Guys, is there any source for patch panels for the early Buicks ( 1937 Special )? Or are we own our own? Hows about door skins? Actually my doors are just fine but the trunk lid needs a little, well maybe a lot, of work. If commercial skins are not available any one got any ideas? Thanks

Gunny

There are occasionally some "generic fit" panels that show up on Ebay. These are panels that are designed to fit a number of different cars and were sold to body shops when the cars were new(ish). But they are not direct fit or easy to install--they all need massaging. I'm also guessing that they aren't "patch panels" as we are accustomed to today. Most body shops of that vintage had panel beaters who were skilled enough to fabricate new panels, which, admittedly, were not very complicated. Rust repair was a non-issue at the time because the cars were out of circulation before they rusted and there is/was no notable volume demand for patch panels for specific models.

If you need a trunk lid repair, I think you will not have much trouble finding a nice one that is in better shape than yours. The Special sedans were the most common cars that year, and there are plenty around today. I'm also guessing that Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles of the same vintage probably used the same panel. The '36-'40 Special sedans might even all use the same body, so that can widen your search for a good one, too. Someone with a part number book or a Hollander might be able to be more specific on which makes/models/years will work on your car. But I am certain you're not limited to only 1937 Buick Special sedans.

Failing that, I'd encourage you to try your metalshaping skills. I've learned a lot working on my own car, and have become quite proficient at creating patch panels and installing them invisibly (well, we'll see how it all looks when it's done). Just don't use fiberglass tape and bondo to make the repairs--please!

Good luck with this--don't be intimidated by the repairs, because the skills you need are fairly easy to acquire and use. I'll have an article in an upcoming issue of the Bugle about fabricating and welding-in patch panels.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll help any way I can.

Dear Gunny,I would find the BEST collision shop in your area,go see the owner and have him direct you to the BEST metal man in the shop.See if Mr Metal will do some work for you after hours for CA$H.My guess is you have plenty to do on this Buick without learnin METALWORKIN 101.Miggin,shrinkin,stretchin,shapin are all lessons you do not need to be learnin on YOUR Buick. diz

Dear Gunny, I have a 1928 to 1950 Buick Master Parts list. There are 3 different trunk lid assemblies listed for 1937:

Part No. 4076717 for body styles 4401, 4409, 4449, 4601, 4609, and 4649;
#4076718 for 4411, 4419, 4611, and 4619;
#4084301 for 4427, 4427B and 4627.

There are different numbers listed for 1936, 1938 and 1939 lids (although body style groups are similar as above). I assume that each of these parts is somewhat different, as they all have unique parts numbers. I don't have a Hollander exchange list so I don't know if other GM cars used the same parts.

I have a 1936 Special with similar sounding problems. I'd be glad to hear of anyplace you can find that makes trunk patch panel (lid and floor).

Guy's,

This old Buick does not have a lot of rust problems, but if I was 68 years old I am pretty sure I would have rusted up as well. Hell at 57 I'm sure it has already started. Now with that said there are some problems. The one that bugs me the most is the very bottom of the trunk door. Rust here was not apparent when I bought this car as it was covered with Bondo, and the magnet trick didn't work either as all four of the magnets I had with me stuck just fine. The bottom pan below the trunk also has some rot, but I have found replacement pans for this area. Making a patch panel for the two small areas of rust on the trunk itself would not be that big of a deal, however the areas are so close to the edge of the panel and so thin that any welding at all is going to burn right through the panel itself. The only other area with a pretty big problem and this one makes me mad as well, I should have seen this one. Is the area around the front bumper mounts, in this area there was an obvious attemp to hide the problems there. The area around the hole where the bumper mount itself passes through has been covered over with "Duck Tape" and then Bondo applied over the "Duck Tape". With my grinder I have dug out all of this area and the orginal problem was not really that bad, but the fix some stupid bozo used made it worse. Patch panels here will be a simple matter of just forming some sheet medal over a die and triming to fit, I Hope!!

Matt,

Thanks for the advice, your council is always greatle appriciated.

grosell,
Thank you very much for those part numbers. I am sure I can put them to use. Also for your truink floor and if you haven't been there before, Matt's web site is a invaluable source of information on this subject.

DizzyDale,
You know Dale if I had listened to you and a few of the other guys in the first place I wouldn't need no stinking patch panels at all, but NO I had to have this Buick. It is way cool though rust and all. I do drive it ever day now that I have it home. The collision repair idea is a good one I will give it a try.

Thanks Guys Gunny

Dear Gunny,I had to do some metal work on my 39 Zephyr once i stripped the car.I had to trim the rusted areas back so i had something to Mig too.If you struck the arc before trimmin it back EVERYTHING just turned to dust and resulted in dime size holes even with the machine turned all the way down.diz

Hey Dale,
I saw me one of those 39 Zephyrs on the TV yesterday. Seems like them folks at that Barrett-Jackson auction fiasco are selling them 39 Zephs for somewhere in the neighborhood of $400,000.00 yea four hundred thousand dollors. If I had known you where that rich to own one of those half a million dollors cars I would have called you SIR. SIR!!

Gunny

Dear Gunny,You can see my Zephyr before i tore it apart and after i painted it on the AACA photo forum under Lincoln.It is this Winters project,it WILL be done in the spring.I PROMISE.As for SIR......YOU earned it.THANKS for your service.ANYTIME i can help you PLEASE advise.diz