FLYER15015

Grant, O.K. so she's a '39 from the firewall back and that's most of her. I'm led to believe the big cars (80-90) were all common from the windshield back from '38-'40 anyway. She's just wearing different "lipstick". The front end. So can I be an honorary '39 member ? Steve, If I had the space for another Buick, I would snap this one up in a heartbeat. Care to give us a "ballpark" price on the car, or are you still dealing, and don't want to tip your hand. I might be able to talk the wifey into a garage addition Mike in Colorado PS Danny, I see 2, maybe three '39's. One white and maybe 2 blacks. But they are all on the wrong side of the road. He.He.

Steve, She looks like a beauty. Grant and Danny will be the "experts" on '39's and they are always on the prowl for new team members. Interiors are easy, as "bedford cord" is available. You can still get ign parts @ NAPA, and eng/tx parts are available on line. You don't have to do it all at once, and the journey is better than the destination. Lots of help here on the forums. Lord knows I needed a lot when I first got mine, and it is still a work in process. Mike in Colorado Darn, Grant beat me by 2 minutes

Danny, I used Mothers "showtime". Comes in a kit w/ spray wax and a clay bar. Just spritz on a patch no bigger than 2 ft square, nead the clay bar into a 3"dia pad and rub LIGHTLY round and round, and back and forth. If the pad "drags" that's not good. Wipe that area down w' an old bath towel, and move on to the next section. Don't let the bit you just fininished dry. It's better to wipe the wax off while it's still wet, flipping the towel over a couple of times. Does wonders for an old lacquer paint job........ And sets the car up for a great wax job. Mike in Colorado

Grant, Happy annivsary !!! So tell us which one it is... We will of course want pictures of the occasion. We just had our 49th in September. Next year the warranty runs out, and Ruth wants to know if I want to sign up for "extended coverage". I told her I would consider it............ Best Regards, Mike in Colorado

High Guys, Well it's October 28th and the day was spent cleaning the old AC 46-5 spark plugs, and test driving of course. The plugs were a "bit" black around the inside, but the ceramic was a nice "butterscotch" brown, and NOT wet. Both the center and ground electrodes are still in great shape, with only a minor regap, and ground wire straightening called for. The black probably comes from too much toodling around town, and not enough highway cruising. My method of cleaning is somewhat old school, but for those interested, I'll post it here ........ and wait for the howels from the purists. 1 drill 8 holes in a 2x4 to load the plugs upside down. 2 spray all 8 with carb cleaner, and light it off. 3 when it burns down and goes out, do it again. 4 use a spark plug cleaner. Mine is an old Black and Decker you run off the cigarette lighter. 5 drop all 8 plugs in a glass jar with MEK in it and swish around a bit. 6 remove plugs one at a time, hold right side up and spray carb cleaner up on the ceramic cavity. 7 let dry, then regap as required, and straighten ground wire as needed. I gapped mine at a tight .030". 8 dab a bit of neverseize on the threads, add washer, and reinstall in head. This is how I was taught to do it in 1959 when I started work at the local Jag/ Morris Minor/Sunbeam dealer. Mike in Colorado PS She ran great this afternoon, all the way up to 65MPH on the dial.

39Cdan, Did you ever fix your "miss" ? We are all waiting................................. Mike in Colorado BTT

Palehorse, Well I'll be jiggered.......... You, Tom, and the book must be right about the "shoe" position. Owning a 90 series, with everything different disqualifies my from telling you what to do. Heck, my brakes are 2" wide and 14" in diameter, and all shoes were relined to within 3/4" of both ends of the steel plate they rivet to. However I stand by my adjusting method, and your need to first make sure the MC is put back together correctly. Mike in Colorado

Frank, The firewall plate on my '40 LTD says #541 and she's wearing the origional black paint, and according to the numbers guys, she was built the second week of September '39. Did they change paint codes from '36 to '40. Mike in Colorado

Mike, Primer looks great.......... O.K. I'll bite...........What color? Mike in Colorado

Jeff, The rear bumper brackets on my '40 bend up. Mike in Colorado

Frank, Actually I replaced my OEM funky looking 4 bladed fan with a Hayden 6 bladed flex fan. If you search my posts, you will see how to do it very easily. I bought it on e-bay for around $40.00, and I think it was a # 3948, but I don't exactly remember. Just get the proper diameter to match your old one. I did have to trim about 1/2" off the back sides of the blades to clear the generator pully, but it cools MUCH better than the stock unit. My car came with an electric fan mounted in front of the radiator, and wired directly to the battery thru a toggle switch under the dash, so I can run it with the ign on or off. Same is true w/ the elect fuel pump, which I use to "prime" the carb after she sits for a week, This saves grinding on the starter, and I also flip it on for vapor lock on our long mountain pulls. Mike in Colorado

Sandy, Now I see........... Those LS jets are machined from hex brass stock, and would be easy to duplicate !!!! Is there a number stamped on the side ? If so, it would indicate that they come in various orifice sizes to do some "tuning" just like we do w/ our two stroke bikes to adjust for altitude. I've got a whole set of idle and high speed jets for my KTM 250 EXC, and they are labeled for altitude. We could make a set or two with and without the "cup", flat topped and ball ended just like the high speed jets shown. Heck we could even make the center hole a bit smaller, to lean her down, or larger to richen her up. If it seems like the "cup" is needed, we could try a small slice in the side, down just enough to drain off the gas, but not deep enough to effect the orifice. Then you could patent the idea, and pay me a royalty. That's assuming nobody else reads this thread............... Mike in Colorado

Hey Sandy, I had another idea. Instead of grinding the LS jet flat, what if you just filed a notch in one side, to let the left over gas drain out, instead of sitting in the "bowl" and evaporating down to GOO. If you could post pic's of a stock jet and your plumber's modification it would help. Also I have a crackerjack machine shop down in Frederick that is making a LOT of model A Ford parts, and they may be able to make you some spare jets. Mike in Colorado

Larry, Congrat's on your progress........ It's not the destination, it's the journey that you will remember......... Mike in Colorado

Frank, A 6 volt electric fuel pump mounted back @ the tank, and a BIG clear plastic filter inbetween it and the tank, is a good idea if you get "vaporlock" on a hot day while running corn-gas. I wired mine to a hidden toggle switch under the dash. Do the same with a 6 volt electric fan in front of the radiator. Out here we pull some 6 percent grades that run for miles, and @ 8500 ft. there's no air up here. Vaporlock/ boilovers is a way of life. Mike in Colorado

Palehorse, Just to chime in, I agree the guys above. When I did the brakes on my '40 LTD, the shop in Denver relined my old shoes and the lining came to about 3/4" from the end of each shoe. Your picture of the right rear shows the leading (front) shoe with barely 2/3rds lining on it. I suspect that the shoes are backwards. Secondly, the adjusting screws @ the bottom need some "anti seize" on the threads. For mine, I ran the adjusting screws all the way in, assembled the shoes to the top pin and wheel cylinder, added all the springs, and slid the drum on. Gave each wheel 31 clicks for a reference point. Slowly adjusted each wheel out to "tight" and loosened the top centering pin. I got 2-4 clicks to retighten the drum aganst the shoes, as the pin centered up. Tightened the pin, and backed off the shoe adjuster to where when I pried the shoes forward w/ a screwdiver at the center of the trailing shoe thru the hole in the brake drum, there was .015" clearance @ BOTH the bop and bottom of the trailing shoes lining and the brake drum. Re the master cylinder, there are several threads here about incorrect assembly and the different "spools" that folks have used, or had them put in backwards. I would look into that first........ Just my $ .02.... and worth every penny.......... Mike in Colorado

Every time I enlarge my avatar, Grant posts a bigger picture.................... Mike

Brian, Look up www.guageguys.com They have GM ratio adjusting gear boxes for $95.00. One of these might work, but you have to know the "ratio your looking for. Mike in Colorado

Robert, Welcome to the forum........ It looks like a great find, and Danny and Grant will certainly welcome in another '39 Buick team member. Be nice to them, as they have a lot of info that, at some point, you will need. Now you need to join AACA and BCA. Buy a reprinted parts book AND a mechanic's hand book.......... Then fill out your profile page, so we know your level of expertise, and post lots of pictures, and pick one for your avatar. Mike in Colorado

Curt, Most decent motorcycle shops sell "Semichrome Polish" which is a German product. Pink stuff that comes in a tube. It will do wonders for any chrome surface, put if it's pitted, nothing will help. Re the paint, your picture indicates that it cannot be saved. Just my $ .02........and worth every penny............ Mike in Colorado

I'm in............ Mike

Sandy, This might be a dumb question, but why are the LS jets "cupped" and thus holding fuel. Could you not file them flat ? Pictures posted here will save me gas $$$$ driving up to the Fort. Even though it was ONLY $3.48/gal in Connifer today. Mike in Colorado

Larry, Shortens the throttle stroke ? Don't you mean shortens the accelerator plunger stroke. If that is what you meant, then indications are, when you step on the gas you were momentarily flooding the engine. She then swallows that gulp of fuel, and takes off. Vacuum pump when hooked up to the tube that goes into the carb should attain and hold 15 inHG on the dial, and your buddy who is looking at the distributor, with the cap off, should see the arm that connects to the "points plate" should see about 3/8" movement as you apply vacuum. If you need a new vacuum can, use a 681-H ONLY !!!!!! I found mine on e-bay, and it was listed for a Pontiac '37-'40 ..... You will see 681-N's out there, but they have a different spring in them, and it's not the right advance curve. Also the fitting that screws the brass vacuum line into the can IS NOT a std Ferrel and nut. It is a "SELF SWAGING" brass nut, and you need to lube the heck out of it and very carefully massage it to the point that it will re-tighten on the tube when you screw it back in. Float issue - If your fuel level is "just below" the brass plug hole in the float bowl at a hot idle, she is set just right... Best Regards, Mike in Colorado

It is hard to feel sorry for a guy that has TWO, count em, TWO '33 Buick 90 series cars to look after, and is featured on TV with his Dillinger Ford. Yes Sandy, I tivo'd the episode recently.......... Mike in Colorado PS The stripes look great !!!!!!

Hey Sandy, I just had an idea. Have you ever considered putting a petcock at the fuel inlet to the carb, and after driving her, lift the hood, shut the petcock, and running her dry in the garage. With the door open of course. That's what they do to shut down a jet engine. Just shut off the fuel, for a different reason of course. You would not want the hot side blades to wilt. In your case, would the engine run itself out of gas in the problem area ? Might be worth a try, since your carb is down low, and you may be getting "drainage" from the line, which turns to goo. Just my $ .02....... and worth every penny......... Mike in Colorado