27donb

Matt, The pictures of the blue are all I have. The car is currently completely white, and I have been unable to find any blue under the white anywhere, so it may have been stripped of blue before the current paint job. Thanks for sharing your story and advise. Old cars can be quite frustrating when they aren't working!

While I understand my 24-45 was originally all black, on the subject of matching colors, I would like to go back to this color for my 24-45, which I can only assume is Buick Cobalt Blue Medium. It appears to be lighter than the later Buick Cobalt Blue, which is too dark for what I am trying to achieve. I haven't gone paint shopping yet, because the last time I was in the paint store and overheard someone trying to get paint matched, it sounded like it was a blank check open ended process that could take many hours and cost hundreds, and that's with a customer provided paint chip as a sample. I concluded I was in the wrong paint store. Going to a paint store and asking for a color that is 94 years old, with only a picture to go by, and then referencing Ditzler or Dupont numbers that are over 50 years old seems to make me the loser in that situation. Does anyone have any pictures or a formula for Buick Cobalt Blue Medium from their 1924 Buick that they could share?

That car lifted up has wire wheels, and can I have that radiator?

Any good source, besides ebay and auto parts swap and sell, for some red and clear flat period correct glass lenses?

Some parts that were originally pot metal, and rarely survive the test of use and time. Horn button support, under horn plate at top of steering wheel Spark and Throttle gears (4) at bottom of steering column Some Distributor bodies Ignition and Switch flip levers Ignition and Light switch housing Speedometer inner threaded section where speedometer cable attaches, as well as the small frames that hold the rotating odometer wheels Some exterior door handles Interior door and window winder handles Golf bag door lock Oil filter distribution block, on top of oil filter on 27’s Carburetor heat and choke dash control plate Ornate radiator caps, Goddess and T-bone type Oakes Spare Tire Locks Engine Valve and Spark Plug Cover wing nuts Vacuum Fuel Tank cover Marvel Carburetor cover and parts I’m sure there are more too. Most of these parts are subjected to torque and force (I.E., window winder handles, valve cover wing nuts, switch flip levers, spark and throttle gears) and when they crack and swell, they start to bind, and increased torque snaps them into uselessness. Many of these parts have been reproduced and are available in brass or aluminum, and you can see how the car is much more safe, usable, and enjoyable after they have been replaced.

If you can't find NOS... http://bobsautomobilia.com/distributor-parts/23-27-ignition-point-.-ip-247/ They also have cap, rotor and condenser. Expensive, but available.

It's a long and circular thread... That should mean ground is ruled out, which leaves bad battery, weak s/g under load, or mechanical binding. You seem to have ruled out anything mechanical, so the s/g and battery should be load tested.

I understand that the end result will be starter generator grounded to engine, engine grounded to chassis. But for now, forget engine, chassis. The ultimate ground is the negative post on the battery. The starter generator doesn't know the difference whether it's on a bench or bolted to an engine. Ground it the same way it was grounded on the bench test, ground cable directly from clean scraped bare metal starter generator housing to negative post on battery. The positive cable already goes from the positive battery post directly to the starter generator terminal. This would quickly eliminate all chassis, engine and wiring ground issues.

You can jump start a car using battery jumper cables, I would use one from the negative battery post to the starter generator directly to eliminate a ground problem before going to a welding shop or electrical shop or auto parts store looking for the right additional proper gage ground cable to install permanently. If the ground is bad, that starter should jump to life with a jumper cable grounding it to the battery negative terminal. For example, my Buick headlights are not that bright. Why? Old technology 6 volt system? Old bulbs? Bad wiring? Bad ground? I didn't just go replace parts or rewire the car... First thing I did was get a jumper wire and go from a good ground to the plated headlight bucket shell to see if the lights got any brighter, to confirm or rule out a bad ground. I've even done it with a wrench to the radiator shell and the headlight bucket. A permanent battery cable comes later, after confirming a bad ground is the problem with the starter.

I’ll start by saying this is only my opinion, and if anything short of what I did works for you, that is what I wish for you. This happened to my 27-54CC. In June 2013 I drove it to the inspection station for a yearly inspection sticker. In August the same year I started it to go out for breakfast one morning, and the clutch was stuck solid. Unlike earlier Buick clutches that were somewhat out in the open, the 27 clutch is completely contained in a chamber in the flywheel. I googled and researched and the ideas I read about were similar to what has already been suggested. I also heard about pouring kerosene or other solvents into the clutch area to free it, putting the car up against a tree and starting it up in gear, jamming on the brakes, and so on. Along with that were stories of snapped axles and broken wood spoke wheels. A single disk clutch may “break away” from the face of the flywheel when shocked by jamming on the brakes, etc. I don’t know if the multi-disk Buick clutch would be released that way as easily. I drove up and down my driveway a few times, clutch pedal down, on and off the gas, rocking and using the weight of the car to try and free my stuck clutch, but it was solid. Not wanting to subject my old car to more of what I considered abuse, I reluctantly decided to take it apart. The clutch I took out was heavily contaminated, enough to stop it from spinning freely. I came to that conclusion because all I did was completely disassemble it, clean it completely, reassemble it, and it works again as it always did. I found nothing else wrong that may have caused the seizure during the experience. Please let us know what you did and what your results were.

Beautiful collection! By your calculations... within 10 years or so, you'll have to either expand your garage, or sell something!

You're right Gary, that paint really pops in the sun! My cars leak and drip too much for carpet on the floor, but I feel your pain (or, joy!) about more cars than garage spaces. I fit 4 in an oversized 2, luckily the older cars are narrow.

Beautiful work. That dash is complicated to remove, I was attempting it on my 24-45 but abandoned the idea. Seeing that last picture now I know why. I thought it would come out as easily as the 27's do, but I was mistaken.

If they bench checked it, then it's back to the wiring in the car. Or another basic thing, the transmission is in neutral and the clutch pedal is down when trying to start it? It sounds like the starter is trying to work because you said it is hot, but something is stopping it, either a short or a mechanical reason.

Amazing, you have a great car!

My wife is kind enough to take pics and videos during the warm season, so we can get through the cold season. Let's go for a ride!

Don't be embarrassed at all! You just did, what we have all done at one time or another. Thanks for sharing the story, we all learned from it. So glad it worked out for you.

And I always forget... Carter BB-1. Maybe a stock Marvel would work better with the vacuum tank. Still, I wouldn't trade my upgrades, and only Eagle Eyed Experts detect the difference.

The first time I ran out of gas half way up a long hill was the last time I ran on the vacuum tank. Low pressure low volume electric pump is the cure, with the disconnected vacuum tank left in place for original look.

I concur with others. If you can hand crank the engine without plugs, the engine is not too tight. Starter problem.

Sorry I was off on that point... Did Standards have visors, I wonder?

In another water pump related question, for those with the long water pump shaft and 2 piece water pump housing (1925 and earlier). Between the 2 water pump housing sections...paper gasket? Silicone sealer? Paper gasket and silicone sealer? What should I use?

Speaking from personal experience, when trying to reacquire a family vehicle after it was sold can be a difficult daunting and expensive proposition. There might be many vehicles that fit the description of Buick truck, but none will fulfill the feeling of sitting in the same seat, grasping the same shift lever, and using the same steering wheel as a family member did in the past. Best of luck in your quest Ted, I hope you find your dad's Buick!

If the 28's are like the 27's, it's a Master because the crank hole cover passes through the bottom of the radiator.

Me too, I had the check all made out and signed, just needed to know the amount.... ?