dfeazell

I talked to Dave Tachney today and how's the wood was his first question. I don't know for sure. Both doors opened without sag and the head liner was in it and looked dry (though possibly a rodent condo). He also reminded me I have too much junk already and I am old. I say reality is for quitters.

Thanks for the advice Paul. Jim is not unreasonable. He and his family are nice folks. He bought the car when he turned 16 from a lady in their church. He turned 80 a couple of days ago and they are moving from the building that housed their business and several cars. The reason I know about the car is I bought a 47 super from his son in law that used to belong to Jim. At the request of his daughter I took it by so he could see it and enjoy it again. He has more old car stories than anyone I know. He has had two other people inquire about the coupe. I would like to restore it but I don't have a handle on what they are worth. NADA low retail is 9,800 for a 50 series coupe. For some reason there is no data on 40 series. I think their numbers reflect a car that runs and drives. Best guess is it's 3,000-4,000 away from a driver. Probably cost 20,000 to restore if I do the work myself. Nice wagon.

Anyone tell me what a 35 coupe is worth? It's all there. It has been stored in a basement for 30 years. It needs everything, but is very restore-able. The only thing I saw missing was the hood mascot. What is a fair offer?

It fallowed me home. It has cable hood release so it is a later 50. The family has been on the farm since the 1860's. The car was owned by the grandfathers brother. He went to Vietnam in 69 and parked the car in a shed. It still has the 69 South Dakota plates on it. He came back from the war but not to SD. Stayed in California. The car was pulled from the shed when it started to fall. Been outside for 15 years. The body is solid and the stainless in good condition. Front bumper and grill good, the hood bar is in remarkable condition. The floors are no longer with us. The seats have covers on them but the critters have made them theirs. Engine is stuck. Dynaflow still has oil in it. Ambitious project but saveable.

My Roadmaster model 72R from California. 20,000 original miles. Interior is like new. The paint is faded. Runs like a new car (from 1950).

I am looking at a 49 sedanet that looks like a 1950. The guy said his grandfather told him it was a 49. Buick came out in late 49 with the new body for specials. Does anyone know how to tell if it was sold in 1949? The title has been lost. The data plate says 1950.

I finally got both motors in the same building and warm. Cranks out and measured the bore on the rear mains. The 49 is .0055 larger than the 47. The 47 had shims that were .0055 on both sides of the cap. It looks to me like I will have to shim the bearings after the crank is ground. I wonder how Buick did that at the factory. Seems to me like it would make the engine assy more time consuming.

I believe the 320 and 248 engines are different with respect to the mains. Cars inc. fielded my inquiry and got back to me. He said if it came with shims, the shims need to go back in. This was from the resident expert. On Clevite's web site they show the proper installation of shims. They need to sit under the bearing shell to provide the crush. I have two motors sitting here, one a 49 and one a 47. My plan is to get out my dial bore gauge and measure them. Worst case, I will have to take the block and caps to the crank grinder so he can give me the right clearance. Don't suppose anyone on here knows the main bearing bore sizes 48-52 320?

I may have partially answered my own question by reading the manual. I know, it was the last resort. It looks like there were three different types of mains from 46-47. Line-bored, semi-precision, and precision. The line-bored and semi-precision were shimmed as mine are. The main journals were all the same diameters in the 70 series. To me that means the precision bearings available today would go in my block with no shims by sizing the crank. Is that correct?

diamond clear from eastwood goes over bare metal and works.

The crank from my 47 roadmaster will need to be ground. I have found a machine shop within a couple of hours drive willing to take it on. The question is about the main bearing inserts. Mine are shimmed. From what I can find, they weren't a precision insert until mid year 1947. They look the same as the ones in a 1949 320 I have. Parts houses list them as 1937 to 1952. How do you go about assembling them in an older engine? Will they need to be align honed? There must be someone out there that has done this. Any wisdom will be appreciated. Thanks, dave

Manna from heaven. This morning on Craigslist was advertised a 49 roadmaster engine and transmission only 20 miles from me. It is now sitting in my shop. The engine has been overhauled at sometime. The head and rocker assy are clean. Bores are good. I can see where the ridge was reamed so it is probably std bore. It was sold for scrap so it was outside with the ports up. Three holes had water in them and are soaking. Can't turn it yet so I can't get the Dynaflow off. I haven't pulled the pan yet either. Hoping for a good set of rods. Is there any way to tell if the 47 has the late main bearings? The outside of the 49 is clean. Whoever built it put it together without cork gaskets. He used red silicone. Its a lot cleaner than my 47 with gaskets. Anybody do that? Thanks for your help guys.

Had what sounded like a rod clatter on start up. I have been driving the car most of the summer but lately that same noise materialized during moderate acceleration. I decided to pull the pan and maybe remove a shim. Looks like I need more than that. Lucky for me I stopped driving her. The rod journal is still in good shape but the rod not so much. This is a good running engine that does not smoke. Leaks oil like crazy from the fuel pump. I have not done an overhaul on a straight eight. Any words of wisdom? Does it have inserts on the mains? The crank needs ground and rods rebabbited. Who does that (I am in Iowa) I have a 50 320 in a parts car. That would have insert rods. Would that be a better choice for an overhaul? Does that engine bolt to my manual bell housing/ flywheel? Thanks, Dave

What is the correct color for the engine? Did some come from the factory painted black?

He has a WI state dealers license. That means he is bonded. I assume he is a third party handling a sale for the owner. In Iowa dealers cant sell on consignment so I would guess the car is in his dealers license. There are also some rules about disclosing cash sales over 10,000. Pickup at a commercial address would be his car lot and safer than a dark alley. Dont think its a scam but I would see the car before I paid for it ideally and a least have a phone conversation with him. I have too much junk already so I'm just a bystander. Watching is also less work and money.