Hello, I'm new to your forum. Ihave been reading it for two days and I like your content. It sounds like you guys know your stuff. Hopfully you can help. And hopfully I can contribute in the future. I have two questions. I have a 1958 buick special 2door that my father and I are restoring. 364cu two barrel with a standard trans. my first question is does any one know how many were made with a standard transmittion. I have not seen very many. my second question is I can't seem to find the right pedal pads for a clutch with standard brakes. The metal part of the pedal is 2 3/8 tall by 3 inches long. I have looked through CARS, STEEL RUBBER, and METRO RUBBER with no luck. Any information would be great. Thank you.

I have never seen production figures for Buick synchromesh cars, but here is a site that has figures for Pontiac synchromesh cars for 1957:

http://www.pontiacsafari.com/L1EarlyV8Pontiacs/ModelStyleNumbers/1957_models.htm

1957 model year production for Pontiac was 334,041 so it works out to about 4.3% of total production. I would think that for Buick it would be even less, maybe 3% of total production for '57 or '58, since manual trans cars only came in the Special series with the 2-bbl low compression motor and were not available with power steering or power brakes. So that works out to be about 12,100 cars in '57 and 7,300 cars in '58. On the bright side, manual trans cars came with 3.58 gears in '57 and '58 while Dynaflow cars came with 2.78, 3.07 or 3.20 gears.

I think many of the parts for '57 and '58 interchange. I'm looking for pedal pads and a clutch cable for a '57 as well, so if you run across some extras let me know.

I have located a single NOS clutch/brake pedal pad. It is group number 4.630 and part number 1169517. My parts manual says it fits '56-'58 Special with conventional transmissions. There is a hand written note taped to it indicating it also fits part number 1188597 which is '59-'60 LeSabre with manual transmission, so those years might work as well. Of course one doesn't do me much good since two are required and it doesn't help you either, plus I think some other people have been looking as well. I would be willing to send it to Steele Rubber if they could use it to make reproductions. I contacted them about this and will let you know what they say.

Hey, Sean I apreciate the input. Do you know the mesurments of the pad and how many ribs it has on it. My setup was confusing at first someone added to the clutch pedal and put a power brake pedal pad on it and the brake pedal pad was missing, so I have no idea what it looks like. other than some pic's of the net. thanks

It is 3 inches wide and 2 5/8 inches tall and has 8 ribs on it. I have attached some pictures.

Thank's for the pic's. At least now I know what i'm looking for. If SteelRubber replies maybe we can split the tab.
I tell you what, I am seriously thinking it's time to open a restoration/fabrication shop. Based just on part supply and availability. Thanks again.

It's been a while since I researched this, but stick shift production on the 1958 Buicks was between 1 and 2% of production. Several years ago I restored a 1958 Special 2-dr. hardtop with stick shift--metallic green color. What body style is yours?
Pete Phillips, BCA #7338
Sherman, Tx

Our buick is a 46R 2door hard top in warwick blue. I'll post some pictures as soon as I figure out how to. unfortunetly right now it's just a stripped body on a frame at this time. It was a compleat car in feb. I have to make some floor pans and it is much easer to do that on the rotissary than on the frame. I also have a lot of rust in the trunk support panels and seams to deal with. i'll try to post pictures as I go.

This is how far we have come in four months