Eric W

Freeze plugs: Got the front freeze plug out fairly easily. It was already rusted through, so hit it with a punch until just the outer ring was left. Then, since it protruded from the block a little, I was able to get the punch to engage at the top of the plug to just collapse the perimeter inwards. This released the rest of the ring, and it was out. Lots of crud inside the engine block. </SPAN> Second freeze plug was more difficult. Hit the center with a punch again, but since it was less corroded, the entire center didn’t break away. This left more structure preventing it from collapsing inwards. Sprayed it with PB Blaster, for whatever good that might do. Tried to catch the edge again, but this one just barely protruded from the block, so various punches and chisels wouldn’t engage much. Could get the tip of a tire iron in behind it. In one area, I was able to break away the center all the way out to the edge, leaving just the outer ring of the plug. I was able to saw on this outer ring a little with a hacksaw blade – not all the way through, so there’s no marks on the block, but enough to allow the plug to not hold so tight. I did 2 cuts, about ¼” apart, then banged on this small section with the chisel to release it. When the segment between the saw cuts peeled up just slightly, the whole plug came loose. So there’s another way to release a freeze plug. </SPAN> Having read many other posts on this forum after searching “freeze plug”, I will have to try the back-flush operations described. Pull off the water pump / water pump elbow at the front of the block, insert water hose there, and blast crud out of the freeze plug holes. One post described fabbing up a ¼” tube to connect to the hose – I guess to blast in from the freeze plug holes to try and move crud out the holes. Was informed of a 4th</SPAN> freeze plug on the back of the head. Not sure I’m up for trying to get that one at the moment. Save that for when the engine is out or head is off. Didn’t really want to do the 3rd</SPAN> freeze plug because that one feels solid, but given the crud in the block, I’ll go after that one as well.</SPAN>

On the 320 straight 8 engine, how many freeze plugs are there, and where are they located? I see 3 on the left side of the block, and I looked in the shop manual (did't find a good view there), and searched on this forum (and the Pre War forum) for "freeze plugs". Found lots of good advice about engine cleaning, but not photos/views. Thanks!

Windows being windows - million ways to get things done - for links, highlight, then ctrl + c = copy. In your post, ctrl + V = paste. Ctrl might be the very lower left-most key on the keyboard. I saw that '50 a couple of days ago - the production figures listed (invented) are easily checked to be way wrong, by about an order of magnitude. Between the 75R and 76R for '50, total is 10,732. Throw in the '51 at 13,710 (between the non-power windows & power windows versions), and 11,387 in '52, and 22,927 in '53 - and about 5-6x more of these in the 56R style, yes, 4-portholes on the hood is uncommon, but the overall 2-door hardtop (counting ones with that exact same roof and side window appearance) isn't quite as rare as the seller might hope. Not sure how they got a "quantity still on the road" number. Given the seller wants to trade for a boat, could be a better deal in trade than in cash...

If you have any further info for them, I would appreciate it. I may have a need for small parts, and they may be able to bond several smaller parts after "printing" into a larger part...

Interesting idea on the plastic, John. It does have flanges on each end to mount the side pieces, so there may be some structural function, however light. I don't have any deadline for this, so I'll keep an eye on the auctions and check locally about repairing the parts that are on the car. It was impacted slightly from the front and sides. Not sure if that was all one event, or if a hit on the left side pushed it into something on the right side or what. But the main large bar is cracked all the way across (it's in 2 pieces, plus a crack at the car centerline in the longer piece), and both small wrap-around parts are dented/cracked. On the plus side, this part is common with all 50/70 for 2 model years, so just because mine's a relatively low-production model, there's a potentially large population of donors... Was a little curious if any company has worked with the vintage car market to do things like computer scanning of old parts, creating computer models of them, possibly using 3-d printing to create items that could be used in mold-making for casting in appropriate metals...

Al - sent you a PM about the lights. I did identify what I've got. They're 1958-59 Buick. Will turn those back to the auctions soon. The NOS one has a typo (in the Group number) on the box! (2 digits reversed)

What the inside roof looks like: (back window chrome pieces temporarily in place) What I found for it: - sheet metal along sides and above windshield and back window. - back window chrome pieces. - side and front window chrome pieces. - headliner bows (the front 3 are chrome and are intended to be visible). - courtesy light. The other one's still on the way. These may be a later year?

See post #11 of my '55 thread (link below). If you're careful about cutting the carpet, nothing more than the end of the belt shows. I used the Juliano's / seatbeltstore.com hardware & belts. After about 1 1/2 years of almost weekly cruises with this setup, about the only thing I might want to add are the in-line retractors for the outboard belts on each end of the front seat. To know where to cut the carpet, locate the seatbelt best as you can* and drill up from below. When the drill pokes through the metal (but not the carpet), hold the drill bit up through the floor to locate the small "U" shaped cut in the carpet. http://forums.aaca.org/f163/55-special-runner-349933.html *Location will be driven by all the little stiffening ribs and bends in the floor as much as any guidelines on belt placement. I believe I drilled up from below with 1/8" drill bit, made the carpet cut, then holding the flap of carpet out of the way, drilled down from the top with a unibit to get to the seatbelt bolt size.

I had seen the one that you had posted in the ebay listing. It is cracked, and one end flange (where it attaches the adjacent part) is completely missing. Anyone have any comment as to how repairable such features might be? Can the crack be welded? Can the end flange maybe be cut from another (broken) piece and welded on? (for reference, the piece in the ebay listing is exactly the part I'm asking about...it's not a bumper so much as an upper grille surround/trim piece) Thanks!

One of the guys on the forum recommended this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/230818275821 After spending way too much on several "not quite right" books, I have found that this one is THE one for the early 50's, through about '54. There's a little bit later edition that would be prime for '54 to '60 or so (ask me, I have one). With this, you will find out that the headlight rings are common to several years (1949-1952 in this case). They're also available in reproduction from Bob's and CARS, Inc, so get those catalogs so you have a "top end" for price. $45 each from Bob's right now, and that includes the rubber seal and seal retainer clips - I list these below so you can see the value there. Bob's price for the seals: $18.50 each. For the clips: $4.25 for 1 headlight's worth. So if going the "used part" route, there's actually 3 parts you want to consider when asking for a "headlight ring". A seller may assume that the seal isn't included, or the clips aren't included, because in the catalogs, those are all separated out. Or they may just (pretend to) not know what they have - the seal fell out, the clips rusted & broke, so here's your ring... So if you'd go down the path of wanting a used ring, and figure that the seal and clips you'll want to buy from Bob's anyway (they may be adequate, but they're going to be dried up and/or rusty), the top value for a single, perfect ring is $22.25. Anyone asking higher than that, you're counting on some value from the existing seal & clips, or you may as well go to Bob's. I guess you could come up with a way to factor in shipping cost, sales tax if applicable, etc.

Excuse my "too new" car question. I was referred here from the postwar group because - well, the hope that there's more knowledge here about what I'm considering: In working on a '51, I begin the search that many have to overcome in one way or another - the "moustache" bar that frames the top of the grille. There's maybe a 5-foot-long center section, and 2 smaller "L" pieces that form the ends. My questions are: 1. Anyone know of a supplier of custom castings? 2. Anyone familiar with the path of making replica parts - as far as trademark/copyright or other rights - especially since these actually have the Buick name cast right into the front?

Thanks - will give that a try.

Got your attention with the title - as I was drawn into 1 more '51 than I expected, I begin the search that I have seen many times on here - the quest for the Moustache bar & bar ends. I search the auction listings, even consider buying an entire parts car for those few parts on the very front end. I also notice that there are many smaller cast pot-metal parts available in reproduction. So someone (or someones) is doing this. My questions are: 1. Anyone know a supplier of custom castings? Anyone know who's doing the repros of the '50-'52 50-70 series tail light rings, the "Dynaflow", "Super", and "Roadmaster" fender scripts, etc? 2. Is there enough interest in doing / funding a run of '51-'52 Moustache bars? 3. Need to confirm if the end pieces are the same for all, with different center sections (I can do this). 4. Anyone familiar with the path of making replica parts - as far as trademark/copyright or other rights - does GM care for "a cut" of items of this nature (especially since these actually have the Buick name cast right into the front)? By the time one spends hundreds on what may or may not turn out to be a reasonable "core", and spends hundreds more on a re-chrome job that may or may not yield acceptable results, pit or crack again, etc., new versions of these parts may have some market, even if they turn out to seem fairly expensive. There's other costs that could be avoided like buying / transporting / storing a whole parts car (mostly) for these few parts, time spent scanning listings, working with other sellers, shipping from people who may or may not know how to pack such things, etc.

Thanks Al - I need to evaluate what I've got and what's still on the way. I think I may have covered the courtesy lights and interior roof trim parts both chromed and painted.

Moustache looks broke on the right side. But I envy those bumpers. Even has the accessory over-ride bars... Might be the correct back seat sitting on the trunk... Would be too bad if this low-production body style was to go for parts...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321517704844

Sorry, no hardtop visor parts. Updating the list: '54 horn ring - SOLD http://www.ebay.com/itm/141400285643 - '55 cigarette lighter housing - $15 + ship http://www.ebay.com/itm/141400285639 - '55 dash switches - $55 + ship http://www.ebay.com/itm/141400285640 - '55 vent sliders - $15 + ship http://www.ebay.com/itm/141400285641 - '51-'52 hood emblem - $15 + ship '50 hood emblem - not relisted http://www.ebay.com/itm/141400285638 - '51-'52 hood ornament - $30 + ship '55 tail light lenses - SOLD http://www.ebay.com/itm/141393542164 - '51-'52 front turn/marker doors & lenses (2 ea) - $12 + ship (check link for relist) 5939817 lens doors (2) NOS - SOLD

Keith - when I saw those parts that were unique to the 76R (and a certain model of Cadillac), I had to get those done. From the glass up, the Cadillac 62 for '51 is the same except for the dome lights, rearview mirror, and radio antenna. With those headliner/inside roof parts covered, most of the rest of what I need to replace is common with the 4-door or available in reproduction, and most of that is used on at least the '51 and '52 model years. Felix - in this thread, the silver was what was on the plastic part already. But for other parts, I have used Testor's silver metallic (1146). It doesn't reflect as bright as the factory coating, but it's better than leaving the plastic clear/uncoated. The blue wil be Testor's dark blue (1111). For parts, I'll give you a call.

Ok, over a multitude of individual auctions from 3 different sellers, I have obtained nearly everything in Pete's photo in post #14. I shouldn't count my chickens... before the ebay packages arrive cuz the stuff might be junk or not fit, but I'm amazed at what focused searches has yielded. To find these parts, I was envisioning years of cross-country trips to major swap meets, ventures to specialist yards, and maybe even shipping in a parts car or two, or if that didn't work, just build it with the higher-production Super hardtop headliner & trim. But it seems the internet has helped me avoid all that. These were the most unique parts that I thought I wouldn't be able to find: headliner rods, headliner rod chrome trims, chrome trim all the way around the top of the windshield, side windows, back window + sheetmetal parts that go between the chrome trims and the headliner itself. The 2 main items (that I know of) remaining are the coat hooks (not too hard to find, maybe even in repro, but I haven't been looking for those), and the right-hand dome light, part no 4173505. I was going to compromise and go with either the Cadillac or Oldsmobile dome lights because I've seen a pair of each on ebay just this week, but I'll continue the search for the Buick part. This one is pretty unusual because it's only for the Roadmaster hardtops - not the Super or convertible or the coupe/sedan, though it was installed on 4 model years.

Max, For the tank, looking at Pete's photo, it looks like you would add 1" to get to that front-of-tank to center-of-fill measurement. I have a '51 special - probably the same. I did buy one of those ebay combo deals - tank + sender, free shipping. I'm pretty sure I bought the B1-A, but I can check. See my thread "rescue me" in the "me & my" forum for the collection of parts that it takes to attach the tank to the fuel line. It does not just thread onto the existing fuel line. Be prepared to spend some time way up above the rear axle... As for brakes, I was reading that section of one of the Buick history books last night. I believe it was the "Buick - The Postwar Years" book. By '53, they had made improvements to the brakes over the '50-'51 standard, though I'm not sure it all carried through to the Special. At the least, the drum mass is larger and shoe width wider on the fronts for '53 vs '51. As the others pointed out, the Scarebird bracket set is like an entry fee. There's a lot more that goes into a proper power-boosted disk-brake system than some brackets & calipers. I don't doubt, if done right, an updated power-boosted disk brake system would improve stopping distance, but that's a lot of stuff to do and a lot of stuff to get right. It doesn't make it easier that the '53 brake master is way down below the floor, with a bottom-hinged pedal (not like the top-hinged pedal and firewall-mounted booster & master you'll see on hotrods and most cars from the mid-50's on). As you get more into it, you may find it's easier to add some brake effectiveness with a swap to another Buick brake setup of the era. See if you can find that book. The brake discussion is on pages in the mid 30's. I believe by 1958 or so, they had made large improvements. I'm studying all this because I've got an even way-more-hefty '51 Roadmaster with the non-powered brake system - which by '50 or so was not keeping up with even the competition of that vintage, so Buick had embarked on a brake improvement program, which saw slightly wider shoes/drums in '52, and improvements to drums in '53, with even more along those lines (material changes, etc.) until they were on par with the competition by the mid to late 50's. As for manuals, I've gotten them on ebay. They are on there all the time for $40-50, but keep an eye on it. Every so often, someone's just cleaning out someone else's garage or whatever, and I've seen them listed for under $10. It depends on your patience vs. need for information as much as anything else. If you're seriously taking things apart today, buy what's listed today. If you can stand to just poke around and not really tear into anything, then watch the listings for a month or two. Much below $29 is pretty uncommon, though. As for the side stainless trim - again, keep an eye on ebay. Unfortunately, these are nearly all single-year-specific. Due to the demand from the Mercury/customizer crowd, when '53 trim comes up, it's usually quite expensive. Here's a few pieces on ebay right now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-BUICK-2DR-HARD-TOP-DRIVER-SIDE-DOOR-TRIM-/221513595160 http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/201142548066?item=201142548066 http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/231301794479?item=231301794479 http://www.ebay.com/itm/1953-Buick-Special-Right-Front-Fender-Trim-/231301805470 Different sellers - because the guy w/ the front fender trim is parting a 4-door, and the guy w/ the 2-door door trim doesn't have the fronts or rears... Prices aren't as high as I thought.

Thanks - though it may not be the happy story I'd want to hear, it's info like this that helps us decide what's worth further effort (or not)... Maybe we could use a separate forum for "not mine" ads - where the purpose, besides letting people know about possible finds, would also be so people who know about these sellers (or are in a better position to check things out) could provide that info. I don't intend to conflict with "for sale" rules, because I've found good stuff on here and hopefully helped some others find stuff that's good for them too.

BTT

A little something while awaiting make-it-go parts... As-received (from another forum member)... How the "Special" trunk script wasn't. (Especially next to the re-do of the trunk handle) Side-by-side + repainted the black inside the letters... Installed - stands out much better.

Someone else needs to check this out. Not mine. http://chicago.fr.craigslist.org/sox/cto/4620707505.html

Ordering more parts... But yes, I agree this is down to the ignition side now... Plus side is, those parts are pretty easy to change out, and I've worked out (cleaned so it's visible) the timing mark on the flywheel...