Beemon

If you're from the Seattle area, it's nothing you won't be used to.

Maybe put a single exhaust driver manifold on and take the dual exhaust manifold driver side and put it on the passenger side so there's two front-dump manifolds there and then hook up dual turbos? Geez, I need to stop fantasizing about things I can't afford!

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/UBP80743 https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/UBP80459?interchange=1 The top one is the traditional ones I've seen, which I don't really care for considering they always would bend on me and require straightening. The bottom one is a part interchange for a 68 Riviera, which uses the same wheel cylinders and shoes as our vintage of Buicks. I prefer these ones because they aren't prone to bending, however I've been told they allow a lot more degree of freedom in regards to flexing on the pivot. You just need to find someone at your local parts store that still has these interchange or universal parts books lying around. It's saved me quite a bit of money vs buying "specialized hardware" on restoration websites that have considerable markup. And getting them either same day or next day shipping to the local location from the warehouse (at my old place, I lived the same distance from the warehouse as my local parts outlet, so it was win/win for me) is always a tremendous plus.

These are readily available over the counter in both the square head end and the tubular fork end styles.

As the nailhead experts say "don't use gaskets, they will crack your manifold"

The valve covers say 340-2, the air cleaner says Wildcat 310. It most likely had the Buick 300 engine originally but was swapped for the 340. Definitely not original, unless you can put 340 valve covers on a 300 V8.

What does it look like?

Oh, oops! Haha, no there's my personal prep and then their prep. I charge myself $20/hr to remove my own bumpers, I don't want to pay someone else to play with it lol

Oh, I'm saving myself a lot by removing those things myself, though I am tempted to leave the glass and just pull the stainless

Lol! I grew up in the ghetto, so I just have distaste for trashy things. Prep as in removing trim, bumpers and glass. I'm pretty sure they said they were going to fill the holes with fiberglass or other hole repair magic and then sand down the surface rust and feather the existing paint into flat spots with filler paint before spraying. Very bare minimum. I just need to preserve the car for a few years until I get a career job.

Tax returns are looking good this year! I'm out of here on May 6th, then off the Michigan right after and most likely won't be back home until May 14th. Just checked the weather forecast on the west side of the mountains... 80% humidity. Without an inside booth to prep the car, looks like its straight to sanding whats on there and then off to the Maaco paint booth. They've quoted me $1200 for paint and prep, which is well within this year's budget. Color won't be original, but as long as its dark blue on white, I'll be happy for the time being. I'm so excited, I can't wait for people to stop telling me they like the "patina"! I mean, I'm all for clean hotrods... the ratrod and patina look is just too trashy for my tastes, though.

Nature of the beast.. use thicker oil lol. I've been running 10W30 over the winter and developed a little lifter noise on startup. As long as it goes away, though, you're fine. So you still going to add the gaudy high torque starter? Looks like you found the problem to your reliable OEM starter.

I think all married women of that vintage who follow their husbands around like that all have the same sighs and "ah"'s. In my very brief and limited dealings with vintage junkyards, it really makes you wonder what their thought process is. They'd rather hike up the prices on "rare" parts (spoiler: everything in a junkyard is apparently rare ) and then crush everything versus selling the parts at an affordable price. It's no wonder most people do frame swaps and drivetrain swaps and brake swaps and anything else really. I find myself lucky my car came complete, give or take the nuisances I've had to deal with over the last two years. But those who start with a shell and go looking for original parts... man I can't imagine how expensive that must be.

The green wire goes to the starter switch. It's grounded through the generator armature, and the circuit is opened when the generator starts charging so it cannot be tripped. The green wire must therefor be grounded somewhere. Attach the white wire to the output terminal on the alternator, and on the voltage regulator side move the white wire to the BAT terminal (red wire) so your amp gauge/charge indicator still works (not sure on this one as I don't have a wiring diagram, but that's how it is on 56 and the wires are color coded the same as yours). As above, the green wire must be isolated from the white wire to function. If you want the alternator to charge imediately on startup rather than reaching a peak RPM, buy a two spade terminal connector for the alternator. Attach the red lead to the alternator output terminal and the white wire goes to a switched ignition source with a diode in line. You could also theoretically open the alternator and tap into one of the field output lines to run your starter switch, so it opens the circuit when charging. A diode is also required here.

Sure! I think they look interesting on cars that aren't Roadmasters... I've seen quite a few non-Roadmasters with them, must have been a custom factory job?

Yep that's stock. Have the exact one in my 56 as well. Roadmaster you say? Are the bomber sights still there?

Are your starter wires tight? Did you check the starter relay? Are the starter wires solid? My car essentially has the same starter as yours and it is reliable for a daily driver. It just needs a little love, don't be discouraged.

You went the extra effort! I just used the hot and cold water from the tap. I'm assuming its been a while, did it work out for you?

If he's checking rocker clearances now and noticing that there's play, don't ever go back there again.

Don't discount flow because the engine had "modest specs". Most of those limitations was flow from the factory! That's why cars have giant throttle bodies these days, vs performance multi-carb applications.

The cats don't reprimand me for working at the dinner table. Also for a quick snack.

Brass is a little softer and may open up faster than stainless... If you drive the car daily.

Is it possible to have the rubber vulcanized to the metal retainer you have?

You know that supercharger would help with towing behind that Century hotrod.

In most common master cylinders, the piston compresses the volume of the chamber to displace fluid. In these master cylinders, the volume remains constant and the piston displaces the fluid in the reservoir. The piston never touches the side wall of the master cylinder, it floats in the rubber cups and that is the only contact surface the piston sees. So it's a waste to have this type of master cylinder sleeved when it will do nothing. You can rebuild these on the bench with no effort at all. All you need is a rebuild kit with new rubber cups and a new, stainless steel or chrome piston.