Yellowriv

Hi Don. Lovely original car, just how I like them. The paint issue is tricky isn't it? I have a 47 Chrysler and 53 Buick with original paint and face the same issue. It's worse on the Buick because the paint on the roof is the original metallic and lots of colour comes off with polishing. I polish them for two reasons, one because I also like a bit of shine and, two because it seals the surface and protects the paint. I don't polish often and I try to keep them out of the sun. On no account leave water dry on the surface as the paint being very porous, will mark. For polish I use Meguiars Tech Wax (but any premium polish from Mothers etc., will do) because it is not abrasive. I do small areas at a time and I don't let the polish dry properly before I take it off. Have plenty of clean micro fibre cloths ready as they clog quickly. its very hard to eliminate swirls hence the small areas at a time. I don't get too agressive and attempt to achieve a glass like finish (tempting) because you lose too much paint. I give them a light polish each year or so. It'll probably dull off in the sun anyway, but at least you will have partially addressed the paint porosity and slowed the deterioration. I think it's worth carefully doing this, however others may disagree.

Whatever happened to Oldcar's Packard restoration? Has the car been sold at a fabulous price or are we waiting for the next exciting project?

Nice car. Here is what the tool kit looks like.

This may be off topic, but my 53 Super Riviera Hardtop has all of its original correctly dated LOF E-Z-EYE glass. The windshield is green as is the rest of the glass and there is a blue band tint across the top. Here is a photo, sorry about the size but its hard to see the tint if its smaller.

Wow, $295 for a headliner kit sounds fantastic. Does this include the sunvisors and leather tabs where you grip them?

My 53 Super has a separate key for the trunk, just like my 65. Both are very original.

Thanks for your responses, I took the car to an annual All American Day yesterday where it won a trophy for 2nd Place in the Mopar Division, unexpected as I had already left. As for the steering, there was a slow leak in one of the front tyres due to a perished valve stem. Once I fixed this and pumped the tyres up, no problem with the steering, no wander either and very little tramlining so this is good. I have been driving it around, getting used to it and I now understand it better. As far as I can tell it has a small problem in that it does not always engage third gear when I come to a rest, hence the very slow take off. I have been depressing the clutch and it mostly changes down but again, not always. Low range all works fine. If it changed down correctly I can see how it could be mostly driven in high range. Is this a matter of adjustment or more complicated? Regards

Owning a Fluid Drive, early Hydramatic and Dynaflow, I now understand why Jay Leno doesn't like Fluid Drives.

Nice car Fred, well done. Thanks for the advice Rusty, front end is good, played with the tyre pressures - after I found out the right front had a split valve stem - at 30 psi, she steers well. It drives similarly to my 53 Buick which is also on crossplys. Not as well as the 48 Caddy which you'd expect as it's on radials. A downside with the radials is heavy low speed steering and harsher ride. I wonder if we had access to crossplys of similar quality to the radials we can buy whether the tramlining and wander would be as pronounced. On balance I prefer my old cars on crossplys because of the more authentic feel. I've been playing around with different ways of driving the car, to alleviate the very slow take off if there is even a slight incline. What seems to work is to use low range until its in second and then change to high range. Frankly, its embarrassing in traffic if left in high range unless starting from perfectly level or a slight downhill. I've been cleaning and attending to small jobs. when I took the drivers side scuff plate off I found this number, 1149096. I assume this is a Briggs body number?

Bob, thank you very much for your help, I will do as you suggest. Does anyone have any comment on the heavy steering?

Thanks for your hepl guys. The car has arrived in Australia and I registered and drove it home yesterday using your excellent operating instructions. The car is in excellent condition and there are only a few small issues that need to be attended to. I am disappointed that the beautiful passenger side swan neck mirror is next to impossible to see fron the drivers seat. I drove using high range as advised and without the clutch but noticed that take offs are woefully slow. I'm not sure if its changing down to the lower of the high range gears when it comes to a stop. I need to drive around when theres no traffic and its quiet to check this. The front end appears to have been rebuilt and in good condition. The steering is very heavy and doesn't self centre particularly well. Is this normal or an alignment issue? The car is on cross plies to correct pressures. Regards

This is what came with my 47.

I've been trying to piece together the history of my 53 Super Riviera and I need some help in decoding the glass. All windows are stamped E-Z-Eye LOF and the windscreen has the code AS-1-LA. The other windows are coded AS-2-LA and one is coded AS-2-KA. All windows are tinted. It therefore appears that all of the windows are original. I know the LOF is Libby Owens Ford, the AS is American Standard, the 1 is for the windscreen and 2 is for the other windows. I can find month and year codes easily for 1963-72, however its more difficult for older cars. I think the LA means January 1953, not sure about KA. Can anyone clarify? Thanks

Mastercraft do a narrow band whitewall 225x75x15 that are readily available, I have their 235s on my 65. They are good tyres and dont suffer from oil bleed into the whitewalls.

Yep, Desmosedici:cool:

Hi everyone. 14 months ago I purchased this Cavern Green 48 60S from North Carolina. the previous owner had no history for it other than he bought it from Florida. I believe it to have been an east coast car all of its life, it shows no signs of salt exposure. It has clearly been cared for, the interior is original other than carpet. Interior is 49C, Green Bedford Cord with black leather. It is body no 945. The only hint I have is the broken copper tag on the key fob. It looks as though it may have been in Massachusetts. Here are pics. I have no idea how old the key fob is. I know this is probably a waste of time, but can anyone suggest how I might trace the history of my car? Thanks John

Our City Council has a Spring Parade each year. They asked our Buick Club to provide some cars including a Wildcat convertible for the Mayoral car. I took my 48 Fleetwood 60S and two Buicks along. Here they are. The Fleetwood makes the 65 look small doesn't it? Regards

Hi Nick. Since this is the internet and I'm not a mechanic, I thought I should offer some misleading and uninformed comments;) Eliminating really dumb things first, are the plug leads in correct sequence. Firing order is 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3, with 1 being on the right as you look at the engine and the engine rotating clockwise. This is not the same as for a small block Chev. So right bank is 1-3-5-7 and left is 2-4-6-8, basic stuff I know. If this is not the issue, the comp test sounds ok and I wouldn't think of itself indicates major issues, however lower compression and water vapour could be a head gasket issue. Since these cars have a transverse muffler that mixes both sides, water vapour out of of one side doesn't indicate anything. Is there emulsion under either the radiator cap or oil cap? Does the water look like latte or the oil greenish? I could go further but then you'd really be in trouble.... Regards

Thanks Tom, much appreciated. I see what you mean about replacements Regards

Hi everyone, Whilst cleaning up my battery tray I noticed a small pool of coolant at the front of the valley cover under the water valve. Tightening the hose from the thermostat housing didnt fix it so thinking the hose had split I took it all off (note the horrible Jubillee clips). Turns out there is a slight weep from the hole at the base of the water valve, so I'm guessing the diaphram is shot and the valve needs replacing, or is this normal? Thanks

Got a phone from my brother from where I store my cars. Among others, we both own E36 BMW M3s. His has been broken into and the ECU stolen. They took the kidneys out, opened the hood and then took a panel off the firewall to get to it. Smashed the passengers side window as well. Luckily no vandalism to the car. My M3 which was nearby was not interferred with so I bought it home. Very unsettling when I think of the damage that could have been wrought. Today we tow the car up from the basement so the tow truck can take it for repair.

I apologize for offending you Rusty. I have no knowledge of this gearbox at all. This car was built before I was born and I've always thought that a lot of silly questions can prevent tears later. Thanks and regards

Thanks Rusty, very helpful. So if I want to I can drive it like a manual without hurting anything?

Thanks Guys. The car has Fluid Drive and I've never used one before. I understand you can drive it either as a manual or an auto, can someone explain how best to drive it without damaging the gearbox?

I used sewing machine oil as recommended.