Wilf Sedanet

Yes, it's the car from Hillsborough, the one that has been linked in this thread. I got the pictures via snail mail and it's everything I wanted: not perfect but a driver. It has patina and has its minor points but I will keep it in the garage out of the summer season and keep it in technical fit shape (first thing I'll do is get it technically checked, change all fluids etc.). But first I have to transport it safely to my garage, at the other side of the ocean… That's a nerve-wrecking experience (my first overseas buy)… That's why I don't want to jinx anything by already proudly sharing the pictures I got… I heard horror stories of cars being severely damaged during transport. Not that that is really common but I want to exclude the disappointment of sharing pictures of a car that looks no way like the one rolling out of the container. Of course I will insure the car but insurance won't get you trim and chrome pieces that are rare...

Maybe this sounds stupid but I want to wait with putting pictures online until I see the car coming out of the container. I will post the pictures of the car when it safely arrived my garage.

I'll PM you. By the way: The Hemmings car is sold. I would know because I just bought it! :cool: A very happy, lucky man fulfilling his dream just typed this

Thanks gary, I use autotempest for CL and that one in Charlotte is the wrong year.

Sonof2buicks: thanks for your support and words! I feel I am really getting close to my dream. I hope I don't get disappointed this weekend (see text above) and I will surely keep everyone here up to date. I will not molest a Caddy but search for a Buick (hopefully this weekend the search ends). Thank you all for the support and help. Great to see so many gearheads chip in!

Gary: I have and I have had contact with the seller but the man who sells it believes in honesty (what I appreciate very much). Being the honest man he is I have to wait until another buyer comes to see the car (he had contact with him since before Christmas). If he does not buy it I am the first to hear. The car does seem to be what I am looking for: it is not an interesting buy for people that are looking for a perfect restoration candidate (it has too much work to make it financially worth it) so I sincerely hope the other buyer does not want it as much as I do. I have two other leads for cars for less than that price, so I have three leads rigt now. I do like the Hemmings one the most because of the owner (a great guy, talking with him already cost me $100 on international phone costs, such a nice man) and him being honest about the car (the amount of work still there) and the color and patina. I have not seen pictures of any of the three cars yet though, so this is judging on what sellers tell me.

@ suchan (#9): I saw some horrible "hot rods" the years I was looking… With plush, with '90's interior, with digital dashes, with completely molested exteriors… Horrorshows… I really only love the '49. It's what I said: every detail of it. I think the '50 is too bulgy on the front. It isn't as refined and the dimensions seem too far off. Also, those sleek '49 lines on the hips (taillights) and sides are just unbeatable IMHO. @ suchan (#10): Well, I don't really like the color (which starts to count when the price is high enough you don't want to repaint a restored one) and it is out of my budget… That's why I'm searching for an abandonded project, a barn find (without the overhyped sales pitch that comes along with such a statement nowadays) or just one WITH a clear title but WITHOUT engine and tranny.

I would enjoy buying a project buick (even without an engine and a tranny) more in stead of hacking up a Caddy. Maybe I should be more patient as I am searching years. I am a little impatient now I guess because I almost bought a nice project for $5000 (sold a day before I called) and for $2700 (because seller decided to sell it to an acquaintance as a parts car just when I wanted to seal the deal). Frustration set in for being so close...

It seems that there are a lot of Cadillacs out there - could one be easily be rebuilt as a Buick? I was thinking: the rear fenders, front fenders, front grille, hood, bumpers and dashboard are the most important distinctionf of a Buick. So it may be worth it buying a 4dr Buick and a Cadillac sedanette and make the Sedanette into a Buick..?

RORO isn't that expensive anymore so there are a lot of nice cars going back to the US too (from Europe), no stress. (And TBH, most Swedes do rescue a lot of those cars in the US that would otherwise be crushed or "restored" with a spray can and popped in tin can floor pans. There are a lot of serious builders there up north!)

Oh my… My dream car! I'm looking for such a car / project myself. I won't say I'm jealous considering all the work… But well… I am. Good luck with the project and if you ever consider to sell…

Thanks, I'll look into that!

Thanks for the picture. Is this a plain piece of metal and how is it attached? My shop manual makes no notion of the heat shield.

Actually I would also go for one without all of the trim… As long as the dashboard is stock and is complete (as possible), without hacksaws and custom interior. The reason I fell in love with the Sedanette is the beautiful dashboard, the beautiful body lines, the perfect thought of rear lights (who needs to customize with such great design) and the beautiful toothy grille, and also the beautiful front and rear bumper. I think this design is near perfection as can be. I thank Buick for building such a car. I also like the Cadillac sedanettes (I'm a V8 addict) but that Buick dash, grille and rear lights are just too nice for me to 'settle' for a Caddilac. Wow, what would GM think about that when someone would say that back in 1949 p.s. I didn't know that there was no Buick Special Sedanette until you pointed it out, thanks.

Yeah I saw that one in Perth too but I though it would be way too expensive to get that one to Europe - literally the other side of the world. I didn't ask for a quote at a shipping agency yet though. I saw he was asking $4700 (AUS dollars) which is steep compared to the two I missed out on: I just missed out on two complete projects; one in California - with black plates - for $4950,- (still on CL but sold to someone in New Mexico) and a rusty but complete one for $2700,- which I had good contact with with the seller but a friend of him bought it - and well, I can imagine someone rather selling something to a friend than to someone 6500 miles away on another continent... Thank you for your replies so far, much appreciated!

Thanks for the wise advices, I will look into the heat shield, ply33. Jazzer3, your custom fuel line looks good! What do you mean with the condenser? Do you mean the heat exchanger for the cockpit temperature? Because it does not seem to be a water cooling problem..? I was also thinking it could be the carb itself indeed so I'll see what the float height is. I didn't find any carb kits for this carb so I think it still has all the original parts in it. The fuel here in The Netherlands is not only expensive ($8,85 per gallon) but also diluted with all those ecofriendly dopes etc so that does not help too… @ jazzer3: another thing I just noticed: You've got louvers in your wheel arch, maybe that helps for heat exchange too!

My 1950 DeSoto stalls when I'm in a traffic jam and will not start up until I wait 15 minutes for it to cool down. It starts with idling at a lower pace, then it will run erratically and slow down even further until it stalls competely. On a hot day, while filling up at the gas station it also won't start up after standing still. It seems the waiting time can be sped up when opening the hood. I tried starting it by flooding and by not using the pedal at all but that does not seem to make any difference. It just does nothing but crank but no firing up what soever (not even a single burble). I was thinking that this could be a problem with the fuel line (boiling gasoline) because the line runs alongside the engine and manifolds. Is this a plausible cause? The cooling system has been flushed and I have a three row radiator; the cooling system is okay and the water temp never exceeds the upper limit, even in a traffic jam on a hot day. Here a picture of the fuel line: Is this the usual place for the fuel line and do other people recognize the problem?

I'm looking for a Buick Sedanette from 1949 specifically. I don't mind the series (40/50/70 i.e. special/super/roadmaster) and I don't mind bodywork and rust. What I do need on the car: A clear title. What I want on the car: The interior dashboard, inner and outer chrome and trim should be complete. It would be great if the bodywork is straight. Rusted out rockers etc. is no problem as long as the car will not break in two halves. I am not looking for high a bucks completely rebuilt car, I am looking for anything in between daily driver and fixer upper. The car can be located anywhere in the USA, Canada or Europe. I appreciate all the help, hints and tips. Thank you very much! Cheers, Wilfred

I'm looking for a Buick Sedanette from 1949 specifically. I don't mind the series (40/50/70 i.e. special/super/roadmaster) and I don't mind bodywork and rust. What I do need on the car: A clear title. What I want on the car: The interior dashboard, inner and outer chrome and trim should be complete. It would be great if the bodywork is straight. Rusted out rockers etc. is no problem as long as the car will not break in two halves. I am not looking for high a bucks completely rebuilt car, I am looking for anything in between daily driver and fixer upper. The car can be located anywhere in the USA, Canada or Europe. I appreciate all the help, hints and tips. Thank you very much! Cheers, Wilfred