stealthbob

Great...you confirmed what I thought and was hoping. I will use the holes you suggested...with the gantry it should make it allot safer. I will be able to lift higher than an engine hoist and then slide the engine over on the rail to the side of the car rather than try and roll the gantry around the front. I only have about two feet past the front of the car in my garage and was worried how an engine hoist would fit. Thank you, I'm now set to do this on Saturday. BTW...any estimate on the weight of the block (heads removed) and transmission?

Well days after my 54 Roadmaster arrived the engine quit...ceased actually. The heads have been removed and no damage spotted yet but still no movement on the crank so out she comes for a full engine restoration. (something that was to happen anyway this winter) Now my questions are this: I have to pull out with transmission attached so do I have to drop the rear axle and remove the torque tube first or can I just pull everything out forward? Where do I attach chains/straps considering that the heads are off and the transmission is coming out as well? Basically where is the best balance point to allow some angle drop to happen but not too much. I have a 10' Gantry with 2 tonne chain fall from work and many clevises, chain and lifting straps. I will also have a bud over for this part...maybe two. Best advice for this part of the job please...I want this to be safe and damage free

Good link here: repair pot metal restoration pot metal

As someone who is involved in other forums in other hobbies I have to say the Google adds are what allows us to keep going by helping to pay our server costs. Yes they seem intrusive but they can assist greatly in supporting the places that support you. I know nothing of the economics of this site but I will say that I do click the Google ads to check out the sponsors that pay to be propagated to sites like this. There is absolutely no harm by clicking and looking at these advertisers, while doing so you do help the site you are on by adding to the click count and thus revenues to the site itself. Eventually you will see mostly car type adds anyway...it just takes time for the adds to adjust automatically.

I was attempting the very same thing last week.... Please send me a PM as well... Thank you!

Man...what a nice line up you got there. I could never imagine having enough cars that they all don't get a turn once in a while...I would want to drive one for every day of the week. Oh..BTW, speaking as a Water Operator. Technically your pressure is the lowest at the tower but Chlorine is the highest. The lower and farther away you go from a tower the higher the pressure. My bet however is that "Buick Gardens" has a natural spring or well and chlorine is not an issue.....

That is the first picture I have seen of the AC and how it was ducted to the front.... Talk about ugly and obtrusive....I can see that he price was not the only deterrent for sales.

Just to put it in basic terms... By definition "anything is worth what someone is willing to pay." Million dollar contracts to Pro sports athletes...are they worth that money? Yes, of course they are because someone was willing to pay that amount therefore the definition takes over. Now we can argue if we think it is worth it but that is subject to the perspective of the person rendering the judgement and not he person who holds the value judgement and wants to pay. Free Market.... it has it's ups and downs but it always evens out in the end, well most of the time Unfortunately I have to quote another lame concept in this case... "It is what it is..."

I guess someone slapped an extra port on a Century Wagon...

Wait???? Impossible.... If I don't get my car talk fix on-line I will then take it to my wife and lord knows that she is done with that subject. I just thought I'd give you a break at the 54buick site hehehehe Yea I'm guessing most of my questions will be answered once the car rolls off the carrier but I'm loosing my mind right now with all the "un-known's" and "what-if's"

That was well put Thriller... That's exactly what I fear is embarrassment with driving a rust bucket to cruise nights where there are many pristine and polished cars. I guess I will just have to come to accept the condition as is and leave it alone until I start the full restore. Thanks for all your comments BTW...can you wax rust? hehehe

A 1979 Ford Granada... The whole front end was loose and the tester remarked on how well I drove a car that shouldn't really be on the road. hehehe That was in 1990, I doubt I will have any aspirations on attaining that beast.

Wow...great responses. I guess I should have clarified. It is my intent to do a full and original restoration of this car. I just won't be doing it for a year or two... I guess what I was more after is do I spot prime and "clean" it up for now as it does look like a rust bucket or would it be better to just leave it and wait. I will want to go to some local events and I think I will feel awkward parking next to a clean and shiny car

To start I'm a complete newbie at his whole car hobby... That being said I have always wanted and admired the cars from the fifties. I have decided on my Dad's all time favourite (and his first car)...a 1954 Buick Roadmaster and have bought one. Now...it is road worthy but comes with some surface rust: My question is this... Is it better to just leave it all as it is, original and almost dripping with rust or do you loose the "patina" cache when you "clean it up" by sanding and priming the rusted areas? I plan on a completing frame up restoration after next year...I just don't want to do the car wrong while driving it during this time. Thoughts....

Just to be clear, I was not attempting to disparage the "Good Humour Troop"... Just noting that it certainly was a different time that I grew up in. Born in '72 so I missed out on some neat things

Rare then or now? It may not be the rarest but the 54 Skylarks are something to have....fully restored they pull allot of dollars.

Umm...I'm a little young I guess but when was this ice-cream army formed? What was the enemy....heat exhausted adolescents?

I may have missed this but is this the only time you had this much come out? Does this happen all the time?

Well if a "Clunker" is a 1954 Buick Roadmaster then I belong here in this thread... I just bought one and am awaiting it's arrival. I plan on it to be my main "Good days and Sundays" driver while keeping my Jeep Liberty as a winter vehicle. Sorry for getting off track...

Also cold is relative... On a warm summer day no issue.... In the winter start it and run for a couple of minutes..... No need to try and reach up next to a hot exhaust when you don't have to

Com'on now....do you think for a second that this dude will sacrifice form for function?

The '54 Buicks had the AC option. A Roadmaster was $3,373 and the AC option cost $594. That's almost 20% more! No wonder why it was a rare option....

Wow....56 :confused: Yeash Speaking of defense...what will be his when that "Stabilizing Device" de-stabilizes and fly’s off into someone else's windshield.

All jokes aside that is one of the most hideous things that I have seen done to a car on pourpose. hehehe...looks like his "enginering" was off a bit and he had to raise the horozontal stablizer My bet he belongs to the 16-20 year old club...at least there are no,achem "balls", hanging from the rear bumper.

"Transformers....more than meets the eye" hehehehe