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1952 Buick Super Straight 8 - Know nothing and just getting started!


Dale's Buick

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Hello new friends....couldn't wait for retirement, so bought my first and probably only project car. The seller I trust, and he tells me he had it running, and just needs a lot of tlc. The body is very solid, just surface rust. He collects and rebuilds them himself, so hoping he'll help me from time to time, but more than likely I'm stuck with a repair manual and youtube. First project will be cleaning up the Master Brake Cylinder, as it has no breaks, and taking off/cleaning the gas tank. Then with the new 6V batter I just purchased, we'll see if this beautiful girl will start. The gas tank I understand and think I can handle, but tips on the Master Cylinder will be appreciate....should I go ahead and order the kit, or just wait, clean up what I have, and see? Looking forward to talking with you folks.....thanks!

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Welcome Dale. How long has the car been in storage? When was it last run? And as for the brakes, I would fill the master cylinder first, and then pump the pedal a few times to see if there are any leaks in the brake lines underneath, before pulling the master cylinder. Be sure to look at the inside areas of all four tires for brake fluid running down one or more. That may indicate a bad wheel cylinder as opposed to a bad master cylinder.

This looks like a fine Buick, and it will be fun to watch your progress.

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Guest shadetree77

Dale,

Congrats on a successful first post! I knew you'd figure it out. The old girl looks like an extremely solid car and a great starting point for a restoration. You will have fun working on her. This forum is an invaluable source of info. as I found out when I began mine over 2 years ago. Don't hesitate to ask questions here. Make sure you get an original service manual too. You can download one for free if you don't have a paper copy. Let me know if you need it and I can send you the download link.

John is right about the master cylinder. I would put some fluid in it and pump the brakes. Just to see what happens. Either way, if the car has been sitting for a long time I would go ahead and replace all of the rubber brake lines (there are 3) and rebuild the master if you think it needs it. You might end up replacing the wheel cylinders too. Don't trouble yourself with rebuilding the cylinders, better to just replace. You don't want to take a chance with these old braking systems. On this type of master cylinder, if you lose one line you have NO BRAKES! Better safe than sorry.

Good call on cleaning the gas tank. Make sure you put some type of filter on the line too. You can get a universal clear, plastic inline type at any auto parts store. When you do get her started, don't let it run for very long! You are going to need to drop the oil pan and clean the sludge out of it. I wish someone would have told me that back when I started. That mistake cost me a LOT of time and grief.

I look forward to seeing more of your car. Would love to see pictures of the engine and interior when you get some. Let me know if you need that manual download link. Here are a bunch of parts resources that I have gathered over my time here:

NOS, New, and Used Buick Parts:

Bob's Automobilia

3352 South El Pomar

Templeton, CA 93465

805-434-2963

Home page

Classic Buicks

P.O. Box 28

Dallas, OR 97338-0028

Classic Buick parts, high quality and exceptional value! Classic Buick parts, high quality and exceptional value!

The Buick Farm

PO Box 384

Clayton, DE 19938

NOS Buick Parts & Original Literature, 1935-2012 or Present

CARs, Inc.

205 Pearl St

Neshanic Station, NJ 08853

908-369-3666

Antique Old Buick Parts CARS, Inc.

AutoTran

Antique Automatic Trans. Parts

David Edwards

56 Dale Street, Dept. A

Needham Heights, MA 02494-1218

781-449-2065

Dynaflow Parts

Fatsco Tranmission Parts

337 ChangeBridge Road

PO Box 635

Pine Brook, NJ 07058

973-227-2487

800-524-0485

For Sales Dial #2

Welcome to Fatsco Transmission Parts Worldwide distributor of Transmission Parts

Antique Auto Supply

1225 Colorado Ln.

Arlington, TX 76015

817-275-2381

Antique Auto Supply, Keeping the Old Car Hobby alive for the last 50 years"

Classic NOS Parts

815-399-1075

Classic NOS Parts

Classic 2 Current Fabrication, LLC

Reproduction Floor Pans

24536 Capitol St.

Redford, MI 48239

313-534-2886

https://c2cfabrication.com/index.html

Inline Tube

Brake Lines/Brake Parts

15066 Technology Drive

Shelby Township, Michigan 48315

586-532-1338

Inline tube The brake plumbing experts

Steele Rubber Products

6180 E. NC 150 HWY

Denver, NC 28037

Phone: 704-483-9343

Steele Rubber Products - Quality Crafted Automotive Rubber Parts and Weatherstripping

Kanter Auto Products

76 Monroe St

Boonton, NJ 07005

1-800-526-1096

973-334-9575

Kanter Auto Products - Classic Antique Auto Restoration Parts

TA Performance Products

16167 N. 81st Street

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

480-922-6807

TA Performance Products Inc. - Your Leader in Buick Automotive Parts and Accessories

Used Buick Parts:

Ken Schmidt

The Buick Bonery

4700 8TH Ave

Sacramento, CA 95820-1511

916-599-3934

buickbonery@hotmail.com

Moore's Auto Salvage

1761 Country Road

Rapid City, SD 57701

605-348-4926

Moores Auto Salvage: Quality parts for antique and classic cars and trucks from the 1920s to 1980s.

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NEAT!!!

I agree with the ideas on the brakes. And Robert is probably correct on the oil pan. Perhaps check with the seller as to when the car was last run an d if he has knowledge of the pan being removed and cleaned. Well, one can hope!! Alternatley, remove the pushrod cover and check the condition behind it. This should give one an idea of the general condition of the oil pan condition. Again, one can HOPE!!

Looks like most of the rust is surface. Spend a little time with a water hose on a low trickle and some 600 grit wet/dry sand paper. Try a small area. If this accomplishes what I believe it will, you will be pleased.

Clean it up. Get her running. Get her stopping. DRIVE her a while before even thinking about restoring. You may find She is great the way she is.

Good luck

Ben

Edited by First Born (see edit history)
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Guest timinbovey

I guess I've been here a year, that's enough to welcome you, eh? The guys in this group are a fine bunch of fellows with a wealth of knowledge.

I started in on my Dad's 1951 Roadmaster just about a year ago. It had been stored indoors for over 40 years. Fortunately it was stored with a "car buy" all these years, who kept the cylinders filled with oil, and even started it once in a while, so engine wise I think I'm OK. She still smokes a bit, but runs smooth.

As for the brakes, I decided that the brakes are the most important thing in the car, and with a single cylinder master system, I know if it leaks or the cylinder goes south, you're in trouble! I didn't even look at my brakes, I simply replaced everything. the master cylinder wasn't cheap, but it's nice to know it's good. I ordered it and new metal brake lines from Kanter, and everything else I needed for the brakes came from my FLAPS. Cylinders, hardware, shoes, etc. they had it all, or could order what I needed within a day or two. I just couldn't imagine coming down a hill with no brakes in a beasty Buick!

After doing a "tune up" (points, cap, rotor, plugs, etc) and installing a rebuilt fuel pump I used a short gas line into a gas can to the pump to start 'er up for the first time. Just a couple weeks ago I put about 5-6 gallons in the tank and ran it off the tank, without cleaning it, etc. Worked fine. I did however install one of the cheap, clear plastic inline fuel filters mentioned above, in the line before the carb, so I could verify gas flow and as a dirt stopper. I know this car was parked inside, and that the tank had been drained years ago, so, so far, no issues.

My car, My Dad bought new in 1951. Dad's 85 now, and I'm trying to get her going so my folks can ride in it again before they pass. They took their honeymoon in this car! Look up my thread "Bringing back Dad's 1951 Roadmaster" (or something like that) there are a trunk load of photos, from back in the day when it was new, to today's project. Note Dad's car has the same chrome fins on the fenders as your '52. Makes no sense, as the car IS definitly a '51. We're guessing the dealer put 'em on there before Dad bought it, but we really don't know, and Dad never knew the difference!

Anyway, welcome. It's fun. Be patient. I'm just about ready to take her off the stands, put it on the ground and see if it moves under it's own power. The Dynaflow remains untested.

Tim in Bovey

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Another week, and progress at the speed of a glacier...lol. Got a friend to look at my gas tank to discuss metal restoration....when we suddenly realized we had a plastic tank...obviously not original. So shopping for a replacement as this one leaks. Also got the Master Break Cylinder off and ordered a rebuild kit along with new rubber hoses and brake cylinders. Something to clean when I don't have a knowledgeable buddy around! I'm on the hunt for a front windshield now while I keep these projects going. I'm spending too much money too quickly so going to have to shop and slow down a bit...and maybe just work on powerwashing the bottom and cleaning the engine for now. I have new pictures to post, but getting a "file too big" message, so have to figure out that bit of technology too. Thanks for the help so far folks, and I"ll keep looking to you for your wisdom and suggestions! Dale

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...I'm spending too much money too quickly so going to have to shop and slow down a bit...Dale

Dale, this is a thought that has shot like a bullet through the minds of all of us here - probably at least once or twice a day. Being common sense, most of us give these thoughts wide berth. :rolleyes: Good luck with your car. Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Dan

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Another week' date=' and progress at the speed of a glacier...lol. Got a friend to look at my gas tank to discuss metal restoration....when we suddenly realized we had a plastic tank...obviously not original. So shopping for a replacement as this one leaks. Also got the Master Break Cylinder off and ordered a rebuild kit along with new rubber hoses and brake cylinders. Something to clean when I don't have a knowledgeable buddy around! I'm on the hunt for a front windshield now while I keep these projects going. I'm spending too much money too quickly so going to have to shop and slow down a bit...and maybe just work on powerwashing the bottom and cleaning the engine for now. I have new pictures to post, but getting a "file too big" message, so have to figure out that bit of technology too. Thanks for the help so far folks, and I"ll keep looking to you for your wisdom and suggestions! Dale[/quote']

Welcome, Dale

Great find and a great project. We've all been in that situation when the needs of the project

overcome the realities of the wallet! I think your approach of power washing the car's bottom and

grimy bits is good. This allows you to keep a clipboard handy to write down all the

suspect areas and parts that get uncovered during the cleaning process. Cheap, too!

Addressing the fuel tank, lines, fuel pump,

carb, and the brakes like you are doing will get the old girl moving again, I'm sure.

The ignition/electrical bits needing replacement are not terribly expensive; and , in cleaning and replacing them you'll uncover any

Hinky wiring, too. My unsolicited advice is to determine the state of the existing fuel lines. I'd just replace them.

I love waking up these old sleepers after years and years of storage. The first time it sputters to life

is a real thrill! My 58 Roadie was "sleeping" for 18 years when I trailered it home. Took about 3 days of work

to prepare for the fire up. She started like I parked it the night before! Very gratifying, indeed!

Good luck and keep us all in the loop. mike

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, working full time, taking night classes, and trying to find time for my new project is teaching me patience! Finally got the bolts lose on the Master Cylinder, so cleaning it up and rebuilding are my current tasks. Found a great set of used 15 Tires, and got them on and balanced for $157 so feeling ok so far. Also found a catalogue with gas tanks for $285 delivered, and a possible front windshield for $250 on ebay....$450 in the catalogue, so will try to contact the seller shortly. NOW I understand why you wait unil you are retired! Hang in with me....pictures coming as soon as I can figure it out and have more than 10 minutes to do it. Dale

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  • 1 month later...
Well' date=' working full time, taking night classes, and trying to find time for my new project is teaching me patience! Finally got the bolts lose on the Master Cylinder, so cleaning it up and rebuilding are my current tasks. Found a great set of used 15 Tires, and got them on and balanced for $157 so feeling ok so far. Also found a catalogue with gas tanks for $285 delivered, and a possible front windshield for $250 on ebay....$450 in the catalogue, so will try to contact the seller shortly. NOW I understand why you wait unil you are retired! Hang in with me....pictures coming as soon as I can figure it out and have more than 10 minutes to do it. Dale[/quote']

OK, been working on the brakes for weeks, a day a week usually. I think two more nights will finish them up I hope! I have the new gas tank ready to install, so add a day more, then the battery goes on and we see if this beauty will fire up! As excited about that hope as a 5 year old with a bike under the Christmas tree....lol. OK....need my mentor's to advise me. Two things I think I want to do, but asking before I do. First, the upholstery is needing to be replaced, some rat holes and really dusty and aged. Secondly, a friend has said he'd put an "add-on" under dash A/C unit on it, which would sure improve the comfort of the ride. Would either or both hurt the definition of a restoration? The air would just be addition of parts, not replacement (keeping 6 volt, and maybe running off of a 12 volt in the trunk or something. The upholstery, I think I'll have new done, but look like the original, with the tuck and roll at the top. So, comments from the pros out there? Thanks all!

Dale

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In my opinion, A/C will ruin the car's value as an original antique. You have to make so many changes to have the A/C that it really isn't worth it unless this is going to be the only car you drive every day and you live in a warm climate. It will require conversion to a 12-volt electrical system which raises a whole bunch of other issues and problems such as replacing every one of your car's light bulbs and electrically operated gauges, not to mention the starter, generator, and the increased load on an already old and maybe inadequate engine cooling system. Bad idea!!!

I will let others comment on the upholstery. I am a purist and would only go with correct, original material, but it depends on what you want the car to be.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

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How bad is the interior that you feel it needs replacing? Sometimes you can get away with cleaning the upholstery and having someone repair the damaged areas with original fabric that may still be available. Unless you know someone who sews interiors from home, restoring an entire interior at an upholstery shop will be very expensive.

Chrome, paint and body work are other major investments without being able to do it yourself or knowing someone who does it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Back with a post, and sorry it's taken so long! I'm about 2 good nights from finishing the brake rebuild, but I think it's looking pretty good. Got several responses to recent post comments, and several things needing my friends' advice? First, it turns out I had a plastic gas tank when I bought it, not the original. Is it ok to put a new one on from Yogi's? I have, so looking for a yes...lol. Secondly, I agree with Pete on the A/C....and fresh air it is. Bleach suggested keeping the upholstery original, so may try that route....but that's way down the line, and if I can keep it pure enough to be a show car I will, but if it simply won't win any awards, then I probably will freshen up the upholstery, but I WOULD use the same type material and style, just something that doesn't smell like a 60 year old garage...lol. Next, when I eventually paint it, may I change the color to something that was appropriate for a 1952 Super? (those colors are on my find out list). The original was an aqua blue/green kinda, but I definitely don't plan on putting a clear coat on and keeping the patina.....sorry, but even I have to make it look better! Next, the bumpers will polish up well, but the pot metal across the front lid of the hood with the Buick Special stamped in it is pretty pitted. From a restore point, is it better to stay pitted and live with it, or is it ok to sand it down and rechrome it? I have to do this stuff as I can afford it, so you folks may be close friends and advisors for a very long time! Thanks for all your help...and to the other friends posting their own progress, I will try to catch up and give encouragement as soon as I can. Thanks to all for now!

Dale

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You know Dale, the great thing about your car is the complete separation of the roof from the lower body. This would allow you to paint just up top, and then polishing the bottom would produce a very nice car.

As to the gas tank, I don't know what a tank from Yogi's entails. Is it a 52 Buick Tank? If so, it makes no difference who sells it.

As to doing the chrome over, I am thinking I would polish all the chrome first and then evaluate what has to be redone and when. I would attempt to redo all the chrome that has to be rechromed BEFORE tacking the paint on the lower body because: If you paint it first and then have to wait to get chrome replated before reinstalling, this car may wind up sitting in your garage, unused, for a long time. If you re-chrome the parts first then the last parts to get re-chromed are the door handles. That way when you take the car apart for paint, you can get them off and replated while you are painting the lowerbody. Then they will be ready to go back on as soon as the car is done and you won't have to leave the inner door panels off while waiting on the handles. Also, I would not take sandpaper to the top grill bar ( mustache bar) in advance of talking to the person who will do the plating. I know of a Very Nice 56 Roadmaster convertible with deep sandpaper scratches in the top grill bar. Cheapens the entire car to me.

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OK...made a small dumb mistake today. Took the front brakes apart, got them redone...but what order to you put the rollers and parts back on when you're ready to install the drum cylinder? I could use a youtube right now, but so far no luck. Any suggestions? Pictures/drawings would sure help....lol

Dale

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Dale, I woke up in a good mood so I will make this a lighthearted scolding. If you don't have a shop manual, buy one. We have all made boneheaded mistakes, so follow me here for a minute. When you take something apart, lay all the pieces out on a piece of cardboard. Then you can use a Sharpie to write down any notes you may think you need on the (now greasy) piece of cardboard. Buy a cheap digital camera and take a ridiculous amount of pictures. Lastly, do one side at a time if you can.

Now assuming you have a shop manual, I realize that it doesn't say specifically how all of the wheel bearings to back together. Basically, each bearing has three parts. This makes two assumptions. Your car hasn't been monkeyed with, and since I know it has been monkeyed with (in my experience) that all of the bearing pieces match.

Ok. Two bearings. Inner and outer. Both bearings have inner and outer races. The inner bearing is the bigger one. Pick up the clean and freshly lubed big one and find the inner and outer race. If you left the drum side race in the drum, you place the bearing in the race, then the inner race (they might call it something else in your newly acquired shop manual), then the wheel seal. Place the drum on the spindle. Assemble the outer freshly clean and lubed bearing in the race. Put the outer bearing retainer on, adjust the wheel bearings, adjust the brakes. Then enjoy your work.

"Sounds easy when you say it fast"

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  • 3 weeks later...
post-95021-143142261559_thumb.jpgBeen a slow process, but the brakes are rebuilt, and all that's left to do is fill the reservoir and bleed them. Have a great friend that has been helping me, and I know more about drum brakes than I ever dreamed I would...lol. This is my 52 Buick Super up on jack stands, and the handsome older fella is my 84 year old dad Ben Hite. He kept walking around the car going...this is the biggest car I've ever seen! Of course he suggested I paint it yellow which is the chosen color of all lemons. I was underneath putting the back brake lines in at the time, or else I'd have arm wrestled him! We've got new cylinders, rubber lines, and shoes on all four wheels, so phase one is all but done. The next thing we do is head for the engine. The plan is to spray some cylinder lube in the spark plug holes, clean up the plugs, and do the belt, hoses and filters before we try to crank her up! Hoping we have it able to drive downtown to get it inspected before Thanksgiving, so keep your fingers crossed! Thanks for all the encouragement so far, and I'll do some more pictures as we progress.

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Welcome to the hobby, or "disease" as some of us call it! Your car will be lots of fun when you get it rolling!

Anyway, sounds like you're off to a good start. One thing, when I read through the thread, I didn't see anything about changing the brake lines. If you haven't already, it would be a good idea to do so. Some areas of the underneath can be tough to access, but it's worth the peace of mind.

Keith

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John D,

Oh the thought that mine will look that beautiful some day! Just out of curiousity, was it yellow in its original color and if so, what is the interior color/material? I've got a 52 that was/is some turquois or teal green color with grey seat covers. It's not my favorite color by any stretch, and would prefer new seat material, but everybody on this forum so far is voting for change nothing....so still not sure where to go!

Thanks again!

Dale

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post-95021-143142277715_thumb.jpgKeith,

Couldn't thank you any more for asking THAT question! We finished the brakes last night, as it was my first project. Made a lot of sense to know I could stop it before we find out if I can get it moving! I put new rubber lines in, all new shoes, wheel cylinders, and rebuilt the master cylinder. I'm as mechanically inclined as a hammer, but I was truly overjoyed when my friend and I got done, and he shouted to come step on the brake pedal after I'd been under the car for 2 hours.....NASA, we have brakes!" This coming weekend, we check the fluids, clean the plugs, spray a little lube in the plug holes, and try to fire her up for the first time (For me). Can't wait! Putting another couple of questions out there for the group? First, I can clean by myself, but have help when I mess with the mechanical, so while "we" work on the engine, the underside is filthy as is the engine, so needs a good cleaning. Secondly, it has surface rust over a lot of the body, but it is surface only-this thing is as solid as a Sherman Tank. So, is there an easy cleaner that will clean surface rust with just a good soaking? Next, will simply Gunk Off or something on the engine work to clean most of the dirt and old oil off? Third, all of the polished steel and chrome I can polish forever, but what do you suggest for the pot metal that's pitted, for example, the BuickSuper strip along the front of the hood lid? No rush on any of this, but need something I can work on when I don't want to hurt anything (remember my tag line), but want to keep moving forward. Thanks for any/all tips, and you guys are the best!

Dale in Kentucky (AKA Dale's Buick)

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Edited by Dale's Buick (see edit history)
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Dale;

Well, you've asked some tough questions, and I can help you a bit, and of course others will add to my comments.

First, about the brake lines. I meant the steel ones that run from the master cylinder to the various corners of the car. It is good practice to change the rubber ones, but if the steel lines are original, they could give trouble too, and by that I mean a leak, and there is typically no warning, you jam your foot on the brakes, and then a spot gives way, and no brakes! A good inspection of the lines, which perhaps you and your friend have done, can tell you if they still could be good. Here in the North, the exposed areas of car take a serious beating, so on daily driver type of cars, after 10-15 years some of the brake lines will of gone bad in many cases.

I'm really just suggesting that for long and short term safety, it' a good idea to change all of them, as it is possible for the lines to corrode from the inside too, not as common, but these cars are way beyond their design life.

The dirt, grease and grime on the engine, and undercarriage is a dirty, messy and time consuming job, but can be done by scraping, using solvents and de-greasing that you can buy at an auto parts store. Careful of wiring, etc, of course.

The paint and chrome get a bit more complicated, and expensive. The surface rust you see actually will inhibit rust, as it tends to protect the metal underneath, to an extent. If you remove the surface rust, you will have bare steel again, that will start to rust again immediately. So, if the rust is' cleaned off, it needs to be painted quickly, and then you either use spray cans, or do it properly. I think that the patina of an original car can be quite nice, a completely different look to a show car paint, but it does have a great deal of charm in its original state. So, my thoughts are, at the very most, to just use some polishing compound or similar to get rid of some of the staining, and bring up the original paint a bit, till you are ready to go for a complete paint job.

The chrome is a similar situation. The pits are corrosion into the base metal, and other than using some chrome polish (which will help the surrounding areas, sometimes quite a lot) there is nothing that can be done, shy of complete rechroming, which these days is very costly. A good route to go is to browse ebay and if you are patient you can pick up some good used pieces that would be much nicer than the ones on your car. These would also be a better candidate for a re chrome, as there will be less work for the shop, and less costly and look better if/when you choose to go that far.

Hope this helps, and post some more pictures of your car! Let us know how the start up goes too!

Keith

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John D' date='

Oh the thought that mine will look that beautiful some day! Just out of curiousity, was it yellow in its original color and if so, what is the interior color/material? I've got a 52 that was/is some turquois or teal green color with grey seat covers. It's not my favorite color by any stretch, and would prefer new seat material, but everybody on this forum so far is voting for change nothing....so still not sure where to go!

Thanks again!

Dale[/quote']

Well Dale, mine is not all that nice either. The paint is scratched heavily on top of the front fenders but a digital camera seems to mask those imperfections so it looks much better than it is. This car is in it's original colors. Harvest Yellow main body which has had some paint work done over the years before I owned it. The black top is a original color but was a repaint from back in 03 or so. The interior is black and white.

And I generally agree with the others on this forum regarding keeping it original. But I recogonize that this decision is a personal one and it is really up to the individual. I am torn between painting the yellow on mine and redoing the interior, or just leaving it alone. My seats are toast, to the point of being uncomfortable when driving it. So I will try to get my interior done in the next few years. That is one decision. How to redo the seats is a second one. I may opt to change the seat material while keeping the original seat patterns. And if I redo the interior then I might as well paint the yellow over. That is a third decision but the car will stay in the original colors as I am very happy with them. But all this is based on the fact that there are so many well done and exceptional 56's around. Who will miss one not done correctly? I don't know if that applies to the 52's, especially a nice 4 door. I can tell you this. I once had a 69 Electra in the odd green color. It was my sisters car and was severely faded when we got it. My son and I did the best we could on the body work and then repainted it the factory color. When the paint was new and shiney, it was awesome. So do not discount your color schemes till you have a chance to see how nice it could look on your car.

Edited by JohnD1956 (see edit history)
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Guest shadetree77

Dale,

VERY solid advice from Keith. Beware though, that once you start cleaning and degreasing it becomes a long and arduous task. You have to ask yourself just how far you want to go. For me, I stated out thinking I was just going to clean and scrape a bit of grease and crud. Well, before I knew it I had the entire front clip taken apart and the engine stripped down to the block. It took a LONG, LONG time and many man hours to clean and repaint the entire underside front to back and the engine compartment. Not trying to scare you away from doing some cleaning on your car, but once you start it is hard to find a stopping point. By the way, my degreaser of choice is Marine Clean. It's made by the POR-15 company and works amazingly well if the instructions are followed to the letter. You have to order it online but I highly recommend it.

I agree with Keith on the surface rust too. There isn't much that can be done for surface rust on painted surfaces. If a painted surface is rusting, generally that means the metal beneath is exposed. So if you remove the rust you'll just expose the bare metal, which will then rust even more. As the owner of a patina car, I can tell you that patina is most certainly "in" right now. I can't tell you how many positive comments I get at car shows. People constantly tell me that I should "never, ever paint my car". I did not care for the patina at first, but it has grown on me. I can now appreciate it for being original. On rare occasions that people make a wisecrack about the patina, I tell them that, "It took 60 years to complete that paint job!". As long as you keep a close eye on the surface rust and don't let it become cancerous, your original paint can survive quite a while. Some people even rub it down with motor oil (clean, NOT USED) occasionally.

As for rust on chrome, I have had great success removing it with chrome polish and super fine (0000) steel wool. A lot of people advise against using ANY kind of steel wool on chrome but the way I do it, I've yet to see any adverse affects. I dip the super fine wool in Mothers Mag Polish, lightly rub the chrome, then wipe clean with a soft cloth. When done polishing, I put at least 3 coats of wax on the chrome piece which protects it from rusting again. As long as you re-apply the wax occasionally, it won't rust again. Again, not necessarily the recommended course of action, but it works for me. Keith is right about EBAY too. I've been able to replace every piece of badly deteriorated pot metal chrome on my car through EBAY with driver quality pieces. There's not much you can do about pits. Even the driver quality pieces have pits but as long as they're still shiny, they will look good. The hunt for chrome parts is fun too.

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I like John's comment about the colours, as it brought back memories about a Mustang I had once. It was a '70, and I had it in the late 70's, and it had a kind of pale green that was faded and dull, and I thought it was the worst colour ever, so when I painted it I did it in a factory red, which did look nice too, but a few years later I saw one done in the same as mine was originally, and it looked really nice, as it was fresh, good looking paint.

The colour choice is yours, once you make the decision to paint car, you can get a colour chip chart for '52 Buicks online, and choose a colour that you prefer, and also can see how yours looked when new.

How far you go on the car depends on you, what are your goals for the car, and how much do you want to spend on it.

Keith

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I just want to add to my comments above. About the colours, GM especially spent a lot of time working to create a nice colour palate for each car, so if you decide to re paint, choosing a colour which you prefer and that was optional at the time will tend to suit the car more, than say picking a modern colour.

The other thing is that most of on this forum us prefer our cars to be stock, whether that be original, restored, or a combination, so that's why you will find us suggesting that you keep it that way. If you were on a modified forum, you'd get many suggestions as to how to pull the Buick straight 8, and put a modern Chevy engine and drive train in it, bucket seats, etc., etc. Again, there's no rules, except those laid out by your local governments, as to what to do to your car.

You can search through this forum and see what others have done, which may help you to decide on a longer term strategy for your car.

The best thing to do at this point, is to get the car running, and see how everything is mechanically, then when it is reliable and drivable, continue with the other stuff, the cosmetics of the car.

Robert's car and his story is a great one, about getting the car, and then improving as you go. I also like his suggestion about some oil on the rust to stop it spreading, but of course that can be a bit messy.

The upholstery is possible to do by one's self. Again it depends how bad it is. If it just looks a bit shabby, but otherwise not bad, that might be deemed livable, and it will have the distinction of it still being factory original. If its' decayed, or animals have ripped it up, or so worn that it is not comfortable to sit on for long, then you might need to address it sooner rather than later. There are some good books on how to do this, and a heavy duty sewing machine (most designed for dressmaking won't sew upholstery) can be had for a few hundred dollars. The age of a sewing machine doesn't really matter. as long as its' in good working order. There are places that sell either original material, or reproduction, or find something that is close to the look of your original material.

I posted some pictures of my 1941 McLaughlin Buick Roadmaster's upholstery that I sewed myself a while ago. I don't have the link, but it is here on the forum if you do a search. I've always been a mechanical and bodywork guy, and got sewing (longish story, but it was just a few years ago) then came up with the bright idea of sewing my own seat covers, as my budget was too low at that point to have it done professionally. My point is that I'M no professional! It looks decent, and is nice to sit on.

My '41 was so bad that it was an "all or nothing" car, either do it all, or it's just a parts car, so I really had no choice but to do everything, as I really wanted to save the car.

Keith

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OK....last night, I got to hear one of the most exciting sounds I've ever heard....IT RAN!!!! We finished the brakes after 3 months of an hour here, an hour there. Last night, we (a great friend and myself) cleaned up all the sparkplugs, lubed the cylinders with a little WD-40, hooked the battery up, and with a little Spray Starter fluid, cranked her up for the first time...and it worked! We didn't run it long enough to pull gas to the carb yet, but hopefully the fuel lines are clean and we'll draw gas in tomorrow afternoon. I got the radiator flushed, and new hoses put on today (by myself-and being mechanically challenged, I am very proud at the moment!), so should be able to fill the radiator tomorrow, and get the wheels back on and see how things go. Stay tuned for the next episode...lol.

Dale in Kentucky

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Keith' date='

Couldn't thank you any more for asking THAT question! We finished the brakes last night, as it was my first project. Made a lot of sense to know I could stop it before we find out if I can get it moving! I put new rubber lines in, all new shoes, wheel cylinders, and rebuilt the master cylinder. I'm as mechanically inclined as a hammer, but I was truly overjoyed when my friend and I got done, and he shouted to come step on the brake pedal after I'd been under the car for 2 hours.....NASA, we have brakes!" This coming weekend, we check the fluids, clean the plugs, spray a little lube in the plug holes, and try to fire her up for the first time (For me). Can't wait! Putting another couple of questions out there for the group? First, I can clean by myself, but have help when I mess with the mechanical, so while "we" work on the engine, the underside is filthy as is the engine, so needs a good cleaning. Secondly, it has surface rust over a lot of the body, but it is surface only-this thing is as solid as a Sherman Tank. So, is there an easy cleaner that will clean surface rust with just a good soaking? Next, will simply Gunk Off or something on the engine work to clean most of the dirt and old oil off? Third, all of the polished steel and chrome I can polish forever, but what do you suggest for the pot metal that's pitted, for example, the BuickSuper strip along the front of the hood lid? No rush on any of this, but need something I can work on when I don't want to hurt anything (remember my tag line), but want to keep moving forward. Thanks for any/all tips, and you guys are the best!

Dale in Kentucky (AKA Dale's Buick)[/quote']

Keith Welcome. Regarding Cleaning and dealing with all area surface rust. Here is what buick man advises. Clean with an Orange Citrus cleaner such as Orange Blaster or similar citrus cleaner, and not a Solvent Based cleaner. Very important if you want to preserve anything you have. Remember Petroleum Based Solvents kill surfaces. Next Go get a full Gallon of Marvel Mystery Oil and at the same time Get your hands on 2 sprayers. A 1/2 gallon pump-up pressure sprayer with hand wand and hose with adjustable tip and also a hand held small round 1 pint sprayer from a beauty supply store because their sprayers are designed to hold up to chemicals without the hand mechanism going south on you after 2 uses like a cheap plastic sprayer does.

Now Clean your entire engine bay first then put the care up on 4 tire ramps with jack stands located around the frame for added protection and get under there and spray and soak the under side with the Orange Citrus Cleaner. Then open up the hood and soak the hell out of everything with the citrus cleaner and let the car set. Come back the next day and repeat. Let the car rest. Come back the next day and repeat. Then let the car rest. The next day come back and power wash the under side of the car. Next with a hand held sprayer on the end of a garden hose connected to your hot water heater or a hot water line from your hot water heater, spray the engine bay out while using a plastic or natural hard bristle brush. The kind where the bristles are at the very end of the handle like for using at a parts degreaser tank. Flush everything well with clean hot water. Then take shop air and dry the total accessible areas of the engine bay then the entire under side of the car.

When dry, make sure you have covered the floor area completely under the car with plastic. No fill the pump up sprayer with the marvel mystery oil and the hand held sprayer with marvel mystery oil. Now start by saturating every accessible item, surface, nook and cranny with the marvel mystery oil under the car. Now move up to the engine bay and do that as well. After that, take a rag and refill your hand held sprayer with MMO and spray all of the chrome bumpers and related chrome items. Don't worry about the paint it will not hurt it. Now take the rag and rub it all into the chrome. Now let things just set for a couple of days. Now come back and repeat every thing and then let set for a week. Now when you come back you'll find a different surface presentation as the MMO treatment has melted all flash and surface rust off. You will then be able to play with adjusting for further treatments of areas that may be somewhat persistent but you will see a remarkable difference.

Take some pictures for us of the areas you do BEFORE you start this then post photos of the same areas after you do this so we can all marvel in the results. ( Pun intended ).

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Thanks for the suggestions Keith and everybody. I'm at another engine step, and you guys seem to have every answer, so here's what is probably an easy one! We got her cranked up this weekend, and it was music to my ears! The carburetor needs to be cleaned out and a kit installed, and we're tackling that soon. BUT, the heater hoses need replacing, and the prior owner simply pulled them loose and left them stuffed in the wheelwell. I see the hose running from the top near the radiator, and connecting to the firewall. But I also see three (two new maybe?) hoses down under the battery platform, that come together in a 3-way connector. I'm calling plumbing shops to look for a connector, but where do those hoses go? They seem to go up into the frame, but so far haven't had a chance to track them down, and I think winter is now upon us, so may not be able to get to it in time. Thanks all!

Dale

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Dale;

Thanks for the thanks.

The car has an underseat heater, as well as a defroster unit in the dash. So, the coolant runs to the defroster, and to the underseat heater, and back to the engine. This setup takes quite a bit of heater hose, maybe 20 feet or so, but I cannot remember for sure. The heater hoses kind of disappear into the floor, as the heater core is on the inside.

The fan controls are some of the knobs in the middle of the dash either side of the radio grille. With the ignition on each fan should run when you pull that particular knob out. I also cannot remember which order there're in but they are marked.

I'm some of the others will fill in the blanks, the parts I can't remember!

Do you have a shop manual yet? If not you should try to get one sooner than later.

Keith

Hope this helps!

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I need help! Someone posted a group of pictures showing a beautifully restored engine, painted the teal? Green. It showed clearly where the heater hoses went, and I really need that site but can't fin fit. Help? I have the diagram, but I can't quite make out the complete sequence. Anybody seen these pics or have their own? 52 buick super, and going to try this over the weekend if I can figure it out. Thanks all!

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