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57 wire wheels


aziz

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Thanks James I just need to find some documentation !!!!!

Hi Jim , yeah I finally found all the old connectors(now soldered) , adjusted the indicator switch and cleaned the connector at the fire wall ....

The reason I'm asking about the wheels is that we have fairly strict historic standards , if the factory or the dealer did NOT offer wire wheels then I may not use them on historic registration !!!!!

Matt

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I have met a couple guys who knew of 57's that came from dealer with wire wheels. It seems very plausible that they would install these to dress up a car now and then, or at the request of a customer since they would have still been available from GM at the time. However, they weren't listed as an "official" option. So the closest one could get to documentation would be if somebody with such a car had the dealer paperwork that showed the wheels installed, but I am not aware of such a thing.

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Guest my3buicks

If it matters to you, at a BCA national meet, they would be a mandatory deduction on a 57. Even if they could be proven with paperwork showing a dealer put them on before delivery, they are still not an authorized factory option and still incorrect.

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Guest 42buickman

Beware, don't put them on an aluminum drum car, the aluminum fins stick out too far and the wheel will not contact the face of the brake drum. It will be impossible to tighten the lug bolts, it keeps bending the wheel center. Paul

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Thanks for the input on the wheels but have just been informed that as long as it is period correct then I'm allowed to run them !!!!!!

Thanks also for the aluminium drum heads up ....post-100760-143142898466_thumb.jpg

I still have the original steel wheels and hub caps for shows !!

This is how she looks with them on :cool:

Cheers

Matt

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Thanks for the input on the wheels but have just been informed that as long as it is period correct then I'm allowed to run them !!!!!!

Thanks also for the aluminium drum heads up ....[ATTACH=CONFIG]287601[/ATTACH]

I still have the original steel wheels and hub caps for shows !!

This is how she looks with them on :cool:

Cheers

Matt

Stunning car! It looks like your car also has the very rare factory color change on the roof with the stainless separator trim at the roof base.

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Beware, don't put them on an aluminum drum car, the aluminum fins stick out too far and the wheel will not contact the face of the brake drum. It will be impossible to tighten the lug bolts, it keeps bending the wheel center. Paul

This is disturbing, because I drove my 57 Roadmaster with Skylark wires and aluminum drums for years and was planning to put them back on after I had them redone.

Do the aluminum and steel drums the same internal dimensions, or in other words could I just swap out the aluminum drums and put the steel drums on my car?

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This is disturbing, because I drove my 57 Roadmaster with Skylark wires and aluminum drums for years and was planning to put them back on after I had them redone.

Do the aluminum and steel drums the same internal dimensions, or in other words could I just swap out the aluminum drums and put the steel drums on my car?

The wires will bolt up ok (with the longer lug bolts), but use the the steel/iron drums which have the same dimensions. There was a factory bulletin that said not to use on aluminum drums due to creation of stress cracks in the drums.

The wire shown in post #10 are not the Kelsey/Hayes of the mid fifties Buicks.

Willie

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Matt,

Beautiful colors. Those are the original colors on my 1957 Estate Wagon, Castle Grey and Dover White. After seeing your car, I am leaning toward those colors for the wagon.

May I inquire regarding the color scheme? Normally, on a 57, with the two tone color scheme, the first color is carried down to the sweep spear, and then the second color is below the sweep spear. I have not seen an original 57 with just the roof painted the upper color. I'm not sure about the originality of the scheme or how it would go if you had it judged. Maybe lancemb can shed some light on this, since this is a senior series vehicle. Just interested in knowing.

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Matt,

Beautiful colors. Those are the original colors on my 1957 Estate Wagon, Castle Grey and Dover White. After seeing your car, I am leaning toward those colors for the wagon.

May I inquire regarding the color scheme? Normally, on a 57, with the two tone color scheme, the first color is carried down to the sweep spear, and then the second color is below the sweep spear. I have not seen an original 57 with just the roof painted the upper color. I'm not sure about the originality of the scheme or how it would go if you had it judged. Maybe lancemb can shed some light on this, since this is a senior series vehicle. Just interested in knowing.

That scheme was certainly available; I know of one in MN with white top and blue all the way below being parted. I actually bought the stainless trim that separates the roof color off it and the guy gave me the Trim tag so I could have proof of originality. I am nuts, I know. I actually wanted to buy the car to restore since I have many of the parts it is missing, but is too rusted.

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Hi guys the paint code for her is BX427 and the trim code is 523 with loop carpet...

The wires are TRU Spoke stainless with coker tires but I still have the B F Goodrich silvertowns that came with her that the last owner put on in 1973 and have only done 5000 miles since !!!!!!

She also has the original US Royal spare Tyre that still has the rubber knobs on the tread:cool:

Lancemb she does have the trim separating the roof and I did not know it was a rare option .. Cheers for the info

I will try a post a few more photos of her in my album in the next couple of days after Christmas

Matt

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Lancemb she does have the trim separating the roof and I did not know it was a rare option .. Cheers for the info

Matt

Yes the option to two-tone with the roof only came later in the year, and I have only seen a couple still on the road with such an original scheme. In fact, I have seen many more that were done that way later but not original (of course they did not have the trim at the roof base). That is why when I had a chance to buy the trim I did as I have never before seen them available for sale (or after). Just in case I find a good coupe one day that needs them that I can't pass up!

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Matt,

Nice Super! When taking pics, could you include the Data Plate with its Paint and Trim codes?

Lance covered the late-year two-tone change here, and I'm curious about the BX427.

B is Castle Grey Metalli-Chrome, and X is Sylvan Grey Metallic, a Spring Color.

It seems that the correct code for your Super would be CBB if it were Dover White and Castle Grey.

Nothing is ever cast in stone on our beautiful '57's, just seeking clarification on yours.

The VIN would help also, to determine which factory assembled it, and the sequence # will yield

an approximate build-date.

Thanks, and enjoy your Holiday Shoot,

TG

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Lance covered the late-year two-tone change here, and I'm curious about the BX427.

B is Castle Grey Metalli-Chrome, and X is Sylvan Grey Metallic, a Spring Color.

It seems that the correct code for your Super would be CBB if it were Dover White and Castle Grey.

Yes I was also wondering about this. Are you certain the paint is original and not an expert repaint?

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OK TG57ROADMASTER and LANCEMB here is the Data plate post-100760-143142902701_thumb.jpg

I have just read the additional information from the last owner and he states :Buick spring colors Duco stock order and code # 1865H-202-57616H Sylvan Grey Metallic combination symbol 57X

The DUPONT code is 2255H

All the paperwork I have on her states that it was a combination paint mix for the spring time ....

The paint is by no means perfect but NOT bad for its age and it has only done 40000 miles.....

the vin # 5D1134537

I hope this helps you guys !!!!!

I WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL YOU GUYS A MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!

Matt

Edited by aziz (see edit history)
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Yeah it is sort of a light blue color in the sun but has a grey/green tone to it out of the sun !!!!

I was not a big fan of it when I first saw the photos but I must say it does look cool when she is all polished up and you see it in real life...:cool:

Matt

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Guest my3buicks

Very sharp, nice to see the uncommon blue in the sweepspear, there has been discussion on that on other threads. The wire wheels are kind of a mute point on whether they are correct or not for a 57 because they are not factory wire wheels, they appear to be aftermarket. Very striking 57 for sure.

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Lancemb I reckon you would know this car as it came from Chicago and spent all its life in Illinois ...;)

Sorry I should have noticed the area you are in and told you that !!!!:confused:

Matt

No kidding! I don't remember it from any shows. How long have you had it? I am just West of Chicago maybe it grew up elsewhere nearby?

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OK TG57ROADMASTER and LANCEMB here is the Data plate [ATTACH=CONFIG]287913[/ATTACH]

Your BODY BY FISHER number plate reveals a couple of items that look fishy to me and I am surprised no one has brought this up yet......

#1.....Why is there a beige-looking paint appearing on the plate when you are saying the 'original' exterior colors are close to a light blue/grey bottom with a white top as shown in your pics?

#2.....Whenever I see a BX followed by a number, either after a TRIM or PAINT number on the plate, and the number doesn't make any sense to standard interior upholstery and/or exterior paint color choices that are available for that specific year, to me, that says BX = a special order for an extra charge.

#3.....In this situation, if the beige paint on the number plate is beige indeed (sometimes colors on computers are deceiving), then I am saying that the BX 427 shown, identifies the original paint color on your Buick as a Buick color that was available in a previous model year.....#427 Casino Beige.....available as a standard color choice on some 1936 Buick models.

<o:p

Someone needs to tell me I'm haywire in my thinking process. Who is it going to be?

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"</o

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Hi Lancemb I have sent you a PM on the cars info !!!!

My3buicks I understand the whole correct Show thing and totally agree if I was going to a Buick show I would put the original wheels back on but for summer cruising I think the wires look better!!!

Matt

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Hi 1953MACK ,

I just went out to the shed and took a photo of the data plate and its NOT beige but sort of slightly tarnished !!!

I also thought you might like to see the build marks on the hood and there was also a 56R under the hood insulation !!!

I hope this helps you with you HAYWIRE thinking process:p

Mattpost-100760-143142903291_thumb.jpg

post-100760-14314290328_thumb.jpg

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Hi 1953MACK ,

I just went out to the shed and took a photo of the data plate and its NOT beige but sort of slightly tarnished !!!

I also thought you might like to see the build marks on the hood and there was also a 56R under the hood insulation !!!

I hope this helps you with you HAYWIRE thinking process:p

Matt[ATTACH=CONFIG]287967[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]287968[/ATTACH]

I don't understand what you mean by 'tarnished' (no paint.....or some rust.....or ?) Do you believe that the BODY BY FISHER number plate, shown in this latest pic, is the OEM plate?

Al Malachowski

BCA #8965

"500 Miles West of Flint"

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Ok I'll be a bit more specific about the tarnished bit ...... If you look at the data plate you will notice that the ends have the paint on them but the section in the middle was RAW aluminium and has now got a mild corrosion ,whitish tarnish too it !!!!!

YES Al I totally believe this to be the OEM plate as when you look inside the doors it still has the correct paint marks as does the trunk when you look behind the lining !!!

Matt

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AZIZ:

If you got lucky as I did, you could put all this to rest by just looking under the carpet on the passenger's foot area. There, I found the build sheet. It will reflect the correct coding for the car even though the factory often ignored the trim tag. My Super was equipped with AC among other accessories. The build sheet. reflects all this. Check the attached thumbnail. Oh by the way, 57Buick Jim has the knowledge to reconstruct the build sheet should you be able to locate the original.

post-54279-143142905325_thumb.jpg

Edited by Caballero2 (see edit history)
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Guest my3buicks
Hi Lancemb I have sent you a PM on the cars info !!!!

My3buicks I understand the whole correct Show thing and totally agree if I was going to a Buick show I would put the original wheels back on but for summer cruising I think the wires look better!!!

Hi Lancemb I have sent you a PM on the cars info !!!!

My3buicks I understand the whole correct Show thing and totally agree if I was going to a Buick show I would put the original wheels back on but for summer cruising I think the wires look better!!!

You see the wires on 56, 57, and 58's with some regularity and they do look great. Personalky I would like them better if they were actual Buick wire wheels(Kelsey Hayes) or even the reproduction ones and not aftermarket ones.

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Hi my3buicks , I understand your opinion but don't take this personally but as my late father always told me !!!

Opinions are like A...oles everybody has one....and as long as you have got one you are not dead!!!!!:D

sorry just had to put in some Aussie humor ;)

Matt

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Caballero2 I just spent the last 3 hours looking under the carpet but NO build sheet :mad: But I did take a couple more pic's for the people having trouble with the color and it originality!!!

post-100760-14314290549_thumb.jpg the first photo is inside the passengers foot well ,next 2 are of the trunk floor and trunk

I hope this helps everyone!!!

Matt

post-100760-143142905469_thumb.jpg

post-100760-143142905479_thumb.jpg

Edited by aziz (see edit history)
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