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therios

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Posts posted by therios

    Question about chrome in photo of 57 Caballero

    in Buick - General

    Posted

    I have a question about the chrome finish on the 57 Caballero in this photo, which was originally posted by Bleach in the "GIRLS ON BUICKS IV" thread.

    1957%2BBuick%2BCentury%2BCaballero%2BWagon.jpg

    Does the chrome look unusual to anyone else? It has a kind of matte non-reflective finish. It appears to be a period photo taken by a professional -- in the days before digital photography and digital photo software; so could the surface have been treated with something in order to prevent it from reflecting the photography studio equipment and lights? Or was the chrome that dull ordinarily?

    Ike

    Keys

    in Buick - General

    Posted

    My 57 Roadmaster has 2 keys: one for ignition and doors, and one for trunk and glovebox. However, my 63 Electra has only one key for everything. I seem to recall when I was a kid, that my family's 63 Electra (and our 72 Cadillac) had 2 keys -- one for ignition and doors, and one for the trunk. (I don't recall which key locked the glovebox; presumably the trunk key.) So I was surprised that my 63 Electra has only one key, but I've since been told by a couple different car guys that it isn't that uncommon for people to change the trunk and glovebox locks so that a single key operates the ignition and all locks.

    No one has explicitly stated it yet, but having different keys for ignition and storage compartments is logical. It permits one to safely lock items in the glovebox and/or trunk and leave the ignition key with a parking attendant, for example.

    My 78 Mercedes has two keys, but with a slightly different arrangement. There is a (square) master key that operates the ignition and all locks, and a (round) valet key that operates only the ignition and door locks. I just carry the master key when I take the car out. In the extremely unlikely event that I might need to leave the car with a parking attendant and I want to be able to lock things in the glovebox and/or trunk, I would also carry the valet key to leave with the attendant.

    Ike

    Is this the correct side mirror for 1957 Buick?

    in Buick - Post War

    Posted · Edited by therios
    added photos (see edit history)

    Thanks, David. That's very interesting. I'll check out the latest on the mystery mirror post when I return to a reliable Internet connection. I'm traveling right now with miserable Internet connectivity. In fact, I'm surprised and thrilled to even be connected at the moment; and I'm typing fast before the connection drops again!

    Weren't there two types of side view mirrors available from Buick back in the day: door-mounted like those we're discussing here, and fender-mounted. I have seen photos of 57 Buicks with the more forward-mounted fender mirrors, and I think I read a discussion here that mentioned that the passenger side door-mounted mirror offers very poor visibility because of where it is mounted on the passenger door. I'm curious to hear from those of you who have either type of mirror (or both types), or from anyone with an opinion on the topic: Pros and cons of the passenger side door-mounted and fender-mounted mirrors.

    I came across a nice-looking 1957 Buick Roadmaster Model 76C on the Internet (maybe it belongs to someone on this forum?) that has a door-mounted driver side mirror and a fender-mounted passenger side mirror, but the mirrors are rectangular and obviously different from my round mirror (posted at the top of this thread). Were the optional accessory fender-mounted mirrors offered by Buick rectangular? Zoom in on the side mirrors in the photos below.

    post-83062-143141813818_thumb.jpg Beautiful car, isn't it?

    Ike

    post-83062-14314181379_thumb.jpg

    Is this the correct side mirror for 1957 Buick?

    in Buick - Post War

    Posted

    My recently acquired 1957 Buick Roadmaster Riviera model 73A has a driver's side mirror, but no passenger side mirror. I've been kicking around the idea of getting a passenger side mirror because I've become so accustomed to having one on more modern cars. I have not been able to find a mirror that even remotely matches the mirror on the driver's side -- which makes me wonder about this driver's side mirror. Attached are some photos. Does this mirror look correct for a 1957 Roadmaster? Could it be an aftermarket mirror installed by a previous owner?

    post-83062-143141809808_thumb.jpg

    post-83062-143141809818_thumb.jpg

    Thanks,

    Ike

    post-83062-143141809802_thumb.jpg

    post-83062-143141809813_thumb.jpg

    March Bugle is now online

    in Buick - General

    Posted

    I tried logging in using my iPad and I was prompted for ID and password, which I entered incorrectly. Thereafter, I couldn't get the ID/password prompt to appear. I just now logged in using my laptop computer instead and had no problem. Sorry about the confusion. Thanks Rob (75RivGS) for letting me know the system is working, and thanks Bill for following up.

    Ike

    Help needed with windshield washer spray nozzles for 57 Roadmaster

    in Buick - Post War

    Posted

    To close out this thread and update everyone, it turns out that I don't need replacement windshield washer spray nozzles for my '57 Roadmaster after all. The nozzles are still on the car, just not where I expected them to be! :o Unbeknownst to me, the spray nozzles are integral with the wiper mechanism escutcheon plates and they're sort of hidden under the cam fittings that permit the wipers to remain in contact with the curved windshield.

    Here's a photo showing the driver's side Cam-O-Matic wiper mechanism on my car. (No sign of the spray nozzle from this angle.)

    post-83062-143141788542_thumb.jpg

    The following photos were sent to me by 1957buickjim in a private message. The first photo shows where the spray nozzle is attached to the wiper escutcheon plate. It's visible because the wiper and cam fitting have been removed. The next photo is of the escutcheon plate removed from the vehicle, showing the integral spray nozzle and pickup tube.

    post-83062-14314178855_thumb.jpg

    I was expecting the nozzles to be separate from the wipers and located under the cowl vent grill, which is how they are installed on my 1963 Electra, shown below, and on my 1978 Mercedes.

    post-83062-143141788551_thumb.jpg

    As further defense of my ignorance, I suppose I should explain that I just recently bought this '57 Roadmaster, and I had no previous experience with cars of this era. (I'm only as old as my Electra.) I feel quite foolish and embarrassed about having been so clueless, but I guess I'm more relieved at not having to install windshield washer spray nozzles!

    Finally, many thanks to Jim (1957buickjim) for setting me straight. Rather than just selling me something I may not need, Jim took the time, over several e-mail messages, to figure out what the heck I was talking about and then to thoroughly explain the windshield washer spray nozzle setup on 1957 Buicks having Cam-O-Matic wipers. What a guy!

    Ike

    post-83062-143141788549_thumb.jpg

    Help needed with windshield washer spray nozzles for 57 Roadmaster

    in Buick - Post War

    Posted

    Hi Jim,

    My Roadie is missing the spray nozzles and the hardware that attaches the nozzles to the car under the cowl vent grill. Is this attachment hardware referred to as the escutcheon plates? I haven't been able to track down a drawing/diagram of the nozzle installation. The car does have cam-o-matic wipers. It's a very elegant solution to maintaining wiper contact to the curved glass area. (I believe this was standard on Roadmasters.)

    I think when a previous owner repainted the car, most of the windshield washer system components were removed and not reinstalled. I have managed to track down a replacement washer fluid glass jar and lid with refurbished washer pump. The cage for the glass jar is still in the car, and even though it's quite bent out of shape, I think it can be straightened and used. The vacuum lines appear to remain and are capped off. I can get the tubing for delivering the washer fluid to the nozzles, but I haven't been able to locate the spray nozzles and associated attachment hardware.

    Any guidance you can offer will be greatly appreciated. I'll PM you to discuss the NORS spray nozzles you have.

    Thanks,

    Ike

    Please introduce yourself...

    in Buick - Introduce Yourself

    Posted

    Hi everyone. My name is Ike. I'm from Chicago and I currently live in Washington, D.C.

    When I was a child, my parents owned a 1963 Electra 225 4-door sedan,

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]180855[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]180858[/ATTACH]

    but there hadn't been a Buick in the family since 1972.

    I joined BCA and started following this forum in February, 2012, shortly after buying a restored 1963 Electra 225: a beautiful, black convertible.

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]180860[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]180847[/ATTACH]

    I really enjoy reading this forum and I have learned a lot over the last year. As a matter of fact, my dormant inner Buick fanatic blossomed over this period and I recently purchased another nice old Buick: a 1957 Roadmaster Riviera Model 73A.

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]180851[/ATTACH]

    I look forward to continuing to learn about these great old cars from all of you, and to contributing to the discussion when I have something to offer. I'm especially encouraged that there are so many other '57 Buick owners on the forum who are generous with their knowledge and experience. Not nearly as many '63 Electra owners, though. What's up with that? :confused:

    Ike

    Transport Companies

    in Garages, Trailers, and Towing

    Posted

    I recently purchased a very nice looking 1963 Buick Electra 225 Convertible. The car was in Florida and I live in metropolitan Chicago, so after doing a little shopping around, I arranged for enclosed carrier shipping with a broker called National Transport, LLC. They actually talked me out of paying for more expensive guaranteed pickup and delivery dates because I was arranging transport so far in advance. I think their price was very reasonable (~ $900). They were about three hundred dollars more expensive than the cheapest carrier, but more than several hundred dollars cheaper than the pricier carriers. However, they didn't live up to the expectations I had formed based on the marketing hype of their web site, which states:

    Typically people who want to have their racing, customized, classic or exotic vehicles transported will opt for this service but anyone can request enclosed auto shipping. For a small extra expense you can ensure a safer journey for your vehicle. National Transport LLC offers a full-service transportation solution for the shipment of your valued vehicle. We are dedicated to the care and delivery of your vehicle and have spent years perfecting safe, reliable, and affordable methods of enclosed car transport. By finding the best methods for enclosed auto transport along with the best types of enclosed auto transport trailers and providing excellent customer service, we have been able to consistently deliver treasured transports time and time again. We wouldn't call ourselves an enclosed auto shipping company if we couldn't live up to these standards.

    I will not use National Transport again, nor would I recommend them. The vehicle was not picked up on the date I was initially told it would be collected, and I was not kept informed during the process. Communication was terrible. After making the initial arrangements, I was given the dates for pickup and delivery and told by National Transport that the driver they contracted would be in contact with me and with the seller to schedule pick up and delivery times well in advance of his arrival. Well, the day of expected pickup arrived and the driver had not been heard from. I had to keep calling National Transport for information. They would put me on hold and contact the driver or the driver's trucking company. The story was always a variation of the same theme. The driver was delayed for this reason or that, but he would pick up the vehicle "tomorrow." When I complained about this, I was "reminded" that I had not contracted for guaranteed pickup and delivery dates. The driver finally showed four days after he was expected; and instead of a specialized enclosed car trailer, his rig was a standard box type semi-trailer, with a high deck and a very steep ramp. In fact, when the car was delivered I watched as the exhaust system scraped against the rear edge of the semi-trailer deck as the car was backed down the ramp. This is not what I expected from a company that touts its specialty enclosed auto shipping service.

    Another mistake I made was agreeing to delivery after 6pm, when the driver called me the day after he picked up the vehicle. I shouldn't have agreed, but I was already anxious about the car being late, and I wanted it in my garage safe and sound. Unfortunately, delivery after 6pm in Chicago, in February, meant that the driver arrived after dark, making inspection of the car next to impossible. The next day, when it was too late to get any satisfaction from either the trucking company or the seller, I discovered a chip in the center of the windshield. I don't remember seeing a chip in the glass when I flew down to Florida to inspect and purchase the car (and I was quite thorough).

    My experience was not nearly as bad as some of the horror stories already reported here. I was actually very lucky not to become another car shipping horror story. I wish I had read these posts before arranging my car shipment. I would have gone with another carrier and would have had more peace of mind. Live and learn. I hope that knowing about my mistakes will help others avoid making the same mistakes.

    Ike

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