MikesWoodieWorld

After having seemingly endless battery problems, I finally fired the Buick "pickup" up yesterday. I live very remote, so I decided to take it for a spin...it is not yet registered!! I actually only drove a half a block, and the local Sheriff popped out of a side street, and turned ahead of me!! He's never around here, except yesterday!! I did a quick turn around and backed it back into the shop!! I had installed a new set of Coker wide whitewall radials, and they are smooth. But the rear shocks seem to be low on oil, it bounces more than it should. Years ago, I had a 48 Chevy convertible that I added oil to the shocks, and they held up for years. But, I don't remember which oil I used, any suggestions?

Hello restorer '32, I used automotive clear coat on a pair of Woodies I worked on, only because the owners insisted. The first was a '46 Ford, with original wood collected from several Woodies. It wasn't tinted, just clear, since the wood was already "tinted" from age. After two coats, it transformed the old wood into a plastic looking piece. I much prefer varnish for the look. The second one was a '48 Mercury, and the product used was supplied by the owner. It was called "Full-thane", apparently a product used on wooden floors, apparently very scuff resistant. Similar look, but again old wood and no tinting. I have heard that these clear coats give the wood the kiss of death, since they cannot be stripped, later down the line. Whereas the varnish can be stripped off. I have nothing to back up that statement, so please take it for what its worth. Although, you could always try stripping one of your samples mentioned earlier. All I am saying is that unless it lasts indefinitely, at some point it will need refinishing. What does that take? Perhaps another block sanding and a respray? What do you think? Mike

I have heard most of these before, but as age creeps up on me, my memory suffers!! It is great to have these all in one place, to refer to periodically, Thanks!

The main advantage with foam brushes is that they don't leave any bristles the way other brushes do. What about the other suggestions???

I have come to the realization that I have more projects than time left!! Therefore, I want to offer the namesake of this thread, my 1952 Roadmaster Woodie up for sale. It has become a burden to me, although much has been done, it is still a major project!! If you need some current pics, I will try to comply, but it is not easy to photograph. It needs a full set of wood, which I will not only produce, but also give a 20% discount, or you can take it elsewhere...up to you. I also have a 1953 Super which I want to sell...same deal on the wood. Both wagons need for the metal work to be finished before the wood can be fitted. Please don't PM me, as I am a clutz in that area, but improving daily!! I would rather you send me an email for further info, or call me on the phone. Email: mikewoodieworld@hotmail.com Phone: 661 766 9141 Thanks, Mike

Our Woodies don't necessarily have to deal with the treachery of long hours, days, weeks or months of horrible exposure that these tests imply. Therefore, I don't think they are of much help in deciding what to coat our woodies with. Also, there is much spoken about canoes & boats picking up dirt from use in the water. OK, our Woodies have to deal with dirt, as does everything, but not washed in by fast running water. Unless driving hard in a heavy downpour!! But, still good info!! Thanks, Mike

Hey, thanks!! You weren't just talking to yourself, I learned much!! Thanks, Mike

I had 3 of these chrome plated recently. One was in decent condition, as far as pitting. But the other two had some pretty bad looking pitting, and also there was a rust stain on each side, where the hood meets the fender. My plater was more worried about the rust stain than anything. He promptly took one to a polishing wheel that was setup with a sanding compound on it, and dressed both rust marks off to clean metal, then did the 2nd one. His report? Fine, they will make!! Apparently, when this happens (the rust stains) it can rot the base metal so badly it is useless. I lucked out. But, there is more... All three had various cracks, which I understand is quite normal from hoods being slammed on them. He uses a repair shop that repairs the cracks while the old plating is removed. All three came out "show quality", at a cost of $800 each...for all 3 pieces of each bar. And the lettering is crisp...they know how to achieve that!! I have another decent one, pit wise, but not cracked, it is broken into 3 separate pieces!! I am reluctant to try to get it done, since it may not fit right after being repaired. I added a shot of one of the three I had done, which is on my 51 Super Estate Wagon.

Not much yet, Keith, I have been swamped!! (Read that, lazy!!) OK, I admit I have been kicking back lately, I do that every so often, just to put things in perspective. And to figure out the next step. I have decided to improve the 47 "pickup" Woodie with things like chrome bumpers with correct rear guards, replacing the silver painted ones!! Each improvement is toward adding to its Woodie Wagon heritage. But with so many Buick Woodie projects, I will keep this one that I can enjoy as it is, until some other projects start coming back to life. I have also decided o sell a couple of my Buick Woodies, both projects. I want to sell my 1953 Super, and my 1952 Roadmaster. Yes, the latter being the subject of my other Buick Woodie thread, [h=1]1952 Roadmaster Estate Wagon project.[/h]The link above will take you there. Just too many projects, not enough years left!! Any interested parties just ask for more info. Mike

The doors seem to be totally custom made at this point, but I am just scraping the surface. I would like it too, but it may require building new front doors. Also, here in southern California, windows are not necessary!! I am not sure I want to go that far yet, give me some time to figure things out!!! Right now it is a Woodie that I can drive around in and enjoy, once registered!!! That is cool to me!! But, thanks for your input. Cheers,Mike

Joe, this is a keeper, for sure!! And I appreciate your opinion, Mike

Hey guys, I bought this relic off eBay, off poor pictures, so I was expecting not much. It was in upstate NY, I am in California. You get the picture? (it actually took a year+ to get it here!) I bought a 1947 Buick Woodie a few years ago, from Pennsylvania...total rust bucket, but I love the lines!! Still!! But, when I actually got to see this one, the woodwork is superb, slightly weathered, but still well fitting joints, well designed. I would be happy with it as it is, but my instinct is to take it back, but...the woodwork...so gorgeous!! I build new wood for Woodies, and could make it back into a Woodie, but I have so many projects, so that is my dilemma. More projects than years (and bucks) left!! As an aside, I am currently trying to get through the restoration of a 1947 Buick Roadmaster Woodie, and have several other Buick Woodies, none of which are even remotely near running, so this is icing on the cake in some respects!! Thanks Joe, for your comments, my thoughts exactly when buying this gem, but, the wood work...HMMMM! I recently picked up a pair of 1948 Pontiac Woodies, both projects, and one was modified into a pickup. It had been roughly done, even using drywall screws to hold soft wood together...UGH!! (see pics!) They even used a carriage bolt to help hold a rear fender to the wood, through the outside of the fender, but it runs & drives!! As does the 47 Buick. It was what I expected with this one, but I almost hate to remove the wood so carefully planned and executed, which has held up well, even just needing re-varnishing. I have been totally busy this week, and didn't have even a slight chance of adding some better pics, but I will as soon as I can, some closeups of the detail.

Well, I have a pair of correct Buick Woodie taillights that will be going on this one. So the Chrysler ones will be up for sale...Can you use them?

I recently acquired a 1947 Buick Woodie, converted into a pickup. I bought it from the added pics, but now I have it in my possession. I had originally decided to make it back to its original form, but upon seeing it, I am not so sure now. It is still on my trailer, so no new pics, but I will post more after unloading it. Any opinions or ideas?? Thanks, Mike

Yes, Rob, just this last Monday/Tuesday. It was supposed to be a one day round trip, but a tire repair went bad after the guy didn't tighten the lug nuts!! 5 miles down the road, the trailer started vibrating badly, and while was pulling over I saw that tire take an offramp I had just passed!! The wheel had broken all 5 studs off the drum, and the lug holes were pounded to about 3 times their size. That set me back a few hours and about $400!! I had left here Monday at 3:30 AM, got back Tuesday 1:30 AM, very tired!! I will unload it later this week!! The good thing, I got to drive it around a bit before loading it. More later.

To clarify, the hood fits both front fenders well, uniformly sideways and vertically. It also fits the upper grille bar fabulously. It is a bit short at the rear sides, where it meets the door...the gap there is wider than it should be, but perhaps the wood could make up for that. But the gap from rear of hood to cowl is similarly oversize, indicating the hood needs to go rearward. But the front fenders meet the doors on each side really well, so no room there. It looks good to everybody that looks at it, but us restorers have a different eye, you know? Mike

Hey, after reading you guys posts, I feel pretty good!! My 1951 Super Woodie front end doesn't fit perfectly, but the old geezer that did it got it better than most!! The older well experienced dude is good advice, take it to heart. I happened to stumble on one, and wasn't too pleased initially, but now I am!! Maybe my standards were too high for these Buicks. Mike

So,tboldstuff, any news??? LOL Mike

I second that emotion...it is such a learning curve for me. Thanks to of you "teachers"!! Mike

I have run into all the same dilemmas with my 1949-53 Woodies!! After spending countless hours making all the wood joints perfect...or at the very least, really close, the sheet metal is way off!! And I am a wood worker, so cutting & welding are not an option for me!! LOL In the pics, please check the wood joints, not the sheet metal!! But great wood joints take away awareness of the metal ones, my only salvation!! Cheers, Mike

Hey, Dave, I don't know how this one slipped through my fingers, since I spend a lot of time checking eBay. But it did!! LOL You got a deal, trust me!! But I think you already knew as much!! I took 3 of them to a plater I trust, recently, and before he would take on the project of making them show quality... He mentioned that the areas where the hood and fender meet, on each side are prone to "pot metal rot". I had never heard of that before, but he proceeded to grind the horribly rough pot metal down on these areas, Along with the rust stains there, and I was elated to hear his words..."They will make!!" And make they did, but just as a precaution, I wanted to warn you. Years ago, I worked with pot metal, restoring chrome parts, and it is not easy, to say the least. I would start with a pitted part, get the plating all stripped off, then start the grinding & polishing operation. But, if the part had deep pits, then I had to grind down past them, all the while trying to keep the shape right. Sometimes, as the pits grew smaller, other pits, from the backside would start to show up...initially small. But as I worked it, the backside pits grew larger!! OK, so the front side pits go deeper and surpass the depth of the backside pits...junk!!!!! Hopefully, your find will turn out fine, just be aware of the problems with pot metal. I added a pic of my 1951 Buick Woodie, with one of the 3 fitted, and as I look at it now, it is gorgeous!! Hope yours turns out as well, Mike

Since I got the above pics posted, let me try again with the 47 Woodie pick-up... Great, success!! It is scheduled to be picked up in Indiana this or next week, then travel to Kingman, Arizona, where I will meet it and haul it here.

Well, we have made a great deal of progress on the 53. We have both sides all fitted from front door to rear corner post. We have to make the tailgate, yet, but the upper gate is carved already.

Pete, in 1953 Buick went to the V8, so the Supers & Roadmasters were the same length, for the first time. In previous years, Roadmaster front clips and wheelbases were longer than the Supers due to the bigger straight eight, and the room needed to cover it. So there is no way for your precious 51-52 fender to help here!! A super fender in 1953 is the same as a Roadmaster one, except for the 4th porthole hole being missing. Although, I am not sure if the spacing of the portholes changed to enable 4 of them to fit and look good, as opposed to 3. They may be adjusted to fit and look good. Mike

Hey Rob, Very astute of you to realize this. It shows you are paying attention!! LOL Yes, usually these projects need to be restored as far as getting body parts in order, which requires body & paint and metalwork fitting, before the wood is applied. But each wagon is unique. However, on a fresh show quality paint job...it is rough on us! We are traveling back and forth, and trying to make wood fit on a show quality paint job is treacherous!! We take every precaution, see the yellow masking tape on the red rear fenders, above...wood can take its toll on fresh paint. However, this 53 Buick seemed to show its original paint, and all parts seemed to fit fine, no easy task, believe me!! So I relented to fit the wood before the metal work was done, since the owner does all else except the woodwork. He & I have a good understanding of what it will take to finish this gem, and when he receives it, he will be bombarded with instructions, videos, etc. of just how to go about it!! Plus he can call me 24-7 with questions...I look forward to it!! He has been restoring vintage cars for many years, and we have spoken extensively on the phone, and will do so until this project is done. Rob, as I said before, thanks for noticing. I am only too happy to take you back to good times building boats with your kids... That is what it is all about, especially 100 years from now! Cheers, Mike