ME & MY === 1958 Buick, 1958 Buick, 1958 Buick and……..

[JohnD1956]

I am no one to talk about getting to any car jobs soon, but it looks like that Limited needs a few more inches between it and the ground or when you do get to it, it will be to drag it off to the junkyard.EDIT: OOPS, did not realize that was the goal for this car.

Edited June 6, 2013 by JohnD1956 (see edit history)

[dei]

I am no one to talk about getting to any car jobs soon, but it looks like that Limited needs a few more inches between it and the ground or when you do get to it, it will be to drag it off to the junkyard.EDIT: OOPS, did not realize that was the goal for this car.

Yes John,

sadly this car has seen it's day but... parts will live on in another "identical" Limited I have and some of the few parts that will share among my other 58's as required. It's about being self employed and "making hay while the sun shines" (as Dad used to say) that is in play right now.

[dei]

Well my day off wasn't spent on the Limited as I would have liked but but took Dad (89) and my (his) Whippet to our local car club Spring Show.

This is about Buicks so.... check out those hub caps on the trailer!

Just before I closed the garage door I heard my Special calling to me asking, "when will I be going out to a car show again?"

While the car attendance was down a bit due to three other competing shows, the Buick marque was well represented and this one really caught my eye. It was listed as a 1934 two door sedan.

The body, paint and outward appearance at first glance looked to be of an original restored car but.... looking inside and spotting the tilt modern steering wheel and the interior seat treatment.... still...... a really beautiful looking Buick!

The top to the day was seeing Dad driving one of the clubs donated brass Model T trucks through the Pass & Review. The MC asked him, "Isn't this like the one you drove when you were a kid?" Dad replied, "mine was a '22 and that was in the early 40's but a T none the less."

So we both had a fun day! Better yet, together!

[jackofalltrades70]

Glad you had a fun day with your father! Next weekend should be even better! Matt

[Guest Peter Bird]

Love these old girls. Great project. I've subscribed!

[dei]

Glad you had a fun day with your father! Next weekend should be even better! Matt

Guess we jumped Fathers Day a week early and if it never gets any better (which was GREAT) than this past weekend it is really all that matters, making the most of the situation when you can!

In the end, the material things are just that, things.... but family is really all that matters. I took many pictures and video to help me remember the moments in my declining years hopefully a while down the road.....

[dei]

To all my fellow Canadian Buick Members, HAPPY CANADA DAY!

Hope you all can enjoy your family and friends and maybe a bit of Buick time too.

For me it has been a "one step forward and two backwards" situation these past few days with having to deal with my mother who appears to have had a mild stroke. No one called me till Friday evening and while she was sent home, we have to spend Tuesday at the hospital to further evaluate the results and possible consequences. With Mom being the only licensed driver and still living in their own home at 85 & 89, life just might be taking that big left turn for us all....

In the mean time, I have been dealing with too much rainy weather this past week and the swarms of mosquitoes (even during the day time) like we have not seen for a few years making outside work very difficult.

Then... on Saturday morning went out to the truck and found the drivers door not fully closed. While waiting for the wipers to clear the windshield, looked around and realized my portable GPS was not on the floor. I called my son, thinking he might have borrowed it (he usually asks me first) and he said no he had not. I was sure I had locked the doors but apparently didn't set the alarm. I did however leave the window cracked open just a bit as my driveway is on the west side of the house and the heat can be terrible sometimes. They/he/ THIEF must have figured that out and used something (coat hanger?) to hit the electric locks (thanks FORD designers!). Later that afternoon I looked around further and noticed my digital camera that sits in its case in the lower pocket of the side door was missing too! I had some pictures of my work on it and Dad and the Limited that I had not down loaded yet.....

It had to be a grab & dash as they totally missed the more than 6 bucks of loose change sitting in the cup holder of the console!

To add to the frustration, the Police told me I had to go online and file a report if I wanted to get a copy of the report by e-mail free. WHAT! Otherwise there would be a charge to send a written report to me for insurance purposes! My first attempt, timed out (getting old?). The second attempt, would not accept all the information I thought it asked for.....

Guess my second cup of coffee has kicked in as I'm ranting now!

I have stated before that things are just that, things and will give it the importance it deserves and concentrate on Mom & Dad. I have insurance and the truck wasn't damaged, however, there is one more "thing" I'm looking into....... a possible surveilence system!

I wonder what it will cost me to submit my copy of the culprit in action for the Police to catch this guy????

[JohnD1956]

What a spate of bad luck! Hope Mom is okay! And maybe it pays to check your local craigslist- Kiwi? to see if your stuff is listed for sale. God knows the cops won't do it.

[Bleach]

...

[ATTACH=CONFIG]191820[/ATTACH]

This almost looks like a photo of something found on the Titanic.

[dei]

What a spate of bad luck! Hope Mom is okay! And maybe it pays to check your local craigslist- Kiwi? to see if your stuff is listed for sale. God knows the cops won't do it.

Thanks John for the few words on my rant (sometimes it helps).

Mom fortunately has not had a stroke but.... the event is a fore warning of the potential that can / might happen and currently is undergoing a bunch of tests to maybe avert such a thing happening so... doing what needs to be done and time will tell. Thanks for asking.

Also in the mean time, keeping my eye on Graigslist and Kijiji and so far nothing showing up. My suspicion is the two houses in the neighbourhood that have new renters (kids) and their friends that just moved here in the last four months. Had two of the younger ones pop into the back yard one evening while sitting at the table. They said they were playing hide and seek when I went out to confront them. One was hiding between the Limited and the shed (very tight) while the other was looking for him. They had squeezed between my neighbours new fence and my back corner all behind the shed and garage! Made them squeeze back out and said NO MORE! I have temporarily nailed chicken wire up but need to finish it more secure soon. Might not be them but...

I have a few new locks on things where I did not before all these years.

[dei]

This almost looks like a photo of something found on the Titanic.

LOL!

Ya, it is a stretch being Titanic. Talk about patina though!

Once things settle done a bit I need to get back to the dismantling. I did acquire an industrial fan recently to help keep the mosquito's off while working. Now, if the rain will stop a bit....

[dei]

Taking a moment to say that I went to the National in South Bend on the Friday for the day to meet who I could from the Forums and scout out the swap meet. After a 3:30am departure, hot day on the tarmac, talking to many (Thanks gang for the support), I did find something for my other Limited that will be the subject of this thread when I am done with my parts car. (Need to keep the wife happy here)

Oh ya, sat on the Detroit/Windsor Bridge about 8:30pm and watched as a severe weather front moved in. Nothing like being dead stopped in traffic, high up out in the open over water watching a black & green sky approaching! Customs must have got the word as after two questions, handed me the Passport and said "Have a nice evening". Just got home and.... had I parked the truck 10 feet out in the driveway.... the hood would have been changed from the 5 inch limb that came from my neighbour's tree!

Pictures to come after I re-size them.

[dei]

Well.... Finally was able to figure out how to re-size pictures that seem to work on my system (and for my technically challenged mine).

This is what I purchased for my good Limited.

After a good bit of elbow grease with some metal polish, here is what they came out like.

AANNNDDD.......

This is what the sky looked like just after I got home right after that limb fell down! That system followed me home from South Bend and had I left an hour latter, would have been on the freeway when it hit. Fortunately no one was hurt in that storm but it took the hydro out in some areas for about two hours.

Still worth the trip and enjoyed meeting great Buick People!

[dei]

Since taking time to attend the National, work has kept me busy (fortunately). Spent Labour Day at our local Car Club Car Show (with Dad & the Whippet).

In keeping with the start of my thread, my wife is on 'Vacation' this week and decided there was "work" that just had to be done so.........

Cleaned out the shelter beside the house about 4pm today.

Found:

AND:

Now.... Along with cleaning up other stored things (yes, I'm a saver..) decided to chop up some wood and burn what wasn't needed.

Took a few shots of the Limited with the new camera (night vision).

Kind of ghostly since she will soon (in the near future) be just a memory.

[dei]

While my thread so far has been mostly about my intentions for my Limited (parts) car....

Labour Day Weekend my youngest son says to me, could you help me out one weekend and go out to his car in storage and change out some gas in his 1991 Mustang? Since I needed to do this for my 1989 Cougar also, picked today to help and cover two cars.

Here is the Buick connection....

My '58 Roadmaster is tucked there away in the back. Haven't looked at it for some time and there really aren't many pictures of her since it was bought as a future project (man has time passed....), so captured these.

I had forgotten just how good the dash pad was, No cracks or sagging! Yes it is dirty but with some careful cleaning will be fine. Even the red steering wheel doesn't have any cracks.

I started some work on the front clip years ago as it had the usual headlight area rust and fender drain rust down by the doors. The floors are solid and it ran on & off the car trailer when I brought it home and is complete including jack and spare (including a bad hit in the drivers door) but.... not kidding myself, it will be needing a lot of work (aka money & time) to get it on the road!

Thanks to my son Mark, for keeping his first car, asking for my help and reminding me of what my hopes & plans were for these cars and that time is moving on too quickly and I'd better follow through with my plans!

[JohnD1956]

Here is the Buick connection....

My '58 Roadmaster is tucked there away in the back.

...!

Doug, that is one sweet automobile! Black w/ Red interior. How nice! How is the top? Can the vehicle be turned into a driver by replacing the front sheet metal? It seems a shame to let it just sit like that.

[jackofalltrades70]

I'm with john on this. Get the dust knocked off that car and put her back together. She'd be buickfull!

[dei]

You guys sound like my son today. LOL!

I had to say to him when he started to talk about finishing the fenders, paint, a brake job..... Whoa wait a minute. I appreciate the enthusiasm, REALLY, from him and you guys too. But the reality is there is more work on this car than my 57,000 mile Limited which has the front clip off too and new metal waiting to be put back on after an engine rebuild when money becomes available for that so....

Don't get me wrong, I'm still pumped tonight about the possibilities and.... have this crazy hope in the back of my mind that two (maybe three) of the 58's will be fully roadworthy when the time comes for my sons weddings (nothing officially planed as of now). So far their girl friends like riding in the Whippet and even the '52 F-1 has brought a smile but having them in what are my first cars would only sweeten that day!

So it's something that will happen as I have two places filled with 40 years of collecting Buick parts to have something that looks good when completed. Now... having put this out there, I have been jokingly call called a HOARDER (especially by my wife) so I expect some here to say, ya that's what happens and the cars just sit. But with two boys that have the car thing (rust in their veins) and one just about to go into the job market in the Mechanical Engineering field, at the very least, one of them (or both) will finish what I have going should time be short.

As to the top, it was old and hard (dried out) when I bought it and the guy had put it down thinking it would be better for traveling on an open car trailer. That sadly cracked it in key places but I scored a new top from a fellow Buick guy near me for a song. Hence I keep it down and out of sight since with all the holes it would not keep out the critters anyway. Mind you the place does great rodent control and see no evidence of damage. Fortunately, the trany seems not to be leaking but am sure once it would be driven, ALL dynaflows will eventually be needing that seal replaced.:mad: The seats are not going to be serviceable and the drivers seat back has a broken bracket! The car came from a bad area in Ohio, was abused and the only plus was that it was put in a dry cement building for years before I got it, hence the steel is good to work with. I'd hate to say what I paid for it but even Dad said at the time I did a good job to get it for what I did at my age. I think the guy just felt sorry for me!

So, high hopes for sure but... How do you eat an elephant, One bite at a time! That's what I'm going to do here, set a bar and go for it.

Who knows, my Roadmaster might look like this some day.

[dei]

So another car season is (has) come to a close and there is still much to do outside before the snow starts to fly and the days are getting shorter ........

However, making the best of it with my boys and a Sunday BBQ while the Limited sits for another winter.... waiting, waiting, waiting......

[dei]

In an effort to move a bit further along with the organizing of my Buick collection.....

much to my wife's delight, spent the evening looking through boxes and wrappings in the basement with hopes, once cleaned up, of possibly using it this Xmas Holiday Season.

Most of this will be for my Special when I decide to repaint the car.

While I know (in my mind) what is (should be) there, moving things to a designated area, pictures and labeling them can only help my boys (and my wife) should something happen that I don't finish what needs to. I often think of a fellow antique car guy who didn't plan on leaving this world and when that happened..... way too many heartaches.

Guess it might have something to do with my coming up the stairs on my deck recently and finding myself looking through the screened door on the floor thinking, WHAT? Didn't feel any pain only embarrassment till about 4am when I rolled over and my chest hurt.

Seems the lower wood tread came loose sending me forward with the plate of steaks flying on the floor and the BBQ tongs in my hand got jammed between me and the floor! Fortunately the pointed ends were in the wood but the other end caught me in the upper ribs about center!!! Nothing is broken but feels like someone hit me with a sledge hammer!

Guess I have reached that Ben Gay age (sigh) and.... that step has been replaced!!!!

[JohnD1956]

Glad you did not stab yourself! Also glad it wasn't a heart atack, as that is what I thought you were leading up to.

Now just take those parts you found and put them on one of the Buicks. Thats step 1.

[dei]

Glad you did not stab yourself! Also glad it wasn't a heart atack, as that is what I thought you were leading up to.

Now just take those parts you found and put them on one of the Buicks. Thats step 1.

John,

I'm glad it wasn't a heart attack either although it sure made me think about many things!

Seems I must have fully landed on those tongs which are made of stainless steel and pushed my upper rib cage inward which stretched the muscles some but no broken bones. Thank heavens for our medical system in assessing the situation before I went off the deep end! It sure has let me know I've done something though while having had to work this week!

Seems I don't bounce like I used too! I will be OK but have more determination than ever now to get things moving along with the cars (and few other things....)!

[dei]

So here it is December 14, 2013 and our 1st MAJOR snow fall! (8 inches)

Not much accomplished as I'd hoped but..... 2014 resolution?

In the mean time, everyone have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

[dei]

The 1st week of 2014 and our third snow fall this winter dumping 11 inches on everything this last time!

From the Southern most region in Canada. (the north shore of Lake Erie in lower than the northern border of California)

BELATED HAPPY NEW YEARS TO EVERYONE!

[1957buickjim]

Hey Doug!

Happy New Year to you as well! Looks like your baby has been repainted "Arctic White" Read you posts and glad that you just had a tong-depressor, and not the big one! Hope you are feeling better and getting those Buick parts ready for install when the big thaw comes in about 3 days! Hahaha. Hope you had a great holiday and good to catch up. Cheers!

Jim

[dei]

Hello Jim!

"(Read you posts and glad that you just had a tong-depressor, and not the big one!)"

Times 10 on that! Sure gets one to thinking though.....

All is back to normal, as normal as that was/is for me - ha ha.

I'm guessing by that last storm you might have received even more snow than we did here? For once the forecasters were pretty right on this time.

Any chance there might be another spring swap meet near you sometime?

Wishing you safe travels.

[dei]

With the more than usual snow fall this year and the unusually cold temperatures, not going to get much done outside so.....

Went into the garage looking for some front inner fender panels that I can take over to Dads heated garage to cleanup and paint. However, had to move a bunch of stuff piled near the good Limited where I thought they would be.

Thought I'd tease you with this. I say tease because you can only see the firewall and frame behind my almost ready to swap out Ford Flathead in my '52.

[dei]

Clearly NOT going to do much out side, heck, I can't hardly get to the Limited without digging a pathway let alone deal with 10 degree temps!

In the mean time without heat in the garage things move slowly.....

[dei]

Today was a fun day. I went to pick up a package I ordered from Wheatbelt Auto Parts.

I'm sure I have one side (not sure which side) stashed somewhere of these inner fenders but thought, get both sides from the same car (Special) as they just are not available here in the northeast in good condition anymore. Mine are rotted out not only on the flat section but further up making a repair really tough. Having bolt on's (once painted) will make replacement (restoration) just that much easier.

Ken even sent some Oklahoma tar and stone for me.

[JohnD1956]

Which car are these for?

[Smartin]

Mine were rusted pretty badly on the Limited...I managed to save them, but they don't look that great. Had I known they were so exposed in the engine compartment, I would've taken more time to make them pretty.

[dei]

Which car are these for?

John, these are for my red Special convertible. After I get the Limited in the garage together then I will be taking the front clip off the Special because of those rusted out inner front panels and replace with better fenders I have too. These only fit the small series Special & Century Models. The Super, Roadmaster and Limited while share the same design are bigger due to the widths of the senior series.

You can't actually see them from here but they connect where the turn signals are to the rad cradle.

Edited February 18, 2014 by dei (see edit history)

[dei]

Mine were rusted pretty badly on the Limited...I managed to save them, but they don't look that great. Had I known they were so exposed in the engine compartment, I would've taken more time to make them pretty.

That's why I thought good solid ones are the better choice for me as I have NO talent like you have with metal work Adam.

Something for anyone looking into getting any model 1958 Buick, like all cars, each has it's own design issue (flaw) and these inner front fender panels are typical for the '58 Buick's. With that flat area on the inside allowing the road grud to hit that panel and sit there after the paint is blasted off (then there is road salt around here) well... just wasn't thought out fully.

Guess that's why they call it planned obsolescence.

[Guest Rob McDonald]

DOUG, inner fenders are probably similar between '57 and '58 Buicks. Happily, mine were in excellent shape, as was most of the rest of the body of my Roadmaster. It was apparently always an Alberta car, from the days when not much salt was spread on the roads.

I'm glad you were able to take advantage of Wheatbelt's "clearance sale". I assume those inner fenders will be used on your Special convertible. Pretty sure they'd be different from those on the Limited, which is wider across the beam.

[dei]

Rob,

I have not spent much time discussing my Special here yet as I've been trying to deal with the Limited first but......

I believe you when you say Western Canadian cars have a history of better shaped metal because........

My Special came from Calgary!

Seems a fellow from here went out to Calgary driving a VW Beetle back in the mid 60's. While there the motor blew and parts were not that plentiful for Vdub's then so he ended up buying the '58. Ended up coming back here (family?) and because he owed money to his Insurance Agent as times were tough, handed him the ownership for payment. The Insurance guy was in the Car Club Dad & I were in and knew I owned the Limited so..... I had 200 in the bank and he was asking more but handed him 50 bucks and told Dad I bought another '58 Buick! (thank heavens for Grandmothers to the rescue!)

There were car wash tickets from Calgary and match books and other locally known items in the glove box which I have put away somewhere.

I've mentioned at the start of this thread that I dated my wife in this car back in 1974 and really have been driving it off and on over all these years till the power brakes went out about 4 years ago.

One story I have to tell...

One Mothers Day I brought the car out so we could go to a nice brunch. Too cool to have the top down and with a relatively new white top, I had to park near the road and grumbling that it might get dirty. (not a good way to start a Mothers Day Brunch)

Half way through eating I notice a gentleman stopping at a few tables and then comes over to us. He asks if I might own that red Buick out in the lot?

Turns out he noticed it being close to the road and says, I used to own that car! Do you want to sell it?

Needless to say I didn't but guys, you know how the rest of Mothers Day Brunch went right????? (too much talk about cars and not the mother...oh my:()

I did exchange phone numbers with this fellow and we promised to get together and talk but... just never happened.

Day of registration in my name, 1972 at Grandmother's.

Look at that body condition from a Western Canadian car and two years before I started to date my wife who moved in next door. I think she liked the red convertible....

Condition after 11 years of Ontario driving by me (although not during most winters).

1992 - new top, new tires

2000 - with our 1994 Buick LeSabre - Ya, it's in the blood.

OK, not a good shot but.... we made it to the 2003 Flint National! Thank heavens it wasn't a Judged show as we are now really showing our age.....

Off to a fun Car and Antique Boat Show pulling an original condition, locally built 1957 power boat with period Johnson outboard and trailer.

A few things to point out:

I've never painted this car although, it was painted by the fellow that bought it out in Calgary. It seems he did not like the colour when he bought it.... the car came originally from the factory in Buick PINK! They did not remove any of the trim to paint her and you don't have to look close today to see the original colour here and there.

The other thing is that she has her original factory (well worn) upholstery yet. The front seats are not as soft as they once were but.....

Plans today? Do what needs to be done to get on the road again and....

She's a great driver with lots of stories. :cool:

[Guest Rob McDonald]

Imagine trading up from a Beetle to a chrome-plated Buick! Good stories. I doubt the girl next door had any idea she'd still have a relationship with that red convertible, forty years on.

[dei]

Imagine trading up from a Beetle to a chrome-plated Buick! Good stories. I doubt the girl next door had any idea she'd still have a relationship with that red convertible, forty years on.

I'd take that bet Rob! LOL

See.... she knew what she was in for alright! It only took me 6 years to decide to tie the knot.

Coming up on our 40th Anniversary very soon.

But...I did the right thing by letting her drive it once in a while.

The best part?

Her father grew up in the Chrysler Corporation from the age of 15. Naturally he had new Chrysler, Dodge or Plymouth cars but seemed to be amazed with me keeping this old Buick running.

[JohnD1956]

Lots of great memories.

[dei]

One month ago I inquired about a trunk emblem for my Roadmaster. With pictures (not all that great) sent and coming from a sunny part of the US I decided to take a chance and have it shipped.

This is what I received yesterday after driving through heavy snow, seeing lightning, hearing thunder and finally torrential rains all in about two hours......

I guess from what I have now to this I should be happy?:confused:

[Guest Rob McDonald]

Yeah, I'd be pretty disappointed with that. Eventually, I'll be looking for a few pot metal trim pieces for my '57 - missing the pins on a couple of trunk letters and the Roadmaster scripts are pretty pitted. Gonna have to be careful to receive clear photos before I send any money orders.