but check the fluid level first. Replacing them with something else is more trouble than it's worth, though some of the modified car owners may disagree with me.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Leonard, Tx

Don't condemn the shocks because they are "different" (along with you straight-8 and torque tube drive shaft). They will work better than any replacement tube shock and last forever if kept full of fluid. Check the function first after removing. Remove the compression and rebound valves for inspection and cleaning, then refill the lower cylinders. Putting fluid in the reservoir at the top will not get to the lower cylinders for a long time. After installing the rebound valve assembly (on the bottom), clamp the shock in a vise with the compression valve opening facing up. Add fluid slowly while moving the arm slowly until full and considerable resistance is felt. Install the compression valve assembly and then add fluid to the upper reservior. I use hydraulic jack oil with good results. If you can't wake them up, then rebuilders will reject them anyway...then you will need good cores or go with the tube shocks.

Most of the lever shocks just have leaks and I can help here: http://www.buickrestorer.com/lowtechrear.html

Unless you install power brakes, disc brakes require much more pedal pressure than drum brakes. Unless the drums are not serviceable replace with the shoes with the proper friction material and replace all cylinders and hoses...details on request.

Nice score by the way.

Willie

Willie

Thanks so far guys.

@pete

What is the diameter of the filler neck? Cause here is the tank package I'm thinking about getting. http://www.ebay.com/itm/1950-51-52-53-Buick-Steel-Gas-Fuel-Tank-Sender-B-1D-B1-S2/331157023001?_trksid=p2050601.c100271.m3466&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140716145905%26meid%3Dc60cf4949e164bceb595d56eca66ed26%26pid%3D100271%26prg%3D20140716145905%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D331157023001%26clkid%3D9200393042470934087&_qi=RTM1562569 They show the diagram measuring to the center of the filler neck.

@old-tank

Thanks for the info on the lever shocks. I will try to see if they are still good. I think keeping them will be the easiest (and cheapest) thing for me to do. It is just right now I know they need some attention cause getting in and out dips the side of the car a good 2 inches or so.

As for the brakes I'd really like to have discs up front to help with stopping distance. I'm planning to upgrade to a wilwood dual master. The thing I asked scarebird and didn't get a real good answer is would adding a booster help at all?

Thanks so far guys.

I'm lazy. I put hydraulic jack oil in a squirt oil can, disconnect the shock link, and pump the arm up and down while I squirt the oil in the plug opening. It might take a few times to wet the seals and get them working; or plan 2 would be rebuild them.

You have a lot of things to do and you really don't know if you and this car will hit it off for the long term. Spend your money wisely. A temporary tank might be a better starting point. Many older cars had the filler neck attached with a flexible hose. Find a tank that is close and adapt at this point.

Years ago I had to get a long term stored Model T Ford truck prepped and running for a customer. The indelibly etched take-away thought was, imagine someone hauling one of these out of a hedgerow, spending years restoring it, and finding out that was all they had at the end. It is pretty much the same with all cars. Right now your best move may be to balance the money you spend between mechanics and cosmetics, just in case you decide you want to bail out. A thousand bucks in a new gas tank install won't get you anything as a return in the value. A couple hundred on a temp tank and a little on making it pretty can keep you more liquid financially.

Balance your efforts on stopping, steering, and starting with an equal mixture of appearance. Develop the relationship. Bringing the car to a condition for reliable driving and modest recognition is going to cost from $6,000 to $10,000. Be sure she's the one you want to marry.

Bernie

I just installed a tank from Tanks, Inc, in my '50. Just over $250.00. They even have the correct mounting straps.

I drive mine all over, to NC, IN, South TX, and still have drum brakes.

Agree, resist getting carried away too soon. Changes can always be made later. Most of all, ENJOY. As Dale says, fun is good.

Ben

BUICK MOTOR DIVISION

GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION

FLINT, MICH.

1953 MOD. 53-48D

STYLE No 53-4311D

BODY No G 13545

TRIM No 41 K

PAINT No 58 B

TOP ACC. P

BODY BY FISHER

1953 = 1953 model year

MOD. 53-48D

53 = 1953 model year

48D = Buick model 48D = 2-door deluxe tourback sedan, 6-passenger

STYLE No 53-4311D = Fisher body style number

53 = 1953 model year

4311D = Fisher body style number

4 = Buick

3 = Special

11D = 2-door deluxe tourback sedan, 6-passenger

BODY No G 13545

G = body built at Flint, MI

13545 = 13545th 4311D built at Flint, MI

TRIM No 41 = Light Grey Pattern Cloth with Dark Grey Plain Cloth, available on models 41D, 45R, 48D

PAINT No 58 = solid Terrace Green

Accessory (ACC.) option codes:

K = Foamtex seat cushions

B = Heater and defroster

P = Easy Eye Glass

Thanks for everything so far guys.

But I have 2 quick questions.

First off does anyone know where I can find a repair manual for a good price? I'm fine with the digital version and I know I need the 52 & 53 manuals.

Second does anyone know where I can find rear brake shoes for a cheap price? The drums are 1 3/4" so finding them is turning out to be hard. Or is there an easy and cheap way to convert the drums to take 2 1/4" shoes? I ended up accidentally buying 2 1/4" shoes and would like to use them as they are easy to find and cheap.

Do you have the old shoes? Somewhere in your area I would wager there is a brake,clutch shop that can reline them.

Ben

Do you have the old shoes? Somewhere in your area I would wager there is a brake,clutch shop that can reline them.

Ben

Yes I have the old shoes. I know there is a local place that will reline them, but they want $25 per shoe. Right now I don't want to pay $100 for all 4 shoes.

I mean the 2.25" shoes I bought at Autozone for $20 for a whole set of 4.

To convert to the 2.25" you would need to replace the brake backing plate, which would require removing the axle shafts; then you would need 2.25" drums. Even if you located some free stuff, the shipping would more than the price of good shoes.

Most brake shoes from parts stores have linings that are very hard, requiring much more pedal effort to stop. You can specify linings at the brake/clutch place that will make stops easier. Those $20 shoes won't be such a bargain when you have to replace with shoes that will stop the car.

Pete...your car looks awfully familiar! Jeez, I've never seen one almost exactly like mine.

Max,

For the tank, looking at Pete's photo, it looks like you would add 1" to get to that front-of-tank to center-of-fill measurement. I have a '51 special - probably the same. I did buy one of those ebay combo deals - tank + sender, free shipping. I'm pretty sure I bought the B1-A, but I can check. See my thread "rescue me" in the "me & my" forum for the collection of parts that it takes to attach the tank to the fuel line. It does not just thread onto the existing fuel line. Be prepared to spend some time way up above the rear axle...

As for brakes, I was reading that section of one of the Buick history books last night. I believe it was the "Buick - The Postwar Years" book. By '53, they had made improvements to the brakes over the '50-'51 standard, though I'm not sure it all carried through to the Special. At the least, the drum mass is larger and shoe width wider on the fronts for '53 vs '51. As the others pointed out, the Scarebird bracket set is like an entry fee.

There's a lot more that goes into a proper power-boosted disk-brake system than some brackets & calipers. I don't doubt, if done right, an updated power-boosted disk brake system would improve stopping distance, but that's a lot of stuff to do and a lot of stuff to get right. It doesn't make it easier that the '53 brake master is way down below the floor, with a bottom-hinged pedal (not like the top-hinged pedal and firewall-mounted booster & master you'll see on hotrods and most cars from the mid-50's on).

As you get more into it, you may find it's easier to add some brake effectiveness with a swap to another Buick brake setup of the era. See if you can find that book. The brake discussion is on pages in the mid 30's. I believe by 1958 or so, they had made large improvements. I'm studying all this because I've got an even way-more-hefty '51 Roadmaster with the non-powered brake system - which by '50 or so was not keeping up with even the competition of that vintage, so Buick had embarked on a brake improvement program, which saw slightly wider shoes/drums in '52, and improvements to drums in '53, with even more along those lines (material changes, etc.) until they were on par with the competition by the mid to late 50's.

As for manuals, I've gotten them on ebay. They are on there all the time for $40-50, but keep an eye on it. Every so often, someone's just cleaning out someone else's garage or whatever, and I've seen them listed for under $10. It depends on your patience vs. need for information as much as anything else. If you're seriously taking things apart today, buy what's listed today. If you can stand to just poke around and not really tear into anything, then watch the listings for a month or two. Much below $29 is pretty uncommon, though.

As for the side stainless trim - again, keep an eye on ebay. Unfortunately, these are nearly all single-year-specific. Due to the demand from the Mercury/customizer crowd, when '53 trim comes up, it's usually quite expensive.

Here's a few pieces on ebay right now:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-BUICK-2DR-HARD-TOP-DRIVER-SIDE-DOOR-TRIM-/221513595160

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/201142548066?item=201142548066

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231301794479?item=231301794479

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Buick-Special-Right-Front-Fender-Trim-/231301805470

Different sellers - because the guy w/ the front fender trim is parting a 4-door, and the guy w/ the 2-door door trim doesn't have the fronts or rears... Prices aren't as high as I thought.