Model56s

So, about that unfinished weld... A friend in the Buick club has a 51 Special that belonged to his dad, who in later years used the Buick to pull tree stumps out. He would hook the chain on the lower corner of the trunk lip (!) and with the Dynaflow let her rip. Jeff has *no* intention of fixing that deformity in the trunk lip - it's like his father's signature. This picture was taken on the show field at the BCA Regional meet last year and as you can see he's got a great conversation starter. I'm outta here the day old car guys people get snippy about the flaws in our vehicles.

I respect your effort to paint it yourself Roscoe - is it a solid color or metallic? I asked Adam about single stage vs base/clear - his preference was the latter, especially with the durability of the clear coat, so we did that. As far as sanding and repainting, what a chore! That labor is what drove the cost on the panel truck & I told Adam with the roof and sides this project was essentially painting three billboards. Even though Adam's workmanship is definitely show quality, this truck is going to get driven. I have a 700r4 transmission ready to go in behind a small block, and one day that could happen. Is your '52 project on the Forum?

Thank you Keiser and Roscoe, I'm just the disassembly and reassembly monkey. And the cost center 😕 One additional note on the Haywire harness - the label is printed the length of each wire, a very classy feature. This makes handling and routing the leads much easier and fool-proof. I've been thinking of a 50s style roof rack once the truck is on the road...each time I daydream it costs me money!

Good catch Keizer. It actually had about a millimeter of clearance, but the real issue was alignment with the crank and alternator pulleys, so I used washers between the fan pulley and water pump flange to bring it out. That was a trick with no access inside the funnel-shaped pulley! The Haywire Pro-T harness is outstanding! Each wire is labeled, plus the reference documentation is complete. I have the taillights & turn signal leads ready to run aft through a plastic loom inside the driver side frame rail. I also have a plastic mesh loom for the wiring in the engine bay. New tires (215/75R15) were mounted Thursday and on the truck Friday night. I wanted bigger tires, but this was the only size with whitewalls and I didn’t want to spend $1K+ on Coker tires. I now have four 14” roller tires and wheels to sell, all with at least 3/16” tread: 2 at 205/70 and 2 at 185/70. I cleaned the wiper motor and assembly and installed it, the harness lead for the wiper motor is labeled as all other leads and will be effortless to hook up working through the instrument cluster opening. There are about 5 leads coming off the turn signal switch which are routed through the steering column mast. I ran a wire and will attached the leads and pull them through, but the issue is the mast is full of grease. It’ll take care and diligence to keep the interior clean, plus the terminals will be taped over to keep them clean. The leads coming through the instrument cluster opening are under dash hookups. I”ll install a red top Optima. Next up is completing the wire runs, including ignition, installing the radio, running the vent and choke cables which I cleaned up, hooking up the instruments and installing the cluster. Then it’s kick panels with vent lovers and installing the heater and blower cabinets. With the turn signal assembly installed, the steering wheel will go on.

I've been out of town this week, plus work on my wife's investment house (ready to list) limited my progress. But... - wiring is figured out - each wire in the Haywire harness is printed with the lead description (R F Turn Signal, &c.), not some alpha/numeric code to decipher, so I know exactly where to run each lead. - I bought 1/2" ID PVC conduit to mount inside the driver side frame channel to protect and carry the rear wiring forward. I also have a new coil & bracket, but the 2 threaded openings in the block where it's supposed to be mounted (passenger side) each contain a broken stud. If I feel ambitious I'll try to remove the blockage (and risk creating another problem?), otherwise I'll just choose an alternate site. - radiator is mounted and hoses attached. When the time comes to attach the front clip, adjusting the radiator mounting frame will be a marginal and straightforward effort since it's the only mounting site for the radiator. - new 180 degree thermostat installed - 215R75-15 whitewall tires will mounted Thursday on the steelies, installed on the truck. I have the polished stainless beauty rings, but center caps that fit are out of stock. Everywhere. - shift mechanism and neutral safety switch assembly is fully installed on the steering column mast and adjusted. I was dreading having to figure this one out, but, no big deal. Other small things were done, like spacing the fan pully to align with the alternator and harmonic balancer. I'll assemble the heater and blower cabinets one week night this week since I want to focus only on wiring this weekend. The accelerator mechanism is cleaned and ready to install on the toe board (engine side), but I have to buy or fabricate the linkage rod connecting it to the carb actuating mechanism on the block. Not big things, but some movement.

More smaller things done: shift rod is installed, but I need to install the shift apparatus in the engine compartment. Thanks Dan for including all the essential mounting and shifting parts! Keith Hardy’s manual site is invaluable - the illustration of the column shift apparatus is from the shop manual he published on the site. It saved me a lot of time and enabled me to quickly identify the parts from what I got from Dan. starter installed. I’m going to clean it & paint it black before the front clip is installed alternator installed - thanks Chet! parking brake rod installed; the return spring has to be installed on the bellcrank behind the passenger floor heater core and blower cabinets painted, blower motor and squirrel cage cleaned and painted, ready for assembly. I’ll install them once the passenger side vent cable is cleaned and installed. They’ll get Harrison stickers and I need to buy a repro heater control apparatus for the dash. intake and exhaust manifolds installed with gaskets, carb and downshift linkages hooked up. The hot water plate is installed on the intake manifold. Most of the plumbing will be mostly brass tube ignition switch and light switch have been installed in the dash for safekeeping - they’ll be removed for wiring, likely this week. The choke cable is on back order. The instrument cluster is ready to be hooked up to the wiring loom and installed. The dual horns are cleaned & ready to be mounted on the firewall once I find out where they’re located. I need to get a coil and (Optimum) battery and run the vacuum line to the carb. .

A small but satisfying update. Thanks Adam for excellent paint.

Been working on the truck and not posting. - bought stainless hardware for the cargo floor - cleaned and painted (KBS) the floor braces & positioned them on the frame - cut and trial fitted the passenger side plywood cargo floor section which still requires about 1/4“ tweaking, probably at the front. Before I started cutting the wheel well relief I realized when I laid out the template I didn’t pay attention to the chassis centerline where the plywood seam needs to be, but fortunately I was only 1/4” off. 1/8” adjustment in cutting each piece and the seam will be on the centerline. In response to my concern about damaging the plywood during adjustment, and then magnifying the damage when I urethane the face, my youngest son Brett had a good suggestion: polyurethane the piece, then finish cutting. I might do that. - picked up the painted license bracket/light fixture at Adam’s. I bought the 1956 Vermont plate at an antique store in Burlington, VT 2 years ago, not knowing what was coming my way. The colors aren’t a perfect match but look right for the truck - while picking up the bracket I asked Adam to sand blast the heater core and fan cabinets while I was there. I have “long hair” fiberglass Bondo to fill in the rust through. They’re in primer now. Work is consuming, so I’m not making good time. It takes me 30 minutes after I start on the truck in the garage to get the rhythm going.

Thanks, it’s slow and steady. We got relief from the heat yesterday and today, and it looks like it’ll hold for the next few days, so I’ll get some work done. I helped my wife on Sunday at her investment house by replacing the deck railing - it was 102F. I put in about 6 hours and felt OK throughout the afternoon, drinking a lot of cold water. I won’t be so afraid to go into the garage in August. Tonight I transferred the cargo floor tracing from the old floor plywood to the A1 Face 3/4” maple plywood replacement. I think tomorrow night I’ll cut the relief for the wheel wells and fuel filler tube, and cut to correct length. I bought the two sheets of plywood at a woodworkers specialty store last weekend, $168 each. I had them ripped at the store to place the seam at the center. But before I cut I’ll check the fit of the paper template in the truck and make sure the joint of the two pieces is at the center. I drove to Jim Carter Truck Parts near Kansas City two weeks ago since shipping for 7 stainless bed strips at $111 was over 60% of the purchase price, and I picked up other items. 3 hours each way and $50 in gasoline (a BMW 528i gets 36 mpg at a steady 70) was worth that and the ability to check the placement of the mounting bolt holes - they weren’t correct for the panel truck! I bought the unpunched strips and saved two weeks and return freight to get strips that will work.

Windshield and taillights are installed - it was much easier to install the cast aluminum defrost duct nozzles before the windshield went in. Thanks again to Chet and Jeanne and neighbor Ed for their help wrestling the glass and rubber into place - this was a tough job! I had to run a weighted string attached to the taillight leads and drop it through a hole in the body sheet metal at the bottom, then pull the leads after it. The leads will run inside the frame channel to the front. Also, the steering box is cleaned and the box/column assembly is ready for installation. This evening I mapped the continuity at neutral, left and right turn of the 6 leads coming out of the factory turn signal switch housed in the steering wheel hub on the column, and will relate this to the Haywire schematic. I mounted the Haywire fuse panel on the inside firewall, driver side, below where the voltage regulator was located. The voltage regulator will not be required with the alternator and new wiring harness.

Some movement today, thank you Chet! It's been in the mid-to high 90s & humid this week and so no work on the truck until today when we got a little relief in the AM. This PM was unbearably humid so we stopped at the rear windows. Windshield, taillight assemblies and under-dash cast aluminum defrost nozzles will be installed tomorrow. Afterward, get the Haywire Pro-T fuse panel mounted under the dash and get the wire bundles laid out. I have the transmission linkage already laid out plus the shop manual section for them, so it'll be time for the steering column & Pitman arm once that's done, then manifolds and starter. I have decent access to the underside of the dash through the instrument cluster and glove box openings, so the column won't be in the way too much for wiring. The Gateway Chapter Buick Club picnic is this Sunday so whatever I get done this weekend will be tomorrow. 48 items to be done on the final checklist. I'm still pushing for first drive at the end of July.

No rework necessary on the fuel filler tube 😎 and the steel body mounting pads have replaced the wood spacer blocks. I went to the garage this afternoon intending to just check the filler tube clearance and one thing led to another preparing for tomorrow’s work on the truck. Once the rear brake line and clips on the parking brake cables are attached (no more than an hour) it will be ready for the wood cargo floor. I’ll start on the wiring tomorrow morning after the brake items are finished.

It took most of the day yesterday to get the door windows installed because I couldn’t find my window removal write-up. I also got the door latches and strike plates installed. To make a very long story short, the wing window and channel has to go in first, with the main window positioned before everything is settled into place. Fortunately, the only scratches were on the inside of the inner and outer main window sills on the driver door which was the first to be attempted, and they are minor and will be covered by the felts. I used a couple layers of masking tape for protection. I can’t figure out how to insert the 5 second video of the driver door latching. The driver door latches very well, but there is an issue with the passenger and rear door latching properly. Tomorrow I’m going to take a break from that task and begin installing the wiring. Before that though I’ll remove two small pieces of 2x4 we used as spacers between the body and rear of the frame, and replace them with the steel spacers I took out during disassembly. Also, it looks like there might not be enough clearance between the frame rail and the wood floor to be installed for the fuel filler tube assembly (see earlier posts). I’ll stretch a string over the tube where it crosses the frame, from the front wood floor sill to the back sill to check. There’s enough length in the rubber reducer coupling to slide it inboard to meet the steel 45 degree 2” piece if it has to be cut back, so that the smaller diameter of the coupling is over the frame rail.

The cables function OK and can be cleaned up nicely, but the knobs are too gnarly for the Martin dash. I suppose I could replace the knobs, but they look permanently attached. BTW, I enjoyed the BCA Nationals and got a nice grille badge and a piece of ss trim for the 49.

I was able to only install door rubber with limited time due to travel and other tasks last week. The door rubber (Steele) attaches via 1/2” plastic snap in posts every 4 inches or so around the perimeter of the door. It’s not hard if you take your time and use something blunt to push these into the factory holes. On the bottom driver door, metal repair covered the holes, so I had to drill and paint 5 holes along the bottom. I used the blunt end of an extension to press the posts in. The 3rd and 4th pictures are before and after on the door bottom. The Forum app decided to invert the last picture. Not much, but another item off the list. Next items include installing under dash components preparatory to installing the steering column: wiring and installing the instrument cluster, new fuse panel positioning and installation. The original push-pull cables (choke, vents, etc.) are functioning, but rough so I’ll get new ones. I’ll work on these things evenings this week.

I made the decision to use finish (furniture?) grade plywood for the floor vs planks. I'll visit the hardwood specialty store in St. Peters and look at their 3/4" maple and oak plywood. The floor will be finished with clear urethane and marine paint on the underside. The bed strips and hardware will be polished stainless steel. Today I laid out a 70" X 95" paper blank and drew the floor template from the two pieces. I did this after measuring the inside of the truck floor sill-to-sill maybe 5 or 6 times. There is a piece of steel (angle) that covers each end of the wood floor, so I had to take that into consideration. I still positioned the pieces slightly more separated than the saw waste gap - I'll sand to fit. Once I drew the outline, I took the refill out of a ball point pen and used it to mark each mounting hole on the paper after drawing the outline in pencil - a pencil and the pen barrel was too large to fit into the mounting holes. I'm satisfied with the template, and was really happy to get the table saw out and cut up the old floor and finally get it and its musty oil & dirt odor out of the garage. It's in the firepit in the back yard. The thick layer of old oil and dirt can be seen in the first picture. It took 15 minutes with acetone to clean up the table saw bed. Before I cut it up, I took a dozen reference pictures of the original plywood with a tape measure across it to archive it. The steel body mounting spacers were next, wire wheeling and painting them with KBS chassis paint. Also, I finally got the remaining (stainless) hose clamps onto the fuel filler rubber connectors. I'm not happy with the parking brake cable sheath interface with the frame, so I'll go to Lowes for washers for spacers and large e-clips. Once that's done, it's time to turn to on the floor, then order an upholstery kit for the seat. I'm going to need help on the transmission shift linkage set up since I received it disassembled. I mentioned to Adam that I may retain him at my house for a day for co-labor and expertise. Most significant items remaining include steering, wiring, instruments, fitting out the dash, glass & door windows, radiator & complete the engine for starting (intake, exhaust & filling the Hydramatic). front clip. I'm happy with what I got done today.

With the exception of mounting the single rear brake hose to the frame cross member and flanging and attaching the feeder line to it (30 minute job), rear brakes are done. Yes, I threw away a well-formed line because I forgot to slide the fitting on before making the flange at the other end. It fit so nicely that I couldn’t afford the 1/2” loss for re-flanging. Yesterday I got the rear parking brake cables attached and working, and ran the front parking brake pull cable to the vicinity on the frame where it will attach to the actuating mechanism (tomorrow night). That mechanism pivots on the frame via its axle that passes through a forged sleeve riveted to the frame rail. The parking brake handle connects to this mechanism and is mounted under the dash within easy reach of the driver to his left. One of the most rewarding aspects of a complete restoration is seeing everything clean, with new components. Today I picked up new intake and exhaust manifold gaskets. When I picked up the engine last year, the two transmission shift linkage rods attached to a mechanism on the manifold side of the engine block. I took lots of pictures, but still have to reconstruct this before installing the manifolds. I got the steering column and shift linkage already disassembled, so that’ll take a while and lots of research to solve. The wiring harness arrived a little over a week ago and has to be run and hooked up to the instruments, and instrument cluster installed before I install the column. The new horn cap looks great on the ivory wheel. Each night this week I’ll pick a small thing and get it done, like the parking brake actuator. I want to have the shift linkage done and manifolds on before Friday night.

Not much to report: -17 items have been done, 57 to go (many are small items) -new parts arrived: chrome headlight bezels, dome lamp fixture, wiring harness (Haywire Pro-T), brake light switch, horn button (looks great with ivory wheel) and rubber bumpers for hood, fuel filler door & glove box -fuel filler tube & door installed - securing the rubber filling tube connectors with hose clamps and connecting the vent tube and the fuel system aft of the engine is done -Installed transmission shift linkage -front bake hoses installed. These were loose in the corresponding frame holes, so I bought some washers, & reamed them to fit, then installed them as spacers. -Fan, pully & battery box painted & installed -Picked up heater core which tested OK. The box needs to be cleaned, repaired and painted. Next is flange all brake lines & connect to hoses and install eBrake cabling which completes the brake system; install wing and main window/regulator in each front door. I will pick up the intake/exhaust manifold gasket set tomorrow from NAPA. I know, not much but some progress. I'll post pictures Wednesday night. Thanks for following this project!

Got a bunch of things done today and checked off 4 more items, would have been 5 if the front shocks had fit. -bought front and rear shocks (O'Reilly). Installed the rear shocks, but the fronts were incorrect and returned today. The replacements I bought at NAPA this morning need the rubber bushings reamed to 0.80" to fit on the mounting studs. -disassembled heater core box. Core looks good and has interesting hand-painted lettering; I filled it with white vinegar, let it sit and agitated, then flushed with water. It will go to S&S Radiator in St. Peters, MO for pressure testing tomorrow. The box is a mess, but very serviceable - factory color is a dark grey. -connected driveshaft to differential -cleaned and painted fuel filler tube - it's in great shape. I mounted a wire wheel on a flex shaft, sprayed a lot of WD40 inside the tube and ran the wire wheel up & down inside with my drill for about 20 minutes - super clean! I hooked a strip from an old bath towel on a wire and pulled it through a few times, like cleaning and oiling a rifle barrel. I'll complete the fuel filler plumbing (incl. vent) tonight when the paint on the filler tube cures. -installed rear door brackets which hold them in place in 2 positions, open and wide open -test fit Steele rear door rubber (perfect fit) -cut gaskets to install door handles (new door handle for driver door came with a rubber gasket) and, the most pleasant: found the correct rear door license plate lamp and bracket (complete assembly!) in a box of parts the seller included with the truck. I was glad I didn't drill the holes and will sell the other one (fits Advance Design panels and Suburban's). The correct fixture goes to Adam's for cleaning & painting.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single thermostat housing." Confucius, c.490BC Thursday I returned from a business trip that I should not have taken since I was not fully recovered. This prolonged my recovery forcing me to miss a class reunion in southern Kansas this weekend that I did not want to miss even though I didn't lose the 30 lbs. for the reunion and never did get the toupee. Funny how priorities shift when you're offered a piece of cheesecake. The afternoon I got back I went to the garage and made a checklist of all remaining tasks to get the truck on the road - over 70 items. I stopped at 70 with the weight of reality coming down on me. Today I decided to tackle one of the easier items - cleaning and painting the thermostat housing, making a gasket and getting it on the head. So, one item checked off. Yesterday I picked up the steering wheel and steering column cap from Adam's - I'm pleased with the result. I chose ivory for the steering wheel as a throwback to the early 50's ivory Cadillac wheels, and just because I like it - it's my truck. Also, I finally slowed down and took a good long look at the rear door taillight/license plate bracket, then at the door, then back to the bracket. I looked at a photograph of a 57 Suburban and realized I had the incorrect light fixture & bracket (or, incorrect left rear door). This means that to mount this fixture (which I really, really like) I have to drill two holes in the (gorgeous) door and dab the holes with chassis paint. I'll do this because I like the look of the fixture, but to mount the correct light in the future will require welding in the holes, finishing and painting. Yes, I'm replacing the flaking bezel and cracked lens. I'm choosing easy things off the list to get back in the groove after a month of being sick and on the road. Next up is brake lines and e-brake cable installation. Once again, the Forum application arbitrarily rotated a couple images.

I agree - I think it's inevitable that everyone will catch this. My energy level is slowly coming back, so I won't ease back into this until this weekend. I tested negative yesterday and don't have symptoms. I'll start with the less strenuous items. I'll order the wiring harness today, along with the AM/FM radio designed to fit the dash like the original. I'll use a rear bumper mounted antenna because I can't stomach drilling into Adam's paint job on a front fender, although I'll have to do that to mount the rear license plate mount/brake light to the driver side rear door. I'm really pushing for completion by the end of June.

Nothing new on the project to post. I tested positive for COVID while out of town shortly after bringing the truck home. I’m still recovering, so travel and work on the truck are both stopped. What remains is a lot, including installing steering column, shift linkage & Pitman arm, glass and rubber (I have all of the rubber from Steele), completing brake plumbing (very close), reinstall manifolds and plumbing the hot water intake manifold heater, wiring, seat upholstery and installation, passenger compartment overhead sheet metal, e-brake cables (received early May), instruments and push/pull cables, oak cargo bed with stainless strips and hardware, entire front clip, purchase and mount new tires, all door mechanisms and handles, head and tail lamp assemblies, cooling system, trans and engine fluids, firewall items, battery. Adam has the steering wheel to paint (I chose ivory) and the steering column end piece (gray to match column). There are countless smaller items also, but hope to get this done by 12 months either from the time I brought it home (mid-June 2021) or from start of disassembly (late July 2021).

Well, you’re easy to work with Adam, thanks. This morning we loaded up and brought her safely home. My driveway has a healthy incline, so we backed the trailer up to the garage and slowly cranked the truck in using a cargo strap tied to the nearest post of the lift. Once the rear tires were on the ramps we could push it the rest of the way. Adam and I finished up with lunch at Cracker Barrel, a very different experience than last night’s!

Last night at Adam’s shop we reunited the body with the chassis. This took some time and some strong nerves given how high we had to hold the body. This body, mostly without a floor, is not suited for a 2-post lift for this operation. The strip of blue just in front of the driver door in the last picture is the original color. This was masked during the media blasting and painting process for archival purposes.

OK, I’m officially excited about getting the body and chassis reunited. That is a stunning finish. Tonight I used wedges to get the pinion leveled, about two hours’ work. I have one more troublesome mystery to solve - properly running and securing the brake lines. I’ve approximated the former run, regretting not keeping the chassis and components in one large assembly when I separated the body. Had I done that, I could have easily photo documented the exact brake line runs and securing points. I saved the lines knowing I needed the archive and it was these lines I’m using to map out the new tubing runs. I intend to have that done before the weekend.