dibarlaw

Karl: Nice to know that you can be found on the Forum. I have bought quite a few items over the years from you at your stand at Fayetteville. We still have to get together to finish outfitting my 1925 and 1937 Buicks. Hope to see you soon...

I drive my 1925 Buick standard Touring on the local back roads in central Pa. Route 11 north and south usually has spots up to 55 mph. It is pretty wound out at 45mph. So to get to our Mason-Dixon June 20th car show up at Mechanicsburg Pa makes it a 1 1/2 hour drive on country roads. In 2013 I drove our 1937-41 Special to the Buick Nationals at South Bend Ind. 100 + degree heat most of the trip and it definitely did not like the mountains. Once we got to the flat land in Ohio it was happy at 55 all day. Whenever we edged up to 60 the temp also climbed up. There are times that I can not find a parallel side road and driving at 60+ on an interstate is quite unnerving. I have to start planning my route to Springfield Missouri for this years Buick Nationals. Driving the 1937.

John: Thanks for keeping us informed as to progress. Joan and I were wondering what the Llamas thought about this upheaval in their lives. We see that at least one is taking things in stride. It got up to 50 degrees yesterday so I started and ran both the 1925 and the 1937 Buicks for about a 1/2 hour. My alley is still too sloppy to take them out. Larry

Kevin: I had some success tonight. I saved most of the internals, at least enough to make up some patterns. (Venturi block is pretty rough) The pin holding the link from the plunger to the air vane was the toughest to get apart. The plunger was full of sludge. I set the brass barrel in the 3 jaw chuck on the lathe then drilled and tapped the end of the plunger starting with a 4-40 then kept working up to 10-32. I was finally able to get a good bearing to be able to use a 3 1/4" 10-32 screw to use as a puller. Even drilled out the broken screw out of the casting and save that thread! (Where the jet section bottom plate attaches.) Of course the spring was toast. If I am ever able to re-use this cast iron section I will use a cylinder hone to clean up the inside bore. I just wanted to prove that I could do it. Thanks again for the cold weather diversion.

I have a partial carb given to me by Oregon Desert 45. I have been trying to save some of the internals. I had sent him a PM about de-rusting by Electrolysis. He asked what I was using.. Hence this response.. An old battery charger, a non conductive container.(a 1 gallon milk jug worked) but I have some Tupperware containers that I use. "Washing Soda" found at the grocery store. A sacrificial piece of steel. Google "Rust removal by electrolysis" and you should find many explanations, recipes etc. I collected antique carpenter tools and I have used this method successfully to remove rust from old planes hand saw blades and such. So I thought I would try it on the carb. But of course with a combination of iron, brass and the die cast composition results so far are disappointing. The air vane plunger being the most problematic since it has swollen in the brass barrel. I still have hopes to get most of the air vane out. Most of the venturi block came out last night. The die-cast material "creeps" and grows into the rusted cast iron. Please note the safety procedures and precautions as you are dealing with water/electricity and toxic explosive vapors. I will post on the forum since the PM will not let me upload a photo. Best regards and be careful!!! Larry

Ah... the endless quest to safely and completely remove rusted fasteners. After my 1937 Special sedan came back from a shop doing a "driver restoration". Promised to be ready to be able to drive to the Buick Nationals 2012 in Concord North Carolina. Well it was finally returned to me in Sept 2012 with the comment that they had done all the heavy lifting and I just needed to do some"tweeking". After nearly 9 months of "tweeking" and re-doing much and finding things overlooked. I thought I would check the operation of the thermostat and found that one bolt was snapped off and just glued in with Blue RTV. From the photos I took of the ordeal it simply infuriated me knowing that they had the front nose off to have the Radiator redone?? Not easy to notice with the radiator and hood in place. I don't believe they snapped off the bolt (could have been there before I bought the car in 1987), but simply ignored it. I assure you the drilling out /re-tapping job would have been tremendously easier without the radiator and hood. Just one of many little ordeals which needed to straightened out on what was promised. Re-tapping in really tight quarters.

As I recall mine is brass and could be sleeved and soldered. Sorry about your luck. The whole unit could be fabricated from brass round and flat stock then machined. Larry

Bob: The contact problem was a bit touchy as it was burned on the ignition side. So I had to make new contact pins. I filled in the burned micarta spots with super glue. The new switch levers from "BOB's" fit very sloppy in the bores and I made some bushings for a smoother fit /operation.

I had to use a strip of abrasive cloth and work over it like a polishing cloth when shinning shoes. Does any one remember shining shoes? I did get mine out in mostly one piece. I used the repro from "BOB's" as a replacement which is a bit smaller. They probably just made a mold from an original without building it up to allow for shrinkage. All rebuilt with new switches it works great. I believe I have some old posts describing what I had done. Or can repost my photos. Larry

Buck up laddie! We had a 2 hour delay (-7 here), now up to 1' better bundle up and get on my bike for my ride to school. Keep warm : Larry

First opinion would be for a 1922 or 1923 4 cylinder car. Larry

Driving home today in the country on route 234 near Heilderburg Pa. I finally stopped to investigate this forlorn chassis now very visible in the snow. I had been going past it for years and the headlights and the pile of junk that was once upon it threw me. Turns out it is a 1927 standard missing much but has a spare transmission lying in back of the one connected to the engine. Once a model 20 2door Coach.

Tom: Looks to me to be a 1912-1914 WHITE "Mountain wagon" type tour bus. (4 rows of seats). Carl Amsley here in Chambersburg Pa.would drive his Stanley Steamer mountain wagon near my home several times a month.

Jim: Thanks for the photos. And also the phone conversation last night. It gives us inspiration. As I told you last night the 1925-45 Dwight and I worked on near me had an International distributer fitted. At least that is what I was told by the owner. I can't tell from the photos I took. I still need to see how things are different inside. The photos of the cobbled up distributer that was in my 1925 when I bought it No wonder I could not get any grease to the bearings. Compare the good Cast Iron one I found on the left to the cobble on the right.

Bob: The original rims were pretty shabby, cracked, scratched and dented up. I purchased another set of lights on e-bay(1924s) and they were in somewhat better shape. I had the buckets powder coated. I polished and painted the edge reveals black as original. So they are very presentable. In the meantime Fred from Texas found me what looks like a set of NOS rims. They look beautiful. I will replace the temporary ones when /if I can afford to get the very deeply pitted radiator shell re-nickeled.

Jim: Thank you for the response. It is really something about the differences between Standard and Master components. I see that the shaft was cut and there is only about 1/2 left. The packing gland nuts I can machine and cut the right and left handed threads. Mine are pretty mashed up. I was hoping I could find a complete shaft to directly fabricate a new one from the old. But beggars can't be choosers. At least I could make up new bushings, seals etc. I am trying to accumulate needed parts when the time for a rebuild occurs. My engine is quite tired. The fellow I purchased the car from said that there was a complete engine and other spare parts that was to go with it when he bought it around 2000. He said the former owner passed away before he could ship the parts. And all were tied up in the estate.(Good story since he could not remember the fellows name or where he bought it from). I will send a PM with my address. Let me know what the shipping is plus something for your trouble. Thanks again: Larry

Bob: I had my reflectors tor my 1925-25 silver plated at FRANK MANCE Plating in Pittsburgh Pa. They gave me I believe a 3 week turn around and I felt they did a fabulous job! I originally tried several large scale platters just to nickel plate and send to do the UVIRA process. In several cases the platter would only quote for full chrome and gave no discount to only plate in nickel. After paying shipping/insurance to/from them for a bid and waiting over a month to get them back. Off hand I don't have my prices handy. The cost to me was more reasonable for Mance's to plate in nickel and then silver. Then the added cost to ship to the west coast and then the Uvira cost. To me was not worth it. All this for my driver Buick. When I bought the car the headlight reflectors looked as if they had been routinely cleaned with Ajax or Comet. I don't' believe I will live long enough to polish off the plating. My 1937 Buick still has the original silvered reflectors and still look very good. I would consider having them done with the Uvira process since I have had to drive it after dark. But the 1925 has much brighter lights now! I am pleased. After all I am still saving up to be able to replace my "Oakie Chrome" finish on my radiator shell with nickel.

I have been looking for a 1925 Standard water pump (no rebuild kits available) to make a new shaft / impeller build up etc. Mine is pretty scored up and I have not attempted removal. I just squeeze more packing in. I have plenty of good tips from Leif but I would rather have something in hand before I will tackle this job. In case I do some damage. Larry

Check back on my posts on my Marvel experience as I have made 3 different metering pin links to find a happy medium on acceleration. Trying to go by the manual that Bob's sells as to the distance the metering pin projects out from the top of the cover. DO NOT USE ALUMINUM! I made one out of aluminum and it bent and it took off revving, I thought I would blow the engine before I shut it off .Close up of the metering pin link. I do have a copy of the 1925 Manual for Model "T" type Marvel carbs for both Buick standard and master. If you would like me to send you a copy send me a PM with a mailing address. Very small book but The scans are very big. Or I can resize all and send in an e.mail

Robert ; As Dave indicated we all love pictures. When I was looking for "A Driver Buick" I tried to deal on a 1914-B37 located in upstate NY. in fairly solid but sad shape. Not enough leather left to make a pair of gloves on the seats. I got to drive it for our evaluation. The owner said her husband never had it out of 1st gear since he was afraid to double clutch. The owner, her husband, Joan and I we all took about a 3 mile drive and I had no problem shifting and it seemed to run and drive OK. I backed it in to their garage and waited for it to really get up to operating temperature. Both husband and wife seemed nervous as I looked over the car as it was running...Woosh!!!!!! the bottom of the radiator opened up like a waterfall. They said they had no idea the radiator was in that condition. Yet in all the literature they had copies of there were several radiator restoration pamphlets Maine, Brassworks etc. I did give them an offer which they rejected and they brought it to Hershey 2011? then sold it in the car corral. I hope it found a good home as I heard it went to someone in NJ.

midman: I have seen these parts plated. I Know on my 1925 Standard the top is plated and the body and base is black. I will ask my friend in our Mason-Dixon club who has 3 1932s as to what he may have. We have to keep you moving so you can make it to the show! Larry

Kevin: Congratulations on your efforts! I spent quite a bit of time on my carb trying to better its performance. I did post my experiences on it thru the forum a while back. I did buy a new float from Gregg Lange in Mich. What made the greatest difference was carefully refitting the throttle plate to the warped venturi block. Mine was installed incorrectly and left some pretty large gaps. Now I can back out/in the air vane screw a few clicks and tune things very well. I still need to address better sealing of the float needle. I thought about bidding on that carb so I would have a spare. But by the time I saw it, it was already over my limit. Keep us posted on your progress. Larry

Quite strange that someone did not convert all fully to hydraulics. I knew a few old timers in the garages I worked at in the 1970s. They said they had done some conversions on pre 1936 Buicks when the cables finally gave out and were no longer stocked. I wonder what did they use to make the conversion. Nothing would match up with stock brake structure. Seems that it would be an expensive fix to put right back to original.

Many times a very rusty case will obliterate these stamped numbers The Buick starter generator 3 digit numbers have no 5 as the 3rd digit. Before 1917 these had 2 digit #s such a D-70 for 1916-1917 Buick model D44/D45. The numbers on the left were for model ID of unit. The right hand numbers are the serial number. All the Buick S/G I have seen. The unit I have on my 1925 Buick Standard Model 25 is 283 124278. I have 2 somewhat gutted S/G with #s 283 50046 and 283 33786. I can't really make a good spare one out of the 2 combined. The only # close is 251 for the 1923 4cylinder.

Either check on the Buick Heritage Alliance site (they can provide reprints) or these do show up on e-bay. Some of the literature dealers do provide reprints. Good Luck: Larry