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#496650 - 03/23/08 08:11 PM
Re: 1956 Buick power steering and brakes
[Re: BuddyJohn56]
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Thriller
Member
Registered: 09/06/03
Posts: 2201
Loc: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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Welcome.
I can't help directly with the power stuff as my car has neither.... However, there are many sources of parts / rebuild services. Bob's Automobilia is one. Body and trim parts can often be found at Wheatbelt. Kanter's, Poston, and Classic Buicks are other locations that come to mind. As far as rebuilding, you may find there are still mechanics out there who are able to work on these cars.
Good luck.
_________________________
Derek Thille BCA #39416, CBC, MBCC #1984 66 Wildcat Custom Coupe - "Ellie" / 62 Special Convertible / 61 Invicta Convertible / 56 Special 4-door Sedan / 52 Roadmaster 4-door / 41 Special 41SE Sedan / 29 McLaughlin Buick Model 51 2006 Buick Rainier - "Ruby" / 2005 GMC Sierra K2500 - "Max" (the hauler) Thriller's Buick Page
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#496793 - 03/24/08 01:18 PM
Re: 1956 Buick power steering and brakes
[Re: BuddyJohn56]
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JohnD1956
Member
Registered: 03/29/03
Posts: 2206
Loc: New York
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Power steering may be a snap, but the power brakes are a one year application with an obscure location of the master cylinder.
You may find there's not much advantage to the conversion if you can just leave yourself an ewxtra car length or two to stop.
_________________________
John C. De Fiore BCA # 3757 56 Super 56R 69 GS 400 Convertible 69 Electra Limited 2 dr.( well, no longer limited although still unique) 95 Riviera Supercharged (sold) 06 Lacrosse CXL Doing my part to stimulate the economy! Member of the UPSTATE NY CHAPTER check it out at http://unybca.skyphix.com/
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#497154 - 03/25/08 08:00 PM
Re: 1956 Buick power steering and brakes
[Re: BuddyJohn56]
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JohnD1956
Member
Registered: 03/29/03
Posts: 2206
Loc: New York
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Locking up is not what you really want. Todays cars have anti lock brakes because locking them up makes you lose control. But I bet you can lock up the standard brakes just as good as the 67's. If not, just adjust the shoes. Note the 56 does not have self adjusting brake shoes and so you need to do that periodically.
I was looking at Budd's website tonight and noticed that power brakes were only available on cars with the automatic trnasmission. I don't know what that had to do with it.
_________________________
John C. De Fiore BCA # 3757 56 Super 56R 69 GS 400 Convertible 69 Electra Limited 2 dr.( well, no longer limited although still unique) 95 Riviera Supercharged (sold) 06 Lacrosse CXL Doing my part to stimulate the economy! Member of the UPSTATE NY CHAPTER check it out at http://unybca.skyphix.com/
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#498338 - 03/30/08 02:56 PM
Re: 1956 Buick power steering and brakes
[Re: BuddyJohn56]
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Fr. Buick
Member
Registered: 11/01/00
Posts: 239
Loc: back to school in bella Roma a...
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The best thing you can do is to keep the brakes adjusted. My '54 book tells me to do it every thousand miles, and I know it makes a big in how the brakes perform.
The power brake will only make it easier on your foot. It will NOT make the car stop better. These old bombs were not built for the traffic we have today, so leave some space between your bumper and that Honda up ahead. And get used to brake fade.
Also, the power brake system was not that great a unit, and expensive to find and rebuild.
You would be beter off spending money on the power steering, which is a big help on my '54 Special, and I understand it got even better by '56. It is still a heavy car to drive (AKA herd down the road), but parking is much easier. Go for that first, and play with adjusting the brakes before you sink money into a power unit.
Happy wrenching,
Doug Cook
_________________________
Rev. Douglas J Cook:
1996 Impala SS taking too much time and money from my Buicks;
1954 Special under restoration;
1924 Buick 4-cyl roadster.
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#506708 - 05/01/08 09:16 PM
Re: 1956 Buick power steering and brakes
[Re: BuddyJohn56]
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KEN SCHNECK
New Member
Registered: 04/28/08
Posts: 1
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can you tell me how to add power stering to a 54 .
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